Chapter 10: Luffy & Buggy

"Let's go take a look; after all, it's a famous scene."

Kuro picked up his sword, adjusted his clothes, and walked out, cigar in hand.

"Kuro, Kuro, let's go eat!"

Just as he stepped out, Lida ran up with shining eyes.

"Get lost, unlucky kid."

Kuro ruffled Lida's white hair, gave her a stern look, and asked, "Where's Clow?"

Lida stuck out her tongue at Kuro, tidied her hair, and cluelessly said, "Who knows, who is the one that just crushed his spirit again? After handing out snacks, he said he needed to cool down and disappeared. Anyway, if you don't want to eat, I'll go alone. After all, I have my own money now"

"Whose money are you using? Don't you have any sense?" Kuro rolled his eyes.

Technically, she had recently caught two bounty small pirates, and Smoker gave her all the rewards. Plus, with the capture of Krieg and Arlong, the base deducted thirty percent but distributed the rest to Kuro's group. After leaving a bit for himself, Kuro practically gave the rest to Lida.

Now, she was quite confident. In Loguetown, she indulged in feasts every day, and every restaurant owner knew her. They would smile crookedly when they saw her.

"Save some money and eat on your own."

Kuro messed up her just-arranged hair again and quickly disappeared from the place.

"Kuro, one day I'll drain you dry!!"

Lida's frustrated voice echoed from behind.

.....

"Miss Lida, you've arrived. Please, take a seat."

In a restaurant, the owner, seeing Lida, immediately greeted her obsequiously and led her to a seat.

Soon, the table was filled with delicious food.

"Miss Lida, is it?"

"Miss? Noble?"

"No, she seems to be the Marine. She's a big eater, and many chefs try to prove themselves by filling her up. However, no chef has managed to do it individually so far."

"Ah... with such a small body, how does she manage that?"

The customers whispered to each other.

During this time in Loguetown, Lida became familiar to many people due to her eating habits and spending.

"Wow, meat, meat."

Two people burst in through the door, one wearing a straw hat, covering his forehead with his hand like a monkey, observing. Then, his eyes lit up, and drool dripped down.

"Wow, so much meat!"

The spot he was looking at happened to be Lida's table, which was the most abundant.

"Hmm?"

Lida, who was chewing heartily, shook all over, subconsciously protecting her food tray, and then looked surprised.

Lida hadn't seen Luffy's bounty poster and didn't know about the 30 million Berry bounty on him. 

However, she was impressed by Luffy. When he fought Krieg earlier, he unconsciously used Haki.

"Boss, give me a table like hers!"

Luffy wiped his mouth and loudly requested, pointing at Lida's table.

"All right, please wait!"

The owner shouted.

Luffy and Zoro sat at a table close to Lida's. Luffy stared at Lida's table, drooling.

"What are you doing, stop drooling!"

Zoro punched Luffy's head.

"Well, because it looks delicious, I feel really hungry."

Lida's way of eating was so enticing that Luffy, who was a bit hungry to begin with, had his appetite fully aroused just by watching her eat.

As the dishes were served, Luffy also began to eat eagerly.

"Hmm?"

Lida looked up, watching Luffy's eating style.

This straw hat kid was eating at a speed comparable to hers.

Impossible! When it comes to eating speed, she's the best!

Lida hastened her eating pace.

Luffy seemed to notice and glanced at Lida, speeding up his eating.

For a while, the restaurant only heard the sounds of the two of them eating and the clattering of plates stacking up.

"Bring another table!"

The voice came simultaneously.

"Two tables!" Lida glanced at him and said.

"Three tables!" Luffy shouted.

"Then I want four tables!"

"I want five tables!"

"Give me ten tables!"

"Twenty tables!"

Luffy pounded the table, shouting.

Lida and Luffy locked eyes, and it seemed like an electric current flashed between them.

With that one look, they understood – the other person was also a foodie. This was a showdown between foodies.

Can't lose!

"Twenty tables, bring the food," Lida said with determination.

"Alright!"

The happiest person at that moment was the owner.

"What are you doing? We're about to set sail soon. Do you have money to eat this much?"

Zoro sighed, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"Money?" Luffy tilted his head. "Don't you have money?"

"How could I possibly have money!" Zoro's veins popped on his forehead.

"Well, true, hahaha."

Luffy laughed heartily, then extended his hand to Lida. "Sorry about the competition. I don't have money."

Veins popped on Lida's forehead as she angrily said, "Why are you so happy when you don't have money?"

This was a waste of her emotions. She thought there would be a showdown between foodies.

"Ah... If I don't have money, will the owner spare me?"

Luffy grinned at Zoro.

"Don't ignore me!"

Lida roared again, glaring fiercely at Luffy.

