The Art of the Thief: Mud on the Walls

"Brother, Big Brother,"

"Please, have mercy and let us go~~~"

Mr.5, bruised and swollen, pleaded with tears streaming down his face as he knelt on the ground. If the ordinary members of Baroque Works were to see their esteemed 'executives' in such a state, who knew if they would have a change of heart and quit this organization of secret assassins with no future.

Beside him, Miss Valentine, also bruised and swollen, nodded frantically, crying internally! It was supposed to be a simple 'kill the chicken to scare the monkeys' mission, and they had easily dealt with the clueless Mr.9 and Miss. Monday.

Just as they were about to capture the spy Mr.8 – Captain of the Alabasta Royal Guard, Igaram; and Miss. Wednesday – Princess Nefertari Vivi of Alabasta, they were...

Interfered with by a swordsman using Three-Sword Style and a kid wearing a Straw Hat!

Given Mr.5 and Miss. Valentine's tempers, they would have immediately taught these two a lesson! After a few exchanges, they realized that it was more comfortable to look at that lesson themselves...

They finally managed to escape when they had the chance (Luffy and Zoro hadn't even looked at these two weaklings directly), only to encounter the person in front of them who called himself a 'concerned citizen'. They were 'warmly invited' to participate in an experiment to develop Devil Fruit abilities.

Originally, Mr.5 and Miss. Valentine refused!

We are, after all, executives of Baroque Works. You can't just invite us as you please! We'd at least need more money...

But the other party's fist was too powerful!

After the other party generously said, "Show me whatever skills you have!" and an one-sided battle... or rather, a beating, Mr.5 and Miss. Valentine happily and actively cooperated with the experiment.

"Are you guys too weak?"

Roman looked at the two in front of him with an expression of "I pity their misfortune and am angry at their lack of ambition."

Such weak Devil Fruit users, you wouldn't even find them in East Blue, would you? Mr.5's Explosion-Explosion Fruit ability is only used to fling boogers. Is he planning to disgust his opponents to death? And the damage... even point-blank explosions only managed to leave a layer of dust on Luffy. The insult was extreme, but the damage was negligible...

And then there's Miss. Valentine. Golden Lion's Float-Float Fruit kept over a dozen islands floating in the sky at an altitude of ten thousand meters for years. Even if your Fluffy-Fluffy Fruit is a lower-tier version, it shouldn't be limited to just changing weight, should it? And the upper limit is a mere ten thousand kilograms, which for people in the One Piece world, even a bricklayer could easily lift...

"You really can't use your abilities on my paper?"

Shaking heads frantically x2

"Sigh, so useless, might as well kill them..."

"No, Big Brother!" x2

"Please, be magnanimous and spare us, little ones~~~" x2

As expected of Baroque Works executives, their ability to bend and stretch is truly skillful. It's no wonder Roman understood how these two managed to survive this long.

"Devil Fruit users like you are just taking up slots!"

Explosion-Explosion Fruit, Fluffy-Fluffy Fruit. They weren't originally trash fruits, but these two managed to turn them into trash... Facing Roman's words, Mr.5 and Miss. Valentine, who prostrated themselves, dared not speak out of anger. After being ruthlessly beaten by the other party with their bare hands, they had completely lost the courage to resist, and moreover:

The opponent hadn't even used any Devil Fruit abilities to fight!

What kind of game is this...

"It seems you are all Paramecia-type Devil Fruit users who can only change your own bodies."

Devil Fruits are divided into three major categories: Zoan, Logia, and other Paramecia.

Among Paramecia, if subdivided, they can be further divided into Superpower types: such as the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Shield-Shield Fruit, Slow-Slow Fruit... and other fruits that do not change the user but only grant a 'superpower'.

Then there are Ability types based on body modification: such as the Slippery-Slippery Fruit, Weapon-Weapon Fruit, Scissors-Scissors Fruit... these fruits clearly alter the user's physical appearance and also grant abilities based on the changes.

Next are Body Modification types: the most typical examples are Luffy's Rubber-Rubber Fruit, Spring-Spring Fruit, Diamond-Diamond Fruit, and Buggy should also be considered in this category... Their appearance does not change, but their internal physique becomes a certain type of substance.

The fourth type is Creation types: such as the Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit, Thread-Thread Fruit, Candle-Candle Fruit... users of these fruits are no different from normal people, but they can create the corresponding substances. - And these substances do not disappear due to seawater or Seastone.

The fifth is the Special type: like Roman's, which can both create paper and transform himself into 'paper'. However, although it seems comprehensive, the development and strength of a Devil Fruit still depend on the individual.

Incidentally, Katakuri's Mochi-Mochi Fruit is also a special Paramecia.

"Sigh, you two good-for-nothings, you're both Body Modification type Paramecia..."

"Wait!"

Roman's eyes narrowed, causing Mr.5 and Miss. Valentine to tremble, sensing that something bad was about to happen.

