CHAPTER 3: THE MYSTERIOUS GIRL

Several days had passed since Eto, now in the body of Goku, and Zoro had found themselves aimlessly adrift on the open sea. The sun beat down mercilessly, turning the small boat they had “borrowed” into a sweltering oven. Neither of them were particularly skilled sailors, and it showed in their constant arguments and the lack of any clear direction.

“Oi, Goku! I thought you said you knew how to sail!” Zoro shouted, his voice hoarse from the salty air and frustration.

“I never said that!” Goku retorted, scratching his head. “I just said I’ve been on boats before. It’s not my fault you can't tell north from south!”

Zoro rolled his eyes and muttered, “We wouldn’t be lost if you hadn’t thrown away the compass, thinking it was a toy.”

“Well, how was I supposed to know it was important? It didn’t look like a real compass to me.” Goku said, grinning sheepishly.

Their bickering was interrupted by the sight of an island slowly appearing on the horizon. The shape grew larger, revealing the outline of a dock and the masts of a massive pirate ship anchored nearby.

“Finally, land!” Zoro exclaimed, relief evident in his voice. “Let’s head there. Maybe we can find some food and water.”

As they paddled closer, the pirate ship’s details became clear. It was an imposing vessel with garish colors, bearing the unmistakable Jolly Roger of Buggy the Clown. The island itself had a small town with a port that seemed bustling with activity, but upon closer inspection, half of the town appeared to have been blown away, the remnants of buildings scattered like toys.

They reached the dock and clambered out of their boat, their stomachs growling in unison. The eerie quiet of the town was soon interrupted by distant voices yelling.

“What’s going on?” Goku wondered aloud, his curiosity piqued.

A young woman with vibrant orange hair suddenly came running toward them, her eyes wide with fear. “Boss! You gotta help me!” she screamed, diving behind Goku and Zoro for cover.

Two large, tough-looking men were hot on her heels, brandishing swords. “Get back here, thief!” one of them yelled.

Goku quickly realized what was happening. “Zoro, follow my lead,” he whispered.

The woman peeked out from behind them, her face desperate. “They’re going to kill me! Please, help!”

Goku turned to face the men. “Hey, we don’t want any trouble. Why don’t you just let her go?”

“Not a chance!” the bigger of the two men snarled. “She stole something precious to our captain, and we’re taking her back.”

Goku sighed dramatically. “Alright, alright. We surrender. Just take us to your captain.”

The men looked at each other, surprised at the easy compliance. “Fine, but don’t try anything funny,” the smaller one said, motioning for them to follow.

They were led through the town, past the blown-out buildings to the pirate ship. The deck was bustling with activity as pirates moved supplies and weapons around. Goku and Zoro were brought before the ominous figure of Buggy the Clown, a captain known for his ruthlessness and flamboyant appearance. He was a tall man with blue hair, a red nose that resembled a clown's, and a wild look in his eyes. His outfit was equally outlandish, adorned with colorful stripes and exaggerated accessories.

Buggy glared at them, his eyes narrowing. “What’s this about?”

One of the men stepped forward. “Captain Buggy, we caught this thief and these two suspicious characters. She’s got something that belongs to you.”

Buggy’s eyes lit up with anger. “The map to the Grand Line! Where is it?”

Goku, sensing an opportunity, pointed at the woman. “She has it. We had no idea she was a thief. You can do whatever you want with her, just spare us and give us some food.”

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Zoro stood silently, awaiting the signal from Goku. He knew his captain had a plan, even if it wasn’t entirely clear yet.

Buggy’s eyes inspected the woman, his gaze predatory. “So, you thought you could steal from me, huh?” He motioned for his men to grab her. “You’re going to pay for this.”

Nami, the young woman, looked horrified. “Wait! It was all his idea!” she pointed at Goku, desperately trying to shift the blame.

Goku and Buggy exchanged looks and laughed. “You can never trust a pretty face,” Buggy sneered. “Take her to my quarters. I’ll deal with her later.”

As Nami was dragged away in chains, Buggy released Goku and Zoro from their bindings. “You two, come and join the party. You’ve earned it.”

The atmosphere aboard the ship quickly turned festive as the pirates celebrated. Food and drink flowed freely, and Goku and Zoro indulged themselves, stuffing their faces and downing mugs of ale.

As the party wore on, Buggy stood up, clearly pleased with himself. “I’m going to get my reward,” he announced, heading towards his quarters.

