After learning that Mora was Devil Fruit User, Vic finally understood what his spatial ability was: the Mirror World. Through the Mirror World, Mora could travel to all parts of the world, wherever there was a mirror. It was as if there were wormholes connecting two mirrors, allowing the user to arrive quickly. The Mirror World was just a transit point.
"I've heard of the Mirror-Mirror Fruit's power. So, you must have captured everyone else on the island through the Mirror World, shrunk them all, and locked them in a model ship, while you disguised yourself as a fisherman to try and fool our navy?"
After learning it was the Mirror-Mirror Fruit, Vic felt a bit uneasy, especially since Mora had already mastered it to the point of creating Mirror-Mirror Fruit out of thin air. What if Mora simply created a mirror and hid inside it?
Then you really won't be able to catch it. That's another world. No matter how well you develop your Devil Fruit or how strong your Haki, you won't be able to find that space unless a Devil Fruit user takes you in.
"Haha! I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable. What you said is indeed similar, but the order is a bit off. Let me help you sort it out!"
Actually, I came to this island by accident. I didn't intend to do anything to the people on the island, but then my big telescope spotted your warship.
I spotted your Dark Dragon symbol at a glance with the telescope I made with my abilities. Knowing you're not someone to mess with, I called my backers in the New World for help. But after they heard that the enemy was you, they ordered me to stage a major tragedy on the island and frame you!
You know my abilities. Even if I kill everyone on the island, I can still escape with my men without anyone noticing. By the time you land, all you'll see are corpses that aren't even cold yet.
I think that was incredibly unprofessional! I had already secretly taken over the people of this fishing village before your warships even landed on the island.
Then, using my Devil Fruit power, I cloned all the villagers. While I was luring you to the town, I used the Mirror World to capture all the island's inhabitants. Your Marines were completely unaware, hahaha!
Seeing that all the marines had been affected by his ability, Mora felt that Vic and his group would surely die here today, so he spoke somewhat recklessly, almost revealing the forces behind them.
He now believed he could take down Vic and his group, which was far more exciting than framing them and would be of greater value in the eyes of his backer. He was completely unaware of why his backer in the New World had only told him to frame them instead of saying he should kill them if the opportunity arose.
Because in that powerful figure's eyes, it was a pipe dream for someone like Mora to kill Vic; it was something he wouldn't even dare to imagine. He was someone you couldn't kill even if you killed him while he was asleep.
Upon hearing this, Barnett understood what the glimmer of light the lookout had seen earlier was—it was the reflection from the pirate's binoculars. They were already on the verge of being trapped at that moment.
From that moment on, they were being watched, and then came all the things that happened afterward. They were made fools of, and everyone was kidnapped right under their noses without them even realizing it. They were incredibly bold and cunning, but their schemes were exposed by someone with Observation Haki, causing their efforts to fail.
"A powerful backer? You actually have a powerful backer in the New World? Who is that backer?"
Mora's words stirred up a storm in Vic's mind. Framed? Mora actually framed him? He'd only been to the New World once, fought Bullet, and came back. And now he'd already been targeted by some pirate from the New World?
Since it's a frame-up, it's clearly an attempt to sow discord between him and the Navy. And it happened during the Shichibukai assessment process, so if he really was framed, it's hard not to speculate a lot!
"Haha, there's no need to tell you that. I heard that sir wants people. Bringing everyone on this island as a gift would be a good idea."
The original plan was to use these people to frame you and then present them to that person as a gift—a win-win situation. Unfortunately, you're all useless; you were hyped up too much by the newspapers and the whole thing fell apart at the first sign of trouble. But eliminating you would still be a great achievement!
Mora trembled as he recalled the legends he had heard about that person in the West Blue. He was recruited by that person after he came to the Grand Line, not after being recruited and then returning from the New World to the first half of the Grand Line. He was now preparing to meet up with that person.
However, if the higher-ups behind him knew that he had acted on his own initiative, they would probably kill him immediately. This is just making his superiors hate him. Originally, the Navy's Dark Dragon treated all pirates equally, but if he knew the truth about the frame-up, he would definitely be targeted. Mora may not know how powerful Dark Dragon is, but he is well aware of the major powers in the New World.
Even without Mora revealing her backer, Vic could roughly guess what was going on. Judging from the final fate of her Devil Fruit powers, Vic suspected that the person behind Mora was Big Mom.
The Mirror-Mirror Fruit is a great ability for gathering intelligence, which is why the Big Mom Pirates later had top-notch intelligence capabilities. It's likely that Mora was targeted by the Big Mom Pirates as soon as he arrived on the Grand Line.
Although Mora didn't have a bounty, he was no nobody in the dark Underworld. However, Vic wasn't entirely sure how the ability ended up transferring from Mora to Brulee.
However, he guessed that it was highly likely that Big Mom saw how useful this ability was and wanted to control it for her children, so she killed Mora and then retrieved the Mirror-Mirror Fruit that had been reborn.
Vic also speculated about the reason why Big Mom brought so many people as a gift: Big Mom's Soul-Soul Fruit can absorb lifespans, and those who make a living in Big Mom's territory also have to use their lifespans as protection money. Other great pirates are not so eager for people, so this is also one of the reasons why Vic suspects Big Mom.
Vic has already sworn animosity towards Big Mom because of Wendy, but he doesn't understand why Big Mom is causing trouble for him and trying to sow discord between him and the Navy.
He even suspected that the Big Mom Pirates knew about Wendy's situation on his ship, and now that Wendy was under his protection, they would have to get rid of Vic first if they wanted to get rid of Wendy.
Little did he know that he had caught the eye of Big Mom, that old woman, who wanted him to be her nth husband and then have nth children.
If Vic finds out about this, the first Four Emperors he'll want to kill is Big Mom. It's really going too far. Add to that his grudge against Wendy, and she'll be the first one he'll want to take down.
"Is that all you have? Very well!"
Vic now finally understood the gist of the matter and Mora's escape method. He felt that this matter should end here, and there was no need to pretend anymore.