One Piece: The Template System

Hidden deep within a dense, rocky valley far from the main roads of Kuri, the alliance gathered.

Tall stone formations provided natural cover, shielding the encampment from the gray, polluted sky. Sitting on large boulders and fallen logs, the combined forces of the Straw Hat and Heart Pirates settled in. Trafalgar Law had arrived shortly after the evacuation of Oden Castle, bringing Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin to join the rendezvous.

Hovering in the center of the clearing, a small, mechanical drone projected a crisp, high-definition hologram into the air. The live video feed displayed the deserted ruins of the mountain summit they had just abandoned.

Passing a large bowl of salted popcorn, Sanji offered the snack to the women. Reaching into the bowl, Nami grabbed a handful and chewed quietly, her eyes locked on the digital projection. Sitting beside her, Vivi patted Caroo's head, watching the screen with anticipation.

Nobody spoke. The crackle of the small campfire provided the only sound in the hidden valley.

On the holographic screen, the sky above the ruined castle grew dark. Thick, swirling storm clouds blotted out the afternoon sun. Jagged streaks of blue lightning illuminated the mountain peak.

A colossal, serpentine shadow broke through the cloud cover.

"There he is," Law muttered, pulling his spotted hat down slightly.

Kaido descended from the storm. The azure dragon twisted through the air, generating flaming clouds beneath his claws to control his descent. Roaring loudly enough to shake the camera's audio feed, the Emperor aimed directly for the ruined courtyard of Oden Castle.

Down in the ruins, the doppelgangers reacted.

Standing in a defensive formation, the replicas of the Straw Hat crew looked up at the descending monster. Lacking Haki and Devil Fruit powers, the clones relied entirely on the hidden arsenal.

Raising both hands, the decoy of Franky stepped forward. The skin on the replica's forearms peeled back, revealing sleek, glowing metallic panels.

Repulsors.

Blinding beams of concentrated kinetic energy fired from the clone's palms. Striking the dragon directly in the chest, the repulsor blasts exploded upon impact.

Roaring in annoyance, Kaido halted his descent. The energy beams did not pierce his impenetrable scales, but the force stung like a swarm of angry wasps.

Before the Emperor could retaliate, the rest of the decoys opened fire.

The replica of Usopp raised a strange, customized rifle. The clone launched a barrage of micro-missiles. Tracking the massive heat signature of the dragon, the tiny projectiles swarmed upward, detonating across Kaido's long neck in a series of bright, fiery explosions.

Stepping in front of the group, the Zoro duplicate drew a pair of glowing, magical broadswords. Slashing the air in rapid succession, the clone launched arcs of kinetic energy stored in blades, acting as a makeshift substitute for flying sword attacks.

In the valley, the real Zoro scoffed at the screen, crossing his arms. "Those fake swords look terrible."

"They are keeping him airborne," Robin noted, resting her chin on her hand.

On the screen, Kaido thrashed violently. Every time the massive dragon attempted to lower his body toward the courtyard, a barrage of repulsor blasts, missiles, and kinetic slashes forced him back into the storm clouds. The constant, irritating assault prevented him from landing on the mountain peak.

Irritation quickly turned into boiling, draconic fury.

Twisting his massive body in the sky, Kaido stopped trying to land. Floating high above the ruins, the Emperor opened his massive jaws.

Deep within the dragon's throat, a blinding, swirling mass of pure heat began to gather. The surrounding air distorted, warping the camera feed slightly as the temperature skyrocketed.

"He is bored," Law analyzed, recognizing the buildup of energy.

Inhaling deeply, Kaido unleashed his devastation.

Bolo Breath.

A concentrated beam of superheated fire erupted from the dragon's mouth. Traveling faster than sound, the fiery beam struck the summit of the mountain.

The impact defied description. The heat instantly vaporized the stone ruins of Oden Castle. The doppelgangers melted into nothingness before the blast even fully consumed them. Melting the very bedrock of the mountain, the attack leveled the entire peak, leaving a glowing, molten crater in its wake.

Catching the edge of the inferno, the hidden drone recording the event melted into slag.

The holographic projection in the hidden valley flickered, crackled with static, and abruptly cut out, leaving the clearing in quiet darkness.

