Chapter 16 :Orange Town — Conclusion
Luffy understood — if he didn't take Buggy down fast, he wouldn't have time to help Zoro and Mayor Boodle.
Buggy's separated body parts were already beginning to reconnect. His head floated in the air, laughing with a mocking lilt.
"Hahaha, what's wrong? Worried about your friends, huh?" His head reattached to his neck.
Luffy clenched his jaw. His expression went serious, his gaze sharpening. Without another word, he attacked.
"Gomu Gomu no Pistol!"
His fist shot forward from a distance.
Buggy leaped sideways, his eyes following Luffy's stretching arm. "Ho, that's a useful ability," he said with a grin, "but the weakness is obvious. I'll cut off your hand!" A knife was already in his grip.
Luffy didn't hesitate. He grabbed a tree trunk behind Buggy.
"Gomu Gomu no Kama!"
His body launched toward the tree, arm spread wide.
"Bara Bara Kinkyuu Dasshutsu!"
Buggy separated his own head in an instant. Luffy's attack hit only empty air, sending him crashing through a house that collapsed around him.
Dust billowed as Luffy pushed off the timber piled on top of him. Broken roof tiles slid from his shoulders as he rose.
"Bara Bara Ho!"
Buggy launched one of his hands with four knives wedged between the fingers. This time Luffy didn't dodge — he caught the hand directly.
Buggy smiled wide. "Kirihanashi!"
His fingers released the knives, leaving only the wrist in Luffy's grip. Caught off guard, Luffy released it and leaned back — just enough to lose his footing and fall into the rubble.
"How's that, kid?" Buggy laughed.
Luffy didn't answer. He sat among the ruins, face grim, the cut on his cheek still bleeding down to his chin. But his eyes fixed on only one thing: his straw hat, torn, in his hands.
His jaw hardened. The veins at his temple rose. His fingers clenched around the hat until his hands trembled.
"You bastard."
"What's the matter? Did I mess up that snotty little face of yours? Hahaha," Buggy jeered.
Luffy stared at the tear in his hat longer. His teeth ground together, holding back the rage. "How dare you... how dare you damage this hat?!" He shouted, "This hat is the most precious thing I own! Whoever damages it — I will never forgive them!"
"Oh, it matters that much," Buggy muttered. His hand that had been behind Luffy slowly rose.
"That's exactly right!"
"Then maybe you should have taken better care of it." Buggy threw a knife. Luffy managed to dodge, but three more knives struck the hat in his hand and sent it flying. His pupils narrowed. He dropped face-first to the ground.
Buggy's floating hand returned carrying the hat, its blade tips pinning it. He examined it with puzzlement. "How is a worn-out hat a treasure? Real treasure is gold, something that shines, something that says something about who owns it. A ratty hat like this?" He laughed scornfully. "Don't make me laugh!"
"That hat was given to me by Shanks!" Luffy called out, rising from the ground. His face was wet with sweat, a mix of anger, dread, and the terror of losing.
Buggy's eyes widened at the name. "What?!" He looked down at the hat in his hand. "So this belongs to Shanks?" He threw it to the ground.
"No wonder it felt familiar. He's always one step ahead of me!"
"You were on a ship with Shanks?" asked Luffy, surprised.
"Used to be. Same pirate crew, we were crewmates," Buggy paused, as if remembering something bitter. His teeth clamped together. "That damn red-haired bastard!" His foot came down on the straw hat without mercy.
The hat was crushed beneath his boot.
The world seemed to stop.
Luffy's breath caught. His jaw trembled. His knees bent slightly, all his weight shifting to the balls of his feet.
"You..."
In an instant —
BUAGH!
His fist shot like an arrow, slamming into Buggy's gut.
"Shanks is a great person! You call yourselves crewmates? Don't you dare put yourself in the same breath as him!"
Buggy, caught completely off guard, flew like a cannonball, punching straight through a house wall until the entire building collapsed and buried him in rubble.
"Don't ever claim to be Shanks' friend again!" Luffy turned away, picked up his hat, gripped it tight. "Damn... how dare you damage my treasure." He put it back on his head, then looked toward where Zoro was fighting.
Buggy crawled out from the ruins, brushing dust from his captain's hat before putting it back on. He had just opened his mouth to respond when the sound of shouting and running feet rumbled from the distance.
