"Hey, Buggy!"
Shanks called after the clown's retreating back, a half-folded treasure map dangling from his fingers. But Buggy didn't even glance back.
Shanks stood there for a moment longer, then sighed and chuckled helplessly.
Kaka came over, eyes curious.
"Shanks, what's the deal between you and that clown? Why does he hate you so much?"
Her question was the same one that every viewer was typing into chat—millions wanted the answer.
Shanks laughed softly.
"Buggy's always loved one thing more than anything else—treasure.
To him, being a pirate means chasing gold and adventure. Back on Roger's ship, he once found a devil fruit and a map to a seabed treasure."
He swirled his glass, nostalgia flickering across his grin.
"Then came a little accident. He swallowed that devil fruit by mistake—the Chop-Chop Fruit—and lost the ability to swim. The treasure at the bottom of the sea was gone forever.
He's blamed me for that ever since."
"Ahh…" Kaka nodded slowly. The chat flooded with enlightenment emojis and laughter.
So that's where their grudge came from—fate, not betrayal.
Shanks chuckled again. "He used to cry at everything, you know. Even Roger's execution—he bawled louder than anyone."
The Red Hair crew roared with laughter; the mood eased. After a few more drinks, they set sail once again, leaving Orange Town behind.
The Swordshadow Stream
On the other side of the game, in Swordshadow Flowyear's stream, the barrage was blazing.
[Bro, Kaka just met Buggy!]
[He's in Orange Town right now—same guy who trained with Shanks on Roger's ship!]
[Ask your ship captain if you're heading that way!]
[Join Buggy's crew! If he's Shanks's rival, he's gotta be top-tier too!]
Swordshadow glanced at the screen, lips curling.
"Alright, brothers. I'll ask the captain."
A short while later, he came back grinning.
"Confirmed! Next stop's Orange Town. They say the orange wine there's worth the trip. Guess luck's finally on my side."
He sighed wistfully. "If only I'd known earlier—maybe Kaka could've introduced me to the Red-Hair crew. But joining Buggy's men sounds good too! After all, he's on Shanks's level, right?"
The chat spammed clapping emojis.
In truth, Swordshadow had long given up on forming his own crew.
Out here, he was weak—barely more than a rookie. The burly, scar-covered sailors around him looked more like predators than NPCs.
Recruiting followers? Impossible.
So why not latch onto a name?
Buggy's banner was famous now—Shanks's equal (or so he thought).
Arrival at Orange Town
After a few hours, Orange Town appeared on the horizon.
Swordshadow practically vibrated with excitement. When the ship docked, he thanked the captain profusely… only for the man to hold out a hand.
"Fare's due, lad."
Several sailors loomed behind him, cracking knuckles.
Swordshadow froze. Fare?
The chat howled.
[HAHA, rookie mistake! You thought the trip was free?]
[LMAO even NPCs are scamming now!]
Embarrassment flushed his face. His pockets were emptier than his HP bar.
Then inspiration struck.
He straightened, narrowing his eyes, lowering his voice.
"Heh… guess I don't need to hide anymore."
He stepped forward, radiating fake menace.
"Name's Swordshadow Flowyear, right hand of Captain Buggy the Clown!
You mean to tell me you want to collect fare from a man of the Buggy Pirates… here, in their headquarters?"
The chat erupted.
[Fox borrowing tiger's might! Genius move!]
[Bro learned to bluff like a real pirate in record time!]
Miraculously—it worked.
The captain and his men exchanged pale looks. The name "Buggy" had spread fast after his scuffle with Shanks.
"Forget the fare," the captain barked. "Throw him off the ship and sail!"
Within moments, the ship cast off again, leaving Swordshadow laughing on the dock.
"Hahaha! Brothers, did you see that? The name of Buggy really works!
No doubt about it—the Buggy Pirates are powerful! My future's set!"
He strutted into town, and luck—or fate—struck again.
A few rough-looking pirates were prowling near the port. Their eyes lit up when they spotted him.
"Oi, fresh meat!"
But before they could grab him, Swordshadow bowed smartly.
"I've come to join Captain Buggy's crew!"
The thugs blinked. Then, uncertain, they nodded. "This way then…"
The "Victorious" Buggy
Moments later, Swordshadow arrived at the Buggy Pirates' hideout—just in time to witness the captain mid-brag.
Mohji stood beside his lion Richie; Cabaji balanced on his unicycle, both staring blankly as Buggy reclined on his chair, smug as a king.
"Hmph! A mere Yonko—Shanks fell with a single punch! The Red-Hair crew fled in terror!"
He slammed a fist into his palm, nose gleaming proudly.
"You three cowards—running at the sight of danger! How can you call yourselves my crew?!"
Behind the screen, millions of viewers burst into laughter.
And in that moment, Swordshadow Flowyear knew—his wild gamble had just paid off.
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