One Piece: Honey Badger Speedruns the World

"Hahaha...cough...clunk?!"

Bucky's arrogant, maniacal laughter abruptly stopped, as if an invisible hand had suddenly snapped his neck.

The red nose, which had been glowing with excitement just a second ago, turned deathly pale in an instant, and then visibly swelled into a purplish-red color like pig liver.

His head, floating in the air, desperately opened its mouth wide, trying to inhale, but could not make a sound, only emitting dying gasps of "ho...ho..."

Due to extreme oxygen deprivation and terror, the eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets.

What... what's going on?!

The trachea... is being squeezed?!

Bucky tried to look down in horror, but he forgot that the neck, which should connect the head and torso, was not under his control.

A gentle breeze blew by, dispersing the last bit of smoke lingering at the captain's cabin door.

Beside that broken door frame.

A man dressed in a thin shirt, his face as pale as paper, leaned weakly against the ruins. His chest rose and fell barely, as if even standing was a struggle, and as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

but.

This man, who looked like he might collapse at any moment, had his right hand raised in mid-air, his five fingers clenched tightly like steel claws.

In his palm, he was holding a flesh-colored cylinder that seemed to float out of thin air.

That was the neck that Bagen split off from because of the fruit's power.

"It's so noisy..."

Goss slowly raised his eyelids.

Those dark eyes held no trace of the confusion of someone just awakened, only a bottomless, icy pool.

He looked at the frantically twisting neck in his hand, then glanced at the red-nosed head floating in mid-air not far away, its eyes rolling back in its head. His voice was hoarse, yet carried a chilling coldness that sent shivers down one's spine:

"Making a scene on someone else's ship and using such despicable means to hurt others..."

Goss's fingers tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

That power, flowing along the severed neck, was perfectly transmitted to Buggy's body, giving the Shichibukai a truly suffocating feeling of impending death.

"Antidote."

Goss's voice was soft, yet it was like a cold awl piercing Bucky's eardrums.

He held the soft, clay-like neck in his hand, loosening his grip slightly to allow air to barely flow into the clown's lungs.

"Cough cough cough!!"

Bucky's head was coughing wildly in mid-air, tears and snot streaming down his face.

Faced with this seemingly weak man who exuded a monstrous aura, his arrogance as a Shichibukai instantly vanished.

"There's no...no antidote!!" Bucky cried, pointing to his thigh, clad in baggy pants, not far away: "That's the 'Special Bucky Instant Paralysis Poison' that I developed at great expense!"

It contains a mixture of neurotoxins from three deep-sea venomous beasts! Let alone that little girl, even a massive sea king would be paralyzed and die from cardiac arrest if it came into contact with just a drop!

Bucky felt like his neck was about to be snapped as he spoke, his voice becoming shrill and piercing with fear:

"This poison exists specifically to kill! Since it's meant to kill, why would I, the lord, bother developing an antidote?! Getting poisoned with this is certain death!"

Goss's eyes instantly darkened. He didn't bother to search the disgusting pants, because he could tell that the clown, though comical, wasn't lying at this moment. Fear doesn't lie.

"Ugh..." Mia let out a painful groan on the floor not far away. The specially made paralyzing toxin was rapidly eroding her nerves; her once rosy lips had begun to turn purple, her breathing was becoming weaker and weaker, and her eyes were starting to glaze over.

There's no time left.

Goss squeezed hard. Bucky instantly fainted from lack of oxygen, his head and body scattering all over the ground.

Goss ignored the good-for-nothing and dragged his weak body to the wall—where Reiju, who had just been knocked unconscious by Mia, lay.

He glanced at the woman with short pink hair, who remained beautiful even in her unconscious state, but his eyes showed no pity whatsoever.

*Sizzle!* A tiny, yet violent arc of black electricity suddenly appeared from Goss's fingertip.

Without any hesitation, he placed his finger directly on Reiju's forehead.

"Wake up."

"Ugh!!"

The intense electric current directly stimulated her nerves, causing Reiju, who was unconscious, to shudder violently, let out a short cry of surprise, and abruptly open her eyes.

