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

Bucky reached up and touched his mask, then bent down, leaned closer, and whispered, "Because I'm so handsome, I'm afraid you won't want to leave once you see me."

The chubby boy paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

The other children laughed along, their laughter crisp and clear; everyone was happy.

Bucky stood up, grabbed a handful of candy from a nearby stall, and handed them out to the children one by one.

"This is milk candy~ This is fruit candy~ This is mint candy~ Don't grab it~ We have them all~ We have them all~"

The pirate vendor selling candy next to them, watching their captain play around, naturally had no objections.

to be frank.

The pirate henchmen were initially quite nervous seeing Buggy wandering around aimlessly.

In particular, Nami and Nojiko invited a tattoo artist to come and get their tattoos done today, so they won't be wandering around outside.

Without Nami and Nojiko, who could speak well of Buggy, these pirate henchmen were terrified that Buggy would cause trouble.

It's like having your boss or supervisor wandering around you while you're at work, or like having your teacher or dean of students wandering around you while you're in school.

Do not!

Even more terrifying!

Teachers and superiors won't kill you.

But Buggy really can kill these pirate henchmen.

Seeing Buggy having so much fun playing with the children, the pirates breathed a sigh of relief.

The pirate henchmen figured that since their captain was having so much fun, he wouldn't cause any trouble, right?

The children surrounded Baki, chattering and stretching their little hands out high, like a flock of sparrows waiting to be fed.

Bucky handed out candy to the children one piece at a time.

This lively and joyful feeling reminded him of the past.

In another world.

Back then, he wasn't the Clown King, a pirate, or even a remarkable person.

He was just an ordinary young man who was just coasting along.

Now he wears a mask, possesses power, stands on this vast ocean, and has become an object of fear for many.

The ordinary is gone.

Great achievements seem within easy reach.

It truly feels like a dream.

Even so, he still found it very interesting to squat down and give candy to the children.

It's not for show, not to win people's hearts, I just think it's good this way.

Bucky knew very well that although he was known as the Clown King.

But I wasn't possessed by Digimon Piedmon.

I am who I am.

I am not it.

I want to do something because I want to.

Not to become him.

Bucky gained the power of the Clown King, but not his memories.

In a sense, they can also be understood as different Clown King individuals.

"Brother Bucky, will you come again tomorrow?" The girl with two little braids tugged at his clothes and looked up at him as she asked.

Bucky looked down at her.

Those bright, sparkling eyes reflected his mask, the red and white tent behind him, and the orange-red sky over Loguetown.

Those eyes held hope.

Life is hard for most people in this world, and even in Rogue Town, it is not particularly wealthy or developed.

These kids would be very happy if Bucky could give them candy for free.

The child just wanted to eat candy.

What a simple and unadorned wish.

"Tomorrow?" Bucky thought for a moment. "He might not be here tomorrow."

The little girl's lips trembled, as if she were about to cry.

Bucky quickly pulled the biggest milk candy from his pocket and stuffed it into her hand:

"Hahahaha!"

"This is compensation for lying to you~"

"Children~"

"Live happily ever after!"

Bucky thought: Sure enough, I really like this kind of cute little girl.

The little girl clutched the milk candy, snot bubbles popping from her nose again, but she still smiled.

And in the shadow of the tall buildings.

A man in a white navy coat was standing there.

Smoker had two cigars between his teeth, and smoke was escaping from the corners of his mouth.

His gaze swept across the crowd and landed on the masked man among the children.

Smoker stared at it for a long time.

He watched Bucky squat down and hand out balloons to the children, watched him stuff candy into their tiny palms one by one, watched the children laugh around him, and watched him pick up the youngest girl and spin her around.

The sea breeze blew, ruffling the hem of Smoker's coat and dispersing the smoke above his head.

Smoker's expression was cold, but the light in his eyes wasn't so cold.

"Did they know I was coming, so they're using children as hostages?"

"How despicable..."

Although Smoker hates pirates.

However, Smoker felt that he could be a little more tolerant, considering Bucky's fondness for children.

It's really only a tiny bit.

Smoker knew very well that many pirates in this world were not driven to sea entirely by desire, but rather by the inability to survive.

The Celestial Dragons' troubles, the World Government's Celestial Gold, the slave trade, the oppression of feudal nobles, national wars... and so on.

Of course, that doesn't stop him from arresting people.

A navy is a navy.

A pirate is a pirate.

No matter who you are.

Whether you are good or bad.

Once you become a pirate, you act as a pirate.

In Smoker's opinion, they should be arrested.

If you dare to resist when you are arrested, you deserve to die.

This is an adversarial relationship based on identity and stance.

"Colonel," the adjutant approached from behind, lowering his voice, "Should we...?"

This adjutant is not Tashigi.

Although Tashigi is Smoker's first lieutenant and personal assistant, he takes her everywhere he goes.

But Smoker has more than one lieutenant.

