On the side of the road, a young man named Bob walked with a bag of groceries in hand. He was dressed casually and, of course, wore a mask to protect against COVID. At 18 years old, Bob had just graduated from high school and was on his way home after buying some food ingredients.

As Bob approached the crosswalk, the traffic light turned red, prompting him to stop. Knowing he had a moment to spare, he took out his phone and began scrolling through it. He stumbled upon a video of his favorite anime, One Piece, and decided to read the comments. One particular comment caught his attention and irritated him.

"Ugh, these Lord Buggy jokes again. They've been overused to the point where they're no longer funny," Bob muttered to himself.

Despite his dislike for the joke, Bob couldn't resist clicking on the comment to see how others responded. The joke revolved around 'The Lord & Saviour' Buggy D. Clown, who was considered one of the strongest characters alongside God Usopp.

"These people are really getting on my nerves. I'll be the party pooper and shut down their jokes in the comment section," Bob grumbled.

A random guy standing beside Bob overheard his grumbling and asked, "What's bothering you, man?"

"Nothing, just an overused joke in the comment section that I really hate. I'm going to put an end to it," Bob replied.

The random guy raised an eyebrow and said, "Wow, you're spending your time worrying about other people's jokes instead of finding your own humor."

Bob clicked his tongue in annoyance and ignored the guy. He continued walking, forgetting that he was waiting for the light to turn green. The random guy realized this and tried to stop Bob, but it was too late. A truck crashed into Bob, instantly ending his life.

~One Piece world, 1 Year before the Great Pirate Era~

Buggy, who had been ill, suddenly woke up in a room gasping for air. He frantically touched his body, making sure he was fine.

"I-I'm fine? I'm sure I was hit by a truck and crashed onto the road. It hurt like hell. M-maybe it was just a dream?" Buggy questioned.

To his surprise, this wasn't Buggy speaking, but Bob, who had somehow transferred into Buggy's body. Bob's soul had entered little Buggy's body for unknown reasons.

Confused, Bob looked around the room, realizing it wasn't his own. His room wasn't made of wood like this one. He tried to figure out where he was and examined the room.

On a small table, he found a cabinet, a plate of food, a glass of water, and a mirror. Bob opened the cabinet, only to find some clothes. He then looked into the mirror and was stunned by what he saw.

"What the f-" Bob began to say before being interrupted.

"Oh, Buggy, you're awake. Are you feeling better now?" a red-haired kid named Shanks entered the room.

Bob, or rather Buggy, turned his head robotically to look at Shanks and then back at the mirror.

"Haha, what a strange dream," Bob/Buggy's mouth twitched, and he fainted.

"Buggy!" Shanks exclaimed.

As Bob fainted, he suddenly gained all of Buggy's memories. Buggy was 14 years old at the time and had fallen ill before embarking on his journey to Laugh Tale. Left on an island, Shanks had taken care of him.

Realizing what had happened, Bob felt guilty for taking over someone else's body and potentially causing their death. However, he was also grateful to be alive after the truck accident. Although he disliked the joke about Buggy, he didn't harbor any personal animosity towards him.

"Sigh, what's done is done. I can't change it. I guess I'll have to live as Buggy now and survive in this dangerous world," Bob accepted his new identity as Buggy.

Bob, being a smart individual, knew he couldn't run away from his problems. He chose to accept his new life and work on making the best of it. While he felt remorse for the original Buggy, he wouldn't give up this chance at life. From that day forward, Bob would become Buggy, even if he didn't particularly like the clown's appearance.

As Bob embraced his new self, a strange phenomenon occurred. His soul began to glow with a silver light, as did his unconscious body. Although his physical appearance remained the same, his soul had transformed to match Buggy's body. He had truly become Buggy.

My name is Buggy, but I am also Bob. However, I am not the same Buggy from before. I am my own person. Bob has passed away, and now I will embark on a new life as Buggy.

Buggy quickly accepts his new life and identity. He doesn't have any attachments to Earth, being an orphan with no relatives. Life will be tough for him, just as it was for the old Buggy.

But Buggy has a significant advantage – he possesses knowledge of the future. If he can become stronger, he can make his life easier. However, he decides against taking the easy route.

