[POV: MR. 3 / GALDINO]The Awakening
Mr. 3 woke up with a start.
The lights in his cell turned on. Bright. Blinding.
Footsteps echoed down the corridor.
He sat up on his hard bed, blinking."What the…?"
Through the bars, he saw a squad of guards escorting the four fish-men away.
Arlong walked at the front, looking resigned but almost… pleased?
"Probably to be dissected," Mr. 3 sneered bitterly.
But a few minutes later, the guards returned.
For them.
The cell doors opened.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
Robin stepped out calmly, expressionless.Mr. 1 followed without a word, his chains clinking.Zala stood up with difficulty, still weak from the electrocution.Marianne came out yawning, holding her paint palette like a stuffed toy.And Mr. 3 stood up, trembling slightly.
"Wh—where are we going?" he asked a guard.
Silence.
They were escorted through the corridors. Deep. Long. Endless.
Mr. 3 slowly realized the scale of the laboratory.It's… it's HUGE. How is this even possible?
Then they stopped in front of a door.
Not a normal door.
A door that was FLOATING. Suspended in midair. No support. No frame.
"What the hell…?" Mr. 3 whispered.
A Devil Fruit. No doubt. But… the Director must be drawing a COLOSSAL amount of energy from his body to sustain a structure this large…
A cold sweat ran down his back.
What kind of monster is he?
They passed through the door and entered a new section.
Rooms lined the corridor, each marked with a letter.
ROOM AROOM BROOM CROOM DROOM E
The guards split the group up.
Robin to Room A.Mr. 1 to Room B.Mr. 3 to Room C.Zala to Room D.Marianne to Room E.
The doors closed behind them.
CLANG.
[POV: NICO ROBIN – ROOM A]
Physical Training
Robin entered Room A.
A 14-cubic-meter room. White. Sterile. Empty.
In front of her, a wall with a large screen.
The screen lit up.
The Director's face appeared.
"Good morning, Rob—"
"Good morning, Director," she interrupted with a teasing smile. "How are you this mor—"
"This is a recording," the Director's voice said.
Robin blinked. "Oh."
"Robin, we're going to start by pushing the limits of your Devil Fruit. Trying to create a clone of yourself."
She frowned. "A full clone…?"
"Exactly. Not just arms or legs. A complete body. Your double."
Robin swallowed. She had tried once—creating a full version of herself.The result? She had collapsed after thirty seconds, exhausted to the point of losing consciousness.
"Of course, I know you can't do it now. Your body can't handle it. So every morning at 6 a.m., you'll come here. Strength training and cardio. To endure a clone."
Guards entered, carrying workout machines.Treadmill. Stationary bike. Dumbbells. Weight bars.
They installed everything methodically, then left without a word.
"When you're physically capable enough, you'll be able to start simulations to handle anomalies."
Robin's eyes widened.
Anomalies.
Since her arrival, she had searched the library for clues. Mentions. Descriptions. But nothing concrete.
Only hints. Vague warnings.
And now… she was finally going to see them?
A thrill ran down her spine.
"If you make good progress, you'll gain access to higher sections of the library. Books no one in the world has ever read."
Robin smiled.
"Then I suppose I'd better get started."
She stepped onto the treadmill and pressed the start button.
VRRRR.
The treadmill began to move.
Robin started running.
[POV: MR. 1 / DAZ BONEZ – ROOM B]
Cutting Steel
Mr. 1 entered Room B.
A larger room. Blocks of material lined the walls.
Wood. Stone. Metal. Iron.
A screen lit up.
"Mr. 1. Daz Bonez. Supa Supa no Mi. Steel Human."
He remained impassive.
"We're going to test your limits. Try cutting these materials. From the softest to the toughest."
Mr. 1 approached the first block. Wood.
He turned his arm into a blade and struck.
SCHLACK.
The wood split like butter.
Next. Stone.
SCHLACK.
Same result.
Next. Metal.
SCHLACK.
Easy.
Then… iron.
Mr. 1 focused. Turned his arm into a perfectly sharpened blade.
And struck.
CLANG!
His blade bounced off. The iron didn't budge.
"Tch."
He tried again. Again. Again.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Nothing.
"As expected. You can't cut iron yet."
Mr. 1 clenched his teeth, frustrated.
"So we're going to train you. Muscle reinforcement. You'll wear weights 24/7, every day. And here, you'll train to cut iron again and again."
Guards entered carrying weighted gear. Bracelets. Vests.
They fastened them to his wrists, ankles, and torso.
CLUNK.
Mr. 1 immediately felt the weight. Heavy. Very heavy.
"In addition, you'll be shown recorded lessons on screen. Sword techniques from different schools. So you can find your own path."
The screen changed. A video began.
A man with a katana demonstrated techniques. Stances. Cuts. Movements.
