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

Chapter 21 Shanks's Best Friend, a Match for Each Other

Just after Bucky stopped.

Nami's voice rang out: "Captain."

In the nearby ruins, Nami is standing on a tilted stone slab.

Standing next to Nami was another person, Nami's best friend, Nojiko.

The two were practically inseparable in the Buggy Pirates, adding a touch of gentleness to the otherwise rough and tough crew.

Finally, there were two pretty girls among the group of slovenly men.

This is truly cause for celebration!

Although Bucky hasn't made a move against the two beautiful girls yet, everyone has already assumed that they are Bucky's forbidden offspring.

This is what pirates are like.

Even Nami and Nojiko are aware of this.

Therefore, only the two of them dared to disturb Buggy while he was training.

Even Mochi and Kabaji didn't dare to bother Bucky the Clown.

This is the impact of the difference in strength and status.

Nami and Nojiko bypassed this class restriction due to their gender and social status.

"What is it?" Bucky asked, his voice unhurried and slightly lazy.

Seeing two beautiful young women first thing in the morning is always more pleasant than seeing a bunch of rough old men.

Among his own group of misfits, only Kabaji's appearance was acceptable.

Now we finally have two beautiful young girls.

Nami didn't say anything, but simply turned her head to look at Nojiko.

Nojiko joined Buggy's Pirates indirectly through Nami's identity.

Since Nojiko was already there, Nami wanted her to integrate more fully into the pirate crew.

What could be better than getting closer to Bucky?

As a close friend, Nami wouldn't mind at all if this might reduce the affection she receives from Buggy.

Noki stepped forward and handed over a piece of paper with both hands; it was a wanted poster.

"Captain," Nojiko said, her voice calm and clear, "this is your bounty poster."

Bucky took the bounty poster and looked down at it.

The photo on the wanted poster is a profile shot.

In the picture, he stands on a high place, his body slightly turned to one side, and the sunlight shines from the side, outlining his slender and upright figure.

He wore a black and white mask, and the corners of his mouth below the mask were slightly upturned, carrying a faint smile.

The hilts of the four swords behind him are clearly visible.

The composition of the entire image is exquisite, with interplay of light and shadow, creating a mysterious and powerful effect.

Bucky looked at the photo, his eyes narrowing slightly beneath the mask.

handsome.

He's really handsome.

That iconic red nose is almost invisible from the side; her entire aura is replaced by an air of mystery and intimidation.

Buggy looked up at Nami: "This photo..."

"I specially provided this to Colonel Rat," Nami chimed in, a sly smile playing on her lips. "I thought this angle suited you best."

"..." Bucky looked at her without saying a word.

Nami continued, "This angle best highlights your temperament."

After all, Bucky's red nose would look too out of place if filmed directly in the face.

Bucky was silent for a moment, then burst out laughing, his voice tinged with pleasure.

No wonder emperors love treacherous officials; the feeling of being flattered and served so well by subordinates is just too good.

"Smart." Bucky looked away and refocused on the bounty poster.

Then his gaze stopped.

The bounty section had a row of numbers written on it.

A full fifty million!

"Fifty million?" Bucky's eyes narrowed slightly.

Upon closer examination, Arlong's bounty did not increase because of Jinbe.

If we consider Arlong's status and strength in other seas, and discard Jinbe's influence...

The dragon's actual bounty should be in the range of 30 million to 40 million.

Then my figure of 50 million isn't too exaggerated.

Nami nodded: "Colonel Mouse has done his best. This is the highest bounty he could get."

She paused, then explained, "He embellished the figure when he reported it to Navy Headquarters."

"He said you single-handedly defeated the entire Arlong Pirates, that your methods were extremely cruel, and that your strength was unfathomable... In addition, considering the relationship between Arlong and the Shichibukai Jinbe, the Marine Headquarters gave this figure."

That's what she said, but as someone who was involved at the time, Nami felt it wasn't exactly embellishment; it was more like telling the truth.

laugh.

"Refine?" Bucky looked at her, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

"Yes." Nami nodded. "Considering the relationship between Arlong and Jinbe, the Marine Headquarters takes this matter very seriously."

"They need to give Jinbe an explanation, so the bounty can't be too low."

"But on the other hand, they are unsure whether the matter is true or not, so they dare not offer too high a price."

"Fifty million, just right," Nami concluded. "It will make Jinbe feel that the Navy takes this matter seriously, without making you a major focus of the Navy Headquarters' attention."

Nami's only worry right now is whether Jinbe will come after her.

However, there is actually no need to worry about this.

If Arlong were to die as a pirate, Jinbe wouldn't care at all, given his personality.

In fact, if Jinbe knew that Arlong's actions had gone beyond the level of a typical pirate, he might have even come and killed him.

Although Nami's words made a lot of sense, Buggy still couldn't help but laugh when he heard them.

"Hehehe... Ahahahaha!" The laughter was low and hoarse, carrying a strange kind of pleasure.

"Well done." Buggy looked at Nami with admiration in his eyes, especially at his bounty poster.

