"Your wish shall be granted," Buggy declared.
The moment Buggy spoke, the entire Mokomo Dukedom became more excited. Almost simultaneously, everyone in Wanokuni cheered wildly.
"When Buggy arrives, the sky, land, and ocean will be clear and turn a brilliant blue! With Buggy's defeating that demon, Wanokuni will finally know peace and food!"
Kaido, who had been laughing, suddenly turned somber upon hearing the roar of Wanokuni.
Standing beside him, King quickly grasped Kaido's intention and shouted, "Go and confiscate all the live den den mushi across the Wano! Tell the people to cease their shouts and resume work!"
A group of Beasts Pirates cadres promptly got to work. Kaido transformed into an Azure dragon and soared into the sky, heading towards Onigashima. Seated on his back was a chuckling Charlotte Linlin.
However, at this moment, the people in the Flower Capital have not paid attention to the departure of Kaido and Big Mom. They were all engrossed in wild celebrations. It seemed that the pent-up frustration of over a decade was about to be unleashed.
Even when Kaido's underlings attempted to disperse them, the citizens continued to shout fervently. The combined roars of hundreds of thousands sent shivers down the spines of Kaido's subordinates. These pirates were not foolish, and they realized it was entirely possible to get swept up by the massive crowd.
After all, one of Kaido's cadres had gone up to halt the festivities and had completely disappeared in the vast sea of people.
The retreat of Kaido and his underlings excited the oppressed people of Wanokuni, who still resided in Flower Capital. Buggy's words echoed in their minds.
The more they contemplated it, the more it seemed that Kozuki Oden, leveraging Wanokuni's geographical advantages and people, could force Kaido to retreat without a fight. After all, Kaido was merely a pirate, not like of revolutionary army or part of the World Government. He couldn't withstand such prolonged conflict.
As time passed, the once joyous cries for Buggy shifted towards condemning Kozuki Oden and the Kozuki clan.
This transformation left [Kozuki Hiyori], who stood on a balcony, watching, trembling with disbelief. She had never imagined that, following a live broadcast, her father, Kozuki Oden, and the Kozuki clan would become the targets of Wanokuni's violent and hateful outbursts.
What pained her the most was her inability to refute these claims. How could she? She asked Kyoshiro, who protected her, "Why are they slandering my father and the Kozuki clan?"
Kyoshiro replied, "They're merely recounting Oden-sama's actions."
Hearing this from a former loyalist of the Kozuki clan, Hiyori couldn't deny it. Even though it was hard to accept, she had no choice.
In these circumstances, her disguise and her hidden presence seemed meaningless. If the current Kozuki clan were to return, the people of Wanokuni would be the first to oppose them.
What could Kozuki Hiyori do? She felt helpless.
"My father laid the groundwork for Wanokuni's current disastrous situation with his own hands," just as the man had said.
She understood that from this day forward, the Kozuki clan would no longer aspire to rule over Wanokuni. It was an idea to be banished from their minds.
The Mokomo Dukedom.
Beneath the Whale Tree,
At this moment, Robin carefully traced her fingers over the crimson historical poneglyph. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi sat there, dispirited. Despite Inuarashi's earlier efforts to utter those words, as they arrived at this place and saw the emblem of the Kozuki clan, a sense of melancholy weighed on them.
One must understand that the Kozuki clan had been friends with the Mokomo Dukedom for several decades now.
Observing their sullen expression, Buggy couldn't help but chuckle and weep, "I've been saying, how much longer will you two dwell on this? Since the Kozuki family shared a bond with your Mokomo Dukedom, now that the Kozuki lineage is extinct, wouldn't it be better to allow it to fade into the annals of history? Why do you persist in holding on?"
"Are you unwilling to release your grasp on the Kozuki clan or the people of the Mokomo Dukedom? What have they done to offend you?"
Swish!
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi abruptly raised their heads, their eyes bloodshot, fixed on Buggy.
Nekomamushi spoke with a tinge of resignation, "Buggy, what are you trying to say?"
"You've consistently encouraged the descendants of the Kozuki clan who have, for the past two decades, lived anonymously and even the people of your Mokomo Dukedom to lay down their lives. Isn't this refusal to let go?"
"Do you truly believe you can defeat Kaido? To vanquish half his forces in one breath of his dragon and obliterate the rest with a single rebellion? There exists a disparity in strength, and you can't win. Hence, I said that encouraging them to lay down their lives isn't a mistake, is it?"
"It's all right."
Inuarashi wasn't as unyielding as Nekomamushi anymore. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Buggy, this time when you leave for Wanokuni, please allow our Mink Tribe to fight. It's the last thing I can do for Wanokuni and the Kozuki clan."
"As for others, if they go, they'll become cannon fodder and squander their lives," Buggy nonchalantly shook his head. "But the two of you, accompany if you're still fit to fight. Oh, by the way, before departing, appoint a successor for the Mokomo Dukedom."
"Why?" Nekomamushi inquired, bewildered.
