When it comes to massages, this is probably every creator's favorite thing—whether they're updating novels or manga. People in this profession spend long hours hunched over manuscripts, and inevitably end up with occupational ailments like frozen shoulder or cervical spondylosis. Over time, these problems pile up.
But Robin's Hana Hana no Mi massage technique is practically like having a fully automatic, full-body massage chair. Sometimes James would be so blissed out under her hands that he'd let out moans of pleasure, causing Robin to giggle. If someone outside heard them, they might think something not exactly child-appropriate was going on inside...
There are many pirates in Water 7. Ever since Roger opened the Great Pirate Era, countless dreamers and ambitious people have wanted to make their mark on the seas. Call them passionate or call them stupid—either way, some folks, on a whim, will set sail alone in a tiny wooden boat!
And Captain Buggy was now visiting Water 7 for the third time.
> "Nani?! There's no continuation of Claymore? Boss! You've got to be joking!"
Inside a bookstore, Captain Buggy was glaring at the shop owner with a very unpleasant expression, flanked by his two new recruits, Mohji and Cabaji.
"Captain, how about we check another bookstore?" Mohji suggested. His biggest dream was to become a beast tamer, and to that end, he had followed Captain Buggy in search of his destined animal partner.
"This gentleman, Claymore really doesn't have any more volumes," the shop owner explained. "Even if you scour all of Water 7, you won't find them. All the bookstores here stock the same titles since there are only a few publishers on the island. I suggest you don't waste your time. Why not try Naruto instead? It's the latest work by Claymore's original author, Mr. Waf. James. Ever since its release, it's been widely praised. I promise you won't be disappointed!"
The shop owner clearly had fielded this complaint many times before, reciting his practiced lines mechanically. He had discovered a good sales tactic: seamlessly guiding customers from the old series to the new one—no gaps, no problems!
"Let me take a look."
Before Buggy could respond, another voice sounded. Buggy looked up, and his eyes narrowed. The newcomer's golden eyes were like those of a hawk, and on his back he carried a massive black cross-shaped sword—reputedly Yoru, one of the twelve Supreme Grade swords. It was none other than the up-and-coming master swordsman of the last two years: Dracule "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk. Since his debut, he had never been defeated, and even his rival Shanks sparred with him often. Though Buggy found Shanks annoying, he couldn't deny that Shanks had been Roger's most promising rookie.
Recognizing Mihawk, Buggy quickly stopped Mohji and Cabaji from speaking rudely, and without another word, walked out of the shop. Mihawk glanced after him, thoughtful.
Picking up Naruto, Mihawk began to read. The plot was solid, and the fight scenes were impressively drawn. While the "kids fighting" setting felt a bit small in scope compared to the pure sword duels of Claymore, it still opened a new world to him. He imagined facing such opponents himself, and suddenly an idea struck him. He bought the book and left quickly.
> Heh heh, Shanks... You'll never see this coming!
Mihawk let out a chuunibyou-style laugh. Fortunately, the street was mostly empty—otherwise, his hard-won reputation might have taken a hit.
After Mihawk left, Buggy's crew returned to the bookstore. Mohji whispered: "Captain, since there's no more Claymore, why are we coming back?"
> "Idiot!"
Buggy turned and gave Mohji a fierce glare. "Even Hawk-Eye Mihawk likes this book. I may not care for it myself, but that doesn't stop us from making money with it! Think, genius—we don't have to like it. Once we sail back to the East Blue, how much do you think these will go for?"
"I like Doraemon..." Cabaji muttered.
"Shut up when I'm talking!" Buggy smacked Cabaji on the head, leaving him cowering in the corner like Hanamichi Sakuragi after being punched by a gorilla—complete with a flashing red bump on his head.
"Now listen to me!"
Buggy pulled his two not-so-bright subordinates closer and lowered his voice. "Just now, I saw lots of people on the streets reading this Naruto. It's even more popular than Claymore was last year when we came here to buy stock! Believe me, I'm certain—if we spend all our money this time on Naruto manga, we'll make a fortune!"
"Ohhh, as expected of Lord Buggy!" the two nodded in unison—though whether they actually understood was another matter entirely.
And so, the next day, a ship loaded to the brim with Volume 1 of Naruto set sail from Water 7 toward the East Blue. The Buggy Pirates seemed to have veered off the course of the original story—having stumbled upon a golden business opportunity in reselling manga.
As pirates in the East Blue, there weren't many crews who could threaten them. Unlike regular merchants, they didn't have to fear being robbed by other pirates. Their operational costs were already far lower than most traders. And with Buggy's Chop-Chop powers, the local Navy had no real means of catching him. Over the next year, this lucrative trade made Buggy feel that perhaps losing Shanks's treasure map wasn't such a big deal after all...
Meanwhile, James continued drawing new Naruto manuscripts at home, and Robin shifted her focus from studying history to learning how to draw. James welcomed the change—after all, he had already saved more than thirty scholars from Ohara, each a qualified historian. Robin no longer needed to bear the burden of deciphering ancient texts.
---
Marine Headquarters, Marineford!
Hurried footsteps approached, and a Navy soldier burst into the Fleet Admiral's office.
"Report! The Golden Lion Shiki has escaped from Impel Down!"
After the Ohara incident, former Fleet Admiral "Steel Bone" Kong had moved to a post in the World Government, passing the title of Fleet Admiral to the former Admiral Sengoku the Buddha.