Chapter 556: The Deal with Buggy
Ian wasn't surprised by the exposure of Buggy's background.
He knew very well that after the Impel Down prison riot, the identities of the prisoners who escaped with him had almost all been thoroughly investigated by the Marines.
When Buggy was locked up in prison, perhaps no one paid him any attention. But once he escaped with Ian, the Marines, upon checking his background, immediately realized that this guy was a hidden big fish.
Just how deep was the Marines' taboo against Pirate King Roger? This question might be a bit hard to describe, but just looking at the fact that more than twenty years after Roger's death, the Marines still hadn't given up hunting down his bloodline, you could see how serious it was.
In the Marines' view, anyone connected to Roger was a target worthy of vigilance. Even Dark King Rayleigh, if he hadn't kept a low profile and acted as if he didn't care about worldly affairs, Sengoku, who knew of his existence, would have long ordered his capture.
So, when they discovered that Buggy, with such a deep and powerful background, was acting so low-key, the Marines couldn't sit still either. They thought Buggy might be plotting something, and out of caution, they simply exposed him, treating him as one of the masterminds behind the prison break, just like Ian.
If Fleet Admiral Sengoku knew that the reason Buggy was so low-key was actually because he had been searching for "Captain John's Treasure," and not secretly plotting something as he imagined, I wonder what his expression would be then...
But Ian wouldn't expose Buggy either. After all, this background was indeed true for Buggy.
So, Ian even added fuel to the fire, saying, "Yo, Buggy, you can't hide anymore now. You're about to become famous!"
"N-No way!" Buggy frantically explained to everyone. He really didn't want to be targeted by the Marines like this, because it meant he would be in danger.
However, his explanations were useless at this point. Ian's words indirectly confirmed that what the newspaper said was true. The prisoners all knew that Buggy and Ian were acquainted, old friends. Didn't you see that when Ian met Buggy in prison, he called him "old friend"?
So, at this moment, the prisoners all had their mouths wide open, staring at Buggy in disbelief.
At that moment, Ian said, "By the way, Buggy, I met Rayleigh a while ago, and he even mentioned you!"
"Huh!? You met Rayleigh? Is he doing well?" Buggy blurted out happily before he could react.
As soon as he said that, clatter, a weapon fell from a prisoner's hand to the ground.
"T-They're not talking about that Rayleigh, the Dark King Rayleigh, are they!?" the prisoners asked fearfully. "So he really was a member of the legendary pirate crew?"
"T-Too shocking!" a prisoner muttered dumbly. "I can't believe Impel Down held so many big shots..."
For a moment, the prisoners regarded Buggy as a big shot on the level of the Seven Warlords, like Crocodile and Jinbe. Even Crocodile himself was very surprised. He had always thought that this red-nosed guy was just there for laughs, never expecting him to have such an astonishing background.
At this point, Buggy snapped back to reality, feeling like Ian had set him up. He quickly waved his hands at everyone and said, "W-Wait! It's true, but don't put such a big hat on me! How am I supposed to live my pirate life from now on!?"
But Ian put an arm around his shoulder, pulling him close like a good buddy, and whispered in Buggy's ear, "Hey, Buggy, don't rush to explain. Let me ask you, do you want to become one of the Seven Warlords?"
"Th-The Seven Warlords?" Buggy was stunned.
"That's right!" Ian nodded and whispered, "Look, my title as a Warlord has been stripped, and Crocodile and Jinbe's are gone too. Add Doflamingo from earlier, and that's four Warlords gone. The Marines will definitely try to fill those spots. In my opinion, you have a good chance of getting an invitation!"
"R-Really?" Buggy's eyes widened as he looked at Ian.
"Of course it's true!" Ian nodded. "Because of your background! Although the Marines see you as an enemy, if they find they can't do anything to you, they'll try to win you over. Isn't that how I became a Warlord in the first place?"
"But... but I don't even have a pirate ship anymore, and my crew are all idiots!" Buggy said dejectedly. "How can a pirate crew like that stand up to the Marines?"
"So, coming to the battlefield with me this time is your chance!" Ian said with a grin. "Your background is a good thing. I'll let you take some of these prisoners with you to build your own team. That way, you won't have to worry!"
Ian's words made Buggy's heart race with temptation, but having been tricked by Ian before, he remained cautious and asked, "Would you really be so kind as to help me for nothing?"
"Look at you..." Ian said with a straight face, "Of course... of course, it's not for free!"
Hearing this, Buggy actually breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good. Just tell me what you want in return!"
"Nothing else!" Ian said with a smile. "Once you become a Warlord, you'll definitely have a lot of contact with the Marines. If they make any moves, you need to find a way to pass the information to me!"
Yes, that was Ian's goal. He had been stripped of his Warlord title, but he still needed to plant a spy within the Marines. Although Kuina could occasionally pass him some information, her position was inconvenient. Buggy, on the other hand, would have no problem. Even if the Marines found out, it wouldn't matter, because Buggy was originally a pirate.
Ian had already thought it through. If he could really push Buggy into the position of a Warlord, then he could have him keep an eye on the Marine Science Unit and find out what ultimately happened to Kuma.
Turning Buggy into his inside man, and a Warlord-level inside man at that, felt incredibly satisfying. Isn't that how Kaido of the Beasts cooperated with Doflamingo?
Although their cooperation was purely for evil deeds...
At that moment, Buggy was truly tempted. After hearing Ian's conditions, he thought it over and found nothing too difficult. He could definitely do it. So, he immediately looked at Ian and said, "Alright, deal!"
"That's more like it!" Ian said with satisfaction. "Don't worry, I'll find a way to give you a chance to shine. You'll become a figure that the world will pay attention to!"
"Ahahahaha!" Buggy was overjoyed. After his mindset shifted, he let out a loud laugh, then stroked his chin with a very pretentious look, and said to the prisoners present with a deep expression, "Well, it seems I really can't hide it anymore... That's right! I was a crew member on Pirate King Roger's ship, and Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors, is my sworn brother! I really miss those days, fighting alongside Captain Roger and First Mate Rayleigh..."
"Whoa!" The prisoners gasped in shock, then burst into an uproar.
Hearing Buggy admit it himself, the prisoners finally understood why the Marines had singled him out. It seemed to be true. Didn't you see Ian putting his arm around Buggy's shoulder like they were best buddies for life?
In an instant, Buggy's reputation among the prisoners soared...
As for his Buggy Pirates crew members, it was only now that they realized their captain's background was so huge. Cabaji and Mochi knelt before Buggy, tears streaming down their faces in awe and worship, swearing to follow Buggy for life...
Ian watched Buggy giving his speech among the prisoners with a smile, pleased with how things were going. But Crocodile whispered behind him, "Looks like you've got another pawn..."
"Don't say that. It's just mutual benefit," Ian said without turning around. "Not everyone looks down on the Warlord title like we do, right?"
Crocodile let out a cold laugh and said nothing more.
Just then, a shadow suddenly fell over the bay. Looking up, Ian saw a massive cloud appearing in the sky. It was this cloud blocking the sun that cast such a large shadow.
Ian's eyesight was good, and he vaguely saw the colorful balloons hanging beneath the cloud. A smile spread across his face.
"Finally here, my Skypiea..."