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

The rain poured down from the sky.

Baji stood by the pier, raindrops dripping from the edge of his mask onto the ground.

Behind them, Mochi rode on Liki, the lion's massive body slightly lowered in the rain, its mane wet and clinging to its neck in clumps.

Kabaji stood half a step to the right of Baki, rain streaming down his face, but his eyes were fixed on the direction of the port.

Further back, the Buggy Pirates members, dressed in brightly colored clothes, were filing onto the ship one after another.

They all bore injuries, more or less, but no one spoke, no one complained, and no one fell behind.

This doesn't mean that orders are strictly enforced, but rather that there's a mysterious and enigmatic atmosphere.

In this oppressive and solemn atmosphere, even the most unreliable pirate henchmen knew what to say and what not to say.

The "Giant" was moored at the dock, its hull swaying slightly in the heavy rain.

The pirate flag on the mast was soaked by the rain, and the image of the red-nosed clown twisted and deformed in the wind, but still looked menacing.

Since we're already prepared to leave Loguetown, there's no need to pretend anymore.

Nami stood by the ship's railing, raindrops dripping from the ends of her orange hair, sliding down her cheeks and into her collar.

She looked at the pirate henchmen boarding the ship, her brows furrowing slightly. Her gaze passed over them and landed on the masked man in the center of the dock.

"Captain!" Nami shouted, "Smoker is catching up soon!"

She paused, glanced at the white column of smoke rising into the sky from the direction of the plaza in the distance, and added, "If we set sail now, we should be able to leave the waters off Loguetown before he catches up. Once we're at sea, his Smoke-Smoke Fruit won't be as effective as it is on land."

That makes a lot of sense. The Smoke-Smoke Fruit isn't good at flying... Thinking about it that way, the Smoke-Smoke Fruit seems pretty useless in every aspect.

In fact, this is the safest option.

Bucky has accomplished all his objectives in Loguetown.

Leaving now would be a perfect ending.

As for the agreement with Smoker?

Is it necessary for pirates to abide by that kind of rule?

Have!

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Of course!

Absolutely!

If you can't even stick to what you truly decide to do, if you don't even have that much spirit... how can you expect to be a king or a tyrant?

That would be hilarious!

If you want to be strong, you should do it immediately once you decide to do it!

Either reach the destination, or die on the way!

This is the most basic spirit!

Even if you are ridiculed for being a fool and doing foolish things, it is still the same.

Just like Buggy mocks Luffy, saying "Naivety is stupidity, but he also acknowledges that doing something you know is impossible is courage."

Mochi was jumping off Liki's back when he heard Nami's words and paused for a moment.

He looked up, glanced quickly at Bucky, then immediately looked down, took Leigh's hand, and walked towards the ship's side, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

Kabaji's reaction was more direct.

His fingers unconsciously tapped twice on the hilt of his knife, his lips twitched slightly, and his gaze shifted from Nami to Buggy's back before looking away again.

Neither of them spoke.

But everyone understood what Nami meant—breach of contract.

It's only natural for pirates to break their promises to the Navy.

The problem is, they can't be the ones to say those words.

Sometimes, you have to admit that being a woman is indeed an advantage, especially when you are beautiful.

Anyway, Mochi and Kabaji wouldn't dare say such a thing.

Bucky didn't turn around; he remained standing on the dock, facing the sea and with his back to everyone.

"Nami."

"Some guys aren't worth paying attention to."

"For example, the fishmen in the Arlong Pirates."

"Whether I deceive them, kill them, or cut off their limbs and treat them like animals... it doesn't matter."

"Because they don't deserve it."

Rainwater flowed down Baki's body, forming a stream at his feet that flowed down the cracks in the stone path.

Nami's pupils contracted slightly as she recalled the times Buggy had spoken to her.

Bucky spoke in the same way he does now.

"But—" Bucky turned around, his eyes beneath the mask gleaming coldly in the downpour.

"Some guys are worth paying attention to."