"Wait a little longer." Smoker took the cigar out of his mouth and tapped it against the wall next to him. "Let's talk about it after the kids leave."

The adjutant paused for a moment, then nodded and stepped back.

Bucky put the little girl down, gave candy to the last child, and finally straightened up.

He stretched his shoulders, a smile still lingering on his lips beneath the mask.

The children, clutching balloons and candies, dispersed in twos and threes, running towards their respective homes.

No matter how good a circus performance is, it will always come to an end.

Where there is meeting, there will be parting.

The youngest girl ran a few steps, then turned back and waved to him, saying, "Goodbye, Clown Brother!"

"My lovely child~ Always keep smiling~" Buggy waved back.

Then he turned around and saw Smoker.

Smoker had emerged from the shadows of the tall building and was walking towards him step by step.

His white navy coat fluttered in the sea breeze, and he had two cigars between his teeth, the smoke trailing from the corner of his mouth.

In an instant, it seemed as if the whole world had fallen silent.

An epic standoff has begun.

If this scene were in a movie, it would be a classic moment, wouldn't it?

The Pakistani base remained there, unmoved.

He narrowed his eyes beneath the mask, watching the figure draw closer.

I knew Smoker was around, but I didn't expect him to show up now.

The children haven't gone far yet.

The girl with two braids had just run to the alley entrance when she looked back and saw the man in the white coat. Her face turned pale instantly.

"It's...it's that one!" she whispered.

The chubby boy next to him saw it too, and almost dropped the balloon in his hand.

"Run! Run! Smoker's coming!"

"He's so fierce!"

The children scattered in a flurry, running faster than rabbits.

The youngest girl ran in front, her braids flying, and the balloon bouncing above her head like a startled rabbit.

One child was running so fast that he tripped and fell. He got up and, without even bothering to dust off his pants, kept running.

Another child ran far away, then ran back, picked up the candy that had fallen on the ground, and then ran away again.

The scene was quite comical, like a group of mice being chased by a cat, scrambling and crawling in a panic.

This is quite interesting.

The kids in Loguetown are actually terrified of Smoker.

It's just that typical "fierce but not bad" atmosphere.

There was no way around it; Smoker looked fierce, smoked, had a menacing face, and spoke harshly, so children would avoid him.

Moreover, he is particularly ruthless towards pirates and shows no mercy to those who break the rules, making him a fearsome figure in town.

But he genuinely protected Loguetown; the improved security and the fact that pirates dared not cause trouble were all thanks to him.

Smoker himself was not corrupt; he was a very disciplined and frugal person, which was quite out of step with the overall style of the Navy's high command.

The child was afraid, but deep down he knew that with him there, the town was safe.

But even knowing that doesn't stop me from being afraid.

"Hahaha!" Bucky laughed with great interest as he watched the group of children run away.

He turned his head and looked at Smoker, who had already walked up to him.

"Your reputation among children is really bad."

"Tsk tsk tsk~"

You should learn to smile more often!

"This guy isn't as popular as me."

Bucky said this with a hint of mockery in his voice.

Smoker, as a White Hunter, is actually a very well-developed character. It's a pity that he appeared a bit too early and didn't get much of a buff later on.

Smoker ignored him.

He stood in front of Bucky, a cigar between his teeth, smoke billowing from the corner of his mouth, forming a gray-white barrier between them.

Smoker's gaze, through the smoke, landed on Bucky's striking black and white mask.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds.

The air around him seemed to freeze.

The tourists who were still lingering outside the tents saw Smoker approaching and quickly ran away, clearing a large open space.

Several naval soldiers surrounded him from different directions, their hands on the hilts of their swords, their eyes fixed on Bucky warily.

But when Smoker raised his hand, they stopped and did not approach any further.

"Bucky," Smoker finally spoke, his voice low and slightly hoarse, "what do you want on my turf?"

Bucky shrugged, his tone casual: "I was just playing around."

"Play?" Smoker frowned. "You bring a bunch of merfolk to perform in your tent, and you call that playing?"

"Otherwise what?" Bucky tilted his head. "If I really wanted to do something, do you think I'd be here handing out balloons and candy?"

Smoker remained silent for a moment.

His gaze swept over the candy wrappers scattered on the ground, over the backs of the children who had already run far away, and finally landed on Bucky's mask.

"If we make a move here, do you think you can stop me?" Bucky suddenly asked.

Smoker's pupils contracted slightly.

Bucky continued, his tone still calm: "If possible, I don't want to cause too much damage to this town."

Smoker did not speak.

He was just chewing on a cigar, the smoke escaping from the corner of his mouth, growing thicker and thicker, gathering into a grayish-white cloud around him.

Should we take action or not?

Smoker was also conflicted, even though he was mentally prepared to take action.

But it is only when you actually face Bucky that you can feel the threat emanating from him.

Simply put, Smoker wasn't confident he could take down Bucky in one go.

Smoker knew very well the extent to which high-end combat forces could make him feel threatened.

This is completely different from ordinary minions that can be killed instantly at the start.

