"Foreseeing the future?" Sonia frowned in confusion.
"Being touched?" Mari was startled. "Big Sis, what happened?"
Hancock remained expressionless as she flicked Mari's forehead with a delicate finger. The younger sister let out a soft "Ow!", rubbing the sore spot while looking up at Hancock with a pitiful expression, unsure of what she had done wrong.
"Let's go see what she's up to…"
Liam waved his hand, taking the lead toward the palace. He spread his arms—one wrapped around Hancock, the other holding Bonney. Meanwhile, Sander spread her wings, carrying Mari into the air with ease.
With a burst of Geppo (Moonwalk), Liam propelled himself to the top of the towering palace walls, B.I.B. following closely behind.
Just as he crossed the city wall, another vision flashed before his eyes.
Robin.
The same dense forest came into view, but this time, Robin seemed better rested. Though still weary, she no longer looked as drained as before.
In the vision, she curiously turned in "his" direction, cautiously stepping forward before reaching out her hand…
Liam's eyes widened. His hand instinctively brushed against his arm as a realization struck him.
"She's over there."
Landing atop the city wall, Liam pointed toward the forest beyond the city— the very spot his vision had shown him.
He knew Robin's training grounds like the back of his hand. Comparing the scene he had just witnessed to his memory, he was certain of her location.
"Understood!" Sonia transformed into her flying snake form, clutching Mari tightly as she took off toward the forest with a powerful flap of her wings.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Liam used Geppo once more, landing deep within the forest while carrying Hancock and Bonney.
Huff… huff…
Sandersonia folded her serpent wings, touching down gracefully with Marigold in tow.
"Princess Jolyne~"
"Jolyne~ Princess~"
"Princess~"
Sonia and Mari called out loudly as they walked through the forest.
Meanwhile, Liam and B.I.B. stood on opposite sides, their Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) synchronized as they searched for Robin's presence.
It didn't take long.
"Over there."
Liam led the group forward. Before long, a shadow emerged from the depths of the forest, slowly stepping into view.
"Ah!"
Bonney gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
Sandersonia and Marigold halted in their tracks, their eyes flickering between the approaching figure and Liam, their heads turning back and forth in disbelief.
Even Hancock, usually composed, revealed a rare look of astonishment.
"I knew it…"
Liam muttered under his breath, his gaze locked onto the figure who had just emerged.
The person standing before them—
Was himself.
———
"What… is going on here?"
Bonney's eyes darted between Liam and his perfect duplicate. "Why are there two of you?!"
"This is unbelievable…" Sandersonia and Marigold stared at the second Liam, struggling to comprehend what they were seeing.
Hancock narrowed her eyes. "Look carefully— that's not him."
Her voice was sharp and certain.
"That imposter's movements… his gaze… it's all wrong."
Bonney and the others focused their attention.
Indeed, while the other Liam was identical in height, build, and even facial features, something was off.
His eyes—
They were Lifeless.
Unlike the real Liam, whose gaze was always filled with emotion— whether teasing, laughing, or calm— this copy's eyes were vacant. Hollow.
Empty.
It was a mere shadow of the real thing.
Liam muttered to himself, "His presence feels… off."
No one else could sense what Liam was experiencing at that moment.
As the duplicate version of himself stepped forward, Liam's vision seemed to split— one perspective remained where he stood, while another placed him on the opposite side, looking back at himself, Hancock, Bonney, Sandersonia, and Marigold as they approached.
It was as if… the figure before him was truly another Liam.
Slowly, Liam raised his hand.
From his other perspective, he saw Liam standing next to Hancock do the same.
Yet the blank-eyed doppelgänger remained motionless, showing no reaction.
Liam narrowed his eyes in thought before cautiously stepping forward.
Sander and Mari instinctively opened their mouths, wanting to stop him. They still hadn't grasped what was happening… Hancock, however, moved with Liam, following close behind.
The other Liam didn't move.
Now, face to face, the two identical figures stood at equal height— towering at 2.2 meters.
Hancock's sharp gaze flickered between them. The resemblance was perfect. To the naked eye, the only discernible difference was their expressions—one lively and composed, the other vacant and unnervingly stiff.
Curious, Hancock reached out and pinched the arm of the dull-eyed "Giorno."
Warm.
His skin had the same texture as the real Giorno's—smooth yet firm, with solid muscle beneath, brimming with untapped explosive strength.
Seeing Hancock make contact, Sander and Mari couldn't resist their curiosity. They reached out as well, poking and prodding the duplicate with astonished expressions.
They waved their hands in front of his vacant face, eyes wide with amazement.
"What is he?! He looks exactly like Giorno!"
As they marveled at the copy, a strange expression crossed Liam's face.
Hancock, ever perceptive, immediately noticed something—Liam's skin had broken out in a faint layer of goosebumps.
A thought struck her, and she blurted out, "Can you feel it?"
Could Liam actually sense something when they touched the duplicate?
Hancock's mind raced. She recalled the strange sensation she'd felt earlier atop the city wall—the fleeting feeling of being touched.
Just then, a rustling sound echoed from within the forest.
Another figure slowly emerged…
Another Hancock.
This one, like the duplicate "Giorno," had the same eerily vacant expression.
———
Hancock blinked, momentarily stunned.
For the first time in her life, she wondered if she was malfunctioning.
Her vision warped between two realities.
On one hand, she saw another version of herself walking out—just as empty-eyed and lifeless as the fake "Giorno."
But at the same time, she could also see herself standing right here, frozen in shock at the sight of her own doppelgänger.
The conflicting sights, sounds, and sensations made her feel as though her mind was being torn in two.
Pressing her fingers to her temples, she tried to steady herself, forcing her eyes away from her expressionless clone and instead directing them deeper into the forest.
She took a deep breath before asking,
"Jolyne, what in the world is going on?"
As expected, Robin appeared, emerging from the shadows behind the second "Hancock."
She looked just as Liam had seen in his earlier vision—disheveled from training, exhaustion lingering in her sharp eyes.
Robin and Liam locked gazes.
"Flower-Flower Fruit (Hana Hana no Mi)?" Liam asked.
"Yeah." Robin nodded.
"Got it."
Liam exhaled, finally understanding.
Meanwhile, Sandersonia, Marigold, and Bonney all exchanged bewildered glances.
Above their heads, an invisible question mark might as well have been floating.
…What exactly did he understand?!
(End Of This Chapter)
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