It looks like Nami took this picture when I was standing on the boat earlier.

Colonel Rat was indeed very dedicated after being subdued.

The Buggy Pirates even received a batch of military supplies from Colonel Rat.

For some people, the line between pirates and the navy isn't actually that clear.

"It's what I should do." Nami lowered her head slightly, thinking that it would be great if Buggy could be satisfied.

Bucky's smile faded, and his gaze returned to the wanted poster.

Fifty million.

This number is already considered top-tier in the East China Sea.

The dragon had only twenty million before, Creek had seventeen million, and I had fifteen million before.

Now it has jumped directly to 50 million, more than tripling.

Although it is far inferior to the monsters of the Grand Line, it is already in a class of its own in the East Blue.

Bucky's lips curled up slightly, a sign of pride, or perhaps a competitive spirit.

Arriving on my Grand Line as the number one pirate who is famous in the East Blue isn't too beneath me.

"Fifty million..." Bucky said softly, "and this is just the beginning."

Pakistani raised his head and looked at the distant sea.

On the horizon, the sun had fully risen, and golden sunlight bathed the sea, making it sparkle.

“One day,” he said, “I will be the one putting a bounty on them.”

They established the Cross Society and offered a bounty on the navy.

Cross Guild VS Navy?

You are the challengers!

Nami and Nojiko exchanged a glance but remained silent.

When I was with Bucky, I inexplicably felt a sense of trust; it was a leader's charisma.

Inspired by this leadership quality, a glimmer of hope for the future flashed in their eyes.

Buggy looked away and turned to Nami.

"After a while," he said, "we'll leave the East China Sea."

Nami nodded: "Yes."

"Before entering the Grand Line, make sure everything is prepared," Buggy continued. "Supplies, manpower, intelligence... nothing can be missing."

"Understood," Nami replied.

Bucky turned around, his back to them, and looked at the Dragon Park, which had been reduced to ruins.

"These fishmen," he said, "are left to Mochi to deal with. Keep the ones we can use, and the rest... you know what to do."

Nami paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes."

After hearing Buggy's words, Nami decided to take action herself.

Although hatred, like fine wine, becomes more fragrant and mellow with age.

But you still need to vent.

Bucky didn't say anything more.

He simply stood there, facing the sea breeze, a slight upturn at the corner of his mouth beneath the mask.

Fifty million.

A new beginning.

A new journey begins.

"Old friends, get ready to see the new me!"

The current Bucky is the Joker, not the Bucky the Clown of the past.

But there are still some people in this world who know Bucky the Joker.

Bucky thought he could definitely give these big guys a big surprise.

For example, a certain red-haired guy.

A certain sea area.

A huge pirate ship was anchored on the calm sea; it was the Redford of the Red-Haired Pirates.

The bow of the ship is a huge dragon head, and a pirate flag flies on the mast.

There is a red mark on the skull covering the left eye, symbolizing the scar on the red-haired man's left eye.

The Red-Haired Pirates.

A lively banquet is underway on the deck.

The pirates sat around barrels of various sizes, holding wine cups in their hands, their mouths stuffed with meat, their laughter and singing mingling together, so loud that even the sound of the waves could not be heard.

Shanks sat in the center, holding a wine glass in his right hand, with a carefree smile on his face.

"Cheers!"

He downed half a glass of wine in one gulp, then wiped his mouth and shouted to the crew around him, "You know what? Back when I was on Roger's ship, I was always getting into fights!"

The surrounding crew members burst into laughter.

"Fight? Captain, would you lose a fight?" a tall, thin pirate asked with a smile.

"Lose?" Shanks glared at him. "How could I possibly lose?!"

"Hahaha! Captain, you're bragging again!"

"Yes, that's not what you said last time!"

"I wasn't bragging!"

Shanks was laughing and joking with his crew when a calm voice suddenly rang out beside him.

"what?"

That's Ben Beckman.

The vice-captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, and also the calmest and smartest person in the entire crew.

He was sitting on a barrel, holding a newspaper he had just bought from Newsbird, his brow slightly furrowed.

"What's wrong, Beckman?" Shanks asked casually.

Ben Beckman did not answer immediately.

He flipped through the newspaper, his gaze lingering on a particular page.

Then he spoke, his voice carrying a hint of surprise.

"There's actually a pirate with a bounty of fifty million in the East Blue."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding pirates all turned their heads.

"Fifty million?"

"A place like the East China Sea?"

"That can't be right, isn't the East China Sea the weakest sea area?"

Ben Beckman ignored the comments and continued:

"The name on the bounty poster is... Bucky the Clown."

He paused, then looked up at Shanks: "Such arrogance, Clown King?"

The moment he finished speaking, Shanks stopped moving.

The wine glass in his hand froze in mid-air, and the smile on his face stiffened for a moment.

Shangus was surprised to hear a familiar name.

Then, in the next instant, Shanks' figure disappeared from his seat.

Ben Beckman was gone in the blink of an eye when Shanks appeared beside him and snatched the newspaper from his hand.