But if they can't take down Bucky in a short time, and things turn into a full-scale war with Bucky, it will definitely cause damage to the town... This is something Smoker cannot accept.

Bucky looked at him, his eyes narrowing beneath the mask.

"What do you think?" Bucky asked.

Smoker took a deep drag on the two cigars in his mouth.

Then a large puff of smoke came out of his mouth and exploded between the two of them, like a grayish-white flower.

When the smoke cleared, Smoker's expression had returned to its usual cold and aloof demeanor.

"When you leave," Smoker said, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "we'll fight again."

Smoker was clearly annoyed by the fact that he was being held back because of the townspeople.

Bucky looked at him without saying a word.

Smoker continued, "You'd better not cause trouble until then."

After saying that, he turned around and strode towards the clock tower.

The white coat billowed behind Smoker like a flag.

He took a few steps, then stopped without looking back.

"Those kids," Smoker's voice came from ahead, tinged with an indescribable emotion, "you're quite good at coaxing them."

Bucky paused for a moment, then laughed.

"Smoker," Bucky said, his voice clearly reaching Smoker's ears.

Smoker paused for a moment.

"I think you're pretty good," Bucky said.

Smoker did not turn around or say anything.

He just kept walking forward.

One step, two steps, three steps... His shadow stretched long in the sunset, like a black silhouette against the gray and white buildings.

The surrounding air seemed to start moving again.

Those who noticed this situation and avoided it gradually gathered back.

As for what exactly happened, these people didn't know.

After all, if you're too far away and lack the strength, you simply can't hear it.

Considering Smoker's habit of patrolling around, it seems quite reasonable for him to harass unfamiliar outsiders.

That's so Smoker!

The naval soldiers who had been holding onto their sword hilts let go and left.

The children hiding at the alley entrance peeked out and looked this way.

This is Smoker's justice.

Smoker would absolutely not agree with capturing pirates at the cost of ordinary people's lives.

White Hunter Smoker's justice may be crude, but it has inviolable bottom lines.

If something really goes wrong, he'd rather take the risk himself.

Baji stood in front of the tent, watching Smoker's figure disappear into the shadow of the clock tower, a slight smile playing on his lips beneath the mask.

"Interesting," he said softly.

Then he turned around and walked into the tent.

After taking a few steps, Buggy stopped and glanced at Nami standing behind the cargo box.

Nami was leaning against a cargo box with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on him, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Is the tattoo done?" Bucky asked.

"Hehe~ Do you think it looks good?" Nami showed Buggy her new tattoo, which covered the original dragon tattoo.

It's basically a blue windmill tattoo with an orange hanging on it, the difference being that there's a large red ball pattern in the center of the windmill.

Perhaps this symbolizes three identities?

The windmill represents Ah Jian, who is like a father to him.

The orange represents the adoptive mother, Bellemere.

The red ball represents... Bucky.

"Pretty good~" Bucky pointed to the tent, "but you haven't done your work yet today."

"You don't know how to please girls!" Nami rolled her eyes, her cheeks puffed up in anger.

She clearly put a lot of thought and effort into designing this tattoo, but surprisingly, she didn't receive any praise.

Nami straightened up from the cargo box, adjusted her collar, and walked towards the tent.

After walking a few steps, she stopped again and looked back at Bucky.

"Captain," Nami said.

"Um?"

"You just said you 'didn't want to cause too much damage to the city,'" Nami's gaze fell on Buggy's mask. "Are you serious?"

"What do you think?" Bucky looked at her, his eyes narrowing slightly beneath the mask.

Nami thought for a moment, then smiled.

"I think you're serious," she said.

Then she turned and walked away, her orange hair fluttering in the sea breeze like a dancing flame.

Nami left behind one last sentence:

"Hmph~ I won't dwell on your poor communication skills, Captain, but you'd better think about how to praise Nojiko~"

It's clear that Nojiko got her tattoo done with Nami, and they both got the same design.

These are like sisters.

Baji stood there, watching her figure disappear at the tent entrance, listening to the cheers and applause coming from inside the tent, and smelling the sweet aroma of grilled squid and candy wafting in the air.

The setting sun shone from the sea, turning the entire town of Loguetown into a vibrant orange-red.

The distant clock tower cast a long shadow under the orange-red sky, beneath which lay the place where the Pirate King Roger died with a smile.

Bucky glanced at the clock tower, then looked away, took a milk candy from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

So sweet~

He chewed on candy, a slight smile playing on his lips beneath his mask, and walked into the tent.

Although I'm ready to cause a ruckus in this world.

But Bucky doesn't think he's an antisocial personality; he genuinely can't derive pleasure from wanton destruction.

Bucky felt that he did not resist killing and arson.

But he has no interest in doing such a thing unless it's necessary.

"So what should I say tonight?"

Bucky had already imagined what would happen that night.

Faced with the feelings of two girls at the same time... could it be... that two heads are being deployed simultaneously?

.