svetikya Chapter 143 Buggy: How did I become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
Chapter 143 Buggy: How did I become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
Chapter 143 Buggy: How did I become a Shichibukai?
The underground prison of the royal palace was cold and damp, filled with the smell of mildew and a faint stench of blood.
Buggy, Jason, and their pirate crew were roughly pushed and shoved into a relatively spacious but still incredibly sturdy cell.
It happened to be right next to where Zoro, Sanji, and the others were being held.
"Ouch! Be gentle! Do you even know who I am?!"
Bucky rubbed his sore buttocks and shouted as usual, but his voice was clearly lacking in confidence.
However, by the dim torchlight on the cell wall, he could see the scene in the next cell.
All his complaints got stuck in his throat, and he was so scared that his red nose almost fell off.
In the next cell, Zoro was bound like a dumpling by sea stone chains and hung in mid-air, his body covered with whip marks and burns.
But he still gritted his teeth, his eyes fierce like a wild beast, and didn't utter a sound.
Sanji sat against the wall, one leg twisted unnaturally, his golden hair matted together with dried blood.
His face was bruised and purple, but he still tried to light a crumpled cigarette, but obviously failed.
Usopp huddled in a corner, trembling all over. He was so frightened by the sound of footsteps that his long nose drooped down.
"hiss·-!
Bucky gasped, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
The World Government guys are too ruthless!
He seemed to have already foreseen his tragic fate.
"Hey! Green algae head! Curly eyebrows! Long nose! You guys!" Bucky blurted out instinctively.
Sanji struggled to lift his head, saw Buggy, a strange glint flashed in his eyes, and then asked urgently in a hoarse voice.
"The clown I saw in Loguetown? What are you doing here?"
"By the way! Did you see Kuma when you came in? That Shichibukai, Kuma—he was personally taken away by one of the Five Elders..."
Bucky looked bewildered: "Boo? That tyrant? Who cares about that!"
"I'm in a precarious situation myself!"
Seeing the three people's miserable state, he felt a chill in his heart and had no mind to care about others.
Just then, the henchmen of the Buggy Pirates also snapped out of their shock.
As they watched their captain and the Heroic Spirit standing "calmly" in front of the Straw Hat crew's officers, whose appearances were in a terrible state, their imaginations reached their peak once again.
"So that's how it is! Captain Bucky and Lord Jason were deliberately captured!"
"Is it to scout enemy positions and rescue allies?!"
What a profound camaraderie!
"To dare face the World Government's torture without flinching! Truly worthy of being Captain Buggy!"
"Our strategy is truly unmatched!"
Bucky was almost in tears listening to his subordinates' increasingly outrageous praise.
You bunch of idiots! Can't you tell we've really been arrested?!
Who wants to be allies with this bunch of unlucky bastards!
However, before Bucky could explain, a series of heavy and authoritative footsteps sounded outside the cell.
The garrison captain who had left earlier returned, followed by several CPO members with even deeper and more powerful auras, including Rob Lucci.
"Bucky, Jason, come with us," Lucci said coldly.
"The five lords wish to see you."
The 55 Elders?!
Bucky felt his legs go weak and he almost collapsed to the ground.
Oh no, the final boss has come knocking on our door!
He looked at Jason for help.
Jason then adjusted his golden breastplate and straightened his hair.
Instead of fear, his face showed an expression of "it should have been this way all along," and he muttered.
"Hmph, finally a few decent people have come to receive you? Lead the way!"
Bucky:
"......
What on earth is going on in this guy's head?!
With the feeling of being led to their execution, Paki and Jason were taken to a heavily guarded council chamber in the palace.
Five imposing old men sat upright above, their gazes fixed on them like searchlights.
The intense pressure made Bucky almost unable to breathe, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.
His first instinct was to kneel down and beg for mercy.
However, Jason, standing beside him, still held his head high and even looked at the Five Elders with some dissatisfaction.
Their eyes seemed to say that these five old men were the highest authority here.
It doesn't look very good.
The Five Elders were also carefully observing Jason.
The sight of golden armor instantly reminded them of Gilgamesh and Karna, two troublesome and terrifyingly powerful top-tier Heroic Spirits.
Furthermore, according to intelligence, Buggy only unexpectedly obtained the Command Seals after most of the participants in the Holy Grail War had arrived, which in itself is strange.
Is he a variable outside the battlefield? Or is he a manifestation of some rule that they are yet to know?
The environmental war god, Marcus Maz, spoke first, his voice deep and imposing.
"Pakistan, Jason. State your purpose. Why did you intrude into Albana?"
Bucky was so frightened that his tongue got tied and he couldn't say a word.
Jason, however, preemptively replied in his exaggeratedly theatrical tone.
"Purpose? Why should I, the hero Jason, need to explain my actions to others? I have simply followed the guidance of the goddess of fate to come here!"
"As for that red nose..."
He pointed at Bucky with disdain.
"He is my Master. Although he doesn't seem very reliable, he's barely qualified."
His words were essentially a blank answer, which only added to his mystique.
Moreover, that arrogant attitude of taking it for granted, as if the other party should be reporting to him, is exactly the same as that of that Golden Pikachu!
The five elders exchanged glances.
They were all too familiar with this arrogant, self-important attitude.
The more powerful a heroic spirit is, the more difficult it is to control.
Conversely, if used properly, it can also be an extremely sharp knife.
Then look at that red-nosed clown Buggy next to him, who's so scared he's about to wet his pants, looks as stupid as a pig, and poses no threat at all—he's practically the perfect puppet master!
It is easy to control and has a powerful heroic spirit.
The scientific defense god, Satan Saint, spoke slowly.
