A heavy silence settled over the battlefield. The sky above Egghead Island rumbled, thick with storm clouds, as the world itself seemed to hold its breath.
Gabban scoffed, tilting his head with a grin. "Really now?"
Crocodile took a slow drag from his cigar, his sharp gaze flicking to Buggy. "Captain… don't tell me you actually know the name of the one sitting on the Empty Throne?"
The question cut through the air like a blade. A few exchanged glances, the weight of the moment pressing down on even the most hardened of warriors.
Then, a voice broke the silence.
"Dr. Vegapunk!"
All eyes turned to the scientist.
"Can you confirm it?"
Vegapunk didn't respond. His lips parted, his long tongue twitching slightly, but no words came out. His eyes—brilliant, analytical, always filled with knowledge—were wide with pure, unfiltered shock.
A moment passed.
"You see that?" Sanjuan elbowed Bullet with a smirk. "The doctor's speechless!"
Lucci let out a quiet hum, his sharp feline eyes narrowing. "Even Vegapunk didn't see that coming."
Sabo chuckled, arms crossed. "Now that's a rare sight. A genius at a loss for words."
"As expected from the man destined to rule the world!" S-Hawk murmured, his deep voice calm yet filled with something almost like admiration. "Even the name of the hidden king was already within his grasp."
Bullet cracked his knuckles, grinning wildly. "Tch. If he's saying it, then it's fact."
Dragon, who had remained quiet all this time, let out a low chuckle. The storm winds whipped around him, but his gaze never left Buggy.
"Well now…" He smirked. "This just got interesting."
And in the center of it all, Buggy stood tall, hands in his pockets, smirking like a king before his subjects.
For a moment, the tension in the air shattered—laughter erupted from the Buggy Pirates, their shock transforming into wild amusement. Even Dragon and his allies could only sigh, shaking their heads with bitter smiles.
One thing was clear—this revelation had hit them hard.
A king of the world… It had never even crossed Dragon's mind that such a figure truly existed.
"Buggy, how do you know this?" Vegapunk asked, still visibly rattled.
Buggy, unfazed, shrugged casually. "Ever heard of a special type of Observation Haki? The ability to listen to the Voice of All Things?"
Gabban's eyes widened. "Ah! Captain Roger had that ability too!"
Bullet shot Buggy a look of disbelief. "You mastered that too? Just how many tricks do you have hidden up your sleeve?!"
Vegapunk, unable to contain himself, nearly fell off the table in his rush to grab Buggy's hand. "Buggy! How much do you know about the Void Century? Tell me everything!"
Buggy smirked. "You wanna know?"
"Of course! I have to know!" Vegapunk's eyes gleamed with scientific desperation.
Buggy clapped a hand on his shoulder and grinned. "Then get ready—because soon, you're coming with me to Raftel."
"What?!"
The six Vegapunks all shouted in unison, their jaws practically hitting the floor.
Buggy merely laughed and turned away, striding toward the exit.
"But let's not get ahead of ourselves," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Before we talk about Raftel, we've got some pests to deal with first." His grin stretched wider. "I'm very curious to see what kind of trump card the Celestial Dragons have up their sleeves."
He raised his hand, his voice carrying through the air like a war drum.
"Alright, boys—Operation Drums of Liberation begins now!"
A deafening roar erupted from the crew as they surged forward, their captain leading them toward the port of Egghead Island—toward the battle that would shake the world.
Egghead Island – Port
At the same time, ten massive Celestial Dragon warships loomed over the harbor, slowly docking in formation.
A figure in a crisp white suit and an iron mask stepped forward, his voice cold and authoritative.
"Egghead Island! We are CP0! Open the port immediately and grant us entry!"
Creak—
As the command echoed through the air, the entire port rumbled to life. Mechanical platforms shifted, and the docking area expanded, making room for the enormous warships to anchor within Egghead Island's waters.
Watching this unfold, several CP0 agents exchanged puzzled glances.
"That easy?" one of them muttered.
"I thought CP5, CP8, and CP9 were all denied access before?" another whispered.
"Hmph," a senior agent scoffed. We are the Celestial Dragons' ultimate enforcers. Vegapunk wouldn't dare refuse us."
"In any case, we've secured our landing. Mission accomplished."
As the fleet of the Celestial Dragons settled into position, a procession descended onto the port.
At the forefront, flanked by CP0 agents, strode Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, one of the Five Elders. Behind him, moving with an air of divine authority, were the Knights of God, their presence suffocating, their silent steps exuding menace.
