One Piece: Arkham: Buggy the Clown

Chapter 215 Captain Hughes
Two days later.

The Hughes arrived safely in the waters around Future Island.

Even on a moonless night, Future Island is still brightly lit.

A huge broken eggshell was floating above the island, with neon lights shining down. In the middle of the eggshell, there was a ring-shaped object like a building block.

Below Eggshell Island, coconut groves and high-tech geometric buildings are intertwined, laying out the direction of humanity's future.

"Hughes, we have received your application for docking. Please dock according to the established route in 30 minutes and maintain a constant speed, otherwise you will scare those lovely children."

At the port management office of Egghead, a female researcher with long wavy hair was sitting with her legs crossed as she replied to the Hughes.

The two rows of surveillance screens in front of her could clearly show the situation in the surrounding sea areas.

The cute children she mentioned were surrounding a transport ship that was only the size of their palms, staring at it with their eyes wide open, looking rather timid.

There was only one ship light on the transport ship, which was not very bright.

While flipping through the logbook on the Hughes, the female researcher gave evasive orders to the sea beasts and weapons near the coast.

Otherwise, it would be hard for these little cuties to resist the temptation of a piece of iron sheet.

"Also, welcome back."

After confirming that the logbook was correct, the female researcher put down the tablet in her hand and took a sip of coffee.

The coffee tastes burnt and bitter when you first drink it, and goes all the way to your throat before leaving a hint of mellow flavor on the tip of your tongue.

“I still have a hard time coming to terms with this stuff.”

Next to the female researcher was a young man wearing glasses. He glanced at the coffee in the other's hand and said.

Humanity’s dream – Bega Coffee.

Just add a drop of water to make hot coffee instantly.

One of Dr. Vegapunk's inventions, it is the most popular among researchers, after all, they often work all night.

Even the person on duty couldn't help but have a few sips.

Both of them wore the same white robe with their ID hanging on their chest.

"That's the best. Otherwise, once you get used to it, it'd be hard not to drink. Of course, compared to alcohol addiction, this stuff is at least not as stimulating."

The female researcher licked her lips and said, "The Hughes is back just in time. There is still a lot of research on the island waiting for Wapol alloy."

"Yes, but we can't let our guard down. The pirates are becoming more and more rampant."

"Even CP0 has come to the island. Maybe something big is going to happen?"

The male researcher glanced at her lips with some greed, then smiled.

"At least old Hughes hasn't changed."

The female researcher responded casually.

The two chatted idly while the Hughes was getting closer on the surveillance screen.

If the two researchers had looked more carefully, they would have probably seen a figure in a white coat standing in the corridor above the deckhouse.

The ship's lights made Bucky's shadow extremely long.

He squinted his eyes, as if he was admiring a brand new stage.

"Yeah, the indescribable island of the future... I think they must have a technology that can destroy the world, the kind that can blow it up cleanly. I'd bet my head on it."

He was talking to himself.

He raised his head and glanced at the island as well as the sea beasts patrolling on both sides of the ship.

The sea beasts have a huge body similar to that of sea kings, but they look like land animals, such as giraffes wearing helmets and hounds wearing red armor...

The transport ship was very small in front of the sea monster.

In the dark night, the ferocious eyes of each sea beast are like bronze bells, which can awaken humans' instinctive giant phobia.

However, animal instincts are always stronger than human instincts.

Compared with gigantic fear, these sea beasts can feel the terrifying aura of Buggy more clearly, which constantly touches their fragile nerves.

If it weren't for the chip in their brains constantly stimulating and issuing escort orders, the sea beasts would have moved away without hesitation.

I widened my eyes just to give myself courage.

If it was for hunting, they should have gone around quietly.

Just like the current status of the Hughes.

The silence was eerie.

Old Hughes remembered that when the ship was preparing to dock, it would be very lively even late at night.

Not only those who work according to the routine are busy, but most people who have been drifting on the sea for several months always have an irresistible yearning for the stable land.

They would crowd against the side of the ship and gaze at the dreamy island.

But now there is nothing.

Except for him, everyone listened to the major's orders very carefully, and their eyes seemed to become strange... very scary.

Old Hughes closed his eyes and could only hear the creaking sound of the ship.

There were also the sounds of approaching footsteps outside.

Suddenly there was a sense of tension.

