One piece :I open the locks of the heart

After setting sail again, I opened a portal that led us directly back to our base on the Nameless Island. The Heartless, with their adorable and innocent forms, gathered around us, expressing their strange but genuine "happiness" to see us. It was a stark contrast to the combat troops I had acquired.

"By the way, unlocking the Shells Town keyhole has opened up a new dungeon," I announced with a sly grin, casting a mischievous look at my three companions.

The reaction was immediate. Luffy, his eyes gleaming with excitement, almost tackled me to the ground before I could say anything else. "Seriously?! A new dungeon! Open it right now! I didn't get enough action before!" he shouted, his enthusiasm so over-the-top it was almost comical. He looked at me like a child waiting for a present.

Nami crossed her arms, but I could see a spark of excitement in her eyes despite her feigned disinterest. "A new dungeon, huh? I hope there are some interesting rewards this time. Not just useless potions," she remarked, trying to hide her eagerness. But the faint smile playing on her lips betrayed her anticipation.

Koby, on the other hand, seemed torn between nervousness and excitement. "A new dungeon… This could be a great chance to improve, right? But… will it be dangerous?" he asked, turning to me for reassurance.

I stood back up after Luffy's tackle and shook my head slightly with an amused smile. "Yes, it'll be dangerous, but we never improve without taking some risks, right?" I said, placing a reassuring hand on Koby's shoulder. Then I turned to Luffy, whose excitement showed no signs of dimming. "But it'll only be on easy mode. So, I have a better idea for you, Captain… a little challenge," I suggested, an idea forming in my mind.

Luffy stopped moving, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "A challenge? Say it! I love challenges!" he exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear, his fists already clenched as if ready to fight anything.

"If you manage to defeat the shadow I'm going to summon, you can join us in the dungeon," I proposed, crossing my arms with a mischievous smile. "But if you don't finish in five minutes, Koby, Nami, and I will clear the easy mode while you keep fighting."

Luffy, true to himself, accepted without hesitation, flexing his arm and proudly showing off his biceps. "Go ahead, Jordan, summon whatever you want, I'm ready!" he declared with unwavering confidence, his radiant smile lighting up his face.

I shrugged and pulled Eisah's shadow out of my own. Approaching the blue-eyed creature, I leaned in and whispered softly, "You can fight him, but don't injure him mortally—and no severed limbs." The shadow nodded in understanding before turning to face Luffy.

Luffy immediately charged forward with enthusiasm, determination burning in his eyes. The duel began quickly, but it was clear from the very first exchanges that Eisah's shadow held a distinct advantage. It dodged Luffy's attacks with uncanny precision, its movements fluid and agile, reminiscent of its human counterpart. With every strike Luffy threw, the shadow evaded by mere inches, anticipating each motion with an almost insulting ease.

Luffy growled in frustration, doubling his efforts to land a hit on his opponent. "Raaah, stop moving!" he shouted, launching a powerful Gum-Gum Bazooka, which narrowly missed the shadow as it gracefully pivoted out of range before countering with a feint that sent Luffy stumbling.

For five long minutes, Luffy relentlessly attacked, but the shadow remained elusive, dancing around him like an intangible specter. His face flushed with effort, Luffy refused to give up, yet he failed to land a single blow. Eisah's shadow, on the other hand, merely toyed with him, adhering to the instructions I had given it.

I glanced at my watch and announced in a teasing tone, "Looks like time's up. Good luck, Luffy! We'll catch you later!" With a mischievous smile, I turned away, leaving Luffy to groan in frustration.

Nami, ever the tease, gave a playful wink as she looked at the panting Luffy. "Try not to wear yourself out too much, Captain. We might need you... later." Her voice dripped with mockery, making Luffy scowl.

Koby, meanwhile, looked at Luffy with a hint of guilt. "Sorry, Luffy… but I think I'd rather stick with Jordan for now. Good luck!" he said timidly before joining me.

