"Marines!?"
Pfft~!
Hearing Koby's startled question, Buggy, standing at the front of the crowd, suddenly let out a mocking laugh and glanced sideways at Bartolomeo — as if asking, "You really have such naïve subordinates?"
Then, with a wide grin, Buggy turned toward the toy bear that housed Koby's spirit.
"You think the Celestial Dragons can do whatever they want for no reason!?"
"It's because they've got the Marines — the world's strongest armed force — backing them up!"
"Let the Marines handle it? Have you ever seen someone punch themselves in the face!?"
Buggy's voice dripped with derision, slicing through the crowd like a knife.
That was one thing about him as a pirate — he utterly despised the hypocrisy of the Marines.
They were nothing but violent tyrants pretending to preach about justice.
"Anyway… we should focus on how to get out of this coliseum first!"Mr. 3 interrupted Buggy's tirade, scanning the surroundings sharply.
Whether the place was heavily guarded, or whether they simply didn't keep anyone too strong down here, was unclear — but the design of the arena was odd.Though sunken five meters below the stands, there were no barriers or railings.
With his powers, Mr. 3 could easily craft a wax staircase straight up to the stands.
And not just him — Bartolomeo's Barrier-Barrier Fruit and Buggy's splitting flight could both easily bypass confinement.
This measly arena could never hope to contain them.
"Oh, right!"
Buggy suddenly tilted his head with a grin and asked the others,"So these guys — they don't count as good people, do they?"
"Of course not!" Bartolomeo barked back immediately."These scumbags who treat killing as entertainment are worse than us!"
"In that case…" Buggy's grin turned wicked."Then even if we start a massacre here, Lord Red won't scold us, right?"
"Of course not!"
Boom!
Bartolomeo slammed his fist into his palm. "Either way, we can't escape without a fight…"
"In that case, let's tear this place apart!!!"
"Tri Attack · Special Buggy Bomb!"
Whoosh!Buggy moved first, hurling three crimson bombs — each glowing like his signature red nose.
One burst with lightning, another with flame, and the last with shards of glittering ice.
Under the cheering of the crowd, the bombs streaked toward the audience seats.
Their speed wasn't great, but even as they neared, no one panicked —to them, it was just the dying resistance of disposable toys.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!!!!
A thunderous explosion rocked the entire arena, the shockwave slamming into spectators like invisible hammers.
The stands vanished in smoke and fire.
Crackling lightning, roaring flames, and razor shards of ice erupted together in a chaotic symphony of destruction.
Screams tore through the air.
The coliseum became a living hell in seconds.
Hundreds were caught in the blast — the unlucky ones vaporized instantly, their bodies shredded into raining fragments.
Those who survived the first shockwave weren't much better off.
Within the smoke drifted Pokémon-infused energy — searing heat, lightning bolts, spears of ice.
All it touched were burned, electrocuted, or impaled.
Death or agony — take your pick.
"Heh-heh-heh! As expected of Senior Buggy! That's one hell of an entrance!"Bartolomeo's sharp-toothed grin stretched wide as he laughed like a devil.
He snapped his fingers, conjuring a gleaming green barrier ramp leading up to the audience stands.
"Listen up, boys! This is our first battle as part of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet!"
"Don't you dare let them look down on us!"
"KILL THEM ALL!!!"
With that roar, the men who had been wearing circus uniforms ripped them open, revealing a mob of garishly dressed gangsters armed with blades and guns.
"KILL!!!"
Like wolves among sheep, they stormed up the barrier staircase and slaughtered the remaining spectators.
Seeing this, Buggy refused to be outdone."Galdino!"
"On it!"
Mr. 3 raised both arms, and waves of molten white wax gushed from his hands, solidifying into a staircase of gleaming marble sheen — connecting arena and stands.
"Heh~."Buggy smirked, patting Bartolomeo's shoulder proudly."Put that barrier away, junior. You've got a long way to go."
"Remember — fighting is never the real problem for the Straw Hat Grand Fleet."
"What we need are well-rounded talents!"
Then, his upper body detached and soared into the air, sword in one hand and pistol in the other, as he shouted:
"Boys! Don't let the juniors steal the spotlight!"
"Let's show the world what the Buggy Pirates are made of!!!"
"KILL!!!"
Buggy's men roared back, surging forward.
But unlike Bartolomeo's gangsters, every Buggy Pirate glowed faintly as they charged — bodies flickering with colored light.
Moments later, fiery blasts, lightning bursts, and jets of pressurized water erupted from their attacks —Pokémon moves unleashed in a deadly dance of chaos.
Simple killing turned spectacular.
"What the—!? Everyone's an ability user!?"
Those who had survived the initial explosion stared in terror, frozen stiff.
Some even lost control of their bladders — though the stench of blood soon overwhelmed everything.
Whether Buggy's or Bartolomeo's, these were true pirates —cold-blooded killers by trade.
And now, they were cutting down the world's filthiest nobles.
Competition between the two crews only made them bloodier.
Steel flashed red — heads rolled like kicked balls.
"Demons! They're demons!!!"
