Time passed slowly over the next few days as tensions simmered between Nami and Leo. The two had been quarreling constantly, mostly over treasure, trust, and Leo's constant teasing.
As they sailed on, the outline of an island began to appear on the horizon. A vague silhouette of a small town could be seen perched near the coast. Closer to the island's edge, a flag came into view—flapping in the sea breeze from the top of a pole at the pier.
It bore a clownish face painted in garish colors.
The unmistakable Jolly Roger of the Clown Pirate—Buggy.
Next to the pier floated a massive pirate ship, its sails marked with the same laughing clown insignia. It was Buggy the Clown's personal vessel.
Buggy the Clown. A man dismissed by many as a joke, but Leo wasn't so sure.
Though currently a petty pirate, Buggy had once served as an apprentice on the Pirate King's ship—the Roger Pirates. If that had been the end of it, Leo wouldn't have paid him any mind. But the fact that he survived the Summit War completely unscathed raised more than a few red flags.
He had escaped unhurt from the likes of Dracule Mihawk—Hawk-Eyes—the greatest swordsman in the world. That alone meant he wasn't just lucky.
And his connections were even more concerning. Buggy was on good terms with none other than Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors. That friendship couldn't be mere coincidence.
The World Government themselves had extended an invitation for Buggy to become a Shichibukai—a Warlord of the Sea. That was no mistake. They didn't offer that kind of position to fools.
So while Leo wasn't afraid of Buggy, he certainly wasn't about to underestimate him.
The moment their passenger ship docked, Zoro leapt ashore without hesitation. His thirst for combat was second only to his ambition to become the world's greatest swordsman.
The remaining crewmates of the Buggy Pirates took notice of the newcomers and rushed down from their ship, wielding long knives and clubs. With loud crashes and bangs, Zoro cut through all of them in moments.
Now that his wounds had fully healed, there were few in the East Blue who could challenge Zoro's power.
Nami arrived last, a bit behind the others. But while they had been fighting, she had already slipped aboard Buggy's ship and searched it thoroughly. After overturning crates and rummaging through barrels, she frowned in frustration.
"Nothing but trash and old supplies," she muttered.
Suddenly, she grabbed one of the semi-conscious pirate grunts on the ground. "Where's your treasure? And the nautical chart for the Grand Line?"
The groggy underling groaned and cried out, "Captain Buggy took it with him! Everything valuable is on the island!"
Nami's fierce glare was enough to make him flinch.
Leo, standing nearby with his black cane in hand, chuckled quietly and said, "They're telling the truth. Buggy's notorious for being stingy. He always carries his treasure with him, no matter where he goes."
Luffy suddenly perked up and sniffed the air.
"Barbecue! I smell meat! That way!" he shouted, pointing straight toward the town bearing Buggy's flag. Without another word, he took off at a sprint.
Zoro, of course, followed immediately behind him.
"Wait, you're just going to rush in?" Nami called after them, bewildered. "That's a whole pirate crew you're charging into!"
She hesitated. "I've heard rumors… they say Buggy the Clown knows weird magic spells…"
Leo stepped up beside her and gently patted her shoulder.
"This is how Luffy works. As crewmates, it's our job to back him up," he said with a calm smile.
Nami groaned. "You people are insane…"
Despite her complaints, she hurried after them. She still didn't know exactly how strong Luffy and Zoro were, but Leo's magic had left a deep impression on her. As long as he was around, she felt they had a chance.
And more importantly—if she was too slow, Leo might get to the treasure first.
That was absolutely unacceptable.
Whoosh!
Just as she was catching up, Leo noticed something in the sky—a cannonball was flying straight at them. It was massive, and from the speed of descent, it was only seconds from impact.
Leo's eyes narrowed. He didn't even need to think.
Raising his cane, he pointed at the falling shell. With a flick of magic, the deadly projectile transformed mid-air into a black balloon, slowly descending like a harmless toy.
Luffy and Zoro kept running, unaware of the danger they'd just avoided.
But Leo knew better. That wasn't just any shell—it was a Buggy Bomb. Crafted by Buggy's crew, the thing packed enough explosive force to level a small town.
Leo could've handled it if it exploded, but Nami? She wouldn't have stood a chance.
"Huh? A balloon?" Nami looked up and caught it in her arms.
"Maybe some kid dropped it?"
Leo turned toward her, a wicked smirk curling on his lips.
"Nami… that's no ordinary balloon. It's a special bomb. If it goes off, this whole town will be blown into the sky."
Nami's face froze.
"You're joking. It's obviously just a balloon!"
Leo tilted his head slightly and added with a subtle touch of magic to his voice, "You've heard of Buggy Bombs, right? Try squeezing it. Just a little."
The moment he said it, Nami let out a shriek and nearly dropped the balloon. What had felt light and airy just a moment ago now felt impossibly heavy in her hands. Her arms trembled.
"Hold it tight," Leo said with a dark grin. "If it hits the ground, boom."
With that, he vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Leo!!!" Nami screamed, but he was already gone.
She looked around in a panic. There was no one else nearby. Luffy and Zoro had already disappeared into the town, and she was stuck—holding a balloon that might explode at any second.
Carefully, she tiptoed forward, terrified of dropping it.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the town, Buggy's pirates were partying.
The street was alive with drunken singing, clashing mugs, and loud laughter. Buggy sat at the center of it all, wearing his oversized acrobat's costume and captain's cloak. His trademark red nose glowed even brighter than usual—perhaps from wine, or perhaps from anger.
"Why didn't that shell explode?!" he roared. "Somebody check on my Buggy Bomb!"
The music stopped. The celebration froze.
Buggy's eyes blazed with fury. "Can anyone tell me what happened?!"
Silence.
Then—fwip.
A figure appeared atop a rooftop above the banquet hall, silhouetted by the rising sun. He was holding a long black cane in one hand—and in the other, the same black balloon from earlier.
Leo.
He smiled coldly.
In truth, the bomb Nami had been holding was a fake. Leo had used sleight of hand to switch it out before she caught it. What she carried was nothing more than a harmless decoy.
The real Buggy Bomb was now safely in Leo's possession.
And it came with a bonus: over 100,000 Berries hidden inside, presumably for later trade or bribery. Leo pocketed it silently. A nice little surprise.
But he wasn't just here for treasure. His real goal was to observe Buggy up close. There were too many rumors, too many contradictions. Leo wanted to know if Buggy truly hid secret strength or was merely the world's luckiest clown.
Some believed Buggy had Conqueror's Haki—pure luck given form.
He had to know for sure.
But before he could act, Buggy raised his hand, grinning again.
"Ah, forget it! Everyone, drink more! Eat more! Today's been great! We'll deal with the bomb issue later!"
His pirates erupted into cheer.
"Captain Buggy is wise!"
"The greatest captain in the East Blue!"
"Long live Captain Buggy!"
Buggy's anger melted away as the praise rolled in. His grin widened.
Up on the rooftop, Leo narrowed his eyes.
So that's how you play it, Buggy. Hiding behind a mask of foolishness… but the mask is cracking.
He vanished silently, like a shadow at dawn.