East Blue.
On the boundless sea, a tiny fishing boat was fleeing for its life.
"Waahhh—!"
Luffy glanced back at the Marine patrol ship hot on his tail, his face full of frustration.
"Damn it!"
He rubbed his cheek, which was still throbbing in pain. That spot... had just been smashed by the fist of a hawkish Captain.
It hurt like hell!
The feeling was like being back in Foosha Village, reliving the terrifying days when his grandpa educated him with those "fists of love."
But his body was made of rubber—so why couldn't he be immune to punches?!
This didn't make sense!
Luffy couldn't figure it out. All he knew was that the Marine officer chasing him was absurdly strong!
His fists were pitch black...
And when they landed on Luffy, they were both hard and painful!
The little boat, under his frantic control, fled aimlessly. But as he rounded a massive reef, his pupils shrank sharply.
"!!!"
Ahead, another identical Marine patrol ship was lying in wait, completely blocking his path.
"Damn! I'm surrounded!"
Luffy glanced behind at the closing pursuers, then at the outline of a port town nearby.
"Guess I've got no choice!"
Without hesitation, he swung the boat around and charged full speed toward the port.
...
On the Marine patrol ship, two tall, sharp-eyed Captains stood side by side, their gazes sharp as hawks.
"Follow the plan, encircle him. Don't let him escape."
"Understood!"
The two patrol ships closed in left and right like a giant iron pincer, sealing off the port's exit completely.
As Luffy's boat crashed onto the beach, the two Captains immediately led a squad of fierce-looking Marines ashore.
"Search! He can't have gone far!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Da-da-da—!"
Luffy dashed through the narrow alleys of the port, but the footsteps behind him grew closer and closer.
"Stop right there, pirate!"
"Damn it! I can't shake them off!"
At a crossroads, Luffy found himself staring at a rusted sheet-metal wall, with Marines blocking the alleys to either side.
"No way out!"
He made a split-second decision, stretching his right arm far back.
"Gomu Gomu no... Rocket!"
"Boom!"
He shot forward like a cannonball, smashing through the wall and tumbling into a dimly lit warehouse.
Inside, a group of people in ridiculous clown outfits were slumped weakly on the floor.
A beast tamer hugged a scrawny lion, which listlessly gnawed on a rotten piece of wood.
An acrobat balanced on a deflated unicycle, too weak from hunger to keep steady.
And at the center of them all sat a man with a captain's hat and a huge red nose, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Captain of the Buggy Pirates — "Clown" Buggy.
Buggy.
"Damn... damn it all..."
Buggy muttered weakly, his stomach growling in protest.
Ever since that monster named Hawke had scoured the entire East Blue, life had become impossible for pirates like them.
That bastard was insane!
He didn't accept surrenders, he left no survivors!
Any ship flying the Jolly Roger was sent straight to the bottom to feed the fish!
The Buggy Pirates didn't even dare approach a port, let alone raid ships, terrified of being spotted by Marine patrols.
They could only hide in this abandoned warehouse, surviving off whatever food they'd looted before.
Now, even that food was gone...
Buggy was so starved that his ribs touched, and he swore even his big nose had shrunk.
To think, he—Captain Buggy—had once been an apprentice on the Roger Pirates, sworn brother to the Yonko "Red-Haired" Shanks!
And now he was about to starve to death?!
Damn it!
So damn unfair!
That bastard Hawke!
Just as Buggy was cursing in his heart, the wall beside him suddenly exploded.
"Boom!"
A figure in a straw hat rolled in through the hole.
"Huh? Who are you guys?"
Luffy stared curiously at the oddly dressed bunch.
"!!!"
Everyone in the warehouse instantly tensed up!
Buggy's eyes bulged wide. He jabbed a finger at Luffy.
"Who are you?!"
"Why did you break into my territory?!"
...
Luffy was about to answer.
"Bang!"
The warehouse's front door was suddenly kicked open. A squad of heavily armed Marines poured in, their black gun muzzles aimed at everyone inside.
"M-M-Marines?!"
Buggy's fury was instantly doused, replaced with raw fear.
He spotted the two Marine Captains leading the charge, their shoulder insignias gleaming coldly even in the dim light.
Marine Headquarters Captains?!
Two of them?!
It was over!
He had been hiding so carefully—how did the Marines find him?
"Wait!!!"
Buggy spun around, his eyes locking onto the innocent-faced Luffy.
He got it!
It was this straw-hatted brat!
He had led the Marines here!
"You straw-hatted bastard!!!"
Buggy shook with rage, screaming at Luffy.
"I was hiding so well, and you brought the Marines here! Are you trying to get me killed?!"
Luffy scratched his head in confusion.
"Huh? I brought them? Sorry about that then!"
"You son of a—!"
Buggy nearly choked on his own breath.
"You...!"
"'Clown' Buggy, bounty 15 million Belly..."
One of the Captains stepped forward slowly, his cold gaze sweeping over everyone in the warehouse.
"No wonder Hawke didn't wipe you out. So you've been hiding here."
"But today, your luck has finally run out."
He raised his right fist, a layer of pitch-black sheen covering it.
The other Captain drew his blade, the sharp edge glinting with cold light.
"!!!"
Buggy's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
At that very moment, a screeching sound came from above.
The warehouse's roof beams, long rotted from neglect, gave way under the strain of Luffy's earlier crash.
"Rumble rumble rumble—!"
Before everyone's eyes, the entire warehouse began to collapse!
The Captains forgot about striking, shouting orders as they shielded the regular soldiers.
"Retreat!"
"Boom!"
Dust instantly swallowed the whole space.
When the chaos settled, the warehouse had become a pile of rubble.
"Report casualties!"
The two Captains frowned at the scene.
"Report, sir! No casualties!"
"And we captured several pirates!"
Marines dragged the Buggy Pirates' officers from the wreckage, each one covered in soot and looking utterly pathetic.
"What about the straw-hatted kid? And Buggy?"
"Report! Neither found!"
"...…"
The two Captains exchanged glances.
Just as they were about to strike—
The warehouse collapsed?!
Such coincidence?!
That kind of luck...
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