Life Return

In that very instant, Buggy felt the world become incredibly real. Everyone had flesh, blood, and emotions, rather than being stiff machines or soulless puppets. They each had their own way of surviving; once a seed was planted, it would eventually bear fruit.

This world might deviate from its original trajectory because of his arrival. Perhaps everyone would no longer choose the paths they took at the crossroads in the original story, but instead change their direction, leading to completely different intersections in the end.

Watching Robin disappear from view, Buggy sighed inwardly and opened the notebook. He flipped through it quickly, finally identifying the techniques behind that Big Octopus's powerful slashes and rapid movement.

The notebook contained detailed records of the Six Powers: Shave, Moonwalk, Iron Body, Paper Art, Finger Pistol, and Tempest Kick, as well as Life Return, a technique derived from the Six Powers.

He only skimmed through the notebook; although it lacked training methods for Haki, the Six Powers already exceeded his expectations.

Was this a blessing in disguise? Robin's gift had already surpassed the value of any material treasure.

Life Return, in particular, allowed one to freely control their body, hair, and internal organs once mastered. By pouring one's consciousness into them, one could manipulate any part of the body at will. While it might not be as useful for others, for Buggy, it was the key to unlocking the treasure vault within his own body. It was a training method that would cause a qualitative change in his strength, precisely because he was a user of the Chop-Chop Fruit.

Once he mastered Life Return, he would likely reach an unprecedented height.

"This really is a good gift." Buggy sighed with emotion, closed the notebook, and tucked it away cautiously. The gloom of the previous night was swept away.

He paced over to the entrance of the underground chamber and examined the cross-section of the stone door. From top to bottom, there were three or four layers of different colored metals, with a thin layer of Seastone at the very bottom.

Buggy turned back and asked, "Cabaji, can you cut a piece off of this?"

"A piece of cake, leave it to me, Captain Buggy." Cabaji walked over, drew the Sakura Blizzard from his waist, tapped the stone layer lightly, producing a metallic clanging sound, and then swung down with all his might.

The blade's light scattered like falling cherry blossoms, but the stone door remained unmoved.

Buggy: "..."

"Captain Buggy, give me another chance!" Cabaji paused, his face flushing with embarrassment. He raised his Great Grade Sword again and brought it down with a powerful strike.

Swish! Swish!

In an instant, he slashed twice in the air, but the result was the same as before. The interlayer contained three or four types of metal along with Seastone; it wasn't so easily cut, not even by a Great Grade Sword.

"Damn it! Open up!" Cabaji went wild, hacking at the stone door from every angle. However, aside from a few stone bricks at the very top being chipped away, the hardest metal parts remained completely unaffected, bearing only a few shallow scratches.

Finally, he collapsed on the ground like a dead ox, panting heavily, lacking even the strength to lift his sword. He said solemnly, "Captain Buggy, I'm sorry, I can't cut it down."

Was this guy an idiot too? Buggy was momentarily speechless. He should have known the outcome after the first strike. The Chief of Staff had tried to save face in front of everyone, only to end up looking even more foolish.

If the Seastone here could be taken, he would at least have a fighting chance against Logia users. Unfortunately, ideals and reality often diverged. Since it couldn't be taken, Buggy didn't dwell on it. He ordered his underlings to lift the exhausted Cabaji and return to the village by the same path. Since the secret here had been explored, it was time to return, leave this island, and set sail for their intended destination.

Along the way through the jungle, the air was thick with the smell of blood and the corpses of various wild beasts. It was much quieter than when he had first arrived; even the animals knew to stay far away from powerful enemies.

It was already afternoon when they returned to Kodia Village. The fire at the tavern had long been extinguished, but the surroundings were charred, and ruins met his eyes.

Despite this, the villagers looked at Buggy's crew with less hostility. Although these pirates had been at daggers drawn yesterday, no conflict had ultimately occurred. Compared to the vicious pirates and the parasitic mountain bandits of the past, this group was relatively well-behaved. At the very least, they had politely purchased their crops and liquor at market prices; in that regard, other pirates were far inferior.

Several lookouts hiding in the alleys hurried to pass the message. Before long, Chris, the village chief of Kodia, walked over, surrounded by several young and strong villagers.

Chris adjusted his reading glasses, his face neither happy nor sad. "Young pirate, you actually returned safely. It seems you passed through the Land of Wraiths."

"Yes, and not only that, my harvest was quite substantial," Buggy said with a smile.

Chris said calmly, "That is truly surprising, but... I don't seem to see a single trace of treasure on you."

Buggy was noncommittal and tossed the parchment scroll toward Chris. "Perhaps your old eyes have become too dim to see clearly."

Chris caught the parchment and slowly lowered his head. "Yes, I am already old. Everyone grows old and dies; no one can escape it. Sixty years can turn a young man into an old geezer, and it can also take a person's life. Time is too merciless."

Leaning on his cane, he turned and whispered as he left, "It seems I was too obsessed. After all these years, that person must be gone by now..."

He must have been a personal guard of Gray Katz in the story... Buggy watched Chris's retreating figure, thinking to himself. That Vice Admiral born in Ohara really knew how to win people over; he didn't even notify them when he died, letting them wait for him for sixty years. Thinking about it, that was truly cold-hearted.

The surrounding villagers looked at the two in confusion as they spoke in riddles, and eventually dispersed as Chris left.

"Lads, let's head back," Buggy said, walking forward.

Buggy led his crew toward the harbor. After walking for a while, a pirate wearing a red hat came running toward them in a panic. He stumbled and collided with things, and as soon as he saw Buggy, he fell to his knees in tears, wailing, "Captain Buggy, Captain Buggy, Vice Captain Mohji is about to be killed!"

"What's going on?" Buggy sensed that something was wrong. "Speak clearly."

The red-hatted pirate said, "Captain Buggy, yesterday we followed your orders and handed that bounty target over to a bounty hunter on a nearby island, hoping to cooperate with him to collect the reward. We all agreed to give him a ten percent cut, but not only did he refuse, he attacked us! Dozens of our brothers on the ship and Vice Captain Mohji are no match for him. I'm afraid they're all about to be killed!"

"What does that bounty hunter look like?"

"He has green hair and three swords at his waist."