His gaze swept over Nami, then over Mochi, then over Kabaji, and finally over the group of pirate henchmen who were boarding the ship.

"Smoker is one of them."

"He has a bottom line, principles, and things worth upholding."

"And I wouldn't lie to them about that." Bucky paused, the corners of his mouth widening slightly. "There's no point in lying about that."

Although Bucky knew very well that Smoker had some things he hadn't figured out and that he wasn't strong enough.

But Smoker has indeed been working hard, either at work or in training, occasionally hiding away for a smoke... well, he's smoked a lot of cigars.

This is much better than the fish-men and dragons finding a place to lord it over others.

In Bucky's words, this should be the future of the Navy, but some pink-haired trash stole his life.

"So, Nami."

"Do you still remember your dreams, your principles, your perseverance?"

"Personally travel around the entire ocean, visit every sea in the world, and draw a complete map of the whole world by hand."

"This is your dream, and it will also be part of my dream... A world champion should naturally have his own world map."

I will accept, embrace, and unify all the ambitions, greed, obsessions, and dreams of my subordinates.

"Therefore, I will live with more desire than anyone else!"

"Therefore, I will not ask you to suppress your desires!"

"Therefore I am certain of your desires!"

"So, my little ones!"

"Dream of me, follow me, and when I stand at the highest point in the world, the whole world will be our paradise!"

In this respect, Bucky and the Clown King begin to differ.

What the Clown King seeks is to stand atop the Dark Spiral Mountain, a solitary figure in the darkness.

Bucky the Clown pursues the ultimate desire, to feel everything he feels, think everything he thinks, do everything he does, and to embrace all darkness.

Mochi, Kabaji, and the pirate minions who have already boarded the pirate ship.

Everyone looked at their captain, rain streaming down their faces, but they didn't wipe it away, and no one spoke.

The dock was so quiet that only the sound of rain and waves could be heard.

Nami's lips moved, her brows furrowed even more, as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't.

Just then, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed her wrist.

Nami turned her head.

Nochiko stood beside her, her hair wet with rain that clung to her face.

Her gaze swept across Nami's face, then she shook her head: "Trust him."

Nami pursed her lips.

Nojiko had followed her onto this ship from Cocoyasi Village more than just a day or two ago.

She had seen Bucky's ruthlessness when killing fishmen, his strictness during training, and his gentle smile when he was with them in the cabin.

Nojiko accepted the fact earlier than Nami—that their captain was not someone who could be measured by conventional logic.

In short, he's a bit eccentric, seemingly not quite normal... For example, he appears to be very lecherous, but his desires don't prevent Bucky from walking his own path.

The attitude towards beauty is one of enjoyment, not true love.

Therefore, Nojiko was well aware that there was no love between him and the others and Buggy; rather, it was a strange feeling similar to that between a leader and his subordinates.

...Uh...unspoken rules?

Even so, Nojiko felt it wasn't a big problem, after all, the world was too chaotic.

Even so, Pakistan is still better than burning, killing, and looting everywhere.

"Set sail." Nami took a deep breath, loosened the railing, and her voice regained its usual crispness. "Everyone, prepare to depart."

The pirate henchmen quickened their pace, and Mochi, riding on Rigi, jumped onto the ship. Rigi's claws landed on the deck with a dull thud.

Kabaji was the last to board the ship. He stood on the side of the ship and glanced back at Baki on the dock.

Bucky was still standing there, his back to everyone.

"Captain," Kabaji called out.

Bucky didn't turn around, he just raised his hand and waved it gently.

Kabaji stopped talking, flipped over and jumped onto the ship's side, landing on the deck.

The sails of the Giant were raised.

Nami stood in front of the helm, rain streaming down her face, but her eyes remained fixed on the sea ahead.

The ship slowly left the dock and headed out to sea.

Nojiko stood next to Nami, one hand on the railing and the other on Nami's shoulder.

"He will come back," Nochiko said.

