Chapter 108: Breaking News
âSir Crocodile, the "Hero" of Alabasta, stripped of his Warlord title!
âA Navy officer thwarts a secret societyâs conspiracy!
The front-page article causing a stir across the world was published by the World Economic Journal.
The news sent shockwaves through both pirates and the public. Sir Crocodile, a Warlord of the Sea, had been one of the original members since the systemâs inception. Known for his strength, reputation, and decorum, he had earned the World Governmentâs trust and was even respected among pirates.
He fulfilled his duty as a pirate who hunts other pirates admirably. Thanks to his presence, the seas around Sandy Island in the Kingdom of Alabasta saw significantly fewer pirate attacks compared to other regions. The government trusted him enough not to station any Marines there.
But then, that very man caused a major incident.
The Kingdom of Alabasta had been plagued by internal unrest for several years, and now it was revealed that Crocodile had been the mastermind behind it allâpulling the strings from the shadows, organizing a secret society in an attempt to seize the nation.
The article detailed his involvement in various incidents, not only in Alabasta but also near the entrance of the Grand Line.
However, any information inconvenient to the government was buriedâthanks to a hefty payoff to the president of the World Economic Journal, âNews Kingâ Morgans.
Thus, the narrative was altered: the one who resolved this massive scandal wasn't a pirate, but someone within the Navy. They couldnât allow the truthâwhich would severely damage the governmentâs credibilityâto be known by the public.
As a result, even within the government, very few knew the truth about the pirate who stopped Crocodile's schemes. Butâ
âCaptain of the Straw Hat Crew, âStraw Hat LuffyââBounty: 100 million Berriesâ
âCombatant of the Straw Hat Crew, âPirate Hunter ZoroââBounty: 60 million Berriesâ
Naturally, those observant enough to notice such dramatic bounty increases without any public incident, or those with access to underground intel, began to piece things together. It's impossible to hide everything. You canât shut peopleâs mouths forever.
But the government understood this. It was acceptable if only a few knew the truth. What mattered was preventing that truth from spreading.
There were more pressing matters to debate.
âYay~~!! Howâs everyone in the government doing~~? Still wearing gloomy faces every day and talking about justice? Ahaha! Well, for all you stressed-out folks, hereâs a gift from the cutest girl ever!!â
ââŠâŠâŠâŠâ
âThe Holy Land, Mariejois.
In the center of Pangaea Castle, in the Room of Authority, sat the Five Eldersâthe supreme rulers of the World Government.
Each of them bore a grim expression.
While many incidents had contributed to their mood, the greatest source of tension lay on the table before them: a Tone Dial and a single box.
The Tone Dial, which records audio, is commonly used in the music industry. The one sent to the government contained a girlâs voice, accompanied by music.
âThe severed head of your so-called hero of justice, âZ Zephyr,â is now up for grabs! Display it! Eat it! Use it as a paperweight! The possibilities are endless! Iâve sent it over, so hold a bingo tournament or whatever to decide who gets it! Oh, and no thank-you letters or complaints, please! No cancellations either! If youâve got a problem, take it up with the higher-ups who sent him on a suicide mission in the first place!â
ââŠâŠâŠâŠâ
The Five Elders listened in silence, brows furrowed, then turned their eyes to the box beside the Tone Dial.
Inside was the severed head of a man once called a former Admiral of the Navy, known for having trained an entire generation of Marines.
His expression was one of utter despair and sorrowâevidence of the horror he had witnessed in his final moments.
âSuch a waste, really. Letting a powerhouse like Zephyr get killedâhow cruel of you! Life is precious, you know? You promised Nue-chan youâd take care of yourselves, remember?⥠And that concludes the message from your cute little dark hero, N-chan!! Now, on to announcements!! My 96th single, UnknownâHero, drops next month!! But just for you guys in the government, Iâll give you an exclusive early preview⥠Here we go~~~~!!! Dark hero, Nuuuue-chan~~~ââ
ââŠâŠâŠâŠâ
As the intro music began and the song was about to start, one of the Elders clenched his teeth and abruptly pressed the top of the Tone Dial, stopping playback. The other four either held their heads or sighed in frustration.
