Chapter 10: The Clown and the Shadow
The streets of Orange Town were eerily quiet, save for the distant sounds of chaos echoing from the heart of the village. Jin Woo and Zoro walked with steady steps, their presence drawing cautious glances from the few villagers who dared peek from behind broken shutters. The destruction around them—scorched walls, shattered windows—spoke of a recent attack, one that left the village scarred and trembling.
As they turned a corner, they spotted three scruffy pirates surrounding a girl with vibrant orange hair. The pirates, each armed with crude weapons, were closing in on her. She had defiance in her eyes, but it was clear she was outnumbered.
Without breaking their stride, Jin Woo and Zoro approached. The pirates noticed them immediately, spinning around with snarls and raised weapons. The orange-haired girl didn't hesitate—she bolted, slipping through the opening created by the distraction.
Zoro cracked his neck lazily. "Three of them. Hardly a warm-up."
Jin Woo didn't respond. He simply moved. In a flash, he was in front of the first pirate, delivering a punch so swift and powerful that the man collapsed instantly, unconscious before he hit the ground. Zoro stepped forward, his sword unsheathed in a blur of motion. Two clean strikes later, the remaining pirates were groaning on the dirt road, clutching their injuries.
Jin Woo crouched beside the least injured pirate, grabbing him by the collar. His eyes, cold and merciless, pierced through the man's bravado. "Where's your captain? Where's Buggy the Clown?"
The pirate, trembling and gasping for breath, stammered, "T-The Drinker Pub… H-he hangs out there sometimes. I-If not there, he's at his circus… r-right next to it."
Jin Woo dropped the pirate without another word. He glanced at Zoro. "We'll cover more ground if we split up. You take the pub. I'll handle the circus."
Zoro sheathed his sword, nodding. "Try not to steal all the fun."
The circus grounds were chaotic. Pirates were running in every direction, shouting at each other, their faces twisted in panic. Jin Woo stood at the entrance, observing the mess. He could hear fragments of conversations—"The Grand Line map is gone!" "Captain's gonna kill us!"
A small smirk played on his lips. Without hesitation, he walked straight into the chaos. Pirates noticed him too late. One swung a club at him, but Jin Woo caught it mid-swing, crushing it with his bare hand. His counterattack was brutal and efficient, laying waste to every pirate that dared to approach.
Amidst the chaos, he roared, "Where is your captain?" His voice cut through the noise like a blade.
Suddenly, a deafening BOOM echoed through the circus. A massive cannonball, larger than anything a normal pirate would carry, hurtled straight at Jin Woo. It exploded on impact, engulfing the area in flames and smoke. The force sent debris flying, and the pirates cheered, assuming their captain's shot had obliterated the intruder.
But as the smoke began to clear, a figure emerged from the heart of the explosion. Jin Woo walked out, his clothes slightly singed but his expression completely unfazed. The flames reflected in his cold eyes, and the ground seemed to shudder beneath his steps.
From atop a makeshift platform, a flamboyantly dressed man with wild blue hair, a bright red nose, and clown makeup stared in disbelief. Buggy the Clown, holding a massive cannon still smoking from the recent shot, nearly dropped his weapon.
"Y-You survived that?!" Buggy stammered, his voice a mixture of rage and astonishment.
Jin Woo dusted off his slightly burned sleeve, his face calm and emotionless. "That was your best shot?" His smirk returned, darker this time. "Pathetic."
Buggy's astonishment quickly twisted into fury. "You're gonna regret that, you arrogant brat! I'm Buggy the Clown, the immortal pirate!"
Jin Woo's shadow rippled unnaturally beneath him as he stepped forward. "Let's see if you're worthy of that title."
The dust had barely settled when Jin Woo dashed forward, his twin daggers gleaming like twin streaks of moonlight. His movements were fluid, each step silent, each slash precise. With a swift motion, he aimed to slice Buggy across the chest.
The blades met flesh—or so it seemed. They passed through Buggy's body effortlessly, like cutting through warm butter. But something was wrong. There was no blood. No resistance.
Jin Woo's eyes narrowed.
Buggy burst into laughter, a shrill, manic sound that echoed through the broken circus tent. "HYAHAHAHAHA! Is that it? That's all you've got?!"
Jin Woo didn't hesitate. He continued slashing, faster, sharper. One precise strike severed Buggy's head clean off. It tumbled through the air, rolling on the ground with an almost comical bounce.
But then—Buggy's severed head floated back up, grinning wickedly as it reattached to his body with ease.
"Surprised?" Buggy cackled, spreading his arms wide. "I told you—I'm immortal! Your little blades can't do a thing to me!"
