The waves had settled since Alvida's ship drifted off into nothing. Luffy stood at the bow of their raft, one leg propped like a true pirate—if you ignored the fact he had jelly smeared on his cheek and a bone in his hand.
Vihaan sat nearby, knees folded, eyes closed, the sea breeze running fingers through his hair.
He was thinking about his Devil Fruit again.
He'd always assumed it was just illusions—just reflections in mirrors. But that last move, copying Alvida's own stumbling motion and slamming her against herself... it wasn't just visual.
It was real.
There was weight in his mirrors. Power in shadows. Intent in his reflections.
The Kagami Kagami no Mi was more than a gimmick—it was dangerous.
"Hey!"
Luffy's shout jolted him from his thoughts.
Vihaan snapped his eyes open. "What?"
"There's a barrel!"
Vihaan followed Luffy's gaze—sure enough, something round bobbed in the water, not far off their starboard side.
"Drifted from Alvida's ship?" Vihaan guessed.
"Let's open it!"
Vihaan raised a brow. "Could be sake. Or cannonballs. Or cursed gold."
"Or snacks!"
"…You're impossible."
Luffy used his extended arm to reel it in. The barrel was heavy, sealed tight. He pried open the lid—
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
A pink-haired boy in tattered clothes burst out, gasping, eyes wide like a frightened deer. He looked around wildly, noticed the two strangers—and shrieked again.
"WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!"
Vihaan leaned back, unimpressed. "You've got good lungs."
"I—uh—I—WHO ARE—?! WHERE'S ALVIDA?!"
"On a diet," Luffy said casually. "We punched her into the sea."
The boy blinked. "You… defeated her?"
"Yep!" Luffy grinned. "I'm Luffy. That's Vihaan. We're pirates!"
"Co-captains," Vihaan corrected.
The boy trembled. "I'm Koby. I was… her cabin boy. For two years."
His voice cracked.
Vihaan watched him closely. There was fear, yes—but something else. Determination buried under layers of fear.
"You gonna scream again?" he asked.
Koby shook his head violently. "No sir."
"Then come aboard."
Koby blinked. "What?"
Luffy pulled him up onto the raft. "You're free now!"
Koby looked at the waves, then at the sky—then burst into tears.
Vihaan sighed. "You'll get used to him."
That night, as Luffy and Koby snored beside a crackling lantern, Vihaan sat alone on the deck. He held the cracked pendant between his fingers.
"Reflect," he whispered.
A shimmer. A faint clone of himself formed again—wavy and transparent, like heat on stone.
But this time, Vihaan didn't make it attack.
Instead, he just… watched.
The clone sat when he sat.
It moved when he breathed.
And then—Vihaan changed his position slightly, leaned left.
The reflection did not mirror him. It continued facing forward, as if alive.
"Huh."
He leaned closer. "Can you… think?"
The clone tilted its head.
Then faded.
Vihaan clenched his jaw. His fruit didn't just reflect appearances. It captured states—position, emotion, even combat momentum.
He reached into his coat and pulled out the book he'd found—The Three Colors of Haki. He flipped a few pages.
It spoke about intent, spirit, willpower.
Was that what his fruit was reacting to?
He touched the pendant. Whispered again.
"Reflect."
This time, he thought of Luffy. Of their bond. Of trust.
And the clone that appeared now… was stronger. Clearer. It had presence.
Vihaan's heart pounded.
His fruit reflected what he fed into it.
Not just his movements—but his feelings, too.
Powerful… but dangerous.
Because what if the reflection showed more than he intended?
The next morning, Koby spoke up as they continued drifting toward Shells Town.
"I… I want to join the Marines."
Luffy blinked. "Why?"
"Because… they stand for justice. And I want to be brave like you guys."
Vihaan gave him a sidelong glance. "We're pirates."
Koby flushed. "I-I know, but still—you saved me. And I want to save others."
Luffy scratched his head. "Cool."
Vihaan smirked. "You've got guts, Koby. You'll need 'em."
Koby smiled sheepishly. "Thanks… Captain Vihaan."
"Co-captain," Vihaan corrected, grinning. "But I like the sound of that."
Shells Town came into view by noon—a simple harbor, a tower in the distance, and the symbol of the Marines flying from a central fortress.
As they approached, Vihaan hid the Haki book back beneath the deck plank.
He looked at the tower.