The crowd roared, urging the match to start as players entered the island stage. Hatterly, atop a giant bird as he was yesterday, overlooked the battlefield from the sky, shouting into his microphone.
A lone treasure chest sat at the island's center, surrounded by four players in a cross formation, each about ten meters apart.
"Here we go! Treasure Battle Round 1! Spring Island stage! Luffy and Vivi vs. Buggy and Alvida!" Hatterly bellowed.
Spring Island, eternally temperate, basked in warm weather. The battlefield, a section near the port, was cordoned off by tall wooden fences, enclosing a few unmanned houses and a harbor. Each team's base—a roped-off square ring, marked red or blue with matching flags—stood at opposite ends. Placing the chest in the base would summon the retrieval ship, securing victory upon its arrival.
Blue Team: Luffy and Vivi. Red Team: Buggy and Alvida.
Luffy fidgeted with excitement, mirrored by Buggy's fearless grin. Vivi, however, trembled with nerves. Alvida noticed, a faint smirk on her lips.
"The rules are simple! Get the chest to your base by any means! The ship moves only when the chest is in place, signaled by fireworks! To stop it, steal the chest from their base!" Hatterly explained.
"Got it, Luffy-san?" Vivi asked.
"Roughly!" Luffy grinned.
"Kiri and I discussed this. Anything could happen. Stay sharp."
"Got it!"
Luffy nodded at Vivi's warning, but her unease wasn't about him—it was Buggy. Kiri had warned her before the match: "Buggy's the ideal pirate." Cunning, manipulative, prioritizing survival, yet ambitious and bold enough to outwit stronger foes. With time and luck, even the weak could rise. Buggy was that type.
Vivi understood this wasn't a world of fair play. Pirates thrived on deceit. Kiri's words echoed: "Die, and only bones remain." She clenched her fists, resolved to win and return to Alabasta.
Nearby, players' ships waited, forbidden from docking but equipped with monitors and food. Kiri and Ace stood side by side on their deck, watching the island. Ace, smiling at his brother, seemed relaxed despite earlier tension.
"What's your take, Kiri?" Ace asked.
"I'd rather hear yours first," Kiri replied.
"You already know my answer," Ace grinned.
"Thought so," Kiri said, relieved by Ace's calm.
Chopper and Silk, beside Kiri, watched anxiously. Chopper gripped the railing, asking, "Will they win?"
"Probably. Might be tricky, though," Kiri said.
"Vivi's barely fought. Is she okay?" Silk pressed.
"She'll be fine. I gave her a secret plan," Kiri said, shrugging off their tilted heads with a smile.
Hatterly's voice boomed: "Here we go! Treasure Battle begins!"
All four crouched, muscles tensed. Then: "Ready… GO!!"
They sprinted toward the chest, no time for strategy, each certain it was the key.
Combat erupted instantly.
Luffy and Buggy clashed first, their speeds matched. Facing each other across the chest, they readied attacks. Luffy grinned, fists clenched. Buggy, knife in hand, smirked back.
"Straw Hat! I've got a score to settle!" Buggy shouted.
"Shishishi! Bring it!" Luffy replied.
Buggy leapt, splitting his lower half to spin like a boomerang, hidden blades in his boots. Luffy reacted swiftly.
"Bara Bara Senbei!" Buggy yelled.
"Hmph!" Luffy jumped, stomping Buggy's thigh to the ground, pinning it. Pain shot through Buggy, his face paling as he screamed.
"GYAAA!? You damn rubber! What the hell?!"
"Gomu Gomu no…!" Luffy began.
"Wait, hold on!" Buggy pleaded.
Ignoring him, Luffy stretched his arm, landing a punch square on Buggy's face.
"Pistol!" Luffy shouted.
"Bugeh!?" Buggy's nose bled as he flew, body scattering in pieces, leaving an obvious opening.
Luffy lunged for the chest, knowing it meant victory.
But Alvida reacted. She knew Luffy from their brief encounters, having studied him. Timing her move, she reached the chest just as Luffy grabbed it, swinging her spiked mace from his blind spot on the right.
Luffy, holding the chest, couldn't dodge. The mace struck his face, its sharper spikes—improved since their last fight—drawing blood. He dropped the chest, tumbling back.
"Buheh!?" Luffy yelped.
"Luffy-san!" Vivi cried.
"Sorry, kid. We're prepared for you," Alvida said, twirling her mace with a smug smile.
Seizing the moment, Vivi charged with her Peacock Slashers, aiming for Alvida's back. Victory, not fairness, was her goal. She swung with resolve.
"YAAA!" Vivi shouted.
Her attack hit, tearing Alvida's clothes—but slid off her skin, unharmed. The Slashers should've cut, yet Alvida was unscathed. Vivi stumbled, shocked, meeting Alvida's gaze.
"Pointless. My skin's slippery," Alvida said, swinging her mace with surprising strength, sending Vivi flying.
"Agh!" Vivi crashed to the ground.
"Vivi!" Luffy yelled.
"We teamed up to crush you. We know your powers and personality. Thinking you'd win easily? That's insulting," Alvida said.
"Nice work, Alvida!" Buggy, wiping his nosebleed, stood grinning.
Luffy helped Vivi up, realizing they couldn't win alone. The chest lay at Buggy and Alvida's feet, but they didn't grab it, puzzling Luffy and Vivi.
"Fierce start! Buggy and Alvida have the edge! Luffy and Vivi are frozen—what's their plan?" Hatterly narrated.
"We've got the chest. Phase one complete," Alvida said.
"Time for the plan?" Buggy asked.
"Hell yeah! Buggy's Grand Strategy begins!" he roared, pulling a small bomb from his pocket, lighting it, and hurling it skyward. It exploded harmlessly, confusing everyone.
