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

"I agree."

Faced with Bucky's invitation, or rather, coercion, Alvida now has no choice.

Although she already knew the answer in her heart, she still subconsciously looked at Luffy.

The man who once punched her so hard he was fat was now lying on the execution platform like a lump of mud, his limbs outstretched, his face pressed to the ground, his straw hat askew on the back of his head, looking utterly pathetic.

How ugly!

How weak they are.

...With this thought in mind, Alvida felt that the filter she had previously applied to her was missing.

To put it bluntly, although she has a slightly masochistic personality, she doesn't have much interaction with Luffy.

The impulse to gain a huge boost in power after obtaining the Devil Fruit subsided like the tide under Buggy's intimidation.

Alvida was never a person with a strong will.

If one has a strong will, one's personality will not change so drastically because of differences in appearance.

Her personality is easily influenced by external factors.

Alvida's mind was racing.

She was a pirate, a pirate who had been in the East Blue for many years.

Alvida may not have seen many strong people, but she has certainly seen many weak people.

She was also a vulnerable child, overweight and covered in freckles, and was ridiculed wherever she went.

He later went to sea and became a pirate, making a name for himself by relying on his superhuman strength.

Until she ate the slippery fruit, lost weight, and became what she is now.

Alvida possessed power, beauty, and the means to command the submission of others.

The current situation tells her that your capital is not worth mentioning at all.

promise?

shame?

maybe.

But she's a pirate.

In the world of One Piece, what is there that is eternal shame?

What bottom line is there that cannot be crossed?

A loss is a loss, and being conquered is being conquered.

There is an ancient pirate game in this world called "David's Battle for Supremacy".

The strong challenge the weak, best of three, and the winner can take a crew member or even the pirate flag from the loser.

The legendary monster captain Rocks, who roamed the seas, built the once-dominant Rocks Pirates in this way.

In that kind of game, the loser has to swear an oath of lifelong loyalty to the winner.

...What's the difference between then and now?

However, there are no rules for the game now, no best-of-three, and no fair competition.

There was only a clown monster standing high above her, saying in an elegant, composed, and unquestionable tone: "Form an alliance with me."

It looks like a question or discussion, but is it really a discussion?

This is a command from the strong to the weak.

"We'll form an alliance here." Alvida looked up, clearly having no other choice.

If the Joker's script says there won't be any surprises, then there won't be.

If something goes wrong in this kind of thing, he'll really become the Joker, not the Clown King.

The time traveler refused from the very beginning to become a comedian like Bucky the Joker.

Therefore, the time traveler chose to embrace power, even if it meant sinking into darkness.

Choosing darkness for power.

They did not choose power because they were influenced by darkness.

The results were similar, but the initial intentions were different.

It's like a person choosing their future at a crossroads in their destiny.

"Hahahaha!" Bucky laughed. "That was so satisfying!"

As he spoke, two messages appeared in the system logs in quick succession, which flashed before Bucky's eyes.

[Major Event Progress Log: Alliance with Alvida (Completed)]

[Major Event Progress Log: Loguetown Reenactment of Roger's Execution - Luffy Version (Completed)]

So...

The double reinforcement is about to begin.

For an instant.

It only lasted a moment.

Then Bucky felt that ultimate pleasure.

This pleasure far surpasses any physiological stimulation; it can be said to penetrate to the bone marrow and reach the very root of one's being.

...It's so irresistible that people can't resist it, and then they pursue power even more fervently.

...Power is the most beautiful aphrodisiac, but the pleasure of strength is even greater than that of power!

A strange throbbing sensation came from deep within my body; that indescribable thing was my expanding soul!

Bucky's consciousness expanded, spreading like a tide, and the entire plaza fell into his perception.

The world was so clear in my perception, yet so blurry, until finally everything vanished, revealing the true nature of the Piedmon's power:

The Clown King's dazzling magic tricks, in essence, have always had only one power.

It can also be called [the omnipotent power of omnipotence].

The ability to understand and utilize its essence is one of the core factors that distinguishes the Dark Master Piedmon from ordinary Piedmon.

