"Clown" Buggy and his pirate crew had come to White Pine Town with the same goal as the Fish-Men—to rob the bank.
Unlike the reckless Fish-Men, who charged in at the first mention of the bank, Buggy had done his homework.
The Buggy Pirates had already learned that the town was managed by a young man named Sherlock, while the local enforcer and symbol of strength was a red-haired swordsman named Edmond. According to pirates who had roamed near White Pine Town, Edmond's strength was terrifying—his katana could slice through gold and steel with ease.
But this didn't intimidate Buggy. As a Devil Fruit user, he had eaten the Chop-Chop Fruit, which allowed his body to split apart upon being attacked, rendering slashes and cuts ineffective. In the original story, Buggy even survived an attack from Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, without a scratch.
Additionally, Buggy's secret weapon, the Buggy Ball, which he had spent years perfecting, was finally operational. While it hadn't reached the destructive power he envisioned, it was more than capable of blowing open the bank's heavily reinforced vault door.
Although Buggy had swallowed his pride during the daytime conflict with Chew for the sake of his bank heist plan, he still bore a grudge. So, when he caught sight of Chew sneaking around, Buggy activated his Devil Fruit powers and discreetly followed him.
The Chop-Chop Fruit not only allowed Buggy to split his body but also enabled his detached limbs to float within a certain distance of his feet. He hid his body in a secluded spot and sent his head floating close to the Fish-Men, eavesdropping on their conversation. None of the Fish-Men noticed his presence.
After overhearing the Arlong Pirates' plan, Buggy quietly slipped away without alerting them. As he made his way back to his crew's temporary base in the town, he couldn't help but feel increasingly uneasy.
What kind of world was this, where even robbing a bank came with competitors?
Seething with indignation at the state of affairs, Buggy returned to his base and immediately convened a meeting with his crew to discuss his findings.
With the new grudge against the Fish-Men and the lingering resentment from the earlier conflict, Buggy quickly devised a new plan. He decided to use the Fish-Men as a diversion to draw the guards' attention, while his crew would follow behind them. Once the Fish-Men reached the vault, Buggy planned to blow up the vault door—and the Fish-Men along with it—using his Buggy Ball.
However, much like the Arlong Pirates, Buggy underestimated William and his crew, dismissing them as insignificant.
While the two groups of unwelcome guests prepared to carve up the Flash Gold Bank like a fattened lamb, inside the bank, William's office was bustling with activity. Dampier, Edmond, Aramis, Yasopp, Selkirk, Harden, and other key officers had gathered. These individuals had originally been assembled by William as a contingency for a potential confrontation with Zeff, should he refuse to hand over his logbook. Now, as William inspected White Pine Town, they had all accompanied him.
"I want them alive," William said, lighting a cigarette as he addressed his eager subordinates. "Whether they're half-dead or missing limbs, I don't care."
Harden scratched the back of his head. "What if I accidentally kill one?"
"For each Fish-Man, I'm planning to demand ten million Beli," William replied calmly. "If you accidentally kill one, I'll deduct ten million from your pay."
Harden's face instantly fell. Seeing this, William chuckled. "Relax, I'm joking. If you accidentally kill one, you'll only owe me three drinks when we get back."
Harden's expression softened, but he still said, "Even with that, I'll try not to mess up. One million Beli per Fish-Man? That's expensive. It'd be a shame to waste them."
"They consider themselves a superior race, so their ransom price should reflect their status—one hundred times that of a human. I'm showing them respect; they should be honored," William said with a sly grin.
...
By nightfall, Kuroobi and Chew led a group of Fish-Men pirates to the shoreline, quietly observing the town.
The pirate town seemed to come alive at night, bustling with activity. However, despite craning their necks and observing for a long time, the Fish-Men saw no signs of the chaos they had anticipated.
They were waiting for Hatchan and his group, who had been tasked with starting a fire in the town to create a distraction.
"Why hasn't Hatchan made a move yet?" Chew frowned.
"I told you we shouldn't have given this task to Hatchan," Kuroobi said through gritted teeth. "With his memory, he's probably forgotten about it by now!"
Chew's thick lips twitched in frustration. "Forget it. Why are we making such a big deal out of this? It's just a bunch of humans. Let's charge into the bank and do what we always do in human villages—kill anyone who gets in our way."
"There are a lot of armed people here. I'm just worried it'll be hard to transport the money out," Kuroobi replied, still hesitant. He glanced back toward the town, but seeing no signs of a disturbance, he sighed and said, "It seems Hatchan really did forget. Fine, let's do it your way—let's move!"
Kuroobi instructed Chew to lead ten Fish-Men to secure the docks, while he led the rest toward the bank, weapons in hand.
The pirates in the town looked on in confusion as the Fish-Men suddenly appeared. Kuroobi and his group, not wanting to create unnecessary trouble, avoided clashing with the human pirates.
When the Fish-Men stormed into the bank, the Buggy Pirates, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, immediately sent word to their captain.
Kuroobi and his Fish-Men charged into the bank, only to find the main hall completely empty.
More cautious than the reckless Hatchan and the impatient Chew, Kuroobi hesitated at this unexpected turn of events. However, under pressure from his eager comrades, who were impatient to raid the vault, he quickly dismissed his doubts.
No matter what traps lay ahead, Kuroobi believed his strength would be enough to handle them.
With a single punch, Kuroobi smashed through the counter and led his comrades toward the underground vault, following the route they had memorized.
The group moved unimpeded down a subterranean corridor. Halfway through, one of the Fish-Men muttered in confusion, "Does it feel like it's getting hotter to anyone else?"
Before anyone could respond, a loud rumble echoed from the end of the corridor, followed by a strange hissing sound that grew louder and closer.
Kuroobi instinctively stopped, adopting a Fish-Man Karate stance as he stared intently at the corridor's end.
But as the sound drew nearer, no enemy appeared.
"What is...?"
Kuroobi's pupils contracted as a dense cloud of white mist surged into view, rolling toward them like an enraged dragon.
"Fall back! Retreat now!" Kuroobi shouted, feeling a wave of heat hit him even before the mist reached him, making it hard to breathe.
The white mist filled the corridor, leaving the Fish-Men with no escape route except back the way they came.
The Fish-Men didn't need Kuroobi's warning to realize the danger. They turned and ran, but the mist was too fast. With a deafening roar, it engulfed them like a tidal wave, sending the weaker Fish-Men tumbling and screaming in pain from the scalding heat.
Kuroobi, a seasoned Fish-Man Karate practitioner, managed to stay on his feet despite the blast, though his entire body ached. Surrounded by the thick mist, he couldn't see anything.
"Steam!?" Kuroobi muttered, bewildered. As he tried to figure out the source of the steam, the sound of leather shoes clicking against marble echoed through the corridor, growing closer.
"You're really unprofessional," a cold voice said, accompanied by the footsteps. "Robbing a vault without bringing explosives? What were you planning to do—headbutt the door open with your fish brains?"
A sudden whooshing sound came from Kuroobi's side. Though blinded by the mist, he instinctively sidestepped and raised his arm to block. But as soon as his skin made contact, he hissed in pain. It felt like he had been pressed against a hot iron, and his skin turned red almost instantly.
🔥 Want to read the next 20 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]