It wasn't until Buggy boarded the World Government's warship and confronted the new Pacifistas that he realized they had been significantly strengthened.
The [White Lightning] Buggy unleashed was bounced back by the Pacifista's paw pads, and even an attack infused with Conqueror's Haki Infusion had most of its power deflected by the paw-paw fruit.
Fortunately, the Pacifistas could not use instant movement; they would have been even harder to deal with.
There was another reason for the difficulty: Buggy needed to face four Pacifistas alone, plus Sentomaru, who was lurking nearby, waiting for an opportunity.
The crucial point was that Sentomaru kept chattering incessantly.
"How strange, even if the Chop-Chop Fruit awakens, it shouldn't manifest the power of lightning, right?"
"Your splitting is too exaggerated; has the Chop-Chop Fruit awakened into a Thousand Cuts form?"
"Are you imitating Red-Haired Shanks by wearing that long cloak?"
"What do you think of the strength of these Pacifistas? But for you to handle four alone, it seems you haven't reached the Doctor's expected target."
"You..."
"So annoying! Magnetic Field Rotation Thirty Thousand Horses [Ten Directions Thunder Pool]!"
Buggy split his body into ten parts, then channeled the current, turning the nearby area into a lightning domain.
However, the four Pacifistas stood back-to-back, facing four directions, projecting an unaffected space within the Thunder Pool.
Sentomaru jumped onto the shoulder of one Pacifista and exclaimed, "The Chop-Chop Fruit can be played with like this? If only the Doctor had analyzed this fruit back then."
"Are you always this talkative?" Buggy retracted his split body, realizing that energy attacks were not very effective against the Pacifistas.
"Of course not. I usually speak very little. After all, I am the man with the tightest lips in the world," Sentomaru replied.
"How many of these new-model Pacifistas has the World Government produced?" Buggy thought for a moment and asked Sentomaru directly.
"I won't tell you that there are only ten of the newest Pacifistas. Ordinary pirate hearts are insufficient to power the Pacifista's Devil Fruit ability. The Doctor could only use ten hearts linked together as a set to power it, and the World Government currently has no spare hearts."
Sentomaru revealed everything he knew, openly disclosing the World Government's secret.
"Sentomaru, you idiot!" Spandam, hiding in the distance, cursed, "How can you say something like that?"
"Shut up! My lips are sealed. I know what should and shouldn't be said," Sentomaru shot back.
Only ten? That was acceptable.
Buggy retracted his body and began fighting the Pacifistas using Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
"Conqueror's Haki Infusion? Conqueror's Haki cannot be learned through post-natal training. Captain Buggy's bloodline must be quite remarkable," Sentomaru began his incessant rambling again.
"The so-called bloodline theory is just bullshit," Buggy sneered. "I comprehended Conqueror's Haki because I possess the ambition to swallow the world, not because of some nonsensical bloodline!"
Sentomaru suddenly fell silent, then drew the giant axe on his back. "You are a respectable opponent, Captain Buggy."
"How can I miss out on such an opponent! Armament Haki: Demon Slaying!"
Sentomaru's arm, along with the giant axe, turned black as he swung fiercely toward Buggy.
But it was useless; Buggy's body split right through the middle, evading the giant axe's attack.
"Let's have a manly confrontation, Captain Buggy," Sentomaru was somewhat dissatisfied. "What's the point of relying on Devil Fruit abilities?"
"Then you first make these four Pacifistas stop, and I'll have a manly fight with you." Buggy's main focus was still on the Pacifistas.
"Let's forget it then." Sentomaru swung his battle-axe a few more times, realizing he couldn't inflict even a scratch on his opponent.
"Your Devil Fruit ability can even ignore Hawkeye's swordsmanship; I stand no chance against you alone..."
Sentomaru retracted his giant axe. "However... even if Captain Buggy can hold off four Pacifistas, your subordinates cannot."
Buggy took a moment to check the battle situation and realized Sentomaru was correct.
Bonney was doing alright; her Devil Fruit ability should be controlling the life energy within her body, allowing her to switch between weak and strong states.
When weak, she could turn into an elderly person, and when strong, she could become a vigorous adult.
She had now turned into a mature woman, fighting the Pacifistas with physical techniques at her peak.
Even when injured, green light would occasionally appear inside her body to heal her, recovering quickly from wounds.
Is this stored life energy? No wonder she has the nickname 'Big Eater'.
Unfortunately, her opponents were cyborgs, half-machine and half-living. Buggy saw Bonney occasionally channeling green light into the Pacifistas' bodies, but with little effect.
If Bonney's side could maintain parity, Mr. 3's situation was unbearable to look at.
As one of the highest-ranking executives in the Buggy Pirates, they were being chased around by the Pacifistas in a five-on-one fight.
Mr. 3's wax could block Magellan's venom, but it couldn't block the paw-paw fruit's repulsion ability.
The Pacifistas intermittently fired pressure cannons; only Alvida could repel them; the rest dared not take a direct hit.
The Revolutionary Army was already struggling against four Pacifistas and couldn't spare any hands to help them.
However, the regular crew members held the advantage; the Buggy Pirates' crew members were pressing the World Government army, living up to their reputation as experts from Impel Down.
"Can the few of you hold on?" Buggy asked.
If not, he would have to bring that one Pacifista into his attack range.
But Buggy had only developed a few techniques using Magnetic Field Rotation; further development required time.
Using the Chop-Chop Fruit for fission explosions was difficult to control in terms of power...
"Captain Buggy, hurry up and save us!!!!" the group of four shouted, accompanied by the roar of the lion Licky.
"Mr. 3, Galdino, as an emperor's second-in-command, you should maintain your composure at all times!"
"Desert King Saber..."
Four sand blades blocked the Pacifista's attack, and a figure clad in a black fur coat appeared before the quartet.
"Boss, didn't we agree when we came? If we want to join the Buggy Pirates, we must at least respectfully call you Third Brother!"
"Armament Haki: Spiral Draw Slash." A rapidly spinning black figure rushed toward the Pacifista, his arms transforming into sharp weapons to attack.
"Crocodile?" Mr. 3 exclaimed. "Why are you here?"
"Didn't Daz Bones already say it?" Crocodile laughed heartily. "We want to join the Buggy Pirates."
"You guy... I know your personality; you would never submit to anyone. What exactly are you plotting?" Mr. 3 didn't believe Crocodile's words.
"Captain Buggy..." Crocodile ignored Mr. 3 and instead asked Buggy, "What exactly is the will of Pirate King Gol D. Roger?"
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