Eating a piece of popcorn, Brook tilted his skeletal head. "Well. That was quite warm. My skin would have burned off. Although I don't have any skin. Yohoho!"

"Terrifying," Bepo whispered, hiding behind Shachi.

Standing up from his log, Ben brushed dust from his coat. The magician looked satisfied with the outcome of the demonstration.

"The decoys performed perfectly," Ben announced, pacing near the dead campfire. "Kaido believes the alliance was just annihilated in that blast. The Beast Pirates will call off any active searches in the Kuri region."

"I will send Kanjuro back to the Shogun's palace tonight," Ben continued. "Using the Imperius spell, I will force him to report directly to Orochi. He will confirm that he watched us burn in the Bolo Breath. Orochi will drop his guard until we do something stupid to reveal our survival."

Hearing the phrase 'do something stupid,' nearly every single person in the clearing slowly turned their heads.

Searching the crowd for the captain, they found empty space. Remembering Luffy was currently locked inside a spatial dimension eating a mountain of meat, their collective gaze shifted toward the next most likely candidate.

Twenty pairs of eyes landed squarely on the swordsman.

Noticing the intense scrutiny, Zoro stopped drinking from his stolen sake jug. Lowering the clay container, a dark scowl formed on his face.

"What are you looking at me for?" Zoro demanded, resting his hand on the hilt of Shusui.

"Well," Nami sighed, resting her cheek in her palm. "Only you and Luffy actively seek out trouble. Or trouble just magically finds you. Usually both."

"I don't go looking for fights!" the swordsman argued, glaring at the navigator. "I was just minding my own business!"

"Minding your own business?" Chopper squeaked, stepping out from behind Franky's massive leg. "Which one of our alliance members is currently a wanted criminal across the entire country for slicing up a city magistrate?"

A vein popped on Zoro's forehead. "That was self-defense! He gave me a tiny knife and told me to cut my own stomach open! What was I supposed to do, just sit there and die?"

"You could have knocked him out quietly," Law pointed out, his tone dry and clinical. "Instead, you leveled a building in the Flower Capital."

Grumbling under his breath, Zoro crossed his arms and looked away, refusing to concede the point. He took another long drink of sake to avoid the judgmental stares of the Heart Pirates.

Clapping his hands together once, Ben regained the group's attention.

"Arguments aside, we must remain undetected for the next two weeks," the magician ordered. "To blend into the local population, a simple change of clothes is not enough. Kaido's spies are everywhere. We need visual alterations."

"I am going to adjust your appearances just like in Sabaody," Ben explained. "Your facial structures, hairstyles, and overall aesthetics will change. You will retain your physical capabilities, but you will look different."

Snapping his fingers, a wave of shimmering blue light washed over the entire clearing.

The magic settled instantly, altering the appearance of the alliance members.

Standing near the campfire, Zoro blinked. His green hair lengthened, turning dark and wavy. A large, woven straw hat settled on his head, casting a shadow over his remaining eye. A bright pink, floral-patterned haori draped loosely over his shoulders, covering a traditional black kimono. He possessed the lazy, imposing aura of Shunsui Kyoraku.

Looking down at his hands, Sanji adjusted a pair of sleek, silver-framed glasses resting on his nose. His blonde hair turned raven black, parted neatly on the side. Wearing a tailored, pristine white kimono with blue stitching, he looked like Uryu Ishida.

Checking her reflection in a small pocket mirror, Nami gasped in surprise. Her orange hair cascaded down her back in long, flowing waves. Small, six-petaled flower hairpins rested on either side of her head. Wearing a simple, elegant peach-colored kimono, she radiated the gentle energy of Orihime Inoue.

Holding her silver purse, Vivi found her hair completely shortened, cut into a sleek black bob. A single strand fell perfectly between her eyes. Clad in a stark white kimono, she carried the noble, disciplined posture of Rukia Kuchiki.

Stepping forward, Robin offered a polite, terrifyingly serene smile. Her black hair fell forward into a thick, single braid resting over her chest. Wearing a standard, dark purple kimono, she exuded the calm, lethal grace of Retsu Unohana.