This is a special power that is inherently possessed by all possibilities, but inherently lacks any strength.

Its theory is omnipotent: it can touch, simulate, and interfere with all attributes of the world—light, darkness, fire, water, space, time, spirit, matter, life and death, data... nothing is beyond its reach.

It is essentially useless: it has no strength, no basic power, no inherent lethality, and no fixed range.

When spread out, it is as thin as mist, seemingly omnipotent, but in reality, it is utterly powerless.

Like a blank canvas without ink: you can draw anything on it, but the canvas itself has no color, no lines, no power.

Its power is essentially like an infinitely expanding circle; if it wants to take into account all directions, it can only be weakened to the point of being almost transparent.

So the Clown King chose the most correct way to use it: forcibly constricting that illusory circle, abandoning all superfluous possibilities, and compressing all [omnipotence] into the necessary [finiteness].

One second it was a light, delicate sword, the next it was transformed by its power into a blade that could cleave through space.

The seemingly useless fire ring was instantly defined as a shackle binding the ultimate form.

With a blink of an eye, a magic gesture transforms nothingness into a shockwave powerful enough to distort reality.

The Clown King doesn't possess his own absolute power, yet he can, when needed, transform his omnipotence—which is supposed to be "unable to do anything"—into an absolute power that is "perfected in this one move."

Without outstanding stats, relying entirely on outrageous gameplay and unparalleled skill, this is the Dark Four Kings - Clown King.

Every magic trick is an explosion from zero to the limit.

Each time the trick ends, the specialized power dissipates back into nothingness.

It seems to be ever-changing and all-encompassing.

In reality, from beginning to end, he was just a person who had nothing, forcibly creating power in the void.

This is the essence of the Clown King—using his omnipotence to perform an omnipotent act.

Piedmon, the leader of the Dark Masters, is the most special of the four, possessing authority commensurate with its status and strength.

Even if this permission is ridiculous in some ways.

Bucky understood the true nature of the Clown King, but that doesn't mean he could fully acquire the Clown King's fighting power.

This is similar to the difference between a novice and a top-tier player in some games.

Even with the same template, you can't perform the same actions, let alone since we haven't even gotten a template of the same level yet.

However, compared to the minor issues of the Clown King himself, at least Bucky the Clown King can compensate for his numerical strength with Haki and the like.

We need to ensure that we have both the necessary data and the necessary mechanisms.

When you reach your peak, you can say: I have everything I need.

When fighting, the Dark King Clown can only choose one of the following to enhance at a time: attack, defense, movement, or skill.

From now on, when Bucky the Clown fights, he only needs to focus on how to enhance his movement and skill effects.

After all, although my skill proficiency is not as high as yours, I have more skill buttons and a higher stat cap.

Just as Bucky was immersed in this unparalleled pleasure...

Alvida lowered the spiked club from her shoulder, and it struck the wooden board with a dull thud.

"I can't beat you in a fight, and I can't run away... What can I use to fight you?"

Considering that he offended Bucky first, ending things this way seems like a pretty good deal, right?

Alvida thought about her past self, and realized that if she were in this situation, she would have killed all the opponents.

"..." Bucky, whose climax had been interrupted and whose attention had been diverted, looked at her without saying a word.

If he doesn't have a good reason... well, whatever Alvida's reason, Buggy is prepared to mess with her.

Although being disturbed doesn't affect Bucky's power itself, it's like being stopped, which is really annoying.

It's like watching a video, yelling "666" at the master of hand techniques, and then suddenly the internet goes down.

Alvida continued, "Besides, being subdued by a powerhouse of your caliber isn't shameful. It's a pirate tradition that if you lose, you lose, and you have to admit it. That's the rule. I admit my mistake and accept the punishment."

"But I expect you to keep your word." Alvida paused, her gaze falling on Luffy before returning to him.

"You said you'd admit your mistake and accept the punishment, so of course I'll keep my word," Bucky said, looking at Alvida.

In that instant, after the Clown King's power was fully restored, Bucky is now able to use the Clown King's core ability, [Clown Magic].