Nami's gaze passed over the ship's railing and landed on the figure on the dock that was getting further and further away.

In the rain, Bucky's figure became increasingly blurry.

But it remained straight and composed, making it impossible to see through.

The rain on the dock intensified.

Baji stood there, his gaze fixed on the distant sky.

There was a white column of smoke rising into the sky from the direction of Rogge Town Square, which was particularly dazzling under the dark clouds.

The column of smoke was moving rapidly, heading straight in this direction, billowing through the clouds, as if a white dragon was about to descend from the sky.

"Here you are." Bucky's lips curled up slightly.

Then he took a few steps along the dock and walked to an open space.

This open space was prepared a few days ago.

The surrounding residents had already gradually moved away when Bucky and Smoker reached an agreement.

The reason given was quite high-sounding—"commercial renovation," with the Navy branch providing the funds, and the residents receiving compensation that was a full 30% higher than the market price.

...So Smoker is a truly kind-hearted person. Even the cigars he smokes are cheap and inexpensive, which is completely inconsistent with his income level.

Baji stood in the middle of the open space, looked up, and watched the white column of smoke getting closer and closer.

boom!!!

The white column of smoke curved in the sky before crashing to the ground in front of Bucky.

The loud noise shook the ground, the stone pillars swayed, and even the windows of houses in the distance, whose doors and windows were already tightly closed, were buzzing.

The moment the column of smoke hit the ground, white smoke billowed out in all directions.

The smoke swirled along the ground, flowed past Paki's feet, surged towards the edge of the pier, and finally entered the sea.

Bucky felt that the smoke flowing through him had a strange texture... it wasn't the kind of smoke that usually comes out of cigarettes, but rather felt like a super-lightweight stream of water.

Just as Bucky imagined, this world is a whole, so there won't be any settings that weren't there in the early stages and then suddenly added later.

This Smoker is much better than the original anime version.

As all the smoke in the sky crashed onto the ground, the smoke grew thicker and thicker until finally a tall figure emerged from it.

A white coat.

Black trousers.

A mouthful of cigar.

A blank, expressionless face.

White Hunter, Smoker, has descended upon this place.

Smoker stood there, in the center of the crater created by the white column of smoke.

Rainwater streamed down his body, and although the cigar in his mouth had gone out, he still habitually kept it in his mouth.

With his hands in his pockets, his gaze pierced through the rain and landed on Bucky, who stood ten steps away.

The two looked at each other for a moment.

It's still raining.

The wind is still blowing.

But in this open space, everything was quiet.

"You came pretty quickly," Bucky said, his voice unhurried and calm.

"But you... you didn't run away." Smoker's voice was deep, and the fighting spirit he subtly revealed showed that he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Run?" Bucky tilted his head, a slight smile playing on his lips beneath his mask. "Why should I run?"

"Because you can't beat me," Smoker said, his voice devoid of sarcasm or contempt, as if simply stating what he considered a fact.

Bucky laughed.

The laughter came from deep in his throat, low and hoarse, with a strange echo.

"Heh heh heh... Smoker, do you know what's going on?"

Bucky raised his hand from his side and flicked his fingers lightly. "There are two kinds of people in this world."

Smoker looked at him without moving.

"The first type of person thinks they are very strong, so they are arrogant and look down on everyone," Bucky continued, his voice still calm. "The second type of person knows they are very strong, but they are still cautious."

He reached his hands behind him, one on the left and one on the right, and slowly drew two swords from their sheaths.

Red Heart Sword.

The Sword of Spades.

The sword gleamed coldly beneath the dark clouds, and raindrops splashed against it, creating tiny droplets.

"Which one do you think you are?" Bucky asked.

Smoker did not answer.

He pulled his right hand out of his pocket and gripped the weapon on his back, a jitte with seastone at the tip.

Seastone can render a user powerless, preventing them from using their abilities.

Because the Smoke-Smoke Fruit is too weak, Smoker carries weapons to supplement his abilities... However, Buggy thinks that instead of carrying that thing, Smoker should prepare more things that can be used for poisoning.