Mr. 1 watched closely.
If it could make him stronger…
He was ready.
[POV: MR. 3 / GALDINO – ROOM C]
Wax Production
Mr. 3 entered Room C.
And froze.
The room was filled with mannequins. Different sizes.
Small – 30 cm to 1 meter.Medium – human-sized.Large – 3 meters to 10 meters.
A screen lit up.
"Mr. 3. Doru Doru no Mi. Wax Human."
"What do you want me to do?" he asked nervously.
"Produce more and more wax. Imprison them. As fast as possible."
Suddenly, the mannequins activated.
CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.
The small figures started running. Fast. Very fast.
"WHAT?!"
They rushed him and struck.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Not hard enough to seriously injure him—but hard enough to HURT.
"OWWWW!"
Mr. 3 raised his hands and fired wax.
SPLORCH!
He trapped three small figures in wax blocks.
But ten more were already coming.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
"STOP IT!"
He created wax walls. Traps. Cages.
But the figures were too fast. They dodged, flanked, struck.
Then the large figures activated.
Giants. 3 meters. 5 meters. 10 meters tall.
They advanced slowly but relentlessly.
"NO NO NO!"
Mr. 3 panicked. He sprayed wax in every direction.
Creating barriers. Traps. Prisons.
But his body couldn't keep up. He was sweating. His breathing grew labored.
After two hours…
He collapsed.
THUD.
Exhausted. Completely drained.
The mannequins stopped.
Guards entered and dragged him out of the room.
[POV: MISS DOUBLEFINGER / ZALA – ROOM D]
Precision and Flexibility
Zala entered Room D.
Targets lined the walls. Different sizes. Different distances.
A screen lit up.
"Zala. Toge Toge no Mi. Spike Human."
She crossed her arms, waiting for instructions.
"Your goal: extend your spikes farther. Faster. While hitting precise targets."
A machine positioned itself in front of her. A red laser scanned her.
"This machine will measure your speed, length, and accuracy."
Zala smiled. "That should be easy."
She activated her power. Spikes burst from her arms.
SHUNK! SHUNK!
She fired them at the targets.
THUNK! THUNK!
Two targets hit.
The machine beeped.
SPEED: 2.3 SECONDSLENGTH: 1.2 METERSACCURACY: 65%
"Not bad. But you can do better. Also, you need to try making your spikes more flexible. Manipulate them like whips."
Zala frowned. "Flexible? But they're rigid by nature…"
"Then train."
She spent hours firing her spikes. Again and again. Aiming at smaller and more distant targets.
Her body burned. Her muscles screamed.
But she held on.
Longer than Mr. 3.
When she finally came out—exhausted but standing—she crossed paths with a guard dragging Mr. 3 unconscious.
She smiled faintly.
I'm stronger than him.
[POV: MISS GOLDENWEEK / MARIANNE – ROOM E]
Paint Production
Marianne entered Room E.
A bright, colorful room. Easels, brushes, palettes, and tons of paint.
A screen lit up.
"Marianne. No Devil Fruit. But a unique ability. Your hypnotic paintings."
She tilted her head, curious.
"You don't need physical training. No need to push your limits. Just… produce paintings. In large quantities."
Rolls of special paper appeared. Sticky. Durable.
"We tested it. The effects still work, though they're weaker on adhesive paper. But it can buy time for others against a Keter."
Marianne smiled. "I can paint as much as I want?"
"As much as you want."
"Then I'm happy."
She sat at an easel, grabbed her brushes, and began.
Red. Green. Yellow. Purple.
Bright colors. Hypnotic.
Color of Relaxation. Color of Betrayal. Color of Anger.
She worked with passion, lost in her art.
For the first time in a long while…
She was truly happy.
Back to the Cafeteria
The Baroque Works agents were escorted back to the cafeteria at the same time as the fish-men, who were leaving their "school."
At the fish-men's table, the mood was loud. Excited.
"I GOT 18 KILLS TODAY!" Arlong boasted.
"ME, 22!" Kuroobi shot back, then grimaced. "Well… if it had been a real fight. In the simulation, I'm last."
The whole table burst out laughing.
"YOU SUCK, KUROOBI!" Chew mocked.
"I'M A KARATEKA! NOT A SHOOTER!"
They sipped energy sodas, completely addicted to the sweet taste.
At the Baroque Works table…
Silence.
Zala and Mr. 3 were literally collapsed on the table, heads resting on their arms.
Robin's hair was plastered with sweat. She ate with ravenous appetite—more than ever before.
Mr. 1 tried to eat despite the weights making every movement difficult. He was even hungrier due to the constant effort.
The only sound was the clinking of cutlery.
They glanced at the fish-men's table with curiosity.They look… happy?
But they were too exhausted to ask questions.Too hungry to talk.
