The old man standing before them was Mayor Boodle of Orange Town.

After the Buggy Pirates forcibly took over the town, he had no choice but to lead the townspeople into the outskirts, where they set up a temporary settlement.

Still, there were a few "residents" who refused to leave.

One such figure was a dog — ChouChou — who faithfully guarded a small shop.

Mayor Boodle remembered it well. The shop had once belonged to ChouChou's late owner, who had passed away from illness in a distant land. Since then, Chouchou had become the store's loyal guardian — until the Buggy Pirates arrived.

Boodle had assumed the pirates wouldn't bother with the humble shop, and that the dog would be safe.

But earlier today, he had seen smoke rising from Orange Town — a fire. He rushed back, only to find Chouchou bruised and battered, lying in the street, eyes filled with sorrow as it watched the building burn to ash.

The sight ignited an uncontrollable rage in the mayor.

Past grievances and fresh fury combined. Spear in hand, he came to settle the score — and that's when he encountered Mohji, Cabaji, and the lion Richie.

When Mohji learned why the mayor had come, he blinked, then burst out laughing.

"You're picking a fight with us over a dog? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard! Hahahaha!"

Cabaji sneered as well.

"You want to challenge us? Do you even have the strength? You should go find that bounty hunter Zoro everyone's talking about. He might actually be a threat."

Boodle's expression darkened.

He'd considered asking others for help before, but even the nearby Marine branches — led by Captain Morgan or Captain Nezumi — wouldn't lift a finger without being bribed.

As for that elusive swordsman, Zoro… the mayor had no idea how to even contact him.

He had tried patience. Tried waiting for an opportunity. But all the rage he'd been holding in — from the day Orange Town fell — had been unleashed by the sight of that burning store.

"Bastards! I won't forgive any of you scum!"

Boodle roared, charging forward with his spear aimed at Cabaji on his unicycle.

Cabaji gave him a condescending glance, fingers already brushing the hilt of his sword.

Just half a meter closer... and I'll take your head clean off.

BOOM—

A distant rumble of thunder cut through the standoff.

They all looked up, startled.

From beyond the horizon, ominous storm clouds rolled in. And cutting across the waves like a black arrow… came a colossal black ship, heading straight toward Orange Town.

With its arrival, a torrential downpour swept over the cobblestone streets, rain slapping hard against the ground.

"What the hell kind of ship is that?" Mohji shielded his eyes with his hand, squinting through the rain. "Doesn't look like a Marine vessel…"

Cabaji unsheathed his sword and pointed it toward the mayor.

"Is this your reinforcements?"

But Boodle was just as confused.

He'd sent pleas for help, yes — but nobody had dared come. The Buggy Pirates had a terrifying reputation. They were one of the few major crews in the East Blue.

Why would anyone come now?

Could it be a coincidence? Just a merchant vessel or passenger ship caught in the storm?

Boodle grew anxious. If this black ship docked without knowing the danger, the pirates would strip it bare — maybe even kill the crew.

"Hey!" Mohji shouted suddenly, eyes narrowing. "Cabaji! That ship… is heading straight for ours!"

Cabaji turned and saw it too — the black ship was cutting through the storm like a spear, barreling toward the Buggy Pirates' ship, not slowing or veering off course.

"Damn it!" Mohji yanked at Richie's mane, urging the lion to charge forward. "That's a pirate ship! They're aiming for our ship! We haven't even robbed them yet and they're making the first move!"

Cabaji's face turned grim. He kicked hard against the pedals of his unicycle and followed.

Boodle remained behind, stunned.

What… What is that thing?

He hesitated, then decided to follow.

If this was just a battle between pirates, he would stay out of it — and secretly root for whoever took Buggy's crew down.

But if this ship was innocent, he had a duty as mayor to warn them.

---

Meanwhile, Mohji and Cabaji had already reached the docks.

They could now clearly see their pirate ship — their crew lined up at the rails, staring toward the oncoming vessel.

"Idiots!" Mohji roared. "Get ready for battle!"

But before his voice could cut through the rain, a much louder sound drowned him out — a deafening, unnatural groan that seemed to come from the depths.

Though they had rushed as fast as they could, the black ship had moved even faster — and in the blink of an eye, it was already upon them.

Normally, ships would slow down before docking or ramming. But this one — like a wild boar — crashed headlong into the side of the Buggy Pirates' ship!

Too late, the pirates onboard realized the danger. One by one, they dove overboard in panic.

Mohji and Cabaji could only stare in horror as the black ship slammed into theirs…

And then — the impossible happened.

There was no great crash. No splintering wood from a double collision.

Instead, their ship began to break apart on its own — planks, masts, flags — all dissolving into fragments and being sucked into a whirlpool beneath the black ship.

In seconds, the Buggy Pirates' ship was gone, reduced to drifting debris.

The black ship loomed at the docks — silent, monstrous, and unscathed.

At its prow stood a strange figure wearing a tri-cornered hat.

His left hand was a massive crab claw, his right hand coiled with living tentacles, and his head… was that of a squid, grotesque and menacing.

Mohji, Cabaji, and even Richie the lion stared, frozen with fear.

They barely had time to process what had happened before the figure — who had just been at the prow — appeared directly in front of them without a sound.

What…?

How had he crossed that distance in an instant?

All three jumped back in shock, their faces pale.

The figure, of course, was Davy Jones.

He narrowed his pale gray-blue eyes, inspecting the trio before him with clear disdain. His octopus-like tendrils writhed in irritation beneath his hat.

Without a word, he turned away and began walking inland, wet boots slapping the stone street.

What the hell?

He's ignoring us?

Mohji and Cabaji exchanged glances — their fear momentarily replaced by fury. Being brushed aside like that was unbearable.

They both made the same decision: attack.

Mohji urged Richie to charge — to tear the freak's head off.

But Richie, governed by pure animal instinct, collapsed to the ground in fear, trembling violently.

"Richie? Richie!" Mohji barked several times, but the lion didn't move. It looked like it wanted to bury its head in the ground.

Enraged, Mohji spat and leapt off the lion's back.

"Useless mutt. After all the years I fed you!"

Leaving Richie behind, Mohji and Cabaji rushed after Davy Jones.

Cabaji sped forward on his unicycle, blade raised, aiming to strike the stranger from behind.

But before he could land the blow, Davy Jones whirled around — as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

From beneath his hat, his tentacles twitched.

SNAP!

His crab claw lashed out, seizing Cabaji's blade — and in one powerful motion, snapped it in two.

Stunned, Cabaji stared at the broken hilt in his hand. Realizing he was now within arm's reach of the creature, he reacted instinctively — pulling off his checkered scarf and spitting out a fireball toward Davy Jones's face.

FWOOOSH!

This was one of his signature techniques: Acrobatics – Fire Spit !

PS: Access advance chapters at

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