Buggy's Moment in the Spotlight

Seeing Sal turn to leave, Smoker took a deep breath. Whether as a Marine or as Hina's friend, he had to step in, even knowing he was no match.

"White Fist!"

Smoker threw two punches, his fists turning to smoke at the ends as they flew toward his enemy. Even with his back to the attack, Sal sensed it through Observation Haki and easily dodged.

Smoker relied too heavily on his Devil Fruit now. Worse still, the Smoke-Smoke Fruit was merely one of the weakest Logia fruits, unlike the top-tier Logias wielded by the Three Admirals.

Sal swiftly closed in on Smoker. Before the stunned man's eyes, a fist coated in Armament Haki sent him flying with one punch just as he had turned elemental, crashing him into the ice a hundred meters away.

Smoker clutched his chest. His elemental form had been defeated so easily again. Besides frustration, he now found himself reflecting on his weaknesses.

"Damn it, that Armament Haki is strong. Looks like I need to pick Haki back up too."

Sal retreated into the pirate formation. He did not dare expose himself too much. The Marines' hatred for him might even surpass their hatred for Whitebeard.

After taking care of several overconfident Marines, Rayleigh came over and asked him a question.

"Sal, Whitebeard's condition doesn't look good. What's your plan?"

"Not yet. We still have a group of reinforcements that hasn't arrived."

He had gone to great lengths to break into Impel Down not only for experience, but also to find more allies.

Sal did not want to storm the execution platform with Rayleigh just yet. Whitebeard was old, and Rayleigh was old too. Even if Rayleigh's strength had not declined as dramatically as Whitebeard's, his stamina could not sustain a prolonged battle. This old companion was no longer fifty years old.

Sal looked up and saw Sengoku on the execution platform looking back at him.

Suddenly, the screams of countless people rang out overhead, interrupting the silent calculations between the two men. Looking up, they saw a Marine warship falling from several hundred meters in the air. Pirates dressed in prison uniforms scattered from it like flowers cast from the heavens.

Aside from a few unlucky ones who crashed straight onto the ice, the rest, along with the warship, landed squarely in the water pit Jozu had dug. It had to be said, their luck was pretty good. Who knew whether it was because of Luffy or Buggy.

Before long, countless figures appeared atop the floating warship. Most wore prison uniforms, while some were hulking men in eye-searing fishnet outfits. The leaders were all familiar faces Sal had met in Impel Down.

The Marine alarm sounded once again.

An experienced Vice Admiral quickly recognized the identities of these escapees.

"World Destroyer Bondi, Okama King Ivankov, Crocodile, Knight of the Sea Jinbe, and the 300 million Beli Supernova, Monkey D. Luffy."

First Dark King Rayleigh and Roger's clone, and now four more Shichibukai-level fighters had barged into the battle. Sengoku felt the situation gradually slipping out of control. One legendary pirate, Rayleigh, and four fighters comparable to the Shichibukai—just thinking about it gave him a headache. He immediately roared.

"Garp, damn it, it's your grandson again!"

"Don't blame me. I can't control them."

Garp said nonchalantly as he picked his nose. He had long expected Luffy to come save Ace. It would have been stranger if he had not.

The escapees also spotted Sal standing with Rayleigh. Crocodile felt displeased at the sight; he had made an agreement with Sal, which was why he could not attack Whitebeard.

Luffy, meanwhile, shouted at Sal.

"Sal, thank you! I'll definitely save Ace!"

"Luffy, don't die."

Sal merely smiled and shook his head. In the original timeline, that kid had paid no small price either, using two injections of life hormones and losing a full twenty years of his life.

Whitebeard remained standing on the flagship, observing the entire battlefield. That familiar straw hat, and Shanks's words about betting on the future—was this Ace's younger brother, whom Ace often mentioned? He had dared come to the battlefield to save someone. Not bad at all.

There was also a shipful of pirates and four high-level combatants. This unexpected windfall was no less valuable than Rayleigh entering the fray.

Suddenly, a red nose caught Whitebeard's attention. After taking a careful look, the corner of his mouth lifted as he called out to Buggy, who was trying to slip away unnoticed.

"Oh, isn't this the red-nosed brat from Roger's crew who was always paired with Shanks? So you're here too. Have you come to take my head?"

Buggy froze at the sound. Seeing Whitebeard staring at him, he panicked completely, but the words that came out of his mouth were anything but polite.

"That's right. I came to take your head."

Buggy's pirates, especially Mr. 3, were nearly scared to death. Their captain was speaking so arrogantly to the world's strongest man. Could they quit the crew now?

The smile on Whitebeard's face grew even brighter.

"Red-Nose brat, we share a common enemy in the Marines. How about we join forces for now? Afterward, my head will still be on my neck. If you've got what it takes, come and take it."

"Fine. I was thinking the same thing."

Buggy put his hands on his hips, looking every bit as confident as Whitebeard.

Their conversation reinvigorated Buggy's subordinates, even driving them into a frenzy. Their captain was a legendary figure who could speak with Whitebeard as an equal.

Marco flew back to Whitebeard's side. As commander of the first division, he was responsible for putting out fires and protecting his own Admiral. He was filled with confusion.

"Pops, why are you being so courteous to Buggy?"

"Marco, don't you think the pirates behind Buggy are all capable fighters? We're desperately short on manpower right now."

"That is true. Buggy, who had remained obscure for so many years, actually has so many elite pirates under him."

Buggy had no idea Whitebeard had set him up. Right now, he felt like he was walking on air. Suddenly, someone patted him on the shoulder, and a familiar voice he had not heard in a long time sounded out.

"Buggy, I didn't expect you to have made something of yourself after all these years. I heard from Shanks that you spent all day hunting for treasure. It seems I misunderstood you."

"Vice Captain Rayleigh..."

The white hair and aged appearance gave Buggy a keen sense of how time had worn him down. This was the vice captain who had taught him and Shanks throughout their childhood, someone practically like a teacher.

The legendary pirate Captain Buggy remained dumbfounded. Why was it either Whitebeard or the vice captain today? If he ran into a resurrected Captain Roger next, he would think it was possible too.

"Vice Captain..."

"We've been disbanded for so many years. Just call me Rayleigh. I always thought highly of you when you were young."

"...Rayleigh, why are you here?"

Rayleigh pointed at Sal, who was discussing something with Bondi.

"I came with him."

That familiar face prompted Buggy to ask the question in his heart. He had wondered about it back in Impel Down.

"Rayleigh, is Augustus D. Sal Captain Roger's son?"

"Cough, cough..."

Rayleigh was completely floored by the question and could only point at Ace.

"That's Roger's son, Portgas D. Ace."

Buggy's eyes widened instantly. While he had been in prison, he had not known that Ace was the captain's son.