Buggy D Clown

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, who hadn't seen each other for two years, stood momentarily stunned.

Robin's voice echoed through the air, breaking the silence. "I'm not holding you back, am I?"

The three snapped out of their daze, but before they could respond, screams and cheers erupted from a distance.

"Ahhhhh! Robin! Robin! You're too strong! How did you get so powerful?!"

"Ooooh!!! Super—"

"Truly terrifying! I haven't seen Robin-san for two years!" Brook chuckled, his bones rattling with laughter. "Not that it matters, since I don't have eyes... Yohohohoho!"

Hearing the excited cries of Nami, Chopper, Franky, and Brook behind them, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji turned around, their faces lighting up with joy.

"Hahaha! How are you all?!" Luffy called out, his grin as wide as ever.

"Oh! Robin-chwan! Oh! Nami-swaaan!" Sanji swooned, hearts practically flying from his eyes.

Above them, Robin smiled warmly at the sight of her reunited crew. With a graceful motion, she vanished from the sky and descended toward them.

Whoosh.

Behind her, the giant hands and wings dissipated into countless delicate petals that scattered in the wind, painting a mesmerizing scene in the air.

The pirates, watching from a distance, stood frozen in awe.

"Terrifying! That woman took down four Pacifistas in a single move!"

"She's only got an 80-million bounty? Are the World Government's information-gathering agents idiots?"

"Hey, Straw Hat's crew is insane... it's like he doesn't even care about recruiting underlings."

A loud bang shattered the moment as Sentomaru, battered but still alive, emerged from the wreckage of a demolished building. It staggered forward, clutching its chest, its mechanical eyes trembling.

"Impossible..." Sentomaru rasped, its voice distorted. "Nico Robin... how could she become so powerful in just two years? Were the rumors true? She was in wano! Did she train with him... the Godslayer pirates?"

"Enough," Sentomaru said, stepping forward with his usual calm demeanor. He glanced at the damaged Pacifista, then gave a dismissive wave. "Fall back."

The Pacifistas faltered, then slowly retreated, its mechanical limbs dragging it back into the shadows as if acknowledging its failure.

"Report nothing," Sentomaru continued, his gaze cold and unwavering. "The Straw Hats have grown strong, but that's of no concern to us now. They are somebody else's problem now."

As the Pacifista disappeared, the Sabaody Archipelago fell into an eerie silence. The chaos had begun to dissipate, the sound of destruction fading as the Straw Hat crew made their departure. Sentomaru remained still, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene.

At the dock where the Sunny was anchored, Luffy and the crew gathered around Robin, bombarding her with questions about her incredible strength.

"Robin! Where did you train for the past two years? How did you get so strong?!"

Surrounded by their curious and eager faces, Robin smiled gently, her expression calm but warm. "You may not believe me," she began, "but I owe my strength to the training I received from my lover. He pushed me beyond my limits. If it weren't for him... you might not have seen me again."

"Nani?!!" The group collectively gasped in shock.

Sanji and Brook dropped to their knees, their faces shadowed with despair. "Why... why wasn't it me?" Sanji wailed, hearts breaking around him.

"Oh, the pain of love unfulfilled!" Brook cried dramatically, clutching his ribs. "Although I have none, yohohoho!"

Zoro raised an eyebrow, his face betraying mild surprise but nothing more.

Luffy, on the other hand, grinned excitedly. "Oh!? Robin, tell me how he trained you! Was it super tough? I've had it rough too! These last two years, learning Haki was no joke!" He then paused, his eyes lighting up. "Wait... Robin, have you mastered Haki too?!"

"Luffy, you!" Usopp sighed, shaking his head as he rested his hand on his chin. "Seriously, is that what you're focusing on right now?"

Franky facepalmed, letting out a long sigh. "You're hopeless Luffy."

Even Nami crossed her arms and sighed, though her tone was lighter. "I don't know how your brain functions sometimes, Luffy."

"Eh? What's wrong?" Luffy scratched his head, his expression genuinely puzzled.

"Yeah? Is there something wrong?" Chopper echoed, jumping up and down cutely. Then, turning to Robin, he added with wide, sparkling eyes, "Robin, Robin! I want to learn Haki too! It sounds so cool! Can you teach me?"

Robin chuckled softly, kneeling to ruffle Chopper's fur. "Of course, I can teach you."

"Woohoo! That's awesome!" Chopper cheered, spinning in circles.

Luffy leaped onto the Sunny's railing, raising his fist into the air. "Alright, everyone! After everything we've been through, we're finally back together! Let's set sail for Fish-Man Island!"

"Yeah!" The crew erupted into cheers, their voices ringing across the dock as they celebrated their reunion and looked forward to the next chapter of their journey.

