"Don't worry, Rain. You know I've got this all figured out. Just watch within ten years, I'll become the greatest businessman in the world!"
Buggy thumped his chest with overflowing confidence. His strength might not be the best, but when it came to business? He spoke as if no one could match him.
"…A plan?"
Rain blinked, caught off guard. The word "plan" from Buggy's mouth sounded so foreign that his expression immediately twisted into something… complicated.
"What's with that face? You don't believe me?"
Buggy's eyes narrowed. Determined to prove himself, he reached into his coat, pulled out a folded document, and slapped it down in front of Rain.
"Here. Take a look."
"You actually have a plan?"
Rain's curiosity deepened. He picked up the paper, his brow furrowing as he began to read.
"…This is…"
The more his eyes traced the words, the more Rain froze. His disbelief gradually turned into surprise.
"Integrate the Donquixote Family's channels and claim a foothold in the underworld… ally with Fish-Man Island to monopolize undersea resources… use Fish-Men for global shipping routes to seize the markets of the world?"
Rain lowered the plan slowly, his face unreadable. He didn't know whether to laugh or to be impressed. One thing was clear the success rate of this plan was terrifyingly high.
"Buggy, are you sure Fish-Man Island will even cooperate with you?"
Rain's voice carried a hint of doubt. So much of Buggy's grand scheme hinged on their support. Without Fish-Man Island, the entire plan might crumble.
Buggy smirked triumphantly. "Have you forgotten the crew I once sailed with? Among them were seniors from Fish-Man Island. You think I'd make a plan like this if I wasn't sure?"
Indeed, if Buggy had gained anything from his years with the Roger Pirates, it wasn't strength, it was connections.
Those who had once sailed with Roger across the Grand Line weren't ordinary men.
Every one of them was an elite, and the bonds forged on that ship were priceless. That was Buggy's greatest wealth.
And now, he intended to turn that wealth into power.
"…I see."
Rain nodded slowly. He had to admit, it made sense. Buggy might have been an intern on the Oro Jackson, but he was still a member of the Roger Pirates.
That alone carried weight in this world. And in terms of connections… Buggy really did have the best.
"Buggy, I'm looking forward to what your future will be like."
Rain's gaze lingered on him, his tone carrying a rare note of expectation.
"Don't worry...you won't be disappointed," Buggy replied, puffing his chest with rare seriousness.
"But before that, you'd better keep training your own strength. Otherwise…" Rain's expression hardened as he clapped Buggy on the shoulder,
"The moment you're killed, all your wealth will just belong to someone else."
This was not a fair world. In the end, money meant nothing without power.
If someone cut you down, your fortune instantly became theirs.
If you weren't strong enough to defend it, your treasure wasn't truly yours, it was the World Government's.
"Buggy, I don't want to be the one avenging you someday," Rain said quietly, before turning and walking off with Mira at his side.
The rest, he would leave to Buggy. Even if Doflamingo clashed with him, fate wasn't something you could measure in raw strength.
When it came to luck, Buggy was on a level all his own.
"Strength…"
Buggy muttered to himself, Rain's words striking deeper than he cared to admit. His eyes sharpened. He knew Rain was right.
Especially when he thought of the CP agents, the World Government's invisible fangs that lurked everywhere.
But that was a problem for the future. Right now, all that mattered was outmaneuvering Doflamingo. And somehow, against all odds, negotiations ended in Buggy's favor.
By the end of their talks, the Donquixote Family had agreed to a strategic partnership using their underground channels to fully support Buggy's Chamber of Commerce, moving his goods across the seas.
On the return voyage toward the New World, Mira suddenly broke the silence.
"Rain… it just occurred to me. We could actually ask Buggy to help us collect powerful Devil Fruits."
Rain glanced at her, surprised. Mira had once dismissed Devil Fruits outright—but seeing the world's top fighters had clearly changed her mind.
"...Mira, do you want to eat a Devil Fruit?" Rain asked, half in shock.
"No. Not me." Mira shook her head. "My talent's already here, and my magic has almost no ceiling. Eating a Devil Fruit would only give me weakness in return."
Her eyes softened. "I was thinking of Lisanna. Fighting doesn't suit her personality but if we found her a Logia-type Devil Fruit, she'd have power without needing to change who she is."
"For Lisanna?"
Rain nodded slowly. Given her gentle nature, Mira's idea made sense. If Lisanna had a Logia Fruit, she wouldn't need to fight head-on, she could protect herself without changing who she is.
"Alright then. Tell Buggy, if a powerful Devil Fruit turns up, he should keep an eye out for us."
Rain made the decision firmly.
One Month Later – The New World, Wano Country
"...So this is Wano?"
After a long month of sailing, Rain and Mira finally reached the turbulent seas around the closed nation.
Before them stretched towering waterfalls, jagged cliffs, and the misty silhouette of Wano itself, mysterious and unyielding.
Mira leaned against the railing, eyes narrowing. "Did Bullet ever say what he came here for?"
Rain shook his head. "No. All he said was that something interesting was happening here. And that if we wanted a fight… Wano was the place."
He frowned slightly, still confused. That cryptic answer was the only reason they had diverted their course here.
Mira sighed, crossing her arms. "Hmph. Always pretending to be mysterious."
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