"Damn it! Do you have any idea who you're talking to!?"Saint Serentinia roared furiously, his voice shaking with rage.
But before he could continue—
Bang!!!A sharp gunshot cracked through the air. The bullet, moving faster than the naked eye could follow, tore straight through Saint Serentinia's thigh.
"You think you can talk down to me!?"Buggy's voice was low and gravelly as he pressed the smoking pistol against the Celestial Dragon's other leg.
Bang!Another deafening shot rang out—Saint Serentinia's other leg exploded in blood.
"Ahhh!!!"Scarlet droplets splattered midair like fireworks.
"You… you…"Serentinia's eyes trembled. For the first time in his life, genuine fear surged through his heart.
The once-comical red nose and clown outfit now appeared monstrous—terrifyingly grotesque in his terrified eyes.
"Well now… looks like you can stay quiet after all."Buggy lowered his pistol, then gave a nod to the man beside him—Mr. 3.
As a former crewmate of the Pirate King, Buggy had long learned to respect the power of the World Government and the Navy… but he had never feared the so-called "Celestial Dragons."
The entire crowd of pirates stood frozen, their blood boiling at the sight.
Even the members of the Barto Club were utterly dazzled by Buggy's display of dominance.
"As expected of Captain Buggy—he doesn't even flinch before a Celestial Dragon!""Now that's a real man of the sea!""Uwoooh~! To follow such a man… I have no regrets in this life!!""We swear eternal loyalty to Captain Buggy!!""So this is the spirit of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet!? Big Bro Barto, one day we'll be like that, right!?"
"..."
"..."
Cheers erupted across the arena—Buggy had just harvested a new wave of diehard fans.
Whoosh!A thick wax chain shot out, binding the Celestial Dragon's arms and legs tightly.
To stop him from screaming, Mr. 3 calmly molded a wax gag and stuffed it into his mouth.
A few pirates heaved the Celestial Dragon's limp body like a slaughtered pig, while others scrambled to collect gold and jewels scattered across the floor.
Boom!With a mighty swing of her iron mace, Alvida smashed open a path to the surface.
Then a squad of Buggy Pirates—each wearing clawed gauntlets—charged forward.Being a "circus-themed" crew, the Buggy Pirates had members with wildly varied specialties.
These men were "ground-type pirates," trained in the move Dig.
Earth-energy surged around their bodies as their claws sank into the ground as easily as if it were tofu, carving a tunnel toward the surface.
Unfortunately, their levels were too low.Otherwise, Buggy might have escaped straight through an underground passage all the way to the port.
Moments later, the soil outside the hotel began to tremble.
Inside, the chaos had already drawn attention—soldiers and guards of all kinds were rushing toward the building, desperate to rescue their Celestial Lord.
But then, a clownish head with multicolored hair and a bright red nose poked out of the ground.
After scanning the surroundings carefully, Buggy's eyes lit up."Safe! Come on up!"
A moment later, a body split neatly in half jumped out of the hole—followed by a string of bizarrely dressed pirates leaping one after another.
Aside from the slightly delayed, round-bodied Alvida, everyone made it out smoothly.
Buggy quickly ordered the tunnel to be filled in again."Move! Before the city guards catch on—get out of here!"
He tossed his cape around and switched back to his flashy Thousand-Beli Performer disguise, waving for the crew to follow.
Thanks to the colorful carnival festival in full swing across the city, their outlandish costumes blended perfectly into the crowd.
In no time, the group vanished into the vibrant streets of Carnival City.
Moments later, squads of soldiers and guards swarmed around the hotel, sealing off the entire area.
A massive guard captain smashed through the hardened wax barrier, allowing troops to flood into what had once been the grand arena.
But no matter how hard they searched—There wasn't a single trace of the Celestial Dragon.
"Damn it!!!"The mayor of Carnival City, arriving in panic, slammed his fist into a wax staircase, leaving a deep dent.
"Seal off all ports! No one leaves this island!" he barked."Saint Serentinia must still be in Carnival City! Nothing can happen to him!"
The color drained from his face as his mind flashed to the possible consequences.A Celestial Dragon—one of the world's most exalted nobles—had been harmed under his jurisdiction.
If anything happened… Carnival City itself might cease to exist.He knew all too well how terrifyingly insane those so-called "gods" could become.
Time passed.The uproar from the hotel spread across the entire city.
Guards, soldiers, and government agents were in total disarray.The terrified mayor unleashed every ounce of the city's power to find the missing Celestial Dragon.
Within hours, Carnival City was locked down.
A place once known for endless joy and laughter now stood silent and deserted.Colorful festival decorations fluttered forlornly in the wind, adding a chilling eeriness to the empty streets.
Grand Line — Marine Headquarters, Marineford
In Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office, the Den Den Mushi suddenly rang sharply.
Sengoku, who'd been reviewing strategies for the Whitebeard Pirates' encirclement, frowned and picked up the receiver.
Before he could speak, a panicked voice burst through:"Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Bad news! A Celestial Dragon's been attacked on Carnival Island in the Grand Line! The World Government demands immediate naval deployment!"
"A Celestial Dragon!?" Sengoku's expression froze, then darkened."At a time like this…?"
"I understand," he said tersely, then hung up.
He sighed heavily, turning toward the calm Vice Admiral Tsuru, who was sipping tea across from him."What do we do, Tsuru?"
