Buggy D Clown

"Shatter!!!"

The thunderous shout reverberated as a dark figure suddenly appeared in the sky. With a deliberate motion, the figure mimicked Whitebeard's iconic punch and thrust their fist into the void before them.

Bang! Bang!

Cracks spiderwebbed through the air, the fabric of the void itself trembling violently. The resounding crash echoed like a tidal wave breaking against an unyielding shore.

Buggy's Nuclear Crush, a devastating platinum beam that cut through the space with precision, was abruptly intercepted. The shockwave trajectory shattered upon impact with the fractured void, diverting its path skyward and rendering it harmless.

Kaido seized the opportunity, flicking his massive azure dragon tail. In the blink of an eye, a dense formation of cloud gardens enveloped him, providing instant cover. Within a single breath, his enormous serpentine form had disappeared into the shrouded expanse, vanishing from sight.

Though Buggy's advanced Observation of Haki allowed him to track Kaido and Big Mom's movements, he couldn't pursue them any further. His attention was divided. Blackbeard now stood atop a water mirror suspended above the fractured void, an imposing figure whose ambition Buggy knew all too well from his previous life. Adding to his challenges, the dandelion of healing granted by Shirley had a time limit of just three minutes. When its effects faded, Buggy would plunge into a weakened state.

Facing Blackbeard—armed with two Devil Fruits and a ruthless cunning—Buggy couldn't afford even a moment of recklessness.

"Teach!!!" Buggy growled his voice in sharp and heavy anger.

Several kilometers away, Shanks stood aboard the Red Force. His eyes widened in disbelief as he watched Blackbeard, who had promised to leave, reappear in the thick of battle. Rage ignited in Shanks' heart as realization struck.

"Teach, you bastard!" Shanks roared, his voice brimming with fury. Without hesitation, he leaped from his ship, a wave of terrifying Conqueror's Haki rippling outward as he surged toward Onigashima at blistering speed.

The spectators scattered across the battlefield and beyond exchanged gleeful glances, clearly entertained by the unfolding chaos. None of them had anticipated Blackbeard's treachery or his bold, calculated move.

"What are they planning now?" Sengoku murmured, captivated by the escalating tension.

In the sky above, Blackbeard's booming laughter cut through the tumultuous air.

"Zehahahaha!"

His voice was both mocking and triumphant as he observed Shanks hurtling toward him like a comet.

"Shanks, you're as naïve as ever!" Blackbeard sneered. "In this sea, only the winner matters! Your ideals mean nothing. Even if you act now, you're already too late. The life of your dear friend Buggy—" he pointed downward with deliberate malice "—belongs to me!"

The sinister promise lingered in the air, heightening the stakes of the battle and setting the stage for an inevitable clash.

While Blackbeard loomed over Buggy, his booming laughter echoed through the battlefield:

"Zehahahaha! Buggy, if I'm right, that last attack drained every ounce of your strength! I've been eyeing your fruit ability for ages—oh, what a prize it'll be for me! Now, let's see how you plan to resist the power of my Dark Fruit!"

His voice brimmed with arrogance as he raised a hand toward Buggy, summoning a vortex of swirling black energy.

"Dark Water!!!"

The air crackled with tension as the inky void spiraled ominously in Blackbeard's palm. Confidence radiated from him as he unleashed his Dark Fruit's gravitational pull, aiming to drag Buggy into his clutches.

Buggy, however, remained calm, his gaze steady and unyielding as Blackbeard's power enveloped him. He allowed himself to be drawn forward, offering no resistance.

Unbeknownst to Blackbeard, Buggy's composure masked his preparation. As a master of the Six Styles, Buggy was gathering every ounce of strength, his body coiled like a spring. His Haki, meticulously restrained, pulsed just beneath the surface, ready to be unleashed.

As he spun through the air and pulled closer to his opponent, Buggy moved with deliberate precision.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Seeing Buggy's movements, Blackbeard mistook them for desperate flailing and roared with triumphant glee:

"Godslayer Buggy, where's all that bravado now? You've fallen into my hands, into the clutches of labor and management! Struggle all you want—it's pointless! My Dark Fruit is the nemesis of all ability users. And you, a double-fruit user? Your resistance is twice as futile! Zehahaha!"

His laughter grew louder, filled with unbridled arrogance.

"Hand over your fruit abilities, Buggy. After today, there will be no more Godslayer—only the rise of the Fifth Emperor, Blackbeard—Marshall D. Teach! Soon, I'll take my rightful place as the real Four Emperors. After all, four is a good number for Emperors like us! Just like the four seas! Zehahaha!!!"

Buggy's crew and allies watched the scene unfold. Their faces twisted with anguish and rage as they saw Blackbeard's underhanded assault.

"Captain Buggy!" Enel shouted, his voice filled with fury.

"Despicable Blackbeard! A sneak attack, how low! What can you expect from someone who will betray Whitebeard."