"Guards! Where are the guards!?"
"Help! Somebody help me! I'm rich! I'll pay anything!!"
...
Their desperate screams echoed through the underground arena.
No help came.
The guards were already dead — or worse.
Buggy's pirates, empowered by Pokémon moves, were far beyond the strength of ordinary mercenaries.
If not for Red's strict order never to harm civilians — and Buggy's own cautious nature —they would have already made a name for themselves across the Grand Line.
But after today…their name would spread across the seas regardless.
Mr. 3 had already sealed every escape route with his Wax-Wax Fruit,and the Den Den Mushi were his first targets — silenced and destroyed.
With calm precision, he'd become the true strategist of the Buggy Pirates, replacing Cabaji's old role.Though new, his cunning had already won over most of the crew.
Meanwhile—
The underground arena was soundproof and hidden well.With communications cut off and guards wiped out,even as hell raged below, the hotel above remained calm and quiet —ready to welcome back its Celestial Dragon guests.
As though nothing had happened.
"Saint Serentinia, the insects you requested yesterday have been placed inside the box."
"We're just waiting for your word to feed your pet, Lord Roni!"
"Hmm~."Serentinia Saint nodded, a cold smile curling her lips."Well done."
"Come. Let's go take a look."
"Yes, Saint Serentinia!"
Not every Celestial Dragon was as idiotic as the one Luffy met.
In truth, descendants of the nineteen royal families had minds and bodies far beyond ordinary humans.Many simply grew complacent from luxury, but most still cultivated power or managed their own enterprises.
This underground coliseum was one such enterprise.
Its patrons were nobles and merchants of renown, and its profits immense —augmented by gambling and alcohol, bringing in nearly a hundred billion Beli annually.Almost half of what the World Government allotted each Celestial Dragon yearly.
Even gods liked making more money.
Clang—
Two armored guards heaved open the gilded doors, and Serentinia Saint strode into the private passage leading to the underground coliseum.
At the center stood a raised observation platform, built higher than all others —a royal box for Serentinia and her kind.
The Celestial Dragons must always be above all others.
Even here.
But—
Just as Serentinia brushed aside her guards to enjoy her evening's bloody entertainment…
Her steps froze.
A thick metallic scent reached her nose — blood.So strong that even the reinforced glass couldn't block it.
Frowning, she stepped closer to the window.
And then she saw it.
The arena below was a vision of horror.
Blood flowed like rivers down the wax staircases, pooling in the white basin at the center —as though feeding some ancient evil god.
Corpses littered the stands —those haughty nobles now nothing but mangled heaps of flesh.
"What… what is this!?"
BANG!!!Serentinia smashed a fist into the glass, her face twisting in fury.
Not fear — fury.Her paying customers had been slaughtered!
That was a Celestial Dragon for you.Born with a silver spoon, raised without ever learning what fear was.
But today would be a lesson.
"Hm!?"
Her pounding caught Buggy's attention.
Down below, pirates stopped looting and looked up — and saw her furious, noble face through the glass.
"That outfit…" Buggy's eyes narrowed — then widened in recognition.
"No doubt about it! That's our target — the Celestial Dragon!!!"
"What!?"
Bartolomeo and Mr. 3 instantly dropped what they were doing.
"Only Celestial Dragons are allowed on that platform!"Mr. 3 shouted. "Quick! While no one's around — grab her!!"
"Leave it to me!"
Bartolomeo stepped forward eagerly —but before he could move—
Whoosh!A red streak of light — a Buggy Bomb — rocketed toward the platform's bridge!
BOOOOOM!Flames and thunder roared, shaking the ceiling.
The reinforced walkway cracked open like paper.
"Not enough!"Mr. 3 yelled.
"Thanks for the opening, Senior Buggy!" Bartolomeo shouted, grinning.A green barrier flashed into existence — but not as a shield.He swung it like a colossal blade, cleaving through the bridge and the viewing platform in one blow!
Guards outside finally realized something was wrong and rushed in —only to see Saint Serentinia screaming as the platform collapsed beneath her.
"Saint Serentinia!!!"
They tried to rush forward, but slammed headlong into Bartolomeo's barrier wall.
"Mr. Galdino, it's your turn!"Bartolomeo grinned savagely and dropped the barrier.
At that exact moment, Mr. 3 — launched skyward by Alvida's spiked club —raised both hands.
"Candle Great Wall!!!"
Molten wax poured from his palms, sealing the entrance tight,burying several unlucky guards alive.
Even the giant Dorry and Brogy couldn't break free of his wax —what chance did these small fries have?
In moments, the arena was sealed once again.
Only the Straw Hat Grand Fleet and the battered Celestial Dragon remained.
To her credit, the noble's bloodline was strong —despite the fall, she'd suffered only minor wounds.
"Damn you!" she shrieked, struggling to her feet.
But before she could move—a luxurious flintlock pistol pressed coldly against her forehead.
Buggy stood before her, face shadowed, voice low but sharp:
"If you don't want to die…""I suggest you stay very, very still…"
"Celestial Dragon."