Obviously, all the changes went against his cognition, but the impression in his mind told him that these were natural.

When Bucky walked into the captain's room, old Hughes had his hands hidden under the table, stroking a silver revolver.

"Major, could you tell me your real name?"

"I've looked through the roster and diary these past two days, and there's no mention of the name Yaro Baki." He stared.

"To be honest, I just can't understand how I could appoint you as the commander while knowing nothing about you."

"If I have to find a proper explanation, it's like being bewitched by the devil."

Old Hughes had not just discovered this, but he had felt that he could not control the situation earlier.

He and the soldiers on this ship alone were not strong enough to face the man in front of them.
The image of this person seemed to be covered by a layer of fog in old Hughes' eyes. He could not see clearly. He just concluded from his past cognition that he was a naval lieutenant commander, etc.

Even the name seems to be pieced together.

It gave old Hughes an extremely weird and coordinated feeling.

Old Hughes felt there was no chance of winning.

However, his hypocrisy finally paid off.

Right now, he could contact the port personnel at any time, with terrifying sea beast weapons guarding on both sides.

In fact, when old Hughes saw the clown pushing the door open, he immediately connected the call with the port.

Human cognition is complex and jumpy. After establishing a self-consistent logic, it will also have a certain self-correcting ability.

Especially after calm thinking.

"Are you ready to turn hostile, Captain?"

"Oh yeah! Did those little cuties outside give you the courage?"

Bucky closed the door casually, with a surprised smile on his face.

Old Hughes responded calmly to the clown's provocation, "You're right."

"But I'm not going to turn hostile."

His hands, hidden under the table, moved extremely gently and quietly as he stuffed six seastone bullets into the pistol.

This thing is his greatest confidence in facing these people with special abilities.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Old Hughes raised his gun, aimed, and pulled the trigger in one smooth motion. It was obvious that he had practiced it in his mind countless times.

He didn't expect to hit the target with one shot, but instead shot Bucky five times in succession.

Such decisiveness surprised Bucky.

The principle that a gun can be fast and accurate within seven steps is relatively true even in the extraordinary world!

At least guns still occupy a mainstream position in the wars of this world.

But for the extraordinary people...

Maybe it would be better to switch to a more powerful sniper rifle?
Bucky opened his mouth and made a clicking sound.

A small gas ghost suddenly appeared in front of his chest and exploded towards the bullet.

The Gas Ghost is a convenient method he developed by combining the Shard-Fractured Fruit and the Gas Fruit.

Like a missile.

The ghost lightly rubbed against the bullet shell, sparks flew out first, and instantly ignited the ghost directly, and the flames rolled up. The impact of the explosion swept away the furnishings in the captain's room.

Even old Hughes flew back a few steps and stuck to the wall.

However, his expression revealed a sense of relaxation. His beard was covered with some dust and swayed with his chuckle.

"Haha, clown, it's indeed a clown!"

Old Hughes's cognition was completely corrected at this moment. At least before the explosion, old Hughes felt a sense of panic in his heart.

I was afraid that it was all just my conjecture and the person in front of me was indeed a naval officer.

If that happens... I will become a sinner directly.

Fortunately, he made the right bet.

"You seem very happy."

“This makes me a little unhappy.”

Bucky's steps were casual, and the firelight in his face made his eyes brighter.

"So what if I'm not happy?"

Old Hughes smiled smugly, his tone still a little impatient, "You are the Joker, the pirate with a bounty of 3.96 billion berries!"

"That bewitching demon!"

"I recognize you. You are not an officer at all. You are a shameful thief!"

He took out the Den Den Mushi that he had been protecting in his arms and let it crawl along his wrist to the floor.

"Whatever you wanted to do on the ship, you can't do it now!"

"Wait for death, pirate!"

Old Hughes spat, letting out all the frustration he had felt over the past two days.

The hatred towards pirates in his eyes was not concealed at all.

Leaning against the wall, the revolver still trained on Bucky.

There is one last seastone bullet... As long as the distance is close enough, the clown will definitely not be able to dodge it!
"It seems that the pirates have left some indelible...bad impression on you?"

Bucky was unmoved by old Hughes's threats.

Since he had anticipated the cognitive correction issue, he had naturally already arranged countermeasures.

The main thing is to keep the news of my being here a secret.

Don't scare the old spider.

