Rayleigh's words made it clear—he had agreed to help Buggy by stalling a Marine Admiral. Cricket's mission was accomplished. Bowing respectfully, he said,
"Mr. Rayleigh, thank you for your help. On behalf of our captain and every crew member, I express our deepest gratitude."
Rayleigh chuckled. "Hahaha, go back and tell that brat Buggy to be careful. Even if I hold off the Admiral, the rest of the Marines won't be easy to deal with."
After all, an Admiral never arrived alone—he always brought a strong escort. Those subordinates were not to be underestimated. Buggy would have to tread carefully.
"Yes, sir!" Cricket answered earnestly. He took Rayleigh's warning to heart.
With that, he took his leave. Shakky watched him depart, then turned her eyes toward Rayleigh, concern flickering in them.
Rayleigh noticed at once. Smiling, he reassured her:
"Don't worry. You know how strong I am. Nothing's going to happen to me."
"Bah," Shakky snorted, "Just don't go dying out there, old man."
She didn't try to dissuade him. Shanks and Buggy both held a special place in Rayleigh's heart—if they were in danger, he would intervene no matter the risk. Shakky knew this well. That unshakable loyalty was precisely what she loved about him.
Rayleigh smiled back. Their gazes locked, soft laughter shared between them—only each other in their eyes.
Daylight passed quickly, and soon the island was cloaked in night. The streets were deserted, darkness stretching across Sabaody. Buggy raised his eyes to the pitch-black sky. It was time.
"Shiryu, Weevil—you two draw away the CP agents. The rest of you, keep watch outside and don't let anyone enter the hotel. I'll go inside and rescue Stella myself."
The diversion was crucial. If they fought head-on here, the commotion would be impossible to hide. Their goal was Stella—not a large-scale battle. Keeping the hotel sealed from outside interference would prevent news from leaking to the Marines.
As for why Buggy was going alone: with his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), he could locate Stella's exact position almost instantly. There was no need to risk the whole crew inside.
Shiryu and Weevil disguised themselves and approached the Celestial Dragon's hotel. They were quickly confronted by several CP agents.
"What are you two doing here? Lord Celestial Dragon is inside. If you don't want to die, scram!"
The agents eyed the masked pair with suspicion, but none dared cause a disturbance near Rosward.
Shiryu sneered, deliberately provoking them. "Celestial Dragon? Celestial dog? Never heard of him. And he dares to order us away? The ones who should scram are you."
Their words were bait, designed to enrage.
"You fools! How dare you insult a Celestial Dragon! You won't be leaving here alive!"
Nearby agents rushed over at once, weapons drawn.
Shiryu and Weevil immediately turned and fled.
The agents blinked in surprise. They'd expected a suicidal clash, not a sudden retreat.
The squad leader barked orders: "You, stay and guard the entrance! The rest of you, after them!"
Leaving only a few to guard the hotel doors, he led the majority in pursuit. In his mind, these intruders couldn't possibly be targeting Rosward. No one would dare. Capturing them might even earn him a reward or treasure from the Celestial Dragon. That thought alone drove him to chase eagerly.
But they didn't open fire. Shooting risked waking the Celestial Dragon, so they pursued more cautiously, confident they could run their quarry down.
The moment most of the guards were gone, Buggy struck.
With a single Soru (Shave), he vanished from sight, reappearing behind the agents left at the door. Before they could even react, he chopped each at the neck. They collapsed unconscious, unaware of what had struck them.
Buggy slipped into the hotel. Outside, Enel, Lafitte, and the others took up positions around the building, hidden in the shadows.
Inside, hotel staff noticed him immediately and began to approach with questions. Buggy had no time for chatter. He released a wave of Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki) that washed across the lobby. In an instant, every worker and hidden agent in the hall collapsed, unconscious.
With the floor silent, Buggy closed his eyes and extended his Kenbunshoku Haki. His awareness spread through the hotel like a tide.
There. He felt Stella's presence. He felt Rosward's too—and, more troublingly, several strong CP agents hidden in the dark, guarding the Celestial Dragon.
Buggy made no move toward Stella immediately. First, he headed straight for the concealed agents.
If they detected him mid-rescue, they could call for reinforcements—and that would surely bring an Admiral racing to Sabaody. Before he saved Stella, those agents had to be neutralized.