The smoke of battle cleared, and the Blood Prison Scroll gradually shattered. Buggy and Rhett returned to the real world.
Buggy's elegant and crazy demeanor vanished in an instant. He blinked, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"Big Bro Rhett! How was that? Wasn't I the coolest?" Buggy planted his hands on his hips, his face full of pride.
His entire being radiated one message: (Go on~~ Don't hesitate~ You can start praising me now~~)
Rhett looked at him like that, feeling a bit disgusted. He had been about to reach out and ruffle Buggy's hair, but he stopped himself. "Not bad, Buggy."
Buggy's eyes instantly lit up. He grabbed Rhett's sleeve and shouted excitedly, "Yihahaha! Then what are we waiting for? Let's have a banquet! Mohji! Kabaji! Richie! Stop playing dead and get up to prepare the banquet!"
Mohji and Kabaji, who had been lying on the ground pretending to be unconscious, scrambled to their feet, moving so quickly it was as if their earlier fainting had never happened.
Kabaji jumped up and executed a super invincible sliding kneel. "Big Bro Rhett, I was wrong! I really didn't know it was you! I admit my voice was a little too loud back there."
He clung to Rhett's leg, crying loudly, just about to reach the point of wiping tears and snot all over Rhett's pants when
Rhett's gentle voice came through. "If you dare wipe even a bit of your tears or snot on me, I'll take apart every single one of your body parts."
Buggy walked over with one hand and delivered a Siberian Titan Dragon bare-handed planet-shattering punch.
One slap sent Kabaji flying. "If my big bro really cared about it, you wouldn't still be here crying."
Mohji wiped the foam from the corner of his mouth and muttered quietly, "Captain, could you maybe give us a heads-up next time? You almost scared us to death..."
Buggy waved his hand grandly, full of heroic spirit. "Enough talk! Today is a big day. This captain is going to celebrate properly!"
Richie yawned lazily, slowly got up, grabbed a piece of meat, and walked off to the side to chew on it. The four of them also enthusiastically brought out barrels of sake and food. The deck quickly became lively.
Night fell. A bonfire blazed on the deck. The scent of grilled meat mixed with the aroma of sake filled the air.
Buggy raised his cup and announced loudly, "Today, this captain is going to tell you all about my legendary experiences!"
The crew gathered around. Even Rhett leaned against the ship's railing, watching him with interest.
"After I split up with Shanks, Shanks? Hmph! I worked as a bounty hunter for quite a while!" Buggy tilted his head back and gulped down some sake, wiping his mouth. "Those small-time pirates were no challenge. This captain could deal with them with just a flick of my fingers!"
Mohji quietly complained, "Captain, when you tricked me into joining your crew, you said you were a lonely, righteous hero, the Clown King who punishes the world, and that following you would mean I'd never go hungry. But we ran all over the place and went hungry for six out of every nine meals..."
Buggy glared at him. "Shut up!"
Buggy glanced at Rhett and saw that Rhett didn't seem to have heard clearly. He was still looking at Buggy with the same smiling expression.
The current Buggy was like young Rhett with Roger. He only reported the good news, not the bad. Big Bro Rhett only needed to know about his successes.
He cleared his throat and continued, "Later, I saved up enough money, bought this ship, and then ran into you unreliable guys!"
Kabaji raised his cup and said with a grin, "Captain, is that a compliment or an insult?"
Buggy laughed heartily. "Of course it's a compliment! Even though you're clumsy, you're still this captain's crew!" He paused, and his eyes suddenly became gentle. "But what makes me happiest is seeing Big Bro Rhett again today."
Rhett raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. "I'm not taking on any more little brothers."
Buggy scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "I didn't recognize you back then... Besides, you were wearing a mask. Who knew it was you!"
The crew burst into laughter. Buggy laughed along with them. Their laughter was filled with the joy of a long-awaited reunion.
After a few rounds of sake, Buggy's spirits grew higher and higher.
He jumped up onto the table and raised his cup high. "Brothers! Next, this captain is going to take you into the New World! We're going to make everyone know the name of the Buggy Pirates!"
"Our lives will shout out loud as well!!!!!"
"Ooh—!" The crew cheered in unison.
Rhett watched the lively scene before him.
Buggy turned his head, a flicker of emotion in his eyes. "Big Bro Rhett, why are you all alone? Do you need our help?"
Rhett shook his head and smiled. "No need. Anywhere in the world now, if you see the blood-colored dragon head hanging, you can contact me. Here, take this Den Den Mushi."
Buggy pouted, but he still took the Den Den Mushi and pretended to be disappointed. "Geez, I don't need this." But he quickly smiled again. "But that's okay. This captain is really strong now!"
Rhett raised his cup and lightly clinked it against Buggy's. "Then I'll be waiting to see what you can do."
The banquet continued late into the night. The deck was covered with drunk crew members lying sprawled out everywhere. Buggy leaned against the mast, looking up at the star-filled sky, and suddenly said, "Big Bro Rhett, I've actually always been very grateful to you."
Buggy smiled. He still had the appearance of a clown, but his personality had gained a steadiness that wasn't present in the original story. It could be said that the current Buggy more closely resembled a合格 captain.
Able to pursue his own ambitions upward, and strong enough downward to protect his crew.
"When I was little..."
Rhett turned to look at him. "You can stop there. Don't make me feel sick. Buggy, pirates are about fearless adventure."
He reached out and ruffled Buggy's hair. "You've done it, haven't you?"
Buggy nodded firmly, his eyes shining with determination. "Yes! Until I become a true Emperor of the Sea! And then..."
Buggy's daydream:
Buggy lay in a rocking chair. "Little Shanks~ come give this captain a foot massage."
Shanks stood beside him, crying. "Yes, Lord Buggy."
Buggy: "Yihahaha."
Just thinking about it made Buggy feel incredibly good. He smiled with immense satisfaction.
Rhett patted his head. "Oi, wake up. Stop dreaming. I'll be waiting to see what you can do."
"Big Bro Rhett, where are you planning to go?"
"I'm going to see my nephews. Captain's children, Ann and Ace, in Windmill Village. Want to come?"
"Ace, huh? That sounds nice. But no thanks. I'll wait until I've made more of a name for myself before I go see them!" Buggy stretched and suddenly put his playful, grinning face back on. "Alright, this captain is going to sleep! We still have more crew to recruit tomorrow!"
Rhett watched him hop away. He shook his head, but his eyes were full of satisfaction.
The next morning, sunlight streamed across the deck. Buggy stood at the bow, facing the sea breeze, and announced loudly, "Set sail! Destination — the New World!"
The crew responded with energy, "Yes, Captain!"