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As the energy from the previous night settled, Kai's gaze fell on the bounty poster Rochi had left. His name, emblazoned across the top with "The Elden Lord" title, stood out alongside the hefty 250,000,000-berry price on his head.
"Wait a minute." He finally sat up, rubbing his temples as he let the reality of it sink in. The Marines were taking him seriously, and that meant his life was about to get a whole lot more complicated. The sense of looming trouble gnawed at him, and after a moment of thought, he called for Rochi.
Not a minute later, the door creaked open as Rochi entered with an awkward grin on his face. "Sir Kai!" he greeted enthusiastically. "Hope you're, uh, feeling well, sir?"
Kai narrowed his eyes at the overly polite tone. "Rochi, I need to speak with Buggy. Where's he hiding?"
Rochi scratched the back of his head, avoiding Kai's direct gaze. "Funny thing… the Chairman wanted to speak with you too, sir. He's been waiting, but he didn't want to, y'know, interrupt your… recovery." Rochi's face flushed slightly as he glanced at the disheveled state of the cabin, but he quickly masked it.
Kai raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming as he took in the information. 'Seems like the clown is a little… afraid of me' he muttered to himself, savoring the realization. It made sense, after all. With the way things had gone down at Marineford, Kai's standing had taken a turn, and Buggy, ever the showman, would undoubtedly prefer to play it safe.
Kai tossed the bounty poster onto his bed and stood up, straightening his clothes. "Very well," he said with a touch of authority, gesturing to Rochi, "lead the way."
Kai strode into the dimly lit captain's quarters, the scent of old maps and saltwater thick in the air. Buggy sat on the far side of his cluttered desk, hunched over a massive world map, peering nervously up as Kai entered. The normally flamboyant pirate jester now looked unusually cautious, drumming his fingers on the table and trying to play it cool—though his left eye twitched every few seconds.
"K-Kai!" Buggy said, forcing a grin that barely masked the wariness in his eyes. "Good to see you up and around! Wasn't sure you'd be, uh, ready for any… meetings yet."
Kai offered a calm, unamused smile as he stepped closer. "Buggy, did you receive your new title yet?"
Buggy's grin faltered, his fingers freezing mid-tap. How did he... Buggy thought, his eyes narrowing as he tried to keep up the act. "Uh, what do you mean?" he stammered, laughing nervously.
Kai folded his arms, an amused glint in his eye. "Come on, Buggy. I know you were offered the Warlord position."
Buggy's eyes widened, the shock barely concealed as he gave a short, sheepish laugh. "Y-Yes! Yes, I did! Warlord Buggy the Clown, at your service!" He threw up his arms in mock bravado, though his nervous eyes flickered to Kai's face, gauging his reaction.
'What a simpleton', Kai thought, but he put on a show of admiration, leaning in with an approving nod. "Of course. Only you could be fitting to be a Warlord!"
The compliment hit exactly where Kai knew it would. Buggy's eyes sparkled, his chest puffing out as he lapped up the praise, nodding with a pleased, almost childlike pride. "You know, you're absolutely right!" he exclaimed, his voice full of an exuberant confidence that hadn't been there moments ago. He leaned over the desk with an exaggerated wink. "And now that I'm a Warlord, we can do whatever we please! Nobody can tell us what to do anymore."
Kai watched Buggy's bravado swell, and Buggy, carried away by his own newfound swagger, leaned in closer, clapping Kai on the shoulder as if they were old friends. "Kai, you're my most reliable person on this crew. And, since I'm a Warlord now, that means we're operating on a different level!" He leaned back, crossing his arms as he grinned. "In fact, I'm sending you to Jaya. There's a person there we need to, uh, 'take care of.' Already got paid for it and everything."
Buggy's last words hung in the air, but Kai's reaction was less than enthusiastic. He fixed Buggy with an intense, unblinking stare, a subtle challenge hidden behind his calm expression.
The silence stretched for a few beats too long. Buggy shifted under the weight of Kai's gaze, his confident smirk slipping as he started to sweat. The hand that had slapped Kai's shoulder was now itching to be back at his side, far from Kai's deadly calm presence.
Kai's mind wandered as he looked at Buggy, who was still grinning with a half-nervous, half-triumphant look plastered on his face. 'The Warlord system won't last forever,' Kai thought, 'and I'd like to be out there on my own, exploring this world for myself. Staying under Buggy isn't really an option.'
