One Piece: Buggy the Great King of the Sea

Another day passed. The next morning, Buggy woke up to Shanks calling out in a rush, his voice loud and urgent.

Buggy quickly got out of bed and walked toward the door. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Shanks sprinting toward him, shouting excitedly.

When Shanks got close enough, Buggy could finally make out what he was saying—and couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement himself.

"Buggy! Buggy! The captain's back! They're almost at shore—we've gotta go meet them!"

Shanks, beaming with joy, grabbed Buggy by the arm and dragged him toward the coast.

They arrived at the shore within moments, just in time to see the Oro Jackson, the legendary ship, slowly approaching. Dozens of figures stood at the bow—some of them waving excitedly. And among them, Buggy saw him: the legendary Pirate King—Gol D. Roger.

"Shanks! Buggy!" Roger waved enthusiastically from afar, his voice booming with joy. His smile was so wide and genuine that even from a distance, Buggy could see it.

"Captain! We're here!" Shanks shouted back excitedly, waving both arms.

Seeing Shanks' reaction, Buggy had no choice but to play along—only he made his display even more dramatic. He had to. The real Buggy would've acted this way, and he couldn't risk raising suspicions. Thankfully, his excitement wasn't entirely an act—he was genuinely thrilled to see Gol D. Roger in the flesh.

Before long, the Oro Jackson docked at the port. One by one, the crew disembarked—each one radiating the presence of seasoned warriors.

Buggy's eyes locked onto Gol D. Roger. He looked just like Ace—black mustache, noble-style coat, tall and imposing, yet not intimidating. Despite his legendary status, Roger's presence was warm and approachable, his face wearing a gentle smile. Something about him made Buggy instinctively feel at ease.

But then it hit him—a serious problem.

Roger's Observation Haki was said to be at its peak. He could even hear the voices of all things. What if he noticed something strange about Buggy? What if he sensed that something was… off?

That thought sent a chill down Buggy's spine. He froze, unsure of what to do.

"Buggy, what's with you? Why are you zoning out?" Shanks noticed Buggy's sudden stiffness and asked with concern.

Snapped out of his thoughts, Buggy quickly composed himself. He realized his reaction had already started to seem suspicious.

Trying to steady his nerves, Buggy said, "Ah—nothing. I was just thinking about how the captain's the Pirate King now… I was wondering what our lives are going to look like from here on out."

"Haha! What's the point in worrying about that? The captain will figure everything out!"

With that, Shanks sprinted toward Roger. Buggy followed—there was no point overthinking it. The future wasn't something he could control anyway.

"You two brats! How have you gotten taller in just a few days?" Roger said with a laugh as he ruffled both their heads affectionately.

"Captain! You're finally back! We've been waiting for you every single day!"

"Yeah, Captain! It's so good to see you again!"

Buggy echoed Shanks, keeping up appearances—it was just part of the daily routine.

"Captain, what was Laugh Tale like? Were there huge piles of treasure?"

That was a question the old Buggy would've asked—and honestly, Buggy was genuinely curious too.

"Hahahaha! Laugh Tale, huh? You'll have to see it for yourselves one day. And yes—there's treasure. Tons of it. All are still sitting there. I didn't take a single piece."

"Why not?!" Buggy asked, playing along. "Why'd you leave all that treasure behind?"

"I've got no use for that stuff. It's all still there. If you've got the guts, you can go get it yourselves someday."

"But Captain, now that you're the Pirate King and you know what's on Laugh Tale, aren't we gonna rule the New World? Do we even need to go back?"

Roger's expression suddenly turned serious.

"Little Buggy," he said in a solemn tone, "there's something I need to tell you all."

Hearing that tone, Buggy immediately knew what was coming. He hadn't expected his casual question to bring about this moment so soon, but here it was.

Roger looked out over his crew, his eyes calm and grateful.

"When I think back on everything, it all feels like a miracle. A man whose days are numbered like me... still managed to make it this far. I couldn't have done it without all of you. I'm truly thankful."

Everyone turned to Roger, stunned by his sudden gravity.

Jabba, standing nearby, immediately barked out, "What are you talking about, Captain? Why so serious, you bastard?" His voice was loud, but his face was awkward and unsure—this usually fearless giant of a man suddenly looked flustered.

"This is too embarrassing, you idiot," grumbled one of the fish-man crew members.

"Idiot!"

"Idiot!"

"Idiot!"

The whole crew joined in the heckling, laughing, and shouting to lighten the mood.

But Roger didn't join in. His face only grew more solemn. After a long pause, he finally said:

"All right. I'm going to say it now."

Jabba straightened up. "Bring it on. I'm ready."

Everyone else stood tall, facing their captain.

Roger looked at them all, then smiled.

"The Roger Pirates... are disbanded."

The crew froze in stunned silence.

Then came the sadness.

Roger stood quietly, still smiling as he looked out at his beloved crew.

Buggy's heart sank. The sorrow on his face wasn't faked—it rose from deep inside. He'd known this moment was coming, had even prepared himself mentally. But hearing it aloud still hit like a punch to the chest. His eyes welled up uncontrollably.

Beside him, Shanks was also crying, tears streaming silently down his face as he looked at Roger, as if there was so much he wanted to say but couldn't.

Roger stepped forward again and placed a hand on each of their heads, just like before.

Silence lingered over the harbor.

After a long while, Roger finally spoke again.

"Everyone, back on the ship. It's time to set sail. I'll accompany you all for the final voyage."

Nobody resisted. With heavy hearts, the crew filed back onto the Oro Jackson. The ship lifted anchor once again, leaving port amidst the overwhelming emotion of its crew.

Elsewhere, the sea had begun to stir.

Pirates all across the ocean raised their blades, shouting for Roger's head, dreaming of stealing his treasure and claiming the Pirate King's throne for themselves. Countless ships surged into open water, chasing the legend.

At the same time, the Marines deployed massive forces to track Roger down, hoping to eliminate him before he became even more dangerous.

Aboard the Oro Jackson…

"Buggy," Shanks said, his voice filled with grief, "why would the captain disband the crew? Are we parting ways?"

"How would I know? If you want answers, ask the captain yourself," Buggy replied. He couldn't tell Shanks what was going to happen—there was no way to explain it without exposing everything.

Hearing that, Shanks seemed to make up his mind. Without another word, he turned and headed toward Roger.

As Buggy watched him go, his heart was heavy, but also slightly relieved. Roger hadn't noticed anything strange about him. He hadn't seen through the facade.

Thinking it through, Buggy relaxed. His behavior had been normal, and even the emotions he showed were real. Roger wouldn't just randomly use his powers on his crewmates without reason.

Buggy stood there, eyes following Shanks as he approached Roger.

He could see them speaking quietly. Then, after a moment, Shanks froze. His eyes welled up again. He clutched Roger's coat tightly, burying his head against the Pirate King's chest and sobbing.