When Marcus came back down from his construction project, Koza rushed forward immediately, pointing at the hollow pyramid floating in the sky above them.
"Are you... are you sure that thing won't come crashing down on us?"
Seeing how nervous the rebel leader looked, Marcus couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. Instead of explaining the physics of Minecraft block mechanics, he decided on a practical demonstration.
He placed two blocks directly on the ground in front of them, stacking one on top of the other. Then he removed the bottom block.
"Go ahead, try to get it down to the ground."
Koza didn't hesitate. He wrapped his arms around the one-meter cube and tried to pull it down with all his strength. No matter how hard he strained, even until his face turned purple, the block remained perfectly suspended one meter above the ground, completely motionless.
A massive man standing nearby, easily over eight feet tall with muscles like tree trunks, stepped forward.
"Let me give it a shot!"
He jumped directly onto the floating block and stood there firmly, testing its stability. When that didn't budge it, he climbed down and tried a weightlifter's stance, putting every ounce of his considerable strength into trying to move the block.
The ground beneath his feet actually caved in from the force of his effort, but the block continued floating one meter off the ground, completely unaffected.
"So? Still worried about my pyramid falling?"
"That's... that's incredible," Koza said.
Marcus stretched lazily, working out the kinks from hours of construction. "You've all seen the underground levels by now, right?"
Koza nodded enthusiastically. The current state of Katorea had already exceeded anything he could have imagined. The wheat especially had grown at an impossible rate, in just the short time since Marcus had planted it, full stalks were already sprouting everywhere.
During Marcus' construction work, Vivi had been teaching the rebels how to process the wheat. The crop could interact directly with a threshing machine, and the moment each grain hit the ground, it automatically transformed into husked rice ready for cooking.
After that, it could be steamed and eaten just like ordinary rice. The grains were perfectly formed and smooth, with no rough edges to irritate the mouth. The taste was identical to regular rice, maybe even a bit better.
"The bottom level I've set up as a fish pond," Marcus continued his explanation. "Of course, you can also use it for bathing or just relaxing in the water. And yeah, it's completely safe to drink from, don't worry about contamination."
"I did account for the possibility of large debris falling in, though. I've dug drainage holes in each corner where bigger pieces of trash will flow and collect. You'll just need to clean those out regularly."
He then walked Koza through the maintenance requirements for the wheat fields, fruit trees, and melon patches. "The most important thing with the wheat is not to trample it. If the soil gets damaged from people walking on it, you can restore it with a hoe. Here's how..."
He demonstrated the proper techniques for soil restoration, crop rotation, and optimal harvesting times. Koza listened intently, nodding and asking clarifying questions.
Finally, Marcus led Koza to a heavily secured area where he'd stored the Nether Portal.
"This thing can transport you to a completely empty dimension, nothing but floating islands in a void. If something goes wrong here, if you're facing an enemy you can't defeat, everyone can evacuate through this portal immediately."
He showed him the detailed instruction manual he'd written up, along with a chest full of water buckets. "If pursuers follow you to the portal, you can use these water buckets to break the light barrier and seal the gateway. Just be aware that anyone still on the other side would be stranded there."
The moment he finished explaining the emergency protocols, countless experience orbs suddenly erupted from Koza's body. They flowed into Marcus, instantly pushing him up to Level 55.
It wasn't that Koza was weaker than Dalton from Drum Kingdom, it was just that past level 50, the experience requirements had become absolutely ridiculous. If the total experience needed for Level 40 was around 10,000 points, then by Level 50 it had ballooned to 100,000. And each level after that didn't just add another 10,000, it jumped by 50,000 at a time.
He checked out the new mod he'd just unlocked: Construction Wand.
Seriously? I've been wishing for this thing all day, and now that I'm done building everything, I got the mod?
Still, curiosity got the better of him. He opened up the item details, wondering what kind of modifications had been made to the original game mechanics. After all, even the transmutation tablet had been altered.
After reading through the description, he fell silent.
The in-game crafting recipe for the Construction Wand was completely gone.
