Cabaji spun in circles, his unicycle squealing on the stone, juggling knives that flashed like silver rain. "A swordsman with no balance is nothing!" he sneered, cutting forward.
Zoro smirked, his swords already crossed. "Balance? I only need my blades."
They clashed, sparks flying as steel rang against steel. Cabaji leapt, spinning overhead — but the Stag Holster snapped open on Zoro's hip, clicking one of his blades into his waiting hand mid-strike. He slashed upward, forcing Cabaji back with a growl.
"You… cheat!" Cabaji snarled.
"Not cheating," Zoro grinned, "just teamwork."
The fight pressed on, Cabaji's tricks against Zoro's relentless power. Finally, with a roar, Zoro crossed his blades in a brutal Three-Sword Slash, shattering Cabaji's weapons and sending him crashing into a heap of barrels.
"Circus is over," Zoro muttered, sheathing his swords.
Luffy (with Nami) vs. Buggy
Buggy's laughter split the air, his body whirling apart. "You can't beat me! Chop-Chop Festival!" His flying limbs slashed from every angle, daggers flashing.
Nami darted forward, staff swinging to deflect one of his hands. "Focus, rubber-brain!" she snapped.
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed, dodging another strike. "I'm focused!" He stretched his arm back, smashing Buggy's torso into a wall — but the clown simply popped apart again, reforming with a howl.
"You don't get it! You can't cut me, you can't crush me, you can't—"
WHAM!
Nami drove her staff into Buggy's nose. He howled, flailing. "MY BEAUTIFUL NOSE!"
"Shut up," she snapped, and kicked him back toward Luffy.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!"
Luffy's fist stretched across the square, slamming into Buggy's face with bone-shaking force. The clown spun like a top before collapsing in a heap of glitter and dust.
"Show's over," Luffy said, grinning.
Aftermath
The last pirates fled, Tessal's swarm driving them into the sea. Chouchou barked proudly from atop the Bulwark Tank as the pet shop stood untouched.
Orange Town's people emerged from hiding, staring in awe. Instead of leaving rubble behind, Tessal directed his constructs to work. Crawler's mandibles lifted beams back into place, Trapper Spinders wove support webs across cracked walls, and the Iron Shield Beetles braced collapsed structures until they could be fixed properly.
Within hours, the plaza was less a ruin than it had been before Buggy arrived.
"You… you rebuilt the town," one villager whispered.
Tessal brushed dust from his gloves. "Better than leaving it broken." His gaze flicked to a smashed cannon nearby — a Buggy Ball rolling loose from its crate. He picked it up, tucking it into his pack with a faint smirk. "And some of this clown's toys might come in handy."
As dawn broke over Orange Town, the straw hat crew regrouped at the harbor.
Zoro stretched, still bruised but grinning. "Well… that was lively."
Nami crossed her arms, still deciding if she truly belonged with them, though her eyes softened when she caught Luffy's smile.
Luffy jabbed a finger at her. "She's our navigator. Right?"
Nami rolled her eyes, but didn't step away. "We'll see. For now."
Tessal closed his satchel, gears humming faintly inside. "Then let's see where the seas take us next."
The Atlas sailed from Orange Town, leaving behind rebuilt streets, a proud dog, and a story the villagers would tell for years.