Buggy D Clown

King Neptune and the three princes, Fukaboshi, Manboshi, and Ryuboshi, stood in awe before the magnificent Yarukiman Mangrove.

"Oh my god! It's really the Yarukiman Mangrove. They are back!!!" Minister Jinja shouted in disbelief.

The princes exchanged amazed glances.

"Buggy actually created an entire mangrove forest in such a short time?!" Minister Tansu echoed, his tone brimming with wonder.

King Neptune's deep voice resonated with pride. "I knew he had Mori Mori no mi. Does this mean he has an unlimited supply of wood in the world of oceans…"

"Ahhh, Buggy thought of everything—he's even considerate of living factors and sunlight!" Prince Fukaboshi added, his voice trembling with excitement.

"King Neptune just said this is Buggy's housewarming gift to Fish-Man Island!" Prince Manboshi said, still in shock.

The people of Fish-Man Island went absolutely wild upon seeing the towering Yarukiman Mangrove forest not far away. Every one of the five million Fishmen on the island was swept up in excitement, all because of this man.

However, at that moment, Buggy was outside the bubble membrane, submerged in the sea, so he couldn't hear the thunderous cheers echoing from the island, like a tsunami of excitement.

He was still pouring every ounce of his strength into making the mangrove forest larger and taller.

Despite his repeated efforts, the highest the forest could grow was about 1,800 meters, with an area spanning roughly five kilometers. This was because his Devil Fruit ability had not yet fully awakened.

The strain of this task had drained more than half of Buggy's stamina, and a cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.

For now, this was the limit of what he could do. The Yarukiman Mangrove was a remarkable plant, capable of growing in seawater, so there was no concern about it being drowned.

"Birth of Tree World!" Buggy exhaled, casting another [Birth of the Tree] twice more. However, the latter two attempts didn't stretch the mangrove to the same size as the first. Instead, each new forest grew to a height of hundreds of meters and spanned two to three kilometers in length.

Now, three forests surround Fish-Man Island. These underwater forests were living, breathing entities, set to grow steadily over time.

The first forest, which absorbed sunlight from above, didn't face any issues with the underwater mask problem. The other two forests, though submerged, were also primed to grow rapidly.

It was shaping up to be a massive underwater landscape, and it wouldn't be long before this place became a bustling hub of activity.

After receiving the "vitality" of the Yarukiman Mangrove from Fish-Man Island, Buggy had a strong sense that he could cultivate them. And it seemed he was right.

As long as he absorbed the vitality from similar plants, he could use his Power of Mori Mori no mi to plant and nurture them.

Of course, this "housewarming gift" Buggy gave to Fishman Island wasn't entirely free.

There is an ancient battleship, Pluton, hidden somewhere beneath the waters. The mangrove forest was planted here to protect Pluton and, just as importantly, to allow Buggy to constantly sense the underwater situation and movement.

Now that he has the Mori Mori no mi, every part of the forest he's planted within dozens of kilometers can serve as his eyes. Whether it's the Crimson Empire or the depths of the ocean, the entire area is now filled with Buggy's "eyes."

With a mere thought, he can observe the surroundings of any forest at will. Keep in mind, though, that Buggy is still working with an unawakened Devil Fruit. Even he can hardly imagine the true extent of his power once the fruit fully awakens. Could it be time to build an [Empire on Trees]?

Using the forest to connect his entire empire, with the trunk of the Adam Tree reaching up into the sky… It was a fleeting thought in Buggy's mind. After all, as far he knew the Adam tree was in Elbaf the island of Giants and the Eva tree was on Fishmen Island underwater.

With a satisfied smile, Buggy looked at the mangrove forest in the distance. Just as he returned to the bubble membrane of Fish-Man Island, he was greeted by the ear-splitting sound of a cheering crowd, like a mountain crashing into the sea.

At that moment, everyone on Fish-Man Island was shouting excitedly, "Thank you, Buggy!!!"

After a brief pause, Buggy smiled and waved back at the Fishmen and mermaids below. He then boarded the eel car, bid farewell to Neptune and the others, and traveled back to Ghost Island through the space gate.

On Fish-Man Island, a group of Fishmen couldn't contain their excitement any longer. They rushed out of the bubble and swam toward the mangrove forest in the distance.

Undoubtedly, this was the happiest day Fish-Man Island had ever experienced.

It was too late to return to Ghost Island now, so Buggy decided to have an in-depth conversation with Violet and Rebecca, catching up on everything that had happened in the month they had been apart. Robin and the others didn't intrude on their conversation. The chat lasted all night.

The next day, around noon, after Buggy and his group finished lunch, they were ready to head to Egghead Island, where Vegapunk was located.

Before leaving, Buggy asked Blueno to grab a bag of soil and a bag of rice ears. Then, except for the housekeeper, a group of more than a dozen people entered the space gate and made their way directly to Egghead Island.

Upon their arrival, Buggy and his group caused an immediate sensation on Egghead Island.

