Recently, a piece of news suddenly spread throughout the Underworld.
It claimed that the Emperor of the Underworld, King, possessed a Zoan Mythical Beast-type Devil Fruit that could restore youth.
Though the source of the rumor was unknown, it quickly saturated the entire Underworld, stirring up countless minds with various intentions.
"A Devil Fruit that can restore youth, and a Mythical Beast type, which is even rarer than a Logia! That thing will fetch a high price!"
"Restoring youth! A power like that is probably only comparable to the Vigor-Vigor Fruit that was stolen years ago! I want it so badly!"
"For a Devil Fruit with such power to appear, it looks like it's necessary to inform the World Government!"
"This is an unexpected prize! Who cares about King? This time, we absolutely cannot fail!"
…
The weather was clear and sunny.
Brady Island was an island where it always felt like spring, only ever getting hotter, never colder. Because of this, many nobles and wealthy merchants visited the Clifford Kingdom every year for vacation.
Gulp, gulp…
By the swimming pool, Aeridar sat back in a lounge chair, his head tilted back, his throat moving as he downed an entire bottle of champagne in four or five breaths.
"Ah, refreshing!"
He exhaled softly, set down the empty bottle, and glanced at Hancock, who was sunbathing nearby. Her smooth, pale skin, complemented by a red bikini, and the sight of her resting with her eyes closed behind sunglasses, stoked a fire in Aeridar's heart.
Pere pere pere... pere pere pere...
Suddenly, the sound of a Den Den Mushi startled Aeridar.
Click.
"Fuffuffuffuffu Your banquet absolutely terrified those guys! It was hilarious, Fuffuffuffuffu" As soon as Aeridar answered the call, a bizarre laugh echoed from the receiver.
Hancock opened her beautiful eyes slightly, tilting her head to look at Aeridar.
"Get to the point," Aeridar grumbled, plainly stating, "You can't be this bored."
"How cold of you. It seems having a beauty in your arms has made you distracted!" Doflamingo's words were suggestive, implying he knew quite a bit about their affairs.
"Disgusting man!"
Hancock's face flushed, she spat out a retort, and turned her face away.
"Enough small talk!" Aeridar's expression darkened.
"Fuffuffuffu~"
Doflamingo let out his signature laugh, but then the laughter ceased. "You must have received the notice, too. Buggy the Clown... the World Government has invited him to become a Seven Warlord of the Sea."
"They're only interested in the Impel Down prisoners he has under his command. That's a force that shouldn't be underestimated," Aeridar said without surprise. He had already known about this.
Buggy the Clown commanded a group of prisoners who had escaped from Impel Down. Every one of them was a formidable fighter. Although it was unclear why they would pledge allegiance to the clown, given this force and the attention he garnered during the Paramount War, it was no surprise that the World Government would choose him.
Aeridar raised an eyebrow and countered, "So, you want him to join our alliance?"
"Jinbe betrayed us, and while the crocodile didn't betray us, he lost his Seven Warlord of the Sea status. We urgently need new members." Doflamingo stated confidently, "With that kind of power at his disposal, the clown will definitely make a move!"
Aeridar pondered for a moment. He remembered that Buggy the Clown later founded the mercenary dispatch organization 'Buggy's Delivery' on an island in the New World, working as a pirate mercenary. After Doflamingo's downfall, many countries and powers, unable to get weapons, had no choice but to hire pirate mercenaries for help. Because Buggy the Clown was a Seven Warlord of the Sea, his services were legal, allowing 'Buggy's Delivery' to dominate the combat market for a time. Due to its scale and the World Government's laws, even Germa 66 couldn't compare to Buggy the Clown's 'Buggy's Delivery' and was only ranked second.
Aeridar nodded and said seriously, "Fine, we can contact him."
"Fuffuffuffuffu~ Then I'll take care of this matter. I happen to know his location." With Aeridar's agreement, Doflamingo eagerly took on the task of recruiting Buggy the Clown.
"Buggy the Clown, huh... how interesting," Aeridar mused, rubbing his chin, his eyes distant.
"By the way, you plan on making a move on Redfield, don't you?" Doflamingo asked, though his tone was full of certainty.
"Oh? Why would you think that?" Aeridar neither confirmed nor denied it.
"A piece of news that spreads across the entire Underworld in just a few days? It couldn't possibly be unintentional." Doflamingo's low laughter drifted out. " Fuffuffuffuffu~ So you're planning revenge for the slight from all those years ago."
"What, are you interested too?" Aeridar didn't mind that Doflamingo had guessed his intentions, as it was an open scheme. Even if Redfield knew about it, it wouldn't matter; as long as he wanted to restore his youth, he wouldn't miss the opportunity.
Hearing this, Doflamingo let out a chilling laugh. "Make sure to notify me when the time comes. That guy, Tesoro, has also been quite restless! Fuffuffuffuffu~"
…
Following the Paramount War, Buggy the Clown once again gained notoriety for his prominent role in the conflict.
The New Seven Warlord of the Sea—Thousand-Piece Buggy the Clown!
Crocodile was defeated by the Straw Hat Luffy due to his overconfidence, leading to the exposure of his plot and the loss of his Seven Warlord of the Sea title.
Jinbe opposed the war against the Whitebeard Pirates and subsequently became an enemy of the Navy, also losing his Seven Warlord of the Sea position.
Blackbeard Teach replaced Crocodile as a Seven Warlord of the Sea by turning over Ace, the son of the Pirate King and the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, to the Navy. He later revealed his plan during the Paramount War, turning against the Navy and abandoning his title.
The Yonko position was also vacated by Whitebeard's death, meaning the balance of the Three Great Powers was in complete disarray. In the New World, the battle for the Yonko title was ongoing, and the World Government was desperate to fill the two empty Warlord of the Sea slots.
Thus, Buggy the Clown, who had been highly visible during the Paramount War and commanded a group of powerful subordinates, was chosen by the World Government.
Buggy the Clown's personal strength was negligible, but the pirates he brought out of Impel Down, while not Level 6 maximum-security inmates, were individually troublesome. The World Government's logic was that instead of expending resources, effort, and money to subdue them, it was better to simply integrate and utilize them.
"From this day forth, I, Captain Buggy, am a Warlord of the Sea flashily recognized by the World Government!"
"Thousand-Piece, the Clown King, Buggy the Celestial!"
"Gyahahahaha~ Cheer, you brats! From now on, your pirate activities are legal under the name of me, the great Warlord of the Sea, Buggy-sama! Gyahahahahaha!"
On an island in the first half of the Grand Line, Buggy spread his arms and laughed loudly with excited delight.