"Let's think about it from another perspective. Since you are both Body Modification type ability users, it means your flesh and blood possess the functions of 'explosion' and 'weight manipulation'..."

Under Roman's gaze, which seemed ready to 'dismember' them, Mr.5 and Miss. Valentine grew more desperate!

They couldn't defeat him, but they couldn't outrun him either.

It's over, it's all over...

Rustle rustle—

A thick piece of paper appeared in Roman's hand, which he then handed to Mr.5. Amidst the latter's pale face, Roman's voice was calm.

"Here, smear it with blood."

"Spare my life! Spare me..."

"Blood... just blood?"

Mr.5, who had instinctively started begging for mercy, looked up, his bandaged face showing disbelief.

"What else? Do you want to smear brain matter on it?"

"No, no, no, I'll smear it—"

Pulling out a small knife, Mr.5 fiercely cut his wrist, letting his blood gush onto the white paper. Roman raised an eyebrow at the sight.

Tsk tsk tsk, is blood really free?

...Alright, it really is free.

"Here,"

Roman created another thick sheet of white paper and handed it to Miss Valentine beside him.

"I believe in gender equality, so you should also smear your blood on it."

Miss Valentine, speechless, had no choice but to take the white paper. She didn't have the same courage as Mr.5 next to her to cut her wrist. She could only prick her finger and squeeze out blood drop by drop onto the paper.

BOOM—!

"Just as I thought,"

Facing the explosion caused by the 'Explosive Tag' he had just thrown, Roman nodded in satisfaction, then frowned.

"I say, Mr.5."

"Isn't the power of your explosion too weak? It's only enough to deal with minor enemies..."

We're all just minor enemies, I'm so sorry!

Mr.5, with a pale face, wanted to cry but couldn't. How hateful! If only he had focused on developing his Devil Fruit ability in the past...

"Never mind, thinking about it carefully. Ten billion Explosive Tags or something... I can't even afford to save up. And:"

And unlike the generally high attack and low defense in the Naruto world, the One Piece world is full of 'blood tanks'. Fighting for days and nights is just a small matter. Fractures, severe bleeding, losing arms or legs are all just minor inconveniences! Wrap them with bandages and tape, and you can fight for another three hundred rounds!

Explosions? Cannonballs? What a joke, can such things even kill people? Aren't they just released as background props...

"Alright, you can go now."

Roman waved his hand, letting the pale Mr.5 and Miss Valentine get up as if they had received a great pardon. They helped each other and quickly left.

"Roman?"

Nami looked at the figure emerging from the shadows, her surprise turning into tears.

?!

"What's with that expression? Are you that excited to see me?"

"No, Roman."

Nami, with tears silently streaming down her face, had no way to express her distress.

"Do you know that we've just entered the Grand Line, and we're already being hunted by the 'Shichibukai' you mentioned."

"I... I'm sorry,"

The blue-haired girl beside her, who had removed her disguise, Miss Wednesday... no, the girl should be called Nefertari Vivi, kept bowing and apologizing to Nami.

"It's all my fault that you guys..."

"If you don't mind, I personally have five hundred thousand Belly..."

Alright, it seems like Crocodile will receive the news soon.

With Roman's abilities, he could naturally eliminate the animal duo, the otter Mr.13 and the vulture Miss Friday, who were sent to report, beforehand. However:

What would be the point of that? As long as Luffy and Nami were determined to help Vivi, they would inevitably clash with the enemy. In that case:

It would be better to let the overconfident Crocodile send some executives first to 'level up'.

"Well, we'll talk about this later."

Regarding the matter of provoking the Shichibukai, Luffy and Zoro beside him looked nonchalant, even with a hint of eagerness hidden in their eyes! This made Roman fully understand what it meant to be 'a newborn calf fears no tiger'.

This is really... Forget it, I'm tired...

"Here."

Roman handed a thick book to Nami. While she looked bewildered, Roman taught her hand in hand.

"See this drawing?"

Opening the book, the first page depicted a drawing of an 'explosion'. The crimson center released a massive amount of energy in 0.01 seconds, generating high temperatures and carrying rolling black smoke! Circles of crimson were expanding outwards—lifelike, leaping off the page.

"Then turn to the back, imagine the 'explosion' scene you just saw. Tear off a page of white paper and throw it out..."

Under the curious gazes of Luffy, Zoro, and Vivi, Nami tore off a page of white paper and threw it out as Roman instructed, and then:

BOOM!!

A violent explosion erupted from the center of the paper, blowing back the hair of all the onlookers.

"This... This..."

Thinking that if she had thrown this paper directly in front of herself just now, she would probably already be... Nami's tears flowed again.

I want to go home! I don't want to sail with these monsters anymore...

"Not bad, this thing is of no use to me."

"Take it for protection."

Roman rubbed his chin. While the power of this explosion was 'completely insufficient' in his eyes, and those of Luffy and Zoro, it would be enough to deal with some grunts.

"I'll call it Paper Dance—"

"The Art of the Thief!"