Thanks to Leo's presence on the ship, the crew of the Going Merry didn't face a food crisis—even though Luffy had once again stolen and devoured an enormous amount of food. With his abilities, Leo made sure the pantry was always well-stocked, much to the relief of everyone aboard.
So when Bentham—better known as Mr. 2—asked for a bowl of soup, despite having put on a noticeable amount of weight, Sanji didn't hesitate to prepare a steaming, delicious meal.
Before long, Bentham set down his empty bowl with a satisfied sigh, patting his full belly. The hot soup, rich with flavor and perfectly seasoned, had clearly left an impression on him.
"This soup... It's incredible! Thank you so much!" Bentham declared dramatically, clasping his hands together and closing his eyes in a deep bow. "Not only did you save me, but you even fed me the most delicious soup I've had in ages! Truly, I'm touched!"
Luffy squatted beside him, grinning with his usual childlike curiosity. "So, you can't swim?"
"That's right!" Bentham nodded with a flourish. "I ate a Devil Fruit, after all."
At the mention of Devil Fruit, Usopp's eyes lit up with interest. "Whoa, really? What kind of Devil Fruit did you eat?"
On the Merry, only Luffy and Chopper had eaten Devil Fruits, so Usopp's curiosity was natural. The mysterious and often ridiculous powers these fruits bestowed had always fascinated him.
"Well then," Bentham stood up and twirled dramatically, "since my ship hasn't arrived yet and we've got some time to kill, allow me to give you all a demonstration!"
Without warning, he lunged forward and slapped Luffy across the face.
Luffy leaned back just in time, dodging the slap with a surprised expression. "Hey! What was that for?"
Bentham looked at his hand with confusion, clearly not expecting Luffy to avoid the hit. Then he smiled sheepishly. "Ah, my apologies! I didn't mean to startle you. It's part of the demonstration. To use my ability, I need to touch someone's face. May I?"
"Sure!" Luffy replied with no hesitation, stepping closer with a big grin.
As Bentham's hand made contact with Luffy's cheek, Zoro, Sanji, and the others instantly tensed, eyes narrowing as they prepared for a potential attack.
But in the blink of an eye, Bentham's body shimmered—and transformed.
Standing before them now was another Luffy. Identical in every detail. His face, his messy black hair, his trademark straw hat—even his voice.
Everyone froze in disbelief. "He looks exactly like Luffy!" Usopp gasped.
Even Leo raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the transformation. This was a Devil Fruit ability he hadn't seen before. "Interesting," he muttered. "A transformation-type ability?"
"Hahaha! Surprised, aren't you?" Bentham laughed, still in Luffy's form. "Don't worry, I can revert it easily!"
He slapped himself on the face and reverted to his original flamboyant self.
Leo winced slightly at the force of the self-inflicted slap. "Ouch. That's got to sting. Doesn't he realize how much damage that could do to an adult?"
Bentham puffed out his chest and raised a dramatic hand. "This, my friends, is the power of the Clone-Clone Fruit! I can become anyone I've touched—appearance, voice, even their mannerisms!"
Luffy, Nami, and Usopp gasped. "Even the voice? That's insane!"
Fueled by their amazed reactions, Bentham began transforming into various members of the crew: Usopp, Zoro, Chopper, and then Nami.
However, the moment he imitated Nami and cheekily lifted the edge of "her" clothes, the real Nami materialized behind him like a storm.
WHAM!
One mighty punch to the back of his head sent him sprawling across the deck.
"You pervert!" Nami growled, steam practically rising from her head.
Despite the beating, Bentham was delighted. The more attention he got, the more he transformed, jumping from face to face with pride.
That is, until he accidentally transformed into someone unexpected.
A face flashed among his transformations that made Vivi freeze. Her eyes widened, and she immediately covered her mouth in alarm.
"Wait... was that...?" she whispered.
Bentham, still standing tall on tiptoe and spinning dramatically, announced, "I usually don't show my special abilities to just anyone! You're honored to have seen them!"
He struck a pose and launched into an exaggerated swan dance.
"SO COOL!!" Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper shouted, clapping and cheering like excited children at a festival. The three of them danced and sang along with him as if they'd been best friends for years.
Even Chopper, who usually prided himself on staying cautious, was now fully immersed in the antics of these lovable fools.
Just then, Nami turned away from the madness, only to spot something in the distance. "Hey, look! There's a ship approaching!"
Bentham turned to look. Sure enough, a ship was slowly sailing toward them.
"That's my ship!" he exclaimed.
Realizing that it was time to leave, Bentham stepped forward with a touch of sadness in his voice. But before he could take another step, Leo appeared beside him, one arm casually draped around Nami's shoulders.
"Hold on a second," Leo said smoothly. "Before you leave... can you do one more imitation for me?"
Bentham blinked. "Uh… sure?"
Leo pointed at Nami and grinned. "Her. One more time."
Though a little caught off guard, Bentham nodded and transformed into Nami again.
Now, with two identical Nami standing side by side, Leo stepped back and admired the sight with an amused smirk.
"Thanks. That was all I needed."
Bentham transformed back to his usual flamboyant self and made a dramatic farewell. "Well, the good times are always too short. But I must be going now!"
He turned his back, striking a cool pose. "Don't be sad. The depth of our friendship isn't measured by time—it's measured by the bond we've formed!"
Tears welled up in Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper's eyes.
"Mr. 2, see you again someday!" they cried, waving their arms dramatically.
"Young men, set sail!!" Bentham shouted as he boarded his ship.
"YES, MR. 2 BENTHAM!!" his crew echoed enthusiastically.
As the ship began to depart, a collective realization suddenly struck the crew of the Merry.
"...Wait a minute," Luffy blinked. "He's Mr. 2?"
"HE'S MR. 2 BENTHAM?!" Vivi shouted in shock, falling to her knees. "I didn't realize!"
"You didn't recognize him?" Luffy asked, dumbfounded.
"I... I've never seen Mr. 2 or Mr. 1 before!" Vivi cried, hands covering her face in embarrassment. "All I knew was that Mr. 2 is supposed to be a tall transvestite who speaks in a sissy voice and wears a swan coat with 'Bon Clay' written on the back!"
Everyone facepalmed in unison.
"With that many features, how could you not recognize him?!" Nami groaned.
But before the teasing could continue, Vivi's face turned pale.
"Just now... when he was showing off his transformation abilities, I saw my father's face. He... he used my father's image!"
The atmosphere instantly shifted.
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "If that guy pretends to be the king, it could cause serious chaos..."
Usopp folded his arms, deep in thought. "Yeah... if people can't tell the real from the fake, it'll be impossible to fight effectively."
Chopper blinked, completely lost. "Wait… So he's an enemy?"
Leo chuckled. "Technically, yes."
He pulled out a few Bailey to calm Nami, who looked like she was about to explode over being copied earlier. Then he jumped down from the second-floor deck with a graceful leap.
"Don't be in such a panic," Leo said calmly. "Didn't you feel it? He didn't copy the most important thing."
"Huh?" Nami asked, puzzled.
She touched her arm instinctively. A moment later, she chuckled, the tension lifting from her shoulders.
"You're right," she said, glancing at Leo with a wry smile. "He didn't."
Everyone looked around in confusion. Then, slowly, the realization dawned on them—except Luffy, of course, who continued scratching his head with a clueless expression.
"That guy might be able to copy appearances, voices, and even gestures..." Leo said, adjusting his gloves with a smirk, "But some things... can't be copied so easily."
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