Buggy D Clown

"Buggy-san, are you already talking about the agreement with Father? It's a bit early—this country hasn't stabilized yet!"

Shirahoshi was pleasantly surprised by Buggy's words but hesitated to respond.

Buggy smiled and shook his head. "Precisely because the country has just been established, it's important for you and Fishmen Island to be involved. Building a new home together will help integrate Fishmen Island better."

"Buggy-san is right. I'll call my father and my brothers right away!" Shirahoshi exclaimed, waving her little fist happily as she began dialing the den-den mushi.

Within ten seconds, the den-den mushi was answered.

Neptune's surprised voice came through the line. "Ah, Shirahoshi, you finally called your father! I was startled by the newspaper today. How are things going in Wanokuni? Are you adjusting to the food up there?"

Hearing her father's concern, Shirahoshi blushed slightly. "Father, let's set that aside for now. I called because there's something important. Also, Wanokuni isn't called Wanokuni anymore! Buggy has overthrown Wanokuni and established a new empire on its land. It's now called the Crimson Empire."

"The Crimson Empire?" Neptune's expression turned serious at the news. He hadn't anticipated Buggy's move. Building a new empire on Wanokuni's territory? It wasn't a bad idea, considering Wanokuni had been under Kaido's control for over 20 years and the original country had long ceased to exist in any meaningful way.

"Are you calling me now because it's Buggy's decision?"

"Yes, Buggy-san mentioned that he plans to start fulfilling the agreement with Fishmen Island," Shirahoshi replied firmly.

"What?! So soon?!"

Crash!

Neptune and the three princes on the other end of the line exclaimed in shock, followed by the sound of things being smashed. Despite their surprise, Neptune was exhilarated.

Buggy smiled and said, "Shirahoshi, let me speak with your father and the princes."

"Sure." Shirahoshi nodded cutely, and Neptune soon heard Buggy's voice on the phone. After Buggy explained the situation, Neptune fell into deep thought.

Buggy's words were convincing. As the Crimson Empire was in its early stages, it needed all kinds of manpower and talent. If the Fishmen could help build the country from the beginning, they would surely integrate better into the Crimson Empire's broader community.

"Alright!" Neptune said decisively. "Buggy, please give us a month to prepare, and we will work to fully relocate Fishmen Island. Also, could you please send Shirahoshi back? We need her help with the relocation. Additionally, we would appreciate it if you could assist in finding a temporary place for Fishmen in the Crimson Empire."

Buggy quickly grasped Neptune's intentions. Neptune wanted to use his daughter's Poseidon power to control the Sea Kings and have them drag Noah to relocate Fishmen Island to Wanokuni.

After Shirahoshi boarded the ship, Buggy made it a point to teach her how to become familiar with and control her Poseidon power. With her mastery of Observation Haki, Shirahoshi could at least communicate with the more intelligent Sea Kings, even if she couldn't control the less intelligent ones. This ability was more than enough. The Sea Kings that had helped tow Noah a few months ago would be sufficient to assist in relocating Fishmen Island. After all, each of those Sea Kings was significantly larger than Kaido in his dragon form, so this wouldn't be a problem.

With this in mind, Buggy smiled and said, "It might be a coincidence, but I believe that our Crimson Empire's territory is one of the most suitable places in the world for harmonious coexistence with humans."

"Oh? How so?" Neptune asked, intrigued.

Gabban, Crocodile, Robin, and Boa Hancock, who was seated nearby, also looked on with curiosity.

"You might not know, but there is a vast underwater cavern beneath the Crimson Empire. Not only does it have a large diving port, but the underwater area around it is incredibly expansive, rich, and diverse."

After briefly describing the underwater environment of Wanokuni, Buggy continued with a laugh, "Moreover, this underwater space is protected by a thick outer wall, making it a naturally ideal place for your Fishmen to live."

"And there's also Wanokuni's formerly submerged palace underwater! It could truly become a paradise for the Fishmen. Soon, Sunbell and Jinbei will accompany Shirahoshi to investigate. They'll use the video den den mushi to broadcast, so you'll see for yourself what I'm talking about."