"Don't be rash!" Gabban interjected. "Trust Buggy! He's not the kind of man to fall to such cheap tricks!"

Their outrage began to simmer as Gabban's calm, steady voice broke through the chaos, "Stay strong, everyone. Buggy knows what he's doing. He's not a man to be underestimated."

The tension among the crew eased slightly, but their eyes remained fixed on the unfolding battle, filled with anticipation and unwavering belief in their captain.

Even the Big Mom Pirates, who were using Branch's Mirror Fruit]ability to escape, were momentarily stunned by the unexpected turn of events. How could they have imagined that Blackbeard would show up out of nowhere?

This was the very man who had been making waves throughout the New World, the so-called "Fifth Emperor." Not only did he wield the powers of a Logia-type Dark Fruit, but he also possessed Whitebeard's Quake Fruit ability! In a world where the first-ever double fruit user was already a rarity, Blackbeard had become a terrifying anomaly.

But then, a thought struck.

Wait—was he the first double fruit user? After all, there was another man who had also demonstrated double fruit powers...

But that wasn't important right now. What mattered was Buggy—the Godslayer—who had defeated Big Mom and Kaido. Could he fall to such a despicable backstabber like Blackbeard?

The very thought was enough to send a shudder through their ranks. If Buggy fell here, what would it say about them? Were they truly so weak that they could lose to such underhanded methods?

Katakuri, standing at a distance in front of the mirror, stared at the distant sky, his gaze unwavering, the tension mounting.

Meanwhile, inside the Five Elders' office in Mariejois, the sudden appearance of Blackbeard and his surprise attack on Buggy set off an immediate, excited reaction among the Five Elders.

"Hahahaha, Blackbeard did a fantastic job!" one of them exclaimed, his voice laced with amusement.

"He's a double-fruit user as well," another added, "If we can eliminate him now, it'll make things a lot easier for us in the future."

"Hahaha, not only that, but we'll have an easy path to Wanokuni!"

"Quick! Contact Kizaru, Aokiji, and Fujitora! They need to take Wanokuni as soon as Buggy is out of the picture!"

"Yes! In that case, we'll have access to endless seastone mines! Blackbeard, you finally did something useful!"

Off the coast of Onigashima, Garp, and Sengoku watched the unfolding chaos with grim expressions. Sengoku's face was particularly dark.

"This guy, Blackbeard, is so patient!" Sengoku muttered.

"A man with double fruit powers, who knows how to bide his time and judge the situation? He's truly a dangerous one."

"Could that guy, Buggy, really be done for?"

"No," Sengoku countered, his voice firm. "I don't believe it. A man who has outsmarted me so many times isn't going to fall this easily."

Sengoku couldn't help but chuckle, though there was little humor in his tone. "Pfft, ha ha ha. Sengoku, have you finally admitted it?"

"Get out! I don't have time for your jokes!" Sengoku snapped.

It had to be said—Blackbeard's sudden appearance had thrown everyone into chaos. No one was prepared for the storm he had unleashed. Even Kaido and Big Mom, who had already flown dozens of kilometers into the sky, couldn't help but stop and use their Haki to investigate the situation from such a distance. They, too, were shocked.

To their surprise, someone had dared to take advantage of the chaos in the Battle of the Three Emperors.

But they couldn't deny that Blackbeard had done them a favor. If not for him, either one of them would be dead, or both would be severely injured! Now, they were eager to see what Blackbeard could do. Would the Godslayer, Buggy, really be the first to fall in this battle today?

From a water mirror in the distance, Blackbeard raised his left hand high, while his right hand clenched tightly. A white halo, characteristic of the Shock Fruit, appeared around his right fist. He was preparing to deliver a heavy punch to Buggy, who was now incapacitated after being caught by Blackbeard.

But he knew better than to be careless in the face of such a formidable opponent.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

As Buggy spun faster and faster, Blackbeard noticed something odd. Even from a distance, he could see the faint red discs flashing as Buggy's body moved.

Instinctively, Blackbeard expanded his senses to perceive what was happening. And that was when his hair stood on end.

The red on Buggy's right leg, which was surrounded by fire, was not just a normal heat due to friction—it was a frighteningly concentrated Haki, building up with such force that it felt as though it were rubbing against the space itself. This was a technique used only by the most powerful martial artists.

As the Haki continued to build in intensity, it reached a point where it couldn't be contained anymore. It erupted, releasing with the force of steam, and the overwhelming power of the Haki began to solidify into something nearly tangible.

"Damn it, why does this guy still have such terrifying Haki—and technique to boot!?" Blackbeard muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Not good! Lafitte, pull me back, quickly!"

Blackbeard's voice was full of panic as he felt the immense power emanating from Buggy's feet. But it was already too late.

Buggy, more than ten meters away, suddenly stopped spinning mid-air. He leaned back slightly, raising his right foot, now wrapped in the burning scarlet Haki, and glared at Blackbeard from across the distance. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Blackbeard," he called out, his voice filled with mockery, "I heard you like to leave scars on people." His smile widened. "Well, today I'm going to let you feel the pain of being carved with scars on your own body."

