“Man, I’m exhausted!!” After defeating the swordsman, Zoro slumped onto the ground.
He had already pushed himself well past his physical limit for the day.
“Luffy, I’ll leave the rest to you.” With that, he lay back, closed his eyes, and immediately fell asleep.
“Leave it to me!” Luffy answered firmly as he stepped forward.
“Ladies and gentlemen!
The first match—the Buggy Pirates versus an outside pirate crew!
Although the Buggy Pirates had the home-field advantage, this was unfortunately a completely one-sided battle.
Congratulations to our challengers on their victory!
Let’s give our winners a round of applause!” “Hey, you bastard!
Stop spouting nonsense!
I’ll tear you to pieces!” Buggy was furious at Dazai’s nonstop commentary.
Rolling up his sleeves, he stormed forward, ready to teach him a lesson.
Luffy stepped in front of him.
“Your opponent is me.” “So that’s how it is, brat.
You came here looking for trouble?
Then your pirate career ends today!” The two captains entered the obligatory pre-battle trash-talking phase.
“Captain Buggy activates the Chop-Chop Fruit and launches the first attack!
Luffy immediately counters!
Neither side is giving an inch!” Dazai showed absolutely no intention of stopping his self-appointed role as commentator.
“Dazai~~~” Nami, who had supposedly gone her own way, suddenly returned and hurried over with an ingratiating smile.
“Dazai…
about that treasure…
since I found it first, shouldn’t I get a share?” She attempted to use her charm.
It failed.
Dazai thought for a moment.
“…My throat’s a little dry.” A cup of warm water immediately appeared in front of him.
“I want coffee.” Veins bulged on Nami’s forehead, but she forced down her anger and quickly exchanged it for coffee.
“Too bitter.
Lemonade.” Dazai continued pushing his luck, dancing right on the edge of her patience.
“Certainly…
Dazai…
sama.” Nami’s fists clenched so tightly they trembled.
Stay calm.
Don’t ruin everything now.
Moments later, a glass of ice-cold lemonade appeared before him.
“Anything else?” she asked with a terrifying smile.
“Hmm…
My shoulders are a little stiff.” Dazai leisurely sipped his lemonade while watching Luffy and Buggy fight, deliberately glancing at Nami, who looked seconds away from exploding.
“What?!
You—!” Flames practically erupted behind her.
“…Treasure.” Dazai calmly uttered a single word.
Instantly, Nami’s rage disappeared.
She spun around gracefully, put on a radiant smile, and began massaging his shoulders.
“How’s this pressure?” “A little too hard, Nami-san.” Meanwhile…
“This hat is my greatest treasure!” The battle between Luffy and Buggy intensified.
Buggy thrust forward with a knife, the blade slicing through Luffy’s precious straw hat.
Luffy’s anger skyrocketed.
“Luffy, want me to help?” Dazai knew exactly how important the hat was to Luffy.
Buggy’s scattered body was troublesome to deal with, but if Dazai used his nullification ability, Buggy’s severed body parts would instantly return to normal.
Luffy also understood how effective Dazai’s ability would be against Buggy.
But Dazai had agreed not to participate in combat after joining the crew.
More importantly…
Captain versus captain.
A captain protects his crew.
This was Luffy’s fight, and no one else would interfere.
“Dazai…
this is my battle.” “I’ll win.” Luffy gratefully accepted Dazai’s concern, but refused the help.
Despite his carefree nature and simple personality, Luffy possessed admirable qualities.
He never backed down from a challenge.
He never gave up.
Many people joked about courage, but very few actually lived by it.
“So that straw hat means that much to you?” Buggy sneered.
“If something’s so precious…
you should protect it better!” With a wicked grin, he launched his hand forward.
Rip!
Three daggers pierced through the straw hat before the detached hand returned to Buggy.
Looking at the familiar hat, Buggy suddenly remembered someone he absolutely hated.