Its effect: it could place up to 1,000 blocks at once, but more importantly, if it was something he had built before, he could instantly replicate the entire structure. And it was linked to his transmutation tablet, meaning if he didn't have enough materials in his inventory, it would automatically deduct EMC points instead.
Well shit, I guess I'm one step closer to Creative Mode.
Marcus chuckled.
Even though this was something unlocked at Level 50, way later than he would've preferred, he still felt pretty good about it. This tool could save him massive amounts of time on future construction projects.
Maybe it had appeared because he'd been so eager to remodel the Nether recently. The system seemed to respond to his most pressing needs, just always a bit too late to be convenient.
After pondering it for a while, he decided to test the Construction Wand by recording the hollow pyramid structure floating above them. But the tool was frustratingly rigid, it could only record things block by block, without allowing for any scaling or fine adjustments.
For example, he couldn't zoom in or out, couldn't modify proportions, couldn't adapt the design for different sizes.
So he could only record a small version of the hollow pyramid. Maybe it would come in handy for future projects, though the size limitations were annoying.
Next he tried recording the underground farming complex, which left him even more frustrated. Even though it was technically an underground structure, the wand could only perform replacement operations on existing blocks. All the empty spaces between rooms still had to be excavated by hand.
This thing really is too rigid for complex builds. Oh well, at least it's faster than placing everything one block at a time.
---
While Marcus was busy constructing his agricultural wonder, Luffy and his crew encountered someone unexpected.
Bentham of the Wild, alias Mr. 2 Bon Kurei.
As if guided by fate itself, Luffy's group had rescued the okama agent after he'd fallen into a pond during a sudden sandstorm.
"I nearly drowned out there!" Bon Kurei exclaimed, patting his chest while putting on the airs of a delicate woman in distress.
But paired with his masculine face and flamboyant outfit, it was impossible to feel any sympathy for him.
Sanji, who had pulled Bon Kurei out of the water, looked like he'd just eaten something rotten. He'd initially mistaken this guy for a beautiful woman. The embarrassment was unbearable.
Luffy, meanwhile, completely ignored the gender confusion and stared curiously at Bon Kurei's outfit.
"Are you wearing a disguise?" he asked innocently. He'd seen Igaram cross-dress before, so in his worldview, women's clothes equaled disguise.
Bon Kurei laughed confidently, stood up, and showed off his flexible body by making a heart shape with his hands and legs.
"Of course this isn't a disguise! I am a proud okama, a queen of the night~"
"Okama?" Luffy didn't really understand the term, but that didn't stop him from being fascinated.
Nami's expression was somewhere between bewildered and disgusted, while Alvida looked like she was trying to process whether this person was an insult to women everywhere or just completely insane.
Only Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper showed curiosity about this self-proclaimed okama.
"You can't swim, can you?" Usopp observed.
"Are you a Devil Fruit user?" Chopper added.
"Hehe Since I owe you all my life for saving me, I'll show you my special magic trick as thanks"
"Ohhh!" the three boys responded in unison.
Bon Kurei then demonstrated the power of his Clone-Clone Fruit, cycling through several different faces and body types in rapid succession.
"Not only can I copy someone's appearance, but even their body, down to the finest details~" he said with a smile, before transforming into a perfect replica of Nami.
He was promptly punched into the ground for his trouble.
Sanji, who had witnessed the entire transformation, burst into tears. "Damn it, I want that power too! Do you have any idea what I could do with abilities like that?"
He was immediately silenced by another one of Nami's iron fists.
Within moments, Bon Kurei was laughing and bonding with Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper as if they'd been friends for years. They shared stories, compared battle scars, well, Bon Kurei showed off his dance moves, and generally acted like a group of kids at a playground.
But the happy reunion was cut short when Bon Kurei's ship arrived alongside theirs, his crew calling for their captain.
"Happy times are always brief, my dear friends. I still have a mission to complete, so I can't stay with you beautiful people any longer. But our friendship won't end here!" he spoke with fiery passion, striking dramatic poses.
