Pirate: I, Buggy, am the Emperor, the Emperor of the Clown King!

The former paradise of evil dragons.

The current base of the Buggy Pirates.

They had a happy banquet every night.

On the ruins, the embers of the campfire were still emitting wisps of smoke.

As dawn broke and the horizon turned a pale white, a salty sea breeze blew in from afar, marking the start of a new day.

The pirates who had been partying all night were now lying haphazardly in the ruins.

Some were holding bottles of liquor, some were embracing their companions, and some simply buried their faces in a puddle of liquid that was hard to tell if it was liquor or saliva.

The snoring was deafening.

This is the life of a pirate.

Living on the edge of a knife, with their heads hanging by a thread, no one knows if they'll be able to open their eyes again tomorrow.

Therefore, the life motto of over 90% of pirates can be summed up in just four words: live for the moment.

deposit?

nonexistent.

Spend as much as you can, live for today, that's the only true principle.

Therefore, pirates who can accumulate a treasure, bury it, and draw a treasure map are already considered elites among pirates.

The vast majority of pirates, more than 90%, are genuinely incompetent.

As for the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the Four Emperors, they are more like warlords who control their own territories than pirates.

Nobody considered them ordinary pirates.

Nami stood on a piece of rubble at the edge of the ruins, frowning as she looked at the guys sleeping like logs.

"A bunch of idiots."

She muttered something to herself, then pulled a notebook from her pocket, opened it, and scribbled something down in it.

The management of the Buggy Pirates is really chaotic.

Nami only realized what a miserable job it was after she became the head steward.

No wonder Nami noticed that Mochi, the vice-captain, and Cabaji, the chief of staff, were trying not to laugh during the handover.

These two roughnecks were quite happy to be able to shirk their management responsibilities.

Just kidding. As a pirate, what you want is to enjoy yourself. Who wants to be a miserable manager?

Especially after Bucky became increasingly strict, Mochi and Kabaji found their daily tasks unbearable.

Let those two henchmen chop people up.

But asking two roughnecks to handle management and development is simply too much to ask.

The only saving grace is that we don't have to be too polite to these pirate henchmen.

Decrees are changed frequently, and punishments are unpredictable, making authority unpredictable; this can be considered the norm.

After entrusting all these matters to Nami, Nami needs to start by establishing a set of rules and regulations that can operate in the long term.

Especially the valuables on pirate ships.

When the ledger was handed to Nami, she was almost dumbfounded by the contents of the ledger, which covered the food, drink, and daily expenses of everyone on the ship.

Nami could only comment that it was a mess, incomplete, and that it would be better to start writing it from scratch.

So Nami has been busy running around these past two days, taking stock of the ship's finances.

"Settling scores again?" Nojiko walked over from the side, holding a cup of freshly brewed hot tea, and handed it to Nami.

"Hmm." Nami took the tea, took a sip, and said, "Of the treasure we distributed earlier, we've already recovered 30% this morning."

Noki was taken aback: "So fast?"

"Those idiots," Nami rolled her eyes. "The first thing they do after getting the money is find alcohol and women."

"The supplies Mochi brought last night were three times the price in town, but people still scrambled to buy them."

Pirate ships also conduct trade and commerce, rather than the captain directly distributing supplies.

It's like a small shop or store located in a school.

Buggy represents the official pirate ship and then sells various supplies and services to his crew members at fixed prices.

Nojiko was silent for a moment, then her gaze toward Nami became somewhat complicated.

"You... are you plotting against them?" Nojiko felt that this approach was a bit unethical.

Clearly, she was too kind-hearted, which made her stand out from the rest of the Buggy Pirates.

"Calculation?" Nami raised an eyebrow, closed the notebook, and said, "It's about maximizing profits."

She turned around and looked at the relatively intact building in the distance.

That place was originally the dragon's council hall. After some minor repairs and renovations, it is now Bucky's temporary stronghold.

"I proposed a plan to the captain," Nami said, "a plan to recover funds."

"Funds recovery?" Nochiko asked, puzzled.

"Mm." Nami nodded and raised her first finger.

"First, we collect the treasures from each place we conquer, and then distribute a portion to our men."

Nami raised her fourth finger.