“Just looking at this hat makes me angry!” “Shanks gave it to me.” “It’s my greatest treasure.” Shanks…
Even his belongings are annoying…
Although she was still massaging Dazai’s shoulders, Nami had been watching the fight the whole time.
She finally realized how important the hat truly was.
“…I can sew it back together.” she murmured softly.
Dazai immediately raised his hand.
“Luffy!
Luffy!
Nami says she can repair your hat!” “Really?!
Nami, you’re the best!” Luffy lit up with excitement.
Now he wanted to finish the fight as quickly as possible.
“Hurry up and end this!
Nami’s going to fix my hat!” Seeing the group casually talking as if he didn’t exist, Buggy’s temper exploded.
“Are you all looking down on me?!” Pointing a dagger at Luffy, he sneered, “This thing’s important to you?
It’s just an ordinary hat.
Treasure is worth far more!” He raised his dagger, ready to destroy it.
Smack!
A glass flew through the air and smashed directly into Buggy’s head.
The remaining lemonade trickled slowly down his face.
“…Oops.” Nami remained frozen in the exact pose she’d thrown it.
“You little witch!!
You’re dead!” Buggy completely lost his temper.
His upper body detached and shot straight toward Nami.
Dazai, still sitting comfortably, merely looked regretfully at the wasted lemonade.
He didn’t move an inch.
“AAAAAH!
MY GROIN!!” Halfway there, Buggy suddenly collapsed with a scream.
Luffy had kicked Buggy’s lower body squarely between the legs.
Every man present instantly understood his pain.
“…Interesting.” “So even though the body is separated, the pain is still shared.” “That completely defies medical science.” “I’m sure Mori Ougai would find this fascinating.” Dazai stood up and casually walked over to Buggy’s scattered body.
Curiously, he poked one of Buggy’s detached hands.
Buggy quickly recovered and floated back into the air— Then his expression changed.
He couldn’t feel his hand anymore.
“…Who are you?” The instant Dazai’s fingers touched the detached hand, it completely lost the effects of the Chop-Chop Fruit.
It felt as though it had sunk into the sea.
It wouldn’t move.
Nullification…
For the first time in years, Buggy felt genuine fear.
The Chop-Chop Fruit had always made him believe he was practically immortal.
Except for the sea itself, nothing could kill him.
But Dazai…
Dazai could nullify his Devil Fruit.
If Dazai touched his separated head…
He would actually die.
Is this really how Captain Buggy’s dream of conquering the Grand Line ends…?
Dazai enjoyed seeing people fear him while being powerless to do anything.
Still…
Touching a smelly man’s body for too long made him feel slightly disgusted.
So he released Buggy’s hand.
It immediately floated back into the air.
So the nullification only lasts while I’m touching it…
Dazai silently noted.
Buggy immediately backed away, keeping as much distance from Dazai as possible.
“Dazai.” Luffy rubbed his forehead.
“I said this is my fight.” “Hehe.
All right, Captain.” Dazai shrugged, raised both hands in surrender, and stepped back.
He had already learned everything he wanted about his ability.
No more testing was necessary.
Watching all this unfold, Nami silently reached a conclusion.
Buggy < Luffy < Dazai Her eyes sparkled.
“Dazai!
Is there anything else you’d like me to do?” Her attitude had done a complete one-eighty.
Dazai calmly pointed toward Buggy’s floating body parts.
“Nami.
Tie those up.” She instantly understood.
Using the agility of an expert thief, she quickly gathered Buggy’s scattered body parts together and tightly bound them with rope.
When Buggy prepared to reassemble himself for one final showdown…
He discovered he only had a head and two feet.
Everything else was tied up in Nami’s bundle.
His eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“Thanks, Nami!” Luffy had been annoyed that every punch simply made Buggy split into even more pieces.
Now that Nami had solved that problem…
He grinned.
Stretching both arms far behind him, he lowered his stance.
“Gum-Gum(Gomu Gomu)…
Bazooka!!” Unable to dodge with only his tiny legs, Buggy could only watch in horror as Luffy’s attack slammed into him.