ââŠThat damn âDemon BeastââŠâ
âSheâs as troublesome as everâŠâ
âOn the contrary, sheâand the entire Beasts Piratesâhave only grown more dangerous over the years.â
âWe may have been careless. Zephyr wasnât enough to deal with her after all.â
âLately, Zephyr had been acting on his own more frequently. He was always a difficult pawn to use⊠but even so, losing him is a painful blow.â
The Five Elders voiced their individual thoughts on the incident. There were many matters to discuss regarding the future direction of the World Governmentâcountermeasures against the âDemon Beast Nueâ and the threat posed by the Beasts Pirates among them.
âItâs best not to act rashly regarding âRed-Hairâ and âWhitebeardâsâ contact. But at the same time, we canât take the Beasts Pirates lightly either.â
âIf we provoke âHundred Beasts,â the collateral damage could be severe. But we canât just ignore them either.â
âFor now, weâll have to engage them beneath the surface.â
âWe canât afford to let their power growâbut if they shrink, that brings other problems.â
âWeâll have to leave this to CP again⊠but after the Zephyr incident, thereâs unrest among the Marines and growing resentment toward the Beasts Pirates. Letâs hope there arenât more unauthorized actions.â
They always spoke with calculated calm. Their actions and principles never wavered.
Maintaining the balance among the Three Great Powers was essential to upholding the World Government.
With one of the Warlords removed, and Red-Hair and Whitebeard in contact, they couldnât afford to get tangled up with the Beasts Pirates as well.
A direct clash with the Beasts Piratesâwho boasted the worldâs greatest military forceâwas something the government didnât even want to imagine.
But they couldnât leave them unchecked either. Thatâs why theyâd ordered Zephyr and the Pirate Guerrilla Unit to investigate the area. But they hadnât anticipated full-on combat.
And certainly not that it would lead to Zephyrâs death. Perhaps theyâd angered the Demon Beast⊠or maybe she was just in the mood. There was no point in trying to understand her motives.
They had hoped to avoid provoking her. After all, the government had a business relationship with the Beasts Pirates.
To be precise, weapons and armaments produced in Wano Countryâunder the de facto control of the Beasts Piratesâwere being funneled through Donquixote Doflamingo, a Warlord and king of Dressrosa with ties to the Celestial Dragons. So, while there was no direct deal, the government still relied on them.
Losing that supply chain would be troublesome. In this era of piracy, weapons were always in short supply against pirates and the Revolutionary Army.
Beasts Pirates weapon distribution already accounted for over 30% of the governmentâs arsenal. Losing that would force them to procure replacements from elsewhereâlikely through illicit means.
âWe must fill the vacant Warlord seat quickly.â
âAccording to reports, someone calling himself âBlackbeardâ has stepped forwardâŠâ
âThe man who defected from Whitebeardâs crew⊠Marshall D. Teach, âBlackbeardââŠâ
âCan he really replace Crocodile? As it stands, heâs just another nameless pirate.â
âWeâll have to make a decision soon⊠but for now, we watch and wait.â
As expected, their main concern remained the balance of the Three Great Powers. Replacing the fallen Warlord came firstâthat was the Five Eldersâ conclusion. Glancing once at the wanted poster bearing a winking girlâs photo, they ordered the guards to remove the Tone Dial and the severed head.
The death of Zephyr, former Admiral and the man who trained all Marines, sent shockwaves throughout the governmentâespecially among the ranks of the Marines.
âNo wayâŠ!!â
âZephyr-sensei!?â
âWho⊠who in the world did this!?â
ââŠIt was the âDemon Beastâ⊠He was on a mission investigating sightings of the Beasts Pirates when he encountered her⊠and was killed.â
âDamn it⊠This canât beâŠâ
At Marine Headquarters, Marineford, the report was delivered in a meeting room filled with numerous officers. Even the most elite among them twisted their faces in shock and disbelief.
More than a few covered their faces with their hands, eyes brimming with tears. Seasoned Marines tend to be desensitized to news of comrades falling in battle and can normally receive such reports with cold composureâbut Zephyr was a different matter altogether.
To these Marines, Zephyr wasnât just a mentorâhe was like a father.
Separated from their families and friends, these new recruits came to Marine Headquarters and underwent training, where they were taught the spirit and skills of a Marine directly by Zephyr himself.
