Just as Luffy was about to engage in round two with the small but ridiculously stubborn dog, an old man with an impressive mustache and an oversized cane emerged from a hidden alleyway.
"Oi! Stop bullying Shu-Shu, you rubber menace!" he shouted, waving his cane like he was about to duel someone in a fencing tournament.
Luffy, who had been trying (and failing) to get the key from the small white dog stomach, blinked. "Huh? Who are you, old guy?"
The old man puffed up his chest. "I am Boodle, the mayor of Orange Town!"
Raja smirked. "Mayor, huh? Are you the only one left in this deserted town, old man? I'm giving a one-star rating for hospitality."
Boodle coughed, clearly ignoring Raja's sass. "I'd like to invite you to my house. You can rest there—away from Buggy's men."
Zoro, who had been watching Luffy get outmatched by a literal dog, stood up. "Sounds good. Let's go."
Boodle led them to his house, and Raja, upon entering, grimaced. The place was a disaster.
Raja: "...This is a crime scene."
Zoro: "What?"
Raja: "This house looks like it was ransacked by a group of drunk trolls."
Boodle: "...That's just my normal living conditions."
Raja took one look around and immediately cast a spell.
"Magic-Magic: Clean Freak!"
The entire house sparkled instantly.
Zoro, sitting on a chair with his swords leaned against the table, raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Can you do that to a whole ship?"
Raja smirked. "Only if I feel like it."
Boodle gawked at his suddenly pristine house. "Thank you, kid, for the magic trick! My back is too old for cleaning!"
Raja started cooking food for the group, and the air soon smelled like fresh-baked bread.
Zoro sniffed. "Smells like food."
Raja grinned. "Because I'm cooking. Sit down."
Within minutes, a feast was prepared—roasted meat, fresh bread, and even some stew. Raja passed out plates to caged Luffy and the dog, even giving Shu-Shu a special dog-friendly serving.
Luffy: "Wait, why is the dog getting extra meat?"
Raja: "Because he's a Cute Dog and You are a Genius Monkey."
Luffy feels proud but pouted due to Dog getting extra meat. Shu-Shu smirked (if dogs could smirk).
However, before another fistfight between man and beast could break out, Nami asked about the dog.
Boodle spoke.
"Shu-Shu's owner was a kind man. He built that pet shop from the ground up. One day, he went to see a doctor… and he never returned."
Silence.
Shu-Shu continued guarding the shop, never giving up hope that his owner would return.
Luffy, surprisingly touched, nodded respectfully at the dog.
"…Alright, you win this round, dog."
Within seconds, Luffy and Shu-Shu were sitting side by side, munching on meat like old pals.
Nami, arms crossed, watched this unfold with a mix of confusion and disbelief.
"…Pirates aren't supposed to be this nice."
For a brief moment, Nami thought maybe—just maybe—these weren't the usual scumbag pirates. Then she shook her head and scoffed.
"Whatever. They're still idiots and pirates."
Meanwhile, deep inside Buggy's tent, the self-proclaimed "Greatest Clown Pirate" was furious.
"How dare a little emerging pirate group blast us with our own cannon?!" Buggy screeched.
Buggy's eye twitched. "MOHJI! GET OVER HERE!"
Buggy's first mate, Mohji the Beast Tamer, strutted forward with his oversized lion, Richie.
"Find and eliminate that magic freak," Buggy ordered.
Mohji grinned, petting Richie. "Consider it done."
Mohji, riding Richie like a king, arrived in town and spotted Luffy—still in his cage.
Mohji: "HAHAHA! Look at you, caged like a pathetic rat!"
Luffy: "Oh, hey. Who are you?"
Mohji's eye twitched. "I am Mohji, Buggy's first mate! And this is my mighty beast, Richie!"
Richie, instead of roaring fiercely, flopped onto the ground for a nap.
Luffy: "Nice lion."
Mohji: "…ATTACK, RICHIE!"
With a reluctant sigh, Richie smacked Luffy's cage, sending it flying through multiple buildings.
BOOM!
