As the World Government's highest echelons, Marine Headquarters' command structure, and the Yonko crews across the New World all scrambled to evaluate this unprecedented revelation, the Sky Screen's authoritative voice resumed its narration. The mysterious broadcaster seemed to possess intimate knowledge of events that should have been buried in history, preparing to unveil the hidden truth behind Buggy the Clown's life of calculated deception.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku had summoned every available Vice Admiral to Marine Headquarters for emergency consultation. The implications of a secret Yonko-level threat operating in East Blue for over two decades represented a catastrophic intelligence failure. In the Revolutionary Army's hidden strongholds, Dragon's subordinates analyzed every word for potential strategic advantage. Even the remaining Yonko—Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido—had temporarily suspended their territorial conflicts to focus on this unexpected variable.
The world held its collective breath as the Sky Screen prepared to reveal secrets that could reshape their understanding of the current power balance.
["Before reaching his tenth birthday, Buggy boarded the legendary Roger Pirates' ship as the youngest apprentice in their history. This child, barely old enough to tie his own boots, participated in naval battles against Shiki the Golden Lion's massive armadas and land battles against the Whitebeard Pirates' monster crew. Through thousands of encounters both large and small, he witnessed warfare on a scale that would break adult Marines. These experiences developed an extraordinary tolerance for chaos and violence that would prove invaluable in his future endeavors."]
The Sky Screen displayed vivid scenes of young Buggy during legendary conflicts. Unlike the terrified child one might expect, he moved with calculated precision through the chaos, always positioning himself to observe rather than engage directly. Even then, his strategic mind was developing.
["Buggy obtained the Bara Bara no Mi during a fierce naval battle, but his original intention was purely for financial gain—he planned to sell the Devil Fruit for treasure money. At that time, his driving ambition centered entirely on wealth accumulation, with no hint of the Conqueror's Haki that lay dormant within him. Fate, however, prepared to play its first cruel joke on this calculating child."]
The display shifted to a younger Buggy examining the strange swirled fruit with greedy eyes, already calculating its potential market value. His practical nature had manifested early, viewing even miraculous powers through the lens of profit and loss.
["After convincing the crew that he had eaten the Devil Fruit, Buggy actually maintained a clever deception, keeping a fake replica in his mouth while hiding the genuine article nearby. His plan was to discreetly sell the real fruit at the next port, but Red-Haired Shanks startled him at the critical moment. In his shock, Buggy swallowed the genuine Bara Bara no Mi, permanently binding himself to its power and forever severing his ability to swim in the vast oceans he loved."]
The Sky Screen showed the exact moment of the accident in painful detail. Young Shanks approaching with innocent conversation while Buggy frantically tried to conceal his deception, only to gulp down twenty years of carefully hoarded dreams in a single panicked swallow. The expression of absolute horror on Buggy's face as he realized what he'd done was almost comical, if not for its tragic implications.
["Fate, however, reserved an even crueler second joke for this ambitious young pirate. As the Roger Pirates neared the final island of Raftel, this warrior who had weathered thousands of battles succumbed to a mysterious illness that left him delirious with fever. His condition prevented not only his own arrival at the legendary treasure vault but also delayed his dearest friend Red-Haired Shanks from reaching their ultimate destination. The treasure that Pirate King Roger left on Raftel—the One Piece—truly exists, waiting for the next generation to claim it!"]
Images of Buggy burning with fever while Shanks tended to him with desperate care played across the Sky Screen. The missed opportunity hung over both boys like a curse, their dreams of witnessing history dissolved by cruel timing.
["Before the planned landing on Raftel, Captain Roger confided in his crew about his terminal illness—a condition beyond any medical treatment available in this world. Rather than burden his loyal followers with a doomed voyage, he made the painful decision to disband the Roger Pirates entirely. As crew members gradually dispersed to pursue their own destinies, Roger surrendered himself to Vice Admiral Garp, making a final request that the Marine hero immediately honored out of respect for his worthy rival, unknowingly sowing seeds of catastrophe for the future."]
The revelation hit like a thunderbolt across Marine bases worldwide. Roger's surrender hadn't been capture—it had been voluntary, with Garp somehow complicit in whatever final scheme the Pirate King had orchestrated.