Sanji, seemingly back to life, slung an arm over Brook's shoulder, and the two of them shouted in unison with gleaming eyes, "Mermaid Princess! Mermaid Princess! We can't wait to meet the beautiful Princess Mermaid!"

Laughter erupted, but it was interrupted by a hearty chuckle from behind. Turning toward the source, the crew saw Rayleigh walking toward them from the dock, his usual confident grin in place.

"It's wonderful to see you all reunited safely," Rayleigh said warmly. Then his expression turned a bit more serious. "But if it's the Mermaid Princess you're looking forward to, I'm afraid you're out of luck. The Fish-Man Island at 10,000 meters below the sea... isn't there anymore."

"Nani?!!!" The Straw Hats froze, their eyes wide with disbelief.

"How is that possible?! How could Fish-Man Island just disappear?" Sanji's face darkened, his earlier excitement replaced by a somber gloom.

Nami crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "Honestly, I've heard some vague rumors about this..."

"What rumors?" Usopp asked, leaning in nervously.

Nami sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Don't tell me none of you bothered to read the news these past two years?"

"Huh? What does the news have to do with this?" Luffy scratched his head, clearly confused.

Nami glanced toward the sea as if searching for answers in the waves. "According to reports, Fish-Man Island used to be under the protection of one of the Four Emperors—the Godslayer Pirates. But the island vanished without a trace. Most believe the Godslayer Pirates destroyed it."

"Eh?!!" Chopper nearly jumped out of his fur. Usopp staggered backward in shock.

"Godslayer Pirates?" Luffy echoed, tilting his head in confusion. He turned toward Rayleigh, who had taken a seat on the dock. "Rayleigh, is this the same Godslayer Pirates you told me about before?"

"That's right." Rayleigh nodded, his expression unreadable.

"That's impossible!" Luffy shouted, shaking his head with conviction.

"Huh?!" Nami and the others stared at him, confused by his sudden outburst.

"The Godslayer Pirate's captain is Uncle Buggy," Luffy declared firmly, his expression serious.

"Nani?!"

"Your uncle?!" The Straw Hat Pirates erupted into disbelief, their mouths hanging open.

Luffy nodded, crossing his arms. "Yeah, Uncle Buggy. He's a good guy! He even helped save Ace during the Summit War and helped me break out of Impel down. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been able to rescue Ace back then—I was too weak!" His voice softened for a moment before regaining its strength. "He's the one who gave me advice about developing my Devil Fruit powers too. There's no way Uncle would do something like that!"

The crew fell silent, their earlier disbelief replaced by deep contemplation.

Rayleigh simply smiled faintly, watching the young captain defend his unconventional "uncle."

A hearty laugh echoed through the dock, drawing everyone's attention toward the entrance.

Instinctively, the crew turned their heads and saw a tall figure standing in the doorway, silhouetted against the bright sunlight. The man's imposing presence was undeniable—a powerful build, a white cloak billowing dramatically in the wind, and a long blue ponytail swaying with the breeze. His eccentric appearance was completed by strands of a long beard hanging from his chin and striking clown makeup that gave him a distinctly rebellious air.

He stepped forward, descending the stairs with an air of confidence. Dressed sharply in a white suit, his hands tucked casually into his pockets, the man grinned as he addressed Luffy.

"Luffy looks like you've got a bit of a good impression of me after all. You remembered my name. Saving you wasn't for nothing, huh?"

"Uncle! Long time no see!" Luffy's face lit up with excitement, and he practically leaped into the air with joy.

"Wait, Buggy? Don't tell me..." Robin's eyes widened in recognition as she stared at the man.

Buggy shrugged nonchalantly and spread his hands. "Shakky mentioned that Rayleigh had something to discuss with me, so I figured I'd drop by to see you off and pay him a visit while I'm here."

Robin chuckled softly and gave a knowing nod.

"Ehh?!" Nami's expression turned to shock. She hurriedly sidled up to Zoro, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Zoro, this Buggy… it couldn't be the same guy we met back then, could it?"

Zoro's expression was uncharacteristically serious as he folded his arms. "Nami, back then, they were just playing with us for Luffy's sake." He paused before adding solemnly, "This is the man who defeated the world's greatest swordsman."

"What?!" The Straw Hats stared at Buggy with expressions of disbelief. The image of the bumbling clown from their memories clashed violently with the man before them, whose commanding aura screamed power. If it weren't for his unmistakable clown makeup and flowing blue ponytail, they might not have recognized him at all.

After all, the man before them was none other than the most formidable Emperor of the Sea in the world today.

Even Nami, ever quick to speak her mind, wisely chose to keep her mouth shut.

However, her curiosity soon got the better of her. Noticing Robin's gentle smile, she leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Robin... don't tell me the man you were talking about is...?"

