"Nani?!!"
"We're going to sea... on this tiny sailboat!?!"
Zoro stared at the shabby little fishing boat that could barely fit two people. The heroic spirit that had just flared up inside him instantly withered away.
He was already starting to regret agreeing to become a pirate with this guy.
"Ahahahahaha!!!"
Luffy, however, didn't care at all. His fists clenched in excitement as his face lit up with unshakable confidence.
"It's fine! Someday, we'll definitely have our own big ship—and a whole crew of friends!!!"
Just like that, the two of them drifted off into the open sea, letting the waves take them wherever fate pleased, until they spotted a small island in the distance.
"Hey, Zoro, look! We finally found an island!!!"
They quickly defeated a small group of pirates gathered there and happened to meet Nami.
"Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, I would've fallen into those pirates' hands~"
With her short orange hair and sly smile, the Cat Burglar Nami thanked the two before her. Luffy, beaming with enthusiasm, immediately invited her to join his crew as their navigator.
Nami smiled sweetly and agreed on the spot.
But in her heart, she was already planning to steal everything these two pirates owned the moment she got the chance.
After all, in her eyes, there was no such thing as a good pirate.
Whether it was Arlong, who tried to rob and kill, or Buggy, who seized her family's orange grove and threatened to kill them if they didn't hand over all their fruit—Nami saw them as no different.
To be fair, Buggy had spared Bell-mère's life, but the crushing debt he imposed and his ruthless threats against her family constantly weighed on Nami's mind.
Buggy was, without question, a genuine pirate.
And cultivating large amounts of top-quality, near-perfect oranges demanded immense resources and labor.
To keep her family alive, Nami often had to risk her life stealing treasures from the sea—anything she could trade to pay off what they owed.
Years of such desperate calculation had inevitably shaped her greedy personality.
But unlike before, this time Luffy's group never ran into Buggy.
Naturally, their journey took them to Syrup Village, where after a series of events, another member joined their crew.
The Straw Hat Pirates' adventure was burning brightly.
...
Meanwhile...
Orin was taking his time on the road.
If his memory was right, this should be around the time Buggy got defeated by Luffy's crew and ended up stranded on some deserted island.
As Buggy's good friend, since Orin had come all the way back from the New World, he definitely had to go see him. It had been far too long.
"Gaa—"
A seagull perched on Orin's shoulder let out a cry.
Orin nodded.
"Alright then, let's have the News Seagulls help me locate Buggy."
At this point, news of Orin's return hadn't yet spread widely.
Aside from a few underground bosses and some of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, almost no one had seen him appear in public.
Those close to him kept quiet. Knowing Orin was back already gave them confidence in whatever they were planning next.
And those who knew his personality understood—
This legendary man always appeared at just the right moment.
It wasn't long before one of the seagulls found the target and sent back a photo.
The image slid out from the Den Den Mushi's mouth. Orin picked it up and looked at it.
In the picture, a group of pirates had formed a circle around a man with a red nose, blue hair, and a clown's outfit.
The people surrounding him wore expressions of admiration, while the clown in the center laughed arrogantly and theatrically—an amusing sight, to say the least.
"After all these years, Buggy's still the same, huh…"
Orin chuckled softly, a knowing smile crossing his face. Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight.
...
Cocoyasi Village
Buggy was leading his circus troupe in a loud banquet, celebrating the fact that Buggy-sama's bounty had once again risen to a new level.
Surrounded by his cheering subordinates, Buggy stuck out his tongue and laughed wildly, his arms spread wide as his body split apart—a scene both absurd and intimidating.
"Hahahahahaha!!!"
"A mere fifteen million? My underlings, what's that supposed to be? Your great Captain Buggy's true power is far beyond that!!!"
With thick red lipstick and his usual swagger, Buggy's laughter filled the air. One had to admit—when it came to stirring hearts and hyping up a crowd, Buggy had a natural gift.
Sure enough, his crew roared in agreement.
"OHHHHHH!!!"
"Captain Buggy, we adore you!!!"
"Yeah!!! After all, rumor has it that Captain Buggy was acknowledged by that legendary man himself! You've got what it takes to be the next Pirate King!!!"
"That's right!!! A measly fifteen million Belly bounty—what's wrong with the Marines!? It should be fifty billion Belly instead!!!"
"Yahahahaha!!!"
As his crew showered him with praise, Buggy grew more and more full of himself, gulping down drink after drink.
But when the excitement finally began to fade, Buggy found himself watching his crewmates laughing and playing together, and a distant look crossed his eyes.
Slowly, his expression softened, and silence fell over him.
"What's wrong, Captain Buggy?"
A teasing voice came from beside him.
Buggy, not in the mood, assumed it was one of his men checking on him. Without even looking up, he muttered dully,
"Nothing… just thinking about an old friend I haven't seen in a long time."
"An old friend? For the great Captain Buggy to have a friend who's been gone so long—sounds like that guy doesn't respect you very much, huh?"
The instant he heard that, Buggy's mood flipped.
Anger flared inside him. How dare this little nobody talk about Orin that way!?
"What did you just say, you little—!"
He grabbed the man by the collar, glaring at him with his mouth wide open, his fist rising high.
But just before he swung, Buggy caught a clear look at the man's face.
It was slightly unfamiliar—but unmistakably familiar too. The youthful features from over twenty years ago had matured into something calmer, sharper… and more handsome.
That composed smile, that long black hair—
"You… you're…"
Buggy's voice caught in his throat. He wanted to speak, but his excitement tangled his words. He stuttered helplessly, afraid to be wrong.
Then the man stepped forward, wrapped him in a brief hug, patted his shoulder, and said just one thing—
"Buggy."
Just those few words, and Buggy completely broke down.
Tears poured from his eyes as he laughed and sobbed all at once, nearly smearing snot all over Orin's clothes.
He shouted the name with trembling joy:
"O–Orin!!!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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