"Hehehehe..."
"Hahahahaha!!!"
"The grand show was just reaching its climax. Wouldn't it be far too boring to end it now~?"
Austin slowly raised a hand, and a Den Den Mushi instantly appeared in his palm.
It was the very one he had lent Buggy for the broadcast.
"Captain Buggy!!!"
"The Den Den Mushi suddenly disappeared!!!"
Hearing that, Buggy, who had still been preparing his lines, froze on the spot. His face immediately flushed red.
"Nani?!!!"
"What the hell happened?! I haven't even made my glorious entrance yet!!!"
His body split apart, his head and limbs floating in the air as Buggy raged at his underlings.
But then, an approaching figure interrupted his outburst.
Tap...
Tap...
Crisp footsteps rang out as Austin arrived beside Buggy, holding a Den Den Mushi in one hand.
"Relax, Buggy. I was the one who took the Den Den Mushi."
"You bast— Huh? Is that so~? Then it's fine if it was Austin."
Buggy instantly calmed down, but to his underlings, that scene looked entirely different through their filters.
"Just as expected!!!"
"Only Mr. Austin can calm Captain Buggy's anger!!!"
"What an enviable friendship!!! I'm actually fortunate enough to witness the friendship between figures standing at the very pinnacle of the world!!!"
Austin slung an arm around Buggy's shoulders, a genuine smile on his face.
"Hey, Buggy, I really had a lot of fun this time~"
"This war is nowhere near over yet!!!"
Buggy had no idea what Austin was planning, but seeing Austin's happy smile and hearing those infectious words—
He paused for a moment, then flashed a broad, toothy grin.
"Of course! You're my best brother, Austin!!!
Shocking the world in glorious fashion—isn't that exactly what you should be doing, Austin?!!!"
Austin nodded happily at those words.
"Right? Right?"
Then, with a click~
The