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"So numb!" Buggy shrieked in midair.
Facing Buggy's two-pronged attack, Ian had swiftly responded by weaving a net of lightning with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, sending jolts of electricity through the clown pirate, causing him to yelp in pain.
Buggy relied on speed? Ian would simply be faster and more forceful. However, he controlled his power, careful not to incinerate Buggy completely. That would only happen if the clown truly proved to be weak.
"Black Wing Devil, you're supposed to be a swordsman! Why aren't you fighting fair?!" Buggy flailed his limbs in the air. His Chop-Chop Fruit made him immune to most bladed attacks, but this guy was all about Devil Fruit powers and brute force, leaving Buggy with few options.
"Devil Fruit abilities, swordsmanship, even strategy… it's all part of one's strength," Ian replied with a smirk. He raised his right hand, catching something small, almost like a bean, that was hurtling towards him.
A deafening explosion rocked the air, the acrid smell of gunpowder filling the air. Ian's right hand was momentarily mangled and bloody, but his High-Speed Regeneration, enhanced by his 47% fusion rate, instantly healed the wound.
At this level, he could recover from almost any injury short of losing a limb or suffering severe organ damage. Full limb regeneration would require at least 60% fusion and his second Resurrección.
Buggy Balls. Miniature, easily concealed explosives, no larger than a bean, yet packing a devastating punch. Buggy had used them against the jailers in Impel Down. That was what Ian had just caught. Buggy's stealthy deployment had prevented Tashigi from noticing, otherwise, the eager swordswoman would have sliced them to ribbons with Shigure. Garp, however, must have been aware.
He hadn't intervened, confirming Ian's belief that cunning and deception were also valuable tools in combat. In a life-or-death struggle, one couldn't expect their opponent to fight "fair."
"Pretty sharp senses, Black Wing Devil," Buggy said, a hint of nervousness in his voice, having been caught in his attempt.
"Decent. But since you used explosives on me, it's only fair that I return the favor. Tit for tat." White and blue lightning crackled around Ian, the air beneath his feet exploding as he launched himself forward.
Combining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit with Soru, amplified by his enhanced physical abilities, he was confident that even with Observation Haki, Buggy wouldn't react in time.
He slammed his fist down, imbued with explosive force, holding nothing back. As Garp had instructed, if Buggy didn't possess the strength befitting a Warlord, he would be sent to Impel Down.
The next moment, a brilliant firework erupted in the sky. Buggy's body disintegrated into countless particles. Ian had briefly considered using Mr. 5's Booger Bomb technique in retaliation, but decided against it. Picking his nose in front of Tashigi, Garp, and the entire Marine contingent seemed rather uncouth. He could have perhaps flicked a booger at Buggy, but his 47% Hierro made that impossible. Moreover, his clothes and weapons were now composed of spiritual energy, remaining pristine even without regular cleaning, except after intense battles.
"He can't be dead already, can he? You're not that weak, are you?" Ian wondered. Buggy had seemingly exhausted his repertoire of tricks, yet here he was, reduced to dust.
"Not… yet!" Ian's soul-sensing detected no sign of the Chop-Chop Fruit's "devil," and Buggy's soul remained intact.
He wasn't dead.
"Captain Buggy!" Mohji and Cabaji cried out in anguish. The cloud of particles began drifting towards the sea.
Ian remained vigilant, watching intently. Even if Buggy's feet were still on the ship, contact with the seawater would nullify his Devil Fruit powers, rendering him immobile. Then, even if he was hiding his true strength, he would be forced to reveal it. Garp also noticed the change in Ian's expression. The Marines awaited their orders, ready to apprehend Buggy and his crew for deceiving the Marines and attempting to usurp a Warlord position. Buggy, reluctantly, began to reassemble his body in midair.
"Damn you, Black Wing Devil! Even if I don't die, it still hurts like hell!" Buggy roared, internally cursing Ian for foiling his escape.
He had planned to feign his death and flee while everyone was distracted. But this blasted Devil had seen right through his ruse, forcing him to reassemble before his fragmented body touched the seawater.
"impressive."
It seemed the Chop-Chop Fruit allowed him to reassemble even after being reduced to dust, as long as the particles weren't scattered too far or destroyed.
In the world of One Piece, being shattered into dust and reforming was a unique ability.
Ian smirked, a green glow flickering around his right index finger. A rapid barrage of Cero blasts erupted, forcing Buggy to dodge frantically in midair. His movements appeared clumsy and erratic, yet he evaded every single blast.
It seemed like pure luck, but in reality, Buggy's Observation Haki was constantly scanning the battlefield. Unlike Usopp, whose incredible feats were often attributed to plot armor, Buggy was a master of playing the fool, concealing his true abilities.
Or perhaps, he had simply invested all his skill points into luck. It wasn't entirely impossible.
BOOM! Finally, the Cero in Ian's other hand, a Gran Rey Cero, was fully charged, its energy engulfing the sky.
