The two Navy soldiers exchanged glances.
It wasn't that they didn't believe the shadow clone, but they were on a mission. Abandoning their post wasn't an option.
"You can stay here. If anyone comes after you, we'll handle it. You'll be safe with us," the taller Navy soldier promised confidently.
The shadow clone 'gratefully' nodded. "Thank you so much, kind Navy brothers~"
"No need to thank us. As Navy officers, it's our duty to protect those in need," the other soldier smiled.
"Wait a second!" The tall soldier suddenly caught on. "How did you know we're with the Navy?"
The shadow clone didn't miss a beat, chuckling. "I guessed. Do you believe me?"
"Uh…well…" The two soldiers exchanged uneasy looks.
"Hold up! Our mission's supposed to be top secret. Only a handful of people know. Who are you, really?" The tall soldier grew suspicious, now on high alert.
His companion, realizing the situation had taken a serious turn, immediately reached for the transponder snail they used to contact Aokiji directly.
But before he could use it, the shadow clone darted forward, snatching the transponder snail from his hand and crushing it right in front of them.
Navy soldiers: "!"
The clone casually flipped the wig's bangs out of his eyes, his tone smug. "Well, I guess I've been found out. No helping it now. The only ones who can keep secrets forever…are the dead. I'll just have to send you both on your way."
"Run! Get Aokiji!" The tall soldier shouted to his comrade.
But the clone wasn't going to let anyone escape. He quickly gathered energy in his hands, forming the iconic flower-shaped Kamehameha stance at his waist.
The tall soldier raised his gun, but before he could pull the trigger, the shadow clone unleashed the attack—a glowing blast of energy that shot forward like a meteor, striking him down with a scream.
The soldier collapsed, barely hanging on to life.
The second soldier, terrified, took off running.
The clone caught up in an instant, slamming him to the ground. Beneath the mask, the clone's lips curled into a wicked smile. "Where do you think you're going, little man~?"
"You won't get away with this!" The downed soldier shouted defiantly. "Aokiji is here! If he finds out—he'll destroy you!"
The clone stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Oh no, Aokiji? That's terrifying~! As if. Do you think I care about some admiral? Ha! I was trying to be quiet, you know? A calm and collected gentleman—or rather, a calm and collected lady. But looks like that plan's out the window. Time to shut you up for good."
The soldier tried to scream for help, but before he could even get the second syllable of "Aokiji" out, the clone blasted him point-blank with another Kamehameha, silencing him for good.
Unlike the original Takumi, who only fought when necessary, the shadow clone had no reservations. Good, bad, innocent—it didn't matter. If you were in the way, you were dead.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," the clone muttered, glancing at his now blood-stained skirt. "Definitely not an up-close kind of move. Look at this mess."
His eyes then landed on the barely-breathing tall soldier, unconscious but not quite dead yet. The clone picked up the fallen gun, ending the soldier's suffering with a single shot.
The commotion had been loud. It wouldn't be long before someone came to investigate.
Wasting no time, the shadow clone slipped into the storage room where the auction items were kept. Quickly locating the box containing the Silent Fruit, he snatched it up.
With the prize in hand, the clone returned to the supply closet where the greasy man was still passed out. After tearing off the bloodied part of his skirt, the clone slapped the man hard across the face.
The greasy man woke with a start, utterly confused. "Wha—what happened?"
The shadow clone immediately burst into fake sobs, pretending to be the victim. "You monster! How could you do this to me? I'll never forgive you!"
"Wait, what? What did I do?" The man panicked. "I didn't—I swear I didn't do anything! Don't cry!"
"Hmph! Playing dumb, are you?" The clone clutched the tattered remains of his skirt, dramatically running out of the room.
The greasy man stood there for a moment, bewildered, before chasing after him. "Wait! Don't run! If I did something wrong, I'll make it right, I swear!"
The clone ignored him, choosing the perfect moment to run into Aokiji and his entourage as they were heading back from the auction hall.
"Uh…what happened to your clothes?" Aokiji asked, stopping in his tracks.
The clone immediately turned on the waterworks, looking pitiful as ever—even behind the mask.
Right on cue, the greasy man came running after. "Hey, wait up! I'm sorry! Let me explain!"
The clone ducked behind Aokiji, feigning terror.
Seeing the situation, Aokiji quickly pieced together what must've happened.
"This scumbag!" one of the soldiers growled.
"Unbelievable! Assaulting a girl in a place like this—what a monster!"
"We can't let him get away with this, Admiral Aokiji!"
"Don't worry, little miss. We'll make sure no one lays a hand on you again!"
The clone nodded meekly.
Aokiji, though he couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was off, was too tired to figure it out. "Yeah, you should go now," he said.
"Thank you," the clone replied softly, smiling behind the mask as the soldiers escorted him out under the guise of protection.
Meanwhile, the greasy man was left dumbfounded, surrounded by angry Navy soldiers.
The shadow clone smoothly slipped out of the building, walking down the street towards the inn where the real Takumi was staying. As he passed through an alleyway, a cold voice greeted him from the shadows.
"Nice work."
The clone grinned, jogging over to where Takumi stood waiting. "Told ya, didn't I? That Silent Fruit was as good as mine."
With a smirk, the clone pulled up the hem of his puffy skirt, revealing the Devil Fruit tied securely to his thigh.
That was the reason he had chosen the puffed-out skirt. Since he didn't have access to the system's storage space like Takumi, this was the perfect place to stash the fruit.
Takumi: "…"
For some reason, looking at the fruit, Takumi suddenly wasn't sure if he even wanted it anymore…
The clone unstrapped the fruit and handed it over.
Takumi hesitated for a moment before finally taking it. As soon as he did, the system's voice chimed in his head.
[Ding! Silent Fruit acquired. Progress +20%. Current total: 60%. Reward: Giraffe Model Zoan Devil Fruit.]
Takumi stood there, speechless.
Great. Another fruit.
************
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