The shadow clone had just grabbed Sabo's pipe and was about to leave when—
Suddenly, a yellow laser beam shot toward them from the distance.
Both the shadow clone and Sabo immediately sensed the danger. Without a second thought, the shadow clone grabbed Sabo's arm and whisked him out of the way, narrowly dodging the incoming laser.
The beam grazed the edge of the clone's mask and hit the ground behind them with a loud boom, leaving a large crater.
"Well, well, well… you managed to dodge that. How scary." Kizaru's familiar, mocking voice echoed from the distance.
In the blink of an eye, Kizaru appeared at the spot where the clone and Sabo had just been standing, near the outskirts of the 29th area.
By that time, the shadow clone had already vanished with Sabo, leaving only the Revolutionary Army members behind, staring wide-eyed.
Kizaru turned his gaze to them, scratching his head, and lazily asked, "Are you guys with the Revolutionary Army?"
Their faces turned pale as they nervously took a couple of steps back, swallowing hard. Hoping for the best, they shook their heads in denial.
Kizaru scratched his head again and said in his usual lazy tone, "If not, then don't wander around at night."
With that, Kizaru followed the trail left by the shadow clone and Sabo, chasing after them once again.
Once he left, the Revolutionary soldiers let out a collective sigh of relief.
"He really is a freakin' Admiral… So powerful…"
"What do we do? You think Sabo is in trouble?"
"Don't be ridiculous! There was that masked girl with him, right? She seemed pretty strong. I'm sure they'll be fine!"
"So, what do we do now? Should we wait here for Sabo to come back?"
"This place isn't safe. Let's head back to the ship. Sabo will probably look for us there."
"Yeah, that's our best option."
After coming to an agreement, the group quickly ran off in the direction of their hidden ship.
Meanwhile, the shadow clone brought Sabo to the tourist district in the 45th area.
The Sabaody night market was as lively as ever.
People bustled up and down the busy streets, and the place was filled with energy.
As they landed, the clone's mask, already cracked from Kizaru's earlier attack, finally shattered and fell to the ground.
Under the bright lights of the marketplace, Sabo saw the clone's face, and his eyes went wide in shock.
"Wait… You… You're Nakamura?! I knew it! You do know Ivankov!" Sabo exclaimed, taking a half-step back, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion.
The shadow clone, acting completely unfazed, rubbed his face and pretended to look shy. "What are you talking about? I'm not Takumi. You must be thinking of my brother."
Sabo blinked in disbelief. "Your… brother?"
"Yeah," the clone muttered. "I'm Nakamura Mumu. I have a twin brother, Takumi."
"Uh…" Sabo's mouth twitched. "Are you sure you're not messing with me?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" The shadow clone huffed in mock anger. "People always confuse us because we look so much alike. That's why I wear a mask! And now you're doubting me after I just saved your life? Ugh, what a waste of effort!"
Sabo scratched the back of his head, giving a sheepish grin. "Uh… No, I didn't mean to doubt you… It's just… you two really do look exactly the same."
"Of course, we look alike, but we're totally different! I'm cheerful and outgoing, while my brother's got a terrible temper. He's practically a sword-obsessed drunk who never goes anywhere without his sword and his flask. Do you really think I'd rescue you bare-handed if I were him? Seriously, use your brain," the shadow clone retorted.
Sabo thought for a moment, then laughed awkwardly. "Heh… You're right. I guess I did misunderstand. My bad."
"Hmph! You still don't look like you believe me. What, you want me to strip and prove it?" The shadow clone teased, taking a step closer with a mischievous grin.
Sabo panicked, taking several steps back and waving his hands frantically. "No, no! I believe you! Don't come any closer!"
"Tch. Coward." The clone rolled his eyes, brushing his wig back with one hand. But just then, his playful expression froze. In a flash, he threw what was left of his money at a nearby stall, grabbed two masks, put one on, and tossed the other to Sabo.
"Uh, what's this for?" Sabo asked, catching the mask.
The clone put his mask on and said, "Kizaru's coming. He won't start a fight here in the crowd, but you should find your friends and get off Sabaody as soon as possible. Don't worry about me—I'll buy you some time."
"Wait, are you insane? That's an Admiral you're talking about! You can't take him on alone!" Sabo protested.
"Enough with the questions! I said I'll handle it, now get lost." The clone snapped, glaring at Sabo.
If Takumi hadn't ordered him to protect Sabo, the clone would've punched him long ago.
Sabo stood there, clearly conflicted.
"And one more thing," the clone suddenly added, his tone serious. "Don't mention me or my brother to anyone. If you do, I'll kill you myself."
Sabo's expression hardened as he nodded. "I won't say a word. But… why are you helping me? You and your brother… You don't have to go up against an Admiral for my sake."
"Ugh, you're so annoying," the clone grumbled. "I'm not fighting Kizaru head-on, just drawing him away. Besides, even if I do get into trouble, my brother will come save me. No offense, but compared to him, you guys are nothing."
Sabo rubbed his head where the clone had knocked him earlier, grumbling, "You didn't have to hit me so hard…"
Without another word, the shadow clone activated Shunpo and vanished into the crowd.
Sabo looked around, but there was no trace of him.
At that moment, Kizaru stepped into the marketplace, his eyes scanning the area.
The shadow clone, now going by the name Mumu, appeared a few feet in front of him, toying with his wig and speaking in a teasing, high-pitched voice. "Well, well… Is this handsome young man looking for me?"
Kizaru stopped in his tracks, his gaze resting on Mumu, who stood just three meters away. Scratching his face, Kizaru mumbled, "Hmm… So you're not running anymore? That's strange. Is this a trap?"
Mumu smirked, curling a finger toward Kizaru in a taunting gesture. "You. Come here."
Kizaru: "…"
"Such a reckless little brat," Kizaru sighed, sounding like he'd been forced to work overtime. In the blink of an eye, he appeared right in front of Mumu, aiming a kick at him.
But Mumu, with lightning-fast reflexes, disappeared using Shunpo.
Kizaru immediately transformed into light and chased after him.
Both of them moved so quickly that in a matter of seconds, they had already vanished from the bustling street.
As Kizaru pursued, he fired laser beams at the clone, but each one missed, failing to hit the agile Mumu.
This game of cat and mouse went on until midnight, just as Mumu's time was about to run out. The clone suddenly stopped, turned to face Kizaru's incoming laser, and braced himself.
With a loud boom, a flash of light filled the area, and the clone vanished as if blown to pieces by the explosion.
Meanwhile, back on the ship, Takumi—who had been casually reading—suddenly saw the clone's memories flash through his mind like a movie reel.
The book in his hand crumbled to dust as he clenched it tightly.
************
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