"I think a break wouldn't be so bad," said Ahu, walking toward one of the beds on the ship.
X let out a small sigh and nodded, deciding to go outside. The sea air was fresh, and the sound of the waves crashing against the hull gave him a sense of calm. For a moment, everything seemed perfect. The sea was so still he could almost hear himself breathe.
But then, a loud rumble echoed through the air.
BOOM!
A cannonball shot across the sky at full speed, heading straight toward the ship.
"A cannon?" thought X, frowning as he looked toward the horizon. In the distance, he could see a massive ship approaching fast.
The protagonist slowly raised his hand toward the huge metal sphere speeding his way.
Snap.
In that instant, the projectile stopped dead in midair, frozen as if time itself had ceased to move. A second later, it fell heavily into the sea, sending up a tall column of water that splashed everywhere around.
"He stopped it in midair, Captain!" shouted a pirate, completely alarmed.
"W-What did you say?" exclaimed Buggy, frowning in irritation. "That's not normal!"
He slammed his hand on the railing before pointing forward. "If long-range attacks don't work on him... then let's get closer! I want to see him up close!"
Buggy's pirate ship suddenly accelerated, cutting through the waves as it got closer and closer to the white-haired man's vessel.
When they were about to crash into X's ship, a sound sliced through the air.
Snap.
In an instant, Buggy's massive ship came to a complete halt, as if some invisible force had stopped it cold.
Suddenly, X appeared on the deck of the enemy ship, hands in his pockets, his trademark confident smile drawn across his face.
"Dammit! ATTACK!" yelled Buggy, snapping all his subordinates out of their shock. The pirates, who a second earlier had been frozen in disbelief, regained their senses and drew their swords and guns, aiming directly at X.
"So, I guess I'm not very welcome here?" said X mockingly, tilting his head to the side with calm ease, as if he didn't care that dozens of armed men were ready to attack him.
A second later, all the pirates charged at the protagonist, aiming their weapons and firing without hesitation.
Snap.
The bullets stopped in midair for a moment before dropping to the ground with a metallic clatter. At the same time, the pirates who had fired were turned into colorful graffiti splattered across the ship's walls, as if they'd been absorbed by the paint itself.
X let out a light sigh as he adjusted his hair calmly, walking toward the captain without any hurry. But then, a roar shook the air.
A huge beast with white fur, resembling a lion, leaped furiously from one side, swinging its claws toward X to slice him in half.
The white-haired man merely tilted his body a few centimeters, dodging the strike with elegant ease.
Snap.
In an instant, the lion vanished, reappearing in the middle of the sea and splashing down into the water with a massive splash.
As if that were the trigger, the sky suddenly began to darken. Thick clouds covered the sun, and within seconds, small droplets began to fall. Then, a heavy rain poured down over the entire ship.
"Well... bad time to be wearing a suit," thought X with an ironic smile as he watched the rain soak his clothes.
"You idiot! What did you do to my Richie?!" shouted a man with a wild look and a massive mane — clearly one of Buggy's officers: Mohji.
The tamer rushed toward X in fury, throwing a series of clumsy punches, but the white-haired man dodged them effortlessly, moving only a few centimeters each time.
"You're slow," said X calmly.
And before Mohji could react, X gave him a light chop to the neck. The tamer's body fell unconscious to the floor, splashing slightly as it hit the rain-soaked planks of the deck.
Buggy took a few steps back, eyes wide, unable to believe what he'd just witnessed. A mere boy had defeated his entire crew in a matter of seconds.
"This can't be! This has to be a damn dream!" he shouted, gritting his teeth in anger. He pulled several knives from his pocket, ready to attack.
But before he could move, someone landed in front of him with a flip. It was another of his officers — Cabaji, the acrobat swordsman.
"Captain, I saw everything," he said seriously, adjusting his hat as he spun one of his swords between his fingers. "I think the best move is for both of us to attack him at once. We can't afford to underestimate this guy."
Buggy gave a tense nod, his knives gleaming under the rain.
"Did I hear that right? Your name's Buggy?" asked X, bringing a hand to his chin thoughtfully.
"Eh? You mean you don't know who I am?!" shouted Buggy, visibly offended.
"I've heard of you... but I didn't think you'd be such a..." murmured X as he began walking slowly toward him.
"Hey, stop! Don't come any closer!" yelled Buggy, taking a step back with a scowl.
"Answer me something," said X calmly. "Do you know Shanks?"
At that instant, Cabaji lunged at him, swinging his sword with a fierce cry. But X stopped the strike using only two fingers.
"What the hell?! How does this brat have that kind of strength?!" thought Cabaji, jumping back, sweat running down his forehead as he took a defensive stance.
"Shanks? That damn red-haired bastard... you know him?" exclaimed Buggy, surprised, though a twisted grin began to form on his face.
X nodded slowly, slipping his hands back into his pockets. "He was like a friend... almost a mentor. He told me a lot about his story — and in one of them, you showed up. You were part of Gol D. Roger's crew... the Pirate King."
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" yelled Cabaji, eyes wide in shock.
Buggy clenched his teeth, fury simmering beneath his skin. "So that bastard Shanks... told you everything," he growled, crossing his arms. His fingers pressed tightly against the blades, ready to fly at any moment.
"I'll make you an offer, Buggy," said X calmly, raising one hand to halt the fight.
"What kind of offer?" asked Buggy, frowning.
"If you defeat me," said the white-haired man with a confident smile, "I'll tell you where Shanks is — and I'll give you a safe route back to the Grand Line, no worries attached."
Buggy let out a short, mocking laugh. "Sounds like a tempting offer... but tell me, what happens if you defeat me?"
X smiled wider, almost provocatively. "If I defeat you, I want you to join my crew. I see a lot of potential in you, Buggy... I just need to change that foolish mindset of yours."
"Damned brat! I accept!" roared Buggy furiously, launching himself at him with all his strength, charging at full speed.
But at that moment, a small smile formed on X's lips. He was planning something. His gaze shone with a confident light that sent chills down everyone's spines.
Cabaji was the only one who noticed the change, and his expression turned to panic.
"Captain Buggy, stop!!!" he shouted with all his strength, running at full speed toward the white-haired man, trying to stop the imminent disaster.