"What do you mean, he?!" Buggy snapped impatiently, waving his hand.
"Yihahaha!" Buggy suddenly straightened his back, his bright red nose proudly tilted upward. "Since you're joining my crew, you'll follow my rules!"
Behind him, Mohji and Cabaji frantically tugged at Buggy's cape, their faces pale as corpses. Richie had already covered his eyes with his claws, trembling as though he were watching a man walk willingly into his own grave.
"Rule number one!" Buggy raised a finger triumphantly. "Whenever we come across a slave ship, we'll take care of the pirates while you handle the kids. You know how they start bawling and no one here knows how to calm them down? Pathetic, right? It drives me crazy!"
Ritter lifted an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Rule number two!" Buggy continued, completely oblivious to the mounting dread around him. "When the great Captain Buggy eats, you'll serve the food and pour the drinks. When the great Captain Buggy sleeps, you'll stand guard all night long "
Mohji was already kneeling on the ground, making the sign of the cross like a desperate priest.
Cabaji was crying noodles, muttering under his breath, "Captain... please... stop talking... You're about to die..."
"Shut up!" Buggy barked, glaring at him before turning proudly back to Ritter. "Rule number three! You'll hand over eighty no, ninety percent of your monthly pay to me! Our goal is to find the greatest treasure in the world! Sounds grand, doesn't it?"
The four newcomers Buggy's newly recruited misfits stared in awe.
"Big Brother Buggy's so brave..." one of them whispered.
Buggy was getting carried away, gesturing wildly as he spoke. "Yihahaha! Now you see how amazing your captain is? Back in the East Blue, I was "
Mohji and Cabaji looked as if their souls had left their bodies.
"Stop him," Mohji hissed through trembling lips. "Quickly before it's too late!"
"You're the vice-captain!" Cabaji whispered back, shaking like a leaf. "You do something!"
Buggy, oblivious to their panic, strode right up to Ritter. His eyes swept over the tall, masked man. "Hmm... nice build, good presence..." he murmured, rubbing his chin. Then he reached out suddenly. "Let's see what you look like under that mask!"
"Captain, nooooo!" Mohji and Cabaji shouted together, their loyalty to Buggy somehow outweighing their fear of Ritter.
But it was already too late.
Clink.
The mask hit the ground.
Time froze.
Buggy's grin stiffened, his pupils shrank, and his jaw dropped so low it nearly hit his boots. His body was still standing, but his soul had already fled.
"R R-Ritter... bro…" Buggy stammered, tongue twisting uselessly.
Ritter smiled faintly. The Ritter who smiled kindly was far more terrifying than the Ritter who bared his shark-like teeth.
That smile made Buggy recall memories he'd buried deep those carefree days on the Oro Jackson, dangling off the ship's stern with Shanks while dodging man-eating fish.
"Buggy-chan," Ritter said softly, his voice so gentle it could make your blood run cold. "Long time no see."
Buggy's knees began to tremble uncontrollably. He turned his head like a malfunctioning puppet, looking for help from his crew
Only to see Mohji and Cabaji exchange a look of utter despair. Without a word, they each punched the other so hard their eyes rolled back, foam bubbling at their lips as they collapsed in perfect synchronization. Richie had already fainted dead away.
Buggy's forehead was drenched in sweat. "N-now, now, big bro, if you'd told me it was you, I'd have prepared a feast! Yihahaha... surprise reunions and all that, you know?"
Ritter lazily rolled his wrist, joints cracking ominously. "Buggy... laying down rules for me, huh? You sounded awfully confident just now."
Buggy shot upright, saluting so fast he almost smacked himself. "N-no way! Misunderstanding! Total misunderstanding! You're my beloved big bro I'd never dare, honest!"
Ritter teased him with a sly grin. "So that's how you show respect to your dear brother? By ordering him around?"
Buggy was on the verge of tears. "I was wrong! I was completely wrong! Look how lively our recruitment festival is though, huh? Great turnout, right?"
Ritter sighed and reached out to ruffle Buggy's hair. The gesture was so familiar that for a second, Buggy felt like the scrawny cabin boy he once was.
"Come on," Ritter said softly. "It's been years, and this is what you've become? Still recruiting babysitters?"
Buggy pouted, mumbling under his breath, "I'm just... trying to find some reliable crew members. We're terrible with kids, you know? Feeding them, keeping them quiet it's a real nightmare."
Ritter chuckled, his expression softening for a moment. "You've grown, Buggy. Tell me been eating well all these years?"
Tears welled up in Buggy's eyes. "Ritter bro…"
But before he could start bawling, Ritter added, smiling dangerously, "Still, a reunion isn't complete without a proper greeting, don't you think?"
Buggy's face drained of color. "W-wait, Ritter bro! I'm a big shot now a pirate worth ten billion berries! Give me some respect "
"Oh?" Ritter's grin widened, gleaming like a blade. "Perfect. Let's see how much strength that ten-billion-belly pirate really has."
"NOOOOOOO !!!"
"Let's take this outside, shall we?"
Before Buggy could protest, Ritter grabbed him by the collar. With a flick of his wrist, the two of them vanished into the mist, reappearing in an open field.
Ritter's smile turned mischievous. "Hey, Buggy," he said, and crimson fog began to swirl in his palm, spiraling like a living vortex. "Wanna play in my world for a bit?"
"Wha ?" Buggy barely managed a squeak before the fog surged outward, swallowing him whole. Ritter didn't even bother to wound him the mist itself did all the work.
"Show me what you've got, Buggy," Ritter's voice echoed.
Whummmm!
When Buggy opened his eyes again, he was standing in a scarlet wasteland. A blood-red moon hung high above, bones littered the cracked earth, and the air stank of rust and death.
He shivered violently. "Wh-what the hell is this place?!"
Ritter's voice came from everywhere at once, calm and amused. "Don't be scared, Buggy."
The fog rolled across the ground, and from it, blood-soaked warriors began to rise eyes burning crimson, weapons gleaming black with Armament Haki. They surrounded Buggy in utter silence.
Buggy gulped, sweat dripping down his temples, then forced himself to puff out his chest. "Hmph! Who's scared? You think a little illusion's gonna scare me?!"
From above, Ritter's laughter echoed. "Oh, so you know it's an illusion. Impressive."
He hadn't even tampered much with Buggy's perception.
When the first warrior raised his blade to strike, Ritter lazily snapped his fingers.
Snap!
The warrior froze mid-swing.
Buggy blinked. "Eh?"
"Hold it," Ritter said casually. "Don't chop him up yet. I haven't said start."
All the blood warriors froze, motionless as statues.
Buggy stared at them, then turned toward the invisible voice. "Big bro, are you sure you want me to fight this many? I don't even know what they can do!"
Ritter chuckled. "Relax. They won't kill you. Probably."
He tilted his head, observing. "You should be about as strong as Shanks was around this era, right? These guys could give him a tough time."
(Buggy's inner scream: "Who cares if they can beat Shanks?! What about me, dammit?!")
Ritter waved a hand dismissively. "All right, let's begin show me how much you've grown, Buggy-chan."
And with that, the blood moon pulsed, the warriors stirred, and Buggy screamed into the crimson night.
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