Of course, it's just for use; it certainly can't reach the level of the genuine product.

Bucky's understanding of the true nature of the Clown King's power made him want to complain: Are you Hero Fragment Yuan Ge?

But Alvida actually said she admitted her mistake and accepted the punishment?

Then Buggy decided to use this move on her for the first time!

"That's settled then, I have no more objections, Captain Bucky..." Alvida gripped the spiked club tightly.

Although he pleaded guilty, accepted punishment, and backed down, he was still very unwilling to accept it.

"Hey!" Luffy, who was lying on the ground, suddenly raised his head upon hearing this. "Who wants you—"

"Shut up!" Alvida glared at him, looking down at him. "I'm doing this for myself, not for you."

"Don't be so presumptuous, we don't even know each other."

Although she came for Luffy's sake, Alvida did not initially decide that she had to rescue Luffy.

She just wanted to give it a try, but she never expected that the try would cost her her life.

Overconfidence leads to tragedy; a single misstep can cause eternal regret.

"Damn it...why...how could I...I...I...I..." Luffy opened his mouth, then closed it again.

The relationship between Luffy and Alvida is indeed awkward. Can you say they have a good relationship?

Obviously not.

The two did have a real conflict before, and they even got into a physical fight.

"Then prepare yourself mentally~" Bucky watched this scene, and the smile on his lips, which was even harder to suppress than AK's, widened even further.

"..." Alvida's pupils contracted slightly, and her fingers gripping the handle of the staff tightened even more, as if she had a feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

However, Alvida thought... even if Buggy had something bad going on, after all the trouble he went through to subdue her, he wouldn't kill her, would he?

Besides, I'm so pretty, I shouldn't suffer any terrible treatment... A broken vase isn't a vase for decoration anymore... Thinking about it that way, it doesn't seem so unacceptable?

In the shadow of the distant clock tower.

"???" Smoker stood there, two cigars between his teeth, smoke escaping from the corners of his mouth and being blown away by the wind.

"Interesting." Dragon stood on the other side, the hem of his robe fluttering gently in the wind, his face expressionless.

"Hehehe..." Bucky's laughter came from deep in his throat, low and hoarse with a strange echo.

"Hehehehe..."

"Hahahaha!"

Bucky laughed wildly, like a real madman.

Although he was enjoying the surge of power the most, he was interrupted by Alvida.

But the extreme pleasure of that expanding power still lingers in my heart.

That feeling of "the whole world is at my feet" is so addictive that it's impossible to resist.

Bucky knew very well that this feeling was just an illusion caused by the rapid expansion of his power, and he would not become arrogant and think that he was invincible because of it.

Bucky raised his hand and looked at his five gloved fingers, which looked unchanged, but he knew that everything had actually changed.

Putting aside the clown magic, the Ace Knife can now be used four times at the same time.

In a single thought.

In the blink of an eye, all four swords flew together.

Red Heart Sword, Black Heart Sword, Plum Blossom Sword, Square Sword.

Four swords hovered simultaneously beside him, and the Ace Throwing Knife finally reached a certain level of completeness.

It's not just the quantity that's increasing; the force is also surging.

Simultaneous growth in both quantity and quality will lead to a leap in strength.

Bucky raised his hand and flicked his fingers lightly.

The Red Heart Sword suddenly accelerated from its suspended state, transforming into a streak of light that pierced straight towards the spire of the distant clock tower.

The air was torn apart, producing a sharp, piercing sound.

Those around the plaza who weren't involved in the battle only saw a dark shadow flash by, but couldn't make out what it was.

The Red Heart Sword flew to the top of the clock tower and stopped.

The sword tip pointed downwards, hovering there motionless.

Then Bucky flicked his finger again.

The Black Heart Sword also flew out.

Then comes the plum blossom sword.

Then comes the square sword.

Four swords flew to the top of the bell tower, forming a cross shape with their tips pointing downwards, and hung there.

Bucky wanted to take the opportunity to test the maximum range and power of his Ace Knife.

The test results are satisfactory.