"I could choose to live a peaceful life in a secluded location, but I won't do that. I am a One Piece fan, and I won't waste this opportunity. What I truly want to do in this world is to explore every corner of it. Perhaps I'll even change some events along the way." - Buggy

As a One Piece fan, Buggy is eager to uncover the vast mysteries of this world. Although the old Buggy traveled with Roger and discovered many things, he wants to experience it all for himself.

To achieve his goals, Buggy knows he needs power. The World Government despises those who seek to unravel the world's mysteries, so he must become strong to protect himself.

"I could team up with Shanks, who will become an Emperor, but I want to be a captain and have my own crew. If I don't become a captain, I'll have no say in our destination and will simply follow the captain's orders." - Buggy

Buggy decides to form his own crew instead of joining Shanks. Making Shanks his Vice-Captain is out of the question. From Buggy's memories, he knows that Shanks desires to lead his own crew, just like Roger, and he is as stubborn as Buggy himself.

"After this, the Roger Pirates will disband. One year later, Roger will be executed, and the Great Pirate Era will begin. I suppose I'll spend this time training before setting sail on my own journey." - Buggy

Buggy plans to start his journey at the age of 17, just like Luffy. That gives him three years to become powerful enough to navigate the Grand Line. He will train relentlessly to protect himself and his crew.

From his memories, young Buggy was actually quite formidable. He was almost as strong as Shanks, although he was somewhat cowardly. It seems that the reason he becomes weaker in the future is because he stays in the East Blue and doesn't challenge himself in the Grand Line like Shanks.

"I will find someone to teach me about haki before we part ways. I will make the most of these three years." - Buggy

Buggy has set his current plan, but he knows he will have to consider other factors later on. For now, he needs to focus on the present and make the most of his new life.

One day, after recovering from a severe fever that kept him bedridden for days, Buggy finally wakes up. Shanks enters the room with a tray of porridge and a glass of water.

"You've finally woken up, Buggy," Shanks says.

"Yeah, sorry for making you worry. Oh, is that porridge? Perfect timing, I'm starving," Buggy replies.

Shanks is taken aback by Buggy's gratitude and accidentally drops the tray, causing the bowl and glass to shatter and spill their contents.

"Hey, Shanks! What are you doing? I wanted to eat that porridge!" Buggy exclaims.

Ignoring Buggy's outburst, Shanks touches his forehead.

"It seems your fever has subsided, but are you truly okay?" Shanks asks.

"What do you mean? Do you think I'm still crazy?" Buggy retorts.

"You've never thanked me before, so I thought you might still be unwell," Shanks explains.

"Even I know how to show gratitude. I've grown up and learned many things in my life," Buggy asserts.

"Are you really fine?" Shanks asks once more.

"I am! So stop touching my forehead, damn it!" Buggy demands.

"Okay, okay," Shanks concedes.

Shanks stops touching Buggy's forehead and leaves to fetch some cleaning tools. Buggy grumbles as he heads to the kitchen to finish the rest of the porridge.

"Damn Red Hair, no need to be so shocked by a simple 'thank you'," Buggy mutters.

Buggy devours the remaining porridge, along with any other food he can find in the kitchen. When he's finished, there's nothing left to eat.

Shanks is surprised by Buggy's voracious appetite but attributes it to his hunger after not eating for a day. It's not a problem, as Roger had given them money to buy whatever they needed. They can always restock their food supplies.

It takes about a month for the Roger Pirates to return from their journey to the last island. During this time, Shanks is astounded by Buggy's transformation. Buggy trains diligently every day, a stark contrast to his usual lazy self who only cared about treasure.

Not much happens during this month. Buggy spends his time adjusting to his new body and devil fruit powers. He also writes down everything he remembers from the One Piece anime and manga, including some theories that make sense to him.

When they receive news that the Roger Pirates will arrive on the island that day, Buggy is filled with excitement. He has been eagerly awaiting this moment – to meet the legendary Roger Pirates. Although he possesses the memories of the old Buggy, he wants to witness the crew of the Pirate King with his own eyes.