Clearing his thoughts, he nodded curtly and said, "Very well. I'll need some men and provisions, and we can head to Jaya right away."
Buggy's eyes sparkled with relief, the corners of his mouth pulling into a broad, self-satisfied smile. "Of course! Anything you need, Kai! You're doing us a great favor here, and as Warlord, I'm happy to send you off with all the best provisions!"
The clown waved his hand with a theatrical flourish, as if granting Kai some great boon, his voice full of exaggerated importance. "Consider it done! Take who you need and get yourself ready."
Kai gave Buggy a calm nod, his face betraying nothing, but in his mind, he was already thinking ahead. 'This could be my chance to start carving my own path.'
Kai stood on the deck of the ship Buggy had assigned him, watching as the crew scurried around, making final preparations for departure. The ship was sturdy, well-built, with ample room for provisions, and outfitted with a sleek, dark hull that hinted at speed—a good fit for a man on a mission. It'll do for now, he thought, a faint smirk crossing his face.
Not far off on the dock, Buggy and his usual entourage watched with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Mr. 3 turned to Buggy, skepticism in his eyes. "Are you really sure he can finish that mission?"
Buggy shot him a look, crossing his arms with a confident grin. "Are you an idiot? Didn't you see him at Impel Down and Marineford?" He let out a slightly theatrical laugh, pointing a thumb toward Kai's ship. "He's strong—very strong. Keeping him around means we'll be unstoppable. Our business will boom like never before."
Mr. 3 still looked doubtful, but he nodded, casting a wary glance back at Kai, who seemed oblivious to the exchange. Alvida, Rochi, and the others watched as well, each wearing their own mix of awe and caution, knowing Kai was no ordinary addition to their crew.
Up on the deck, Kai's gaze drifted from the crew back to Buggy and his lackeys gathered on the dock. He raised a brow, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly as he thought to himself, 'What an idiot. I know exactly what you're thinking, clown—trying to use me to expand your little empire.' He shook his head faintly. 'Too bad, though. This might just be the last time we see each other.'
As he looked around the ship, he had to admit, it was impressive for a vessel Buggy's crew had put together—strong enough to withstand rough seas, quick enough for a clean getaway if needed. 'Yes, this will do just fine.' Kai took a steadying breath, feeling the anticipation for what lay ahead. Whatever Buggy's plans were, he had his own in mind.
As the crew cast off from the dock, Kai gave Buggy and his group a final look. He raised a hand with a casual wave, a sly smile playing on his lips as he called out, "Farewell, Captain. Don't wait up." The slight mocking tone in his voice was lost on Buggy, who responded with an eager thumbs-up, confident his newly anointed "Warlord partner" would bring his plans to fruition.
Turning away from the dock, Kai's eyes sharpened. He called out to the crew in a voice that demanded attention. "Set the sails, adjust the course. We're not here to sightsee—let's make this journey quick and clean."
The crew scrambled into action, bustling about the deck as they fell into line under Kai's steady command. keeping his eyes on the horizon. For all his previous reluctance to play along with Buggy, he couldn't deny he felt a thrill—the open sea stretched ahead, and the world awaited.
****
Hours later, night had fallen, and Kai had allowed himself a rare bit of rest below deck. The rhythmic creak of the ship and the gentle rock of the waves lulled him into a light sleep. But suddenly, the ship lurched, jolting him awake as the entire hull shuddered against a powerful wave. He sat up, alert in an instant as the sound of panicked voices filled the corridor outside his cabin. Grabbing his blade, he made his way up to the deck, just as the navigator, pale-faced and braced against the helm, turned to him.
"Sir, something's gone wrong! This storm—it came out of nowhere!"
The sea was alive with rage, waves crashing against the ship, wind howling as it whipped the sails. Rain pelted down, stinging his skin as he looked around, the storm's fury illuminating the chaos around him with brief flashes of lightning.
"What kind of storm hits this fast?" Kai muttered, gripping the railing as he scanned the dark waters. But as he looked closer, his gaze fixed on something massive lurking beneath the surface—a shadow, larger than the ship, moving steadily below.
Kai's eyes narrowed, and he steadied himself against the violent waves, straining to make out the massive form beneath them. A sense of thrill sparked through him, mixing with the tension. 'Whatever this thing is', he thought, clenching his fists, 'it's about to become runes'.
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If you wish to read up to 5 Chapters Ahead! or simply support me just because? then check out my patréon at
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Don't forget to change "é" to "e"