Grand Line, New World.
At this moment, the Red Hair Pirates were all out, sailing towards the Whitebeard Pirates. Along the way, the crew kept their eyes on the tenmu. The content broadcast on the tenmu truly shocked the other crew members. Red-Haired Shanks, being a semi-protagonist, received the same treatment as Buggy. The crew members surrounded him, asking questions incessantly.
"Captain, is that comical Buggy the Clown really a fellow intern crew member of the Pirate King, just like you? Is everything on there true?"
"Most of what the tenmu said is true. I never expected it to be exposed today. However, I'm surprised by Buggy's strength; he never showed such talent before." Red-Haired Shanks hadn't seen Buggy in over twenty years. On the ship, Buggy was never his opponent, but as fellow crew members of the Pirate King, they were no pushovers.
Shanks took out a Vivre Card from his bag, which he had kept for over twenty years, proving the battle-forged friendship between them. "This is Buggy's Vivre Card. However, that guy was luckier than others when he joined the ship, and this was further confirmed during the sea battles we experienced with him. Perhaps, as the tenmu said, his Observation Haki brought him good luck."
Beckman played with his rifle. He was immediately interested in Buggy the Clown, a strong individual who could rival his Captain. "Captain, if we meet Buggy again, I'd like to spar with him and see if he's as formidable as the tenmu claims."
Lucky Roux offered his opinion: "Captain, when we were in the East Blue, if you had gone to Buggy and invited him to join the crew, perhaps he would have agreed."
The chef, Lucky Roux, and everyone else witnessed Captain Shanks pass his Straw Hat to Luffy. Now, it seemed they were witnessing the handover of Roger's will. He knew that although his Captain admired Pirate King Roger, Shanks did not want to become Roger, nor did he want to become anyone else.
The Captain wanted to be himself, to be Red-Haired Shanks, to forge his own path. After passing on the Straw Hat, the Captain continued his journey at sea with his current companions, fighting for many years to reach his current position.
"With Luffy's reckless personality, his first words would probably be 'I'm going to be the Pirate King.' Even if Buggy is stupid, he'd recognize that hat. With his current strength, he wouldn't harm Luffy." Shanks smiled when he spoke of Luffy. He saw Roger's shadow in that young boy, and losing an arm in the East Blue was worth it.
"With Buggy looking after Luffy in the East Blue, I'm more worried about Ace now." Shanks touched the three claw marks near his eye, wounds left by Blackbeard Teach. Ace was definitely no match for that man.
"Notify the crew to set sail at full speed! I need to see Whitebeard as soon as possible." All of this was for Ace, for Captain Roger's only posthumous son.
The previously cheerful atmosphere on the ship instantly became somber. Meanwhile, in Loguetown, the gateway to the East Blue, the weakest Marine in the Four Seas was facing a known formidable enemy. Morale was on the verge of collapse. Not everyone had the courage to face a Four Emperors-level strongman who had been hidden for so long.
Navy Colonel Smoker directly received a den den mushi call from Fleet Admiral Sengoku. "This is Sengoku. Colonel Smoker, you don't have Haki, so you are definitely no match for Buggy. You must do your utmost to protect the Marines in Loguetown. I have already dispatched Admiral Akainu to reinforce you."
Smoker, the Smoke Man, had been stationed in the East Blue for so many years; a few words from the tenmu would not shake his conviction. He didn't believe Buggy the Clown had such strength. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, don't be fooled by what's on the tenmu. I once pursued Buggy the Clown, and besides being lucky, he was no match for me. I can handle him by myself."
The den den mushi showed Sengoku's angry expression. "Smoker, don't be impulsive. The part about Garp on the tenmu is true. Roger's terminal illness and surrender were absolute Marine secrets, known only to a small group of top officials. I believe these people wouldn't leak it. Therefore, Buggy the Clown's strength needs to be re-evaluated."
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I understand. I will wait here for Admiral Akainu." Although he said so, Smoker trusted his own instincts more. Buggy the Clown absolutely could not be let go today.
After hanging up the den den mushi with Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Navy Colonel Smoker instructed the Marines behind him: "I'm going to capture Buggy the Clown. Tashigi, come with me as a witness. I'm going to expose the lies on the tenmu."
Upon hearing the Colonel's impulsiveness, daring to defy Fleet Admiral Sengoku's orders, they all tried to dissuade him: "Colonel Smoker, you absolutely cannot do that! If you can't defeat Buggy the Clown, the entire Loguetown will suffer. Let's wait for Admiral Akainu."
"The Marines here don't have Haki; we can't fight Buggy the Clown at all. Colonel, please don't be impulsive!"
Smoker merely informed the Marine soldiers present that until Admiral Akainu arrived, he was Loguetown's highest administrative officer. No one dared to defy his orders, and no one could interfere with his actions. "Tashigi, hold on tight to me. Let's go to that tavern and put the Buggy Pirates in jail."
The Navy Colonel's lower body transformed into white smoke. He embraced Tashigi and used a "White Smoke Jet," and their figures instantly shot into the air, directly shaking off the interfering Marine soldiers and flying towards the direction of the Buggy Pirates.
On the other end of the den den mushi, at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku had just hung up the den den mushi and approached his old friend Garp with a gloomy expression. He watched the former Navy Hero heartily munching on rice crackers, still feigning ignorance in front of the Fleet Admiral. "Vice Admiral Garp, I am now asking you, as the Fleet Admiral, what you discussed with Roger in prison. Don't play dumb with me here."
Garp was extremely flustered inside, but he didn't show it on his face. "Sengoku, what are you talking about? How could I possibly agree to the Pirate King's request? I'm a Navy Hero! I would never do such a thing!" After saying that, he went to rummage through Fleet Admiral Sengoku's drawer again.
These good friends had known each other for so many years; they had even shared pants. Sengoku knew Garp too well. "Garp, you might fool me today, but can you fool the Gorosei? You damn scoundrel, always causing me trouble!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku looked at the guy who was openly stealing his rice crackers, so angry that he raised his leg and kicked Garp, sending the old man several meters away. "How many times have I told you not to steal my rice crackers, you old rascal!"
The Navy Hero took the kick, rolled on the ground, and stood back up. Although the rice crackers in his hand were covered in dirt, he didn't mind and ate them again. "Anyway, I didn't agree to anything. Even if the Gorosei personally ask me, my answer will be the same."
Garp would absolutely not betray Ace. Even if this grandson wasn't his biological one, after so many years together, he was no different from family. He would absolutely not admit that Ace was Captain Roger's Jim Leite….