The Power of the Buggy Ball

The Buggy Pirates were infamous throughout the East Blue, and Buggy himself was especially known for his greed. If she could steal his little treasury, she would strike it rich.

"Hahaha! This is great! Men! Get the Special Buggy Ball ready!" After downing a few drinks, Buggy burst into wild laughter.

"What are you doing?" Nami stared in confusion as Buggy's men rolled out a cannon and loaded it with a strangely shaped shell.

"Watch closely! This is the power of the Special Buggy Ball!"

"Light it!" Buggy revealed a vicious grin.

A deafening blast rang out as the Special Buggy Ball fired. The enormous explosion tore through the center of the town ahead, and the violent shockwave reduced countless houses to rubble.

"What was that explosion just now?" Zoro, who had already reached the shore, stared at the blinding firelight in the distance.

"T-That was Captain Buggy's ultimate move! The Buggy Ball!" One of the three Buggy Pirates "requisitioned" by Rayson and Zoro wiped away cold sweat as he explained tremblingly.

"The Buggy Ball?" Zoro repeated.

"Let's go. Luffy is probably over there. He's got a talent for getting himself into trouble." Rayson looked toward where the Buggy Ball had been fired, a faint smile on his lips.

"Well? Isn't it magnificent?! With the Buggy Ball and my Devil Fruit powers, I'll definitely conquer this Grand Line! Right, Nami?!" Buggy became carried away as he looked at the destruction caused by the Buggy Ball.

"Y-Yes, Captain Buggy." Nami reluctantly answered, desperately suppressing the turmoil in her heart.

Luckily, the residents had already evacuated... No one was hurt.

"Huh? I'm the one who'll conquer the Grand Line! I'm the man who'll become the King of the Pirates!" Luffy shouted indignantly from inside the cage after hearing Buggy brag.

"Hm?!" Buggy's face twisted with rage, veins bulging on his forehead.

Buggy sneered, finding it utterly ridiculous that some brat who knew nothing of the world dared to proclaim he would become the King of the Pirates.

"Lost for words? He's just some ignorant brat! That's why I didn't want to keep following him!" Nami hurriedly chimed in, forcing herself to keep up the act.

"Very good! As a reward, I'll let you fire the cannon yourself! Blow your former captain into the sky!"

"This will also be the best proof of your loyalty to me! This is the true initiation ceremony, Nami!"

Click! A new Buggy Ball was pushed into the cannon barrel, its muzzle aimed directly at the iron cage holding Luffy.

"Fire it! Fire it!" The Buggy Pirates around them jeered wildly.

"..." A box of matches was forcibly shoved into Nami's hands, but her hands would not stop trembling.

She knew very well that if she did not fire the cannon, Buggy would definitely kill her.

But... how could she become an accomplice to these brutal pirates?

"What's wrong? Your hands are shaking." Luffy suddenly spoke.

Nami shuddered all over.

"That's because you came to challenge pirates without being prepared to risk your life. That's why you ended up like this." Luffy spoke calmly. Despite being locked in an iron cage with a cannon aimed at him, there was no fear on his face.

"Prepared?! Prepared for what?! To kill people so casually?! Is that what it means to be prepared as a pirate?!" Nami could not help arguing back. She bit her lip as bitter memories flooded her mind once more.

"No. It means being prepared to risk your own life." Luffy answered. His usual carefree expression had vanished, revealing a faint trace of the bearing of a true king.

"Forget it! I'll light it!" Seeing Nami hesitate, one of Buggy's men snatched the matches and prepared to ignite the fuse.

Whoosh! Smack!

Just as he was about to light it, Nami suddenly pulled out a collapsible staff and fiercely knocked the pirate to the ground.

"Nami! What do you think you're doing?!" Buggy's face darkened.

"I'm sorry!" The words escaped Nami's mouth instinctively. Her years of cautious living made her bend over and apologize loudly.

"You think one apology is enough?!" Buggy roared, his expression becoming exceptionally furious.

"What's this? You're trying to save me again?" Luffy was completely baffled by Nami's actions.

"Don't flatter yourself! It was just an impulse!"

"I just... don't want to become like those cruel pirates!" Nami argued, gripping her staff tightly as the Buggy Pirates cautiously surrounded her.

"Oh, it was just an impulse." There was a hint of disappointment in Luffy's voice. He had thought Nami was finally going to join them.

"Pirates took the life of the person I loved most! Who would want anything to do with pirates?!" Driven into a corner, Nami finally vented the truth she had kept buried for so long.

"Ah, so that's how it is." Luffy finally understood why Nami had been friendly at first, only for her attitude to change completely after learning he was a pirate.

Sizzle, sizzle! At that moment, the sound of the fuse burning rang out.

"Ah! The fuse is lit!" Luffy panicked. His rubber body could withstand punches, but not cannon fire!

"You ungrateful little brat! Kill her! Make it flashy!" Buggy flew into a complete rage, his eyes bloodshot.

"Die! Take her down spectacularly!" Several Buggy Pirates charged at Nami with wild cries, hoping to earn merit before their captain.

Nami nimbly dodged aside, then lunged toward the burning fuse.

"Water! Where's the water?!" Luffy anxiously looked around.

"Damn it! There's no time!" Seeing the fuse about to burn out, Nami clenched her teeth and tightly pinched the fuse with both hands.

"Ahhh!" The searing pain of the burning fuse made Nami cry out in agony.

"You!" Luffy's eyes widened in shock.

The fuse slowly went out in Nami's hands.

"Die!" But the danger had not passed. Behind her, the Buggy Pirates swung their weapons down at her with savage expressions.

Nami closed her eyes in despair.

Clang!

"A bunch of grown men ganging up on an unarmed woman? That's pathetic." A mocking voice shattered the tense atmosphere.

"Zoro!" Seeing Zoro appear and block the attack with his sword, Luffy shouted happily.

"Fancy seeing you again, thief girl." Immediately afterward, a familiar voice carrying a smile reached Nami's ears.

Nami looked toward the voice and saw the figure who had danced with her aboard that luxurious cruise ship slowly approaching.

"Rayson! How did you find this place?!" Luffy asked excitedly.

"Rayson... it's been a long time." Nami responded instinctively.

She had never imagined that they would truly meet again on this vast sea.

And under circumstances like these.

"Inspect trait." Rayson had no time to reminisce. His gaze locked firmly onto Buggy.

Buzz!

A dazzling golden light suddenly bloomed.

This Buggy... he really was hiding an enormous secret!

Rayson's eyes brimmed with anticipation.