One Piece: Signing In as a Pirate Begins with Roger's Execution

"Lord Buggy, what should we do next? Should we wait for Lord Karl, or should we charge in and grab the treasure ourselves?"

A middle-aged marine beside Buggy asked cautiously.

This man was the same marine thug that Buggy had previously defeated with a single blow to the temple.

After their leader, Lackey Jack, was ruthlessly killed by Karl to set an example, these marine thugs had become much more obedient.

What's more, Buggy had used some unknown method to "discipline" them further.

Now, this gang of once-unruly marine thugs had become a group that followed Buggy's every word.

Exactly how Buggy achieved this transformation was a mystery, known only to the man himself and his "crew."

"Are you an idiot? That guy is Golden Dragon! He doesn't have a bounty, sure, but his title as a treasure hunter isn't just for show!

According to the Navy's records, his strength surpasses that of King Bear. I can't even beat King Bear, so why would I rush in to die?

Or do you fools think you can take down that monster?"

Without sparing them a glance, Buggy continued observing the distant scene through his telescope.

The marines around him laughed nervously.

They knew very well that, even combined, they couldn't defeat Buggy, let alone someone as fearsome as Golden Dragon.

"Damn it! That guy's digging up the treasure! At this rate, he'll be gone soon!"

Buggy's eyes turned red, his entire body trembling.

In his mind, all the treasures in this area rightfully belonged to him.

Seeing his treasure about to be taken away, Buggy was furious, crushing the telescope in his hand.

"Lord Karl needs at least another twenty minutes to get here… I'll have to buy some time…"

Rubbing his chin in thought, Buggy scanned the group of marine thugs around him and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! I've got an idea. Ten of you stay here to meet up with Lord Karl. The rest of you, follow me!"

Although they didn't know what Buggy was planning, the marines dared not object.

Following his orders, ten "lucky" men were left behind, while the rest took off their marine uniforms and donned pirate garb.

"Good thing I was cautious enough not to dock the warship at the harbor; otherwise, this plan wouldn't be so easy to pull off."

Grinning ear to ear, Buggy led his men toward the treasure site.

"From now on, we're pirates. You'll all address me as Captain Buggy the Clown! Got it?

Our pirate crew is called the Buggy Pirates! Understand?"

"YES, CAPTAIN!!!"

The deafening response startled Golden Dragon, who was busy digging.

"What's going on out there? You two, go check it out."

The noise outside had drawn Golden Dragon's attention, so he sent two of his men to investigate.

Golden Dragon's crew wasn't large—just seven or eight men in total.

With over a dozen chests of treasure to dig up and haul away, losing two helpers significantly slowed their progress.

They were essentially grave robbers, except they unearthed treasure buried underground or hidden in caves, rather than disturbing tombs.

Still, their title of "treasure hunters" carried a far better connotation than "grave robbers" and didn't invite the same societal disdain.

Treasure hunting was more a matter of luck than skill—after all, even maps could be fake.

"Boss! Help!!!"

While Golden Dragon continued digging, a desperate cry for help erupted from outside.

"What's going on?!"

Looking up, Golden Dragon saw two of his men tied up and tossed aside.

Standing before them was a short man with a bright red clown nose, exuding an aura of ridiculous confidence.

Behind the clown-nosed man stood a massive crowd—at least 80 or 90 people by Golden Dragon's estimate. His pupils contracted in alarm.

"Who are you people?!"

"Hahahaha! We are the—"

Before the speaker could finish, Buggy spun around and punched him, sending him flying.

Glaring fiercely, Buggy shouted, "I'm the captain! Since when do you have the right to speak for me? Are you looking to die?!"

Realizing his mistake, the man immediately knelt and began groveling with practiced ease.

"Captain Buggy, I was wrong! Please forgive me…"

"Hmph! I'll let it slide this time, since you just joined my crew!"

Snorting, Buggy shot a warning glance at the others before turning his attention back to Golden Dragon.

"I am Captain Buggy, the Clown of Fortune, and leader of the Buggy Pirates!"

Pointing to his red nose with pride, Buggy stepped on the back of a tied-up pirate beneath him to elevate his stature.

Golden Dragon's face darkened at the sight of his subordinate being humiliated.

"Red-nosed clown, you're courting death…"

"I'm Captain Buggy the Clown! Call me a red-nosed clown again, and I'll kill you!"

Buggy's glare burned with fury, but neither side made the first move.

Golden Dragon was wary of the sheer number of people Buggy had brought, noting their surprisingly disciplined appearance.

Meanwhile, Buggy, true to his cautious and cowardly nature, hesitated to attack first, intimidated by Golden Dragon's Devil Fruit powers.

For now, they were locked in a tense standoff.

"The Buggy Pirates? Never heard of you. Where are you from?"

Breaking the silence, Golden Dragon probed for information.

Buggy merely snorted in response, unwilling to reveal anything.

His goal was to stall until Karl arrived.

Golden Dragon, on the other hand, was eager to avoid wasting time.

"You're here for the treasure too, aren't you? No need for unnecessary bloodshed.

How about we work together to dig up the treasure and split it?"

Golden Dragon's shifty eyes gleamed as he stepped back, revealing the treasure pit.

Buggy, oblivious to any traps, strutted over to inspect the hole.

"Hmph! At least you know your place!"

"Die, red-nosed clown!"

Without warning, Golden Dragon unleashed a powerful laser beam from his mouth, carving into the earth and causing a massive tremor.

Buggy, however, leaped into the air at the last second. His detached legs had been thrown to the side, landing—unfortunately—on an unlucky bystander.

As long as his legs remained grounded, Buggy could fly freely. This was his ultimate trump card.

But instead of focusing on Golden Dragon, Buggy's attention was drawn to something deeper underground: an even larger cavern filled with glittering gold and jewels.

"We've struck it rich!!!" 

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