Sanji smiled nostalgically.
"The story of Noland the Liar… it's actually based on a true story."
Nami flipped casually through the picture book, curiosity flashing in her eyes.
"A true story? Was there really someone named Noland in history?"
Crunch, crunch…
Chopper's horns dug noisily into the earth, making Nami snap in irritation.
"Hey, Chopper! What are you digging for? It's so noisy!"
"Huh?"
Chopper froze, mouth dropping open.
"Nami! You told me to dig for gold!"
Nami waved the book in her hand as if it didn't matter.
"Oh, then stop digging for now!"
"Nami is so willful!" Chopper huffed.
"I heard this story when I was very young…"
Sanji's voice softened as he remembered his mother reading him bedtime tales, a faint smile touching his lips.
"That's a very old story…"
"Hey, Sanji."
Shirogai suddenly interrupted, his eyes glinting.
"Listening to stories like this is boring. Want me to show you a new move instead?"
"A new move?" The crew blinked in surprise.
What did telling a story have to do with a new technique?
A soft pink bubble appeared in Shirogai's hand, glowing faintly in the shape of a heart. He turned to Sanji with a sly smile.
"This is something new I developed with the Whisper-Whisper Fruit… I call it Fairytale Time. It's a spiritual ability that lets people enter the narrator's emotions directly. On a soul level, you can feel the story as if you're living it. Want to try?"
Sanji raised a brow.
"Communication on a soul level, huh?"
The others leaned in, intrigued.
"That sounds fun!" Usopp grinned.
Sanji hesitated, eyeing the drifting heart-shaped bubble. After a moment, he exhaled and nodded.
"Alright. Let's see how effective this really is. What do I have to do?"
"Just recall the story of Noland the Liar in your mind," Shirogai said smoothly. He tapped the bubble lightly with his fingertip, sending it floating toward Sanji.
"Everyone get ready. We're about to step into Sanji's memories."
The bubble gently enveloped Sanji, wrapping him in a soft glow.
"Is this really the power of the Whisper-Whisper Fruit?" Sanji muttered, looking around. He felt no discomfort… only warmth.
Then, a familiar voice echoed in his ear.
"Sanji… today I'm going to tell you a story about the Liar King."
Sanji's eyes widened. His body trembled as he whispered, "Mama…"
The voice, identical to his mother's, spoke tenderly.
"Sanji, this is a story passed down in the North Blue for centuries. It began about 400 years ago…"
Snap.
The sound of a page turning echoed clearly in his ears. It was so vivid that he felt as though he were back in his sickbed, listening to his mother's gentle voice.
"No… she's already gone." Sanji's expression twisted in anguish. He tried to shake off the illusion, but the warmth pulled him deeper.
The voice paused. The bubble around him darkened from pink to black.
"Sanji, don't resist."
Shirogai stood outside the bubble, noticing the conflict in Sanji's face. His voice was calm.
"Trust me. This won't turn into a sad memory."
Sanji looked at him deeply, then lowered his resistance.
"…Alright. I'll trust you, Shirogai."
The bubble brightened again, glowing pink once more.
"In a certain country in the North Blue, there lived a man named Montblanc Noland…"
The voice resumed softly.
"He was an explorer, and whenever he returned from his travels, he would tell people exaggerated stories of his adventures…"
"Mama…"
Sanji closed his eyes, letting himself drift. Slowly, he fell into a dreamlike slumber.
Gurgle… gurgle…
Strange, colorful shapes began to pour out of him, filling the heart-shaped bubble. Cute, cartoonish images appeared—an animated chestnut-haired man bouncing about, a king in a golden crown wielding a shield and saber, mountains of gold singing cheerfully, a massive sea snake glaring down at ships. The visions swirled like a child's fantasy.
Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"Hehehe! That looks so fun!"
"Wait, these things… they're moving on their own!" Usopp pressed his nose against the bubble. He pointed excitedly.
"That cartoon king looks like he's trying to escape!"
The little king inside the bubble suddenly turned, staring straight at Usopp.
"…Huh?"
Before Usopp could react, the cartoon king stabbed its tiny knife outward—straight through the bubble.
"GYAAAH!"
Usopp howled, clutching his nose as he stumbled back in pain.
"This little guy stabbed me for real! It hurts!"
"Wow! That's amazing!" Chopper gasped in awe, shifting into his small form. His eyes shone with wonder.
"Shirogai, what happens next?"
Shirogai smirked faintly.
"Just wait for the explosion."
"Explosion?!" the crew shouted in unison.
The bubble continued to swell, filling with more and more cartoon creations until it could no longer contain them.
Bang!
The bubble burst apart with a deafening crack. A blast of wind knocked everyone flat, yet instead of falling, their bodies drifted upward, weightless.
"Wooooah! We're flying!" Luffy laughed, somersaulting through the air.
Nami flailed in panic.
"What's happening?! My body feels light—too light!"
Zoro floated calmly, eyeing the others.
"So this is the Whisper-Whisper Fruit's power. Interesting."
Robin glanced downward, her sharp eyes widening.
"Our bodies… they're still lying unconscious on the ground."
"H-Hey! Don't say that!" Nami panicked harder.
"Did we just have an out-of-body experience?!"
Usopp flailed desperately, swimming through the air toward his unconscious form.
"No way! I'm not staying like this! Get me back in my body!"
"Oh no… Am I already dead?!" Chopper whimpered, floating helplessly.
"Doctor… I'm coming to join you…"
Shirogai hovered effortlessly among them, calm as ever.
"Relax. This is only temporary. You're all unconscious, that's all. There's no danger."
Whoosh—
A pink mist formed at the center of the explosion, pulling them inward with irresistible force.
"Uwaaaah!"
The crew screamed as their soul-forms were sucked inside.
In the real world, however, their bodies remained sprawled on the ground, motionless.
And then—
Shirogai's eyes snapped open. His expression was colder than ice, a chilling aura spreading beneath him.
"How bold," he muttered, his voice flat and dangerous.
"You dare use the Whisper-Whisper Fruit for psychological suggestion? To create… me?"
He stood, shadows flickering across his face as the frost crept outward.
"Do you really think it's wise… to tamper with my mind and risk splitting it into pieces?