Luffy and Vivi stared, as did Hatterly, who admitted he didn't get it. Buggy laughed, Alvida smirking triumphantly.
They still didn't take the chest, but something was coming. Luffy braced himself, sensing danger, and moved to attack. Before he could, the ground rumbled.
A stampede of animals—Lapahns and Sea Lapahns—charged the battlefield's center.
"What's this!? Our contracted animals, Lapahns and Sea Lapahns, are charging in! Unplanned intruders!" Hatterly shouted.
"GYAHAHA! I bought them off before the match! They're my crew now!" Buggy crowed.
"Buggy's bribed them! Luffy's team is outnumbered—how will they dodge?" Hatterly said.
"This is cheating! Animals crashing the game—how's that allowed!?" Vivi protested, looking up.
Hatterly scratched his head. "Vivi's complaint noted, but we deem pets or similar animals as 'weapons.' No rule violation!"
"That's…!" Vivi gasped.
"Here they come, Vivi! I'll handle them—you grab the chest!" Luffy said, shielding her and facing the stampede.
The animals charged with momentum, unstoppable by most. But Luffy, undaunted, unleashed rapid punches.
"Attack, sea beasts! Don't lag!" Buggy ordered.
"Gomu Gomu no… Gatling!" Luffy roared, his fists pummeling the front line, knocking back Lapahns. But their numbers overwhelmed, some slipping through to attack. Luffy dodged but lost balance. A Lapahn swung at him, only for Vivi to slash its torso, forcing it back. She helped Luffy up, and they faced the horde together.
"Sorry, Vivi, I was slow!" Luffy said.
"No, my fault!" Vivi replied.
"Keep going!" Buggy shouted, snatching the chest unnoticed, grinning at his chance to win.
"Suckers! Think wars only happen on the battlefield? Real strategists fight before it starts," Buggy gloated.
"Nice, Buggy," Alvida said.
"Finally, I'll school that Straw Hat!" Buggy laughed.
"Your strategy's solid, but they won't play along," Alvida warned.
"Huh?" Buggy turned, spotting Luffy rocketing toward him, Vivi clinging to his back.
Luffy stretched both arms, attacking. Alvida closed her eyes, waiting.
"Gomu Gomu no Big Scythe!" Luffy shouted.
"GYAAA—Guh!?" Buggy took the hit, tumbling foolishly, his body scattering. Alvida, unharmed, let the attack slide off her slippery skin.
Her Sube Sube powers nullified all strikes, often unbalancing opponents. Luffy's attack veered off, sending him and Vivi crashing. They scrambled up as Buggy, furious, reassembled.
"Damn brainless idiot! Flying at us like that!" Buggy raged.
"Vivi, get the chest! I'll hold them!" Luffy said.
"Got it!" Vivi replied, darting for the chest Buggy dropped when hit. She grabbed it and ran for their base.
"No! What're you doing!?" Buggy screamed.
"Stamp!" Luffy kicked Buggy's face, sending his head rolling.
Alvida chuckled, unfazed, and moved to chase Vivi. Luffy, refusing to let her, attacked without hesitation, no mercy for her gender.
"Wait! Don't go!" Luffy shouted, aiming a punch at her cheek.
"Aw, sweet. Another punch from you," Alvida teased, offering her cheek. The punch slipped off, redirecting Luffy's arm. "I ate the Sube Sube Fruit. I'm reborn."
"Damn it!" Luffy cursed.
"Shame. I liked your punches," Alvida said.
Luffy switched gears fast. He couldn't let her chase Vivi. Charging again, he attacked relentlessly, unfazed by failure. Alvida admired his resolve, finding it endearing, but as a pirate, she met him head-on.
Her love wasn't soft—it was in her mace, aimed at Luffy.
"Come, Luffy. I'll love you my way," Alvida said.
"Gomu Gomu no…" Luffy began, retracting his arm for a powerful strike.
"Bullet!" His punch hit her chest but slid off, unbalancing him. Alvida's mace swung, and though Luffy blocked with crossed arms, the force sent him tumbling, blood dripping from his arms.
"You were this strong?" Luffy gasped, standing undeterred.
"I've changed. See? No freckles," Alvida said.
"That's not the point!" Luffy waved off, dodging a Lapahn's attack from behind. Buggy had rejoined, reigniting the fight.
"Damn you, Straw Hat!" Buggy yelled.
"You're the one making a fuss," Luffy shot back.
"Alvida, chase the girl! I'll handle him!" Buggy ordered.
"Was just thinking that," Alvida said, sprinting after Vivi.
Luffy moved to stop her, but Sea Lapahns attacked, forcing him back.
"Let her go!" Luffy shouted.
"No way, moron! You're the one in my way!" Buggy retorted.
The Lapahns and Sea Lapahns swarmed, Buggy joining them. Luffy jumped back, unable to close the distance, gritting his teeth at his disadvantage.
As he swung both arms to attack, Buggy shot his knife-wielding hand.
"Gomu Gomu no—!" Luffy began.
"Bara Bara Cannon!" Buggy countered.
The hand darted through the Lapahns, aiming for Luffy's blind spot, slicing his side. He staggered, blood seeping.
"Now!" Buggy shouted.
The Lapahns pounced, but Luffy inhaled deeply, inflating his stomach.
"Gomu Gomu no Balloon!" he roared.
The Lapahns bounced off, scattered by his inflated body, creating a clear path to Buggy. Luffy charged, leaping forward, and threw a punch.
"Gomu Gomu no Pistol!" Luffy shouted.
"Buheh!?" Buggy's face took the hit, his red nose crushed, body scattering again.
Luffy landed, nodding with a triumphant pose.
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