"That sounds fantastic!!!" Neptune and the others cheered immediately. "I'm starting to mobilize everyone on Fishmen Island now. They'll be thrilled to hear about our new home."

"Great. I'll head to Fishmen Island on the day you decide to go," Buggy said before hanging up the phone.

As soon as Buggy ended the call, Inurashi, who had been sitting at the back of the south seat, was suddenly pushed out by the Nekomamushi.

Snap!

Inuarashi lost his balance and ended up taking a tumble.

"Hahaha!," Everyone burst into laughter at the sight.

"You Neko rascal!" Inuarashi exclaimed, blushing and glaring at Nekomamushi. After Nekomamushi winked mischievously, Inuarashi cleared his throat and turned to Buggy.

"Buggy, could our Mokomo Dukedom also contribute to the construction of the Crimson Empire? The Minks are loyal to death and have exceptional combat skills, which would be a tremendous asset to the empire!"

"Well…" Buggy looked at Inuarashi and smiled. "Are you considering moving your family to our Crimson Empire? I'm sure you'd be welcome. But if you're leaving your family and your home behind, have you thought this through thoroughly? Don't make decisions just because you're excited."

Inuarashi, Maomushi, and several other mink warriors exchanged glances, with the latter nodding emphatically.

"Yes, Buggy, we have considered it! The Crimson Empire is an unprecedented empire of racial equality, and our Mokomo Dukedom wants to be part of it. We want to be part of this remarkable change of the millennium. Please, Buggy-sama, accept us!"

"Excellent!"

Upon hearing Inuarashi's words, Buggy laughed heartily, patted the table, and raised his glass. "Let's add another family of brothers to our Crimson Empire! Cheers!!!"

"Cheers!!!"

After the banquet, only the members of the Buggy Pirates, the Empress, and Yamato remained in the hall. Buggy had asked them to stay behind to discuss future matters.

To everyone's surprise, Buggy turned to Crocodile and said, "Crocodile, how are you doing with the sand clone technique I taught you? How many clones can you create now?"

Everyone was puzzled. Why was Captain Buggy so interested in Crocodile's progress? It seemed he had given him special instructions.

"Well..." Crocodile was momentarily taken aback but responded, "My sand clones can now split into six, and without engaging in fierce battles, I can maintain them for about seven days with my current stamina."

"Great job, Crocodile!"

Buggy smiled as he clapped his hands. "It looks like urging you to focus on your physical training has paid off. Tomorrow, you'll use your sand clones and my Wood Clones to visit the six regions of our Crimson Empire to recruit individuals with reading and writing skills. Even though we're pirates, we can't just run the country recklessly. It needs to be governed properly. Recruit the talents, assess them, and then integrate them into our administrative system. You understand that, right?"

Everyone was stunned by Buggy's words. Was this the reason for making Crocodile practice the sand clones?

Crocodile was equally speechless, but as Captain Buggy's order was clear, he could only nod in agreement.

Seeing his reaction, Buggy gave him a disdainful look and said, "Your comprehension skills could use some work. Why did I have you use your sand clones to recruit talents from the six regions? It's because I plan to promote you!"

"What?"

The room erupted in shock. Even Crocodile was filled with confusion and doubt. He was bewildered. Though he might crave power, he wasn't foolish. Shouldn't such a vast empire—especially one painstakingly built by Captain Buggy—be passed on to his heirs?

Seeing the shock and doubt on everyone's faces, Buggy smiled and shook his head. "I'm not interested in being a head of empire for the long term. You know my ambition and ideals. My goal is to be the king of the world! Besides, ideally, a head of state shouldn't reign for more than ten years. I plan to implement a system where the head of state is replaced every five years. This approach will not only motivate the people but also reduce the risk of corruption and autocracy."

"What I need is a thriving, peaceful, and healthy country, not a tool of power for any one person. I'm not interested in power for its own sake. I want to build something more substantial than just an empire. So, eventually, I'll hand over this key to power."

"Given this, it makes sense to leave it to the most experienced. For the next five years, I'll be in charge, and after that, it will be Crocodile's turn. In the following term, it might be Robin. I aim to be as fair as possible. Crocodile has significant experience, and Robin, who was once your right-hand, has proven management skills. She might even be more capable than Crocodile!"

