One Piece: Heaven-Defying Luck

It was miserable…

That was the only thought lingering in Buggy's mind, filling it entirely.

He even had a premonition: if he survived this ordeal, he would definitely awaken his Devil Fruit powers.

The green-haired swordsman was simply a cruel devil. At first, although Buggy's ship was destroyed, his lackeys crushed and sent flying into the sea, he wasn't intimidated. After all, he was the bane of swordsmen. He even had the audacity to provoke the green-haired devil and belittle him.

Who would have thought that this green-haired devil would refuse to play by any rules? Instead, he turned Buggy into thousands of 'bara bara' pieces. If not for his sheer endurance and luck, Buggy would have been dead, and not even his Devil Fruit powers could have saved him.

The worst part? The orange-haired demoness. She had appeared out of nowhere, robbed him of all his wealth, and even had the nerve to mock him, calling him a poor guy.

Buggy suppressed the storm in his heart, but he couldn't hold back his tears.

Red hair, green hair, orange hair—all colored-haired people are hateful!

Xun sat on the edge of the small boat, watching Buggy being torn apart piece by piece, while Nami hit him over the head with her staff and threatened him.

"You damn clown, where did you hide your wealth? If you don't confess, I'll let Zoro chop you into a million pieces!"

Buggy begged for mercy, looking at Nami and Zoro with terror in his eyes.

"Spare me! I swear, I really don't have any more hidden wealth!"

Zoro's lips twitched, most of his rage already subsiding.

"Well, I can't be bothered, anyway…"

Even so, he looked at Buggy with interest. Through chopping the clown into thousands of pieces, Zoro had already gained some understanding of the Devil Fruit's mechanisms. If he moved faster than Buggy could react, he could easily bypass the Bara Bara no Mi's effect and injure him. But this guy was frustratingly strong and incredibly lucky when it came to using his powers. Even with thousands of different attacks, Buggy managed to avoid or counter them—whether it was due to skill or luck, Zoro was grudgingly impressed.

Xun, watching with interest, couldn't help but comment from the side, "You're really a lucky bastard…"

Zoro and Nami turned to him in surprise, and Buggy, too, followed the source of the voice. The moment his eyes landed on Xun, his entire body trembled.

For someone who had sailed with Roger across the seas, Buggy knew very well how to sense the presence of the strong. And although this white-haired kid looked ordinary—after all, having eight-pack abs was standard in this world—the terrifying look in his purple eyes sent chills down Buggy's spine.

Scary!!! Scarier than the Captain!!! What is this oppressive feeling?!

Although Xun liked Buggy and even felt a sense of camaraderie due to their shared reliance on "luck," he was annoyed at the clown's audacity. Buggy's puny luck seemed almost tempted to challenge his own, which meant Xun had to actively suppress any backlash. If Buggy's luck clashed with his, it could lead to a cruel and ridiculous death for the clown.

"Listen here, clown. This time, I'll spare you out of consideration for this world's balance. But if I ever hear that you've caused trouble, believe me, not even your Captain resurrected could save you. Got it?"

Xun's cold, piercing gaze met Buggy's terrified eyes. The clown nodded miserably, tears streaming down his face.

White hair is terrifying! I want to go home!!!

Buggy's encounter was nothing more than a passing episode, and Xun didn't think much of it. But Nami and Zoro were brimming with curiosity. In a world where IQ often seemed comically low, their recent experiences had sharpened their wits and logic. From that brief interaction, they managed to glean quite a bit of information.

The small boat continued to sail, riding the waves, as Nami climbed onto Xun's back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Her busty chest pressed against him as she whispered directly into his ear, "Ne, Xun, what was that about earlier? Why did you call him lucky?"

Xun avoided her mouth.

"Stop, it's ticklish!!"

Nami snorted as she continued teasing his ear.

"I won't! Tell me!!"

Zoro, too, turned his gaze toward them, his curiosity evident.

"I'm interested as well…"

Xun sighed, resigning himself to their persistent curiosity.

"You may not know this, but this world is about to undergo a change of era."

Zoro and Nami exchanged baffled looks, unable to grasp the meaning of his words.

"Do you remember Roger's execution? That was the trigger. Twenty years ago, the world began preparing for an intense transformation. That clown Buggy is an important player—or maybe just a chess piece—in this change. Actually, you and Nami are also crucial factors or chess pieces in this grand design."

Nami suddenly spoke, her tone full of shock.

"You mean… this world is alive?"

Zoro frowned, skeptical of her words.

Xun looked at her in surprise.

"It seems the body control art is working well enough—your IQ has even increased. Look at Zoro; he hasn't even tried to figure it out yet…"

Zoro's face flushed with embarrassment as he retorted, "I know how to use it! I just don't need to—I'm not a brain-type anyway… But what do you mean, Nami? How is the world alive?"