[POV: ARLONG – AFTERNOON]
Disassembly and Mechanics
After a well-earned feast—and a few jabs at the weak humans at the next table—the guards came back for the fish-men.
"AGAIN?!" Arlong growled. "WE'RE NOT DONE YET?!"
They were escorted to a new room.
A guard held his tablet. A recorded message from the Director appeared.
"My dear fish-men, after simulation and mathematics, you'll have lessons in weapon disassembly, maintenance, and survival in hostile environments."
In front of them were four tables. On each one, a fully disassembled FAMAS rifle.
"Your goal: watch the video after this message, disassemble the weapon, then reassemble it as fast as possible without breaking it."
Next to each table, a military radio kit. Complex. Dozens of parts.
"After that, you'll have survival training in hostile environments. Good luck."
Mechanics
A tutorial video started.
How to disassemble a FAMAS. Step by step.
The fish-men watched carefully.
Then they began.
Arlong grabbed his weapon and started removing parts.
Too strong.
CRACK.
"DAMN IT!"
He had broken a spring.
Kuroobi struggled with the tiny screws. His massive fingers couldn't grip them properly.
Chew progressed slowly but steadily.
And Hatchan…
With his six arms, he worked at a CRAZY speed.
CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.
Disassemble. Reassemble. Check. Adjust.
In ten minutes, he was done.
"DONE!" he announced proudly.
The others stared at him, mouths agape.
"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!" Arlong exclaimed.
"Well… I just followed the instructions?"
A guard inspected the weapon. Perfect. Functional.
BEEP.
TIME: 10 MINUTES 23 SECONDSTEAM RECORD
Hatchan beamed with pride.
"I'M USEFUL!"
Arlong, Kuroobi, and Chew exchanged looks.
Then they smiled.
"Good job, Hatchan," Arlong said, patting his shoulder. "You're not so useless after all."
Hatchan nearly cried with joy.
Arlong, meanwhile, was last. His hands were too strong—he kept breaking parts.
He growled in frustration.
Back to Simulation – Desert
After an hour of mechanics, the guards brought them back to the simulation room.
They were re-equipped. Vests. Weapons. Packs.
Still clumsy. But better than this morning.
They put on the VR headsets.
CLICK.
And found themselves…
In a desert.
Sand everywhere. Crushing heat. Burning sun.
Their vests grew heavy. The heat weighed on them.
"DAMN, IT'S HOT!" Chew growled.
A tutorial began.
"HOW TO SURVIVE IN A DESERT ENVIRONMENT."
It explained how to find water. Ration resources. Build shelter. Avoid heatstroke.
Then they were released into the virtual wilderness.
"FIND THE EXTRACTION POINT. 10 KILOMETERS."
Arlong looked at the horizon. "Ten kilometers… in this hell?"
"LET'S GO!" Kuroobi shouted.
They walked. Ran. Fell. Got back up.
The heat drained them. Sand sank under their feet. Their resources dwindled.
From 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., they struggled.
Finally, exhausted, dehydrated, burned by the virtual sun…
They reached the extraction point.
"MISSION SUCCESS."
The headsets powered down.
They removed them, panting. Sweating. Completely wiped.
"I… CAN'T ANYMORE…" Hatchan groaned.
The guards literally dragged them toward another room.
"No… not again…" Arlong protested weakly.
"WE'RE NOT ANIMALS!" Kuroobi shouted. "WE'RE NOT SLAVES!"
But when the door opened…
They froze.
The Pool
Before them stretched an IMMENSE pool.
40 meters long.40 meters wide.20 meters deep.
Water. Pure. Clean. Crystal clear.
Their eyes widened.
A guard with a tablet approached. A message from the Director appeared.
"You did well for a first day. Go relax. We'll come get you at 10 p.m. to return you to your cells. And tomorrow… it starts again. Good luck, soldiers."
Silence.
Then Arlong burst out laughing.
"GYAHAHAHA! A POOL!"
They all jumped into the water.
SPLAAAAASH!
They swam. Dived. Played.
For the first time since their capture…
They were happy.
Truly happy.
[END OF CHAPTER 30]
[CLASS-D: 9 – TRAINING STARTED][ROBIN: CARDIO/STRENGTH – GOAL: CLONE][MR. 1: SWORD TRAINING – GOAL: CUT IRON][MR. 3: WAX PRODUCTION – EXHAUSTED][ZALA: PRECISION/FLEXIBILITY – HIGH PERFORMANCE][MARIANNE: PAINT PRODUCTION – HAPPY]
[FISH-MEN:]
VR SIMULATION: DESERT (SUCCESS)
MECHANICS: HATCHAN MVP
REWARD: POOL
[MORALE: RISING][SYSTEM: CARROT AND STICK EFFECTIVE][NEXT STEP: ARRIVAL AT DRUM ISLAND]