Shortly after leaving Drum Island, the Going Merry sailed into a stretch of sea perpetually shrouded in thick fog. The white mist hung like a heavy curtain, obscuring vision and turning the path ahead into a confusing labyrinth.
On the deck.
"I'm so bored—"
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper were slumped side-by-side against the railing, fishing rods in hand, staring listlessly at the calm surface of the water. Suddenly, Chopper's rod jerked downward violently.
"Ah!! I got a bite!!" Chopper cried out in excitement, his small hooves gripping the rod with all his might. The force was staggering, nearly dragging the little reindeer into the sea. "I caught one!! It's a big one!!"
"Whoa! Luffy!! Help!!"
Seeing the struggle, Luffy stretched his arms and wrapped them around Chopper's waist, while Usopp rushed over to anchor Luffy.
"Heave! Ho! Pull it up!!"
The two men and one reindeer hauled back in unison.
SPLASH—!!
With a massive spray of water, a giant silhouette burst from the sea, arched gracefully through the air, and landed squarely on the deck.
"Oh? What kind of fish is this?" Luffy leaned in, curious.
However, it wasn't a fish. It was a strange individual wearing a pink swan costume, two large wings strapped to his back, sporting incredibly exaggerated heavy makeup and ballet shoes.
"This swan... has been REBORN!!!"
The stranger struck a high-difficulty ballet pose, letting out a voice that made everyone's skin crawl. This was the high-ranking agent of Baroque Works—Mr. 2 Bon Kurei.
Though he was an enemy agent, at this moment, neither side knew the other's identity. Furthermore, Mr. 2's flamboyant, almost "idiotic" personality sparked an immediate chemical reaction with the Straw Hat "Idiot Trio."
Ten minutes later...
"Ready—and!!"
"Turn left! Turn right! Kick!!"
On the deck, Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Mr. 2 were arm-in-arm, lined up in a row, performing a perfectly synchronized, hypnotic "Can-Can" dance.
"Wahahaha! You're so much fun, Bon-chan!" Luffy laughed until tears came to his eyes.
"This is true friendship! Straw-chan!" Mr. 2 sobbed, equally moved.
On the second deck, Viktor and Nami sat in chairs, watching the chaotic dancing below. Viktor sipped his tea, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan active as he observed the scene with a faint smile.
"To commemorate our meeting, let me show you my ultimate technique!" Mr. 2 suddenly stopped dancing and gave a mysterious grin. He raised his right hand and lightly slapped his own cheek.
Slap!
In the next second, that heavily made-up face transformed instantly, turning into Luffy's face!
"I'm Luffy! I want meat!" Mr. 2 mimicked Luffy's voice and expression with uncanny precision.
"Eh?!! It's me?!!" Luffy's jaw hit the deck in shock.
Next, Mr. 2 transformed into Zoro, Usopp, and even the non-human Chopper. Except for the original nose remaining, the physical likeness was nearly identical.
Slap!
Finally, he touched his face with his left hand, reverting instantly to his original flamboyant self.
"This is the power of the Clone-Clone Fruit! My right hand transforms me into anyone I touch, including their body! My left hand restores me to normal! How about it? Pretty amazing, right?"
"Whoa!! What an incredible ability!!" Nami gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. "It's a perfect disguise! You'd never be able to tell!"
"Caw!!"
At that moment, Klay landed on Nami's shoulder. The black crow flapped his wings, staring at Mr. 2 with disdain. "Big Sis, don't make such a fuss. That's just a low-tier ability, nothing compared to the Great Master Klay! Coo-coo caw!"
Viktor ignored his pet's boasting. He watched Mr. 2 through his Sharingan, analyzing the process. Oh? It's not just the exterior... Viktor noted the flow of energy and the shifting bone structure. Even the vocal cords are replicated. It's a perfect infiltration ability.
However... Viktor's eyes fell on Mr. 2's hands. The trigger requires the right hand to touch the face, and the reversal is the left hand. As long as he understood the mechanics, the "perfect" disguise had its cracks.
Soon, Mr. 2's subordinates arrived in their signature swan ship to pick him up. Before leaving, Mr. 2 stood at the prow, weeping as he waved to Luffy and the others. The feeling of "kindred spirits meeting too late" affected everyone.
"Our time was short, but friendship is not measured by time!!" he cried. "This is—the Way of the Okama!!!"
"Waaaaah! Bon-chan! Goodbye!!" Luffy waved back.
Once the swan ship vanished into the mist, Vivi, who had been hiding in the cabin too terrified to come out, finally emerged. She was pale and trembling.
"That man..." Vivi took a shaky breath. "The one you were just dancing with... he is a high-ranking agent of Baroque Works, Mr. 2 Bon Kurei!"
"What?!" The crew was shocked. "He's an enemy?!"
"Yes... and his ability is terrifying." Vivi clenched her fists. "If he transformed into a king, he could easily start a war and destroy an entire nation!"
The mood on the ship turned somber. If the enemy could freely mimic their comrades and slip among them, they could no longer trust their own eyes. It was a recipe for internal collapse.
"We need a plan," Zoro muttered, hand resting on his sword hilt. "Since we're heading to Alabasta, we have to prevent this. We need a mark that only we know."
"A mark, huh..."
Viktor stepped forward, pulling a black waterproof pen from his pocket. "Zoro is right, but a simple mark isn't enough."
Viktor uncapped the pen, recalling the information his Sharingan had gathered. "That guy's ability relies on his right hand touching his face to activate. More importantly, he can't use his 'Okama Kenpo' while maintaining a transformation. To stop him from confusing us, this mark has to be hidden somewhere not visible at first glance."
Viktor grabbed Luffy's arm and drew a large black "X" on his left wrist. Then, he took out white bandages and wrapped them tightly around the mark, leaving only the plain white bandage visible.
"Everyone, draw this mark on your left arm and wrap it in bandages."
Viktor drew the mark for everyone. Looking at the somewhat conspicuous white bandage on his arm, Sanji puffed out a cloud of smoke and grumbled, "What's this? It's so ugly. It doesn't suit my aesthetic at all."
"Huh?" Zoro tied his bandage and glanced at him with a cold smirk. "I think it looks fine. It's your curly-browed taste that's the problem."
"What did you say, Marimo?!"
Just as the two were about to start another brawl...
"Shishishi!"
Luffy looked at the "X" hidden beneath the bandage, a brilliant smile spreading across his face. He raised his bandaged left arm high toward the misty sea and shouted:
"Listen up, everyone! No matter what happens! No matter what this arm looks like!"
"This is the proof of our bond!!!"
"OH!!!!!"
The crew raised their left arms in unison, their cheers echoing across the Merry and scattering the gloom of the mist. Viktor watched them, the smile on his face deepening. He glanced at the bandage on his own left arm before looking toward the horizon.
"The mist is clearing."
"Alabasta... here we come."
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