In the middle of Orange Town, Mayor Boodle rose from where he had been sitting. His body was still trembling as he remembered the incident that had nearly cost him his life earlier, but the determination shining in his eyes had not faded at all.
He then turned his gaze toward Luffy's group.
"You, what are you doing here? I'm grateful for your help earlier."
Boodle took a deep breath before continuing.
"But this is Orange Town's problem. You're outsiders, so you don't need to risk your lives for this town."
After saying that, Boodle turned around and began running toward Buggy's base with his spear in hand. His steps were still slightly unsteady, and his breathing sounded heavy, but he continued forcing himself forward. It was as though by continuing to run, he was also gathering the courage that had wavered within him.
"Buggy! I won't let you do whatever you want anymore!"
"Ah, wait a moment, Boodle-san!"
Nami tried to call out to him, but Boodle did not stop. The mayor's back instead grew farther and farther away along the deserted streets of Orange Town.
Zoro looked toward Boodle with slight confusion.
"What exactly is going on here?"
Because he had gotten lost earlier, he did not know what had actually happened in the town.
Nami then briefly explained everything that had happened since they arrived in Orange Town.
Zoro nodded after listening to her explanation. He then untied the bandana around his arm and tied it around his head. His gaze became serious.
"Looks like we have another reason to beat up that Buggy guy."
"Shishi, right?"
Luffy pulled his straw hat slightly downward before grinning widely, revealing a row of teeth.
After defeating Richie and Mohji and taking revenge for what they had done by destroying Chouchou's treasure, Luffy had returned to his usual self. The anger that had filled him earlier had disappeared, replaced by his relaxed expression and characteristic smile.
However, a few moments later, that smile slowly disappeared.
Luffy sensed something dangerous moving toward them.
He looked up.
"What is it?"
Nami also looked up, as did Zoro. In the sky stretching above the ruins of Orange Town, they saw a red light shooting straight toward them.
Luffy immediately stretched out his hand.
A blue panel appeared in front of him.
The red light suddenly disappeared into the panel.
Nami and Zoro were stunned.
Just moments ago, something had been flying toward them, but as soon as Luffy stretched out his hand, the object simply disappeared.
The two of them then turned their gazes toward Luffy.
In his hand was now a ball painted red with a skull symbol on its surface.
"What is that?"
Nami moved closer to Luffy's side. Her curiosity overcame the wariness she had felt moments earlier, making her examine the red ball carefully.
"I don't know. But this seems like a pretty dangerous object," Luffy answered.
He did not look panicked. After observing the object for a moment, Luffy placed it back into his Inventory.
Nami continued staring at him.
Her gaze made Luffy tilt his head.
"What?"
"What exactly are you?"
Nami's tone was serious. She pointed at Luffy's hand, then toward the place where the object had disappeared.
"Your hands can stretch, and you can also make things disappear and appear out of nowhere."
Luffy answered without hesitation.
"I'm a Devil Fruit user who ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi, a rubber human."
To prove it, Luffy immediately pulled his own cheek until it stretched out.
Nami blinked.
"A Devil Fruit? I thought those were just myths."
Because Devil Fruits and their users were so rare in East Blue, most people there considered the existence of Devil Fruits nothing more than exaggerated stories. Nami herself had never truly expected to meet one of their users.
"No, they're real. Just look at me."
Luffy released his cheek and returned it to normal.
"But that doesn't explain how you can make an object disappear and appear out of nowhere."
"Ah, that's a little different. That's an ability I got from someone."
Nami stared at Luffy for a few moments. That answer clearly did not satisfy her curiosity, but she could tell from Luffy's expression that the boy had no intention of explaining any further.
For some reason, instead of making her feel more at ease, it only made Nami even more curious about Luffy.
"So there are a lot of strange things about you, huh..."
Luffy merely smiled.
...
Meanwhile, at Buggy's base, which was located on top of a bar they had taken over, Buggy stood at the edge of the roof with his arms crossed. His gaze was fixed on the distance, waiting for the explosion that his Buggy Dama should have produced.
He intended to give his enemies a grand welcome before they met.
Of course, that was only if they were still alive after being hit by his attack.
"Gyahahaha!"
Buggy smiled proudly as he imagined what he considered to be his brilliant plan.
However, several moments passed.
There was no explosion.
No sound.
Buggy frowned. He turned toward one of his men.
"What is it? Why don't I see the grand welcome I gave them?"
A pirate immediately raised a telescope and looked into the distance.
"Captain Buggy! That cannonball suddenly disappeared!"
"Nani?!"
Buggy was shocked. His face immediately changed to one of disbelief.
"Could it be that kid can keep making my Buggy Dama disappear?"
He then moved his hands irritably.
"Keep firing at them!"
"Yes, Captain!"
His men immediately took out another cannonball painted red with a skull symbol, loaded it into the cannon, then aimed the barrel toward Luffy's group.
BOOM!
Buggy fired another Buggy Dama.
But the result was the same.
The cannonball disappeared again.
"Gyahahaha!"
Buggy laughed tensely, then once again ordered his men to fire.
"Fire!"
BOOM!
For the second time, the Buggy Dama disappeared before reaching its target.
Buggy began to grow irritated.
"Why does it keep disappearing?!"
Meanwhile, on the streets of Orange Town, Boodle finally arrived at Buggy's base.
His body was trembling. Sweat ran down his forehead, and his breathing sounded heavy after running that far. However, his eyes were still burning with determination.
Boodle stopped directly beneath the bar the pirates had taken over.
He gripped his spear tightly, then raised his head.
"Hey, you pirates!"
His voice echoed through the deserted streets.
"I am the mayor of this town, Boodle! For the sake of my townspeople, for the sake of Chouchou's shop... I challenge you!"
The shout caught the attention of Buggy's pirates.
On the roof of the bar, Buggy, who was still standing at the edge of the building, finally looked down.
He saw the small figure of an old man standing alone in the street.
Buggy lazily scratched his ear.
"Huh? Where did this old man come from?"
To Buggy, Boodle's challenge did not look threatening at all.
He did not even take it seriously.