The air in the clearing was thick with the cloying scent of cooling wax and the metallic tang of blood. Brogy the Giant, a legend who had fought for a century, was pinned to the earth like a butterfly in a collection. A grotesque shell of pale wax encased his massive legs, holding him fast.
"Struggle all you like," came a smug, nasal voice. Perched on the giant's immobilized shoulder, Mr. 3 adjusted his glasses, a thin smile on his lips. "The hardening process is already complete. You are merely the canvas. Soon, you will become my masterpiece."
Nearby, Vivi fought against the grip of Miss Valentine and Mr. 5, her eyes wide with horror. "Let him go! This isn't a victory, it's a coward's trick!"
Mr. 5, looking bored, flicked a booger from his nose. "Save your breath, Princess. Your pirate friends are already dealt with. That rubber idiot smiled right before I put him to sleep. Pathetic."
Vivi's heart clenched. Luffy…
---
Earlier, at the ruins of the tavern:
Smoke curled from a fresh crater. Luffy lay sprawled in the debris, his hat askew. Mr. 5 stood over him, Miss Valentine giggling as she held a struggling Nami and a bound, unconscious Zoro.
"Surprising resilience," Mr. 5 mused, nudging Luffy with his boot. "That bomb should have scattered your brains. To still be conscious…"
Luffy's eyes snapped open. A wide, terrifying grin split his soot-covered face. "Heh… you caught Zoro?"
"We did. He's next for the wax museum," Mr. 5 said.
Luffy's grin turned feral, a flash of pure, unshakable faith. "Then you're the ones in trouble. When he wakes up… he's gonna be really mad." He pushed himself up on trembling arms. "And you… you've got a stupid nose. And you smell like gunpowder and loser."
Mr. 5's eye twitched. Patience, a threadbare cloak, finally shredded. "Die."
The blast was point-blank, a concussive WHUMP that shattered the remaining windows. This time, Luffy's body went limp, consciousness finally stolen. As the agents vanished into the jungle with their royal prize, the only sound was the faint crackle of dying flames.
---
Now, at the clearing of despair:
Vivi was thrown to the ground before Mr. 3. "A delivery! The centerpiece for my new collection!" he trilled.
"You have no honor!" Vivi spat, tears of fury in her eyes. "You steal a century-old duel, you ambush warriors… you're a maggot pretending to be an artist!"
Mr. 3's smile didn't falter. He simply raised his hands. "Candle Champion's Banquet!"
From the earth erupted a monstrous structure of wax—a towering, ornate candelabra, its branches curling like grasping fingers. Upon its tiers, wax began to bubble and form: crude, horrifying effigies of Nami, Zoro, and now, Vivi.
"Behold!" Mr. 3 gloated. "A tableau of terror, frozen for eternity! The mighty giants, the brave princess, the foolish pirates… all immortalized in their final, desperate moments!"
A low growl vibrated through the ground. Brogy, his eyes burning with a century of wounded pride, strained against his wax prison. The shell cracked. "A Giant's fight… is sacred," he boomed, voice like grinding stones. "You didn't just help Dorry… you poisoned his honor. And you poisoned mine."
With a roar that shook the trees, one massive, wax-caked arm tore free from the earth.
"Impossible!" Mr. 3 shrieked, stumbling back.
"FOR ELBAF!" Brogy thundered, heaving his torso upward.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Mr. 5, looking annoyed, flicked a rapid volley of explosive pellets from his fingertips. They peppered Brogy's exposed shoulder and face, mini-explosions blooming against his tough skin. The giant roared in pain, his ascent halted.
"Persistent fossil," Mr. 5 muttered.
Mr. 3, regaining his composure, sneered. "You need a more permanent mounting." He clenched his fists. "Wax Art Gallery: Binding Sword!"
Four colossal blades of hardened wax shot from the ground with sickening THUDs, each one impaling one of Brogy's limbs, nailing him to the earth like a specimen. Brogy's scream was a raw, earth-shaking sound of agony and fury.
"Now, watch," Mr. 3 panted, exhilarated. He gestured to the giant candelabra. The wax around the effigies of the captured Straw Hats began to flow faster, creeping upward. Vivi, on her tier, felt a strange warmth at her feet. She looked down. Pale, liquid wax was pooling around her boots, already hardening to the ankle. She tried to pull free and couldn't.
"It starts at the feet," Mr. 3 explained, his voice hushed with artistic rapture. "A slow, inescapable climb. By the time it reaches your face, the horror will be so absolute, so perfect… it will be preserved forever."
The wax crept to Vivi's calves. Cold. Heavy. Final.
On the other tiers, the figures of Nami and Zoro were already encased up to their chests.
Brogy, bleeding from his impaled limbs, strained with every ounce of his legendary strength. The wax swords held. The candelabra glowed ominously.
And from the edge of the jungle, a single, furious voice cut through the nightmare.
"GET YOUR HANDS… OFF MY FRIENDS!"
Luffy stood there, straw hat pulled low, eyes shadowed with a storm of rage. Behind him, Usopp nocked a shot, his hands shaking but his aim true, and Carue let out a determined squawk.
But Mr. 3 just laughed, a high, manic sound. He didn't even turn. Instead, he snapped his fingers.
At the very top of the wax candelabra, a new form began to swirl and take shape—a fifth statue. The wax dripped and molded, forming a familiar, grinning visage…
It was Luffy.
"Welcome, Captain," Mr. 3 said, his voice dripping with triumph. "We've been saving the best spot… just for you."
The wax at Vivi's feet hardened past her knees.
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