One piece :I open the locks of the heart

I slowly made my way back to Luffy in my normal form, still a bit stiff from my injuries despite the healing I'd given myself. He was sitting on a rock near the coast, arms crossed behind his head, staring at the horizon with a relaxed but alert expression. When he saw me approach, he jumped down smoothly, a half-smile on his lips.

"You got wrecked, Jordan," he said, raising an eyebrow, but without mockery. "Be more careful next time."

I was about to reply when Nami, Usopp, and Koby rushed over from the Merry, which had just docked. Usopp was the first to reach me, visibly agitated. He circled around me, inspecting every visible inch of my skin, from my chest to my face, his eyes wide with concern.

"Damn, Jordan! When I saw you, bleeding in his claws, I thought you were done for!" He gave me a light pat on the shoulder. "Good thing he was easy to distract!"

I exhaled softly, accepting his words with a tired smile.

"Thanks for the rescue… I'll be fine." I put a hand to my chin. "I admit, I didn't expect to run into someone like that in East Blue. That Zachary… he wasn't simple. His aura was… monstrous."

Koby arrived next, still tense despite our victory. His expression was serious—far more mature than usual.

"We got lucky. If Usopp hadn't reacted in time with that arrow, and if Luffy hadn't stepped in…"

"I miscalculated," I admitted, looking down at my hands, which trembled slightly from lingering exhaustion. "I thought fusing with my strongest Heartless would be enough. But I underestimated his endurance… and my own lack of control."

I paused, thoughtful.

"If I had used the gorilla fusion, I could've dodged his attacks more easily. My instincts are much sharper in that form, especially when combined with my Observation Haki. I made a mistake. And I paid for it."

Nami, who had remained silent until now, gently placed her hand on the back of my neck.

"What matters is that you came back. You take risks to protect everyone… but don't forget that you matter to us too."

I slowly nodded, my gaze steady with resolve.

"I know. And I won't make that mistake again. I'm going to perfect my transformations… better evaluate my enemies… and overwhelm them with Heartless if I have to."

Luffy crossed his arms, his eternal smile returning.

"It's fine to lose a round, as long as you win the war. And next time, we all take him down together. No debate."

"Totally agreed," I said, flashing a slight grin. "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger… And maybe a bit more training wouldn't hurt."

At those words, a subtle wave of dread rippled through my companions. Usopp went pale as if he'd just swallowed a whole chili pepper. Koby gulped audibly, and even Luffy briefly lost his smile.

Only Nami kept her cool—or at least on the surface.

"Wait… wait a minute…" Usopp began in a panicked tone, hands raised as if to beg. "Are you saying we don't even get one day of rest after almost getting sunk by a psychopathic crocodile god?!"

"We can train while we walk," I replied innocently, hands behind my back. "I've got ideas for some movement sequences. Swimming drills, magical resistance, weapon practice for Koby, body reinforcement for Luffy…"

"NOOOOOO…" Usopp groaned, dropping to his knees and raising his arms to the sky like a condemned prisoner.

Koby, meanwhile, sighed softly, resigned.

"I guess it pays off… considering how far we've come. But a nap wouldn't have been stolen either."

Luffy nodded with a mock-serious expression."We've gotten stronger, that's true. But I think my arms are gonna fall off from all the back-and-forth between the ship and the sea…"

Noticing my intense stare directed at them, Nami decided to intervene. She suddenly turned toward the hill behind us and exclaimed in a cheerful tone:"Oh look over there! Three people are watching us from the ridge… Do you know them, Jordan?"

I blinked, momentarily distracted."Ah, you're right. Well then… training's off. For now."

A collective sigh rose behind me, as loud as an ocean gust.I turned on my heel and started walking toward the silhouettes standing on the hilltop. Nami followed with a tight-lipped smile—she knew her trick wouldn't last long. Behind her, Luffy, Koby, and Usopp walked reluctantly, like convicts heading to a fitness sentence.

"He's not gonna forget…" Usopp muttered, dejected."Not a chance," Koby sighed, massaging his sore shoulder."You can run, but you can't escape Jordan," Luffy added with a nervous chuckle.

I pretended not to hear their complaints, focusing all my attention on the three figures waiting for me at the top of the hill. The wind made the grass dance around the small gravestone, and though the air was still thick with emotion, something felt lighter now—like a long-held tension had finally lifted.

Koushirou was the first to bow deeply before me, arms at his sides, the dignity of a master still intact despite the emotion in his eyes. Beside him, Zoro did the same, a bit stiffer, less graceful—but sincere. As for Kuina, she gave a cheeky smile, hands clasped behind her back, her gaze sparkling with gratitude.

