"...Buggy, you bastard."
Orin had to admit, he was genuinely a little touched.
"Then let's give it a try! The finest orange juice in the entire East Blue!!!"
Orin slowly revealed a faint smile. With a slight flick of his finger, countless oranges instantly appeared in midair.
Then, Orin glanced at Hawk Eyes, causing him to freeze in confusion for a moment.
But when he realized what Orin meant, Hawk Eyes's expression stiffened, looking increasingly displeased.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Don't tell me… Hey! This is something your ability could handle too, right?! Why do I have to do it?!"
"This way, you'll feel more involved. This is the best orange juice in the East Blue, after all!!!"
"Tch..."
Hawk Eyes kept his eyes closed, but he could still feel Orin staring at him—or rather, everyone staring at him.
In the end, he couldn't hold back any longer.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
The black blade on his back was instantly unsheathed, revealing his exquisite swordsmanship.
With just a few precise slashes, the hovering oranges in the sky were sliced open—not only the skin but even the thin white fibers beneath it were shaved away perfectly.
The crystal-clear, orange pulp appeared before everyone like a work of art.
"That's incredible!!!"
"As expected of the world's greatest swordsman—such delicate blade work!!!"
"Not even a single impurity left!!!"
Buggy's crew—who mainly played the role of the "atmosphere team"—started loudly flattering him, though it was obvious Hawk Eyes didn't enjoy the praise. He simply returned the black blade to his back with an annoyed expression.
Orin chuckled lightly and didn't bother about Hawk Eyes's little tantrum. He simply raised one hand, fingers curling slightly.
One by one, the oranges were compressed by an invisible force, instantly squeezed dry into delicate streams of juice, flowing neatly into the cups prepared in advance.
"Alright!!! Time for a toast!!!"
With a smile, Orin raised his glass. Buggy happily raised his detached hand holding a glass high above his head, and his crew cheered passionately.
Even Hawk Eyes, at this moment, picked up one of the glasses, closed his eyes as if resting, and took a small, quiet sip.
Even though Hawk Eyes never drank anything sweet, he couldn't deny it.
Hmm…
The taste was unexpectedly good.
After clinking glasses, the two started reminiscing about old times, sharing stories of what they'd experienced over the years.
Most of Orin's exploits were already known to Buggy through the News Coo. Even if Orin's name had been blacklisted, Buggy always found ways to get his hands on the papers.
Buggy, on the other hand, hadn't been on Orin's radar much lately. Ever since forming the Buggy Pirates, he'd been roaming all over the East Blue.
"Looks like Captain Buggy now has his own loyal crew, huh…"
"It's nothing big, just small stuff. I'm nowhere near your level!"
As they talked, Orin brought up his recent encounter with Shanks.
The moment that name was mentioned, Buggy's expression immediately soured.
If anyone else had brought it up, Buggy would've probably exploded on the spot. But since it was Orin, he barely held himself back.
It was obvious—even though years had passed since Shanks' "betrayal," Buggy still couldn't let it go.
"I heard about that coward, Shanks. They say he's already made quite a name for himself on the Grand Line. But no matter what, that doesn't change the fact that he's still a coward!!!"
Orin took a slow sip of orange juice, the corner of his lips curling slightly as he watched Buggy rant furiously.
"Actually… Buggy, it's not that Shanks doesn't want to go after the One Piece. It's just that… the time hasn't come yet."
After thinking for a moment, Orin decided to tell Buggy the full truth. After all, Buggy was a future powerhouse.
Back then, he hadn't said anything because he didn't want Buggy joining Shanks' camp and stifling his own ambitions. But now… the timing was right.
"Time? Hey, Orin, what are you talking about…?" Buggy stared at him, confused.
Orin spoke slowly.
"I can't tell you exactly what the One Piece is—that's a promise I made to Captain Roger. But…
What I can say is that Roger reached Laugh Tale too early. The real time to claim the treasure won't come until about twenty years later."
"So… even if Shanks is impatient, it's useless. The One Piece isn't something you can just grab whenever you want."
Buggy lowered his head slightly, staring at the ground ahead of him, seemingly deep in thought.
After a long silence, he finally muttered:
"So what you're saying is… Shanks hasn't betrayed Captain Roger's will at all. He's actually been working hard to fulfill it?"
"Well… something like that."
"I see… I get it now~"
Buggy froze for a moment, then clenched his fists slightly and locked his gaze onto Orin.
"But… there's still something I don't understand!!!"
"Hey! Orin!!! In terms of talent, leadership, personal strength, and even luck, you're way stronger than Shanks!!!"
"I just don't get it!!! Why didn't Captain Roger pass his will on to you?!"
"The One Piece? For you, someone who could easily take half the sea for yourself… that shouldn't be hard at all!!!"
Buggy clenched his fists tightly.
He refused to accept it!
Even though Shanks was his friend, he still felt indignant for Orin's sake.
What the hell?!
If Orin didn't want it, fine—but why didn't Captain Roger offer it to him anyway?!
Hearing Buggy's passionate outburst, even Hawk Eyes was stunned into silence.
Buggy's crew were completely petrified, their mouths hanging open, unable to close.
...
What Pirate King? What One Piece?
Were they even supposed to be hearing this right now?
Orin, meanwhile, paused mid-sip at Buggy's words.
"With you saying all this, Buggy, I've got no choice but to help you now."
He slowly set his glass down, smiling faintly as he looked directly at Buggy.
"Giving up on the One Piece was my choice. My dream was never to become the Pirate King. It's not about unfairness. I simply chose to let someone else take it—to fulfill Captain Roger's last wishes."
"And besides…"
Orin paused slightly, then reached into his coat. When his hand came out, he slowly opened his palm.
Resting there was a small glass orb, inside which a tiny pointer floated motionlessly. It was fixed on a wooden base, engraved with the words:
Laugh Tale!!!
The sight of the Eternal Pose and its engraving nearly made Buggy's eyes pop out of his skull. Everyone—including Hawk Eyes—stared in utter shock, eyes glued to it.
"If I wanted to, I could cut ahead of everyone and claim the One Piece immediately. There's nothing stopping me. But I promised Captain Roger I wouldn't."
Orin shrugged casually and looked at Buggy.
"But you, Buggy… you're one of the new era's seeds."
"So? Interested in becoming the Pirate King?"
"I'll help you."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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