Sunlight filtered through the clouds, shining on the sword and reflecting four cold beams of light.

The four beams of light were particularly dazzling under the dark clouds, like four stars, like four eyes, like four swords of Damocles hanging over the town of Loguetown.

A man-made omen has appeared—the execution of the Pirate King in Loguetown is recreated, and a cross is lit up on it.

Many people watching the play from a distance in the square looked up at the four swords, their mouths agape and their eyes wide open, forgetting to close them.

"That...that is..."

"A sword? A flying sword?"

"Four...four swords..."

Some people gasped, some took two steps back, and some gripped the hands of the people next to them tightly.

The pirates' expressions changed.

The expressions on the sailors' faces also changed.

The spies, merchants, and bounty hunters hiding in the shadows all craned their necks, mouths agape, their eyes fixed on the four floating swords above the clock tower.

Beneath the execution platform, Zoro's pupils suddenly contracted.

He was locked in combat with Cabaji. Although Cabaji's swordsmanship was not as good as Zoro's, Cabaji had a lot of gadgets.

Compared to the swordsmanship that Zoro pursues, Cabaji is not a pure swordsman.

So even during the fight, Zoro actually had some energy left, he just couldn't escape.

Now Zoro is drawn to those four swords.

A swordsman's intuition told him that each of the four swords hovering above the clock tower carried an indescribable sense of oppression.

A fine layer of sweat beaded on Zoro's forehead. He bit down on the knife in his mouth and squeezed out a single word through his teeth: "...Cut."

Cabaji seized the opportunity to slash at Zoro, who dodged to the side, but his movement was a beat slower than before.

Zoro's previous experience of being ambushed from behind by Buggy's trump card made it impossible for him to focus his attention on Cabaji.

"It's an honor to be a swordsman, Zoro. Looks like I'll be able to kill you today~" Cabaji had no objection to this at all, and was even quite happy.

My captain is awesome! You try making your captain do the same!

Oh, your captain is already a loser.

On the other hand, Sanji's intuition also told him about the danger of these four swords.

...Okay, any normal person would feel threatened if they saw four swords hanging in the sky.

Sanji frowned and clenched the filter in his mouth even tighter.

Mochi seized the opportunity to crack his whip, leaping back a step as the tip of the whip grazed his chest, creating a gust of wind.

Liki lunged forward, but Sanji dodged to the side, barely avoiding the lion's claws.

On the execution platform.

"I...I...I..." Luffy mumbled as he lay on the ground.

Luffy's life experience is not very rich, and overly complicated situations would make it difficult for him to think.

Especially when it comes to the line between enemies and friends.

The enemy saved me, but I don't know the enemy well and we don't have a good relationship... So, am I an enemy or a friend?

Do we need rescue? But others have clearly stated no.

Don't they need rescue? But others are being forced into it.

Of course, the more important reason is that Luffy is currently powerless. Even if he wanted to take action, he couldn't win and it would only make the situation worse.

At this point, Luffy was simply naive, not stupid.

At this point, Alvida had lost interest in Luffy and was focused entirely on the four swords in the sky.

Alvida is now certain that her sixth sense was right; she was doomed if she faced Bucky head-on.

"Hehehe... Hahahaha!" Bucky laughed, his laughter echoing through the square for a long time.

He withdrew his hand, and the four swords flew back from above the clock tower, silently sheathing themselves behind him.

Just how much has their strength improved?

Bucky knew he had become stronger, but he didn't know exactly how strong he was or what level he was on par with others in this world.

Therefore, he now needs to fight against stronger opponents to determine his own position.

For Bucky now, the most suitable role model is Smoker.

Bucky glanced at Alvida, knowing he couldn't make the same mistake she did.

Overconfidence and arrogance can lead to tragedy, and a single misstep can cause eternal regret—absolutely avoid doing things that seriously damage the Clown King's image!

If you're going to appear as the Clown King, you have to have the Clown King's style and sophistication!

Whether you're strong or not is a matter of time, but whether you're handsome or not is a matter of a lifetime!

And Bucky the Clown is all about being both strong and cool!