(Meanwhile — Zoro)
After slashing down one more of Buggy's crew, Zoro cursed inwardly. There's no end to them. His swords felt heavier with every swing, his vision beginning to blur at the edges, his body soaked through with sweat. He glanced behind him.
Mayor Boodle could no longer stand on his own — he was leaning on his spear. His yellow armor was now red with blood, torn open by slash marks in several places.
"You... still holding up, old man?" asked Zoro, his voice thin and labored.
"Yes..." Boodle pressed a hand to his wound, looking at Zoro. "Kid, you should leave me here."
"Die, Roronoa Zoro!" One of Buggy's crew leaped, sword swinging down.
Zoro deflected with great effort. The muscles in his arms strained, veins rising beneath the skin. He pushed the attacker away and slashed back. "Don't talk... nonsense, old man. At least we hold out... until Luffy finishes."
Buggy's crew encircled them, chuckling among themselves. The prospect of bringing down Roronoa Zoro drove them forward. But just as they lunged to attack, the sound of shouting and pounding feet stopped them cold.
Everyone froze, turning toward the sound. In the distance, a cloud of dust was approaching — and as it drew close enough, it became clear: the townspeople who had evacuated earlier, now returning with whatever weapons they could carry, searching for their mayor.
When they arrived, what they saw made their blood boil: their mayor soaked in blood, being shielded by an unknown swordsman from the surrounding pirates.
Shock turned to fury. One of the townspeople shouted loud enough to carry across the street. "Protect Mayor Boodle! Drive the pirates out of our town!"
"Ooooo!"
The townspeople surged at what remained of Buggy's crew. Fighting broke out along the full length of the street.
With that, Zoro finally let himself slide down the wall, breathing hard. He watched the townspeople fighting to take back their home, then closed his eyes.
Boodle, beside him, slowly lost consciousness.
In the gaps between buildings, Nami watched all of it. After a long internal struggle, she made her decision — she would slip away with the treasure she had already stolen from Buggy.
(Back to Luffy)
Buggy was surprised the townspeople dared to fight back after days under his occupation. But he wasn't worried. No matter how strong their resolve, civilians were still civilians. His crew were pirates who fought for their lives every day.
His attention went back to Luffy — until his eyes caught something in the distance: Nami, running off with his treasure.
His upper body detached and floated upward. "DON'T TOUCH MY TREASURE!" He shot past Luffy, leaving his lower half standing in place.
Luffy, still processing what just happened, heard Nami shout behind him. He turned — Nami was running with the treasure, Buggy's upper half closing in with a knife in hand.
Luffy spun back to Buggy's lower half, still standing motionless. He ran at it and kicked it square in the groin.
Buggy, almost within reach of Nami, froze completely. His face went white. He crumpled to the ground, tears streaming. "My... my family jewels..."
His lower half writhed on the ground. The corner of Luffy's mouth curved upward. "Your fight is with me."
"Hey, drop the treasure and run, or he'll come after you again!" Luffy called out.
"No!" Nami refused flat out. "Leave this much treasure behind just like that? Absolutely not!"
"Why should I leave what I've already taken?" Nami lifted her chin slightly, full of confidence. "I'm a pirate thief. This is what I stole." She clenched her fist, chest forward. "Obviously all of this is mine!"
"Oh, fair enough," Luffy murmured, catching his own fist.
Buggy's teeth shifted to points like a shark's. "Don't joke with me! That's my treasure!" he snapped. "You think stealing it makes it yours? Weren't you ever taught any manners?"
Nami narrowed her eyes, dripping with contempt. "A criminal wants to lecture me about manners..." She smiled with full mockery. "Don't be an idiot!"
"WHAT?!" Fury blazed openly across Buggy's face.
Nami looked at Buggy, still only half a man, and stuck out her tongue.
Buggy's teeth clenched so hard his temples bulged. His head slowly rose into the air. "You'd better get ready, Nami!"
"Bara Bara Festival!"
Buggy's body shattered into far more pieces than before. Nami covered her face in shock. Even the lower half near Luffy burst into smaller fragments.
The leg pieces flew off after the upper body. Buggy's head turned halfway. "If you want to save your friend, do it now, Rubber Man."
"Damn, he broke himself into smaller pieces," Luffy muttered, gathering force in the tips of his feet. Then he heard footsteps approaching. He looked around for the source.
"What's that?" He looked down — a pair of legs walking on their own without a body. He glanced at Buggy chasing Nami, then back at the pair of legs.