Meanwhile, two individuals wearing cloaks with hoods were having their meal. One of them kept tapping on the table.

"Darn it, darn it! That straw hat kid is annoying!"

He punched his money pouch, and it happened to fly and land on Luffy's straw hat.

"Oh? Are you treating me? You are so kind."

Luffy grinned, placing the money pouch back and taking out a gold coin, handing it to the owner.

"Thanks for the hospitality, good man."

Zoro patted the man's shoulder, and together with Luffy, they walked out.

"That sound just now..."

The hooded figure suddenly froze, turning to look.

"Oh, it's the Straw Hat kid."

Another person, chewing on food nonchalantly, remarked.

"Mohji?"

He glared at the person in front, shouting, "You idiot, why aren't you chasing him!"

He ripped open his cloak, revealing a vivid big red nose. "Straw Hat scoundrel, I won't let you off!"

The newcomer was none other than Buggy, the captain of the Buggy Pirates, known as the 'Clown' Buggy!

"Huh... red nose?"

"Who's calling me a red nose!"

Buggy squinted his eyes and looked towards the direction of the voice.

Mohji, who hadn't left yet, looked terrified. This was the captain's taboo. How could someone dare to say such a thing!

However, when Buggy looked at the person who spoke, his face suddenly changed. Trembling, he pointed at Lida. "You... what are you doing here?!"

"It's you, Red Nose."

Lida swallowed a piece of meat. "What a coincidence, you're also in Loguetown. Are you planning to go to the Grand Line?"

"Captain, it's that devil!"

Mohji exclaimed in fear.

"Fool, I don't need you to tell me. I can see it!"

Buggy's face darkened. "Damn it, how did I run into you here, Florida!"

In the East Blue, Buggy had been sailing smoothly without major setbacks. However, the only painful defeat he suffered in the East Blue was encountering this little girl.

Florida's treasure.

As a treasure enthusiast, Buggy had naturally tried to find the treasure. Then, on a certain small island, he encountered this female devil.

The result was the destruction of his crew, and the treasure was completely confiscated. If it weren't for the lack of people on the island, they might have been handed over to the Marines.

For this little girl, Buggy certainly had a deep impression.

"Captain, what should we do?" Mohji was sweating.

Buggy's face darkened, and then suddenly he looked astonished, pointing in a direction as if he had seen some monstrous devil. "Ah!"

"Huh?"

Lida instinctively turned her head.

"There's nothing there."

She turned back, but the figures of those two individuals were nowhere to be seen.

Lida paused for a moment, then realized. She tightly gripped her fork, "Dare to deceive me, Red Nose, you're finished!... after I finish eating.."

.....

The weather gradually turned overcast, black clouds rising from the sky, slowly converging overhead.

"Mr. Clow."

"Hello, Mr. Clow."

"It's going to rain, Mr. Clow, be careful to stay dry."

Clow walked down the street with a gentle smile, pedestrians greeting him along the way.

Alongside the great eater Lida, Clow was renowned as the 'gentleman' in Loguetown.

During his time in Loguetown, his kind and helpful demeanor, coupled with his identity as a Marine, quickly earned him popularity.

"You too, if you don't have an umbrella, it's best to head back soon."

Clow greeted each passerby with a smile.

Only here did he feel a bit of presence.

As for the Marine base, he was either being blamed or on the road to being blamed.

It was nothing like what Kuro had described!

Then there was that damn pseudo-kid, Lida, who treated him as nothing more than a laborer.

And that idiot Smoker, who used him for target practice when he was in a bad mood!

Only the residents here were good people who could converse well; he liked this place.

It was only here that he could feel the tranquility he experienced in Syrup Village.

Thinking of Syrup Village, he thought of that damn straw hat, the scoundrel who disrupted his plans.

"If it weren't for him, my plan would have succeeded long ago, and I wouldn't have encountered that freak Kuro."

The more Clow thought about it, the angrier he became, muttering to himself, "That scoundrel will meet his end sooner or later. Just wait; as a Marine, I will get my rev- justice."

"Pirates! Pirates have appeared at the execution platform in the square!"

"It's 'Clown' Buggy and 'Iron Club' Alvida. It seems like they are going to execute someone!"

A commotion came from not far away.

"Execution platform? Buggy?"

Clow frowned; he certainly knew that name. In the East Blue, he could be considered a significant pirate.

He turned his gaze, and on the high execution platform, a man stood. 

Although Clow couldn't see his face clearly from the distance, his attire was the one Clow had been thinking about day and night.

"Straw Hat Kid!"

Clow's pupils constricted, and he rushed over.

...

In a Marine building closest to the execution platform, Kuro stood on a platform, able to see the scene on the execution platform.