âDamn it!!â
âHey, stop!! Where do you think you're going!?â
âLet go of me!! Iâll take down the âDemon Beastâ⊠Iâll destroy the Beasts Pirates!!â
To them, this was no different from losing a parent.
While higher-ranking officers remained composed, some of the lower-ranking Marines erupted in anger, drawing their swords and shouting about taking revenge on the Beasts Pirates, driven by grief and fury.
They were restrained with urgency. The Beasts Piratesâone of the Four Emperorsâwere not an enemy that a lone Marine could hope to defeat. As one of the worldâs three great powers, equal in stature to the Marine Headquarters itself, they were rumored to possess strength even surpassing that of the Whitebeard Pirates.
And the fact that Zephyrâs Anti-Pirate Strike Unit was utterly annihilated by Nue alone gave grim credence to those rumors.
Challenging any of the Four Emperors requires a Marine Admiral at minimum, plus a fleet far larger than even a Buster Call. And even then, itâs unlikely one would reach the Emperor themselves.
The damage sustained in such a conflict would be catastrophic. Even if the full strength of Marine Headquarters and the Seven Warlords of the Sea were assembled to crush one Emperor, it would leave the others with an opening to strike. That delicate balance among the three great powers is what keeps the current order intact, and the Marines are no exception. They cannot move recklessly.
Because of this, the World Government will never authorize any aggressive action against the Emperors, and the top brass of the Marines understands this well. âŠBut understanding it doesnât make the emotions any easier to bear.
ââŠSo? Has a replacement for Crocodile been decided?â
ââŠItâs currently on hold. A pirate named Blackbeard has stepped forward.â
ââBlackbeardâ~~~!? What, some relation to Whitebeard?â
âAccording to CPâs report, heâs a former member of Whitebeardâs crew⊠Well, the Warlord seat can wait. Right now, itâs clear the shock from Zephyrâs death runs deep.â
âYeah, anyone can see that.â
In a room within the stirred-up Marine HQ, two old warriors exchanged heavy words.
One was the man who sat at the desk of this admiralâs officeâFleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha, the highest authority in the Marines.
The other was the man lounging comfortably and munching on senbeiââGarp the Fist,â a Marine hero. Though his rank was Vice Admiral, his fame and honor eclipsed even Sengokuâs. With countless accomplishments and the unwavering trust of many, he was a Marine like no other.
Together with âGreat Advisorâ Tsuru, who was absent from this meeting, the three of them had been Zephyrâs peersâfriends and comrades for over fifty years.
âThereâs hardly a Marine in service who hasnât been influenced by Zephyr. Thatâs why this shock will linger for a long while.â
ââŠYeah. Itâll take time to come to terms with it. Tsuru-san said sheâll handle the funeral arrangements.â
âI see.â
Yet neither of them shed tears for their fallen comrade. They mourned, yesâbut they had seen too much to cry.
For over fifty years, they had fought criminals on these seas, learned the many faces of âJustice,â seen the light and dark truths of the world, and experienced the deaths of countless loved ones. For them, the death of a comrade was something they could accept with calm.
As Fleet Admiral and Vice Admiral, all they could do now was carry out their duties with quiet resolve. Unlike the younger Marines, they didnât lash out with vengeance or wallow in helpless fury.
âZephyr may have weakened with age⊠but the enemy was just too formidable. If it hadnât been Kaido or Nue, he mightâve survived, even against the Beasts Pirates.â
ââŠBetween the Red-Haired and Whitebeard incidents and now the Crocodile matter, we canât afford any reckless moves. Keep your eyes open too, Garp.â
âI know that, dammit.â
If any Marines who admired Zephyr went on a reckless path of revenge, it would only bring more sorrow. Zephyr himself wouldnât want that.
At the same time, from an organizational standpoint, the fall of a Warlord had already shaken the balance. They couldnât afford to needlessly mobilize or lose forces. That was a major concern for the leadership.
As long as they bore the name of âJusticeâ and continued their fight against pirates, there was little room for mourning. If they stopped moving, more lives would be lost. And with so many Marines shaken, it was up to the leaders to restore order.
