Chapter 309: Probing Style

That’s right, Ian didn’t expect that the ship he boarded at night was actually the ship of the Buggy Pirates!

Under the silent night, Ian’s screaming voice spread out far away, which naturally startled Buggy who was staying in the cabin. After hearing the shout, Buggy was stunned for a while, and then ran out quickly, trying to see who the so-called old friend was!

However, as soon as he opened the cabin door, he was knocked into the gourd by Mohji!

“Mohji! What are you doing!?” Buggy, who was forced to the floor, was so annoyed that he grabbed Mohji’s collar and yelled at him.

“Bug… Captain Buggy!” Mohji was panicking, and said: “That… that man is here!”

“Who is here?” Buggy asked in confusion, but Mohji’s shocked expression seemed to be a bit serious, and he didn’t say a clear sentence for a long time.

Buggy had no choice but to leave him and go out to see by himself. When he came to the door of the cabin, the lion Richie was acting like an ostrich, thrust a plank on the deck with his head and his exposed butt was still shivering.

“Worthless fellows! You are just like your master!” Buggy kicked Richie’s a$$ and said, “I am the great Captain Buggy! What kind of person would scare you this much with my presence!?”

Buggy didn’t believe what’s happening. He wanted so bad to see who this so-called “old friend” is!

Keeping himself together, Buggy turned around with a grinning smile and looked at the deck lights. However, the moment he saw Ian, the smile on Buggy’s face suddenly disappeared.

He stood on the spot blankly, drooping his hands, and fell on the deck with a bang! A big red nose dropped on the floor and slowly rolled ahead…

“Hey, Buggy, long time no see!” Ian laughed, and greeted him.

“Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” After Buggy came back to his senses, he yelled in surprise and pointed at Ian in horror. “You…you…why are you here!?”

“I came back to check on you!” Ian said. “Just kidding, I was groaning with hunger… Who thought you were having a banquet at the same time, so here I am!”

When Buggy heard this, he almost fainted… he fell down again, but as soon as he hit the ground he woke up. He never expected that Ian would return to East Blue. Shouldn’t he be in Grand Line!?

If it was the previous Ian, maybe Buggy wouldn’t be frightened when encountering him, but who knew that Ian would become an astounding pirate with a bounty of 650 million berries after leaving the East Blue and going to the Grand Line… Buggy gasped so hard when he saw the wanted poster!

He first thought that reaching such a high bounty would be the end game for Ian, and that he was probably going to be arrested by the marines, rooting in Impel Down for the rest of his life. But what made Buggy feel more puzzled was that he was eventually recruited by the World Government and became a member of Shichibukai…!

Buggy was also a pirate who returned from the Grand Line. He knew better than many pirates what the weight of Shichibukai is. Therefore, when the news of Ian joining the Shichibukai reached the East Blue, he made a quick decision, which was to never go near Ian!

But now, Ian is back, and he somehow appeared on his own ship. Buggy didn’t have time to take a detour…

Looking at him, Ian smiled and said: “It looks like I’m not welcomed in your ship!”

“No…no! Absolutely not!” Buggy hurriedly waved his hands and smiled bitterly. “How could you be unwelcomed? Just like you said, we are old friends… If we didn’t have a small fight ages ago, we won’t have known each other!”

When Buggy said this, Mohji, hiding behind the cabin door, revealing only his head, nodded in a hurry. He felt that the captain’s words were well said. When such a terrifying character says that they are old friends, no one would dare to extrapolate or deny it! That would be a suicide!

“That’s ma boy, now come over and let’s have a drink!” Ian smiled.

In fact, he missed seeing Buggy, because he reminded him of the “good old” time when he first went out to sea. About a year ago, he caught Buggy and handed him over to the marines, but it was just for his bounty.

After entering the Grand Line, Ian abandoned his identity as a pirate hunter and became a pirate… he now can be considered Buggy’s companion, and it’s worthless to catch him again, so naturally, he can have a chat with him calmly.

Ian was in a good and calm mood, but Buggy was in an awkward situation. He sat down beside Ian trembling, holding a glass of wine, but refused to take a drink, fearing that he gets drunk and enters into a quarrel with Ian.