Nami didn't answer. Instead, her face turned pale as her mind raced. The more she thought about it, the angrier and more terrified she became.

Xun gently patted her head to calm her.

"Your guesses are correct, but you don't need to hate the world. From another perspective, everything about you—your abilities, your experiences—has been granted by the world. It's fair to say it takes as much as it gives."

Zoro, still bewildered, grumbled, "What the hell are you two talking about? Why does it feel like I can't keep up?"

Driven by curiosity, Zoro activated his brain control technique, enhancing his mental faculties. Slowly, he pieced together the fragments of information Xun had shared. His face darkened as the horrifying truth dawned on him.

"Even Kuina's death, my dream, our promise…" he muttered grimly.

Xun nodded.

"Yes. Since the world is alive and has its own plans, it uses tools—or chess pieces—to shape events toward its goals. And many of you have been chosen."

Nami suppressed her tears and looked at Xun with a sad smile.

"But why did it give us such painful, tragic lives? I'm an orphan. Belle-mère died. My village was held captive! Why?!"

Zoro's expression was equally somber as he recalled Kuina's ridiculous death. Falling down the stairs? In this world, where even ordinary people could carry tons and recover from grave injuries, it was absurd to think she could die that way.

Xun hesitated, but he decided to tell them the truth. After all, he wasn't the sole protagonist of this story—Luffy was there to shoulder some of the burden.

"Didn't you realize yet? Since there's a 'drama,' there's also—"

Zoro and Nami interrupted simultaneously, their voices firm.

"There must be a main protagonist."

Xun looked at them in surprise and even felt a hint of warmth.

"You don't even doubt me?"

Nami shook her head, wiping away her tears while forcing a small smile.

"Even if you're that protagonist, I'll gladly accept it."

Zoro looked at Xun seriously.

"I've already chosen you as my captain. I don't care about anything else anymore."

Xun chuckled softly.

"You see, that's exactly why the world chose you to be companions of the protagonist. You're loyal and kind-hearted people who would never betray him. Each of you has a miserable past, heavy responsibilities, but also unwavering kindness.

"Well, I am a protagonist, but not your protagonist. I'm more like someone who snatched you before you could meet the original one. Think of it this way: I'm the protagonist of the universe, while the original is just the protagonist of this planet."

Zoro and Nami blinked in confusion, but Xun continued.

"The protagonist of your drama is the legendary 'Nika,' the bearer of the Will of D. He's destined to fight the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. Along his journey, he'll save you and many others, earning your gratitude and loyalty. You'll put your lives on the line for him.

"The problem is, he's brainless. He doesn't care about your lives at all. After catastrophes happen, he'll cry a little but won't learn or grow. He'll keep making the same choices over and over again because that's how the world shaped him—a perfect chess piece."

Nami and Zoro exchanged glances, relief washing over them.

Nami laughed brightly and hugged Xun more tightly, her heart full of joy.

"No wonder I met you in a storm! You were a hunter pretending to be prey—I was almost fooled!"

Zoro nodded, then asked, "So that Helmeppo guy capturing me… was that also part of the plan? How long was I supposed to wait to be saved?"

Xun shrugged with a helpless expression.

"Twenty days…"

Nami chuckled. "You'd be damn grateful!"

Zoro was speechless. "This world is really cruel. What about Nami? How did he save her?"

Xun smirked.

"Nami isn't easy to fool. She even betrayed the so-called captain and ran away with his money. Later, after some drama, Arlong—the one terrorizing her life—was defeated, and even his park was destroyed. It was quite emotional.

"Didn't you notice? I don't dare ask her about money. What if she thinks I want to take her wealth and run away? I can only pretend I don't care about money to keep her happy."

Nami's face turned red, steaming with embarrassment. Though she knew Xun was joking, his words filled her heart with sweetness.

Zoro hesitated, unsure how to phrase his next question.

Xun, still caressing Nami's head, waved a hand dismissively toward Zoro.

"You want to ask how I know all of this? Just think of it as me being so lucky that even the world doesn't dare offend me and has to compromise. If I told you more now, it'd only make you worry. Let's leave it at that for now."

Zoro nodded, feeling reassured. From the beginning, he'd known that Xun wasn't an ordinary person. Whether it was his genius comprehension, his uncanny luck, or the powerful martial arts he shared, Xun always seemed extraordinary.

The fact that Xun didn't lie and openly admitted he was hiding something only increased Zoro's respect and loyalty.

As for Nami, her thoughts had long shut down. She was content to enjoy Xun's touch, her mind filled with warmth and happiness.