"What?! You're leaving already?!" Luffy protested, feeling a bit disappointed.
Usopp and Chopper wore identical expressions at losing their new friend so quickly.
"Believe in the power of friendship! Our bonds will bring us together again when fate decrees it!"
With a stylish backward leap, Bon Kurei soared through the air and landed on his own ship's deck.
"Farewell, my beautiful friends!" he called out, striking one final pose as his ship began to pull away.
Luffy waved from the Merry's railing. "Bye, Bon! See you again someday!"
Usopp and Chopper joined in, shouting their goodbyes.
Nami sighed, relieved the strange encounter was finally over.
Several minutes passed.
"Hey... Is it just me, or is that ship still nearby?" Usopp spoke.
Everyone looked up.
Bon Kurei's ship was indeed still visible, and not just visible, but maintaining a parallel course to theirs.
"Maybe they're just going in a similar direction?"
Another few minutes passed. The two ships remained perfectly aligned, both clearly heading to the exact same destination.
The atmosphere got awkward fast.
The crew all turned to stare at Bon Kurei.
Bon Kurei's eye twitched. He couldn't take it anymore.
"Alright, alright~ You all like me that much? Fine then, I'll stick around a bit longer and keep you company."
With a leap, he landed back on the Merry's deck, striking another pose for good measure.
But before anyone could celebrate this reunion, one of Bon Kurei's crew members shouted from the other ship, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Mr. 2! This isn't the time to play around! The Boss has been sending urgent messages, we need to move!"
Bon Kurei waved dismissively. "We're going the same direction anyway. Playing with my new friends for a bit longer won't hurt anything, right?"
"Uh... if you say so."
But Bon Kurei didn't notice the sudden shift in atmosphere on the Merry.
The entire crew's expressions had gone weird. Really weird.
Mr. 2.
That was Baroque Works. That was the enemy organization.
Even Luffy's usual carefree expression was conflicted.
When Bon Kurei turned back around and saw everyone looking at him, his confusion grew.
"What's wrong? Did I say something strange?"
Luffy hesitated before finally speaking. "You're part of Baroque Works?"
"Oh? You know about us?" Bon Kurei seemed surprised but not concerned. "Well, as pirates, have you been hunted by the organization before? Don't worry about it. I can tell you're all good people. I would never attack you."
He lifted his head proudly, one hand on his hip. "I'm an okama of honor! I take friendship very seriously!"
The crew's expressions somehow managed to get even more twisted at that.
Sanji lit a cigarette and took a long drag, exhaling smoke slowly. "Luffy."
Luffy's face scrunched up even more when his name was called.
Bon Kurei picked up on the weird tension immediately. "Seriously, what's going on?"
"You're Vivi's enemy, aren't you!"
"Huh?" Bon Kurei looked confused. "I know who Vivi is, she's the princess of Arabasta. But what does that have to do with me? I'm an okama who fights for justice!"
The crew exchanged glances, unsure how to proceed.
"So you're not Vivi's enemy?"
"That's right~"
"Phew! Good! Then let's keep the party going!" Luffy's whole body relaxed.
Everyone else immediately rolled their eyes.
Usopp couldn't hold back. "Luffy! In this kind of situation, what enemy would just admit it?!"
"What?! You mean he's lying?!" Luffy stared at Bon Kurei in shock.
Bon Kurei waved his hands defensively. "I'm an okama. Okama don't lie!"
Luffy looked back at Usopp with complete seriousness, like this explained everything.
Usopp froze, his brain short-circuiting. "Is... is that actually true?"
"Why are you the one getting convinced?!" Sanji groaned, rubbing his temples.
"Okay, seriously, what are you all talking about?" Bon Kurei decided to ask directly. Something was clearly wrong here.
Nami stepped forward and quickly explained the situation, about Baroque Works' true goals, about Crocodile's identity as their mysterious boss, about the plan to take over Arabasta.
Bon Kurei's eyes went wide.
"What?! That's impossible! Mr. 0 is Crocodile?! You're telling me I've been working under a pirate this whole time?!"
