The port of the Golden City sparkled in the morning light. Next to the Bruma Jackson was docked Buggy's ridiculous pirate ship.
On the deck, Buggy had two black circles under his eyes. He chewed on a bitter melon sandwich with the expression of someone who had lost the will to live. Beside him, Roger was equally pale, holding a cup of bitter melon juice.
"Hahaha! If it isn't Buggy!" Rhett appeared at the bow in an instant. "I heard you demolished an entire street yesterday?"
Buggy's nose twitched. Bitter melon bits sprayed all over Roger's face. "Big Brother Rhett! Let me explain—"
"No need to explain." Rhett patted his shoulder. Just looking at their condition, Rhett could guess what they had been through. This was a survival lesson Rhett had summarized. The blood mist turned into a little hand that patted Buggy's shoulder. Then he glanced at the bitter melon sandwich in his hand.
"Pfft."
"Did you just laugh? Big Brother Rhett?"
"How could that be? I'm your good big brother, aren't I?"
Rouge's voice came from behind. "Little Brother Rhett~"
Rhett immediately straightened up. "Of course! Destroying public property is wrong! Buggy, as punishment, you will help Moria move the wine barrels!"
Buggy looked as if he had been granted a reprieve. He split into over a dozen pieces and rolled toward the warehouse. Roger tried to sneak away, but Rhett grabbed him. "Brother-in-law, how's the bitter melon?"
Now was the time to kick him while he was down. Evil Rhett would be letting himself down otherwise.
---
By noon, a hundred-meter-long banquet table had been set up in the central plaza of the Golden City. The Charlotte family's dessert towers were piled as high as small mountains. Tesoro's gold servants walked among them. Moria's zombie军团 orchestra was playing a strange waltz.
Suddenly, a commotion came from the port.
"Gurarara! Rhett kid! I brought my sons to mooch some alcohol!" Whitebeard strode forward, his naginata on his shoulder. Behind him were Marco and the other commanders, as well as the captains of dozens of affiliated crews. Whitebeard had brought his entire family. He was giving Rhett the utmost face.
What's that? You say Whitebeard brought everyone? What about his territory? What if it gets attacked? Attacking Whitebeard's territory on this day meant you had to be prepared to withstand the bombardment of two Emperor-level crews and the largest member nation in the world.
The entire Golden City instantly erupted.
"Whitebeard?!"
"Even the 'World's Strongest' is here?!"
Rhett spread his blood mist and appeared in front of Whitebeard. "Yo, Whitebeard! You sure know how to make an entrance!"
Whitebeard laughed and patted Rhett on the back. "Gurarara! It's your niece's hundred-day celebration. Of course I have to give you face!"
He looked at Rhett. "What, not welcome?"
"Welcome! Of course you're welcome! I've really gone all out for this banquet." Rhett grinned.
---
Garp's dog-head warship slowly docked.
"Hahaha! That Sengoku kid actually sent us!" Garp picked his nose as he jumped off the ship. Behind him were the three Admirals.
Sending these people basically emptied the Navy of its high-level combatants. But Sengoku still thought it wasn't enough. This time, the World Government had actively given him many Cipher Pol 9 agents. No other reason. Just to give him manpower. To prevent the seas from falling into chaos.
Look at who was here. Member nation kings. Great pirates. If Sengoku didn't need to stay at Navy Headquarters, he would have come himself.
"Well the atmosphere is nice" Kizaru sat cross-legged on a lounge chair. "Yes~ Mr. Garp, Mr. Sengoku actually agreed to let us come to a pirate's banquet?"
Aokiji's eyepatch slipped down to his nose. "He said... 'Surveillance is also a part of justice.'"
Akainu: "Disgraceful!"
Behind them were Momousagi and Chaton, looking fully alert.
"Hahaha! If it isn't our dear Navy Hero!" Rhett spread his arms and walked toward Garp.
Garp's fist and Rhett's blood mist collided in mid-air with a thud, sending out a shockwave.
"I want meat, Rhett!"
"No problem, no problem. There's also a doughnut eating contest."
"That 'Mist Lord' Rhett... is putting his arm around Vice Admiral Garp's shoulder?" A member nation king's jaw dropped onto his plate.
"So this is the Navy Hero's status?"
Rhett was the king of the Blood Mist Kingdom, currently the largest member nation. But no one forgot that he was also one of the two Emperors of the Seas.
Everyone thought Rhett was doing this out of respect for the Navy. Garp had done him a favor. This might also be Sengoku's calculation. A chance to raise the Navy's prestige.
Look, even Rhett treats our Navy with respect.
Akainu was so angry he looked like a red teddy bear. "Vice Admiral Garp! Remember your position!"
"Huh?" Garp picked his ear and turned his head. "Sakazuki, do you want to try this cloud cotton candy from Skypiea?"
Rhett led Garp to his seat. Rhett also sat on his throne. From then on, he would not personally greet anyone else.
---
Buggy's fingers suddenly froze as he was playing with the children.
"Hey, Uncle Buggy!" Ace poked his split arm. "What are you looking at???"
All of Buggy's body parts suddenly turned toward the port at the same time. They gathered together like metal fragments drawn to a magnet. His pupils contracted violently. His lips trembled as they formed five words.
"Red... Hair... Shanks..."
The children looked at the port where ships kept arriving. They didn't see the Red Force.
"Uncle Buggy, you must be mistaken. With—"
But not long after, the Red Force slowly docked at the port. Shanks stood at the bow, holding down his straw hat.
"Yo, Big Brother Rhett!" Shanks waved. "Are we late?"
"SHANKS!!!"
Buggy's roar shook the entire venue. His body instantly split into hundreds of pieces. Wrapped in purple Haki, they shot toward the port like a storm. "Super · Disassembly!"
Space cracked at Buggy's roar. The gold ground of the port crumbled into perfect cubes like a cookie. Shanks's pupils contracted. The moment Gryphon left its scabbard, his Conqueror's Haki turned into solid crimson lightning.
"Divine Departure!"
The moment the two attacks collided, the entire Golden City fell silent.
"BOOM—!!!"
The shockwave sent three warships flying into the air. The Charlotte family's cake tower nearly fell upside down on Akainu's head. It was evaporated by the heat.
What a waste~
Kizaru said lazily, "Yeah kids these days are so scary"
When the smoke cleared, Shanks's cloak had a few tears. Buggy's cloak was missing half. They looked at each other across the ten-meter-deep trench. Then they both burst out laughing.
"Bastard/Idiot! You're not dead yet!"
Buggy had once hated Shanks.
But Captain Roger was still alive? Then it wasn't about betraying expectations anymore. Buggy would prove that he was more worthy of Captain Roger's trust than Shanks. At least, without considering Big Brother Rhett.