As they marched forward, an unspoken formation instinctively took shape—CP0 at the vanguard, the Five Elders in the heart, and the Knights of God bringing up the rear, as though shielding their master.
Yet, as they emerged into the square beyond the docks, they came to an abrupt halt.
The scene before them was… unexpected.
Towering high platforms, sculpted from solidified golden sand, lined the area. The structures were arranged in descending height, the tallest in the center, each throne-like seat occupied.
And there—seated at the highest platform—was a figure that froze them all in place.
Familiar long blue hair, tied back in a high, effortless ponytail that danced in the breeze.
Familiar clown makeup—loud, ridiculous, impossible to ignore. And yet, somehow... iconic.
A familiar crisp white captain's cloak rested on his shoulders like it belonged there. It did.
Familiar tailored suit, creased sharp and clean—more fitting of a world leader than a pirate.
And above all, that familiar grin.
Arrogant. Unruly. Drenched in self-assurance and madness. The kind of grin that didn't ask for attention—it demanded it.
Buggy the Clown had arrived.
"Clown… Buggy!!!"
Saturn's voice was laced with disbelief and fury, his teeth grinding as he spat out the name.
To Buggy's right sat a gathering of terrifying legends—Scopper Gaban, Douglas Bullet, Crocodile, Juan, Trafalgar Law, Rob Lucci, S-Hawk, S-Snake, and other core members of the Godslayer Pirates.
To his left, a coalition just as fearsome—Boa Hancock, Monkey D. Dragon, Sabo, Emporio Ivankov, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and members of CP9.
It was a lineup unlike anything the world had seen.
The mightiest pirate alliance of the modern age assembled in one place, standing before Saturn and the Knights of God.
Seeing the sheer shock written across their enemies' faces, Buggy slowly stood. One hand in his pocket, the other brushing his bangs back, he lifted his chin ever so slightly, gazing down at Saint Jaygarcia Saturn with an insufferable smirk.
His lips curled as he spoke:
"Warrior God of Science and Defense—Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, huh?"
"Judging by that stunned face, I almost thought you didn't recognize me. But no, it seems I've made quite the impression." His smirk deepened, his voice laced with mockery. "So? How is it? Do you like the grand welcome ceremony I prepared? Are you shocked? Or… are you surprised?"
"Hahahaha!"
The air was thick with Buggy's laughter.
"Tch!"
Saturn's scowl darkened. His voice, though measured, seethed with contempt.
"Mere pirates—so arrogant. Do you truly believe that being prepared changes anything?" His lips twisted into a sneer. "Foolish. In the face of our absolute strength, how exactly do you plan to resist?"
He shook his head.
"Originally, I only came here to intimidate you—a show of force, nothing more. But since you insist on playing hero…" His cold eyes locked onto Buggy. "I'll see to it that today is the day you die."
He turned slightly.
"Saint Garling," he addressed the man at his side. "Show these clowns the true power of the World Government."
A low chuckle rumbled from Figarland Garling, his red crescent-shaped beard barely hiding his smirk.
"As you wish, Saint Saturn," Garling muttered.
With an effortless motion, he stepped forward, unsheathing his blade in one smooth motion.
Schwing!
The sound of metal slicing the air sent a chill through the battlefield.
Then, in a voice laced with quiet menace, he spoke, "Knights of God—there's no need to hold back. Prepare for battle."
"Oooooooh!!!"
A battle cry erupted as the tension in the square reached its peak.
Immediately, the eight cloaked figures at the rear let out a unified battle cry. Their Haki surged violently, distorting the air around them. In an instant, their cloaks burst apart, shredded by the sheer force of their aura.
Chichichichi—
As the fabric disintegrated, Buggy and his allies finally laid eyes on the full Knights of God—and what they saw made their blood run cold.
Among them, five warriors stood at an imposing three meters tall, similar in stature to Figarland Garling. However, the last three figures were unlike anything they had encountered before.
Two of them were absolute giants, towering at four meters, their presence alone exuding monstrous strength.
And the last—the final figure was a behemoth, standing at a staggering seven meters tall.
Buggy's gaze flickered.
These three...
They had to be the mysterious figures Shanks had spoken of—the ones he had never fought before. Now, thanks to Garling's earlier command, their masks fractured, revealing their faces to the world.
—CRACK—
And when the final shards of their masks fell away, silence swept across the battlefield.
Even Buggy's pupils contracted in shock.
"Wha—"
The tension shattered like glass.
A wave of stunned gasps erupted across Egghead Island, carrying from the port to the innermost research labs.