"Thank you for saving her," Koushirou said in a low, calm voice. "Without you… that man would have consumed my daughter's soul right in front of me."

Zoro remained silent but nodded slowly, his expression dark. Kuina, however, spoke up with unexpected energy."I was fighting with a wooden sword even after death—trust me, I would've given that croc indigestion," she said, winking at Zoro. He rolled his eyes with a sigh, clearly already used to her playful jabs.

"It's nothing. I just did what anyone should've done. I couldn't just stand there and watch him carry out his plan."

I motioned for them to rise, and they did without question. Koushirou thanked me again with a silent glance, while Zoro turned his attention to Kuina, a mix of relief and awkwardness in his eyes.

Zoro and Kuina seemed… surprisingly natural together. Both appeared to be in their mid-twenties, and despite the years of separation by death, a strange chemistry seemed to be rebuilding between them. Kuina kept shooting him sideways glances, teasing him about his two broken swords, and Zoro groaned each time, unable to keep a straight face around her.

I leaned slightly toward Luffy, who had stopped beside me, arms behind his head and a relaxed smile on his lips."Zoro would be a great addition to the crew… if he agrees," I murmured, my tone both serious and strategic.

Luffy turned his head slightly toward me, his eyes sparkling with excitement."Yeah… He's got that look. The kind you can't stop once he's on the move. I like him."

He grinned, wide and sincere, just as Kuina grabbed Zoro's arm to whisper something in his ear—causing him to blush briefly before he awkwardly pulled away.

"Zoro, would you be interested in joining the cre—"

Luffy didn't get to finish his sentence. A guttural roar split the air, immediately followed by a deafening BOOM. Everyone turned their heads at once toward the sea, where a thick column of black smoke was rising—marking the place where Zachary's former ship had just been reduced to ashes.

"WHERE ARE YOU, YOU BASTARD!!" screamed a furious voice, powerful enough to make the very air tremble.

A ship with a garish flag was rapidly approaching, its sails puffed with rage. It only took seconds to recognize the painted faces on the sails: a grotesque red nose, a maniacal grin… Buggy the Clown's ship.

I reacted immediately, taking off into the air to fly toward it, while Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and the others rushed forward on foot. Landing a few meters from the railing, I saw Buggy standing there, bloodshot eyes blazing, his red nose trembling with fury.

"What are you doing here, Buggy?!" I shouted, on guard.

He threw me a burning glare, his lips twitching with rage. But he instantly recognized Luffy and the others behind me—which only made his anger worse.

"NOT NOW, STRAW HATS!" he screamed, pointing a trembling finger at the sea. "I'm hunting the bastard who defiled the memory of my former captain! I tracked him here! So DON'T stand in my way!"

A wave of oppressive energy suddenly swept across the area. An immense pressure crashed down on our shoulders, as if a giant was staring directly into our souls. Conqueror's Haki.

Koby collapsed backward, unconscious. Nami staggered, clutching her head before fainting into Usopp's arms. Even some of Buggy's crew dropped like flies, their eyes rolled back.

I felt my knees buckle under the invisible weight, but I gritted my teeth and gently landed on the ground to avoid falling from the sky like an idiot.

"No way… Buggy has Conqueror's Haki?!" I thought, stunned. "Since when…?"

But despite everything, I stood tall and met his gaze.

"You won't find him, Buggy. Zachary is already dead. We defeated him."

The silence following my words was absolute. Buggy froze, his breath caught, fists still trembling… until suddenly, the intensity of his aura vanished.

"He's… what?" he stammered, eyes wide. "You're telling me that monster… that soul-devouring bastard… has been taken out?"

I nodded. "For good. There's nothing left of him."

A strange mix of relief, shock, and emotion crossed Buggy's face. He slowly turned toward the smoldering wreckage of the monster's ship, then slumped his shoulders, exhaling deeply.

"Tch… I came here to kill him myself. To avenge the fragments of the old Roger's soul that he defiled…" he muttered. "But you beat me to it."

He stood silent for a moment, then—against all expectations—he straightened up with a wide grin and threw his arms open, laughing.

"Well! If someone's gonna steal my revenge… we might as well celebrate! Crew! Set the table! Bring out the barrels! The Straw Hats are our guests tonight!"

"Huh?!" Usopp exclaimed, still holding the unconscious Nami. "You go from bloodthirsty pirate to party host just like that?!"

Buggy burst out laughing, stomping on the deck of his colorful ship, his red nose vibrating like a carnival horn.