"Hey, Kuro, have you seen someone with a red nose?"

Lida popped up from behind, looking annoyed.

"Red nose?"

Kuro pointed below, "If you're talking about Buggy, he's right there."

"That's him! He dared to lie to me just now!"

Lida stared at the square and wondered, "Why are there so many pirates? Aren't they going to arrest them? And on that execution platform... How can Straw Hat Kid be there?"

"He wants to see the place where the Pirate King died."

Smoker's voice echoed from behind.

He and Tashigi had also climbed the stairs, and Smoker handed a wanted poster to Lida. "You haven't seen this yet, right? Monkey D. Luffy, that Straw Hat Kid."

"Thirty million?!"

Lida took the wanted poster, surprised. "First bounty? In the East Blue?"

"He's the one who defeated Arlong, the Fish-Man, and Krieg. A bounty of thirty million is not an exaggeration."

Smoker looked at Kuro and asked, "Aren't you supposed to stay out of this?"

Kuro stared at the commotion on the execution platform, where Luffy was caught in the stocks.

He smiled and said meaningfully, "Smoker, the times are calling."

"What do you mean?"

Just as Smoker was questioning, a booming voice echoed across the square.

"I am the man who will become the Pirate King!"

The voice was earth-shattering!

Smoker's pupils contracted, looking at the execution platform in disbelief.

"Hey, isn't that too arrogant?"

Lida was also stunned. "In this place... he says he wants to become the Pirate King."

Buggy raised his knife, preparing to strike down. However, at that moment, the Straw Hat Kid underfoot showed a smile.

"He's smiling..." Smoker was shocked.

"He's smiling..." Lida found it unbelievable.

"He's smiling."

Clow, who had just arrived, looked at Luffy's smiling face and stood still for a moment, emotions swirling within him.

Between life and death, facing someone who laughed in the face of death, there was both terror and heroism.

Clow also showed a smile, a somewhat sinister one. His voice slowly emerged from between his teeth:

"Pirates!"

Veins popped on Smoker's forehead as he angrily exclaimed, "Why is he laughing? Why does he dare to laugh?"

Boom!

Dark clouds covered the sky, and a thunderbolt struck the execution platform, igniting it in a blue flame. The platform collapsed with a resounding crash.

"Shishishi, I'm not dead!"

Luffy supported his straw hat, laughing heartily.

Smoker raised his arm high and then swung it down.

Marines poured out from all directions, surrounding the pirates.

"We won't let you escape from Loguetown!"

Smoker turned and chased away.

"Kuro, aren't you going up?" Lida swallowed, still recovering from the seemingly miraculous scene just now.

Kuro shook his head, watching the pouring rain.

"A dangerous man is coming. Keep a low profile. Be careful; he might capture you and make you join his rebellion."

Kuro had no intention of going. Even without knowing the plot, his Observation Haki sensed the approach of a dangerous man.

Dealing with the Revolutionary Army would be troublesome, especially their leader.

"Just watch the show. With that man around, we won't achieve our goal no matter what. Besides... Clow is there. Let him try."

Clow noticed the conspicuous black suit in the square.

"Roronoa Zoro."

On the square, Clow donned the 'Cat Claws' and sneered at Zoro, "Long time no see. This time, you won't escape."

"Hey, who's that?"

Sanji looked at Zoro.

Zoro clenched his teeth, on guard. "A troublesome pirate from Usopp Village. Hey, fellow pirate, shouldn't you run away first?"

"Run?"

Clow laughed twice, his face darkening. "Shave."

Whoosh!

In an instant, Zoro's body hair stood on end, and he swiftly positioned three swords in a defensive stance.

Clang!

Just as he raised his guard, five claw blades swiftly crossed the blades. Then, Kuro's other hand instantly swung.

"No good!"

Zoro stepped back, but he was still a step too slow. His body was slashed by the claw blades, and he tumbled several meters away.

"Moss head, damn it!"

Sanji shouted and rushed forward, launching a foot like a sword.

"It's useless."

Without even looking, Clow flashed to the side. He lifted the claw blades, drawing blood.

Sanji screamed in pain, clutching his side as he fell.

Clow adjusted his glasses, smiling. "I'm a Marine. Why would I run?"

"Marine?"

Zoro stood up, astonished. "You joined the Marines? How did you manage that?"

Upon hearing this, Clow became even more enraged. He lowered his hands, and the claw blades scraped against the ground.

"Of course, because of you guys! Today, you'll stay here!"

"Not bad."

Lida produced a bag of chips from somewhere, eating while watching.

"Still a bit lacking."

Kuro said, "Clow just learned to control a bit of Shave, and his mastery is not proficient. It's just that the opponent underestimated him because it's the first time they've seen it."

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