Goku watched him go, then turned to Zoro. “Time to move.”

Zoro nodded. “I’ll find my swords. You get the map and whatever treasure you can find.”

But as Goku moved, he couldn’t shake the image of Nami’s desperate eyes. He had done many terrible things in his past life, but for some reason, this girl’s plight tugged at him. He vanished into thin air and reappeared in Buggy’s quarters, standing between a crying Nami and a half-naked Buggy.

“What the—?!” Buggy exclaimed, shocked and confused.

Nami screamed, “Please, help me! Don’t let him do this!”

Goku looked at Buggy, his eyes cold. “You’re not laying a finger on her.”

Buggy’s shock turned to rage. “You dare defy me?!” He reached for his knives, but Goku was faster, disarming him in an instant.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Goku said, his voice calm but firm. “You’re not touching her.”

Nami, her face streaked with tears, looked up at Goku with a mixture of fear and desperate hope. Buggy, on the other hand, seethed with anger, his eyes wild with rage.

"Please, don't let him do this," Nami pleaded, her voice cracking. She then turned her desperate gaze to Buggy. "I didn't mean to steal the map! Please, just let me go!"

Buggy scoffed, his lips curling into a sneer. "Begging won't save you, girl. You stole from me, and now you'll pay the price."

Goku, his mind racing, took a deep breath. He felt an inexplicable urge to protect Nami, though he didn't understand why. "Buggy, how about we make another deal?" he suggested, trying to keep his voice steady.

Buggy raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "And what kind of deal could you possibly offer that would make me spare her?"

Goku hesitated, his thoughts swirling in confusion. Why should he care about some random girl? He'd done terrible things in his past life, things that would make any decent person shudder. Yet, here he was, trying to save someone he barely knew.

"I... I can help you with whatever you need," Goku said finally, though he knew it sounded weak.

Buggy stepped closer, his presence menacing. "Walk away now, or you'll regret it," he warned, his voice low and ominous.

For a moment, Goku felt a bone-chilling fear. It had been a long time since anyone had made him feel this way. Buggy was no joke. Despite his ridiculous appearance, there was a dangerous aura about him.

Goku took a slight step back, his mind racing. But then he remembered who he was now. He was in the body of Goku, one of the most powerful protagonists in the world of anime. Confidence surged through him, but then he glanced back at Nami. Her desperate eyes only strengthened his resolve.

He closed his eyes and took a deep sigh, his mind clearing. In the blink of an eye, he delivered a thundering right kick to Buggy's head, sending it flying off his shoulders. Buggy's headless body stumbled backward, and in one swift motion, Goku ripped the chains from Nami's wrists with his bare hands.

Nami gasped in relief, rubbing her freed wrists. "Thank you," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

Goku remained serious, his expression unreadable. "Where's the map to the Grand Line?" he asked curtly.

Seeing he wasn't in the mood for further questions, Nami nodded. "Follow me, I'll take you to the safe."

As they made their way out of Buggy's quarters, the chaos outside became evident. Bodies of pirates lay scattered on the ground, evidence of a fierce battle. Zoro stood in the midst of it all, a mug of ale in his hand, looking completely unfazed.

Goku approached him, surveying the carnage. "Are they all dead?" he asked.

Zoro took a casual sip of his drink and shook his head. "Nah, I used the back of my swords. Just knocked them out."

Goku nodded, relieved for some reason. He then avoided Zoro's questioning gaze about Nami, focusing instead on the task at hand. "We need to find the map and get out of here."

Suddenly, Goku's instincts flared. The memories and skills of his past life as an assassin combined with Goku's heightened senses kicked in. He turned just in time to catch a knife aimed straight for his head.

The source of the attack revealed itself as Buggy's headless body stumbled into view, his head levitating and reattaching with an eerie precision. Buggy stood there, a twisted grin on his face. "Well, aren't you the quick one?" he sneered.

Goku, Zoro, and Nami stood frozen, staring at the ominous figure. Buggy’s body reformed fully, and his malevolent grin widened. The room filled with a chilling silence as they realized the true extent of Buggy’s powers.

"He ate a Devil Fruit," Nami whispered, her voice trembling. "He can separate his body parts at will."

Buggy chuckled darkly, reveling in their shock. "That's right. The Bara Bara no Mi. Now, let's see how you handle this!"