Robin's smile deepened as she confirmed, "That's right. It's him."

The crew's jaws collectively dropped.

Robin continued calmly, her voice soft but firm. "He's the one who saved me from the Tequila Wolf back then. He was helping your father back then Luffy."

Though her tone was light, the weight of her words was not lost on the crew. Robin's sincerity was evident in her expression, leaving no room for doubt.

Buggy settled into a seat beside Rayleigh, resting his elbows on his knees. "Rayleigh, what's this about? What do you need from me?"

Rayleigh chuckled, his expression turning playful. "Well, it's not me who's looking for you. More like a certain little girl." He paused, glancing around as if searching for someone. "Hm? Who's there?"

Suddenly, a white ghost phased through the ground, passing straight through Buggy's body. A sharp, youthful voice followed:

"Negative Ghost!"

"Huh?" The entire Straw Hat crew aboard the Sunny turned their heads in surprise.

"Eh? Who is that?!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Ah, it's her! That little girl from the spooky floating fortress!" Chopper blurted out, already hiding behind Usopp.

"Why is she here? And why is she attacking that guy?" Nami's voice was sharp with confusion.

Meanwhile, Zoro's expression shifted the moment he saw the ghost. Leaping to his feet, he muttered under his breath, "This isn't good."

From the ceiling of the dock, a familiar face peeked out—a girl with pink hair, wide eyes, and an air of indignation. Perona glared down at Buggy, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Hey! How are you not affected? That was a negative ghost! Nobody can resist that!"

Buggy gave her an unimpressed look, exhaling loudly. "Didn't Mihawk ever tell you? When someone's Haki is strong enough, no Devil Fruit power can affect them."

"What?" Perona blinked in confusion, then quickly recovered and pointed a finger at Buggy, her tone fierce. "Never mind that! You're the one who took Moria, aren't you? I saw it in the newspaper! After the Summit War, it said you captured him, and you even took over the floating thriller bark!"

She jabbed her finger at him. "Hand over Lord Moria, right now!"

Whoosh!

In an instant, Zoro appeared in front of Perona, his posture rigid, one hand already on the hilt of his sword.

"Perona, calm down," he said firmly, his tone brooking no argument.

"Idiot swordsman!" Perona snapped, glaring at him. "I'm here for Moria! Don't get in my way!"

The tension between them was thick, and the rest of the crew watched the exchange with caution.

Leaning casually against the railing of the Sunny, Robin finally spoke, her tone light but firm. "Alright, Buggy, that's enough teasing. Let's not scare the little girl."

Buggy snorted but said nothing as Robin turned her attention to Perona. "Perona, right?"

Perona's glare softened slightly as Robin continued, her voice calm and measured. "Although we were enemies once, things are different now. We're on the same side. Moria is no longer a prisoner. He's joined the Buggy Pirates."

Perona's eyes widened, her disbelief plain. "What?"

Robin nodded, her lips quirking in a small smile. "He's currently training in the Crimson Empire. He's been through a lot and grown stronger than ever before. When you see him, I think you'll be surprised."

The words hung in the air as Perona processed them, the fiery edge in her demeanor beginning to dull.

"Eh? Is that true?" Perona blinked, visibly taken aback.

Zoro and the Straw hats stood equally stunned, their expressions frozen in disbelief.

Gekko Moria, the Shadow King, had joined the Buggy Pirates.

The implications hit like a tidal wave. If Moria—a Warlord of the Sea—had pledged himself to Buggy, how terrifying was this crew now?

Buggy smirked, enjoying their reactions. "Alright, alright. Since Robin already said so, I'll stop messing with you." He waved his hand dismissively. "If you want to see Moria, it's simple. Come back with me to the Crimson Empire. He's still training there. Oh, and by the way—Hogback and that invisible lion are with him too."

Perona's eyes sparkled with relief and excitement. "Really? That's amazing!" she exclaimed, tears of joy streaming down her face.

Zoro, watching her reaction, exhaled slowly, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. Facing a crew like Buggy's right now would have been a nightmare. No—more like diving headfirst into hell.

After all, this was the man who defeated Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman.

With a snap of his fingers, Buggy opened a space portal behind him. Turning back to Robin, he grinned and gave her a casual wave.

"If you ever run into a problem you can't handle, just call me. Remember—while I'm around, no one in this world can lay a finger on you." His tone softened slightly. "I'll be going now. Happy adventures, Robin-chan."

With that, he stepped into the shimmering portal, waved one last time at Perona, and vanished.

For a moment, the entire dock fell into a stunned silence.

Robin's gaze lingered on the spot where the portal had disappeared. She spoke softly, almost to herself. "I know."

