Walking out of the tavern, a subtle, barely noticeable smirk played on Chrollo's lips.
Everything had gone exactly as he predicted.
The cooperation was already beneficial to the Revolutionary Army, so naturally, Dragon agreed without hesitation.
Dragon, however, had no idea that beneath all these maneuvers, Chrollo had only one true objective...
The nautical chart marking the locations of various powerhouses.
The Revolutionary Army's underground network was vast, meaning the scope and accuracy of this chart were incredibly high. With this map in hand, Chrollo could finally execute his hunting plan without obstruction.
He was going to hunt down the strong, one by one.
To him, this map was far more valuable than the Heavenly Tribute ever could be.
Seeing Chrollo in a good mood, Bonney tentatively sidled up to him.
"So, Mr. Dragon agreed?"
Chrollo nodded.
"Awesome!" Bonney cheered, rubbing her small belly. "Finally, we can go eat!"
"Didn't you just eat on the ship? Is eating all you know how to do?"
"I'm hungry!" Bonney pouted, looking aggrieved.
Chrollo kept a straight face and said flatly, "Suck it up."
Bonney squeezed out two fake tears, looking utterly wronged. "You're abusing a child! I heard you earlier—you didn't sound like this back then!"
"Where's that gentleness from before? Where's the consideration?"
Back then... you said it yourself, that was 'back then'...
Don't you know a man's mouth is full of lies?
Chrollo ignored Bonney's tantrum because, shortly after stepping out of the tavern, his En had picked up a tail from the CP department.
"Finally here, are they..."
The corners of Chrollo's mouth lifted inadvertently.
"I wonder how much reputation value I'll earn by plundering these CP9 members."
Chrollo felt a surge of anticipation. He quickened his pace, leading the Phantom Troupe members behind him to regroup with Nami and Machi, then slowly headed toward a sparsely populated area.
---
Hidden in the shadows behind Chrollo, a CP agent secretly picked up a transponder snail and reported:
"Captain Rob, we've located the targets. They are grouped together and heading toward the outskirts."
"It looks like they plan to board a ship and leave."
On the other end of the line, Rob Lucci smiled with overflowing confidence.
"In that case... let the hunt begin."
"Yes, sir!"
---
Branches rustled in the forest as several figures burst from the bushes, blocking Chrollo and his group's path.
Chrollo's left eyelid twitched. He looked ahead with a bewildered expression.
Red nose, clown hat... hey bro, you gotta be kidding me.
Chrollo stared silently at the person in front of him.
Seriously, man? I'm waiting for someone. Who are you?
The arrival was none other than Buggy the Clown and his subordinates.
Buggy flashed his signature grin, hands on his hips.
"Gyahahahaha!"
"Surprised to see the great me, aren't you? Trembling, are we?"
"I am Captain Buggy! A man with a bounty of 15 million Berries—an existence you cannot afford to offend! Hand over your treasure immediately! Gyahahaha!"
●﹏●
After his shouting died down, Buggy realized the group in front of him hadn't reacted at all.
"Aren't you guys scared?" Buggy tilted his head, confused.
Chrollo tilted his head in return. "...Should I be?"
"Of course you should! When you see me, you should be trembling, terrified, knees knocking, with your jaws hitting the floor!" Buggy said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"●﹏●"
Fourteen faces tilted their heads in confusion simultaneously.
Even Nami slowly visualized a question mark over her head: ?
Bro... Chrollo just took out Shiki the Golden Lion, who had a bounty in the hundreds of millions. And you, with your 15 million, are trying to rob them?
Seeing them so calm, Buggy was furious. How could they make him lose face in front of his little brothers?
"Damn it! Don't ignore me!"
"I'll show you the power of the Great Buggy!"
Behind him, Mohji and the rest of the crew saw Buggy's "kingly demeanor" and immediately began waving the clown skull pirate flag, shouting in unison:
"Captain Buggy—Invincible!!"
"Oh! Captain Buggy is mad! You guys are dead meat!"
"Prepare to face the wrath of a king!"
Listening to the cheers of his minions, Buggy looked smug, his detached hands floating around in the air.
"See that? This is my prestige! It's not too late to surrender!"
In the next second, Chrollo and the Troupe members behind him moved.
Chrollo's expression turned serious. He opened a door to the Fourth-Dimensional Mansion at his feet, and the non-combat members quickly dove in.
Then, only Bonney, Uvogin, Franklin, Shalnark, and Chrollo remained. They charged straight ahead—
Eh?
Buggy watched the agile movements of Chrollo and the others, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. His eyes widened.
"Wait..."
Why are they so strong?
That speed! That aura! Is this really still the East Blue?!
Chrollo's figure rapidly grew larger in Buggy's pupils.
"Oh... oh crap!"
I absolutely cannot tank that hit! I'm going to get sent flying in front of my subordinates—
My dignity will be swept away...
"Damn iiit—"
"Buggy Ball!"
A cannonball stamped with a clown mark shot out of Buggy's cannon. Buggy grinned savagely:
"DIE!"
However, in the next second, Uvogin swatted the cannonball aside as if he were shooing away a fly...
"...."ﾟДﾟ"!!!"
"How is that possible?!!"
Buggy closed his eyes in despair.
He could already imagine the scene of himself being blasted away and his subordinates looking on in utter disappointment.
But the expected impact never came. Only a gust of wind swept past him.
Buggy opened his eyes blankly and looked back—
Chrollo had already brushed past him, charging straight into the depths of the bushes behind him.
Only a cold, disgusted sentence was left in the wind, drifting clearly into his ears:
"Damn it... how did I run into a thing like this? You can't kill him, his ability is useless, and his bounty is low!"
"You aren't even qualified to die by my hand..."
Buggy turned his head and realized that the group was already brawling with a bunch of figures in white suits hidden in the grass.
Both sides were incredibly strong. The battle was thunderous, trees were toppling over—it was a level of existence completely beyond his own.
"I... I'm saved—"
Buggy looked relieved and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
However, his subordinates behind him stared at the scene, stunned for a moment.
Then, faces filled with unparalleled admiration emerged:
"Is this Captain Buggy's overwhelming aura? The... the enemy was scared away by him!"
"Kingly Haki!"
"Mighty... so mighty..."
"Ha..." Buggy gave a dry laugh, then quickly put on a cunning expression, shoved his hands in his pockets, and laughed at the sky:
"Gyahahahaha!"
"That's right! Exactly as planned!"
"Let those two groups of weaklings fight each other. We'll reap the benefits!"
"How brilliant is Captain Buggy—"
"And merciful, refusing to end them with his own hands!"
"You said it!"
"Mighty... So mighty..."