Overwhelmed by sheer power, Buggy's luck had finally run out. If he perished, it would be a testament to his own folly, having played the fool for so long that he had truly become one.
Even the most meticulously laid plans could go awry.
Ian calmly walked towards a lounge chair on the deck, content to await the outcome. Either Buggy would meet his demise, and Ian would gain the Chop-Chop Fruit, or Buggy would reveal his true strength, proving himself worthy of the Warlord title. Ian was certain that if Buggy was truly as weak as he appeared, he wouldn't even leave a trace behind.
"Captain Buggy…" Mohji and Cabaji cried out, their voices filled with desperation. If their captain perished, they would be sent to Impel Down.
As pirates, they were already targets for capture. Having deceived the Marines and attempted to claim a Warlord position, they could easily be sentenced to death.
They no longer dared harbor any resentment towards the Marines.
"I'm going to die! I told you I didn't want to be a Warlord!" Buggy wailed, flailing his arms as if accepting his imminent demise beneath the Gran Rey Cero. The Marines watched with anticipation.
A former crewmate of Gol D. Roger, a friend of Shanks… surely he had hidden depths?
"Is that a elemental attack from Vice Admiral Ian's Mythical Zoan fruit? It's similar to Admiral Kizaru's laser beams. Marco's is fire, Kaido's is lightning… what Mythical Zoans control wind and ice?"
As the Marines speculated, the massive Cero engulfed Buggy's white gloves, obscuring him from view.
Believing him to be gone, Mohji and Cabaji collapsed to their knees in despair. Even Richie, the lion, whimpered, fearing he would be next on the menu, having devoured so much food earlier.
"That's…" Garp gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief. The Marines stared at the sky, where ripples, like disturbances in water, spread outward.
The scene was eerily familiar, reminiscent of Whitebeard shattering an island with a single punch, or the cracks that appeared in space itself, a testament to the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
The Op-Op Fruit allowed its user to create a spherical space within which they could manipulate objects and even separate body parts, similar to Buggy's fragmentation ability.
It also possessed the power of disintegration.
However, in this case, the ability had been used to disperse the Gran Rey Cero, splitting it into countless smaller beams that rained down harmlessly into the sea.
The impact created massive waves, and Buggy, miraculously unscathed, emerged from the dissipating light, exclaiming, "Haha! I'm still alive!"
"Did he… awaken his Devil Fruit?" The Marines were completely fooled by Buggy's performance.
Ian knew that even if Buggy had awakened his Devil Fruit, it wouldn't have happened instantaneously, in the midst of an attack. Life truly was a stage, and Buggy was a master performer.
If you weren't successful, it simply meant your skills weren't up to par. There was no one to blame but yourself. Practice makes perfect.
If Buggy hadn't recognized Shanks' straw hat, Luffy's journey might have ended in East Blue.
"You damn Devil! If it weren't for my incredible luck, I'd be pushing up daisies right now!" Buggy yelled, his face contorted in a mask of rage as he floated down to confront Ian.
"I acknowledge your strength," Ian said with a smirk.
"Captain Buggy, we'll follow you forever!" Mohji and Cabaji chimed in, their voices filled with renewed admiration.
Having survived an encounter with the Black Wing Devil, a man who had defeated two Warlords and fought the world's greatest swordsman to a standstill, proved Buggy's strength..
The Marines remained silent. It seemed every member of Roger's crew was a force to be reckoned with. Buggy was indeed worthy of the Warlord title. Moria and Crocodile had been recruited under similar circumstances.
"Vice Admiral Ian, are you alright?" Tashigi rushed to his side, clutching her pet dog, her concern evident. It was a flimsy excuse to get closer to him. Anyone could see that Buggy had been the one on the receiving end of the attacks.
"I'm fine," Ian replied, his gaze fixed on the dark, moonless night sky, the stars sparse and distant. He tried to pierce through the darkness, to glimpse another world, a world of azure skies and endless possibilities.
"We have to become stronger. Only then can we control our own destinies, our freedom… and change the lives of others." A hint of melancholy flickered in his pale green eyes. He had plans, ambitions that extended beyond the immediate future.
In any world, strength was paramount. But here, in the world of One Piece, there were paths to power, opportunities for growth. As long as you survived the initial trials, anything was possible.
"Indeed. Even if you defeat a Warlord, there are still Admirals, Yonko.." Tashigi smiled, assuming Ian was simply stating the obvious, his conceit tempered by a healthy dose of realism. This was the Vice Admiral she admired.
"I have to become stronger too, so I can stay by your side, Vice Admiral Ian. Otherwise, the shockwaves from your battles will send me flying." Tashigi joked, knowing that catching up to him was a distant dream.
The Marine warship continued its journey, the presence of the hero Garp deterring any would-be pirate attackers. Those foolish enough to attempt a raid were swiftly captured and imprisoned.
Several days later, they finally arrived at Marine Headquarters…
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Word Count [1860]
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To Be Continued..
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