章 74: New Bonds and Saviors

In the midst of Orange Town's chaos, Raja swung into action against Buggy's fodder pirates, who rushed him with swords and clubs in hand. With a swift, confident grin, he grabbed his wand, holding it firmly as the mob closed in on him.

"Alright, boys," he called out, as he twirled his wand, "hope you're ready for a little… magic."

As the first pirate lunged, Raja flicked his wand and murmured, "Magic-Magic Whirlwind!" A mini tornado burst from the wand, tossing the pirates up and scattering them across the street. Groans filled the air as the pirates scrambled to their feet, only to face Raja's next spell.

A pirate swung his sword, aiming for Raja's shoulder. Raja sidestepped effortlessly and countered, casting, "Magic-Magic Binding Roots!" From the ground beneath them, thick roots shot up, wrapping around the pirates' legs and locking them in place.

The restrained pirates struggled, yelling, "What kind of devilry is this?!"

"Not devilry, my friend," Raja replied with a smirk, "just a little magic." He turned away from the pirates, who were now helplessly rooted to the spot, and looked over to the main fight between Zoro and Cabaji.

Cabaji vs. Zoro

On the other side of the town square, Zoro stood toe-to-toe with Buggy's second mate, Cabaji, who perched atop his unicycle, spinning and grinning like a madman. Cabaji's wild eyes sparkled as he dashed forward, his blade flashing as he twirled acrobatically.

"Let's see how you handle my Spinning Blades of Doom!" Cabaji announced, somersaulting through the air as he struck at Zoro.

Zoro grunted, trying to follow the fast-paced movements of Cabaji's erratic attacks. With each spin, Cabaji aimed for Zoro's sides.

"Annoying acrobat…" Zoro muttered through clenched teeth, dodging each attack with increasing irritation.

Finally, Cabaji managed to land a light hit on Zoro's shoulder. The acrobat cackled as Zoro stumbled back, clutching his wound. "What's wrong, Pirate Hunter?" Cabaji taunted. "Is the great Zoro really struggling against little old me?"

But Zoro's smirk didn't waver. "Struggling? Hardly. Just figuring out the best way to knock you off that ridiculous cycle."

With one swift movement, Zoro raised his sword and delivered a powerful slash. Cabaji's grin faltered as his unicycle split in two beneath him. Stumbling, Cabaji tried to recover, but Zoro was already charging forward, his swords raised.

"Three-Sword Style… Oni Giri!" Zoro roared as he swung his swords in a cross pattern, sending Cabaji flying backward, defeated.

Zoro exhaled and sat down, leaning back to catch his breath. "Finally," he sighed, wiping his brow. "The circus act is over."

Luffy vs. Buggy

Meanwhile, Luffy was going head-to-head with the notorious Captain Buggy, who seemed to revel in the chaos as much as he did in his bizarre powers. The square was ablaze with Buggy's unhinged laughter as he sent his detached hands and feet flying towards Luffy.

"Hey, Straw Hat!" Buggy sneered. "You have no idea who you're dealing with! I sailed with Red-Haired Shanks himself! And thanks to him, I swallowed this Chop-Chop Fruit and got stuck with this power!"

"Shanks?" Luffy's eyes widened as he heard the name, his face lighting up. "You know Shanks?"

Buggy's smile twisted into a grimace of hatred. "Of course I know him! That idiot ruined my life!"

Luffy charged forward, ignoring Buggy's words. "You don't get to insult Shanks!" he yelled, sending a powerful punch straight for Buggy's face.

But Buggy's body parts split apart, leaving Luffy to punch empty air. Reassembling nearby, Buggy laughed as he brandished a knife. "You'll pay for that, Straw Hat!" With a quick jab, Buggy managed to tear through Luffy's iconic straw hat, leaving a small hole in the brim.

Luffy's face darkened as he noticed the damage. His eyes narrowed, his expression deadly serious.

"You messed with my hat!" he shouted, fists clenched in anger.

As Buggy went to swing his knife again, Luffy dodged and countered with a Gum-Gum Pistol, punching Buggy squarely in the face and sending him sprawling. But Buggy wasn't done yet. He spotted Nami nearby, sneaking away with his treasure chest.