["The Marines smugly announced their 'capture' of the Pirate King, deceiving every soul in the world about the true circumstances. They intended to establish absolute authority through this public execution, but instead walked directly into Roger's ultimate trap. In his final moments before death, the Pirate King shouted words that transformed global society forever, single-handedly launching the Great Pirate Era and establishing a clear objective for all future pirates: whoever claims the One Piece will become the next Pirate King."]
["When Roger faced execution in Loguetown, both Buggy and Shanks observed the entire proceedings from the crowd below. Witnessing their beloved captain's death created profound psychological trauma for Shanks, causing him to question his entire future purpose and leaving him completely lost despite inheriting Roger's most precious possession."]
The Sky Screen revealed the two apprentices in the execution crowd, their faces twisted with grief and rage as their captain's life ended before their eyes. The contrast between their expressions was striking—Shanks appeared broken, while Buggy's face showed something far more complex and calculating.
["You must understand: when Roger entrusted his straw hat to Shanks before death, he was symbolically passing the will and mantle of the future Pirate King to his chosen successor. Buggy recognized this profound gesture immediately, having always understood the vast gap between his own abilities and Shanks' natural leadership qualities. However, witnessing his best friend's faith actually waver in their darkest hour revealed a weakness that Buggy could not accept."]
["Shanks did not inherit Roger's will that day. During the heavy rain following the execution, Buggy witnessed the most confused and lost version of his childhood friend that had ever existed. Because of this perceived betrayal of their captain's memory, Buggy directly severed their friendship and rejected Shanks' invitation to join his crew. That night, while Buggy stood alone in the torrential downpour, his rage and disappointment awakened his dormant Conqueror's Haki at dawn."]
The transformation scene was breathtaking. A soaked, furious Buggy standing in empty streets as the sun rose, his red nose gleaming like a beacon while invisible waves of Conqueror's Haki rippled outward, shattering windows and sending nearby animals fleeing in terror.
["Buggy's original ambition had been simple: become a pirate captain and recklessly hunt treasure across the world's oceans. However, fate's two devastating tricks transformed him completely from within. For over twenty years since that moment, he deliberately remained in East Blue, hiding in forgotten corners while constantly developing his Devil Fruit abilities and planning for the day when he could finally pursue his true dream."]
["But Buggy's ultimate goal transcends the title of Pirate King. He seeks to liberate the world from all constraining systems, plunging society into completely unfettered freedom. This unlimited freedom means chaos without boundaries or moral limitations. After the Great Pirate Era that Roger single-handedly promoted, the entire world will be pushed into an even more chaotic dark age by the Buggy Pirates' future actions."]
The implications sent chills through every government official watching. If Buggy truly intended to destroy all social order, his threat exceeded even the Revolutionary Army's scope.
["After more than twenty years of patient planning, Buggy's careful facade was finally 'broken' by a young man wearing a familiar straw hat. When Buggy observed the adventurous spirit radiating from Straw Hat Luffy and heard his bold declaration to become Pirate King, this former member of Roger's crew actually recognized the spiritual successor their captain had been waiting for. Facing the knowledge that Red-Haired Shanks had successfully found Captain Roger's true heir, Buggy felt profound satisfaction beneath his theatrical rage. However, he continued his performance of weakness, allowing himself to be 'easily defeated' by Straw Hat Luffy."]
["Recognizing that the young man who inherited the previous Pirate King's will had finally appeared, Buggy realized his waiting period had ended. After more than twenty years of preparation, he had finally taken the first step in his grand design."]
The Sky Screen's presentation shifted to show detailed footage of the Orange Town confrontation, but now viewers could see the fight's true nature. What had appeared to be Buggy's humiliating defeat was revealed as an elaborate performance.
Every movement, every reaction, every apparent mistake was calculated theater. When Luffy's "Gomu Gomu no Bazooka" sent Buggy flying, the Sky Screen showed the split-second smile that crossed the clown's face—the satisfaction of a master actor delivering a flawless performance.
["Observe how this seasoned warrior allowed himself to be reduced to mere head, hands, and feet while Straw Hat Luffy used the Gomu Gomu no Mi to stretch his arms and 'easily' launch Buggy the Clown into the distance. Every moment of apparent weakness was meticulously acted, his performance of defeat so convincing that audiences worldwide are only now understanding how thoroughly this master deceiver had fooled them all."]