Looking at his own body, Chopper let out a startled shriek. His furry reindeer body had vanished. He now looked like a small, human child with spiky white hair and piercing turquoise eyes. A tiny green haori hung over his shoulders, capturing the fierce, pint-sized captain energy of Toshiro Hitsugaya.

"I'm a human boy!" Chopper yelled, running his hands over his smooth face.

Standing tall, Franky flexed his massive arms. His robotic features smoothed out, replaced by tanned, muscular skin. His hair turned brown, falling over his eyes. Wearing a dark, heavy gi, he embodied the silent, towering strength of Yasutora 'Chad' Sado.

Checking his skeletal hands, Brook realized his afro had vanished entirely. A long, flowing white beard reached down to his waist. Heavy wooden sandals replaced his shoes. A thick, purple sash tied a dark kimono around his bony frame, giving him the ancient, terrifying presence of Shigekuni Yamamoto.

Watching the transformations, Law simply sighed. His spotted hat disappeared, replaced by specialized hairpieces called kenseikan. A long, expensive white scarf wrapped around his neck, flowing gently in the wind. Standing perfectly still in an immaculate black kimono, the surgeon adopted the arrogant, aristocratic air of Byakuya Kuchiki.

"This is ridiculous," Law muttered, adjusting the white scarf.

The rest of the alliance members' appearances had also been altered.

"It is necessary camouflage," Ben replied, looking over the altered crew. "You are unrecognizable. Use this anonymity. I need you all to roam around the different regions of Wano. Keep a low profile, but try to recruit as many samurai and rebels as possible under our banner. We need an army for the Fire Festival."

"What about you, Papa?" Sunny asked, standing next to a similarly disguised Merry.

"I am going to the Udon region," Ben revealed, looking toward the distant southern mountains. "Kaido operates a massive prison camp there. He breaks rebellious samurai and forces them into hard labor. I will infiltrate the prison, assess the inmates, and bring them to our side."

Nodding in understanding, the crew accepted their assignments.

Satisfied with the briefing, Ben raised his hand again.

Pop.

Dropping out of thin air, Luffy and Bonney crashed into the center of the clearing.

Holding a massive, half-eaten Sea King bone in his left hand, the rubber captain chewed happily. Bonney held a roasted boar under her arm, wiping grease from her chin.

Looking around the clearing, Luffy swallowed his meat. He stared at the unfamiliar faces surrounding him.

"Who are you guys?" Luffy asked, tilting his head at the disguised swordsman and cook. "Where is my crew?"

Sighing heavily, Ben didn't bother explaining the illusions to the captain. Snapping his fingers one final time, the magician directed the blue light over the two returning gluttons.

Luffy's signature straw hat vanished. His messy black hair turned a bright, vibrant shade of spiky orange. Wearing a black kimono with a thick white sash, he looked exactly like a substitute soul reaper.

Dropping her roasted boar in surprise, Bonney found her pink hair transformed into a deep, rich purple, tied up in a high ponytail. Her skin darkened to a warm, sun-kissed tone. Wearing a sleek, sleeveless orange martial arts gi, she possessed the agile, dangerous look of Yoruichi Shihoin.

"Cool hair!" Luffy cheered, grabbing a handful of his bright orange spikes.

Turning toward the rest of the alliance, Ben offered one final piece of advice.

"Keep these two under control until the festival," the magician instructed, pointing a finger at the newly transformed captain and the glutton. "If they get hungry, feed them. If they get bored, distract them. Do not let them wander into a populated town alone."

A collective, heavy sigh swept through the hidden valley.

Adjusting his silver glasses, Sanji groaned. "You are asking us to contain a natural disaster. We would have better luck trying to put a leash on a hurricane."

"Just do your best," Ben offered unhelpfully.

Without another word, Ben vanished from the clearing, teleporting directly toward the smoke-filled skies of the Udon prison camp.

Left alone in the rocky valley, the heavily disguised Straw Hat alliance looked at their orange-haired captain.

Picking the roasted boar up from the dirt, Luffy took a massive bite, chewing the bone and the meat simultaneously.

"So," Luffy mumbled through a full mouth. "Where are we going for lunch?"

Pulling the large woven straw hat over his eye, Zoro reached for his sake jug. "This is going to be a very long two weeks."