Egghead Island – Underground Research Facility
Inside a hidden surveillance room, the six Vegapunks and Caesar Clown stood frozen before a wall of monitors, their faces pale.
The chaotic battle was unfolding before their eyes, and what they saw should have been impossible.
Caesar's jaw hung open. "Oi, old man! Didn't you say all the cloning data was destroyed?! What the hell is this?!"
The original Dr. Vegapunk, wide-eyed and trembling, shook his head, his abnormally long tongue flicking in distress.
"I—I don't know! This shouldn't be possible! That research was completely erased! I saw to it myself!"
Then, suddenly—
His expression darkened.
"Wait… no… no, this has York's fingerprints all over it!" A horrible realization struck him. "That traitorous fool… York must have handed over my research to the World Government!"
"Damn it!" Vegapunk clenched his fists. "No wonder they wanted me dead! The moment they got their hands on the cloning data, my knowledge became obsolete!"
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head with a bitter laugh. "Heh… how naïve, York. Did you think the World Government would let you live after giving them everything?"
He turned back toward the monitors, watching as Buggy and his allies faced an unfathomable threat.
"This just made things a hell of a lot harder for them."
Egghead Island – Port Square
A heavy silence hung in the air.
Then—
"Kaido!?"
"Golden Lion!?"
"Captain John!?"
Almost simultaneously, Scopper Gaban, Douglas Bullet, Monkey D. Dragon, and the others shot to their feet in pure disbelief. This wasn't possible.
Yet standing before them, clad in the uniform of the Knights of God, were three legends of the old era—Kaido, Shiki the Golden Lion, and Captain John.
They looked identical. Their presence, their Haki—everything was the same.
Dragon's voice came out hoarse. "Those are... perfect clones!?"
A low, guttural chuckle rumbled from Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's throat, growing into a slow, sadistic laugh as he tapped his gnarled cane against the stone. His towering form radiated an air of absolute authority, his beady eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.
"Fufufu… So, now you begin to grasp it, do you?" His voice slithered through the air, thick with mockery. Slowly, he spread his arms wide, as if unveiling a grand spectacle. "THIS… is the power of the World Government!"
With a sharp thud, he slammed his cane into the ground.
"You heard correctly! We have transcended mortality itself! We have mastered the ability to bring even the mightiest monsters of the past back from the grave!" His voice swelled with triumph, his expression twisting into something almost ecstatic.
"Kaido... the Golden Lion... Captain John… They all stand before you once more!" He leaned forward slightly, savoring the horror that spread across his enemies' faces. "And do not delude yourselves into thinking they are mere imitations. No—these clones wield the exact strength of their originals! Every ounce of their devastating power remains intact!"
The battlefield fell into an uneasy silence, thick with the weight of his words. Then, Saturn sneered, his grin widening into something predatory.
"Now tell me… how do you intend to fight us?"
He let the question hang, allowing the dread to settle deep in their bones before chuckling again—a deep, sinister sound.
"You walked willingly into your own demise."
His voice turned sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.
"Five warriors at or above the Admiral level."
"Five more at Admiral level."
And then, his eyes locked onto Buggy, piercing and unyielding, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Clown Buggy… how do you intend to fight me now?"
A slow, cruel laugh echoed across the battlefield.
His voice was brimming with confidence. He wanted to see Buggy's arrogance falter—to witness panic, fear, and the realization of helplessness in that damn clown's eyes.
Yet—
Buggy did not falter. The jester captain remained still, his arms crossed, his chin lifted ever so slightly. That infuriating smirk never left his lips.
Even in the face of overwhelming power, Buggy only looked down at Saturn as if the old man was nothing but a footnote in his story.
Saturn's eye twitched.
Why…?
Why was this man still smiling?
Then, before he could voice his frustration, Buggy casually raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
—SNAP—
The sound echoed across the battlefield like a gunshot.
Then Buggy slowly lowered his gaze, staring directly into Saturn's eyes. His voice was calm, cold, and absolute.
"If this is all you've brought… then that's unfortunate."
A beat of silence.
Then Buggy's lips curled into a wicked grin. "Because none of you are leaving this island alive."
SNAP!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The instant Buggy's fingers snapped, three deafening thunderclaps roared from the dark, churning clouds above. Lightning crackled through the sky, illuminating the battlefield in eerie flashes.
Then—
A series of explosions erupted from the port, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.
The Five Elders—Saint Jaygarcia Saturn and the others—whipped their heads around instinctively.
