"Flew away!?"
Nami's soft lips parted slightly as her bright eyes followed Ron soaring into the sky.
Nojiko's expression mirrored hers, while Zoro, more experienced, merely looked unimpressed—as if saying, What's the big deal about flying?—but the envy in his eyes betrayed him.
After all, what boy hadn't dreamed of flying?
"What's going on?"
"Bart's dead!"
"There's an enemy—sound the alarm!"
The deafening thunderclap had drawn the attention of the other pirates.
Though not many—perhaps five or six of them stumbled from their shelter, eyes wide in shock and rage as they stared at the corpse.
"Alright, sis, it's my turn. If that guy's disappointed, he'll definitely mock me later."
Taking a deep breath, Nami's gaze flicked toward Zoro out of the corner of her eye.
But the green-haired swordsman was already gone. In his place, a swirl of bubbles drifted in the rain, accompanied by his cold voice.
"I'll step in when you're actually in danger."
"So stingy!"
Nami smashed a potion bottle on the ground. The invisibility potion immediately wiped both her and Nojiko's figures from sight—only a few spiraling bubbles marked where they had stood.
Invisible, Nami leapt off the Pipi Shrimp, her Ruyi Staff coming down hard on the heads of the pirates who thought they were seeing ghosts.
"This rain's insane…"
It hadn't been long since Ron had taken off, yet the downpour had grown even heavier.
If the earlier rainfall had merely been "torrential" in description, this was now a true storm.
The air itself crackled with latent power—the sizzling of energy so intense that even the rain couldn't drown it out.
A prickling sensation crept up Ron's spine. He had a bad feeling—if he wasn't careful, he'd be the next one struck.
When I get back, I need to draw a lightning-resistance skill. Maybe something that synergizes with Trident and Thunderstorm. Otherwise, I'll end up frying myself while killing the enemy.
With that thought, Ron descended safely toward his target location—only to hear a string of furious shouts.
"Come on! If you've got the guts, strike me again! When has Captain Buggy ever chickened out?!"
"Yeah! Hit me with another bolt!"
A strange request—but hey, who was he to refuse?
Ron gripped his Trident, a crimson crosshair locking onto a disembodied head.
Their eyes met—Buggy's round, red nose gleaming beneath his clown makeup. He froze.
Why… was there a man floating in the sky?
He didn't have time to think further. Ron hurled the Trident without hesitation.
The pirates below—those who had been shouting for their captain to return—saw only a blinding flash. Then came the roar of thunder.
Lightning surged through the air, converging around the Trident before slamming down squarely into Buggy's face.
Tree-like streaks of light scorched the air before fading seconds later.
Huh. Don't tell me that one shot killed him?
Ron, falling through the rain, extended his hand. The Trident flew back to him instantly.
Riptide Enchantment activated, suspending him midair as he peered down.
Buggy's mouth hung open, smoke curling out—but his head was already reattached.
"Enemy attack!"
"He struck down Captain Buggy—with lightning!"
"Is he a Devil Fruit user? Wake the captain up!"
"Open fire! Shoot him!"
The Buggy Pirates, surprisingly organized, quickly regrouped and prepared to retaliate.
But Ron had no intention of giving them the chance. He raised the Trident once more.
Lightning roared.
Boom—! Boom—! Boom!
Flashes of white light split the storm. Each strike shook the ground, and with every rumbling explosion, more pirates fell dead amid the thunder.
The air itself trembled, lightning arcs crackling madly in every direction.
The stench of scorched flesh mingled with rain and smoke, searing terror into every heart.
"Shoot him! Kill him!"
A pirate burst from the hall, aiming his flintlock at the hovering figure.
The height wasn't great, and Ron's movement wasn't even that fast.
The pirate's finger curled around the trigger—others followed suit, desperate to bring him down.
But the next second—
The Trident came screaming down, wreathed in lightning.
Blinding heat melted metal, tore flesh, and left nothing but charred ruin.
A flash of blue light—and the weapon returned to the hand of the Thunder God.
Then it descended again.
The thunder's relentless rhythm pounded like a war drum, merciless and divine. One by one, blackened corpses lay twisted in the mud, their gaping mouths frozen in silent laughter—as if mocking the pirates' pitiful gunfire as nothing but background noise.
When the realization hit—that their guns were useless—despair spread like wildfire.
It wasn't that they hadn't fought back.
But the rain was too heavy, their flintlocks useless. Some didn't even get a shot off before lightning struck them dead.
And their foe… hovered in the heavens like a god of thunder—each swing of his arm summoning another storm.
What could they possibly do?
Thus, before the thunder's song had even reached its crescendo, the pirates' will to fight shattered completely.
"Run! That monster's not someone we can handle!"
"Where's Captain Buggy?! Why isn't he here?!"
In a flurry of panic, Cabaji and Mohji led the terrified crew fleeing toward the harbor beyond town.
Ron lowered his Trident, standing atop the rain-soaked meeting hall.
Triple-Enchanted Trident + Thunderstorm + Crosshair—the combo's destructive power was truly extraordinary.
If he could stockpile more Tridents, maybe add auto-tracking and area-scanning enchantments…
He could basically become an airborne bomber, raining lightning on enemies from kilometers away.
Now that I think about it, wasn't one of the Calabash Brothers able to spit thunderbolts? Maybe I can replicate that. Nami's weather control talent could also come in handy…
It's a shame the Goro Goro no Mi is already eaten by Enel… Wait—if I kill him and let the fruit respawn, maybe I can snag it through luck? That could work. Then Nami's future power ceiling wouldn't be a problem at all.
As Ron pondered future possibilities, his gaze swept the battlefield—searching for Buggy.
He'd been so caught up playing Thunder God that he hadn't noticed when the clown disappeared.
Just then—
The roof beneath him exploded.
A furious Buggy shot up from the wreckage, eyes bloodshot, daggers clenched in both hands.
"You bastard! You killed so many of my men!"
Ron smirked. "Red Nose, what's wrong with killing your crew?"
He hurled the Trident once again—lightning roaring across the stormy sky.
"Ha ha ha! You think the same move will work twice?! Bara-Bara Emergency Split!"
Buggy instantly fragmented into dozens of pieces. The lightning-charged Trident tore through the air, striking the ground with a thunderous crash and leaving a massive charred crater.
"Die, bastard! Bara-Bara: Clown Throwing Knives!"
Buggy's hands, clutching knives, launched like missiles toward his foe.
His painted grin twisted into madness, eyes gleaming with cruel delight as he awaited the sight of fear—
But all he saw was mockery.
Whoosh—!
A streak of blue light rose from the ground. Drawn by loyalty, the Trident flipped point-first——and stabbed Buggy square in the butt.
"AAAHHH!"
With that agonized scream, Ron raised his arm. Lightning answered.
KRA-KOOM!
Thunder split the heavens once more.
(End of Chapter)