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In the heart of Little Garden, the bonfire party had ended, giving way to a chaotic "superpower party."
The event resulted in many Marines acquiring temporary 15-minute superpowers or bizarre negative buffs.
Some Marines soared freely through the skies over Little Garden, while others transformed into various animals. A few, like Mr. 5 earlier, turned into piles of flying objects. The negative buffs were equally varied—hair turning green, temporary diabetes insipidus, loss of vision, and more.
Initially, Ikki's goal had been simple: use Mr. 5 and Mr. 3 to generate new jelly beans until he found one capable of curing Nami's ailment. But curiosity got the better of one Marine, who recklessly decided to try a jelly bean himself.
From there, chaos erupted. Soon, all the Marine soldiers were lining up to sample Ikki's jelly beans. Even Smoker joined in.
The jelly bean Smoker ate granted him the ability to transform into a sword. Unfortunately, he couldn't control the transformation and was stuck in this form for 15 minutes.
Tashigi, ever the dedicated adjutant, was thrilled. After all, her commander had transformed into what she now declared the "Famous Sword Smoker."
Seizing the opportunity, Tashigi began testing the blade, marveling at its balance and craftsmanship. Smoker, unable to resist or even speak in his sword form, could only endure the situation.
After refreshing hundreds of jelly beans, Ikki finally hit the jackpot: one labeled [Cure All Diseases].
He sighed in relief, realizing just how much luck played a role in the refresh process. His previous attempts had been much quicker, but this time, it had taken countless tries. Thankfully, the enthusiastic participation of the Marines had significantly sped up the process. Relying solely on Mr. 5 and Mr. 3 would have been an exhausting ordeal.
With the life-saving jelly bean in hand, Ikki turned his attention to Dorry and Brogy. The two giants had returned to their original forms and were now feasting to replenish their strength.
Brogy noticed Ikki looking his way, wiped his hands clean of oil, and grinned. "Boy Ikki, don't forget what you promised me..."
Before Brogy could finish, Ikki revealed two round metallic spheres about the size of basketballs. At first glance, they appeared unremarkable, but their functionality was anything but ordinary.
"These," Ikki explained, "are 3D special effects projectors."
The spheres, when paired with a sensor belt, would hover above the user's head, projecting spectacular special effects upon command. For the giants, however, the belts were far too small. Instead, the sensor had been modified into rings they could wear on their fingers.
Ikki proceeded to teach Dorry and Brogy how to use the 3D projectors.
Soon, the two were experimenting with their new gadgets, shouting commands and laughing heartily as dazzling effects filled the air around them.
The 3D projection equipment Ikki provided had an impressive range, with a radius of 100 meters. The special effects were grand enough to completely envelop even the massive forms of Dorry and Brogy.
After learning how to use the device, Dorry was the first to activate a special effect.
A massive stone door materialized before him. As he strode forward, the door shattered into countless pieces, and green flames erupted from within. Dorry emerged through the fiery spectacle with an imposing stride, the scene brimming with dramatic flair.
The awe-inspiring display sent Luffy into a frenzy of excitement. He leaped up and clung to Ikki's neck, practically begging for his own set of special effects.
Currently, however, there were only two 3D projectors.
Ikki had originally designed the devices for personal use, intending to showcase their various flashy effects. But since he had promised Brogy a set, he wasn't about to break his word.
"These are just bronze-level items," Ikki explained as he pried Luffy off his neck. "They're not too hard to get. I might even find better ones later. I'll give you one next time."
Luffy pouted, disappointed to learn that there were only two projectors.
Just then, Brogy activated his device.
Two towering stone dragons, tens of meters high, appeared before him. As their eyes glowed orange, red-orange flames engulfed their forms, and they transformed into lifelike flying dragons. The dragons soared apart, revealing Brogy stepping forward from behind them. Around him, volcanic eruptions burst into the air, creating a spectacularly dramatic scene.
Both Brogy and Dorry were thrilled with their new gadgets. The 3D projectors would allow them to create awe-inspiring entrances during future battles.
With the giants satisfied, Ikki took out his small light and used it on them once more. After they had returned to their shrunken forms, he produced a letter from his belongings.
"Uncle Dorry, Uncle Brogy," Ikki said, holding the letter out to them. "This is an appointment letter for our private Marine. It's not part of the official Marine forces, so you'll have a lot of freedom. All you need to do is sign here, and you'll officially be private Marines!"
The two giants exchanged a glance before signing without hesitation. They were confident in their own strength, and they trusted the Straw Hats enough to believe this wasn't a trick.
Afterward, Luffy tilted his head in confusion. "So… are we taking the uncles with us to sea? That's great! But… the Going Merry seems too small. Or are we going to use the small light all the time?"
Ikki shook his head. "Who said being private Marines means they have to join our ship? And as for the small light, it's not a permanent solution—it has a time limit. We can't expect them to stay shrunken forever."
The real reason, of course, was that the giants wouldn't leave until their duel was decided, unless something urgent happened in Elbaf.
Turning to Smoker and Tashigi, Ikki grinned. "What about you two? How about signing up too? Once you do, you'll also be part of the private Marine!"
Smoker frowned slightly, but Tashigi looked intrigued. To her, signing the letter felt like playing pretend—it didn't seem like it would change her status as a proper Marine.
Seeing Smoker's hesitation, Ikki pressed on. "If you ever decide to leave the Marines, our private Marine can be your backup plan!"
Smoker hesitated. As a Marine known for his uncompromising sense of justice, he often clashed with the World Government's decisions. If the day ever came when his beliefs conflicted too strongly with their actions, he might indeed leave.
After a moment, Smoker stepped forward and signed the letter.
Handing the pen back, Smoker looked Ikki in the eye. "I hope your private Marine stays clean. If you start committing crimes, I'll take you down myself."
Smoker's tone was cold and firm, but as the Straw Hats whispered behind Ikki, his face flushed red.
Nami: "Isn't this what they call a tsundere?"
Usopp: "Totally! He signed it and still acts tough!"
Sanji: "Tsundere girls are cuter, though."
Luffy: "What's a tsundere? Can I eat it?"