The Great Voyage, first half, Genbu Navy Branch.
The battle between Buggy and Enel lasted for about half an hour before concluding.
Despite his significantly improved strength and his possession of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Buggy was ultimately suppressed and beaten by Enel.
Buggy suffered a brutal defeat, and if not for Benedict's intervention, he would have fared even worse.
Enel, having avenged his grievances and thoroughly humiliated Buggy, decided to call it quits.
Buggy was taken away for treatment.
Although a Senzu bean could have resolved his condition instantly, Benedict had no intention of doing so.
At the very least, he wasn't going to provide such a bean until he had confirmed Buggy's current condition.
"How do you feel?" Benedict asked Enel, who had just arrived.
"Fantastic!" Enel replied with a smug grin.
"The Marshal is asking about Buggy's strength," Kenshiro stated, glancing at Enel nonchalantly.
Enel pondered for a moment before replying, "His Devil Fruit ability seems to have awakened."
"However, I don't think that's all there is to it."
"Whether it's because he hasn't fully developed it or for other reasons, I'm not sure."
"But in a straight fight, I can still crush him, and he can't do anything to me."
Enel spoke with utter confidence.
This confidence stemmed from his own strength and his faith in the development of his Devil Fruit.
Benedict believed Enel's assessment.
After all, Enel had held nothing back when fighting Buggy and had genuinely unleashed his frustrations on him.
Therefore, his perception of Buggy's capabilities would be the most accurate.
Buggy still held back some of his abilities.
Thinking about it, it wasn't entirely unreasonable for him to hold back in a fight that wasn't necessarily to the death.
"Marshal, do you think there's something wrong with Buggy?"
"Actually, now that I think about it, there really is something wrong."
"How did Buggy get so big?" Enel mused.
Enel's initial reason for seeking out Buggy was based on his aura, and Buggy's features were distinct, so he hadn't immediately noticed.
But now, upon careful consideration, there was indeed something amiss.
Benedict and the others looked at Enel speechlessly. After beating Buggy for so long, he still hadn't realized that Buggy had grown significantly larger?
Meanwhile.
After being carried back to the infirmary, Buggy, who had his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and sat up.
"I almost died."
"That damned long-eared brat, I'm not done with you."
"Hiss, that hurts."
...
The medical staff, witnessing the continuously cursing Buggy, who appeared far from weakened and unwilling to back down, fell into a state of silence or apprehension, hesitating to approach.
After venting his frustration, Buggy finally realized the medical staff were present and exclaimed, "Get out, get out, get out."
The medical staff immediately complied.
Once the medical staff had left and Buggy confirmed he was alone, he collapsed onto the bed, exhausted, and murmured, "They shouldn't be testing me again, I can't take much more."
"Stay vigilant, kid." Rocks' voice echoed in Buggy's mind.
"There will be more tests?" Buggy asked despairingly.
"Why wouldn't there be?" Rocks chuckled coldly. "You know that the Genbu Navy's intelligence network spans the globe. How could they not know you emerged from Jormungandr?"
"To manage such a vast organization as the Genbu Navy, if Benedict isn't cunning, the Genbu Navy would become the next World Government."
Buggy remained silent, lying motionless on the bed like a corpse.
An entire night passed.
The next morning.
Yasso, at the helm of the Red-Haired Pirates' ship, finally returned to the Genbu Navy Branch.
As they gazed upon the magnificent and imposing Genbu Navy Branch looming before them, the members of the Red-Haired Pirates were unusually quiet.
This was because the conversation that was about to unfold might lead to them being permanently stationed there.
Benedict, Sengoku, Garp, and others had received word of their arrival and were waiting in the plaza.
Shanks looked at Benedict in the plaza, recalling their first meeting.
He wondered if the promises made then still held true.
The pirate ship landed steadily on the plaza, surrounded by elite Marines, including Benedict and the others.
Such a formidable presence was enough to instill despair in any pirate crew on the seas.
With no sea around, and the ship on the deck, there was no thought of escape.
Shanks and his crew disembarked, their gazes wary as they looked at Benedict.
Kamikaze, with Uta in tow, approached Benedict and said, "Marshal, this is Uta, the Uta Uta no Mi user."
Benedict recognized the young Uta immediately.
This little girl was a good find.
Benedict glanced at her, then turned his attention to Shanks, smiling as he said, "Shanks, we meet again."
"This reunion, however, is far from pleasant," Shanks stated in a cold tone.
"As long as I'm happy," Benedict replied indifferently.
After a pause, Benedict continued, "You have two choices."
"Either you die, or you stay in Azkaban."
Upon hearing Benedict's words, Benn Beckman and the others' expressions turned frigid.
Neither choice boded well for them.
"Marshal Benedict, do the words you spoke back then still stand?" Shanks asked after a moment of silence.
"If I join the Genbu Navy, can you spare us, and spare Uta?"
Not far away.
Buggy stood in a corner.
He looked at Shanks with a grave expression.
Buggy was aware of Shanks' identity.
It was precisely because he knew that Buggy was now unsure of what to do.
Making a move here was impossible; it would expose his identity and be a death wish.
But if he didn't help, Shanks would truly die.
Therefore, Buggy now found himself somewhat looking forward to Shanks joining the Genbu Navy.
With Shanks on board, perhaps there would be a greater chance of success in their assassination attempts.
"As the son of the most mysterious Nokksus family among the Celestial Dragons, why should I accept you into the Genbu Navy?" Benedict's eyes flashed with intense killing intent as he spoke coldly.
Hearing Benedict's words, Shanks' eyes widened in utter shock.
Buggy, hiding in the distance, also gaped in astonishment.
Buggy couldn't fathom how Benedict had learned such a secret.
He himself had only learned of this secret after being captured by Saint Nokksus.
Furthermore, Sengoku and the others around Benedict were utterly stunned, their gazes towards Shanks shifting dramatically.
It was then that Sengoku understood why Benedict had inquired about the Nokksus family.