"Ahhh!" Nami finally broke the quiet, her voice brimming with excitement. She rushed over and hugged Chopper, who flailed awkwardly in her grip. "Robin, your boyfriend is incredible! He's not only recognized as the strongest Emperor in the world today—he's also pretty scheming when I first met him he fooled me, Zoro, and Luffy!"

Sanji clutched at his chest dramatically, a pained expression on his face. "Nami-san… You're breaking my heart."

Boom!

"Go away!" Nami yelled, sending Sanji flying with a swift kick. She turned to Zoro, hands on her hips. "Zoro, stop standing around! You've gotten lost again, haven't you? We need to find to set sail now!"

"What did you just say, you witch?!" Zoro snapped, his face flushing. "I'm standing right here! How could I possibly get lost in just two steps?"

The crew burst into laughter as the chaos resumed, their spirits lifted after the tense encounter.

Seeing Zoro's stubborn determination to march off, Nami raised an eyebrow and said flatly, "Oh? Then why are you heading for the exit? The ship's this way."

Zoro froze mid-step, his expression briefly betraying his confusion. Then, with a snort of defiance, he turned sharply and leaped aboard the Sunny without a word.

"Hahaha!" Laughter erupted from the crew, the lighthearted moment lifting the air aboard the ship.

After Buggy returned to the Crimson Empire, he immediately sought out Moria, bringing Perona along with him. He understood her feelings toward Moria all too well.

After all, Moria had raised her. Perona wasn't just another follower; she respected and cared for Moria like a father. Buggy could see the deep bond they shared, which made sense considering Moria had practically raised her from childhood.

From his memories of the Devil's Three Seas arc, Buggy recalled how much Moria had doted on Perona, even giving her a castle large enough to house ten people. The way Moria treated her spoke volumes about his affection for her.

And Perona, in turn, was someone who valued loyalty and love above all else. Even in that fateful future where Moria was captured and imprisoned on Hachinosu by Blackbeard, Perona hadn't hesitated to risk her life to rescue him.

This girl's worth investing in, Buggy mused.

Not only was she loyal, but her Devil Fruit powers were incredibly dangerous. The Negative Hollow ability was a true wildcard—an almost broken technique against anyone lacking strong Haki. With proper training and guidance, Perona could become a force to be reckoned with.

At less than 25 years old, she still had plenty of potential to grow, and Buggy intended to ensure she reached it.

Upon his return to the Crimson Empire, Buggy didn't waste time. He made his way to Adam's Treasure Tree, the largest and most ancient tree in the empire. Activating the abilities of his Mori Mori no mi, he began constructing an enormous palace atop the towering canopy.

The palace was a sprawling three-story complex, each level meticulously crafted to resemble the most luxurious villas of his past life. Each villa rose higher than the last, offering increasingly breathtaking views and lavish designs.

The first canopy housed the living quarters for his crew and other key members. The second was even more extravagant, designed for special gatherings and events.

As for the topmost villa? That one remained empty, though Buggy smirked to himself as he surveyed its construction.

What kind of pirate I will be if I don't have few lovers, he thought, the image of a future paradise clear in his mind.

The Crimson Empire continued to grow in strength, and Buggy was determined to make it a kingdom like no other—one where his people would thrive and where his ambitions could take root and flourish.

Afterward, Buggy visited the forest beneath the massive Adam's Treasure Tree, where hundreds of wooden villas had been constructed. Each villa featured three bedrooms and a living room, designed to house the future residents of the Mink Tribe.

The Minks would live here, serving as both guardians and caretakers for the smaller Adam's Treasure Maples that surrounded the towering tree. Buggy understood that their presence would provide unmatched protection for the area while fostering a sense of community within his empire.

Meanwhile, Buggy's clone and Crocodile's clone were already hard at work preparing for the influx of visitors the Crimson Empire would inevitably attract—be they curious tourists or individuals with ulterior motives. Their preparations would ensure the empire remained secure and welcoming to all who approached.

A few days later, a large ship adorned with a musical note flag arrived at the Crimson Empire's diving port.

Ka-ka-ka!

The massive gates of the port creaked open, allowing the ship to sail smoothly into its designated berth. As the vessel came to a stop, a young woman leaped from the ship's deck, clearing a height of over 20 meters with ease.

She had long legs, half-pink and half-white hair, and wore a white long-sleeved top. Her landing was graceful, exuding confidence and energy.

Following her was a man in a wheelchair with a face only a mother could love, accompanied by a group of strange-looking soldiers hauling crates and supplies.

Standing at attention in front of two teams of elite guards was Kalifa, dressed sharply in her signature black suit. She stepped forward, her professional demeanor softened by a polite smile as she addressed the young woman.

"Hello, Miss Uta. Welcome to the Crimson Empire."

---

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