ââŠRight. A change of subject, butâGarp. This man who defeated Crocodile⊠heâs your relative, isnât he?â
âHmmâŠ? Oh, did I forget to mention? Bwahahahaha!! Taking down Crocodile, thatâs my grandson for you!!â
âYou what!? Garp, you bastard~~~!!!â
The room, so heavy with grief over Zephyr, suddenly erupted into chaos. The man who defeated a Warlord of the SeaââStraw Hat Luffyââwas none other than the grandson of the Navyâs own hero, Monkey D. Garp. That fact had just become known to the upper echelons of the government.
ââŠAs expected, the governmentâs been thrown into chaos dealing with the aftermath of the Crocodile incident and covering it up.â
âWell, yeah, makes sense~â« âŠSo? Whatâd they think of my song? Did anyone say anything?â
âUnfortunately, it seems no one even listened to it.â
âThatâs unforgivable. I guess Iâll just have to hold another live show in Mary Geoise somedayâahh, chompâĄâ
âSomewhere on the seas of the Grand Line.
Aboard a ship flying the flag of the Beasts Pirates, I sink my teeth into a delicious steak of crocodile meat. Itâs from a Banana Gator we caught in Alabasta. A little sweet for meat, but surprisingly tasty.
Steakâs gotta be rare, of course! I think, as I chat with one of our All-StarsââJoker of the War Scars,â Stussy.
Itâs rare for her to approach the ship, but apparently, sheâs been tasked by the higher-ups to continue overseeing and spying on the Beasts Pirates, so she stopped by to reportâand decided to head back with us.
The shipâs rowdy due to the ongoing party, but around us, there are only a few female crew members pouring drinks, so itâs not too noisy. Amidst this, weâre basking in the intoxication of fine liquor earned by acquiring a Poneglyph and the secrets within it. After eating some meat and downing a glass, the topic naturally turns back to that earlier matter.
âStill, I really didnât think that Crocodile would lose to a pirate worth only 30 million. Even if he is the grandson of that Marine hero.â
âYou heard the reports, right? I saw it with my own eyesâthis Straw Hat actually beat himâȘ Ahaha!! But wow, you already knew he was Garpâs grandson, huh?â
âOf course. We were instructed to look into Monkey D. Luffyâs background after he defeated Crocodile. If needed, I could share the findings with you?â
âHmm~ I wonder? I know quite a bit myself~⥠For example⊠did you know heâs not just Garpâs grandson, but also Dragonâs son?â
â!?â
ââŠ!! ThatâsâŠâ
With that, I casually wave around the recently updated wanted poster for âStraw Hat Luffy.â His bountyâs been bumped up to 100 million, and his swordsman buddy, âPirate Hunter Zoro,â is now worth 60 million. Looks like theyâve finally earned their stripes as proper pirates.
As expected, even someone like Joker was taken aback to learn heâs Dragonâs son. The crew nearby who overheard were just as stunned. Thatâs how well-hidden the identity of the Revolutionary Armyâs leader is.
Even CP couldnât trace a single lead despite years of investigation. Heâs not challenging the World Government lightly. The man labeled the worldâs worst criminal is not only powerful but also an expert at running an organization and counterintelligence.
Once Joker hears this from my own lips, she takes a sip of her red wine and smiles thoughtfully.
âI see⊠That does explain a lot. Dragon, the global criminal, is the son of the Marine hero, and his son is this Monkey D. Luffy⊠With that pedigree, it actually makes sense that he could take down Crocodile. Honestly, I thought maybe you just made it look like Straw Hat did it.â
âAhahaha⥠Well, I couldâve if I wanted to! But itâd be too much hassle. If Luffy had failed, Iâd have let Pei-tan handle it. The only reason I stepped in personally was for Zephyr.â
Jokerâs not wrongâfaking it was possible⊠but the setup, the acting, the whole production wouldâve been a pain. All I needed was the Poneglyph and its contents anyway. And I knew Luffy would win.
âWhat about this information? You going to tell the government?â
âHmm~ Iâll leave that to you. Even if I did, someone like Garp would probably slip up and let it out eventually⊠Oh, right. Howâs the Navy? I killed Zephyr, so they must be in quite the uproar, huh?â
Revealing Dragonâs background now wouldnât really change anything, so I leave the timing and method to Joker. These things go better when left to the experts, after all!