"HEHEH! I might be a cutthroat pirate, but I'm not ungrateful! If you guys took that freak down before I could, the least I can do is throw you a proper feast! And you'll tell me EVERYTHING—in every juicy detail!"

Luffy immediately sprang into the air like a released spring.

"YATAAAAA! A BANQUET!! FOOD! FOOD!!!" he shouted, stars in his eyes, his tongue practically hanging out in anticipation.

I watched him with an amused smile, glad to see his cheer return after the fight. But suddenly, he stopped mid-air, frozen like he'd just remembered something very important. He slowly floated down, arms still raised, then turned to Buggy with curiosity.

"Say… your old captain was Gold Roger, right? The Pirate King?"

Buggy blinked, a little surprised.

"Yeah… and so what?" he replied, a bit wary—only to realize what he'd just admitted aloud.

Luffy, acting as casually as ever, went on:

"Well then… you must know Ace's dad pretty well!"

The sentence hit like a bomb. I froze instantly, feeling the air grow tense. My eyes darted from Luffy to Buggy, then to Usopp, whose jaw had dropped. Koby, still recovering, slowly looked up, mouth wide open. Even one of Buggy's crewmates—half-unconscious on a barrel—snapped upright like someone had dumped ice water on him.

Buggy slowly turned to Luffy, one eye gleaming with curiosity.

"Who is… Ace?" he asked, his voice almost gentle. Too gentle. Dangerously gentle.

Luffy shrugged, all cheerful, ready to share a fun anecdote before I could stop him.

"Well, Ace is Gold Roger's son, of course! You don't know him?"

Silence.

Then Luffy blinked… and realized with a freezing shiver what he'd just said.

He stood a bit straighter, pupils dilating as if a brain had finally clicked into place, registering his words.

"Uh… wait. Wait… waaaaaait. Uhhhh…"

He raised his hands, an awkward smile stretching across his face.

"Could you all… forget what I just said? Like… completely. That was supposed to be a secret. A reaaaaaally big secret. I think. Maybe. Let's just pretend none of that happened."

Buggy opened his mouth, his expression shifting from surprise… to outrage… then confusion… and finally despair. He pointed a trembling finger at Luffy like he'd just seen a ghost.

"Hold on a second… You just told me the Pirate King had a SON?! Named ACE?! And you dropped that like you were talking about the weather?!"

He turned to his crew, utterly shocked none of them had dropped dead from a collective stroke.

Luffy let out a laugh as nervous as a wet cat on a hot roof.

"Hehe… sorryyyyyy…" He glanced around, then raised a finger like he had a brilliant idea."How about that banquet? We can still do the banquet, right? No?" he added, trying to whistle nonchalantly. Unfortunately, it sounded more like a balloon deflating in panic—only making things worse.

Buggy slowly covered his face with a gloved hand, shaking his head from side to side with theatrical despair.

"I need a drink… Immediately. Maybe two. Or three. Or a whole barrel."

He staggered back toward his ship, as if the revelation had just cost him five IQ points.

I let out a long sigh and threw an arm around Luffy's neck in a friendly—but very threatening—hug.

"I think you and I need to have a little chat. A very serious talk about secrets. And about the timing of dropping top-tier confidential information like you're at a bar chatting with a drunk transponder snail."

I smiled at him—a predatory grin that made him turn his head away and whistle again… louder, higher-pitched, and more suspicious than ever. He sounded like a kettle about to explode.

Straightening up, I looked over Buggy's crew, my crew, and everyone else nearby.

"Alright. Buggy, I say let's get that banquet started. But afterward, I'd like to speak privately with you, Luffy, and your first mate. Just to make sure no more… sensitive information slips out."

I put heavy emphasis on the word sensitive, and as if on cue, Luffy let out one last sharp whistle—this time sounding like a burning teapot's desperate death cry. Usopp shot him a desperate look.

"Seriously, Luffy… I should maybe sew your lips shut," I teased.

"Hehehe… It's not my fault! He looked like someone who already knew!" he replied, scratching the back of his head in a panic.

"He knew NOTHING at all!" Koby, Nami, and I shouted in unison—then all burst into laughter as we headed toward Buggy's ship to share a well-earned, chaotic pirate banquet.

Koushirou, Kuina, and Zoro eventually came aboard as well, and soon enough, the celebration began. And at last, I got to experience the true joy of a pirate feast.

(Author's note: And that's it for now! Given Buggy's evolution in canon, I figured I could give him a few advantages here. I also wanted to try writing a scene in the comedic style that Oda-sensei uses in the manga. I'll try not to make it a running gag though!)