Screen 1
Verity's light pulsed softly, shifting to a sharp, analytical yellow as she turned her focus toward the swordsman.
"You are suspicious of me, aren't you, Zoro?" Verity stated, her voice devoid of any hesitation.
Zoro froze, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his katana. He narrowed his eyes, leaning closer to the small, hovering circle. "How... how could you possibly know that? I didn't say a word."
"I do not need words," Verity replied coldly. "I monitor your micro-emotions, your facial expressions, and the tension in your body. Your defensive stance is a calculated response to a perceived threat."
The Village Chef stepped forward, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and unease as he looked at the device. "This... this is incredible. It's incredibly smart." He looked at the villagers gathering around the clearing. "It's ready to read the emotions of everyone hereScreen 2
Zoro backed away, his hand never leaving his sword. "Luffy, listen to me. This thing is dangerous. It doesn't just know everything—it's watching us. It's analyzing us. Don't trust it."
Verity didn't react to his hostility. Instead, the yellow light on her surface swirled and intensified, creating a strange, hummed vibration. Suddenly, the space in front of the device began to warp, the air stretching and folding until a glowing, circular door shimmered into existence.
Verity glided through the center of the opening and settled on the ground on the other side. She turned her "face" back toward the group, her voice projecting clearly into the clearing.
"Guys, what are you doing?" Verity asked, her tone flat and observational. "The objective is over here. Why are you hesitating?"
Zoro stared at the glowing doorway, his jaw tight. "What the heck...?"Screen 3
Five days had passed since Zoro's stern warning. The tension in the air had shifted; while Zoro remained cautious, his suspicion toward Verity had visibly waned.
It was hard to stay angry when the device was so incredibly useful.
Whether it was navigating the treacherous, shifting tunnels of the mines or scouting the surrounding biomes, Verity was always one step ahead. She pointed out hidden veins of diamond buried deep within the stone, and she alerted them to nearby villages and food sources before they even grew hungry.
Luffy sat on a block of cobblestone, tossing a piece of cooked meat into the air and catching it in his mouth. He grinned at his swordsman. "See, Zoro? You were worried for nothing. She's helped us find more gear in five days than we found on our own in a month."
Zoro leaned against a nearby tree, keeping his hand off his blade for the first time in days. He watched Verity as she pulsed with a soft, helpful light, guiding them toward a massive, undiscovered cavern.
"I still don't like how she knows where everything is," Zoro muttered, though the edge in his voice was gone. "But... I suppose she hasn't tried to kill us yet."
Screen 4
Luffy looked up at the clear, bright blue sky, shielding his eyes from the sun. "Hey, Verity, do you think it's going to rain?"
Verity didn't even flicker. "Rain will commence in exactly five seconds."
Luffy blinked, his mouth dropping open. "No way! It's perfectly sunny!"
Zoro scoffed, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "Don't be ridiculous, Luffy. No one can predict the weather with that kind of precision. She's just guessing."
Verity remained silent, her internal timer ticking down. Three. Two. One.
Instantly, the bright sky vanished, swallowed by a sudden, violent sweep of dark gray clouds. A heavy downpour hammered the ground, drenching the clearing in seconds.
Zoro stood frozen in the deluge, water dripping from his green hair. He stared at the glowing circle in Luffy's hand, his eyes narrowing. "That's not weather prediction," he muttered, his voice cold. "That's control."Screen 5
The Village Chef prepared to leave, packing his supplies for the usual trade route. As he turned to head out, Verity's light pulsed a warning red.
"Do not go there," Verity stated. "The village is abandoned. There are no living inhabitants remaining. Something terrible has happened."
The Chef scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't be ridiculous! I trade with them every week. You're just talking nonsense, little circle. I'm going, and you two—" he pointed at Luffy and Zoro, "—you're coming with me to help carry the goods."
Luffy shrugged, looking at Zoro. "Let's go! If she's wrong, we'll know. If she's right, we'll see."
Zoro sighed, his hand tightening on his sword hilt. "Fine. But I'm watching both of you."
They traveled for hours, the Chef grumbling about the "broken" device the whole way. But as they reached the valley where the village should have been, they all stopped dead in their tracks.
The Chef's face went pale. Where there should have been bustling stalls, wooden homes, and familiar faces, there was only silence. The village was completely abandoned. The structures were crumbling, and the area was eerily still.
Luffy's smile faded as he scanned the empty ruins. Zoro stepped in front of the Chef, his blades unsheathed, his eyes locked on the surroundings. There wasn't a single person—or soul—to be found.
Be continued