"In case you don't return, someone needs to govern them," Buggy stated callously. "Look at you; you appear as if you're on death's doorstep, and you're embarking on the Battle against Kaido and Big Mom. Isn't that like delivering yourself to your doom? In your present condition, Kaido's cadres might be enough to defeat you."
"Hey, Buggy, your words are far too harsh!" Nekomamushi slapped his belly in protest.
"That's right, after all, we were comrades," Inuarashi gritted his teeth, saying, "You weren't as strong as Nekomamushi and me back then."
"Yes, indeed!" Hearing this, Nekomamushi's spirits lifted once more.
At that moment, Gabban laughed, saying, "I almost forgot how Buggy and Shanks used to be jealous brats back then. Hahahaha!"
He continued with a grin, "They were always envious of how Roger doted on baby Momonosuke and Hiyori. Seeing Roger shower them with affection drove Buggy and Shanks crazy. They tried to get Roger's attention, but no matter what they did, he was always focused on the kids. It hilarious remembering now those two Yonko used to get so worked up over a little extra love."
His words sent everyone into fits of laughter. Buggy sighed in exasperation; the embarrassing history Gabban referred to wasn't about him. Well, he thought, let them laugh.
After all, he had been poking fun at others for a while, and they had all calmly accompanied him to retrieve the Ponyglyph. It was fair for them to get a good laugh.
Meanwhile, Shirahoshi, like a curious child, kept asking Gabban about Buggy's past escapades. The Seraphim Boa squatted beside them, her small face resting in her hands, a smile on her lips.
Piru Piru Piru.
Just then, Buggy's portable phone buzzed, gradually silencing the laughter.
Without hesitation, Buggy picked up the phone. "Hello, is this Godslayer Buggy?" an elderly female voice inquired.
Buggy recognized the voice. "Oh? Is that you elder Nyon?"
"That's right, it's me," the elderly woman, Gloriosa, responded with a smile. "I didn't expect you to remember me. By the way, Buggy, I hung up earlier because I wanted to talk to you. Hancock heard that you were going to fight Kaido and Big Mom; she was worried about you, so she directly sailed through the Calm Belt to Wano. Have you met her yet?"
Buggy was taken aback for a moment and then said, somewhat dumbfounded, "It's Hancock's nature. I overlooked it. I thought Amazon Lily was going through a turbulent period, and I didn't want her to leave in case the government targeted it again. But I didn't expect her to come to Wano anyway."
Gloriosa sighed and explained, "I had the same thought initially, but I also understand Hancock's temperament, so I made contingency plans. If we can't keep her, I'll have Shakky contact Rayleigh to make sure that Amazon Lily is safe. Rayleigh and Shakky still owe me a favor. But now that Hancock is on the way to Wano. I've already informed Rayleigh and Shakky to return to Amazon Lily during this time. Just assure Hancock that everything is safe at home."
Hearing this, Buggy couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He then smiled and said, "As an old woman, you have truly wisen up. Don't worry I'll arrange for someone to locate Hancock's whereabouts. We'll find her shortly."
"Good," Gloriosa responded with a meaningful smile. "In that case, Buggy, I entrust Hancock to your care."
With that, she hung up the phone. Sigh! Almost immediately, Buggy felt several pairs of sharp eyes fixed on him.
With his perceptive abilities, he immediately identified two of the gazes: one was Robin, who was carefully studying the main historical text, and the other was Kalifa, who was assisting her. Both women were giving him an intense and pointed look.
"What is wrong with these unpredictable women around me?!" Buggy wondered aloud. "Perhaps the devil fruit's influence?"
On the contrary, little Hancock and Shirahoshi gazed at him with bewildered expressions, their eyes filled with nothing but pure naiveté. Buggy, however, wasn't concerned; after all, these two girls were still quite young.
But as for Robin and Kalifa, he felt a pang of sympathy for them because they had shared nights. Why? He had no choice but to reward them in a well-organized manner during the evenings.
After completing their study of the historical text on the road sign, Buggy and the others didn't linger in the Mokomo Dukedom for long. They descended from the elephant's back, where Inuarashi and Nekomamushi's imposing figure still loomed, and returned to the ominous Thriller Bark.
Simultaneously, Blueno managed to pinpoint the presence of the Kuja Pirates' ship.
Shuo!
A massive spatial door abruptly opened right in front of the Kuja Pirates, who were sailing through the Calm Belt.
Amid the astonished exclamations of the crew, Buggy materialized through the rift, landing squarely on the deck of the Nine Snake Pirates' ship.
Here's the revised version with the specific Kuja Pirates' names:
"Ahhh!!!"
"Buggy-sama! It's really you!" exclaimed Ran, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Lord Buggy! Sigh… It's truly an honor!" gushed Daisy, nearly swooning.
"Buggy-sama, please let me see your face up close!" pleaded Marguerite, trying to get closer.
"Oh, oh, oh! I want to pinch him too!" cried out Sweet Pea, her excitement barely contained.