Buggy Chases After Nami

Buggy's eyes widened in rage as he saw Nami edging away with his loot. "Hey! That's MY treasure!" he screamed, his hands detaching and shooting towards her like rockets.

Nami ducked and dodged, sprinting away with the treasure held close. "Guess you'll have to catch me first!" she taunted over her shoulder, grinning.

Buggy's dismembered body parts tried to surround her, but their separation only made it easier for Nami to sidestep them. Just as Buggy's head and hands converged, Luffy saw an opening.

With Buggy's parts disassembled and scattered, Luffy smirked and prepared a powerful kick. "This is what you get for hurting my hat!"

He launched his foot directly at Buggy's vulnerable groin, sending Buggy's remaining torso flying back into a nearby building. The building shook with the force of the impact, and Buggy's scream echoed through the town square.

Nami took advantage of the chaos to quickly tie up Buggy's detached body parts with rope she'd grabbed from one of his fallen crew members. "Let's see you try to escape now, clown," she muttered, securing the knots tightly.

With Buggy incapacitated, Luffy gave her a thumbs-up, grinning. "Nice work, Nami!"

Nami rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her own smile. "I'm only helping you guys for now. Just remember, I'm not a pirate," she replied, crossing her arms.

Aftermath and Escaping the Townspeople

Just as the dust settled and the crew began to regroup, the townspeople cautiously emerged from hiding, their faces filled with a mixture of awe and suspicion.

"Wait… are they… pirates?" someone murmured, eyeing Luffy, Raja, Zoro, and Nami with trepidation.

Luffy, ever oblivious, threw up his hands and beamed. "Yep! We're pirates!"

At this, the townspeople gasped in horror. "Pirates!" they cried, raising brooms, sticks, and other impromptu weapons.

Nami slapped a hand to her forehead. "Luffy, you idiot," she muttered. Zoro chuckled, but Raja looked around, genuinely amused by the townsfolk's reaction.

"Alright, time to make a strategic retreat!" Raja announced, gesturing for everyone to move towards the port.

The group scrambled through the alleyways, dodging broom-swinging townsfolk who seemed just as terrified as they were angry. As they neared the docks, a familiar barking reached their ears.

Shu-Shu, the loyal dog, ran up to them, barking fiercely to fend off the approaching mob. With the dog's help, they finally reached the rowboats, breathless but grinning.

Luffy glanced back at the abandoned pile of treasure that Nami had painstakingly gathered. After a moment of thought, he sighed and nudged it towards the townspeople.

"Here, use this to rebuild your town," he said, earning another incredulous look from Nami.

"Are you insane? That's Buggy's treasure! It's worth a fortune!" she exclaimed.

Luffy shrugged, grinning. "We don't need it. There's plenty more treasure out there in the Grand Line!"

Nami muttered a few choice words under her breath but eventually smiled, reluctantly admitting she admired Luffy's generosity.

Conclusion: Setting Sail

With the townspeople waving gratefully and Shu-Shu barking a fond farewell, the new crew set sail from Orange Town, their rowboat skimming over the gentle waves.

Raja took a deep breath, savoring the ocean air. "Well, that was one heck of an adventure. Good job, everyone!" he said, nodding to Zoro, Nami, and Luffy in turn.

"Yeah, and now we have a navigator!" Luffy exclaimed, throwing an arm around Nami's shoulders.

"Temporarily!" she retorted, though her smile betrayed her true feelings.

Zoro, leaning back with his arms behind his head, glanced at Luffy and Raja. "So, where to next, captain?"

Luffy grinned, his eyes sparkling with the promise of more adventure. "Next stop, the Grand Line!"

As they drifted into the open sea, their laughter echoed across the water, and the sun set behind them, casting a warm, orange glow over the waves. The group's bond had only strengthened after their encounter with Buggy, and the journey ahead felt both thrilling and uncertain. But with Luffy's boundless optimism, Zoro's loyalty, Nami's quick wit, and Raja's unique magic, they knew they had all they needed to take on whatever awaited them.