Sir, what do you want us to do?
The two middle-aged men looked at Buggy, hope shining in their eyes.
Buggy gave them a simple response.
He instructed them to gather the other villagers, assemble everyone, and go together to confront Lafitte, demanding that he leave the village.
If Lafitte got angry or tried to drive the villagers away by force, then Buggy would step in and defeat him in front of everyone.
Of course, Buggy had no intention of actually letting Lafitte leave.
His real goal was to subdue and recruit him—the excuse to remove him was just something to pacify the villagers.
The two men grinned and ran back into the village, eager to spread the word and rally everyone.
They quickly went to the village chief, who, upon hearing the plan, gave his full support.
He, too, lived in fear of Lafitte and was happy to see an opportunity to drive him away.
With the chief's endorsement, a large group of villagers assembled and marched toward Lafitte's police post.
Buggy blended into the crowd, moving with the villagers as they approached.
At the police station, a tall young man in uniform stepped out of the building.
It was Lafitte.
He stared at the crowd with a look of confusion in his eyes.
He had ruled over these villagers with an iron fist—what gave them the courage to come challenge him now?
The moment he saw their glares, he understood: they weren't here for a friendly chat.
They had come to revolt.
"What are you all doing here, gathering like this?
Get lost, or I'll have every last one of you thrown in jail!"
Lafitte barked at them, trying to intimidate them into retreat.
Usually, just the threat alone was enough. But if they didn't leave, he was more than willing to resort to violence.
The villagers wavered.
Fear returned to their faces—Lafitte's threats weren't empty.
They knew firsthand that falling into his hands meant pain at best, and ruin at worst.
Just then, the two middle-aged men who had seen Buggy's sword technique stepped forward, shouting:
"Don't be afraid! We have numbers on our side!
If we keep letting him bully us, how are we supposed to live?
It's time to drive him out of Babu Village!"
They deliberately didn't mention Buggy yet—they wanted to keep him as a surprise in case Lafitte became suspicious.
Their words reignited the crowd's resolve.
One by one, the villagers began to chant:
"Get out of Babu Village! Get out of Babu Village!"
Lafitte's eyes flickered with disappointment.
He had always believed his strict rule was for the good of the village.
But seeing the hatred in their eyes made him question it, for a brief moment.
That doubt quickly disappeared.
He remained firm in his belief that he had done the right thing.
There was no way he would let these villagers force him out.
His eyes locked onto the two middle-aged men.
I'll make an example out of them, he thought.
Determined, Lafitte lunged toward the two men, cane in hand.
The villagers didn't move.
The two men stood frozen in place, unable to react as Lafitte's cane came swinging down on them.
Lafitte sneered.
Cowards, he thought.
Weaklings like them dare to rebel? What a joke.
But just before the cane could strike—
A figure shot out from the crowd, intercepting the attack with ease.
Buggy.
He had been waiting for the perfect moment, and now it had come.
He soared forward and landed between Lafitte and the villagers.
Lafitte's eyes widened as he stared at the man with the distinct red nose who had suddenly appeared before him.
For a moment, his attack halted.
And as he processed what had just happened, a realization dawned—this stranger must be the one responsible for inciting the villagers to rebel.
A dangerous glint flashed in Lafitte's eyes.
Without hesitation, he resumed his attack—this time, targeting Buggy.
Buggy grinned.
Finally… let's see what kind of strength my future crew member has.
The two clashed.
The villagers screamed and scattered, running for cover as the fierce battle erupted.
But Lafitte, despite his best efforts, was no match for Buggy.
Within just a few exchanges, he was already on the defensive.
Desperate, he transformed his cane into a concealed sword, hoping to surprise Buggy.
But it didn't work—he didn't even come close to landing a hit.
After a few more rounds, Buggy decided it was time to end it.
He had already seen enough.
Lafitte had decent swordsmanship—capable of cutting steel—and his reaction speed, stamina, and combat instincts were respectable.
Though he didn't yet have a Devil Fruit power, Buggy was satisfied with what he saw.
As Lafitte tried to dodge to the side, Buggy suddenly unleashed a full-power sword slash—the strike tore across the earth beside Lafitte, leaving a gaping sword mark several hundred meters long.
The sheer force of the blow stunned Lafitte.
He realized then and there—Buggy hadn't even been using his full strength until now.
If that slash had been aimed at him, it would've been over.
I can't win…
He quietly lowered his sword and gave up any thought of continuing the fight.
Instead, he just stared at Buggy, stunned.
Buggy could see it in Lafitte's eyes.
The battle was over—Lafitte had accepted defeat.
He sheathed his sword and gave the man a moment to collect himself.
"You've made enemies of the entire village.
They've had enough of your rule.
I was sent here on their behalf.
What do you say? Will you leave?"
Lafitte fell silent, deep in thought.
The villagers… brought in someone this powerful just to deal with me…
In the face of such overwhelming strength, he knew there was only one answer.
"Fine. I'll leave."
Lafitte made his decision quickly.
He knew when he was outmatched—and he had no intention of dying here.
He turned and calmly walked back into the police station.
A few minutes later, he emerged with a small bundle of belongings slung over his shoulder.
The villagers watched in awe and excitement as he passed them by and began walking toward the village outskirts.