Seeing everyone just standing there, Hogback snapped impatiently, "Who's sick? Hurry up and sit down! My time is extremely valuable—I don't have time to waste on people who can't even afford it."
His rude tone and blatant condescension made it clear to Buggy—Hogback that they had taken them for a bunch of broke nobodies. Not worth his time. Probably not profitable. So, why bother?
If Hogback wasn't going to be polite, neither would Buggy. He walked straight up and sat down right in front of him.
"What are your symptoms? Where does it hurt?" Hogback asked without even looking up, busy fiddling with his current task.
Buggy slapped Yan Yang's sword onto the desk with a heavy thud and said coldly, "My sword says it's thirsty—it wants to taste some fresh blood. Can you treat that?"
The loud bang startled Hogback enough to finally look up. Then, hearing Buggy's words, he instantly knew—this wasn't a patient. This was trouble.
"Sir, I'm afraid we can't treat that kind of... condition here. If there's something else you need, I'd be happy to oblige," he said, suddenly respectful, putting on a practiced, accommodating smile.
Hogback wasn't an amateur. He had seen all kinds of things. He knew the man before him had come with a purpose—he was here to demand something. That meant Hogback might still have some bargaining room, maybe even walk away from this unscathed.
"My sword also said it's looking for a personal doctor. One who can tend to its needs. It says if you refuse, it might have to cure itself with your blood," Buggy said with mock sincerity, as if his sword had whispered it to him.
"Please, sir—don't joke around like that. I'm not worthy of serving such a blade," Hogback replied, quickly catching on to Buggy's intentions. The man was trying to recruit him—most likely a pirate, or at least someone involved in an underground organization.
Still, Hogback wasn't so easily frightened. He had no interest in giving up his current lifestyle to sail the seas, facing danger and discomfort every day.
So, he decided to push back subtly. He brought up his connections with the kingdom's elite, hoping that would serve as a deterrent. At the same time, he softened the threat by offering money as an apology—perhaps enough to dissuade the stranger from doing something reckless.
"I'm afraid my sword didn't like that answer," Buggy said, suddenly standing and drawing Yan Yang.
He brought the sword down hard, slamming it into the floor just inches from Hogback's leg, leaving a deep, jagged slash in the tiles.
The moment the sword left its sheath, Hogback felt a wave of death wash over him. His knees buckled, and he almost collapsed off his chair.
For a split second, he thought he was going to die.
But after a loud crack, there was no pain. No blood. Slowly, he opened his eyes—and found five grinning faces staring back at him.
He glanced at the floor beside him. When he saw the deep cut that had nearly split the ground in half, he couldn't help but gasp sharply. If that blade had landed even slightly to the left, he would've been in two pieces.
His gaze returned to Buggy, now filled with genuine fear and uncertainty.
"My sword thinks you should stop worrying about your friends. They'll find another doctor. It thinks you should reconsider—because it's not sure if the next swing will miss," Buggy said with a calm smile.
Hogback froze. That smile sent a chill down his spine. He knew—his so-called connections meant nothing to this man.
The tension gripped him. His face turned pale, then flushed, beads of sweat forming as his inner battle raged. Should he refuse and risk being killed? Or surrender and give up his cushy life?
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, his body slumped to the ground.
"I... I'll do it. I'll be your doctor," he muttered in defeat, collapsing in resignation.
Buggy looked down at him, not with contempt, but also without much satisfaction.
He didn't look down on Hogback because this kind of reaction was normal. Most people would've reacted the same, or worse. But still, he was disappointed. Compared to the other crew members, Hogback's mental resilience was severely lacking.
He knew the man wouldn't be a fighter, but at least some composure was expected. Buggy made a note to toughen him up later. He'd need training—mentally, if not physically.
With Hogback now officially on board, there was no point continuing the fake medical consultation. Hogback got up and informed his staff that he'd be stepping away for an indefinite period.
Both his staff and the patients looked puzzled, but he didn't explain.
He led Buggy's group toward his home, planning to pick up his belongings before joining the crew. Everything else, he said, would be delegated to trusted subordinates.
But just as they stepped outside, everything changed.
Dozens of armored soldiers suddenly appeared, lining both sides of the street. Their commander pointed directly at Buggy and his crew, ordering the men to surround them.
Hogback's eyes lit up with hope.
Maybe—just maybe—he could escape this fate. With the military here, he might survive. He could flee with his money, leave the Illusia Kingdom behind, and start over somewhere else. With his skills, he was confident he could rebuild his life, comfort, wealth, and everything.
But he didn't dare move. One wrong twitch, and Buggy might cut him down on the spot.
Buggy stared at the scene, frowning.
This wasn't about Hogback. There was no way the kingdom could've responded so quickly just because of what happened inside the clinic.
He thought for a moment—then his eyes narrowed.
He had a pretty good idea who this was really about.