What they saw made their pupils contract in shock. At the very place where their fleet had docked, dozens of towering water pillars, each several meters wide, erupted into the sky.
Among them—
Shattered timbers. Fragments of warships. The dismembered limbs of their soldiers.
The wreckage of the Fleet, bigger than the entire Buster Call, the Celestial Dragons' armada, was being tossed into the skies like mere debris.
The battlefield fell into a stunned silence. For a moment, even the Knights of God stood frozen.
Then—
Saturn's expression twisted with rage as he turned back to Buggy, his eyes burning with fury.
"You destroyed our fleet!?"
His voice was sharp, incredulous.
"You think you can stand against us?!" His cane slammed against the ground. "Do you honestly believe you can keep us here?!"
Buggy only chuckled, his hands still casually tucked into his coat pockets. Hovering in midair, he looked down at the battlefield like an emperor gazing upon his court.
His voice rang out across the square, echoing like a decree.
"Alright, guys. Pick your opponents."
Silence.
Then—
"Arrogant little clown!" Saturn's fury exploded. Buggy hadn't just issued a challenge—he had outright dismissed them.
The Five Elders, the Knights of God, warriors who had ruled the world for centuries, were being treated as mere choices on a battlefield.
Yet—
Despite his anger, uncertainty gnawed at the back of Saturn's mind. Buggy wasn't a fool.
He was the man known as "The Man who was always Ten Steps ahead", a name spoken in hushed tones among the highest circles of power—a ghost in the shadows, always ten moves ahead, weaving plots so intricate that even strategic geniuses like Sengoku were duped by him. From his days aboard the Oro Jackson, he had watched, learned, and planned, his ambitions stretching far beyond the era of the Pirate King.
Even with all the might of the World Government gathered here, could they truly subdue him? They wouldn't know until the battle began.
"Heh. You know..." A deep, gravelly voice broke the tension.
From the ranks of Buggy's forces, Scopper Gaban floated into the air, his arms crossed lazily over his chest.
A grin stretched across his face. "I've always wondered what it'd be like to punch a Celestial Dragon."
His sharp gaze locked onto the battlefield. Then it froze on a particular figure. Gaban's smirk widened into something more feral.
"But you know what?" His tone dropped, filled with something darker. "I just saw a certain golden-haired bastard... and now I've changed my mind."
His eyes landed on the cloned Golden Lion Shiki.
"That damn lion gave us hell back in the day." Gaban's fingers twitched, his Haki surging. "So I wanna see something. Is this so-called 'perfect copy' really as strong as the original?" His aura crackled around him as he extended one hand, palm up.
"And more importantly—" The air around him shifted, warping unnaturally.
Saturn and the Garling's eyes widened in shock.
"I wanna see which is stronger: his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi..." Gaban clenched his fist. "Or mine."
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT!?" Saturn's voice tore through the battlefield.
Figarland Garling's head snapped toward Gaban, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"You ate the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi!?" His voice was edged with disbelief. "When did this happen?!"
This wasn't part of their calculations.
Scopper Gaban was already a monster of an old era, a man with Admiral-level strength even without a Devil Fruit.
But now—
Now, he had consumed the same fruit as Shiki the Golden Lion, the infamous Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, a fruit that defied gravity itself.
Their predictions—their expectations for this battle—had just been shattered.
And they weren't the only ones caught off guard.
From the sidelines, even some of Buggy's allies stared in surprise.
Crocodile exhaled sharply, folding his arms. "Tch. That old bastard's been holding out on us."
Sabo grinned. "Heh. Can't underestimate these old guys."
But the most telling reaction came from the clone of Golden Lion Shiki himself.
The cloned pirate squinted down at Gaban, eyes flickering with something unreadable. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he smirked.
"Fuhahaha..." A low, familiar laugh rumbled from his throat. "Interesting. Very interesting."
The wind around the battlefield stirred.
And just like that—
The battle for Egghead Island had begun.
WHOOSH!
Scopper Gaban paid no mind to their questions.
With a burst of speed, he shot through the air like a white comet, streaking toward the equally stunned Golden Lion clone. Behind him, his two massive battle-axes gleamed ominously, strapped to his back like executioner's tools.
But—
This time, Gaban didn't reach for his weapons. Instead, he thrust out both hands, his fingers curling as if seizing the very air itself.
Before the clones of Golden Lion, Captain John, and Kaido could react, a mischievous smirk played on Gaban's lips.
"Fuwa Fuwa: Terra Constriction!"