A mischievous smile spread across his face. He grabbed the legs, pulled off the shoes and socks, and started tickling them.
From the distance came Buggy's laughter mixed with Nami's shriek. Luffy's smile widened. He tickled harder, pinching the skin of the feet until it stretched, making Buggy howl in pain in perfect synchrony with Nami's screams of fright. Finally Luffy slammed the legs into the ground as hard as he could.
Buggy screamed in agony, startling Nami into screaming too. Buggy spun around, furious. "Stop that!"
"The one who needs to stop is you!" Nami swung the cloth bag of treasure into Buggy's face.
But Buggy caught it, holding tight. From behind the cloth he grinned wide. "So you've returned my treasure to me."
Nami yanked the bag back, waving her free hand at him. "Give it back!"
"Give it back? This was mine from the start! You're the one who should let go!"
Luffy, watching from a distance, thought they looked exactly like two children fighting over a piece of candy. One of Buggy's hands floated over, knife in its grip. Luffy drove his foot into the ground and disappeared, reappearing at Buggy's side.
He twisted at the hip and kicked Buggy in the face, sending him crashing into the cloth bag of treasure. The bag tore, gold and jewels scattering everywhere. The parts of Buggy that had been floating dropped to the ground.
Luffy stood in front of Nami who had fallen, extending his hand. "You okay?"
Nami looked at his hand for a moment then took it. "Yes, I'm fine." She snapped to attention, remembering. "Wait, my treasure!" She turned — Buggy's head was already floating back toward her.
"The fight isn't over, Rubber Man!"
"He's still going?!" Luffy said in genuine surprise, while Nami slowly backed up beside him.
"How dare you keep interfering with me!"
"I won't let you off!"
Luffy lowered his center of gravity, staring straight at Buggy. His hands balled into fists.
"Assemble! Bara Bara Parts!"
Buggy's body began to pull itself back together — but something was wrong. His eye line felt lower than usual. He looked down. Only his feet and hands had returned. "WHAT?!"
Luffy stared at him with a bewildered look. Buggy's eyes darted wildly, searching for his missing parts.
"Looking for these?" Nami had her boot planted on Buggy's remaining body parts, still struggling, binding them tight with rope.
"Geh! My body parts!"
Luffy's laugh broke free, echoing down the street. His lips curved into his signature grin. He drove both hands far behind him. "You're something else, Thief!" He looked at Buggy. "Fly, Buggy!"
"Gomu Gomu no Bazooka!"
Buggy took the full impact and sailed over the rooftops into the darkening sky, trailing a glitter of stars in his wake.
The sound of swords and shouting across the city stopped all at once, as though someone had pressed a pause button.
Then —
"Captain Buggy!"
Buggy's crew cried out in disbelief that their captain — a Devil Fruit user — could be beaten like that. They bolted for the ship, dragging Mohji, Cabaji, Richie, and whatever pieces of their captain they could gather.
One townsperson stared at the back of Buggy's ship disappearing from view, murmuring in disbelief, "We... we won?" His eyes went wide. He pulled in a long breath. "We won!"
That cry echoed through the entire town. Zoro let out a long breath of relief, let his back hit the wall, and fell asleep immediately. The tension that had held every muscle in his body finally let go all at once.
The townspeople flooded toward Luffy and Nami, lifting them into the air on a wave of cheering.
The sun descended slowly behind the western sea, draping Orange Town in gold and amber. The shadows of damaged buildings stretched long down the streets, while townspeople worked together clearing the remaining rubble.
Many buildings were gone. But every face carried relief.
They still had homes to rebuild.
They still had their town.
And most importantly, they were still alive.
Mayor Boodle, his body wrapped in bandages, stood in front of Luffy, Zoro, and Nami.
"I don't have much way to repay you," he said, bowing deeply. "But at least let us host you tonight."
Luffy rubbed the back of his head. "Eh? There's food?"
Boodle smiled faintly. "Plenty."
Luffy's eyes lit up. "Then we're staying the night!"
Zoro let out a resigned sigh. "You didn't even think about it..."
Not far away, Nami crossed her arms and slowly shook her head. "Completely predictable."
But without realizing it, the corner of her mouth had risen.
When night came, Orange Town's main square transformed into a sea of light. A large bonfire burned at the center of the plaza, smoke from roasting meat rising into the air. A child had fallen asleep on his father's shoulder. Women were mending torn clothing. An old man played a battered violin while children ran circles around him laughing. Music drifted through the air, people danced, several townspeople grilled fresh-caught fish. The smell of roasting meat, warm soup, and fresh bread filled the night.
