One Piece: Trainer of Kings

Two distinct races of pirates sail the world's oceans, as different as heroes and villains.

The first type pursues dreams and adventure, driven by noble goals that pull them toward the horizon. They embrace the spirit of freedom, singing songs of discovery as their ships cut through endless waves. These adventurers often intervene when they witness injustice, standing up for the innocent without hesitation. To call them pirates is almost an insult; they are warriors of freedom, bound by no law but their own moral compass.

Their free-spirited nature sometimes leads to unintended consequences, but their hearts remain pure. They act on their conscience, never bowing to authority that contradicts their principles.

The Straw Hat Pirates are the perfect embodiment of this noble breed. They prevented civil war in Alabasta, saving countless innocent lives, but they also freed dangerous criminals from Impel Down to save a single Nakama. Good and evil matter less to them than following their convictions, true freedom in its purest form.

The second type of pirate represents everything that is wrong with the age of piracy. These scoundrels seek only wealth and power, reveling in their ability to crush the weak under iron boots. They spread terror wherever they sail, leaving destruction and despair in their wake like a plague on the seas.

The Buggy Pirates clearly belonged to this second category, at least until today.

They had conquered Orange Town by force, driving out innocent civilians in order to conduct their twisted experiments on the abandoned settlement. Their actions reminded Akira of the historical atrocities of his former world, colonizers who saw indigenous people as obstacles to be removed rather than as people deserving of respect.

Under normal circumstances, such criminals would never share a table with the Straw Hat Pirates, let alone discuss mutual cooperation. The philosophical gulf between them should have been insurmountable.

But today, thanks to Akira's masterful manipulation of psychology and circumstance, these two opposing forces sat together as unlikely allies.

The meeting took place in Buggy's personal quarters, a surprisingly spacious room decorated with the gaudy opulence that characterized the clown captain's aesthetic tastes. Seven people sat around an ornate round table, gleaming with polished brass fittings and intricate engravings.

Luffy occupied one of the two places of honor, though his attention was fully focused on the feast before him. His rubber jaw methodically worked its way through what appeared to be an entire roasted chicken, while his dark eyes sparkled with simple contentment. For him, this formal alliance meeting was just another excuse for a good meal.

Akira sat in the opposite seat of honor, his posture erect and alert, as befitted someone who was orchestrating the entire event. A slight smile played at the corners of his mouth, indicating that he was quite pleased with the way things had gone so far.

Zoro and Nami flanked their respective crewmates, their expressions carefully neutral despite their obvious confusion over the latest developments. While neither fully understood the political maneuvering that had led to this moment, both trusted Akira's judgment enough to follow his lead without question.

Across from them sat Buggy the Clown himself, accompanied by his two most trusted lieutenants: Mohji the Beast Tamer and Cabaji the Acrobat. The trio represented the command structure of a crew that had terrorized merchant ships throughout the East Blue for years.

The change in Buggy's demeanor was remarkable to witness. Gone was the theatrical arrogance that usually characterized his interactions with other pirates. In its place sat a man who seemed genuinely humbled by the magnitude of what he had agreed to undertake.

"Now that we have shared the ceremonial sake," Akira began, his voice carrying the authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed, "we are truly family from this moment on."

His gaze swept over the assembled group before settling on Buggy with laser-like intensity.

"First and foremost, I want to establish something beyond any doubt. Since our ultimate goal is a behemoth like world government, we can no longer consider ourselves mere pirates."

The weight of his words seemed to fill the room like a physical presence, pressing down on everyone present as they contemplated the sheer audacity of what was being proposed.

"Whatever happened in the past is over," Akira continued with unwavering conviction. "But from this day forward, I will not tolerate any reports of Buggy's crew oppressing innocent civilians."

His voice hardened like tempered steel as he drove home his central point: "Remember, anyone in this world can become our friend, but anyone can also become our enemy. What we desperately need are more allies, not more enemies who may unite against us when we can least afford it."

He leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes boring into Buggy's painted features with uncomfortable intensity.

"Do you understand what I'm saying, Captain Buggy?"

The question carried weight beyond its simple words. It wasn't just about tactical considerations, it was about the very nature of their alliance and whether Buggy had the moral flexibility to adapt to new circumstances.