"Roushiki - Super Speed!"

As soon as Buggy finished speaking, he slammed his foot down, unleashing a burst of speed accompanied by a sonic boom. The air around him surged, turning into a blur of white and red in the blink of an eye. His scarlet right foot, infused with Conqueror's Haki, smashed into Blackbeard's raised left hand, which was poised to use his Dark Water technique.

Shua!

In an instant, Buggy's body spun mid-air, his scarlet right foot striking Blackbeard's massive belly with a series of rapid blows—one, two, three... six kicks in quick succession!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Roku-Ten Ken!!!"

As Buggy shouted his battle cry, Blackbeard, hit squarely in the stomach by the six brutal strikes, bent into a horizontal "V" shape, his body reeling from the impact.

Puff!

Blood spewed from Blackbeard's mouth as he plummeted like a cannonball toward the sea thousands of meters below.

"Ugh!!!"

His agonized scream echoed through the air, especially when his gaze fell on the six deep scars on his belly. The sight of it filled him with both intense pain and fury.

To make matters worse, the side effects of his Dark Fruit abilities kicked in, amplifying the pain. Overcome by the double assault of physical and emotional agony, Blackbeard fainted, crashing toward the ocean.

Just when it seemed Blackbeard would vanish into the sea, a massive water mirror appeared tens of meters below him, catching his falling body.

Crash!

Blackbeard's form collided with the water mirror, his figure disappearing into the shimmering surface.

"Teach!!! Damn!!"

Shanks, who had just arrived on the scene, saw the fall and stopped abruptly on the sea's surface. Enraged, he slashed his sword toward the water mirror.

Infused with Conqueror's Haki, Shanks' sword turned a brilliant gold, and with a single swipe, he unleashed a golden sword energy that stretched across the sea, spanning more than ten kilometers. The energy sliced through the water, cleaving the sea in half.

The water mirror disintegrated in an instant. Meanwhile, aboard a large ship tens of kilometers away from Onigashima, Lafitte, who had been grinning as he watched his unconscious captain, suddenly noticed the water mirror above him shatter.

At that moment, Gaban and the crew arrived at Buggy's side, using the Moonwalk technique to position themselves against the approaching Marine Admiral-level forces.

"If you want to take a shot at Buggy and his crew, then I'm all for it!" Shanks declared, drawing his blade. He glared coldly at the Marines. "I won't be played a second time."

Though Hawkeye remained silent, he also stood up, turned his back on Buggy and the others, and faced the Marines.

It was clear now—Marine's top combat power was gathered here.

Garp, Sengoku, Kizaru, Aokiji, and Fujitora. This lineup was far more formidable than the one at the [Punk Hazard Battle]! Just Garp alone was worth at least two Admirals in terms of power.

And with the government's CP agencies keeping a close watch, not to mention the pirates from the New World eager to take advantage, it was easy to see that a battle here would be disastrous for the Buggy Pirates—even with Shanks and Hawkeye by their side.

But was Buggy really that outmatched? The munitions from Doflamingo's stockpile, obtained in [Dressrosa], hadn't been given away for nothing.

"Dragon, you're so mean!" Buggy suddenly spoke up from atop a blood-colored dragon, cross-legged and grinning. "You didn't lift a finger when I was attacked by Blackbeard earlier. Why are you hiding now? Is it that hard to earn a favor?"

At these words, everyone in the vicinity was taken aback.

Dragon!? Could it be… that man!?

Just as everyone exchanged surprised looks, a gust of wind whipped through the air, and a figure cloaked in black appeared a few meters away from Buggy. A shoehorn tattoo on his face was visible.

"Buggy, did you say that with a clear conscience?" The man's voice rang out, filled with mild exasperation. "When Blackbeard attacked, the breeze around you wasn't me—who else could it have been? Don't tell me your observation haki didn't notice my presence, because I don't believe it!"

He gestured toward Garp, his teeth clenched in frustration.

"Also, when did your favors become so easy to earn? Don't even talk to me about it, hey!"

"Hahaha!"

At the sight of the man, Buggy burst into laughter. The exchange was playful, a joke between old acquaintances.

At the same time, Garp on the opposite side suddenly burst out laughing.

"I'm not here to fight today, just passing through. Sengoku, you bastard, it's your turn now—I'm still on vacation!"

Sengoku: Why aren't you here to watch the fun? Now your criminal son is here you remember your Vacation.

Buggy, sensing that others didn't share the same malicious intentions after Dragon's appearance and Garp's words, stood up and surveyed the crowd. He declared with overwhelming confidence:

"From now on, Wano is my domain. Anyone who dares to interfere will die! Kaido, Big Mom, Blackbeard—the Double-Emperor Alliance is nothing but a joke! After today, on the seas, I'll be the one to command the respect of an Emperor!"

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