But more importantly, Iâm eager to hear the reaction to Zephyrâs death. Joker gives a pleasant smile.
âOh yes. Many were weeping or wailing, and even those who werenât looked deeply shakenâit was quite the sightâĄâ
âEhhh~~ So jealous~~!! I wish Iâd seen that~~!!â
âThat said, the upper brass remained composed.â
âOh, really?â
Iâm a little jealous after hearing about the Navyâs reaction, but it seems the higher-ups werenât that affected. Hmm, maybe not cold-heartedâjust used to making those kinds of sacrifices. I figured admirals and above wouldnât flinch.
Then thereâs Garp and Tsuru. Given their history with Zephyr, Iâm sure they felt something⊠but as soldiers, itâs not surprising theyâd bear it. Especially since it was me. They were probably prepared.
Still, the resentment from the lower ranks seems intense.
âThey called him the man who trained all the Marines. And now that you killed him, the hatred toward youâand usâis on the rise. I imagine future encounters with the Navy will be far more entertaining than before.â
âSomething to look forward toâȘ Wrath-filled avengers, blinded by hate, coming for revengeâthose kinds of guysâŠâ
I grab a bone from a nearby piece of meat, gnaw on it, crush it, and swallow it down before continuing.
ââŠare so much fun to crush in returnâŠ!!!â
âVengeful hatred can be terrifying⊠but compared to you, Nue-san, itâs not even worth mentioningâĄâ
Saying that, Joker finishes off a glass filled with a different red liquidânot wine. Her powers alone are scary enough for most people. But itâs good to see sheâs enjoying herself!
ââŠThough really, people driven by rage or revenge are never that impressive, are theyâŠâ
âThey can be a nuisance, but⊠Jackâs made a habit of ensuring no oneâs left to come after him.â
âWell, thatâs the smart way to run things. I approve. I mean, most people are so thoughtless. They overestimate themselves, get consumed by revenge, and completely ignore the gap in power.â
As a new drink is poured by the girl next to me, I let out a small sigh and continue. Iâve seen more than enough of those so-called avengers.
Once they realize the difference in strength during the fight, theyâre gripped by fear and despair.
Or else they just go mad with rage. Or collapse in tears.
Itâs absurd. You came here knowing thatâdidnât you?
âWhat misjudgment and naĂŻve thinking lead to⊠is death. Thatâs the kind of sea this is, and we are the kind of enemies they face. If you want revenge, you better think before you come. Logic or justiceâmeh, those donât matter much to me. But still, Iâd appreciate if they considered our side too. Fighting weaklings is boring. Of course weâre going to lean into the bullying.â
âFufu⊠So, the samurai donât make the cut, then?â
âHmm⊠There are a few worth noting. Like little Komurasaki⊠But that girlâs practically my own creation, so for now, I guess sheâs still borderline.â
Iâve clashed with samurai, marines, piratesâkilled many. And while desperate revenge-seekers are easy to torment, theyâre not much fun as fights.
Zephyr was the same. None of them seem to understand the obvious.
âFeelings, beliefs⊠even willpowerâthey all matter. But thereâs something even more important.â
Thatâs something much easier to understand.
âThe outcome of a battle isnât decided by will or feelings aloneâitâs pure power. Whoever has the most of it⊠wins, simple as that!!â
Yes, no matter how strong your will or feelings may be, without power, itâs all completely meaningless.
If crying or getting angry were enough to win fights, thereâd be no need to train. No reason to look for better tactics. All the effort you put into getting stronger, all the struggleâit would be utterly pointless.
This world is merciless, cruel, and unfair to its core. No matter how pitiful you are, if youâre weak, you die. And no matter how vile someone is, if theyâre strong, they survive.
If you canât understand thatâor worse, canât enjoy itâyou wonât last long in these seas.
âWeakness is a crime⊠If someone rushes into a fight without recognizing their own weakness, then itâs only kind to help them understand the consequences, donât you think~âȘâ
âSince itâs the result of their own weakness, they have to accept it, right!!â
âExactly. Youâre really getting it, Bao Huang-chan⥠Want some of this sweet liquor?â
âYes, please!!â
Since Bao Huang-chan, one of the Gifters and a Shinuchi, was standing nearby and seemed to truly understand what I meant, I gave her some praise and poured her a glass of sweet liquor. Watching her straighten her posture like an athlete as she took the cup, I thought againâthese are things even the kids among our crew understand, but sadly, most people in the world today donât.
