Buggy whirled around and stared at the crew member. "Are you absolutely sure it's her?!"
"I'm one hundred percent certain," the man confirmed, nodding quickly. "She's the same girl who stole from us months ago. I'd never forget that face!"
Buggy's eyebrows furrowed as his surprise slowly twisted into suspicion. "So... she dares to walk into *my* territory again? After what she did?"
"There's more, Captain," the pirate continued. "She's not alone. She came with three others. From what we heard, she said she wants to meet with you."
Buggy's eye narrowed. "She brought backup, huh? And she wants to meet me directly? Well, well, well... is she underestimating me? Or is she trying to make a deal?"
He leaned back in thought for a moment, then smirked. "Fine. Let them in. I want to see just how bold she's become. I'm curious what she thinks she can pull this time."
"Right away, Captain!" the crew member turned and sprinted out of the tent, heading toward the coast to relay the message.
Buggy turned his attention back to the unfortunate man still dangling mid-air. With a flick of his finger, his floating hand released its grip, and the pirate dropped to the ground, coughing and gasping for breath.
"Count yourself lucky," Buggy muttered, holstering his pistol. "You get to live another day. Now, go. Tell everyone to gather here."
"T-thank you, Captain!" the man croaked, still wheezing. "I'll go spread your orders to the rest of the crew right away!"
"Do that. And next time, watch your damn mouth!" Buggy growled.
The man scrambled out of the tent as fast as his legs would allow. Just as he almost out, Buggy called again.
"Call Mohji and Cabaji too."
"Yes Captain."
The man who nodded and then headed out swiftly.
Buggy watched his subordinate run off. After looking for a while, he decided to go outside. Bringing a coffee and a chair with him, he set the chair just outside the tent, and started sipping his coffee slowly. The wind was calm, and the aroma of the hot brew swirled gently in the salty sea breeze. Yet his mind wasn't at ease.
*That thief… What's she playing at? She stole my treasure map and vanished—now she just strolls back in, acting bold?*
He leaned back in his chair, legs crossed. "Is her backup really that strong?"
Buggy couldn't quite figure it out. There was no way Nami would return here alone unless she had something—or someone—up her sleeve. For now, all he could do was wait and see. He sipped his coffee again and muttered, "Let's see how this plays out…"
Meanwhile, down by the shore, Buggy's crew was already gathering. Several pirates formed a loose semicircle, their weapons drawn and eyes alert. Among them stood his two top lieutenants—Mohji, the beast tamer, with his large lion Richie, and Cabaji, the acrobatic swordsman, lazily pedaling in circles on his unicycle.
Facing them was Nami, standing with arms crossed but clearly keeping a safe distance.
"Thief…" Cabaji said with a smirk. "You've really got guts coming back here. What's the matter? Did your conscience finally kick in? Are you here to return the treasure map you stole?"
"Nope," Nami replied with a mischievous grin. "I'm here to capture you guys."
The pirates blinked, then burst into mocking laughter—except Cabaji, whose eyes narrowed dangerously.
Before he could respond, Nami suddenly turned and darted behind Zino, peeking out from behind his shoulder like a child hiding from trouble.
"Captain," she said sweetly, "they're all yours now."
Zino blinked. "...Sure," he muttered, speechless. *So bold a moment ago, and now she's hiding like a scared cat?*
Nami grinned nervously and backed away a few more steps, carefully positioning herself at a safe distance. "That guy on the unicycle is Cabaji, and the one with the big lion is Mohji," she pointed out. "They're Buggy's right-hand men. Be careful."
Zino eyed the two men calmly. "So, these two aren't the captain. Just his lieutenants."
Zoro stepped forward, cracking his neck and drawing one of his swords. "Then it wouldn't be right for you to take on these subordinates. Let me just handle them."
Before Zoro could take any action, Alvida stepped forward confidently, her massive iron club resting easily on her shoulder. "Leave the lion tamer to me. That beast looks like it needs to be tamed for real."