Jin Woo didn't flinch. Instead, he smirked. "Immortal to slashes, huh?" He sheathed his daggers smoothly. "Let me try something else."
From the shadows beneath him, dark tendrils twisted and writhed. With a flick of his wrist, Jin Woo summoned three shadow wizards. Their glowing, hollow eyes fixed on Buggy as they raised their staves.
"Fire." Jin Woo's command was calm and final.
Blazing fireballs erupted from the wizards' staves, screaming through the air. Buggy's smug grin melted into sheer terror.
"W-WAIT! NO—!"
Flames engulfed him. The circus tent exploded in heat and light, the once flamboyant pirate rolling on the ground, desperately trying to put out the fire. His clothes burned, skin scorched, and his screams filled the air, a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance.
When it was over, Buggy lay motionless, charred and trembling. His immortality didn't mean invulnerability. He was barely alive.
Jin Woo walked over, his shadow soldiers following. "Tie him up," he ordered, his voice void of any emotion. The soldiers obeyed, binding Buggy tightly with black tendrils of shadow, ensuring he couldn't escape.
The rhythmic sound of waves gently lapping against the hull filled the air as Buggy slowly regained consciousness. He was tied tightly to the ship's mast, his burnt clothes hanging in tatters. The ocean breeze stung his scorched skin, a cruel reminder of his defeat.
In front of him sat Jin Woo, relaxed in a wooden chair, one leg crossed over the other, his cold eyes observing Buggy like he was nothing more than an insect.
Buggy squirmed against the restraints, his fear quickly masked by false bravado. "You think this is over?! My crew will come for me! They'll avenge me, you hear?! You're as good as dead!"
Jin Woo didn't respond with words. Instead, he lifted his hand, and three figures emerged from the shadows.
A massive shadow lion, its eyes glowing like embers, snarled beside two shadow soldiers—both pirates Zoro had slain during the pub battle. Their hollow, soulless forms were unmistakable.
Jin Woo leaned forward slightly. "You mean these crewmates?" His tone was casual, but there was an edge sharp enough to cut steel.
Buggy's bravado shattered. His face drained of color, his body trembling uncontrollably. His jaw worked uselessly, no words forming. The reality of Jin Woo's power sank in deeper than any blade could've.
Jin Woo leaned back, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Welcome to your new life, Buggy."
Buggy's breathing was ragged, his face drenched in sweat despite the cool sea breeze. Jin Woo sat calmly in front of him, his piercing gaze like a predator studying its prey.
Without a hint of emotion, Jin Woo asked, "Where's the map? Who stole it?"
Buggy's lips trembled. His usual smug grin was long gone, replaced by sheer terror. "I-It was… a girl...," he stammered, barely able to form the words. "Orange hair... she—she stole it!"
Jin Woo narrowed his eyes slightly. Without another word, he snapped his fingers. From the shadows, Soro, the massive shadow wolf, emerged with a low growl, its glowing eyes locked onto Jin Woo, awaiting orders.
"Find her," Jin Woo commanded softly.
The wolf bolted off the ship, disappearing into the streets of Orange Town with terrifying speed.
Zoro, leaning lazily against the railing of the ship with a jug of sake in hand, let out a low whistle. "Your powers are insane, you know that? Controlling an army of the dead… It's not something you see every day."
Jin Woo shrugged slightly. "It's not that strong yet. My capacity is only 127 soldiers right now." He looked down at his hand, clenching it into a fist. "I'll need to get stronger to build a real army."
Zoro chuckled, taking another swig. "With powers like that, I'd hate to be your enemy."
Minutes passed in silence, the only sounds being the soft crash of waves against the ship and the distant noises of the bustling town. Suddenly, Soro returned, its dark form materializing from the shadows. Without hesitation, Jin Woo followed the beast, Zoro choosing to stay behind, seemingly uninterested but watching from the distance.
They moved swiftly through the narrow streets, eventually reaching the remains of the circus tent—now nothing more than charred debris from Jin Woo's earlier rampage. Amidst the wreckage, a figure was crouched beside several open chests, greedily stuffing handfuls of coins and valuables into a bag.
She had striking orange hair, a confident posture, and sharp eyes filled with determination.
Jin Woo stepped forward, his shadow stretching unnaturally across the broken ground. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"I always heard criminals return to the scene of the crime," he said casually, his voice echoing slightly in the ruined tent. "But I thought that only happened in crappy TV dramas."
The orange-haired girl froze. Slowly, she turned around, her sharp blue eyes locking onto Jin Woo.
She wasn't scared.
But she was definitely caught.