Chapter 6: Red Nose vs. Straw Hat – The Final Blow
Buggy pulled his spinning lower body back together, roaring, "You idiots! Stop standing around watching the show and go kill that straw-hat brat's crewmates right now!"
His crew snapped to attention—even the ones accidentally cut by his own attack quickly wrapped their wounds and charged sol and Nami with weapons drawn. Cabaji singled out Zoro for a one-on-one duel.
Buggy smirked as his men rushed Luffy's companions. "You scrawny monkey—once my boys finish off your friends, you're next!"
Luffy pulled his straw hat low, rubber arm stretching back like a drawn bow. "sol and the others are plenty strong—so all I gotta do is focus on sending you flying!"
"Gum-Gum Pistol!"
Bang!
While Buggy was still mouthing off, a devastating fist smashed into his face at blinding speed. His red nose caved inward, eyes popping out comically.
Buggy spun like a top in mid-air—two and a half full rotations—before face-planting with a wet splat, legs twitching in the air.
Luffy started walking over to help the others, but the moment he took a step—
"Chop-Chop Cannon!"
Buggy's scattered left leg shot forward like a cannonball—bam!—striking Luffy square in the back. The force sent him flying like a snapped kite, crashing through three buildings before stopping in a rising cloud of dust and debris.
"Chop-Chop Emergency Escape!"
Buggy's limbs snapped back together like magnets. In seconds he stood fully intact in the middle of the street, brushing dust off his cape with smug confidence.
"Hmph. Thought you could take down Buggy the Great that easily? I'm Buggy the Clown!"
Boom!
The rubble exploded outward. Luffy flipped out of the debris, straw hat covered in wood chips, grinning even brighter. "Got it! Your body can split apart! Now this is fun!" He cracked his knuckles excitedly.
From a distance, sol whistled. "Hey, Luffy—need a hand?"
"Nope!" Luffy dropped low, arms pulled back. "Gum-Gum Gatling!"
Buggy's expression twisted. "Wait—what the hell are you planning, you rubber freak?!"
"Gum-Gum Machine Gun!"
Luffy's arms blurred into countless afterimages, a storm of fists raining down on Buggy. The clown desperately used "Chop-Chop Emergency Escape," scattering his body—but that only made every piece an easier target.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Body parts flew like pinballs—bruised and swollen. Buggy's head screamed mid-air: "Wait—this isn't how it's supposed to go!"
"Not over yet!" Luffy pressed forward, leg stretching for a sweeping kick.
At the last possible moment, Buggy's detached right hand gripped a dagger and stabbed from a vicious angle straight at the back of Luffy's head!
"Got you!"
Luffy instinctively twisted—slash!
The sharp blade carved a glaring tear across the straw hat.
Fury ignited instantly. "You bastard—that's the most precious thing Shanks ever entrusted to me!!!"
With a thunderous roar, Luffy's fist launched at unprecedented speed—
"Gum-Gum Rocket!!!"
"Sha… Shanks?!"
The name hit Buggy like lightning. His pupils shrank, body freezing mid-split. Before he could recover—
BOOM!!
Luffy's rage-fueled punch slammed into Buggy's stomach. His face warped into a ridiculous concave shape, drool flying everywhere. His body rocketed upward like a catapult stone, shrinking to a tiny speck on the horizon.
"You—baaaaastard!!!" Buggy's scream echoed from the clouds. "I knew that stupid hat looked familiar—mark my words, damn straw-hat!!!"
Meanwhile, Zoro was locked in combat with Cabaji—the unicycle-riding acrobat swordsman known for his flashy tricks.
Cabaji opened with smoke bombs. "Acrobat: Smoke Screen!"
Thick white fog swallowed the area. Cabaji pedaled through the mist at high speed, blades flashing coldly. "Behold the circus swordsman's dazzling slaughter!"
"Cough… dirty trick!" Zoro pressed a hand to his bleeding wound, drawing all three swords into a defensive stance within the haze.
"Acrobat: Steam Murder Mystery!"
Cabaji's figure ghosted out of the fog, katana aimed straight for Zoro's throat!
Clang—!
Zoro blocked with Wado Ichimonji—but Cabaji kicked off his unicycle, driving a pointed boot directly into Zoro's wounded waist!
"Gah—!"
Agonizing pain forced Zoro to one knee, blood seeping from gritted teeth. Cabaji spun back gracefully on his unicycle. "What's wrong, Pirate Hunter? Can't handle a little performance?"
Zoro let out a low, dangerous laugh, bloodied green bandana whipping in the wind. "…Interesting." He rose slowly, muscles coiling like a drawn bow. "Time to show you real swordsmanship—"
"Three Sword Style: Tornado!"
A ferocious sword gale shredded the fog instantly. Cabaji's unicycle rocked violently in the blast. "What?!"
Cabaji backflipped, spitting fire from his mouth. "Acrobat: Fire Breath!"
Roaring flames surged toward Zoro. He sidestepped—the blaze singed his hair tips. Zoro's blades gleamed coldly in the heat. "You're no swordsman… just a circus clown playing with tricks!"
The runaway flames veered straight toward Nami in the rear—
sol appeared in a blur, snatching the fire into his palm. His arms erupted with dragon flames that coiled like living serpents. "Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"
BOOM—!
The flames exploded into massive dragon wings, sweeping away Buggy's fodder pirates in a fiery blast. Stalls toppled, Cabaji's unicycle shuddered in the shockwave.
Nami, still crouched with hands over her head, slowly looked up at sol's back. "These… these guys are all monsters…"
Zoro seized the opening, blades crossing in lethal arcs. "No more distractions… let's finish this the swordsman's way!"
Cabaji blocked desperately, unicycle skidding on rubble. "Damn it! You don't understand art!"
Cabaji pedaled furiously, wheels sparking against a wall for momentum. He spiraled upward, man and bike becoming a spinning blade. "Wheel Deadly Technique: Death Dive!"
A black shadow plummeted from above, katana and wheel aimed at Zoro's head.
Zoro stood motionless, slowly drawing his swords—
"Three Sword Style: Oni Giri."
In an instant, steel flashed!
Clang—!
Three crimson blood arcs burst in the air as their paths crossed.
Clang. Zoro sheathed his blades with a crisp metallic ring.
Cabaji's unicycle fell apart. He collapsed like a broken puppet.
"Im…possible…" He knelt, vision fading on Zoro's back. "This… is true swordsmanship…?"
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