In Makino's tavern, Kaito Sakamoto held out his bracelet, and in a flash, it transformed into a flintlock pistol, almost like a magic trick. Benn Beckman watched, visibly surprised.
"You know magic tricks too?" he asked.
Kaito didn't reply. He rotated his arm, and the pistol shifted into a dagger. Another twist, and it reverted back to the bracelet. Beckman observed the bracelet, now certain it was no ordinary trinket.
"I found it," Kaito said with a smirk. "It can change into any weapon I need."
"Hm… a Devil Fruit, perhaps? The Navy has developed ways to give objects Devil Fruit powers," Beckman remarked, his gaze narrowing with curiosity. "But as far as I know, only the Navy possesses that kind of technology."
"I'm not with the Navy," Kaito said, a slight edge to his voice. "The Navy has its good and bad, but mainly, they serve the Celestial Dragons. I'm from Loguetown, working with my crew to escort merchant ships. We stick to the four seas; the Grand Line's too dangerous for us. I picked up this bracelet on a job. No one was watching, so I kept it."
Kaito's expression darkened as he continued. "A few days ago, we were ambushed by a powerful group. I think they were after this bracelet. Thanks to my Fruit ability, I managed to escape with my crewmates' help, but I got hurt and fell from the sky, right into Vice Admiral Garp and Luffy's path."
Kaito gave a more detailed version of his story than the one he'd told Garp. Beckman flicked his cigarette and crushed it under his heel.
"So, you want me to teach you gun skills for revenge?" Beckman asked. "What kind of Devil Fruit did you eat?"
"Everyone needs a goal. Revenge is definitely one of mine," Kaito replied, taking a sip of grape juice to moisten his throat. "I have the Copy-Copy Fruit. It lets me replicate other people's abilities."
"Replicate them directly? Is that even possible?" Beckman looked at him, skeptical but intrigued. If it was true, it would make his years of training meaningless.
"It's got limitations," Kaito admitted. "I can only replicate about half of someone's strength, and it doesn't last forever. I have to copy it again when the effect fades. But if it's a skill-based ability, I can remember the technique, which makes learning it a lot easier."
Beckman lit a fresh cigarette and eyed Kaito with newfound interest. "The Copy-Copy Fruit, huh? Fine. You want me to teach you, right? Show me what you've got first, and if I'm impressed, I'll teach you."
"Lucky!" Beckman suddenly called. The Red-Haired Pirates' cook, Lucky Roo, turned around just in time to see Beckman aim his gun at him with a casual flick upwards.
Lucky grinned, showing his teeth, and, without hesitation, bit into a hunk of meat with his right hand, grabbed an empty bottle with his left, and tossed it into the air. Beckman raised his gun, pulling the trigger in one fluid motion.
"Bang!" Smoke puffed from the barrel as the bottle shattered mid-air.
The crew erupted in cheers, amazed by Beckman's skill. Even Luffy watched with stars in his eyes, thinking how cool it looked.
"You've lost it, Benn," Shanks teased, the only one daring enough to joke with Beckman.
Beckman ignored Shanks, blew smoke from the barrel, holstered his gun, and looked at Kaito. "Your turn."
Kaito raised his hand, and the flintlock pistol materialized in his grip. Closing his eyes, he concentrated, activating his Fruit ability to replay Beckman's moves in his mind like a slow-motion reel: drawing, aiming, firing. When he opened his eyes, his hand felt oddly steady, as though he'd practiced for years.
"Lucky, give him a hand," Beckman called. Lucky, chewing his meat, picked up a bottle without questioning, tossing it high.
Kaito raised his pistol. "Bang!" The bullet flew in slow motion, accompanied by a ripple of air, piercing through the bottle's neck and leaving Lucky catching the bottle by its broken top.
"Ooooooh!!" The crew roared in surprise, impressed by Kaito's accuracy.
"Who would've thought, Kaito!" the crewmates shouted in awe. They hadn't expected the boy in the wheelchair to have such skill.
Even the legendary sniper, Yasopp, nodded in approval. Without years of practice, it was hard to reach that level, though he didn't know this was Kaito's very first time holding a gun.