Chapter 6 – Shanks
New World, Grand Line
The Red-Haired Pirates were en route to meet the Whitebeard Pirates. The whole crew was glued to the sky screen—the recent broadcasts had shocked even the hardened pirates. As a "half-protagonist" of One Piece, Red-Haired Shanks was now sharing the spotlight with Buggy, and the crew crowded around him with a barrage of questions.
"Captain, is it true that this ridiculous clown was your fellow apprentice on the Pirate King's ship? Is what the sky screen says all real?"
"Most of what the sky screen said is true. I didn't expect it to be revealed today. But what surprises me is Buggy's supposed strength—he never showed any particular talent back then." Shanks hadn't seen Buggy for over twenty years. He'd never been able to beat him in the past, but all Roger's crew were monsters in their own right.
Shanks took out a Vivre Card from his pouch—a keepsake he'd preserved for over two decades, proof of their bond as warriors. "This is Buggy's Vivre Card. That guy's always had more luck than others, and our shared battles proved it time and again. Maybe the sky screen was right—his Observation Haki does seem to give him extraordinary luck."
Beckman fiddled with his rifle, interest piqued by a clown who could rival his own captain. "Captain, if we run into Buggy, I want to spar with him. Let's see if he's really as strong as the sky screen claims."
Lucky Roo put in his two cents: "Captain, back in East Blue, if you'd tried to recruit Buggy, maybe he would've joined us."
The chef, Lucky Roo, and the others recalled the moment Shanks passed his straw hat to Luffy—it was a transfer of Roger's will. They all knew their captain admired the Pirate King, but Shanks never wanted to become Roger, or anyone else.
Their captain would forge his own path as Red-Haired Shanks. Only after handing over the straw hat did he continue his own adventure, fighting his way up the seas to reach his current status.
"Knowing Luffy, the first thing out of his mouth was probably, 'I want to be Pirate King!' Even Buggy wouldn't be stupid enough to hurt Luffy after seeing that hat. Besides, at his current level, Buggy wouldn't harm him anyway." Shanks couldn't help but smile whenever he mentioned Luffy—he saw Roger's spirit in that boy. Betting his arm on the East Blue had been worth it.
"With Buggy looking after Luffy in East Blue, I'm more worried about Ace right now." Shanks traced the three claw scars over his eye—Blackbeard Teach's handiwork. Ace was absolutely no match for that man.
"Tell the crew: Full speed ahead! I have to meet Whitebeard as soon as possible." Everything he did was for Ace—Roger's only son.
The atmosphere aboard shifted from cheerful to tense. Meanwhile, in Loguetown, gateway to the East Blue, the weakest Marines of the four seas were now faced with a known Emperor-level threat. Morale was at the breaking point—not everyone had the courage to face a Yonko who'd hidden in plain sight for years.
Colonel Smoker received a direct call from Fleet Admiral Sengoku:
"I'm Sengoku. Smoker, you don't know Haki, and you're absolutely no match for Buggy. Do everything you can to protect the Marines in Loguetown. I've already sent Admiral Akainu to reinforce you."
Smoker, who'd guarded East Blue for years, wouldn't be shaken by a few words on the sky screen. He didn't believe Buggy was really that powerful.
"Fleet Admiral, don't let the sky screen fool you. I've hunted Buggy myself. He's just lucky—he's no match for me. I can take care of him myself."
The den-den mushi displayed Sengoku's angry face.
"Don't be reckless, Smoker! What the sky screen said about Garp is true. Roger's illness and his surrender to the Navy were top-secret—only the highest ranks knew, and none of them would leak it. That means Buggy's strength has to be reassessed."
"I understand, Fleet Admiral. I'll wait here for Admiral Akainu." Though he said this, Smoker still trusted his own instincts. There was no way he could let Buggy off the hook today.
After hanging up, Smoker addressed the Marines behind him:
"I'm going to arrest Buggy the Clown. Tashigi, you're coming with me as a witness—I'll prove the sky screen is lying."
His subordinates immediately protested:
"Colonel Smoker, please don't! If you lose to Buggy, all of Loguetown will be in danger. We should wait for Admiral Akainu."
"We can't use Haki here—none of us can fight Buggy. Please don't be reckless, sir!"
But Smoker simply notified the Marines present. Until Admiral Akainu arrived, he was Loguetown's highest authority. No one could defy his orders, nor stop him.
"Tashigi, hold on tight. Let's head to that bar and put the Buggy Pirates behind bars."
Smoker's lower body turned into white smoke, and with Tashigi in tow, he used White Smoke Launcher. The two of them shot into the sky, leaving the worried Marines behind as they flew straight toward the Buggy Pirates.
At Marine HQ, as soon as Sengoku hung up, he marched over to Garp, who was stuffing his face with senbei. Even now, in front of the Fleet Admiral, Garp pretended to be clueless.
"Vice Admiral Garp, as Fleet Admiral, I'm officially asking: What did you and Roger talk about in prison? Stop playing dumb."
Garp was panicking inside but kept a poker face.
"Sengoku, what are you talking about? I'd never grant a pirate's request. I'm a Navy hero! I'd never do such a thing." He went right back to rummaging through Sengoku's drawers.
After so many years as friends—even sharing a pair of pants—Sengoku knew Garp too well.
"You might fool me today, but do you think you can fool the Five Elders? Damn it, you're always causing me trouble!"
Sengoku kicked Garp across the office, fuming.
"How many times have I told you—stop stealing my senbei, you old bastard!"
Garp tumbled, then stood up and kept eating his dirt-covered senbei.
"I didn't promise anything. Even if the Five Elders ask me, I'll give them the same answer."
Garp would never betray Ace. Even if the boy wasn't his blood, after so many years, there was no difference. He would never admit Ace was Roger's son…
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