The moment Buggy stepped onto the ship, he found himself swarmed by a group of female warriors of Amazon Lily, nearly causing him to stumble.
"Cease this commotion, all of you!"
Just then, Hancock's voice resonated from behind. Crash!
The female Warriors parted to allow her passage, one after another.
The Empress approached Buggy with elegant steps, but as she drew near, her head suddenly tilted to the side. She didn't dare meet Buggy's gaze, yet she mustered the courage to say firmly, "Buggy, why have you come to our ship?"
"To allow you to join us, of course."
Buggy replied with a bemused expression. "I couldn't let you travel to Wanokuni at such a rapid pace, could I? Otherwise, you might become the Four Emperors' appetizer. Let's first head to my Thriller Bark. From there, we can journey to Wanokuni together."
"Since Buggy-sama has proposed it, then I consent."
The moment Hancock finished speaking, her face turned beet red.
"Consent? Marriage?"
Hancock started to envision dozens of small scenarios in his mind.
Buggy couldn't help but raise his hand to his forehead and then nod to Blueno, who emerged from a spatial rift to inquire.
Shua!
In the following moment, the door, initially only a few meters high, expanded in an instant to tens of meters, allowing the Kuja Pirates' ship to enter Thriller Bark directly through the portal.
Thanks to Blueno's frequent use of the [door door fruit] ability lately, he had grown increasingly proficient at manipulating this ability. The speed of opening portals and their placement accuracy had improved significantly.
He was now developing his abilities in the direction Buggy had mentioned earlier. It was possible that in the future, Blueno's fruit ability could open stable portals all over the world. When that happened, the distances between islands would become shorter than those covered by the sea trains.
Perhaps, on that fateful day, the world of pirates would usher in a new era!
With the Kuja Pirates joining them, the atmosphere on Thriller Bark grew even more vibrant.
After all, having two of the world's top beauties aboard the same ship was a spectacle of global significance, adding to the excitement of their crew!
As they drew closer to Wanokuni, the anticipation grew, with Gekko Moria being the most exhilarated of them all.
His excitement had even led to noticeable growth in his abilities, particularly in Armament Haki, though he still lagged in overall strength.
This was mainly due to the formidable combat power of Buggy's crew, which stood out.
Currently, it was Buggy leading the charge, followed by Gabban and Bullet, who were both at the level of Admirals.
Next came the quasi-Admirals, a formidable group consisting of Enel, Doringo, Sanjuan Wolf, Boa Hancock, and Sunbell.
Further down the hierarchy were elite Vice Admirals, along with upper-tier fighters such as Crocodile, Jinbei, Rob Lucci, S-Snake, and S-Hawk.
Following them were Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, Gekko Moria, Mr. 1, Ceaser, and Trafalgar Law.
Lastly, there were individuals like Kalifa, Robin, and Kaku.
Overall, their strength was nothing short of terrifying. This was precisely why Buggy had the confidence to confront the two Yonko, Kaido, and Big Mom at the same time.
In terms of raw numbers, Buggy's crew couldn't compete with Kaido and Big Mom, as the Emperors commanded hundreds of thousands of troops.
Kaido also had his three Disasters and the Tobiroppo, in addition to the formidable Sweet Generals being Big Mom's children.
On the surface, Kaido and Big Mom undeniably possessed a larger combat force than Buggy and his crew. This was the very reason for their unwavering self-assuredness.
In their eyes, the advantage was unequivocally on their side. Hundreds of thousands against a mere dozen individuals—how could they not hold the upper hand?
Kaido and Big Mom, it seemed, had orchestrated their plan brilliantly.
As the waters flowed around them, the imposing Thriller Bark began to transform. Doringo and the others spotted ten black lines on the horizon marking the end of the sea.
They had arrived offshore of Wanokuni!
As Buggy's formidable Thriller Bark materialized off the coast of Wanokuni, the world's attention was squarely focused on it.
Buggy and his crew beheld a diverse array of ships on the open sea surrounding Wanokuni. There were government vessels, World News ships, and pirate vessels alike.
Amidst this array, an acquaintance's ship caught their eye. Had Shanks made an appearance as well?
However, Buggy understood that Shanks wouldn't partake in the impending clash between Buggy and Kaido. If that were the case, he would have already made contact.
Buggy also grasped the significance of Shanks' Red-Haired pirates being close to Marine warships, yet he refrained from making a greeting.
The exchange of knowledge and presence was sufficient to convey Buggy's intentions. For this, he maintained a deep respect for his fellow pirate, Shanks.
And with that, they set their course straight to Flower Capital!
Under the inquisitive gazes of all aboard, Buggy extended his right hand, projecting several beams of platinum light into the seawater surrounding the formidable triangular sail.
Want to dive deeper into this epic saga? Stay one arc ahead on P*treon.c*m/Marioni and gain access to exclusive benefits such as my other fanfictions and exciting polls. Plus, you can request one-shots or a 3 to 6-chapter series tailored to your interests. Don't miss out on the action—join the community now!