"Secondly, we will use the captain's name to purchase supplies and hire people."

Nami raised her fourth finger.

"Third, use these people and resources to hold banquets, sell alcohol, and so on, providing high-profit services to those pirates."

Nami raised her fourth finger.

"Fourth, the money they receive will eventually flow back into the captain's treasure vault."

In general, it aims to regulate the lax discipline of pirates.

Originally, it was supposed to be free for pirates to plunder, but now the loot is distributed in a centralized manner.

Once these pirates have money, they need to spend it.

Then Buggy can sell goods and services to these pirates at above-market prices to recoup his investment.

Nami actually wanted to raise her fifth finger, but she decided not to say it.

Nami wanted to leave some money for the surrounding villagers before she left.

After all, the Buggy Pirates stole the money from the Arlong Pirates, so there's no reason for Buggy to give the money to the villagers.

But if Bucky spends money to buy various services to make money, then that makes sense.

Moreover, the fact that these services are provided in Buggy's name means that pirates dare not cause trouble, which makes the villagers who are employed safe.

Because she had earned more money, Nami felt that this was a way of giving Buggy an explanation.

In conclusion, from all perspectives, it can be said to be a win-win situation.

As for the pirate henchmen who got scammed?

—The pirate minions are saying: So we're the only ones who aren't human?

After hearing this, Nokiko was stunned for a long time.

Then she couldn't help but laugh: "As expected of Nami, she's so thoughtful!"

Nojiko looked at Nami with a very gentle and kind gaze.

It's always been like this; Nami has always been so clever and resourceful... taking everything upon herself.

"Hehe, thanks for the compliment~" Then Nami tilted her head and acted cute: "Anyway, we shouldn't let the good stuff go to outsiders."

"Bucky agreed?" Nojiko looked at her, a hint of emotion in her eyes.

"He agreed," Nami nodded. "He added a few more points."

"What?" Nojiko was curious about what Buggy had said this time.

"He said that the profit margin should be higher when providing services," Nami said, her expression becoming somewhat subtle. "And then he'll create some kind of ranking system for those pirates."

"Different ranks have different benefits and treatment, and you can also borrow money from him, but you will be charged interest on the loan."

After all, Nami is the chief steward on Buggy's pirate ship, and she wields considerable power unless Buggy gives the order.

However, Nami thought this claim was unreliable. Given the character of these pirates, would they ever actually pay back the money?

It's not that these pirates are cheating, but rather, where would they get the money?

Maybe I'll die someday!

Although Nami felt that Buggy was simply giving these pirates a freebie, after thinking about it carefully, she realized that the system was actually quite promising.

A standardized system provides career advancement opportunities, like a carrot dangling in front of you, which motivates those at lower levels to strive for better opportunities.

This is why many companies and factories produce many different grades.

If you do a good job, I'll promote you.

As for what the benefits of a promotion are?

The benefits are slightly better, and you'll be put in charge of people at lower ranks than you.

This is a simple management principle.

After listening, Nokiko fell silent.

After a long while, she finally spoke: "No wonder he's a great pirate."

Compared to the illiterate crew of Buggy's Pirates, Nojiko is quite intelligent.

"Hahahaha!" Nami paused for a moment, then laughed.

The laughter echoed across the ruins in the early morning, startling several seabirds that had landed on them.

The pirates lying haphazardly in the distance rolled over and continued to snore.

they do not know.

They know nothing.

All they knew was that they had received their share of the money, had drinks to drink today, and could continue to follow Captain Bucky tomorrow.

As for where that money will eventually go?

Who cares.

Anyway, Captain Bucky said that if we followed him, we'd have plenty of treasure in the future.

This is enough.

This is what pirates are like.

This is Nami's new life.

And what is Bucky, who stands above everyone else here, doing?

Bucky was certainly not sleeping.

He stood in an open space some distance from the banquet, facing the rising sun, his eyes slightly narrowed beneath his mask.

He held a plum blossom sword in his hand.

The sword gleamed with a cold luster in the morning light.

Bucky closed his eyes, letting his consciousness sink into that strange state.

The power of the Clown King flowed through his body, and that feeling of extreme calmness and arrogance surged up again.

