Reborn as Luffy The Pirate King's Return

Our small raft bobbed on the waves as we approached the battered harbor of Orange Town. The once-bustling village was now eerily quiet, its streets scarred by chaos. Charred buildings and abandoned stalls painted a grim picture of the pirate occupation.

"This place looks like it's seen better days," Zoro remarked, his hand resting on his swords.

Nami crossed her arms, scanning the desolate town. "It's Buggy's doing. He's turned this place into a playground for his crew."

Koby clutched the raft's edge nervously. "Is it really worth the risk? I mean, he's got a reputation."

"Yep!" I said with a wide grin, adjusting my hat. "We need that map to the Grand Line, and Buggy's got it."

Nami sighed, shaking her head. "You're insane. But fine, if we're doing this, we do it smart."

Zoro smirked. "Smart, huh? I'm more of a straightforward kind of guy."

In the center of town, Buggy sat atop a makeshift throne, his clownish outfit and oversized red nose making him look absurd. Yet the aura of command he carried was no joke.

His men roared with laughter as they shared drinks and tossed loot into piles around them. But as we stepped into the square, the laughter stopped.

Buggy's eyes locked onto me, and his grin widened. "Well, well, what do we have here? A bunch of nobodies wandering into my town."

He leaned forward, his gaze narrowing as he took in my straw hat. His expression shifted from amused to deadly serious. "That hat... I'd recognize it anywhere. It belonged to Shanks, didn't it?"

"Yeah," I said, grinning. "He gave it to me. Got a problem with that?"

Buggy stood abruptly, his crew stepping back as his mood darkened. "Shanks... that bastard ruined my life! And now some kid waltzes in wearing his hat? You've got guts, I'll give you that."

"Thanks," I said, cracking my knuckles. "Now hand over the map to the Grand Line."

Buggy laughed, his men joining in. "You think you can demand anything from me? You're out of your depth, Straw Hat!"

With a wave of his hand, Buggy's men charged. Zoro unsheathed his swords, cutting down attackers with precise, fluid movements. Nami used her staff to knock out two men trying to flank us. Koby hung back, watching in awe.

Buggy grinned maliciously as he floated into the air, his body splitting apart into pieces. His detached hands and feet shot toward me, aiming to pin me down.

I dodged, my rubbery body bending and twisting as I avoided his attacks. "That's a cool trick," I said. "But it's not enough."

Buggy growled. "You're all talk, kid!"

I paused, focusing my energy. A wave of pressure erupted from me, invisible but overwhelming. Buggy's men collapsed one by one, their weapons clattering to the ground as they fell unconscious.

Buggy staggered, his floating pieces faltering. But instead of shock, his expression twisted into a snarl. "Conqueror's Haki, huh? So you've got that power too."

He reassembled his body, glaring at me. "I've felt this before—Shanks had it, just like you. But you're still no match for Captain Buggy!"

I grinned. "Let's find out!"

He lunged, his detached fists flying at me in a whirlwind. I stretched my arm back, gathering my strength, and launched a devastating punch. My fist collided with his torso, sending him flying into a pile of crates.

Coughing, Buggy struggled to his feet. "Fine! Take the damn map and get out of here!" He reached into his coat and threw the rolled parchment at me.

Nami caught it, unrolling it quickly. Her eyes lit up. "This is the real deal!"

Buggy glared at us. "You'd better watch your back, Straw Hat. The Grand Line isn't a place for amateurs like you."

"Thanks for the advice," I said, tipping my hat. "But I'll be fine."

Back at the raft, as we prepared to leave, Koby suddenly spoke up.

"I need to say something," he said, his voice firm. "I can't go with you to the Grand Line."

We turned to him in surprise.

"My dream is to join the Marines and protect people from pirates like Buggy," Koby said. "And maybe someday... even stand against pirates like you."

I grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "That's a great dream, Koby. Go for it."

Zoro smirked. "You've got guts, kid. Just make sure you're strong enough when the time comes."

As the wind caught our small sail, we left Orange Town behind, the map to the Grand Line now in our possession.