For the first time in days of living under fear, Orange Town was full of laughter again.
And the happiest person there was, of course, Luffy.
"SO GOOD!!"
He demolished a chicken leg at blinding speed, leaving the cooks staring.
"Wait! That's for everyone!"
"Too slow!"
Within minutes, a tower of empty plates had built up in front of him. Several children laughed watching.
"That kid is seriously a monster."
"Does his stomach have a bottom?"
Zoro sat leaning against a large barrel, savoring sake the townspeople had given him. "Not bad..." His body was still covered in wounds but his face looked far more at ease than it had a few hours ago.
Nami sat a little away from the crowd. In her lap was a pouch containing the small portion of treasure she had managed to hide away before the celebration started. Her hands were busy counting gold coins one by one.
"...one hundred forty-six..."
"...one hundred forty-seven..."
"..."
A shadow fell across the bonfire's light. Luffy was standing directly in front of her.
"You're not eating?"
Nami quickly tucked the gold pouch away. "I'm busy."
"Oh." Luffy simply nodded, then sat down beside her without another word.
A brief silence settled between them. The only sounds were the crackling fire and distant laughter from the townspeople.
Luffy bit into a piece of grilled meat, then held out another skewer. "Want some?"
Nami looked at it for a moment. "I'm not hungry."
"Oh." Without pressing, he immediately finished it himself.
Seeing that, Nami was slightly caught off guard.
A few moments later, Luffy picked up another piece of grilled fish and set it down beside Nami without comment. "If you get hungry later, eat it." Then he immediately stood.
"Eh?"
Without waiting for an answer, he had already run back toward the crowd of townspeople.
Nami watched his back as he went, then slowly looked down at the grilled fish still steaming gently beside her.
"...Strange."
She had spent years living among pirates. But this was the first time a pirate had ever given her food without asking for anything in return.
Nami smiled. Just barely — so faintly that even she didn't notice it.
In the distance the bonfire kept burning, warming the night over an Orange Town that had finally come back to peace.
The next morning, the sun appeared above the eastern horizon. Its golden light reflected off the calm sea, small waves glinting like scattered glass.
At Orange Town's dock, nearly the whole town had gathered to see off the people who had saved them.
Mayor Boodle stood at the front, his body still wrapped in bandages, his face tired but his smile far brighter than it had been in days.
"Take care of yourselves!" he called out. "The people of Orange Town will never forget you!"
A cheer rolled along the entire harbor.
"Thank you!"
"Come back sometime!"
"Safe travels!"
The ship's sail slowly spread open, catching the morning breeze. The small boat left the dock, cutting through the calm blue sea.
Luffy stood at the bow waving both hands as high as they would go. "See you!"
"If we ever get the chance, let's meet again!"
The town's children ran along the dock, waving back. "Goodbye, big brother Luffy!"
"Don't lose to any other pirates!"
Luffy laughed wide. "I'm definitely going to be King of the Pirates!"
His laughter carried on the wind, slowly fading as Orange Town shrank in the distance. Before long the buildings were only small shapes against the horizon.
On deck, Zoro leaned his back against the ship's railing, closing his eyes and enjoying the sea breeze. A moment later he glanced toward Nami who was checking the simple Log Pose and studying a map.
"Oi, Luffy."
"Hm?"
"Is she one of us now?"
Luffy glanced over briefly and shrugged as though the question had an obvious answer. "Wasn't she already coming along since yesterday?"
Nami immediately raised her head. "Don't just decide things on your own."
"I'm only hitching a ride."
Luffy tilted his head. "Is there a difference?"
"Of course there is!" Nami fired back. "I'm not anyone's subordinate."
Luffy just laughed softly. "Fine by me."
That easy answer somehow made Nami lose all interest in continuing the argument.
"..."
"This person is so strange."
Luffy turned back to the open sea ahead of them. "Anyway, as long as you're still on this ship..." He smiled wide without turning. "...that means we're friends."
Nami went quiet for a moment. Somehow, words as simple as that made the reply she had ready at the tip of her tongue evaporate entirely.
She exhaled quietly, turning her face away. "...Idiot."
But for the first time since boarding that ship, she no longer felt quite so out of place among them.
The sea wind blew again, carrying the small ship away from Orange Town, toward whatever came next.
End of Chapter 16