But at this moment, he wasn't thinking about Clown King; he was thinking about something else entirely.

Swordsman.

What exactly is a swordsman?

In the original story, the flying slashes of those high-level swordsmen could split mountains, cut through steel, and take lives from a hundred paces away.

Hawkeye Mihawk's strike cleaved the massive ship in two.

The techniques Zoro later mastered, like the Three Thousand Worlds and the Great Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, were incredibly cool.

Bucky looked down at the sword in his hand.

Now that he uses a sword and also has a sword in his hand, why not practice while he's at it?

The Ace Throwing Knife is indeed very useful; it can be controlled with a thought, allowing for complete freedom of movement and making it impossible to defend against.

But his inner desires were not content to stop there.

While system improvements are certainly desirable, personal cultivation is also essential.

When he reaches his limit, Bucky will make himself stronger than the Clown King.

I want what you have, and I also want what you don't have!

If one could cultivate sword energy...

If only I could be like those sword masters, delivering a slash with a casual wave of my hand...

Bucky's lips curled up slightly.

Whether he's strong or not is another matter, but he's definitely got a lot of cool factor... he's really handsome.

Bucky raised his plum blossom sword and assumed a standard kendo starting stance.

How did the swordsmen on Roger's ship train, as I remember?

Bucky tried hard to remember.

Then he discovered a problem: none of the monsters on Roger's ship were actually teaching swordsmanship.

Rayleigh does use a sword, but his teaching method is just, "I think this will work, so go ahead and practice."

Shanks, that red-haired bastard, is a self-taught individual who relies entirely on his talent and brute force.

As for Roger himself... he was basically the same as Rayleigh and Shanks, relying entirely on his momentum to fight his way through.

If they teach carefully and provide one-on-one instruction, it's not impossible for them to teach successfully.

Unfortunately, Bucky the Joker didn't take learning that seriously.

Bucky the Joker stopped learning after he realized he couldn't understand or figure it out.

This is truly a regrettable problem, a complete waste of his status as a member of the Pirate King's crew.

Bucky sighed.

Forget it, figure it out yourself.

He closed his eyes, concentrated his mind, and channeled the power within him into the sword in his hand.

Armament Haki?

He has been trying to cultivate his domineering aura these days and has already grasped some of the tricks.

Piedmon is a relatively fragile character with high attack and speed, so if circumstances allow, Bucky would naturally want to increase his defense.

The four ace throwing knives in the original work were extremely sharp, but they could all be destroyed by a single move from MetalGarurumon... Buggy remembers it very clearly; he was shocked when he watched it back then.

Although I can't yet cover my entire body with power like those strong individuals, I can still attach a small amount of power to the sword.

A black sheen was faintly visible on the sword.

Bucky opened his eyes and stared at a section of ruins ten meters away.

The remains of what was originally the Dragon Paradise tower were as tall as two people and half a meter thick, built of solid rock.

He took a deep breath.

Then he swung his sword.

A sword strike was unleashed.

There was no sword energy.

There was no slashing attack.

Only a gust of wind swept across the sword, stirring a few fallen leaves in front of it.

Bucky: "..."

He looked down at the sword in his hand, then at the unmoving ruins, and his expression behind the mask became somewhat subtle.

"How do I even cast Flying Slash..." he muttered to himself.

He recalled Zoro's moves from the anime.

Before unleashing his ultimate attack, that green-haired guy would shout a long string of cringeworthy lines, like "Nine mountains and eight seas, one world," or "The one who is selfless and unbreakable," and then he would slash down, unleashing a torrent of sword energy.

Could it be because they didn't say their lines?

This isn't entirely without reason.

A loud slogan can indeed have a certain degree of psychological suggestion effect.

The problem is, I'm cosplaying as the Clown King right now.

What style is the Clown King?

Ruthless and dark, unfathomable, appearing and disappearing like a ghost.

If this style of Clown King were to shout overly enthusiastic, chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) slogans... the character would be completely ruined.

Bucky hesitated for a moment.

Then he raised his sword, took a deep breath, and spoke in an extremely fierce tone: "Dark God of War Sword!"

A sword was swung out.

Nothing happened.

Bucky: "..."