"Jason, you say you led heroes to seize the Golden Fleece? You seem to be a skilled leader and a hero adept at adventure."
Upon hearing this, Jason immediately perked up, raising his chin even higher.
"Of course! My heroic deeds could not be recounted in three days and three nights!"
"Financial God of War Zambaron V. Nassshuro Sei" continued.
"In that case, a greater adventure and a greater undertaking are now before us. The World Government needs power, and it needs heroes like Your Excellency."
The Legal God of War, Topman Worchley, looked at Bucky, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Bugsy, you are hereby officially appointed to succeed Dracule Mihawk as the new Shichibukai!"
"From this moment forward, you shall be at the command of the World Government! Your heroic spirit will also serve the government!"
"ah???"
Bucky was completely stunned; his mind went blank.
Weren't they just about to interrogate and execute someone? How did they suddenly become Shichibukai?
The dramatic turn of events left him completely bewildered.
Jason frowned.
"Hey, wait a minute! Serving the government? Taking orders from whom? This hero is great—"
Before he could finish speaking, Baki suddenly had a flash of inspiration and jumped up to cover Jason's mouth, though he didn't completely cover it.
He bowed and scraped before the Five Elders, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you for the promotion! I will definitely work hard! I will definitely be obedient! He listens to me too! No problem!"
He was terrified that Jason might say something foolish and ruin this windfall!
The Seven Warlords of the Sea!
A legal license to plunder! Immense prestige and status! This was what he had always dreamed of!
The Five Elders looked at Bucky, who was seemingly useless but very sensible, and nodded in satisfaction.
This is exactly the effect I wanted.
Thus, in this extremely absurd and dramatic situation...
Buggy, along with his Heroic Spirit Jason, has transformed from a prisoner into the new Shichibukai under the World Government's rule!
As Bucky, still dazed, led Jason and his released men out of the council chamber, he felt as if he were dreaming.
"How did I become a Shichibukai?"
He muttered to himself.
His men immediately surrounded him, cheering wildly.
"As expected, it was all part of Captain Bucky and Lord Jason's plan!"
"Infiltrate the tiger's den, confront the Five Elders head-on, and easily seize the position of Shichibukai!"
"Intelligent and brave! Invincible!"
"Long live Captain Bucky and Lord Jason!"
Listening to his subordinates' flattery, Bucky's remaining rationality was quickly overwhelmed by immense vanity and wishful thinking, and he immediately burst into laughter with his hands on his hips.
"Hahaha! That's right! This is all part of my plan!"
"What luck? This is all about skill! It's all about intelligence!"
Just then, King Cobra, having received the news, also arrived.
He had originally intended to approach this person privately in the prison cell, but now he learned that this person and his master had been personally appointed as Shichibukai by the Five Elders.
Despite this, other thoughts began to stir in my mind.
He already harbored resentment towards the World Government and the Seven Warlords system.
And this clown Buggy seems to be a Shichibukai with independent tendencies, and he also has a Heroic Spirit with an ambiguous stance. This is a good opportunity!
So King Cobra prepared a banquet of the highest honors to entertain Paki and Jason.
He provided the finest wines and delicacies exactly as Jason had requested, and even brought in some beautiful dancers.
Despite the lingering chill in Jason's heart, his gaze never left them. At the banquet, King Cobra's words were full of probing and attempts to win them over.
Buggy was immersed in the joy of being a Shichibukai and the fine wine, so much so that he was completely oblivious to what was going on.
Jason, on the other hand, enjoyed the king's flattery and hospitality, which greatly satisfied his vanity.
Therefore, he boasted and raved.
Promises like "protecting Alabasta, fighting evil, and bringing peace to the king" are readily made.
Although he didn't know who this evil was referring to.
After a hearty meal and drinks, under the cover of night...
Under the influence of alcohol and vanity, Bucky and Jason actually remembered those pitiful guys in the next cell.
"Hmph—seeing those kids in such a sorry state is starting to spoil my mood for enjoying this fine wine."
Jason pursed his lips, seemingly thinking of his former comrades on board, though they had eventually fallen out.
Bucky wasn't actually that bad at heart; he felt a pang of sympathy seeing his acquaintance being tortured like that.
Using his new status as a Shichibukai, he obtained some medicine and food and sneaked into the dungeon.
"Feed—green algae head, curl eyebrows—"
Bucky stuffed the things through the fence.
"Don't say I don't care about you - hurry up and get treated, don't die here."
Zoro and Sanji looked at Buggy in surprise, never expecting that this seemingly unreliable clown would actually come to their aid.
"Thanks," Sanji said in a low voice.
"...I owe you a favor," Zoro said in a muffled voice.
"About that bear," Bucky said in a low voice.
"I'll keep an eye out for you guys—after all, I'm a Shichibukai now! Hahaha," he couldn't help but boast again.
Although Buggy's motives were impure, his arrival did bring a glimmer of hope and valuable supplies to the Straw Hat crew members who were in despair.
In the shadows unseen by them, Taigong Wang and Yang Jingjing watched all of this.
"Hehe, Erlang. Look at this fortune, isn't it more effective than any scheme?" Taigong Wang said with a smile.
Yang's lips twitched slightly as he looked at Bucky's smug expression and Jason's flamboyant behavior.
He ultimately just gave a brief comment.
"A lucky accident, that's just the way things are. Although those two were vain and opportunistic, the clown wasn't inherently bad—"
"Is he also the key character my senior uncle mentioned?"
Taigong Wang nodded slightly and stared at Baki. The blushing Baki felt a little uncomfortable, but he quickly put it out of his mind.
His misfortune once again turned into incredible good fortune.