"You didn't know?" Sanji asked, quite baffled. "You're Mr. 2, one of the top agents. How could you not know who the boss was?"
"I had no idea!" Bon Kurei looked distressed. "If I'd known, I never would have joined Baroque Works in the first place. The only reason I signed up was because their Utopia Plan matched my ideals perfectly, a free nation where I could spread my way of being an okama without persecution."
He crossed his arms. "But... this is just your side of the story. I can't just believe it without proof."
Despite hearing them out, after working for Baroque Works for years, he found it hard to accept. Everything the organization had done up until now had seemed to align with his vision of that ideal utopia.
They'd attacked lawless pirates and criminals. After earning money, Baroque Works had even invested in cities and helped people. From his perspective, they were the good guys.
"Bon! Is our friendship fake then?! We would never lie to our friends!"
"What?!" Bon Kurei spun around, shocked.
They'd known each other for less than an hour. Why would Luffy trust him so deeply when they were supposedly enemies? What if he really was the villain they were making him out to be? What if this was all a test?
The trust in Luffy's eyes shook something in his chest.
But he turned his head. "No. I won't just take your word for it. I need to see Mr. 0 myself. If what you're saying is true, I'll make my decision then. That's an okama's promise!"
With a dramatic flip, he launched himself back onto his own ship.
"Full speed ahead! We're going to Rainbase!"
---
Bon Kurei's ship quickly sailed away, disappearing toward the horizon faster than the Merry could follow.
Zoro quietly released the grip he'd had on his sword hilts. He'd been ready to stop Bon Kurei by force if necessary.
Alvida looked puzzled. "We could've just kept him here. From what I saw, if he actually confronts Crocodile face-to-face like that, things aren't gonna end well for him."
Luffy turned back with complete certainty in his eyes. "Bon said it's an okama's promise."
"You're not even an okama!" Sanji snapped irritably.
"But a promise is a promise!"
The crew could only shake their heads. There was no arguing with Luffy's logic when it came to things like this.
"Should we bring Marcus back?" Nami suggested quietly.
Because of Luffy's personality, there were very few people on the ship who could actually make tactical decisions. Marcus usually filled that role, offering plans and strategies when things got complicated.
After all, from what they saw in the eye of ender shard, he already talked to Koza and reached some kind of agreement. Things seemed to be going smoothly.
She pulled out the shard to check on the current situation. "But just to be safe—"
"Wait, what's happening over there?" Alvida leaned in to look.
The image in the eye of ender showed Vivi standing on a platform, giving some kind of speech to a massive crowd. The people below were shouting responses, raising their fists in the air.
"It looks like... she's been accepted by the rebels?" Nami said uncertainly.
Alvida took the shard for a closer look, her expression growing more confused. "Weren't they supposed to disband the rebel army? Why does it look like Vivi's become their leader instead?"
Sanji peered over her shoulder and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's definitely what it looks like."
"So... did they get converted to the rebel side?" Zoro asked the critical question everyone was thinking.
The ship went quiet.
At the meeting before they'd split up, Vivi had been absolutely clear about her goal, meet with Koza, convince him to stop the rebellion, and prevent a civil war. But from what they were seeing now, it looked like the complete opposite had happened. Instead of talking down the rebels, she'd somehow become their leader.
"Could it be a Devil Fruit power?" Usopp suggested nervously. "Like, someone with brainwashing abilities?"
The thought sent a chill through the group. If Vivi had been brainwashed or mind-controlled somehow, they needed to act fast.
"We should bring Marcus back to ask for clarity," Nami said more firmly.
Everyone turned to Luffy, waiting for the final decision.
Luffy's expression was serious. He stared out at the desert landscape visible in the distance.
Then he grinned.
"No need to bring him back! We're going straight to Crocodile and beating him up!"
"THAT'S your plan?!" Usopp shrieked.
But the crew was already mobilizing. Because when Luffy made up his mind, there was no stopping him.
They were going to Rainbase.