“Come on, cheers!” Ian held a wine cup, bumped it with Buggy’s. He drank it up, exhaled comfortably, and said: “Don’t worry, I didn’t come to you on purpose. I’m going back to the Grand Line, just passing by…”

Listening to him, Buggy was relieved a bit, so he laughed and drank.

Then, the two of them fell into a weird silence, until this time, Ian discovered that neither of them could find a topic to chat about.

So thinking more, he had no choice but to say: “Hey by the way, are you still looking for your treasure in the East Blue? Have you found it?”

“No!” Buggy shook his head, and said: “How can such a treasure be so easy to find!”

Then Buggy immediately changed the topic and cautiously said: “I heard that you have fought an Admiral, is that true?”

“Two, not one!” Ian corrected his information. “When I was in Marijoa, I fought Aokiji. Later, Kizaru and Zephyr chased me and we had another fight!”

After verifying that Ian had really faced an Admiral, Buggy was even more frightened. He knew what strength these Marines have. Ian was still breathing after fighting them, which shocked Buggy.

Looking at Buggy’s trembling body, Ian felt a bit strange… He couldn’t help patting Buggy’s shoulder and said, “What’s the matter with you? Well, you were also a member of the Pirate King’s crew. How can you be so cowering?”

Upon hearing this, Buggy couldn’t help locking his gaze at Ian, then covered his mouth and forced him not to speak aloud. When he finally restrained him, he put his index finger on his lips and said: “Shh! Don’t shout that!”

Ian looked around and found that the members of Buggy pirate were staying far away from them, so he smiled and whispered: “Why, aren’t your crew aware of your previous identity? Are you afraid of telling them!?”

“Uhm… I’m not afraid…” Buggy said with a complex expression: “The World Government and the Marines are still searching for the crew of Captain Roger. If they discover me, I would be doomed!”

After finishing these words, Buggy was taken aback and asked Ian: “You…how did you know that I am an old…Uhmm!”

Ian smiled, waved his hand, and said, “What’s so strange!? I met Uncle Rayleigh on the Sabaody Archipelago!”

“Rayleigh!? You met Deputy Captain Rayleigh!?” Buggy stared at Ian with wild opened eyes.

“Yeah, I once mentioned your name, and then I learned more about you from him!” Ian explained.

“Uncle Rayleigh… Is he okay?” Buggy asked whisperedly. “How did you meet him?”

“He’s in good health, he drinks a lot, and gambles everything he owns!” Ian said: “As for how to meet him, it is very simple, he is my second master!”

Buggy’s wine glass fell on the table with a clatter and asked Ian in disbelief: “He…he is your Master!? You… What are you talking about? You are bluffing…”

“I’m telling you the truth!” Ian patted his shoulder and said, “What would I gain by fooling you!? Ah yeah, Oyaji, the Whitebeard, also mentioned you, saying that you are the big red-nosed kid!”

Ian was telling the truth at first, he did mention Buggy while talking with Rayleigh, but the Whitebeard part was completely a lie, because he thought that Buggy’s frustrated expression was so fun, he couldn’t help teasing him.

As soon as Ian mentioned the Whitebeard, Buggy’s jaw fell to the ground.

What Ian mentioned were all his acquaintances, although he may not have good memories with these people, Buggy missed being around them.

“So, we are old friends, isn’t that right?” Ian laughed and kept on patting Buggy’s shoulder.

“Yes, of course, you are an old friend of mine!” Buggy smiled bitterly, cheered with Ian, then raised his head, drinking all his liquor.

Ian watched him drink, and immediately filled him up again, then the two kept enjoying the party. The atmosphere was very warm.

The Buggy Pirates looked at their Captain from a distance so stupidly. He drank happily with Ian, and none of them understand what was going on.

After partying for more than an hour, Buggy got a little drunk, but Ian was still sober, because he was actually pretending to be drunk.

It was not until this time that Ian pretended to be casual, took out the rubbing inscription of the Poneglyph, and asked Buggy: “What do you think of this?”

Buggy stared at the rubbing inscription with hazy eyes for a long time. He was puzzled and said: “This…this seems to be Pone…Poneglyph…”

Ian immediately hummed in surprise: ‘Damn, this guy Buggy is really knowledgeable!’