What came into view was a pale, cold, death-like face.

"Goss...?"

Reiju was still somewhat dazed and instinctively wanted to fight back, but the excruciating pain in her body and the shackles on her hands reminded her of her current predicament.

"I don't have time to waste with you."

Goss grabbed the silk scarf from Reiju's collar, pulling her delicate face close to his own, and pointed with his other finger at Mia, whose face was turning purple on the ground:

"You're Germa's most potent poison. This level of poison is just dessert for you, isn't it?"

"Save her."

Reiju paused for a moment. She followed Goss's finger and instantly understood what was going on.

Mia has been poisoned, and with a very troublesome neurotoxin at that. This poison would be fatal to ordinary people, but for her, who possesses mutated bloodline factors, it is merely delicious nourishment.

Reiju's eyes darted around, countless thoughts flashing through her intelligent gaze.

The situation has reversed. Although she is still a prisoner, she holds the man's only weakness in her hands.

"Allah……"

Reiju did not act immediately, but instead resumed her elegant and composed demeanor.

She leaned against the wall, a playful smile playing on her lips, staring directly into Goss's eyes, which seemed to spit fire.

"I could save her. But right now, I'm just a prisoner about to be locked in the lower deck."

She shook the heavy shackles on her hands, making a rattling sound: "Since I'm a prisoner, why should I waste my energy trying to save the people who arrested me?"

"condition."

Goss didn't get angry; he simply uttered two cold words. His patience was rapidly dwindling as Mia's breathing slowed.

Reiju's smile vanished, and her eyes became incredibly serious.

She knew that excessive probing in front of a man like this would only lead to her death. She had to find the right balance.

"It's very simple."

Reiju raised her chin, a gesture that reflected the pride of the Vinsmoke royal family and her final line: "Give me my freedom."

"If I save her life, you must immediately remove my shackles and promise not to restrict my movements or treat me like a prisoner anymore."

Reiju stared intently at Goss: "This is a deal. Do you agree, Captain?"

The air froze for a second.

To outsiders, this was like releasing a tiger back into the mountains. Releasing an assassin with Germa technology and deadly poison abilities posed a huge threat to the entire ship.

But Goss barely had a second to think about it.

"make a deal."

The answer was firm and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

It seemed that in his eyes, even if the entire ship or even the whole world were burned down, it would be worth it as long as the girl lying on the ground could be saved.

Reiju's pupils dilated slightly, clearly taken aback by the unwavering answer.

This man...

A strange feeling welled up inside her.

In the cold, profit-driven family of Germa, she had never seen such a foolish act of abandoning principles without hesitation for the sake of family.

But it was precisely this foolishness that made her feel inexplicably...envious.

"In that case, the deal is done."

Reiju said no more.

She struggled to her feet, her injured body swaying, and crawled to Mia's side like an elegant cat. She lowered her head, her red lips parted slightly, and pressed them directly against the dark purple wound on Mia's lower back.

*Sizzle*—An incredible scene unfolded. As if summoned by some unseen force, the deadly purple toxins surged from the wound, transforming into a purple stream of energy, which Reiju inhaled entirely.

"Um……"

Reiju's throat bobbed slightly, and a blush of intoxication, as if she were savoring a fine red wine, appeared on her face.

"The taste... is not bad."

In just a few seconds.

The blackness around Mia's wound quickly faded, her breathing changed from weak to steady and strong, and her tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed.

Reiju wiped the venom from the corner of her mouth, turned around, and raised her still-locked hands to Goss, her eyes defiant and expectant:

"Alright. Now, it's time to keep your promise, Captain."

……

Captain's Lounge

As Mia's breathing gradually calmed down, Goss's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

He pulled a key from his pocket, and without even looking at it, threw it directly at Reiju.

Ding-dong.

The key landed precisely at Reiju's feet.

"I always keep my word."

Goss leaned against the headboard, his pale face revealing no emotion, as if the demon king who had just tried to kill for his sister was not him at all.