"Hey, Captain, there's no need to say that!" Crocodile's face darkened, though he was visibly pleased by Buggy's words.

Robin covered her mouth and laughed a few times before saying with some doubt, "So, why did you decide to make Crocodile the next head of the Crimson Empire?"

Others shared her curiosity. Why choose Crocodile? Enel voiced his dissatisfaction, wondering why he wasn't chosen despite his experience in ruling a country. Was it merely that he was puzzled like Robin, or did he have other reasons?

"It's like this," Buggy said, surveying everyone with a smile. "Firstly, Crocodile has relevant experience, and secondly, his Devil Fruit ability is crucial. This is the most important factor. Crocodile's fruit ability can play a huge role in building the country! In terms of infrastructure, his ability is on par with my Mori Mori no mi's abilities. Whether it's constructing buildings, paving roads, or managing water resources, Crocodile's powers are too useful to waste on combat. Plus, he's one of our own. So, he's undoubtedly the best choice!"

"Oh," everyone said in realization.

At that moment, Crocodile also understood. Was his role simply to be an infrastructure expert?

Seeing Crocodile's less-than-pleased expression, Buggy raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder. "Crocodile, don't be so down. Completing these infrastructures is also a way to hone your abilities. You're building your reputation too! When people walk on roads you've paved, live in houses you've constructed, and use the water facilities you've created, they'll surely appreciate your work. By then, you'll certainly become the next head of the Crimson Empire. And when you do, your Conqueror's Haki will naturally rise."

"Wonderful!" Crocodile's eyes lit up immediately. He patted his chest and promised that the infrastructure construction would begin the next day.

Robin looked at Crocodile with a hint of pity, muttering, "Crocodile, you're still too young!" In just a few words, Buggy had completely thrown him off balance.

Everyone else was smiling, but Dragon, sitting on the side, was deep in thought. He was still shocked that Buggy was willing to relinquish control of the carefully built empire. The idea of changing heads of state every five years was revolutionary, and it was astounding to think that the leaders would be chosen based on their contributions to the country.

This new system was truly groundbreaking. Combined with the national policies Buggy had mentioned earlier, Dragon felt as though his revolutionary army was playing catch-up. They had a clear program, a structured system, and long-term plans. The pattern seemed to be repeating: helping one country overthrow a tyrant only to move on to another. This cycle could easily lead the world into chaos once more.

As Dragon observed Buggy, who was happily chatting and laughing with the others, he had a bold idea. He decided to stay in the Crimson Empire for a while to watch how the country evolved.

"Hancock, what are you planning to do about Amazon Lily now?" Dragon asked, turning to her.

Buggy turned to the Empress and said, "Your Amazon Lily island is truly enormous. I don't think Bullet could move such a massive island on his own. Even if he could, it would be incredibly slow. His Devil Fruit ability isn't fully awakened yet, and even Kaido struggles to move an island quickly. It's a shame we don't have the Fuwa Fuwa no mi or Moa Moa no mi in our crew; otherwise, we could have relocated Amazon Lily closer to the Crimson Empire."

Hancock, blushing slightly at being addressed by Buggy, responded with a serious tone, "Buggy, there's no need to worry about that. With Blueno's ability on our side, we can quickly bolster our ranks if Marine attempts to attack us again. We have the means to defend ourselves."

"Fair enough," Buggy agreed, then turned his attention to Law with a smile. "Law, it's time to fulfill our agreement. I deprived Doflamingo of his Devil Fruit ability last night, leaving him in a weakened state. I'm confident you should be able to handle him easily."

Law's eyes brightened at the prospect. He had been contemplating how to approach Captain Buggy about this. After all, he was eager to deal with Doflamingo himself—the man who had killed his mentor and the only person who had ever truly helped him.

"Understood," Buggy said after a moment's thought. "You'll take care of Doflamingo, but we'll accompany you to ensure everything goes smoothly. Consider it the final send-off for this scumbag. We want to extract every last bit of value from him. Who knows, there might even be some unexpected surprise."

"People are going to die; what's the value in that?"

The Buggy Pirates looked puzzled, but ultimately, there was a sigh of relief. "Only you would think of something like that," someone remarked.

---

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