The silence after Bon Clay's retreat stretched uncomfortably long, broken only by the creak of the mast and the steady slap of waves against the hull.
"That guy…" Vivi finally said, her voice tight, "…that was really Mr. 2?"
Luffy leaned against the railing, eyes half-lidded, gaze fixed on the horizon where the paddle ship had vanished. "Yeah. Clone-Clone. One of the nastier abilities Crocodile could've assigned to reconnaissance."
Nami clicked her tongue. "So he's seen our faces. All of them. And he can be any of us."
"That alone is bad," Usopp muttered, rubbing his arms. "But why do I feel like that's not the worst part?"
Vivi swallowed. "Because it isn't." She clenched her fists, forcing herself to continue. "When he was changing… for a split second, I saw memories. Faces he'd copied before."
Luffy's eyes sharpened. "And?"
"…My father," Vivi said quietly.
The words landed heavier than a cannonball.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Zoro was the first to break the silence. "So Crocodile has someone who can impersonate the king perfectly. Voice. Face. Mannerisms."
"Which means riots, false orders, executions, betrayals," Nojiko added grimly. "All without ever lifting a weapon."
Luffy exhaled slowly. "Yeah. I'll give Crocodile credit for that one. It's a clean way to rot a country from the inside."
Usopp scratched his head nervously. "We really let a walking disaster stroll off our deck, didn't we?"
"And worse," Nami said, stepping forward, her tone sharp and focused, "once Baroque Works realizes we're the main threat, Mr. 2 can turn into any one of us. Confuse allies. Frame us. Tear the crew apart from inside."
She didn't say it, but everyone felt it: they hadn't been together long. Trust existed—but it was still young.
Luffy stared at the deck for a few seconds, then laughed softly.
That caught everyone off guard.
"…Captain?" Chopper asked carefully.
"It's dangerous," Luffy admitted. "No denying that." He straightened, eyes bright now, sharp in a way that made Zoro's mouth curve into a faint grin. "But knowing the trick means we can break it."
"How?" Usopp asked.
"By making something he can't copy."
Luffy clapped his hands once. "Alright. Everyone gather up. Johnny—go grab Sanji."
Johnny sprinted below deck. The crew formed a loose circle around Luffy, Karoo waddling in and flapping his wings as if he understood the gravity of the moment.
Luffy reached into his coat, digging around exaggeratedly.
Out came… a black marker.
A collective sweat drop followed.
"…Captain," Zoro said flatly, "please tell me this isn't what I think it is."
Luffy grinned. "Left arm. Everyone. Karoo too."
As confused as they were, they obeyed.
One by one, Luffy marked a bold X on the inside of each left wrist. No ceremony. No flourish. Just deliberate strokes.
Johnny and Sanji arrived just in time to receive theirs.
When Luffy finished, he drew the mark on himself and held his arm out.
"This," he said simply, "is how we know who's real. No matter what face someone wears. No matter what voice they use." His gaze swept across the crew. "And more than that—it's proof we're friends."
The tension eased, replaced by smiles, nods, quiet determination.
"Aye, Captain," they answered together.
"Cover it up when you can," Luffy added casually. "No point advertising."
Zoro smirked. "Simple. Effective."
Before anyone could say more, the ship lurched violently.
"Whoa—!" Usopp yelped as the deck tilted beneath them.
The sea churned. Water frothed. A massive shadow rose from the depths beside the Merry.
"What the hell is that?!" Yosaku shouted, weapon ready.
A gigantic, cat-like sea creature emerged, eyes glowing as it loomed over the ship.
"A sea cat!" Vivi cried. "They're sacred in Alabasta!"
Zoro froze mid-draw. "…You're kidding."
"I'm not!" Vivi snapped. "You can't kill it!"
Zoro sighed, sheathing his swords. "Fine. I'll just glare at it."
Luffy didn't even move.
Thunder cracked.
The sound rolled across the sea like a divine warning.
The sea cat shrieked and dove back beneath the waves, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.
Vivi smiled softly. "We're close."
Nojiko pointed aft. "Closer than you think."
Dozens of ships dotted the horizon behind them.
Usopp peered through his scope. "…All Baroque Works."
"The gathering has begun," Vivi whispered.
Luffy's grin returned—wide, dangerous. "Ignore them. They're not the target."
His eyes burned with intent.
"Nanohana," he said. "We dock quietly."
As the desert island of Alabasta rose ahead, Vivi stood beside him on the upper deck, watching her homeland come into view.
"You planning something reckless?" she asked quietly.
Luffy didn't look away from the shore. "Always."
The Going Merry slipped toward the sands of Nanohana—toward war, deception, and the heart of Crocodile's web.
And Luffy was smiling.