Buggy and Enel were actually born in the same year, though Enel's birthday came earlier. Having already turned thirteen after his birthday in May, he was the older of the two. Buggy wouldn't have his birthday until August.
As time went on, however, Buggy's monstrous talents became increasingly apparent. His physical abilities had already surpassed Enel's, though when it came to Observation Haki, Enel was still the stronger one.
Their overall strength was about even, though the carefree Buggy clearly had the bigger personality.
"What did you say? You stuffy, nose-in-the-air show-off!"
Enel had no intention of being looked down on by Buggy, especially not when...
His gaze shifted slightly to the right, just enough to confirm that Phyllis hadn't taken Buggy's words to mean he was a coward. Only then did he let out a quiet breath of relief. But inwardly, his frustration with this lifelong rival only grew deeper.
Damn red-nose!
"Who are you calling red-nose, you bastard!"
Buggy roared, baring his fangs. His head flew straight off his body and slammed into Enel's forehead like he was trying to start a fight.
"Nobody called you red-nose! I said you're a show-off!" Enel grappled with him.
"Enough, both of you!"
Ayame was furious. She gave each of them a sharp whack on the head.
"When are you two going to stop fighting?"
Ayame, who had taken it upon herself to act as the older sister figure, had no desire to watch them bicker endlessly. Besides, they were currently lying in ambush against a group of pirates — they had to stay quiet.
Over the years, Ayame's authority as the "little demon" had only grown stronger in Buggy and Enel's eyes. After being scolded, both of them clutched their heads and sat cross-legged on opposite sides, glaring at each other with puffed cheeks.
Seeing them like this, Ayame knew that without her keeping watch, these two would probably come to blows again. She couldn't help but feel exhausted, letting out a long sigh.
"Your relationship really is terrible..."
"Huh? Is it?"
At her words, Buggy and Enel didn't react much. But Phyllis, who was standing to the side, covered her mouth and gasped in surprise.
"I thought you two got along really well! Enel-san seems like he genuinely likes Buggy-san." Phyllis said with complete innocence.
"No way we get along! I, the great Buggy-sama, want nothing more than to beat the crap out of this long-eared freak!" Buggy fired back immediately.
"Hey, say something too, long-ears!"
But Enel said nothing.
"Hey, long-ears, why aren't you talking... Don't tell me you actually..."
Buggy turned to look and found Enel frozen in place like a statue, a crooked, ghostly wisp floating out of his mouth.
He seemed to be muttering to himself, but his voice was so faint that it was nearly inaudible.
Buggy leaned in closer.
"Li... likes... Buggy..."
Buggy: ???!!! ∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ
I thought we were brothers, and you want to WHAT?!
His entire body leaped up in sheer terror, then literally split apart into tiny pieces. Dozens of small floating cubes scattered through the air in complete disarray.
He looked exactly like Tom Cat from Tom and Jerry.
This commotion was more than enough to alert the pirates who had been advancing from the other direction.
"Who's over there? Get out here!"
Bald, the user of the Boar Fruit, had already spotted their position and bellowed in their direction.
His body swelled beneath his clothes as his already large frame grew even more massive. Thick, coarse black hair covered his entire body, and two curved tusks jutted upward toward the sky!
He wasn't merely asking — even as he spoke, he hurled his weapon, a massive axe, straight at them!
The enormous axe cleaved through the air, spinning at tremendous speed. In an instant, it leveled the forest in its path.
The response came in a voice that was pleasant but laced with condescension.
"Hey, you should take care of the forest, you black-haired boar!"
Ayame, with a pair of swords at her waist, leaned her upper body back. Her long, slender right leg swept out in a sharp arc, kicking the spinning axe mid-flight.
She wore a short skirt with loose white socks that barely reached her ankles. But the leg coated in Armament Haki made it look as though she were wearing a black stocking.
Even if only on one side.
After kicking the axe away, her right foot hit the ground and stamped down hard. The air beneath her exploded!
Using that force, Ayame launched herself forward, both hands already resting on the hilts of her two swords — one long, one short.
"Origin · Nitōryū · Rākshasa!"
Shing—
Two flashes of silver light sliced through the air. Ayame's slender frame spun gracefully in midair before landing softly on the ground, elegant as a butterfly. Her right hand gripped the daitō; her left held the wakizashi.
Wave-like patterns decorated both blades, and red blood dripped slowly down their edges.
"A woman?"
Bald frowned as he looked at the cross-shaped cuts on both of his arms, already scabbing over. He hadn't expected this young-looking woman to be capable of cutting through his Haki and drawing blood.
Even if the wounds were only superficial.
She was different from women like Yuriko or Shōbu, who looked young on the outside but were thoroughly mature on the inside. Ayame's age was genuinely young.
Ayame was only eighteen this year, and her skills still had a certain rawness to them. That said, she was a bona fide swordmaster. She could take on two of the pre-Water 7 Zoro in a single fight.
After that brief exchange, Bald's subordinates quickly recovered as well. One by one they drew their weapons and fell in behind him. Buggy and Phyllis also rushed to Ayame's side, taking up positions beside her.
"So we've been spotted? But they only sent one woman and two kids? Looks like they're really underestimating us!"
Bald realized that all three of them had been lying in ambush, but the thought still irritated him.
This two-sword woman was genuinely skilled — but what about the other two?
A scrawny little girl with feathers growing from her arms, and a clown with a red ball clipped to his nose and the most ridiculous face imaginable. What was this, a circus?
"Huh? Two kids?"
Ayame tilted her head, momentarily confused. She looked around and realized that Enel was still frozen in place like a stone, his mouth continuing to leak that pitiful ghostly wisp.
"...Phyllis-san, said, said I, like Buggy..."
"She misunderstood me..."
"What do I do? I'm definitely going to be seen as some weirdo who likes men, and then she'll hate me..."
"My first love, over before it even began!"
He seemed thoroughly devastated.
[
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