Over the vast and ever-changing Blue Sea, Buggy the Clown's ship sailed slowly toward Loguetown. The vessel, as eccentric as its captain, stood out with its vibrant colors and an enormous clown head as its figurehead, grotesquely intimidating to unsuspecting sailors.
Alvida, Buggy's partner, was leaning against one of the barrels on deck, gazing at the horizon with a bored expression. Her black hair glistened under the sun, and the supernatural smoothness of her skin, a result of her Devil Fruit, shimmered like silk.
"Buggy, you're unusually quiet today. What's on your mind?" she asked, her voice tinged with light sarcasm.
Buggy was seated on his makeshift throne, holding a freshly delivered copy of the News Coo newspaper. His eyes were fixed on a particular headline, and his usually comical face showed a mix of confusion and indignation.
"Riser? Who the hell is that?" Buggy finally shouted, gripping the newspaper so tightly it nearly tore. Alvida raised an eyebrow, leaning slightly to see the news that had Buggy so riled up.
"The name doesn't ring a bell," she said casually. "But it seems he's somehow connected to you now. What does it say?"
Buggy read aloud, his voice shifting between anger and disbelief: "'Riser, alleged new member of Buggy the Clown's crew, wanted dead or alive, bounty of 15 million Belly. Reports indicate his involvement in devastating attacks in the East Blue.' This is absurd! I've never seen this guy in my life!"
Alvida laughed, crossing her arms as she watched Buggy's exasperated expression. "Looks like someone decided to tie their name to yours. Honestly, with your reputation, it's no surprise that anything chaotic in the East Blue is blamed on you."
Buggy threw the newspaper to the floor and stood up dramatically, pointing at the sky as if challenging the gods. "This is outrageous! As if Straw Hat wasn't enough to ruin my plans, now I have to deal with an imposter using my name!"
Alvida shrugged, finding the situation more amusing than concerning. "Well, you have a choice, Buggy. You can ignore this and let Riser deal with his own story, or you can find out who he is and settle it yourself."
Buggy paced back and forth on the deck, his exaggerated gestures accompanied by muttered grumbles. Finally, he stopped and looked at Alvida with a determined gleam in his eyes.
"I'm the great Buggy the Clown! I won't let anyone use my name without permission! We're heading to Loguetown, but first, I want information about this Riser. If he's in my sea, I'll find him."
Alvida sighed, picking up the discarded newspaper. "Buggy, have you forgotten what's more important? Luffy is your biggest problem right now. Our destination is Loguetown, and we need to get there before him. We can't afford distractions."
Buggy huffed, crossing his arms like a petulant child. "I know that! But did you see what they wrote? They're putting an imposter in my crew! This is an insult!"
Alvida pointed to another section of the newspaper, where Buggy's face was plastered next to a bold headline.
"Buggy the Clown now holds the highest bounty in the East Blue: 50 million Belly!" She looked at him with an amused smile. "Well, it seems you have something bigger to worry about, Buggy. It's official now—your head is worth more than anyone else's in the East Blue."
Buggy's eyes widened as he grabbed the newspaper back to read the headline. His hands began to tremble, and sweat trickled down his forehead.
"50 million? They've lost their minds! This is… this is good, right?" Buggy tried to force a smile, but his worry was evident.
Alvida laughed, shaking her head. "Good for who, Buggy? This means every bounty hunter in the East Blue will be after you now. Congratulations, you're the region's number one target."
Buggy resumed pacing, this time muttering to himself. "This is terrible! If I'm captured… No! That won't happen. I'm the great Buggy! They can't catch me!"
Alvida crossed her arms, observing Buggy's growing panic. "Maybe we can use this fame to our advantage. Luffy will hear about you before reaching Loguetown, and that could give us an edge. He underestimated you before, but now he'll know he's dealing with someone important."
Buggy stopped and looked at Alvida, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "You're right! I'll show everyone that I'm the most powerful pirate in the East Blue! Luffy won't stand a chance against me in Loguetown!"
Alvida smiled slightly, satisfied that she'd redirected Buggy's focus to what really mattered. "Exactly, Buggy. Now stay focused. Loguetown is the stage where you'll prove your greatness. Let this Riser handle his own problems."
Buggy took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. He sat back down on his makeshift throne, adjusting his extravagant hat.
"All right, Alvida. Let's prepare for Loguetown. I want everyone to know the great Buggy is coming!"
...
The deck of the Moby Dick was busier than usual. The Whitebeard Pirates had received the latest edition of the News Coo, and a specific headline had caught everyone's attention: Buggy's rise as one of the most talked-about pirates of the moment.
Whitebeard, seated on his imposing throne, held the newspaper in his hands, his eyes scanning the headlines. He couldn't suppress a smile of satisfaction that soon turned into a booming laugh.
"Gurararara! That brat… he was always craftier than he looked! Who would have thought Buggy would achieve such notoriety?" he said, his voice echoing across the ship. The crew paused for a moment, taking in their captain's words.
Marco, always close to Whitebeard, crossed his arms and looked at the newspaper with a slight smirk. "He always had charisma, that's undeniable. But it's surprising how he turned his knack for talking and scheming into something this big."
"Marco's right," Vista commented, casually spinning his swords as if they were part of a show. "Buggy's success isn't just luck. He knows how to seize opportunities, even if, deep down, he's still a bit pathetic."
The other pirates around them began chatting amongst themselves. Some laughed at the idea of Buggy being an important figure, while others acknowledged there was something special about his rise.
Whitebeard tapped the newspaper against the arm of his chair, drawing everyone's attention again. "Don't underestimate Buggy. He may be a brat, but he's a brat with guts. And in our world, that counts for a lot. Gurararara!"
The crew erupted into laughter and lively conversation as Whitebeard leaned back in his throne, gazing out at the sea ahead. "Let's see how far that brat goes. Maybe he'll surprise us all again."
The atmosphere on the ship remained light, but a latent curiosity lingered about what Buggy would do next.
...
The setting sun cast a golden glow over the secluded island where Shanks and his crew had docked. He sat on a rock at the edge of a cliff, gazing at the horizon while holding a crumpled copy of the News Coo. His eyes scanned the headline with a mix of surprise and amusement:
"Buggy, the Star Clown, now with an astronomical bounty!"
Shanks let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. His fingers lightly brushed the photograph of Buggy on the front page, showing him in an extravagant pose surrounded by followers wearing exaggerated smiles.
"Ah, Buggy… I always knew you had potential," Shanks murmured, a faint smile playing on his lips. He looked toward the horizon, his thoughts drifting to the past. "It took you long enough to start moving. I thought you'd spend your life wandering aimlessly."
He recalled the days when they sailed together on Roger's ship. Buggy, with his constant complaints and sharp humor, had always been a vibrant yet unpredictable presence. Despite their differences, there was a genuine camaraderie between them, forged through countless adventures and shared dangers.
As Shanks reflected, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed behind him. One of his crewmates, a tall and muscular man with an anxious expression, approached quickly. He stopped a few steps away, respecting the captain's space.
"Captain, we have an unexpected visitor," the man announced, his voice laced with caution. "Hawk-Eyes is here, on the island."
Shanks didn't seem surprised. He calmly folded the newspaper and set it aside before standing up, adjusting his red cloak. His expression remained serene, almost amused, as if he had anticipated Mihawk's arrival.
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