"Get off me already, you two bastards!"
When the "floor" beneath them spoke again, Luffy and Zoro finally realized they were sitting on a person.
Luffy quickly got off, pulled the tent aside, and dragged Buggy out. Then he shouted:
"Sorry!"
"Brat, I'll kill you!" Buggy roared.
Several knives then extended from between his fingers, stabbing viciously toward Luffy.
Watching from the side, Zoro's gaze sharpened. Wado Ichimonji flashed out of its sheath and blocked Buggy's attack. His expression darkened as he said:
"We helped you up out of kindness. Isn't this a bit much?"
Buggy nearly laughed in anger at those words.
Helped me up? I was perfectly fine in my tent, comfortable as could be.
Then you two idiots dropped onto my head from who knows where.
And you even fucking stepped on me a few extra times!
Who else would I kill if not you?
Suddenly, Buggy came up with a good idea. He put away the knives in his hand and asked Luffy and Zoro:
"Who are you? What do you want on the great Buggy's turf?"
"Buggy? Red Nose, you're Buggy the Clown?" Luffy asked delightedly.
"We're here to take your treasure!"
Buggy: ???
Zoro: ...
Everyone: !!!
At that moment, Zoro really did feel like slapping his idiot captain Luffy to death.
Who taught you to talk like that?
Drag them out and cut them down!
But since Luffy had already said it, he no longer had any reservations.
"That's right. We're here to take your treasure. Hand it over if you know what's good for you, or else... I'll cut you down!"
"You two... have some nerve!"
"I could let it slide that you openly announced you were here to steal my treasure!"
"I could even let it slide that you threatened to cut me down!"
"But you actually dared to call me Red Nose! Are you making fun of me?"
Buggy roared.
"But isn't that a red nose?" Luffy tilted his head innocently.
Hearing "Red Nose" again nearly made Buggy's nose twist with rage. Beside himself, he said:
"I'll kill you both!"
Immediately afterward, a section of an arm that had appeared behind Luffy at some point thrust several coldly gleaming knives toward him.
Yet neither Luffy nor Zoro seemed to have noticed.
As the knives drew closer and closer to Luffy, a vicious grin flickered across Buggy's lips.
Got you!
Just as the knives were about to pierce Luffy, Buggy suddenly realized his hand could no longer move.
No matter how much strength he exerted, it would not budge an inch.
Cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.
"Wh-what's going on?"
At the same time, a calm voice came from behind Luffy.
"Buggy the Clown, as a former apprentice aboard the Pirate King's ship, isn't attacking someone from behind a bit inappropriate?"
As Xia Chen spoke, he walked forward from behind Luffy, holding Buggy's hand.
"Ah! Xia Chen, you broke his hand off!" Luffy said in horror, his eyes wide.
"You idiot! He ate the Chop-Chop Devil Fruit. He can split his body apart at will!"
"Who... exactly are you?" Buggy stared at Xia Chen with a dark expression.
He was not shocked that Xia Chen had recognized his Chop-Chop ability, since quite a few people in the East Blue knew about it.
But being an apprentice aboard the Pirate King's ship!
Never mind the East Blue-even in the Grand Line and the New World, very few people knew about that.
So he found it strange that someone who looked as young as Xia Chen knew about it.
Could one of his elders know me?
At that thought, Buggy could not help feeling a chill down his back.
Not a single one of the older people who knew about that part of his identity was someone to be trifled with!
While Buggy was still brainstorming, Xia Chen spoke:
"Me? I'm the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, and the future Pirate King's vice-captain!"
As he spoke, Xia Chen released Buggy's hand, which then slowly reattached to Buggy's arm.
"The Straw Hat Pirates? Why haven't I heard of you?" Buggy asked in confusion.
"Look! The entire Straw Hat Pirates crew is right in front of you!"
"Here! This is our idiot captain!" Xia Chen pointed at Luffy.
Then he pointed at Zoro and said, "This is the ship's third-rate swordsman!"
At Xia Chen's words, several veins bulged on Zoro's forehead at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Once I get stronger, that bastard Xia Chen will be the first person I cut down!
Definitely!
"And finally, there's me, the wise and mighty vice-captain!"
"How's that fair, Xia Chen? Why am I the idiot while you're wise and mighty?"
Luffy shouted in protest.
"Isn't it obvious?" Xia Chen shrugged and answered calmly.
Just as Luffy was about to argue some more, Buggy suddenly burst out laughing.
"Gahahaha..."
"I thought you were some big pirate crew! Turns out you're just a bunch of nobodies I've never even heard of!"
After he finished laughing, Buggy looked at Luffy again and said:
"Brat, you think you can become the Pirate King?"
"Go home and get some sleep! The title of Pirate King isn't something third-rate pirates like you can aspire to... Gah!"
Before Buggy could finish, a vicious kick slammed into his stomach.
His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, and he flew backward like a cannonball, crashing heavily into the wall behind him.
Where Buggy had been standing, Xia Chen slowly lowered the leg he had held in his attacking stance.
Test successful!
Buggy really was a total weakling. This really was all the strength he had.
Compared to his buddy Red Hair, he was miles behind!
"L-Lord Buggy got sent flying?" the gathered pirate lackeys shouted in shock.
"Impossible! Lord Buggy is so powerful. There's no way he'd be defeated so easily!"
One of the nameless pirates shouted.
"Hmm?" Xia Chen turned his gaze toward them, his eyes filled with menace as he said:
"You're... really annoying!"
In an instant, the pirates all huddled at the back.
Without exaggeration, their speed was almost on par with Xia Chen using Soru.
Then they tucked their heads down like quails, terrified that Xia Chen might notice them.
At the sight, Xia Chen said nothing more, but could not help thinking:
I wonder when I'll get Conqueror's Haki from a check-in. Then clearing out the small fry will be much faster!
"Cough, cough..."
Buggy slowly climbed to his feet and coughed a few times.
His gaze toward Xia Chen was grave, but held somewhat less wariness.
"I thought you were strong! Turns out that kick wasn't all that powerful!"
"Then don't blame me for making sure all of you stay here today!"
He was not wary of whoever might be backing Xia Chen. The sea was so vast-if he killed Xia Chen here today, who would ever know?
After all, dead men told no tales...