He paused for a moment, then shook his head, glanced around to make sure no one was coming, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Never mind, I'll practice slowly.

He sheathed his plum blossom sword and drew his square sword from behind him.

Try a different sword.

The square sword gleamed with a silvery light in the morning glow.

Bucky closed his eyes again, letting his consciousness spread out.

That feeling is back again.

Everything around him was clearly visible to his senses: the snoring of the pirates in the ruins, every ripple on the distant sea, the frequency of the flapping wings of the seabirds flying overhead...

He raised the square sword and tried again to channel power into the blade.

A black sheen emerged.

This time it was even more concentrated than before.

Generally speaking, to cover an area with Armament Haki, a relatively high total amount of Haki is required.

However, due to the Clown King template, there will also be a significant boost.

Bucky's handling skills are nothing like those of a novice.

Although Buggy's Armament Haki is currently very limited, it is highly controllable.

Moreover, once this skill is mastered and the threshold is crossed, it will experience a period of rapid development.

In short, Bucky the Clown is undergoing an amazing upgrade.

The only problem is that the swordsman's so-called sword aura is not Armament Haki.

Bucky opened his eyes and swung his sword again.

call!

It was still a strong gust of wind.

Then a few marks appeared on the ground beneath my feet.

I don't know if it's a flying slash or just pure power.

Bucky's eyes narrowed slightly.

There is a play.

Although it's far from a true flying slash, it at least allows the power to adhere to the sword and leave a mark.

...The only problem is that this doesn't look like a swordsman's flying slash at all; it looks more like a flying slash simulated by some kind of ability.

Bucky continued swinging his sword.

a bit.

Two times.

Three times.

Each strike was more forceful than the last, each strike more focused than the last.

Time slips away as the sword is swung.

The sun rose higher and higher above the horizon, its rays growing brighter and brighter, shining on the ruins, on the still-sleeping pirates, and on the figure constantly wielding his sword.

After an unknown amount of time, Bucky stopped moving.

He looked down at the square sword in his hand, a slight smile playing on the corners of his mouth beneath the mask.

"interesting."

Then Bucky raised his hand, tossed the cube sword up and spun it around a few times before it flew back to its sheath behind him.

The Ace can freely control these four swords to fly and move.

Although you can only control two at the moment, there is no restriction on which two specifically.

It's just that Bajitians prefer to use the red and black heart swords to fly out.

The Red Heart Sword and the Black Heart Sword were sheathed at an angle.

The square sword and the plum blossom sword are inserted into the downward-sloping scabbard.

At this moment, the Red Heart Sword and the Black Heart Sword were drawn.

Two swords hovered beside him, tips pointing downwards, as quiet as two hunting dogs awaiting a command.

Bucky closed his eyes and focused his mind on controlling both swords simultaneously.

Two swords slowly rose and circled around him.

It started slowly, then got faster and faster, and finally turned into two streaks of light, forming a halo around him.

Bucky opened his eyes, looked at the two streaks of light, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

I'm getting more and more skilled at handling the Ace Throwing Knife.

Although he hasn't mastered sword energy yet, this ability alone is enough for him to roam freely in the East Sea.

After all, the overall strength of the East Blue is really not that great. Who told Garp to always wander around the East Blue for no reason?

Moreover, now that he has developed a little bit of Armament Haki, he is qualified to go to Loguetown and fight Smoker.

Without Armament Haki, how to defeat a Logia-type Devil Fruit user is a real problem.

The amount of Armament Haki, whether large or small, only affects the increase in strength.

But whether or not you have Armament Haki makes a real difference.

Even a tiny bit of skill is enough to qualify someone to fight a Logia-type Devil Fruit user.

With a thought, Bucky stopped both swords simultaneously, hovering in front of him.

The sword was spotless, as clean as if it had just been drawn from its sheath.

Bucky raised his hand, and the Ace Throwing Knife silently flew back to its sheath behind him.

When masters clash, they engage in close-quarters combat more often than sword energy.

So sword energy and stuff... people in the One Piece world might not care much about that, but as a transmigrator, I really care about it.

If I don't have the chance, that's fine; but if I do, I'll definitely give it a try.

Bucky turned around, preparing to face the person who was coming, which was also the reason he stopped training.