Hiding poison gas in smoke would make poisoning much easier, wouldn't it?

But given Smoker's personality, it's definitely not quite right to ask him to do something like this.

"If you want to chat," Smoker said, "we'll talk slowly after I catch you."

"Now, shut up." He pointed his ten hands forward, aiming them at Bucky's face.

Bucky looked at the strange iron rod pointing at him, and the corners of his mouth curved into a wider smile.

"It's no fun talking big, Smoker." Bucky twirled the Heart and Spade swords in his hands, then stuck them into the rain beside him, tips pointing downwards.

"However—" Bucky's voice suddenly changed: "I have high hopes for you."

Smoker frowned slightly. To be honest, he wasn't happy to be praised by a pirate.

"In the navy, there are very few people like you who are so pure and upright."

"We have bottom lines and principles."

"For the sake of justice, I can disobey orders, and even being exiled to Loguetown will not change my original intention."

"To be honest—" Bucky paused, his gaze piercing through the rain to Smoker's face, "you're much better than those unambitious guys who just coast along at Marine Headquarters."

"Tch, let's talk about that after I've got you in jail." Smoker frowned.

Although the Marine Headquarters has many problems, it's still too embarrassing to be talked about like that by a pirate.

"Catch me?" Bucky laughed. "Smoker, do you really think you can catch me?"

Smoker's pupils contracted slightly, but he did not answer.

This question does not require an answer.

The navy should be catching pirates; how can it lose confidence because of other issues?

Moreover, he is a Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit user.

No one in the East China Sea should be able to hurt him.

Smoker's brow furrowed even more.

His Observation Haki told him that the masked man in front of him was different from the one he had met at the circus a few days ago.

...Where exactly did things go wrong?

No matter how hard Smoker thought about it, he couldn't figure out what was wrong.

It's important to know that Smoker spent most of this time keeping watch outside Buggy's crew, so he was certain that Buggy hadn't done anything strange.

Therefore, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that Bucky deliberately concealed his strength!

"Let's make a bet," Bucky suddenly said.

"A bet?" Smoker was taken aback.

"Yes." Bucky lifted the Heart and Spade swords from the rain, their tips pointing at Smoker. "I won this battle... I won't kill you."

"But in the future, you will need to do one thing for me without violating your own moral bottom line."

The rain is falling, and the wind is blowing.

Smoker was silent for a moment, then gave a smile that was hard to decipher and carried a hint of mockery.

"Can."

"But if I win—"

"After I arrest you, you need to promise me one thing without violating your own principles."

"The terms are equal," Smoker said. "It's fair."

Although he hadn't figured out what he needed Bucky to do, since Bucky said it wouldn't violate his own moral principles... then for Smoker, only things that Bucky himself would do wouldn't violate his own moral bottom line.

Of course, this was also because Bucky kept his promise, which made Smoker feel a bit excited and agree.

At other times, he wouldn't bother with it.

But that's how people are; when they're caught up in the excitement, they tend to overlook the details.

Anyway, Smoker doesn't think he's losing out.

Bucky looked at him, the smile beneath the mask still visible.

"make a deal."

He liked Smoker's personality.

Just then, the wind stopped.

It stopped abruptly, like someone suddenly slamming a door shut.

"The rain is about to stop." Bucky looked up at the sky.

The dark clouds were still rolling, but the strange feeling of being pulled and stirred by some force had disappeared.

Dorlag is gone.

Now all that remains is this rain-soaked open space, and two people facing off in it.

"Let's finish this before the rain stops." Smoker looked up at the sky, then looked down again, his gaze falling on Bucky.

White smoke billowed from his arm, spreading along the hilt of the jitte to its tip, tumbling, twisting, and deforming in the rain.

Bucky looked at him, holding a sword in each hand, rainwater flowing down the blades.

"Come on, Smoker."

"Let me see if your sense of justice can satisfy me!"

The battle begins.

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