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
In an instant—
The very ground beneath the clones twisted violently, rolling backward like a monstrous tidal wave.
The earth surged up—
Ten meters.
Fifty meters.
One hundred meters!
With a thunderous BOOM!, the massive earthen wave crashed down, burying the three clones in a crushing, suffocating prison of rock and rubble.
A muffled silence followed.
But Gaban knew better.
He wasn't foolish enough to think that alone would finish them.
Even as the dust settled, his arms snapped back—
And his two massive axes flew from his back as if drawn by an unseen force, landing perfectly in his hands.
With a sharp whirl, Gaban spun midair, his Haki igniting like a roaring inferno.
"Cross Wave Break!"
Before anyone could process what was happening, he swung both axes in a crisscross motion—
And with it—
Two colossal, jet-black crescent slashes—each over 100 meters long—ripped through the battlefield!
SHRIIIIIIP!
The blackened axe waves carved straight through the massive earth sphere, slicing through layers of rock with a screeching wail of metal against stone.
Then—
A resounding CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Echoed through the battlefield as something inside the rubble resisted the attack.
BOOM!
The prison of earth exploded apart.
And from within—
A massive figure shot into the sky, escaping just in time.
"Wororororo!!!"
With a ferocious bellow, the Kaido clone burst out, twisting into the air—
And then—
His entire body began to transform. Scales rippled across his form, muscles expanding, bones stretching—
Until—
A massive emerald-green dragon coiled above the battlefield, spanning over a kilometer in length.
His enormous serpentine body twisted in the air, golden flames flickering beneath him as he hovered over Gaban.
With a sneer, the clone Kaido let out a deep, rumbling chuckle.
"Wororororo! Gaban, you're a damn fool if you think you can take on all three of us at once!"
"Dieeee!!!"
Just then—
A new presence erupted onto the battlefield.
From the high platform on Buggy's side—
A blood-red beam of light shot into the sky.
A spine-chilling roar followed—one even more monstrous than Kaido's own.
Then, from the center of the blazing crimson aura, another massive dragon emerged.
But this one—
It was even larger than the Kaido clone.
A titanic blood-red dragon, its body wreathed in golden flame, its fangs gleaming like swords, its tail lashing through the air with the force of a hurricane.
Perched atop a cloud of shimmering gold, the new dragon let out a booming laugh that sent tremors through the battlefield.
"Wororororo!" The dragon's vast wings spread, casting a crimson shadow over the Knights of God.
From within the flames, a familiar voice called out, "Kaido clone? Now this is interesting!"
As the fire dispersed, the massive dragon began to shift, its form condensing—
Until standing there, atop a floating cloud of flames, was Douglas Bullet.
A wild grin stretched across his face.
"Tch. I never got the chance to fight the real Kaido. But this?" He cracked his knuckles. "Let's see which one of us is truly worthy to stay in these seas."
His eyes gleamed with hungry excitement.
"I wonder... does your clone even have 10% of the real Kaido's strength?"
He turned to the others, a cocky smirk tugging at his lips. "You guys don't mind if I take this one, right?"
The battlefield stirred—
And from behind Bullet, another dark figure let out a laugh.
"Hahahaha!"
A heavy gust of wind swept across the square.
Then—
A tall, cloaked man stepped forward, finally revealing himself. He pulled back his hood, his sharp tattooed face now fully visible, his piercing eyes burning with quiet intensity.
Monkey D. Dragon.
The leader of the Revolutionary Army.
With a slight smirk, he cracked his knuckles, his gaze locking onto Figarland Garling.
"I've spent years being called the 'World's Greatest Criminal,'" Dragon muttered, his voice thick with amusement.
His cloak billowed as his body surged with power, the air itself whipping into a violent storm around him.
"But you know what? I've never even killed a Celestial Dragon before."
He tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing.
"Guess it's about time I fix that."
Then, his gaze locked onto Figarland Garling, leader of the God's Knights.
"You." Dragon took a step forward. "You're mine."
"M-Monkey D. Dragon!?"
The battlefield shuddered.
For the first time—
Saint Saturn and the Knights of God looked... uneasy.
Figarland Garling's lips parted slightly in disbelief. Even Jaygarcia Saturn—a man who had witnessed countless wars, a man who had ruled from the shadows for centuries—felt a bead of cold sweat slide down his forehead.
This wasn't just a fight.
This wasn't just a battle of strength.
It was a battle for the future of the world itself.
And worst of all—
Saturn knew, deep in his heart—
That if he faced Buggy alone, he was as good as dead.
---
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