He rocketed into the sky, disappearing into the distance.
Thus ended the battle between the Buggy Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates.
Result: 0–1 Straw Hat Pirates win.
“Is it over already?” Zoro had finished a refreshing nap just in time to see Buggy blasted away.
“Yep!” Luffy beamed.
Just as the Buggy Pirates saw their captain defeated, they immediately fled.
Soon afterward, a crowd of townspeople carrying hoes, shovels, and farming tools rushed toward the plaza.
Leading them was a young man with green hair.
Seeing Zoro, Cabaji, and Mohji lying on the ground, he hesitated before asking politely, “You youngsters…
are you from outside town?” Seeing the townspeople arrive, Dazai glanced at the unconscious mayor on the ground.
Without making a sound…
He slipped away.
Meanwhile, Luffy cheerfully replied, “Yeah!
What about you?” “We’re the residents of this town.” Looking around at the devastated streets and the unconscious mayor, the young man asked, “Did the pirates start fighting each other?
Do you know what happened?
And…
who knocked out the mayor?” Nami suddenly had a terrible feeling.
“Wait—” Before she could stop him— “I knocked him out.” Nami buried her face in her hand.
“…There was absolutely no need to admit that!
At least explain why!” she cried in frustration.
“So you’re pirates?!” “That’s right!
We’re pirates!” As expected, Luffy managed to ignite the entire town with only a few sentences.
The furious townspeople charged toward them.
Nami sighed helplessly.
Zoro simply laughed.
The three immediately turned and ran.
By the time they reached the harbor— “You’re late.” Dazai lowered the newspaper shielding him from the sun.
Three captured pirates stood beside him, diligently fanning him.
He looked thoroughly relaxed.
“Sorry!
Sorry!” Luffy scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
Nami could only stare speechlessly at the comfortably lounging Dazai.
The moment she boarded the ship and saw two enormous sacks filled with treasure…
Her eyes instantly transformed into Berries.
“Dazai…
surely a humble lady deserves a share of the treasure?” Watching her expression change yet again, Luffy whispered, “Zoro…
do you think Nami’s sick?” “Don’t worry about those two.” Zoro didn’t even look surprised anymore.
“Oh.
Okay.” After everything was settled, the four boarded the large ship left behind by the Buggy Pirates and set sail.
Just as the harbor disappeared into the distance, the mayor finally arrived after waking up.
Though still stubborn, he awkwardly shouted his thanks to them.
Luffy happily waved goodbye.
Then the mayor noticed the huge sack of treasure left on the dock.
His eyes filled with tears.
They’re good people…
“Dazai.” “Thank you.” Luffy looked sincerely at him.
“You’re the captain.” “A captain’s orders are absolute.” Dazai smiled.
“My treasure…” Nami stared mournfully at the fortune she’d lost.
It felt as though half her heart had gone with it.
“Stop staring.” “That’s my money.” Dazai added with a mischievous grin.
In truth, Dazai didn’t care much about money.
He was constantly attempting suicide, frequently lost his wallet, and often spent someone else’s money anyway.
Teasing people was simply one of his favorite hobbies.
“So much money…” “What should I buy?” “Bandages?
Crab meat?” “What a difficult decision.” Looking up at the clear blue sky before glancing at his now-relaxed companions, Dazai smiled.
“What wonderful weather today.” The moment the words left his mouth— Zoro’s heart skipped a beat.
Sure enough— Splash!
“Dazai jumped into the sea, Zoro!!” Luffy panicked and immediately dove in after him.
Unfortunately…
He forgot he was a Devil Fruit User.
Seconds later, he was drowning too.
“What the heck?!” Nami stared in utter disbelief at Dazai’s sudden dive.
“Go save them.” Zoro expressionlessly rolled up his sleeves and mechanically jumped into the water after Dazai.
Nami hurriedly pulled the helpless Luffy out instead.
…Was joining this pirate crew really the right decision?
And so…
The day ended in complete chaos.
Straw Hat Pirates: 4 members (provisional)