Reiju picked up the key and, with a click, unlocked the heavy sea stone shackles.

As the restraints were released, the feeling of power returning to her body made her exhale comfortably.

She moved her reddened wrists, her icy blue eyes filled with a hint of inquiry as she gazed intently at the frail man before her.

"That really surprised me."

Reiju stood up gracefully, her noble bearing as royalty still evident even in her tattered clothes: "You look like you could be blown away by a gust of wind. Aren't you afraid I'll change my mind after I remove your shackles and just kill you all?"

"You can give it a try."

Goss didn't even lift his eyelids.

Reiju paused for a moment, then covered her mouth and chuckled, her laughter ringing out: "Ah... what an arrogant yet perceptive man. Okay, I admit, it seems more interesting to spare your life for now."

She glanced around the captain's cabin, which was now a complete mess from the bombing, and frowned in disgust.

"Now that I'm free, I need a room that suits my new status. Ideally, it should have a private bathroom and a soft, large bed so I can shower and rest."

She made her request as if it were perfectly natural, as if she were still the eldest princess in Germa Castle.

"There is no such thing," Goss interrupted her coldly.

"...Huh?" Reiju's smile froze.

"There aren't any extra cabins on this ship. The lower deck only has hammocks and mice. Would you like to go?"

"Are you kidding me?" Reiju asked, slightly annoyed. "Then where am I supposed to sleep?"

Goss pointed to the floor beneath his feet: "Here."

"..."

The air froze for three seconds. Reiju pointed incredulously at the floorboards still covered in sawdust and dust, her voice rising eight octaves: "You let a lady... let the princess of Germa sleep on the floor?! And in the same room as you?!"

"To correct you, it means he slept under my surveillance."

Goss showed no mercy, his tone leaving no room for argument: "You are an extremely dangerous and highly toxic killer. I will not let you out of my sight for even a moment, nor will I give you the opportunity to harm anyone else on the ship, until I am completely certain you are harmless."

He tossed a spare blanket at Reiju's feet: "Either sleep on the floor, or go back to your cage in the lower deck. The choice."

Reiju looked at the blanket at her feet, then at Goss, who had a "no room for negotiation" look on his face, and her chest heaved violently with anger.

No man had ever dared to treat her like this! But looking into Goss's eyes, which were always on guard like a predatory wolf, she knew that this man was protecting his companion.

What a... bastard you can't hate.

"Okay, very good."

Reiju took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, picked up the blanket, glared at Goss, then elegantly spread it on the floor and sat down with her back to him: "Then please don't die suddenly in the middle of the night, Captain, or I'll definitely kick your corpse!"

In this somewhat delicate and tense atmosphere.

Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray... Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray...

A dull Den Den Mushi ring suddenly sounded.

The voice came from the unconscious Mr. 1's arms.

Goss didn't waste any more words.

His eyes flickered slightly. Although his face was as pale as paper, the hand that reached for Reiju was still strong, gripping her slender wrist without giving her a chance to refuse. He led her across the splinters of wood and strode out of the captain's cabin, which was almost reduced to ruins.

He wouldn't leave Reiju and the injured Mia alone together.

Although Reiju was somewhat dissatisfied, she didn't say anything.

on the deck.

In the dark corner, a pile of "meat chunks" that had been scattered on the ground was now quietly and slowly wriggling like some kind of mollusk.

That's Bucky.

This guy had just reattached his legs and was now holding his breath, carefully attaching the iconic red-nosed head to his neck, muttering silently: "You can't see me... you can't see me... as long as I don't make a sound, I'm just air..."

*Click.* The head is back in place.

Bucky was just about to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Feed".

A cold voice rang out above him.

Bucky froze, mechanically raising his head. Goss was looking down at him, his gaze like that of someone looking at a mouse about to steal some oil.

Goss didn't make a move; he simply pointed with his chin to Mr. 1, who was still lying unconscious, not far away.

To be precise, it was the golden object in Mr. 1's arms that was vibrating wildly and making a "blur blur blur" sound.

"Go, bring me that Den Den Mushi."