He squatted down with a playful expression.

The part of the body that exploded into gas came back together again.

"Are you interested in playing a game?"

Old Hughes looked stunned.

I really can't figure out this pirate's mind.

Then he showed a ferocious look again.

He did not respond to the clown's words, but shouted angrily:
"You are the cancer of this ocean, you are the bugs, you all deserve to die!"

The clown scratched his hair, looking hesitant.

"Some things are not fun once they are revealed."

"Captain, even if you don't consider yourself, you should consider everyone else, right?"

"Or do you think the sea beast could find me with pinpoint accuracy, then just show a small piece of fangs and kill me?"

He squinted his eyes. It seemed that some people were surrounding him outside the captain's room, with dark shadows looming under the ship's lights.

"Do not."

Bucky's smile grew wider.

"Those little cuties will definitely swallow the entire ship. Do you see the greed in their eyes?"

"Look at those young sailors and soldiers... They should have wives, and maybe daughters. You should know them. Their wives or daughters are waiting for them on the island."

"And you!"

The clown's tone suddenly became higher, as if it was gradually breaking through old Hughes' inner shield.

"You killed them!"

"You did it!"

Old Hughes' hands and feet were shaking uncontrollably, "No, it wasn't me. I didn't mean to kill them."

"But you are doing it!"

Buggy put his hand on the Den Den Mushi, and he had unknowingly arrived in front of old Hughes.

"I know. Maybe your relatives died at the hands of pirates. Maybe you yourself have been treated cruelly by pirates. But it's all your business."

"Do you really want to drag them all into hell just because of your hatred?"

"They're not all marines. There's no need to risk their lives just to kill a... hehe, pirate like me."

Old Hughes was silent for a long time, and the pride he had originally felt for breaking through the fog suddenly faded away again. He was not a heartless man, otherwise he would not be just the captain of a transport ship.

The Den Den Mushi's finger gradually moved away, with a strange look in its eyes.

I did get them killed... Don't blame old Hughes. I thought about bringing them back safely, but the science class already knew about it.

Already know...

“Luckily…” Bucky’s fingers suddenly tapped twice on the snail shell, “You still have one chance.”

"The call just now was not actually made. The communication room has occupied the signal line."

Old Hughes suddenly raised his head, full of disbelief.

"Just call them now and tell them nothing happened."

"Then really... nothing happened."

Port Management Office.

The female researcher with long wavy hair sat upright with a serious look in her eyes.

"Administration...Don't let the Hughes dock! The captain is crazy, old Hughes is crazy!!"

An urgent call came from the loudspeaker in front of her, and the signal came from the approaching ship.

"Second Officer Melbin, I need to remind you that the person you are accusing now is a captain with rich experience and has served in the Navy Logistics Department for many years."

Donna was not shaken by a few words, but instead used a serious attitude to remind the person on the other end of the phone of the seriousness of the matter.

"Yes...I understand..."

The man behind the megaphone seemed more relaxed.

"Old Hughes might be in collusion with the Joker. I have evidence!"

"You can retrieve the footage of the ship two days ago, when it emerged from the white fog. After it emerged, old Hughes seemed to have become a different person. He appointed a major as the commander."

"That may not have been recorded in the logbook."

The man who claimed to be the second mate swore that it was true, and from an observer's perspective, it was indeed true.

"What does any of this have to do with clowns?"

"Old Hughes has been in contact with the survivors of the Battle of the Fog, and the change in Old Hughes began when he walked out of the thick fog."

The Battle of the Fog Sea was the beginning of the true fame of the Clown Demon.

Most of the navy members who participated in the Battle of the Fog were purged...

Donna didn't reply, but called up the surveillance footage on the ship at the time.

The transport ships modified by the Science Class naturally have higher authority, just like the Pacifists created by Dr. Vegapunk.

There is an authoritarian chip to ensure control.

The surveillance on the ship replaced the original surveillance footage.

The image displayed was exactly of old Hughes holding a revolver with the muzzle pointed at an officer who had his back to the surveillance camera. The white navy coat could not be faked.

Coincidentally, the second mate's call for help was hung up, and was replaced by a signal from the captain's room.

"Captain…Hughes?"

"Is that you, Donna? Don't worry, everything is normal. Nothing happened to the Hughes."

(End of this chapter)