Lucy.
That was the alias Luffy had used in the original story when he entered the tournament.
So whether this Lucy was actually Luffy was hard to say. For all Cain knew, maybe there really was someone out there with that name.
But Ann…
There actually were characters named Ann in the One Piece world, except they were either from alternate-universe side stories or movie material—and every single one of them was a girl.
If Cain absolutely had to connect that name to a man, then the most likely candidate was Ace, back before anyone had even known his sex while he was still in Rouge's womb.
So there was no need to overthink it.
That was definitely Ace.
Which raised one very important question.
What the hell were these idiots doing?!
Could they stop barging into things that had nothing to do with them for once?!
Cain's eye twitched as he stared at the list.
Meanwhile, Katakuri continued explaining the tournament structure and qualification rules.
Only when he reached the end did his gaze settle on one particular name in the registration book.
"There's one entrant I think you need to pay special attention to."
…
At the same time, elsewhere in Totto Land—
a short blonde woman entered a private room, followed by an enormous man.
She stopped in front of Stussy, tapped her cane against the floor, and spoke without preamble.
"…You have to help me this time, Number One."
Stussy frowned.
"Could you stop calling me by that designation, Miss Buckingham?"
"What else am I supposed to call you? Stussy?"
The blonde woman scoffed.
"Don't make me laugh. You're the one using my identity."
The woman was none other than the original Stussy—
Buckingham Stussy.
And the huge man standing behind her was naturally the supposed "son" she had with Edward Newgate.
Edward Weevil.
Weevil looked left.
Then right.
His gaze bounced between the two women several times as his brain visibly struggled to process what he was seeing.
"Mom…"
He brightened.
"Two moms!"
"Two moms! Happy!"
This was, after all, the same man who could look at Whitebeard's bounty poster and think he was seeing his own reflection.
So when faced with two women who had essentially the same face, the age difference meant absolutely nothing to him.
They looked alike.
Therefore both were Mom.
"Quiet, Weevil."
Buckingham Stussy turned back toward her clone.
"So what are you going to do?"
"I know your secret."
"This isn't a negotiation. It's an order."
Stussy's frown deepened.
"If all you want is for me to watch this child, then I don't particularly mind."
The original Stussy's tone immediately softened.
"Good."
"Then I'll leave him with you."
"I don't have any other reason to stay here anyway."
She turned slightly.
"Weevil. While I'm gone, just treat her as me."
"Mom! Mom!"
Weevil immediately shouted at Stussy with childlike delight, happily bobbing his head as though there were no distinction between the two women whatsoever.
Stussy looked increasingly pained.
"…Could you at least make him stop calling me that?"
"I really don't want a man only one year younger than me following me around calling me Mom."
Buckingham Stussy laughed.
"That doesn't matter."
"I only want one thing."
Her expression sharpened.
"Have Weevil defeat Fire Fist Ace."
Stussy raised an eyebrow and leaned back against her chair, folding her arms.
"So that's what this is about."
"The moment you got information from me about Whitebeard's territory, you brought him straight here."
"I was wondering when you became so interested in Totto Land."
She glanced at Weevil, who was still smiling stupidly.
"So you were after Fire Fist Ace the whole time."
Stussy paused.
"My intelligence does confirm that he's arrived here."
"But unfortunately, his name doesn't appear on the registration list."
Buckingham Stussy gave a cold laugh.
"Doesn't matter."
"If he's here, they'll cross paths eventually."
"And once Weevil takes back Whitebeard's inheritance—"
She cut herself off and fixed Stussy with a hard look.
"This part has nothing to do with you."
"All you need to do is look after Weevil."
Stussy said nothing.
She simply watched her.
Buckingham Stussy looked down at her own short, aged body and clicked her tongue.
There was a trace of self-mockery in her voice.
"I've been telling people I'm one of your relatives…"
"Tch. Imagine that. I'm the original, and I'm reduced to this."
"Ridiculous."
She shook her head.
"But this isn't the time to dwell on that."
"Linlin is here, so it isn't convenient for me to show myself."
"In any case, I'm leaving this boy with you."
"Take good care of him, and I won't expose your secret."
"Then I'll leave on my own."
With that, she turned her hunched back toward the door and walked away.
Stussy watched her leave, the corner of her mouth curling slightly.
"So your obsession with Whitebeard hasn't changed at all, Original."
Her voice was soft.
"Well then…"
"Goodbye, Miss Buckingham."
The door shut.
Silence returned to the room.
Stussy looked at the enormous man in front of her who was still calling her Mom and immediately felt a headache coming on.
She had somehow acquired a fully grown son overnight.
And worse, she would probably have to deal with this in front of a huge crowd later.
"AAAAAH! STOP CALLING ME MOM!"
"CALL ME BIG SISTER!"
"Okay, Mom!"
"No problem, Mom!"
"AAAAAAAH!!!"
…
"So the person you were talking about is Edward Weevil?"
Cain looked up from the entry list.
Katakuri nodded.
"According to the rumors, he possesses strength comparable to Whitebeard in his youth."
"He was apparently brought here by one of Stussy's relatives."
"I'll admit, I didn't expect that unpleasant woman to have a son this old."
Katakuri paused.
"No wonder she's so sensitive about her age."
From the way Katakuri described it, Cain had already guessed that the so-called relative was probably the original Stussy.
Still, his mouth curled.
"Well, that woman only has one obvious weakness left."
"Attacking someone's weak point like that is pretty immoral."
He shrugged.
"But when the person in question is that unreasonable, I'm making an exception."
Katakuri stood up.
"That's everything I needed to tell you."
Then he looked toward Uta.
"But I'm going to give you one final warning."
"Don't worry. Mama has no intention of casually marrying En-chan off to anyone."
"There's something at the final stage of the tournament that Mama cares about a great deal."
By then, Katakuri had already reached the door.
One hand rested against the frame.
His voice lowered.
"That thing is dangerous."
"So I hope the two of you will forfeit before the finals."
"Katakuri."
Uta answered immediately.
"No matter what you people are planning, I'm not giving up."
Her tone left absolutely no room for compromise.
"I'm going to steal Cain back."
"I'm going to tell the entire world that he belongs to me."
"Is that so?"
Katakuri's fingers tightened around the doorframe.
A red gleam flashed in his eyes.
Then his gaze fixed directly on Uta and Cain.
"In that case…"
"Before you reach the final stage…"
"I'll be the gatekeeper standing in your way."
Katakuri looked at Cain—
his younger brother.
Then at Uta—
his future sister-in-law.
His voice turned cold and resolute.
"To protect you."
"To protect both of you…"
"I absolutely will not allow you to come into contact with that thing!"
A wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him and swept across the room.
Katakuri had originally had no intention of participating in the marriage tournament at all.
But now, for Cain and Uta's sake, he had voluntarily chosen to enter as an examiner.
He would stand in their path himself.
Cain and Uta both understood that Katakuri meant well.
He was trying to protect them.
But Uta had no intention of backing down so easily.
"We won't surrender either."
Her eyes sharpened.
She didn't possess Conqueror's Haki.
Even so, she faced Katakuri's pressure head-on without taking a single step back.
In the blink of an eye—
several blades appeared around Katakuri from every direction.