Zoro glanced at her and frowned slightly. He had intended to take both opponents himself to stretch his muscles. But seeing Alvida's determined expression, he let it go.
"Suit yourself," he grumbled. "I'll take care of the circus act on the unicycle."
Cabaji spun in a quick circle and skidded to a stop, facing Zoro. "You want to challenge me?"
Zoro simply raised his blade in response. "No. I'm going to beat you."
At the same time, Mohji barked at Richie, pointing toward Alvida. "Crush that woman, Richie!"
Alvida smiled. "Come at me, kitty. I'll show you what happens when a lion messes with a queen."
The tension escalated as the air between the two sides grew heavy with anticipation. Nami, now far out of harm's way, crouched near a barrel and muttered, "They'd better win. I don't want to end up running again…"
Unbeknownst to Buggy, who was still sipping coffee up the hill, a fierce clash was about to erupt between his lieutenants and this strange new group led by a mysterious, calm boy named Zino.
Seeing that Zoro had chosen him as his opponent, Cabaji scoffed with an amused look on his face. Riding his unicycle in a lazy circle, he tilted his head at the green-haired swordsman.
"So… you're a swordsman too?" Cabaji sneered. "Then tell me, why are you carrying three swords? Afraid one might break, so you brought spares?"
Zoro didn't flinch. His expression remained calm and serious. "I use all three."
Cabaji blinked, then burst out laughing. "You expect me to believe that? You can wield three swords at once? Then why are you only holding one now?"
Zoro raised the blade in his right hand, his eyes locking onto his opponent. "One is enough to cut you down."
"Tsk. Arrogant brat!" Cabaji snapped. "You sure are confident."
"If it's just you," Zoro said coolly, "then yeah—I'm confident."
Cabaji's grin faltered slightly, irritation flashing in his eyes. But he forced himself to stay calm. "You're funny. But before you start swinging that big mouth of yours, maybe take a look at your comrade. She's already losing."
Zoro's brow twitched, and he instinctively glanced to the side—towards the fight between Alvida and Mohji. The lion, Richie, was attacking in a blur of motion, his claws slashing toward Alvida with wild energy.
But Zoro frowned. He didn't see her losing. Alvida was holding her own, blocking with her iron club and countering with great strength. *She'll be fine.*
*Chuck!*
"Ghh!"
A sudden sharp pain flared in Zoro's side. His instincts kicked in and he twisted his body just in time, preventing the sword from piercing too deep. Still, it cut one to two inches into his flesh, drawing blood.
"Damn it…" he growled through gritted teeth.
He spun and swung his sword toward the source—Cabaji, who had silently closed the distance and stabbed him while he was distracted. But the acrobat had already flipped away on his unicycle, laughing.
Licking the blood from the edge of his blade, Cabaji taunted, "That's what happens when you get cocky. Not such a big shot now, are you? How does the taste of my sword feel?"
Zoro's glare darkened. "You sneaky bastard!"
He charged forward in fury, slashing his blade with powerful strikes, aiming to take Cabaji's head off. But the acrobat was agile, weaving around each blow while keeping his distance on the unicycle. It was an awkward yet effective style of combat.
Cabaji grinned, waiting for openings. Each time he saw Zoro's guard drop slightly or his footing shift, he aimed another stab—always targeting the wound on Zoro's side.
Zoro grimaced as each near-miss brought fresh pain. The wound was slowing him down, and Cabaji kept pressuring the injury, knowing full well it would wear him down over time.
Cabaji laughed mockingly, circling around Zoro like a predator toying with its prey. "You thought you could take me lightly, huh? Not so tough now!"
Zoro's breathing grew heavier. He wasn't used to chasing an opponent like this. Every time he lunged, Cabaji was already gone—rolling away, spinning, then striking like a snake when least expected.
Then, in a moment of miscalculation, Zoro's foot caught on a loose plank of wood on the battlefield. His balance faltered, and he dropped to one knee, gritting his teeth in frustration.
"Hah! I've got you now!"
Cabaji lunged forward, driving his sword straight toward Zoro's already bleeding side.