"Understood! Completely understood!" Buggy nodded enthusiastically, his response immediate and sincere.

He was no fool, despite his sometimes buffoonish behavior. The implications of Akira's demands were crystal clear, and when weighed against the grand goal of overthrowing the world government itself, changing his crew's methods of operation seemed like a small sacrifice.

Compared to pursuing grandiose dreams that could reshape the entire world, abandoning the petty cruelties that had defined his previous piracy felt almost liberating. It was far easier to pretend to be a good person than to actually become one, but even that pretense would be worthwhile if it led to ultimate victory.

His complete acceptance, however, was based on more than just logical calculation. The magical experience he'd had after drinking the Alliance sake had removed any remaining doubts about Akira's extraordinary abilities.

The two mysterious techniques that had appeared in his mind, Headbutt and Pay Day, were undeniable proof that his new vice captain possessed powers beyond conventional understanding. No amount of skepticism could argue with such tangible evidence.

The whole revelation had begun more than ten minutes earlier, right after the sake ceremony...

Akira had requested a private conversation with Buggy and Mohji, ostensibly to discuss tactical arrangements, but actually to test his theories about the game system's expansion capabilities. In the privacy of Buggy's personal quarters, he'd carefully explained his identity as a trainer until both pirates had accepted the truth of his claims.

Then came the moment of magic.

Accessing his internal console, Akira had discovered two additional options in his Pokémon selection interface, additions that filled him with equal parts excitement and scientific curiosity.

Nami's addition wasn't entirely surprising. After her emotional confession that morning and her official acceptance into the crew, she had clearly met whatever criteria the system used to determine eligibility. Her trust in the Straw Hat Pirates had finally overcome her fears, creating the bond necessary for acceptance.

Mohji's absence from the list served as a useful control group. Though he'd overheard the same conversation about Roger and Shanks, the beastmaster hadn't developed the deeper connection needed to access the system. His loyalty remained limited to his original captain and did not extend to their new allies.

Buggy's appearance, however, represented something intriguing and unprecedented. Here was someone who had joined their cause for calculated reasons rather than emotional ties, and yet the system had recognized him as eligible for training.

"It seems the criteria are more flexible than I first believed," Akira mused to himself. "Even without a deep friendship, enough trust and shared purpose can create the necessary connection."

"This opens up tremendous possibilities for expanding our abilities."

Of course, despite Buggy's newfound abilities, Akira had no intention of wasting precious game time on extended training sessions. A quick analysis of the clown's statistics had revealed that his Normal/Fairy typing was identical to Luffy's - useful information, but not immediately relevant to their current needs.

Instead, he'd taken Buggy into the virtual realm just long enough to teach him two basic Normal-type moves: Headbutt and Pay Day. The entire process had taken less than a minute of real time, but its psychological impact on the recipient had been profound and lasting.

Watching Buggy's astonished reaction to his newfound abilities had confirmed Akira's growing understanding of human psychology. Sometimes, the most powerful persuasion came not from words or threats, but from the undeniable demonstration of supernatural abilities.

Satisfied with Buggy's attitude and commitment, Akira allowed his expression to soften slightly as he moved on to more practical matters.

"Tonight, we will leave Orange Town and continue our journey," he announced, his tone changing to that of a commanding officer giving orders to subordinates.

"Before we leave, I have several specific tasks that will require your attention and expertise."

"Just tell me what you need, Master Akira!" Buggy replied with obvious eagerness, his posture straightening as he prepared to receive instructions.

The dramatic change in his demeanor, from theatrical pirate captain to attentive student, would have been comical under other circumstances. Now it simply demonstrated the effectiveness of Akira's recruitment strategy.

"The first matter concerns your Buggy Bombs," Akira said, his eyes gleaming with strategic interest.

"I need you to provide me with the complete manufacturing formula, along with any technical documentation you may have regarding their production process."

"Absolutely no problem!" Buggy's agreement came without the slightest hesitation, accompanied by an enthusiastic smile that showed he was genuinely excited to contribute.

"I developed the Buggy Bomb formula myself, every calculation and chemical ratio is perfectly memorized. I can write down the complete specifications right now if you want!"

He started to reach for paper and pencil, but Akira raised a restraining hand.

