Luffy reached into his coat and placed a small pouch of berries onto the counter.
"Thanks for the drink," he said simply.
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked toward the back of the bar.
The old man frowned.
"That's not the exit—"
Too late.
Luffy was already gone.
The reason was simple.
His Observation Haki whispered danger—heavy, oppressive, rolling in like fog.
Someone powerful was approaching.
And Luffy had no intention of dragging the old man into what came next.
The bar door at the front creaked open moments later.
The old man sighed and swiftly pocketed the money Luffy left behind just as a tall figure stepped inside, smoke curling lazily around his shoulders.
Captain Smoker.
"Tch," the old man muttered, turning away. "I'm closed."
Luffy emerged from the alley into daylight.
The noise of Logue Town's main street washed over him—vendors shouting, crowds murmuring, footsteps everywhere.
He adjusted his coat.
The Jolly Roger stitched across his back caught the light.
People noticed.
Whispers followed.
"That mark—" "Isn't that—" "Lightning—"
Luffy ignored them all.
His gaze was fixed ahead.
The execution platform.
The place where Gol D. Roger had smiled.
"Time to stir things up," Luffy thought, a grin tugging at his lips.
Marines were already moving.
He could feel them—hiding in alleys, on rooftops, behind corners. Weak ones. Nervous ones.
Smoker wasn't here yet.
Good.
Luffy stepped into the square—
—and vanished.
A crackle of thunder echoed as he reappeared atop the execution platform itself.
Gasps erupted below.
"So this is what the Pirate King saw," Luffy murmured, eyes sweeping over the plaza.
Hundreds of faces stared up at him.
Confused.
Afraid.
Angry.
A Marine officer scrambled forward, megaphone shaking in his hands.
"GET DOWN FROM THERE IMMEDIATELY!"
Luffy looked down.
"Why?"
"That is property of the World Government! Step away at once!"
Luffy shrugged.
"I don't like the World Government."
A ripple went through the crowd.
"I'll stay."
The officer opened his mouth—
—and a metal staff smashed into his head, dropping him cold.
"Long time no see, Luffy-kun~"
Luffy turned.
A woman stood below—tall, confident, flawless. Her skin gleamed unnaturally smooth, her expression smug and triumphant.
"…Do I know you?" Luffy asked honestly.
The smile on her face twitched.
"How rude," she purred. "You forgot me?"
She turned to the crowd.
"Tell me," she sang, "who is the most beautiful woman in East Blue?"
Every man in the plaza froze.
Then—
"YOU ARE!!"
Hearts burst in eyes. Knees buckled.
Luffy blinked.
"…Weird."
Marines rushed her.
The fountain exploded.
Water and stone blasted outward as panic swept the square.
"Okay," Luffy muttered. "Now who's interrupting my nostalgia tour?"
Figures stepped forward through the chaos—hooded, laughing.
"Sorry about that, Alvida," said one smug voice.
Luffy's eyes widened.
"…Alvida?"
She smiled proudly.
"That's right."
Luffy tilted his head.
"…What happened to you?"
"I ate the Smooth-Smooth Fruit," she said, caressing her flawless cheek.
"Attacks slide right off me now."
Luffy nodded slowly.
"…You're missing more than freckles."
Her smile cracked.
Before she could respond—
Danger. Above.
Luffy stepped aside.
A man slammed into the ground where he'd stood, Seastone handcuffs snapping shut on nothing but air.
The attacker grinned.
"Hey, lightning freak."
Luffy's eyes went cold.
"How's Roronoa?"
"He's better than you," Luffy replied flatly.
The man blinked.
"…Huh?"
Luffy kicked.
The impact cracked the air.
The man vanished from the plaza in a single blur, crashing somewhere far beyond the rooftops.
Silence.
The hooded figures froze.
Then the cloaks fell.
Buggy Pirates.
Cabaji—gone.
Mohji—pale.
And at the center—
Buggy the Clown.
Luffy squinted.
"Oh, I know you."
Buggy's grin stretched wide.
"You remember me!"
"Yeah… give me a sec."
Buggy twitched.
"Ducky… no. Juggy… nah."
Buggy leaned forward eagerly.
"…Buggy?"
Buggy beamed.
"You're Ugly Buggy."
The plaza went dead silent.
Buggy's smile shattered.
"YOU FLASHY JERK!!"
Civilians barely stifled laughter.
Buggy's crew raised guns.
Luffy felt it then.
Smoke.
Pressure.
Smoker had arrived—and was watching.
"So that's the plan," Luffy thought calmly.
"Let Buggy wear me down."
Buggy screamed.
"You ruined my life! Got me arrested! Ever since I escaped, I've lived for revenge!"
Luffy snapped his fingers.
"Oh! Right."
Buggy paused.
"I did throw you and Alvida into Marine custody."
Buggy's shoulders slumped.
"…He forgot us."
The crowd stared upward, utterly lost.
Two infamous pirate crews.
One execution platform.
And the storm hadn't even started yet.