Slurp.Tsuru took another unhurried sip, then replied,"According to World Government protocol, when a Celestial Dragon is harmed, at least one Marine Admiral must be dispatched to demonstrate the sanctity of their untouchable status."
"So…" Sengoku frowned deeper. "We'll have to recall someone from the New World, then?"
"The only one suitable is Kizaru," Tsuru mused."Summon him back. Whitebeard's fleet will be reaching their next island soon anyway… By then, some truths won't stay hidden."
"The New World's about to erupt into chaos," she added quietly."Better to slow Aokiji's advance now—keep him out of Whitebeard's retaliation range. And reinforce every Marine base's defenses."
Sengoku nodded."Garp's already stationed in the New World. If anything unusual happens on Whitebeard's side, he'll move immediately."
"Garp…" Tsuru murmured, glancing at her wrinkled hands.Her voice softened. "We're all getting old, aren't we…"
Soon after, an emergency order summoned Admiral Kizaru back from the New World.Nearby Marine bases mobilized at once, racing toward Carnival City.
Across the seas, storm clouds gathered—the sky itself seemed to darken.
Grand Line — Carnival Island
In an empty courtyard near the port, the Buggy Pirates and Barto Club were huddled together.
Bartolomeo, sitting casually atop the bound Celestial Dragon, looked to Buggy with a puzzled grin."So, what now, Senior Buggy? The ports are sealed, and our ships are under guard!"
"What's Lord Red's plan?"
"Don't panic," Buggy said seriously. "Lord Red is already on his way. He'll reach the port soon. As long as we don't get caught, we're fine."
"Oh yeah!?" Bartolomeo's eyes lit up. "We're finally gonna see the real Straw Hat crew in person! Hey, Senior Buggy, is Lord Red really as mysterious as you say?"
"Heh~ of course!" Buggy gave him a deep look. "Until you've met Lord Red yourself, you can't possibly understand how terrifying he truly is."
"Eheheh~ sounds awesome!" Bartolomeo's eyes sparkled, brimming with excitement for the meeting ahead.
But suddenly—Heavy footsteps thundered outside, followed by loud pounding on the door.
"Anyone in there!? We need to inspect—"
"Crap! They've found us!"Mr. 3 immediately raised his guard, while the pirates snatched up their weapons.
"Out of the way!"A harsh voice barked from outside. "We don't have time to knock!"
Boom!!!A Celestial Dragon's elite guard kicked aside the city soldiers and smashed the courtyard door to pieces with a single punch.
But when they rushed in—The place was messy… yet completely empty.
"No one's here! Next building!"The guards turned and ran off.
Footsteps faded into the distance.
At that same moment, high above the courtyard—A dozen pirates, along with their Celestial Dragon hostage, were floating in midair, each wearing a dumbfounded expression.
Buggy was the first to recover, staring wide-eyed at the blind swordsman beside him."You… you helped us!?"
"Who are you!? Did Lord Red send you!?"
He fired three questions in a row, eyes locked on the man's scarred face.
The blind ronin with an X-shaped scar smiled faintly."First off," he said calmly, "yes—I helped you. I've nullified your gravity; you can now move freely in the air."
"Second, I'm no one special. Just a passing blind man."
"And lastly… I wasn't sent by this 'Lord Red' of yours. But if possible, I'd appreciate an introduction."
His smile deepened."I'm very curious about this man you follow. Anyone who dares to make a Celestial Dragon his target… must be quite extraordinary."
He tilted his head upward.Though his eyes were milky white, Buggy could feel the weight of an invisible gaze upon them.
The truth was—Issho had used his Observation Haki to watch everything that had just happened.
He knew these pirates weren't particularly strong—just a ragtag, eccentric bunch.Ordinarily, he wouldn't have interfered.
Pirates and the World Government—dogs fighting over bones. Neither side was worth his sympathy.
But when Buggy pulled the trigger without hesitation—shooting a Celestial Dragon twice—Issho's view of them changed completely.
That was something he himself had never dared to do.
A weak pirate, fully aware of what it meant to cross the gods of the world… had chosen to shoot anyway.
Something about that didn't add up.
Issho could sense Buggy's fear when he fired—but beneath it burned a powerful conviction, something supporting him beyond that fear.
That kind of resolve shouldn't exist in a boastful clown of a pirate.
There was a secret here—something he didn't yet understand.
And he couldn't help but wonder…Would that secret give him the courage to defy the Celestial Dragons too?
For the first time, doubt stirred within Issho's heart.
"Ha! You talk like you can even see us!"Bartolomeo snorted, crossing his arms. "We didn't need your help anyway! We could've crushed those scrubs easy!"
Buggy's hand shot out to stop him."Bartolomeo! Mind your manners!"
Are you kidding me!? Someone finally helps us, and this idiot wants to offend him!?This kid's sense of gratitude seriously needed work.
After scolding him, Buggy straightened his expression."Sir, since you already know about the Celestial Dragon, you must realize what kind of people you're helping."
"I don't know your motives… but if you wish to meet Lord Red, then please—help us just a bit further. Take us to the port."
"But be warned—if you do this, you'll share our fate. There's no turning back."
"Ha ha ha!"Issho grinned, unflinching."No turning back, hmm? Sounds thrilling."
"Well then—""Even an old man like me… sometimes feels like going a little crazy."
(End of Chapter)