"No rush," he said with apparent casualness, though his mind was already racing with the implications of having access to such destructive technology.

"Just get the written formula ready before we leave. More importantly, I assume you have a supply of finished Buggy Bombs here in Orange Town?"

"Of course I do! I always keep a substantial arsenal on hand for emergencies," Buggy confirmed proudly.

"Excellent. I need you to transfer all remaining bombs to our ship before we leave."

The clown captain nodded eagerly, clearly pleased to demonstrate his value to the Alliance. From his point of view, sharing a few explosives was a small price to pay for inclusion in such a momentous undertaking.

Akira's satisfaction with Buggy's cooperation was evident in his relaxed demeanor and genuine smile. The decision to teach the Clown Captain two Pokémon moves had been a calculated investment, and it was already paying off in loyalty and enthusiasm.

This level of immediate trust represented better treatment than either Zoro or Luffy had received, though that was mainly because neither of them required such obvious demonstrations of supernatural ability to maintain their faith in their abilities.

In all of East Blue, very few resources had captured Akira's attention with the intensity he now focused on Buggy's explosive innovations. The Buggy Bomb was exactly the kind of technological advantage that could tip the balance in their favor when they finally faced overwhelming odds.

Most people who encountered the Buggy Pirates were so distracted by their comical appearance and theatrical behavior that they completely overlooked the crew's real combat skills. Buggy himself might look like a circus performer, but his destructive innovations were deadly in practice.

During the events at Impel Down, a single miniaturized Buggy Bomb had effortlessly eliminated an entire squad of prison guards, each of whom possessed the combat skills of a naval officer. The devastating power displayed during this incident proved that Buggy's seemingly ridiculous weapons were anything but harmless.

Even in their current, unmodified form, Buggy's bombs had a destructive power comparable to Luffy's Gear Third attacks at full power. They far exceeded the explosive yield of standard naval artillery, representing a significant technological advancement over conventional weapons.

Such an innovation would be considered remarkable even by the standards of the Grand Line, where the average level of both individual strength and technological sophistication far exceeded anything found in the East Blue.

With proper development and mass production capabilities, Akira envisioned the establishment of a weapons manufacturing facility somewhere in the Grand Line. An arsenal of improved buggy bombs could provide the Straw Hat Fleet with overwhelming firepower when faced with superior numbers.

The day might come when, instead of fleeing the World Government's Buster Call, they would launch their own devastating assault against the Celestial Dragons themselves, a "God-Slaying Order" that would shake the very foundations of the corrupt world order.

"God-Slaying Order," Akira repeated silently, savoring the dramatic implications of such a possibility. "That has a nice ring to it."

Of course, such grandiose plans remained distant fantasies for the time being. But with access to Buggy's technological expertise, they were one step closer to making those dreams a reality.

Focusing on more immediate concerns, Akira continued with his list of tasks.

"The second task I have for you," he said, his tone growing more serious, "involves strategic positioning near Loguetown."

"I need your crew to remain hidden in the waters around that area, keeping a low profile while gathering intelligence on naval activities."

His gaze hardened as he gave the crucial order: "As soon as you receive word that the Straw Hat Pirates are approaching the Grand Line, I want you to help me locate a certain individual within Loguetown itself."

The implications of this request hung heavily in the air. Loguetown was infamous as the place where pirate king Gol D. Roger had been born and executed, a place of tremendous symbolic importance that attracted pilgrims and predators alike.

More practically, it served as the last checkpoint before pirates entered the Grand Line. The World Government maintained a significant naval presence there, led by officers specifically selected for their ability to prevent dangerous criminals from reaching the more treacherous waters beyond.

Whatever Akira was planning in Loguetown, it would require careful coordination and considerable risk on the part of all involved.

Buggy took in these instructions with the focused attention of a student receiving important lesson material. His former theatrical personality had completely vanished, replaced by the calculating mind of one who understood that his success or failure could determine the fate of the world.

"Who exactly are we looking for, Master Akira?" he asked, his voice carrying genuine curiosity mixed with professional interest.

Akira's smile turned mysterious as he prepared to reveal another piece of his comprehensive strategy. The alliance with Buggy was just the beginning; soon, their small crew would begin to gather the resources and allies necessary to challenge the gods.