It wasn't impossible, given Buggy's luck, he might actually become Pirate King before Luffy or Ace.
Maybe he'd pull off some crazy stunt and, in the end, Buggy would get the One Piece and become King of the World.
On the projection, the battle raged on, but it was clear that Cross Guild held the advantage.
The Marines had lost half of their main fighting force; Borsalino wasn't there, Sakazuki wasn't there. If they were, Cross Guild wouldn't stand a chance and would have collapsed instantly.
That's why this war wasn't on the same scale as the Summit War.
As for Buggy being one of the Four Emperors, he was all show and no substance, nothing impressive.
Both sides fought fiercely. The Marines' goal was to rescue Ryokugyu, Koby, and the others. Once they succeeded, they had no reason to keep fighting the Cross Guild.
After all, they were unprepared, and prolonging the battle with Cross Guild risked unexpected setbacks.
Though Buggy lacked real skill, one of his inventions couldn't be ignored: the Muggy Ball.
Buggy was something of a minor genius. His research Muggy Balls could be mounted on soles with reflectors, smaller than bullets yet far more powerful than ordinary cannonballs.
So when Buggy's subordinates unleashed the Muggy Balls, they inflicted significant casualties on the Marines.
The battlefield was intense, but Roy glanced at the time. He needed to set off for Egghead Island soon, or he'd miss the action there.
Egghead was the real priority. He had to secure the Mother Flame, it must fall into the hands of the World Government.
On top of that, eliminating York would be best. Since she was also a Vegapunk, killing her would cut off the Government's access to advanced technology.
"Looks like I don't have time to keep watching." Roy stood up.
"Big Bro?!" Makugai and the others turned to look at Roy.
Atmos rose too, ready to depart.
"Big Bro, we're not watching to the end?" Makugai asked.
"Atmos and I have other matters to attend to. We need to leave now and won't be staying to watch," Roy replied.
"This…" Makugai had no choice. Roy had other things to do
Just then, one of Makugai's subordinates exclaimed in surprise.
"Boss! Boss, look! There's a ship!"
"What ship?" Makugai turned to look. Roy and Atmos also glanced back at the projection.
A ship had suddenly appeared on the horizon. Everyone was stunned when they saw the flag on the ship.
"Hah, of course, it's his best buddy." Roy chuckled.
It was none other than Buggy's old brother-in-arms, Red-Haired Shanks.
Even as rivals, Red Hair had come to bail Buggy out. He knew what kind of person Buggy was and his limitations. He wouldn't stand by and watch him die.
The Red-Haired Pirates' ship appeared, and the battlefield instantly quieted. Both sides halted.
"Could he be here to help Buggy?!"
The Marines immediately tensed, recalling Shanks and Buggy's history.
The Marines didn't dare act rashly, and neither did Cross Guild.
After all, Buggy had declared his intention to become the Pirate King. To achieve that, he had to compete on the seas.
That meant Red Hair Shanks was also his enemy, as were the other two Emperors.
"Sha-Shanks…" Buggy stammered, startled at the sight of his ship.
"The Red-Haired Pirates!!"
Garp glared furiously. In his eyes, Luffy had only become a pirate because of Shanks.
Sengoku squinted at Shanks, his expression complicated, but then he let out a sigh of relief.
As the Red-Haired ship drew closer, the fighting stopped entirely. Even Fujitora and Mihawk stepped back from their duel.
Mihawk glanced at his old rival. Shanks had arrived. The question was, what did he want?
Finally, the ship docked. Shanks disembarked.
"Looks like things are lively here. Mind if I join in?" Shanks drew his sword, releasing his Conqueror's Haki.
In an instant, nearly 80% of those present collapsed. Such was Shanks' overwhelming presence, few could remain conscious before it.
"Red-Hair, are you declaring war on the Navy?!!" Vice Admiral Onigumo shouted.
"I'm a pirate. You're the Navy. We've always been enemies." Shanks answered calmly.
Onigumo flinched back under his pressure.
"Shanks, you came at the perfect time! Let's team up and finish them off!" Buggy grinned.
Shanks smiled faintly at him. "Looks like you've gathered quite a fine crew now."
Buggy's grin froze, then darkened. His face twisted as he glared at Shanks.
Back in Loguetown, when Buggy had learned Shanks wasn't interested in becoming Pirate King, his heart had shattered. He had resented Shanks for giving up the pursuit of the One Piece.
"Shanks, you bastard!" Buggy suddenly roared.
"Captain Buggy!!"
His men were stunned. Weren't those two sworn brothers?
"Buggy!!" Shanks looked at him.
"I'm one of the Four Emperors now. I looked down on you back then, and I still do! Why did everyone believe in you? You gave up on chasing the One Piece! You betrayed Captain Roger's will!"
"I hereby declare: from today onward, I have nothing to do with you! I am the Star Clown Buggy! I will inherit Captain Roger's will! I will lead my crew to the final destination, claim the One Piece, and fulfill Captain Roger's dream!" Buggy
Buggy's furious roar echoed across the battlefield.
It was anger, disappointment, heartbreak.
Back then, Shanks' giving up had crushed him. He couldn't understand why Shanks had the best chance to become Pirate King.
But he chose to wait, chose idleness. That was why Buggy refused to ever join his crew; he was too furious.
.....
At Sabaody, the live broadcast continued. Rayleigh had returned from Amazon Lily, with Hancock and her crew heading to Fishman Island, likely en route to join Luffy. With the Shichibukai abolished, Hancock, too, needed allies.
Her joining the Straw Hat Grand Fleet would undoubtedly make it stronger.
Rayleigh chuckled at the screen.
"Little Buggy is truly adorable," Shakky said with a smile.
"Mhm. Back then, Buggy and Shanks were inseparable. In truth, Buggy always wanted Shanks to become Pirate King. But Shanks chose to wait, and Buggy waited on him." Rayleigh sighed.
With their knowledge of history, Shanks could have found the One Piece within just two years of setting out.
On the island of Karai Bari, Shanks suddenly burst out laughing.
...
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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