âBack in the day, there were real pirates and true warriors who did get itâpeople like me and Kaido⊠Linlin, Shiki⊠Whitebeard, Garp, Roger⊠There used to be so many of them~~. Nowadays, real pirates are getting rare.â
âSo there are more enemies who lack resolve. Even among us, like DullarkâŠâ
âDullark? Oh, I made sure he learned his lesson!! Keep an eye on him for me as his superior, okay!!â
âOf course. Kaido-san was quite pleased too. Once weâre back, we should have another celebration.â
âAnd Iâve gotta get the next song recorded too!! So weâd better⊠hmm?â
â? Something wrong?â
I sensed something through my casually extended Observation Haki. A group of presences out at seaânot too many, but enough to suggest a pirate crew. Probably not the Navy. If it were them, the numbers would be greater.
I could ignore them⊠but maybe Iâll take a little peek. Standing up and floating into the air, I called out to Joker.
âFound a pirate ship, so Iâm gonna go mess with them a bit!!â
âShall we go as well?â
âNah, itâs fine⥠Iâll be right back, so no need to change course!!â
âUnderstood.â
No one can stop me when I decide to act freely. I casually approached the source of that presenceâprobably just some small-time pirates anyway!
Treasure isnât something you just stumble upon that easily.
In this Great Age of Pirates, there are countless pirates roaming the seas. And among the many things they seek, wealth is always high on the list.
Some salvage treasure sunken beneath the waves, others explore ruins or caves on distant islands in search of it. And some simply steal it from othersâthatâs just another way to claim treasure.
âDamn it⊠I botched it bad last time, but this time Iâm definitely getting itâŠ!!â
âAnd on the seas of the Grand Line, there was a man who was chasing treasure and ambition in the flashiest way imaginable.
His ship looked more like a circus troupe than a pirate vessel, and his crew were dressed like acrobats or street performers.
At the head of it all stood âBuggy the Clown,â captain of the Buggy Pirates, known far and wide for his unmistakable red nose.
âListen up, you lot! This time, you better keep your heads on straight! Weâre talkinâ about Captain Johnâs treasure here. Like I told you before, thereâs no telling what kinda traps or trials are waiting for us.â
âWell... last time, we just went to the wrong island.â
âExactly!! If we donât screw up the location, then the treasureâs as good as ours!! Which meansâgetting our hands on a mountain of treasure is practically guaranteed!!!â
âRight!!! Thatâs our Captain Buggy for you!!!â
âCaptain!! Letâs throw a party!!â
âGyahahahaha!! Hell yeah!! Letâs make this a big olâ pre-celebration bash!!!â
Fired up by Buggyâs words, the Buggy Pirates burst into laughter and kicked off a wild feastâbooze, food, entertainment, you name it.
Captain Johnâs treasure. Buggy, claiming to have found a lead on the legendary treasure once hoarded by the ruthless pirate, was riding high on confidence. He acted like getting the treasure was a done deal. He had not a single worry in the world.
While First Mate Mohji and Chief of Staff Cabaji joined in the rowdy celebration, one woman simply sighed and looked on in exasperation.
âAll this fuss, and you havenât even found the treasure yet⊠You people are really something.â
âGyahahaha! Donât sweat it, Alvida! As long as weâve got the location, itâs already ours!â
Alvida of the Iron Mace, currently allied and sailing with the Buggy Pirates, could only shrug at Buggyâs carefree attitude.
Their main target was the infamous Straw Hat Luffy, someone they both had a bone to pick withâbut Buggy had always been obsessed with treasure. There was no way heâd pass one up along the way. Alvida didnât exactly mind scoring treasure eitherâit was just the part where she doubted theyâd actually get any that annoyed her.
And thenâsomeone else, seemingly responding to Buggyâs excitement, casually chimed in.
