CHAPTER 38:Bakijiro

Weiwei quickly gestured to cover her mouth, signaling that she had only mentioned the name "Crocodahl" in passing.

Bucky the Clown immediately lost focus. This news was far too significant for him.

Unlike the typical pirate dreams of becoming the Pirate King or changing the world, Bucky didn't care about such ambitions. He had never craved supremacy, nor did he have the desire to lead. As an intern aboard Gol. D. Roger's ship, he was infamous as Red-Haired Shanks' troublesome companion. A very different breed of pirate.

In many ways, he resembled a child-like figure, indifferent to his reputation or the opinions of the world. His approach to piracy was almost understated—low-key. A man who had once sailed with the greatest pirate crew, now wandering in the East Blue, his bounty was laughably small: just 15 million Berries. This amount didn't even come close to his status or experience.

It was like a seasoned executive chatting with the world's wealthiest man, only to find himself working as a clerk in a small town. Ninety-nine percent of the time, that wouldn't happen—but for Bucky the Clown, it did.

He didn't care about fame, glory, or fortune in the traditional sense. What he cared about was treasure—gold, silver, and, most importantly, the treasures of legendary pirates. His obsession with these riches bordered on fanatical.

When he heard "Captain John's treasure," his eyes practically bulged out of his head. He didn't even react to the fact that Weiwei had called him "Red Nose" anymore.

Without thinking, he snapped, "You… what do you know!? You're just making things up! How could Captain John's treasure be real…?"

Bucky's shaking body betrayed his excitement, and his efforts to suppress his feelings only made his twisted smile even more pronounced.

Weiwei, playing along, adopted a frustrated expression, as if trying to deflect the truth. "Well, maybe I misspoke earlier. I was wrong, this whole thing is…"

Suddenly, Bucky's aura exploded. For a brief moment, Weiwei thought he might unleash an enraged outburst. The sun gleamed off his nose as he barked, "I'm asking the questions here. You answer!"

"Ah? I was in control just a moment ago…"

"Tell me, whose crew was Captain John a part of?"

Weiwei pretended to panic and answered reflexively, "I think he was a member of the Rocks Pirates. After the Rocks Pirates fell, he took most of their…"

Bucky the Clown sharply cut her off, "I'll ask again! Where is Captain John now?"

"I heard… he's been dead for many years…"

"I said, where is he?!" Bucky snapped again.

Weiwei quickly became overwhelmed by his sudden aggressiveness, losing her composure. The rapid-fire questioning left her little chance to recover, each of Bucky's interrogations more intense than the last.

In the world of pirates, Captain John's treasure was a legendary prize, only second to Gol. D. Roger's ultimate treasure. Bucky, though never sailing to the final island of the Grand Line, likely knew enough about Roger's treasure to understand its significance. There was no need for those who had been with Roger to hide these details from him.

For Bucky, the One Piece—Roger's legendary treasure—was secondary. Captain John's treasure, however, was far more tantalizing. He had no desire for the so-called ultimate treasure; it was nothing compared to the treasures left behind by pirates like Captain John.

Now that Bucky had the information about Captain John's treasure, even if Weiwei kept insisting it was just a clue, he was practically bouncing with excitement.

Seeing her plan unravel due to her "slip of the tongue," Weiwei explained further, revealing the details she knew about the treasure.

Bucky wasn't foolish; he knew that if he was going to confront the sand crocodile (Crocodile) and claim the treasure with only Weiwei's half-baked information, he'd need more solid proof.

Weiwei, with a mocking expression, asked, "Do you know about the oasis city Crocodile built in Alabasta, Rain? The one that became so famous in recent years? Crocodile, the so-called Hero of Alabasta, built the largest casino in the first half of the Grand Line in Rain Banquet. Where do you think a man like that, with such a sterling reputation, got all his wealth to build a city and open such a large casino?"

She subtly implicated Crocodile by suggesting that his fortunes were of questionable origin, hinting at ties to Captain John's treasure.

Bucky's eyes turned red, his face pale as he murmured in disbelief, "Could it be… this guy is…"

Weiwei nodded before shaking her head. "It's likely just a portion of the treasure, otherwise he would've opened multiple casinos, not just one. But I think he found just one part of it."

Bucky hesitated. His excitement still simmered beneath the surface, but he was wary.

Weiwei gave him an idea. "You could get help from someone, like your good buddy Kotaro, right? Bakijiro~"

Bucky froze, looking at her as if she had just conjured a ghost. "How do you know that name? Who are you?"

Weiwei kept her cards close to her chest and didn't reveal how she knew the names "Red Taro" and "Bakijiro." Bucky, though, wasn't interested in anything beyond treasure, and after a moment, he let it slide.

Bucky the Clown's ship wasn't just a pirate vessel; it served as a treasure salvage ship. The hull was sizable, and the circus tent-like building on deck served as Bucky's captain's room.

Overflowing with gold and silver, he eagerly returned to his captain's quarters and began to rummage through the treasure chests for any map or clue tied to Captain John's treasure.

Weiwei, unphased, followed him closely, as if she had all the right to be there.

Inside Bucky's quarters, there were only treasure maps—maps, and more maps. Bucky frequently visited hidden corners of his ship.

"Hey! What are you doing here!?" Bucky turned to find Weiwei standing in his captain's room, his eyes nearly popping out in shock.

Weiwei casually pointed to a sea map on the wall, as if they had known each other for ages. "Isn't this the treasure map of Golden Island?"

Bucky, frantically clutching his charts to his chest like a mother hen protecting her chicks, glared at her.

Weiwei smiled. "The legend of Golden Island originates from the infamous pirate, Gold Thief Wu Nan, who reportedly plundered over a third of the gold in the entire world. Is that right?"

Bucky tightened his grip on the maps, his eyes gleaming with greed. He was waiting for her to continue.