Inside Boodle's house, Raja and Zoro paused mid-bite as they heard the massive crash.
Zoro: "That was Luffy, wasn't it?"
Raja: "Probably."
They casually stepped outside and saw Richie trying to raid Shu-Shu's pet store.
Raja, seeing the big lion stomping around, cracked his knuckles.
"Alright, I've had enough of today's nonsense."
"Magic-Magic: Sonic Boom!" (Non Lethal)
A massive gust of wind exploded outward, sending both Mohji and Richie flying into the sky.
Mohji: "BUGGY-SAMAAAA!"
Richie: "ROOOOOOOOAAAAAA—!"
Boodle blinked. "That… was fantastic."
They vanished beyond the clouds.
Luffy, now free, casually walked back to Shu-Shu's store, picked up a box of dog food, and set it down next to the very confused dog.
"Here ya go, buddy."
Shu-Shu wagged his tail.
Nami, watching all this, stared in disbelief.
"…What is WITH these guys?" Then she immediately shook her head. "Nope. Nope! Pirates are scum."
Her inner conflict intensified.
Mohji crash-landed back at Buggy's base and immediately reported his defeat.
Buggy: "…You lost?!"
Mohji: "He has magic!"
Buggy: "SO WHAT?!"
Buggy, now fuming, ordered his men to fire a Buggy Ball Cannon at the town.
The massive cannonball soared through the air, aiming straight for Boodle's house.
Raja, watching the incoming destruction, sighed. "Oh, for the love of—"
He casually flicked his wand.
"Magic-Magic: Fire Rocket!"
A fast-moving fire arrow shot out, colliding with the cannonball mid-air.
BOOM!
The explosion lit up the sky, and Buggy's men cheered, thinking they had destroyed Luffy's group.
Buggy's crew: "VICTORY!"
Buggy: "HAHAHA! I WIN!"
Mayor Boodle, inspired by Luffy's group, stood up dramatically.
"I SHALL FIGHT BUGGY!"
Luffy: "Nope." BAM!
Boodle collapsed.
Nami: "…Did you just KNOCK OUT the mayor?"
Luffy: "Yup. He would've died anyway."
With Boodle out cold, they marched to Buggy's base.
The gang stormed Buggy's hideout. Luffy, walking up, grinned. "Hey, red nose!"
Buggy's crew froze.
Buggy: "…What did you just call me?"
Luffy: "Red nose."
Buggy: "…HOW DARE YOU?!"
Luffy turned to Raja. "Why's he so mad?"
Raja, whispered, "You didn't specify the insult correctly."
Luffy: "Oh. Should I say Big Round Red Nose instead?"
Buggy's veins popped.
"FIRE ANOTHER BUGGY BALL!"
Luffy bounced it back and Raja sent it to the sky, blasting it.
BOOM!
Buggy's own crew sighed in relief, realizing they were saved from the cannon.
Zoro faced off against Cabaji.
Buggy's second mate, Cabaji, attacked Zoro while riding a unicycle. Due to unpredictable swordplay and parlor tricks, Zoro got some minor wounds from Cabaji.
Zoro: "Seriously?"
Cabaji: "Fear my circus-style swordplay!" and continued to use his tricks on Zoro.
Zoro got irritated by the tricky attacks. "You're an embarrassment."
After some cheap attacks, Zoro finally got annoyed.
"Oni Giri."
One swift slash later, Cabaji was out cold.
Raja, smirking, raised his wand.
"Alright, time to have some fun."
"Magic-Magic: Fireworks Blast!" — Exploding sparks sent pirates running.
"Magic-Magic: Thunder Zap!" — Electrified them just enough to make their hair stand up.
"Magic-Magic: Ice Slip!" — Half the crew slipped on conjured ice.
"Magic-Magic: Earth Tremor!" — A mini earthquake made the rest fall flat.
"Magic-Magic: Windy Wipeout!" – A mini hurricane wiped out the pirates.
By the end, Buggy's entire crew was crying.
Luffy and Raja high-fived. "Nice work."
To Be Continued...