âCaptain John, huh. You really think his treasureâs in a place like that?â
âGyahaha!! Oh câmon, now youâre getting cold feet too!? What, you donât trust the intel I got my hands on!?â
âBut that guyâhe was such a sly, stingy, mean-spirited jerk, wasnât he? He was always scheming to steal whatever people cared about most, even from his own crew. And he always tried to take the biggest share of the loot for himself. But then when it came time to hand out treasure, he wouldnât give a single coin away. Thatâs why even his own subordinates hated him. On top of that, he had athleteâs foot.â
âOho! What a damn scumbag!!â
âRight? I mean, sure, he ruled his crew with brute strength for a whileâbut in the end, they betrayed him and killed him off. Hilarious, right? And even then, they still couldnât get their hands on his treasure. That kind of stubbornness is almost admirable!â
âWhat a dumbass! If it were me, thereâs no way Iâd everââ
âWait a sec.
Buggy had been happily chatting away with this stranger, but suddenly something clicked. He didnât recognize the voice or the faceâexcept... he did.
Black hair. Red eyes. A girlâs face, with a pair of wings on her backâred and blue, and shaped like no creature from this world.
She looked just like the girl from that enemy crew Buggyâs old pirate crew once fought, over twenty years agoâ
âGyaaaaaaahhhh!!! The Beastie!!???â
âYup, thatâs me! Always cute, always mysterious, with a pretty face and a pretty figureâworldâs number one adorable lilâ Nue-chan here~! Anyway, like I was sayingâJohn wasnât the type to go scattering clues to his treasure all over the place. I bet he kept it somewhere close, like right on him.â
âHeyâHEY!!! Donât just keep talking like nothing happened!! Iâm the one freaking out here!!!â
âW-WaitââThe Beastieâ!? You mean⊠Nue the Beastie!?â
âThe Vice Governor of the Beasts PiratesâŠ!!â
Eyes bulging, Buggy screamed and stumbled backward at full force.
The rest of the crew erupted into panic. And who could blame them?
The girl who had somehow snuck aboard and was now chatting with Buggy like an old friend was none other than Nue the Beastie, the infamous right hand of Kaido, one of the Four Emperors.
A pirate whose bounty easily surpassed 3 billion. A genuine monster.
Faced with this real-life nightmare, even Buggy and Alvida broke into a cold sweat, their faces going pale.
âC-Captain Buggy!! What should we do!?â
âD-Dammit!! Calm down, you flashy idiots!! Listen up!! Donât make any sudden movesâwe need to first see what sheââ
âUmm⊠Iâm actually doing a signing event right nowâŠâ
âHere you go!! Thank you~âȘ This is my best album CDâhope you like it⥠And if you check that poster over there, youâll see my live tour dates, so feel free to come byâĄâ
"Ah, yes. Thank you very much."
"Hey!! What the hell do you think youâre doing holding a cute little autograph and handshake event on my ship, huh!? And now youâre even selling merch!?"
"Ehhh~ Is that bad? I just happened to see you nearby, so I thought Iâd sing a song and maybe get a few more fans."
"...!! I mean, it's not exactly that it's bad, but..."
Seeing Nue, who had somehow already set up a tent and a long table for her autograph session, Buggy hesitated. She tilted her head in a cute, innocent way, but if this monster girl lost her temper, their ship would be shredded into mincemeat in an instant.
(But keeping her here is just as dangerous...!! Thereâs gotta be a way to get her off this ship...! But I canât afford to provoke her either...!! What the hell do I do...!?)
His thoughts kept going in circles. She was way too dangerous to leave on board, but offending her might be a death sentence.
"Hey, are we good to start yet? Iâm gonna go ahead and finish setting up, okay? Actuallyânever mind, Iâm doing it!"
"~~~~~gh!!! Damn it all!! Thinkingâs a pain in the ass!!! Fine!!! Just go ahead and hold your flashy autograph session or guerilla concert or whatever the hell you want!!!"
"Ahaha!! Now thatâs the Buggy I know!! Youâre so easy to deal with!! âAaalright then!! Time for Nue-chanâs surprise pop-up guerilla live show!!! Letâs get flashy and wild~~~!!!"
"Wooohhh!! I donât get whatâs going on, but this is hype!!!"
âAnd so, for a while, the guerilla concert by the monstrous "Phatnom Beast" continued on, the whole event turning into a wild celebration that never lost momentum.
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