"Hahahaha! You ignorant little brats!" Buggy threw his arms wide in an exaggerated flourish. "Today, the great me will show you the consequences of mocking the 'Clown King' Buggy!"
Ace grinned without a hint of fear, raising his shotgun and aiming straight at Buggy's small head. "You want to fight? Perfect. I was hoping you'd say that!" He strode forward. "Twin Gun Style!"
Ace fired two rapid shots straight at Buggy's face. Buggy simply stood there with a vicious grin, letting the bullets tear through him.
"Ace, be careful!" Sabo shouted.
As the smoke cleared, Buggy's figure was gone.
"He's above us!" Hiyori cried.
At some point, Buggy had split into dozens of body parts, floating in midair. He grinned savagely. "Chop Chop Festival!"
Countless gleaming throwing knives shot in from every direction. None of them were coated in Armament Haki. He only wanted to teach the kids a lesson, not kill them.
Anne swung her greatsword in a wide arc, blocking most of the blades. Hiyori and Hisu stood back to back, their twin blades flashing in a tight dance, cutting down every remaining knife.
"This guy… he's not an ordinary pirate." Cold sweat slid down Sabo's forehead as his sword trembled slightly in his grip.
Buggy's scattered parts snapped back together. He landed lightly on the awning of a fruit stall, crossing his legs as he looked down at the children with smug delight. "Well? Now do you see how strong I am? Kneel and beg now, and I might spare you!"
"Ah, this feeling is amazing. Hahahaha!" Buggy planted his hands on his hips and laughed.
Kabaji could not bear to watch. "Bullying kids and feeling proud of it. Somehow, that does sound like our captain."
"Do not get cocky!" Ace roared. "Bullet Barrage!"
A burst of gunfire tore toward Buggy, igniting the awning in an instant. Buggy screamed as his body split apart again, this time into even finer pieces that scattered like a swarm of red hornets.
"It's useless, you brats!" Buggy's voice echoed from all directions. "The great me ate the Chop Chop Fruit. Physical attacks do nothing to me!"
Sabo scanned the chaos, then his eyes lit up. "Ace! His main body is the red nose! Every other part follows the nose!"
Buggy: Yeah, yeah, that's right. My weakness is my red nose.
"Smart little brat!" Buggy's red nose suddenly flew in front of Sabo's face, nearly bumping into his glasses. "But what good does knowing that do you?"
Boom! Anne slammed her greatsword into the ground, blasting a crater into the street. Buggy's red nose narrowly dodged the impact.
"Everyone, together!" Hisu shouted, crossing her twin blades. "Twin Sword Style: Cross Slash!"
Hiyori moved in perfect sync. "Dual Blade Style: Swallow Return!"
The sisters' flashing sword light wove a net around Buggy's red nose. But his other body parts rushed in, forming a living wall in front of it.
"Useless!" Buggy laughed smugly. Then all his scattered limbs lunged at once. "Chop Chop Circus Charge!"
Ace was caught off guard. A flying foot smashed into his stomach, sending him crashing through several fruit stalls. Sabo's sword was knocked from his hand by a sudden arm, then a headbutt left his vision swimming. Anne raised her greatsword to counter, only to find her target had vanished.
"Anne, behind you!" Hiyori cried.
Too late. Buggy's upper body appeared behind Anne and struck the back of her neck with a heavy palm.
"Anne!" Hisu charged in fury, only to be forced back by several knives that flew in from nowhere.
In just a few minutes, all five children were injured. Buggy reassembled himself and stood atop a heap of smashed fruit, looking down at the battered group with arrogant delight. "Hahahaha! Now do you see how strong I am?"
Ace wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, defiance burning in his eyes. "Damn it… this guy is way stronger than he looks…"
"He is not just strong," Sabo said as he struggled to his feet and picked up his weapon, "his combat experience is far beyond ours."
Anne silently lifted her greatsword, her gaze sharpening. Hiyori and Hisu stood back to back, their blades trembling slightly, but their grips only tightened.
Buggy nodded in satisfaction at their reactions. His proud red nose tilted upward. "Well? Still want to continue? The great me can play with you until nightfall!"
The five exchanged a glance and nodded without a word. Ace suddenly broke into a grin. "Of course we will! That was just a warm up!"
"Oh?" Buggy raised an eyebrow. "You have guts! I ought to hang you up and whip you. If I do not hang you up and whip you, I am not worthy of the name 'Clown King' Buggy."
"That logic does not really follow," Sabo muttered, glancing at his companions.
The kids already knew exactly who their opponent was, yet none of them could bring themselves to back down. From the moment they met, the fight had been inevitable. Buggy, on the other hand, was still holding back, enjoying the thrill of bullying children.
"What did you say?!" Buggy's red nose flushed crimson. "Are you saying the great me throws knives badly?!"
"Yeah," Hisu cut in, deliberately putting on a look of disdain. "You threw so many knives just now and did not even cut our clothes."
Hiyori nodded in agreement. "Maybe your nose is too big and blocks your view?"
"You little brats!!!" Buggy trembled with rage. "The great me will show you true throwing knife artistry!"
At that instant, while Buggy was blinded by fury, a red glint flashed in Anne's eyes. An invisible pressure erupted from her, and the air around them seemed to freeze.
"Conqueror's Haki?" Buggy's eyes widened as his movements visibly slowed.
"Now!" Ace shouted.
"Twin Blade Style: Blizzard of Blossoms!" Hiyori and Hisu leaped together, their blades dancing in streaks of light, forcing Buggy's scattered body parts back into one mass.
Sabo had already circled behind Buggy. His sword was now coated in Armament Haki.
Bang! The flat of the blade slammed into Buggy's newly reassembled back, sending him flying straight toward Anne.
Anne's greatsword was already drawn, its edge gleaming with black and crimson Haki. "Anshin Style: Demon Hand!"
The greatsword howled through the air as it came down on Buggy. At the very last moment, Buggy's body split apart again, but this time
"Got you!" Ace burst out of the flames and grabbed Buggy's red nose.
"What?! Let go of my great nose!" Buggy screamed in panic. His other scattered body parts immediately began flailing around like headless flies.
Sabo pushed up his glasses. "So it really is the nose."
"You annoying little brats!" Buggy's expression suddenly turned sly. "Just kidding!"
In the next instant, an overwhelming pressure exploded from Buggy's body. An invisible shockwave spread outward. Glass from the surrounding stalls shattered with sharp cracks, and many bystanders collapsed on the spot.