"Let me see!" Shanks's gaze fell on the wanted poster in the newspaper.

The photo on the wanted poster is a profile shot.

A man wearing a black and white mask stood on a high place, the sunlight shining from the side, outlining his tall and slender figure.

Beneath the mask, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, carrying a faint smile.

The hilts of the four swords behind him were clearly visible.

Bounty: 5000 million Berries.

Name: Bucky the Clown.

Shanks stared at the photo, at that familiar yet unfamiliar name, and remained silent for a long time.

Then he laughed.

"Hehehe..." First came a soft laugh, a laugh filled with nostalgia, sentimentality, and a hint of indescribable emotion.

"Hahahaha!" Then he started laughing loudly.

It's worth noting that Shanks and Buggy were best friends back when they were on Roger's pirate ship.

Although the two sides later had a falling out due to disagreements, there was no major conflict between them.

"This guy..." Shanks murmured, "Is he finally going to set sail?"

Having not seen Buggy for many years, Shanks had no idea what Buggy's current strength was.

But from Shanks' perspective, after all, they all came from Roger's pirate ship... Buggy, you can't be too bad, right?

How did they identify the box as belonging to Pakistan?

Although the wanted poster wasn't very prominent, Shanks still noticed the red nose.

"Captain, do you know him?" Ben Beckman looked at him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Shanks looked up at his first mate.

"Know each other?" He laughed. "More than just know each other."

"This guy is my brother who grew up with me!" Shanks turned around and raised the newspaper in his hand to the crew around him.

The deck fell silent for a moment after he said that.

Then an even bigger uproar erupted.

"What?!"

"The captain's brother?!"

"Really?!"

An obese pirate squeezed through, clutching a large piece of meat in his hand.

That's Lucky Roux, the cook for the Red-Haired Pirates.

He moved closer to Shanks, stared at the wanted poster, and then asked, "Captain, is this someone you know?"

Shanks looked at him, his smile widening.

"An acquaintance?" he said. "Of course."

Shanks paused, his gaze falling on the bounty poster, his eyes becoming somewhat distant.

"Back when we were on Roger's ship, we were trainees together."

"Back then, we were evenly matched, fighting and hurling insults at each other every day. He called me a red-haired bastard, and I called him a red-nosed ugly monster..."

As Shanks was speaking, he started laughing.

Childhood memories can be quite happy when you grow up.

"We ate together, slept together, and even fought together..."

The crew members around him listened, and their expressions became subtle. After all, Shanks said that their strength was evenly matched, so he must be a powerful boss.

"That guy," Shanks continued, "he may seem unreliable most of the time, but he never lets you down when it matters."

He raised his head, looked into the distance, and a hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes.

"We've faced many dangers together."

"Once, we encountered a very strong opponent." At this point, Shanks recalled the scene where he and Buggy fought Blackbeard... The battle between the three little brats was quite interesting.

Shanks did not reveal who that opponent was.

But Ben Beckman's eyes flickered slightly.

Ben Beckman thought to himself: This Bucky is evenly matched with the Captain. What kind of powerful person could make the Captain and Bucky team up against each other?

Yasopp stepped out from the crowd, holding a bottle of wine in his hand, with a curious smile on his face.

"Since you're on par with the Captain," he said, "then calling yourself the Clown King isn't out of the question, is it?"

Shanks glanced at him, then shook his head.

"Well..." He scratched the back of his head, "It might be a little different from before."

Shanks didn't explain much.

But those who know him well can see that the captain is hiding something.

Shanks' gaze returned to the wanted poster.

Bucky the Clown.

This title isn't something just anyone dares to use.

That guy... has he really changed?

He remembered Bucky when he was a child.

That kid who keeps shouting that he wants to find Captain John's treasure.

That kid who'd risk his life for treasure.

That kid who's clearly quite strong, but he's always unwilling to put in the effort to train.

Now, is that kid finally going to embark on his own path?

Shanks' lips curled up slightly.

"That guy..." he said softly, "is a really powerful pirate."

Shanks speaks with a touch of sentimentality towards his childhood friend, but the pirates around him don't see it that way.

These pirates figured that even though Shanks was usually unreliable, he wouldn't gossip about his best friend, would he?

In other words, could this mysterious pirate who suddenly appeared out of the East Blue actually be some kind of big shot who has been hiding for a long time?

The surrounding crew members gathered around Shanks, waiting to hear the story.

"Captain, tell us about it!"

"Yeah, tell me about you and that Clown King!"

"Is he really your equal?"

Shanks couldn't help but laugh as he looked at his crew, who were bursting with curiosity.

"Alright, alright, I'll talk about it then."

He sat down cross-legged, patted the deck next to him, and gestured for everyone to sit down.

"That was a long time ago..."

The sea breeze swept across the deck, causing the pirate flag on the mast to flutter.

The sun rose higher and higher, its rays bathing the entire sea surface.

The Red-Haired Pirates' banquet continued.

Driven by some inexplicable emotion, Shanks felt he should give his good brother a good shout-out today.