Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Buggy's Secret?
Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Nami, with a curious twinkle in her eyes, chimed, "Wait, like Luffy?"
Zoro, scratching his head, added, "Chop-Chop Fruit?"
Upon hearing Bai Ye's declaration, both Nami and Zoro blurted out questions in unison. Nami, observing Luffy, saw him stretch his own cheek to quite an impressive length. Grinning widely, Luffy proclaimed, "Yup, I'm the rubber man and ate a Gum-Gum Fruit!"
Nami leaned back, playfully declaring, "What a monster!"
With a knowing smile, Bai Ye elaborated on Devil Fruit powers. "Oh yes, our Buggy is quite the intriguing fellow, he ate a Chop-Chop Fruit. He can disassemble himself as he pleases, making him, quite invincibly, immune to slashes. It's as if he's an undying puzzle-man."
Luffy's eyes sparkled with amazement, "Whoa, that's kinda cool, isn't it?!"
Zoro, with a playful yet serious squint, mused, "So, he can ignore all slashes, huh?" His mind wandered around, pondering on a hypothetical duel with him, figuring out the secret to toppling someone with such a strong ability. Especially for a swordsman like him, this power seemed like a big challenge.
Nami, eyebrows raised, questioned Bai Ye, "How do you even know this stuff?"
With a modest shrug, Bai Ye responded, "It's all in the guesswork, backed by a bit of seasoned experience," then, turning to Luffy and Zoro, proposed with a lightened spirit, "Since Luffy's charted our course, let's set sail to the Orange Town Island, shall we?"
—
Orange Town, a quaint island in the East Blue, had a tale of rejuvenation. Ravaged by pirates over four decades ago, the resilient inhabitants breathed life back into it, constructing a serene life, sweetened by the town's vibrant orange specialty.
That tranquility lingered until, one day, the arrival of a new band of pirates.
—
"Are we there yet? My excitement can hardly contain itself!" exclaimed Luffy, as he flopped about the deck, his adventurous spirit waving in the dullness of the ocean's journey.
Bai Ye, joining him at the bow and gazing at the nearing island, mused, "Without Ms. Nami's guidance, this trip could be even longer, don't you think?"
Zoro, from another side of the bow, pointed to a peculiar ship, its front adorned with a clownish skull. "That ship must belong to Buggy, right?"
With a confirming nod, Bai Ye gently asked Nami, "Hey Nami, fancy going ashore and doing some exploring??"
Nami retorted with mock annoyance, "Why should I care about it? I'm perfectly fine here, thank you!"
"Oh really?" Bai Ye, with an inscrutable smirk, dangled an enticing carrot, "I was thinking, if you could help us find Buggy's treasures, a small reward may go to you."
Suddenly, with dollar signs lighting up in her eyes, Nami was all in. "Let's go, what are we waiting for!!"
As the laughter bubbled from Bai Ye, the adventurous crew headed towards Buggy's ship, engaging in a treasure hunt. Luffy darted to the kitchen, perhaps misinterpreting "treasure" for "snack," while Nami made a beeline for the actual treasure room. Zoro, on the other hand, strolled into the armory, his eyes peeled for a fine new sword to accompany his journey.
Bai Ye, quietly observing their enthusiastic exits, made his way into the ship's most significant chamber - Buggy the Clown's bedroom. It should be quite a room, considering he was a notable pirate with a hefty bounty of 15 million Bellys.
Buggy, often perceived as a fortunate opportunist, had always piqued Bai Ye's curiosity. So, he decided to snoop around the captain's quarters to uncover any hidden secrets. The room, a haphazard blend of daily essentials and potential treasure maps, held a fascinating find - a notebook, detailing the training methods of Observation Haki and Armament Haki.
Although seemingly not used by Buggy, judging by the mild wear and tear of the pages, Bai Ye marveled at the discovery. The notebook, which ended with an inspiring message from the legendary Gol D. Roger himself, was truly a treasure to behold: "In the presence of the king of pirates, even the most ludicrous of dreams can direct your journey."
Bai Ye, whispering to himself with gleaming eyes, concluded, "What a splendid gift."
Bai Ye reappeared from the captain's room, joining the trio outside, all seemingly victorious from their respective mini-adventures. Nami was nearly hidden behind a mountainous package, her grin spreading from ear to ear, while Zoro, nonchalantly, wielded a new sword from the ship. And Luffy? Well, his satisfied, round belly spoke volumes about his culinary explorations.
Bai Ye, eyebrow arched, observed, "Nobody seems to have found the chart, huh?" His glance met Zoro and Nami's subtle, disappointed head shakes.
Luffy, ever the timely contributor, interjected, "Oh, were we supposed to find charts?" He slapped his forehead, a lightbulb moment illuminating his features, "There was no kitchen, but wow, the meat here sure was tasty!"
Bai Ye: ...
Zoro: ...
Nami: ...
BOOM!!
Suddenly, their ears were assailed by the thunderous echoes of explosions, eyes drawn to the thick plumes of smoke billowing above the little island town.
Nami, her face flickering with recognition, muttered, "That's gotta be Buggy's bomb...People say that he can craft explosives of tremendous power."
Bai Ye, nodding, acknowledged, "Given the circumstances, Buggy is likely causing a ruckus in town."
With Luffy's spirited "Alright, let's get moving then!", the quartet embarked towards the island, heading in the direction of the commotion.
—
Orange Town, while not bathed in riches, have a serene life for its residents, all thanks to the town's delightfully zesty orange specialties. The town was like a modest treasure chest, wealthy yet not opulently so, without the stationed navy, making it a natural magnet for the keen eyes of pirates.
Initially, after taking a sizable portion of their treasures, the townspeople thought Buggy would be satisfied. However, they were taken aback when he erupted in anger, claiming someone had mocked his red nose.
Panic ensued.
Despite the townspeople's pleas and clarifications, Buggy was unyielding, threatening to level the town. Luckily, the swift-thinking mayor guided everyone to the safety of the mountain behind the town, averting a calamity of casualties.
As the crew made their way to the site of the explosion, the sight of houses, now mere rubble, charred by flames and devastated by the bomb, cast a shadow over them all.
They realized, this was the harsh reality of true piracy!
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