*Shhk!*
Zoro rolled to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding a deeper stab. Even so, the blade grazed the wound again, causing fresh blood to spill.
He winced and growled under his breath. *This guy… he's fast and annoying. But I've had enough of this cat-and-mouse game.*
Still crouched, Zoro slowly began to shift his stance, readying his second sword, with a glint on his eyes.
Cabaji attempted to follow up with another strike, eager to press his advantage, but just as he charged in, he suddenly felt a sharp pain slash across his chest. A thin line of blood appeared on his torso. Fortunately, he had instinctively leapt back just in time—had he been a second slower, Zoro's strike might have landed far deeper.
"Tsk… you actually managed to cut me," Cabaji muttered in disbelief, glancing down at the shallow gash. Blood oozed from the wound, staining his clothes.
He glared at Zoro with renewed fury. "That was just a lucky shot. Next time, I'll make sure you don't get another chance. I'll stab you straight through the heart!"
Zoro had already climbed to his feet. His breathing was still a little heavy, but his mind was calm. The earlier sneak attack had shaken him, but now he was fully focused. Reaching to his right arm, he untied the black bandana that was wrapped around his wrist, then tied it tightly around his head.
The look in his eyes sharpened.
"Your sneaky tricks end here," Zoro declared coldly. "I'm done playing around."
Cabaji snorted. "Still so confident? Even with that wound?"
Zoro didn't bother replying. He slowly drew his second sword, the steel gleaming under the sunlight. Now wielding two blades, he took a steady, lowered stance, his swords angled in opposite directions like a coiled predator ready to pounce.
Cabaji narrowed his eyes. "Fine. Let's settle this properly. I'll show you who the better swordsman is!"
Without further words, Cabaji charged directly this time—abandoning his previous trickery. He raised his sword high, aiming a powerful downward slash toward Zoro's head.
Zoro didn't flinch. His eyes tracked every movement. As Cabaji's blade came crashing down, Zoro exhaled slowly—then moved.
*"Nitoryu: Kiba Giri (Fang Slash)!"*
In a single breath, Zoro burst forward with blinding speed. Both swords sliced through the air in a synchronized motion. He passed by Cabaji in a blur, their bodies crossing paths in a seamless exchange of slashes.
They both landed on opposite sides, back to back.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then, Cabaji's eyes rolled back, and his body went limp. He collapsed to the ground unconscious, his sword clattering beside him.
Zoro slowly turned his head to glance over his shoulder. Seeing Cabaji down for the count, he sighed in relief and sheathed one of his swords.
"Next time," Zoro muttered, "try learning how to be a real swordsman. Fighting dirty only tarnishes your blade."
With that, he turned his attention toward the other side of the battlefield. His eyes widened slightly as he spotted the rest of the Clown Pirate minions—piled together into a human heap like a mountain. Sitting nonchalantly on top of them was Zino, arms crossed, looking completely unbothered.
Zino gave Zoro a nod of acknowledgement, then turned his gaze toward Alvida.
"Stop playing around," Zino said casually. "Just finish those two already."
Alvida, who had been toying with Mohji and Richie, pouted slightly. "Hey, give me a break. I'm still trying to figure out the limits of my ability."
Zoro blinked. "Wait… she's a Devil Fruit user too?"
Zino raised an eyebrow. "Why did you say 'too'?"
Zoro looked at him, smirking slightly. "You're a Devil Fruit user, right? That flying trick earlier—no normal human can do that."
Zino shrugged, not answering, but it confirmed Zoro's speculation.
"No wonder you were running in the sky earlier," Zoro muttered, putting the pieces together. "Figures."
Zino said nothing, choosing not to elaborate. There was no need to explain the details—at least, not yet. Still seated on top of the defeated pirates, he calmly watched the final bout unfold.
Meanwhile, Alvida tightened her grip on her iron mace, her glossy skin gleaming slightly under the sun. Richie roared, and Mohji barked out another command, but neither of them noticed that her expression had turned serious.
They were about to learn exactly what her Devil Fruit power could do.