This wasn't just a reaction from those on Egghead Island; even Buggy's crew was stunned! The technological advancements on Egghead Island were so far beyond what they were used to that everyone felt like country bumpkins. It was like someone from the 18th century suddenly stepping into a first-tier city in the 21st century!

The sight of future technology was overwhelming. However, the Buggy Pirates weren't ordinary people, nor were they wild like Luffy. After the initial shock wore off, they regained their composure.

Crocodile, frowning, spoke up, "Captain Buggy, what do we do now? No one seems to be paying attention to us."

Buggy casually shoved his hands in his pockets and replied, unfazed, "Don't worry, let's take a look around first, but don't go causing any trouble. Since Vegapunk is here, there must be surveillance. If a group of uninvited guests like us goes unnoticed, he really won't be the number one scientist in the world. Let's keep it simple and act like we're just sightseeing."

With that, Buggy began to stroll around, taking in the sights.

Everyone nodded in agreement. As expected, a small, more-than-three-meter-tall loli with a distinctive black-and-white two-petal hairstyle appeared in front of them. She flew up to Buggy's side and smiled.

"Hello, my name is Atlas. The main body asked me to pick you up. Please, follow me."

Without hesitation, Buggy nodded and took the lead, saying, "Have your main body call all its other clones to the meeting place. We're on a tight schedule."

Atlas, glancing at Buggy in surprise, nodded and replied, "I'll contact the main body right away."

Although the high-tech wonders of Egghead Island captured everyone's attention, the Buggy Pirates remained focused on their mission. No one made any unnecessary moves.

Now was not the time for recklessness.

Soon, they arrived at a massive research facility, and there, standing before them, was Vegapunk, just as they had seen in the video.

Upon seeing Buggy and the others, Vegapunk flashed his signature sly smile, flicked his long tongue, and said, "I didn't expect you to arrive so soon. Seems like you're eager to discuss your last condition."

Buggy didn't waste much time with words. He placed the two bags in his hands on the table and said, "One contains soil from the Crimson Empire, and the other has rice samples. If needed, I can help you ripen them."

"Heh, no need for that," Vegapunk replied with a smile, then leaned in closer to Buggy and whispered, "So, how are you planning to identify the mole? From what Atlas told me, you seem to think one of my clones is the traitor. Are you certain?"

"Of course not," Buggy shrugged nonchalantly. "But I have my ways. The simplest method is to start with your clones. If none of them are traitors, we can call in other marines and residents to link things together. It won't take long, don't worry."

"I see," Vegapunk nodded thoughtfully, a realization dawning. "It must be the power of your Devil Fruit."

Buggy grinned. "Devil Fruits are truly incredible."

Before long, the other five Vegapunk clones arrived, each of them eyeing Buggy and his crew with curiosity. These clones shared a brain with the main body, so they immediately recognized Buggy and his group.

As they stared at the pirates, they muttered in surprise.

The six clones of Vegapunk, excluding Atlas, exchanged uneasy looks, their worry mounting with every passing second.

Sakyamuni, the calmest of them, was the first to speak, his voice laced with disbelief. "God Slayer Pirates!? What are they doing here?!"

Lilith, always more analytical, frowned, her mind racing to process the situation. "They're not the kind of crew to just pop in uninvited. What's their goal here? Are they here to kidnap you?"

Edison, ever the problem-solver, quickly began to pace, his fingers twitching with the need to take action. "No, we need to call the Seraphim. If they're here to cause trouble, we need to be prepared to deal with them!"

Pythagoras, who had a more direct approach, was already reaching for his communication device, his voice sharp and urgent. "Let's notify the World Government immediately. We can't take any chances with them here."

York, usually the more passive one, looked around at the others, clearly nervous. She shifted uncomfortably and added, "The God Slayer Pirates… They've caused trouble before. We need to be cautious. I don't like the look of this."

A few of the clones appeared visibly nervous.

Vegapunk chuckled and reassured them, "Don't worry, they're my friends, and they're here to help."

After a brief pause, Vegapunk gestured to the five individuals and continued, "Let me introduce them. These are also my clones. You've already met Atlas. This is Sakyamuni, Lilith, Edison, Pythagoras, and York."

Buggy didn't respond right away. Instead, he turned toward Violet. As soon as the clones entered, Violet had already activated her Giro Giro no mi ability. So, when Buggy looked her way, she pointed at York and spoke coldly, "The traitor is her. York."

What?! Everyone was stunned that Violet had identified the mole so quickly, including Vegapunk, who stood motionless.

But it was what Violet said next that truly shocked everyone. A sneer curled on Violet's lips as she spoke with disdain, "Your clone has big ambitions. She wants to kill the other five of you, leaving only one Vegapunk. Then, she plans to become a Celestial Dragon!"

The shock was palpable. Even other Vegapunks were shocked. What a grand dream to become a celestial dragon!

---

Enjoyed the chapter?

You can read 40 chapters ahead and get exclusive access to more content on P*treon.c*m/Marioni