"How about it? I really value your skills. Want to become a pirate with me?" Ace invited.
"Stop joking! I'm going to set sail on my own and become the Pirate King! How could I possibly follow you as captain!" Sabo refused to submit even while being stepped on, saying viciously.
Actually, his idea of setting sail alone wasn't all that firm. If someone as charismatic as Red-Hair, a great pirate, had invited him, Sabo definitely wouldn't have refused. But for Ace, a brat not much older than himself, there was no way he would submit.
"Is that so? What a pity. You should be prepared to lose an arm, right?" Ace's face darkened, his tone cold.
While this method was cruel, for someone who had survived among pirates for years, it wasn't really a big deal.
Luffy, on the other hand, felt both scared and excited. He was still in that phase where he believed "getting injured makes you a real pirate."
"Hey, Luffy, find me a vine. I need to stop the bleeding from this kid's left arm first," Ace shouted.
Although he'd seen plenty of cruel scenes, this was his first time doing it himself.
Luffy excitedly dashed into the bushes. Moments later, he emerged holding a snake he had strangled to death.
"Ace, I couldn't find any vines. This should work, right?"
Using a dead snake as rope—what a genius you are.
"It'll have to do," Ace's eye twitched, but he forced himself to stay calm.
He tied the snake tightly around Sabo's left arm, and Sabo immediately felt his left hand go numb. The blocked blood made him extremely uncomfortable.
'These two are actually serious!'
Sabo already felt things were going very wrong. Sweat drops larger than beans fell from his head.
Ace found a sharp-edged rock.
"It's not too late to change your mind."
"You think this will make me submit? I'll never join your crew!" Sabo's voice trembled, but he still refused to yield.
Watching from the shadows, An was already planning to intervene.
On one hand, as Ace's sister, she didn't want Ace doing something like this so early.
The current Ace wasn't a real pirate. Everything he did was merely imitation out of admiration for the Four Emperors. If he hurt someone over such a childish reason, that would be too cruel.
On the other hand, she was tempted by Sabo's talent. Just as Ace said, the two of them probably wouldn't stay on Shanks' ship forever. If they really left the Red Hair Pirates someday, it would be necessary to recruit their own crewmates.
But just as she was about to act, someone else was faster.
A pair of white hands had flown out from somewhere, grabbing Ace by the back of the neck, while the other hand turned the snake Luffy had strangled into powder.
"Hands, hands… hands are flying!"
"Ghosts!"
Luffy and Sabo had never seen anything like this. They hadn't even heard of Devil Fruits. They were terrified, thinking it was a haunting.
"These hands are… that clown bastard!" Ace's eyes widened, clearly having a strong impression of the person he'd only recently encountered.
Buggy didn't bother hiding, stepping out of the forest. The hand that had saved Sabo now carried the boy back to his body.
"I was wondering who it was. Aren't these the two brats from Shanks' ship?" Buggy laughed.
An noticed Buggy said "two brats from Shanks' ship," which clearly didn't refer to Luffy.
It seemed she'd been discovered. But she didn't come out directly, instead staying put.
"Red nose! Ace, is this the clown you beat to a pulp on the sea?" Luffy immediately connected Buggy to the story Ace had bragged about to him.
Buggy: ?
Beat me to a pulp?
Does Shanks know you're this capable?
"Shut up, Luffy!"
Ace was embarrassed now. What could be worse than bragging and running into the actual person?
"It's fine, Ace. This defeated opponent actually dares show his face in front of you? I don't even need you—I can beat him!" Luffy swung his arms eagerly.
In the story, Ace had made Buggy sound worthless, so Luffy thought he could handle it too.
Ace slammed his head into the ground.
Shut up already!
Can't you see I'm panicking right now?
Ace was indeed panicking. Before, he might not have had a concept of Buggy's fighting strength.
But after their last encounter (though Ace had only watched), he knew this person could arm-wrestle with his captain.
In fact, the Buggy Pirates' total strength was even slightly superior to the Red Hair Pirates—largely thanks to Enel and Furaese.
Enel at least had someone like Beckman to match him, but below Beckman, there was no one who could fight Furaese.
Buggy had already guessed that this brat Ace must have been bragging to another brat. But he didn't mind; squabbling with kids wasn't worth his time.
"Let me go!" Sabo struggled in Buggy's grip like a little chick.
He still didn't understand what was happening, but he was somewhat afraid of this "monster" Buggy.
"I can't do that—I plan to have you join my pirate crew!" Buggy said. "Honestly, I've been searching that stinking place for days, only to find you'd hidden yourself here."
"What?" Sabo's pupils contracted.
"So you're the pirate who's been hunting me lately?"
"Hunting is a strong word. I'm just looking for a talented apprentice. How about it, kid? Want to join the Buggy Pirates?" Buggy said.
Ace immediately shouted: "You red-nosed bastard! I saw him first!"
"That's right!" Luffy echoed in a babyish voice, pulling his head out of the dirt.
"Idiot! If you're going to be a pirate, you should choose the stronger captain! Never mind Shanks—I heard you want to be a captain too. Don't make me laugh!" Buggy stuck out his tongue mockingly.
"You dare look down on me?"
"Yes," Buggy nodded sincerely.
But this actually made Ace furious. In the moment, he forgot everything and charged straight at Buggy.
Planning to punch him!
However, while Ace was still mid-air, a gust of wind surged from the forest behind Buggy, instantly sending the small Ace flying.
At this moment, a remorseful-looking Kawamatsu stepped out.
"Sorry, little Ace. I don't have any strength smaller than this."
[
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