Aboard the Going Merry, currently sailing toward Loguetown, the Straw Hat crew stared at the Sky Screen in various states of shock and disbelief. Seeing themselves featured in what was apparently a global broadcast felt surreal enough, but learning the truth about their Orange Town encounter was devastating.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Luffy stood on the deck with his arms raised, his usual carefree grin replaced by genuine confusion. "So Buggy was just pretending to be weak? That's so sneaky! If I meet him again, I'll make him fight for real this time!"
The rubber-brained captain's enthusiasm for a genuine challenge remained unchanged, his simple nature unable to fully grasp the implications of what they'd witnessed. To Luffy, stronger opponents simply meant more exciting battles.
This innocent excitement was met with immediate physical correction. Nami's fist connected with Luffy's skull, her punch lacking Armament Haki but carrying enough emotional force to leave a substantial bump on his rubber head.
"You absolute idiot!" Nami's voice carried genuine terror as she realized their true situation. "You'll be committing suicide if you go looking for him again! The only reason he let us go was because of his history with Shanks! If you actually provoke someone that powerful, he'll kill you instantly!"
The navigator's fear was entirely justified. Her mind raced through every moment of their Orange Town adventure, recontextualizing each scene with this new knowledge. She'd stolen treasure from a future Yonko. She'd insulted someone capable of destroying Marine bases single-handedly. The fact that they were still alive seemed miraculous.
Looking at the Sky Screen's footage of her past self gleefully pillaging the Buggy Pirates' treasure vault, Nami wanted to travel back in time and beat her previous incarnation senseless. "Lord Buggy is terrifying!" she whispered, using the honorific instinctively.
Her navigator instincts were already calculating whether they should attempt to return the stolen treasure as an apology. Having such a powerful enemy actively hunting them would make sleep impossible. "How could I provoke such a monster?" she muttered, punching Luffy twice more for good measure.
Zoro's reaction was characteristically different. The swordsman recalled his brief encounter with Cabaji, the unicycling acrobat who'd been pathetically weak compared to his own abilities. Now he understood that even Buggy's crew selection was deliberately deceptive—surrounding himself with obviously inferior subordinates to maintain his facade of mediocrity.
"That bastard was acting the entire time," Zoro muttered, hand instinctively moving to his sword hilts. "Even his choice of crew members was part of the deception."
Usopp had gone completely pale, his usual boastful nature silenced by the revelation that they'd unknowingly antagonized someone capable of splitting atoms. "I knew something felt off about that fight," he lied desperately. "My sniper instincts were warning me the whole time!"
Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette, his usual flirtatious demeanor subdued by the implications. "So the clown was hiding power that could challenge the Yonko," he mused. "No wonder he seemed so confident despite losing."
But it was Luffy's next reaction that captured everyone's attention. The captain removed his precious straw hat, holding it with uncharacteristic reverence as memories flooded back.
"Shanks..." Luffy's voice carried unusual gravity as he stared at the hat's worn rim. "I met everyone on his crew back in Windmill Village. When he finally gave me this hat, I promised to become the Pirate King and return it to him someday."
The connection between his beloved mentor and this terrifying revelation added layers of complexity that even Luffy's simple mind could perceive. Shanks and Buggy had been friends, crew members on the legendary Pirate King's ship. The man who'd saved his life and inspired his dreams had once been close to someone they'd just inadvertently made into an enemy.
"I wonder if Shanks knows what Buggy's really like now," Luffy continued, his expression unusually thoughtful. "Maybe they'll be friends again someday."
The rest of the crew exchanged worried glances. Their captain's optimistic nature was admirable, but his inability to recognize genuine danger often put them all at risk. The revelation about Buggy's true power had fundamentally changed their understanding of the world they were sailing into.
As the Sky Screen continued its presentation, one thing became clear: the name Buggy the Clown had officially entered mainstream consciousness, and the Straw Hat Pirates had unknowingly become part of a much larger story than they'd ever imagined.
Around the world, the reaction to these revelations was immediate and profound. Marine intelligence networks buzzed with activity as analysts scrambled to reassess every previous encounter with Buggy's crew. Revolutionary Army cells debated whether this hidden powerhouse represented an opportunity or a threat to their cause.
In the New World, Yonko crews held emergency meetings to discuss potential alliance or conflict scenarios. The revelation that a fifth emperor-level threat had been operating in secret for decades had fundamentally altered the ocean's power structure overnight.
But perhaps most significantly, in countless pirate crews across all four seas, ambitious captains began wondering: if Buggy the Clown could hide such incredible power for so long, what other secrets might be lurking beneath the surface of this vast world?
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