• You will be teleported to Wonderland – Easy Mode – with your team.

• Objective: Defeat 150 shadows, 1 Giga Shadow (optional), 30 Rondouillard, 30 Nocturnes Rouges, 30 Opéras Jaunes, 30 Rhapsodies Bleues, 30 Flying Soldiers, and 1 Trick Master.

• Rewards: Random item/equipment/skill for team members.

• All defeated Sans-cœur will be added to your command.

The three of us entered the dungeon, landing in a strange room filled with ticking clocks. As we moved forward, another room revealed itself, containing a table with two potions resting on it. A red potion and a blue potion, each glimmering softly under the flickering light.

Curious, I reached out and grabbed the small blue potion. The moment I touched it, I suddenly shrank down to barely 12 centimeters tall—without even drinking it. I looked up to see Nami and Koby, now towering giants from my perspective, staring at me in surprise. The mischievous grin spreading across Nami's face didn't bode well for me.

She leaned toward me, a spark of mischief in her eyes. "Oh, Jordan, this is so adorable. Maybe we should keep you like this for a while…" she said, holding back a laugh.

Sensing the inevitable teasing coming my way, I bolted toward the red potion. "No way!" I exclaimed as I touched it, instantly returning to my normal size. I shot a wary look at Nami. "Nami… what exactly were you planning to do?"

She averted her gaze slightly, trying to hide a smile. "Nothing, really. Just… having a bit of fun," she said in an innocent tone, though the glint in her eyes gave her away.

I sighed, shaking my head, then turned to Koby. "Koby, touch the blue potion. Nami and I will do it at the same time. That way, no funny business." I gave Nami a pointed look, and she responded by sticking her tongue out at me mischievously. Despite everything, I couldn't help but smile. Our little crew was becoming a true family, playful teasing included.

The three of us were reduced to a tiny size after touching the blue potion, walking through a peculiar hallway where every step echoed slightly, as if the space itself were enchanted. The dim lighting created an almost dreamlike atmosphere, with shadows dancing on the walls as we moved. Eventually, we reached a large door adorned with a carved face in the center. Its eyes slowly opened, blinking heavily, and its "lips" moved lazily as it spoke.

"Who dares disturb me?" it groaned in a slow, gravelly voice.

Koby timidly stepped forward, looking at the door as if it might swallow him whole. "Um… can we pass, please?" he asked hesitantly.

The door yawned loudly, revealing a row of carved teeth that seemed to snap shut slightly with each motion. "You want to pass? Oh, no, no, no. I'm far too tired for that. Come back later."

Nami rolled her eyes, crossing her arms with visible exasperation. "Listen up, grumpy door. We don't have all day. Open up now, or I'll force you to." She placed her hand on her staff in a silent but clear threat.

The door, seemingly irritated by her audacity, let out a deep sigh, its eyes glowing faintly with annoyance. "It's always the same… little intruders wanting to get in. Fine." It creaked open slowly with a prolonged groan, leaving a narrow passage. "But make it quick, and let me sleep afterward."

I glanced at Nami and Koby, shrugging with a smile. "Let's not waste any time. Let's go." We slipped through the passage quickly, the door slamming shut behind us with a final rumble, as if declaring it was done with us.

The Garden and the Queen of Hearts

On the other side, we emerged into a vast, beautifully maintained garden. The precisely trimmed hedges formed a complex maze, and the red roses—some of which still bore traces of fresh paint—added a strange, surreal touch. The fragrance of the flowers contrasted sharply with the tense atmosphere that hung over the place.

At the center, an imposing woman sat on a massive throne, dressed in a scarlet gown adorned with heart-shaped patterns. Her cheeks were flushed with what seemed to be perpetual rage, and her scepter glinted faintly under the sunlight. Surrounding her was an army of card soldiers, bearing spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds, all standing at attention.

She spotted us immediately, narrowing her eyes. Then, she rose with calculated slowness, her already furious expression hardening further. "WHO dares to disturb my peaceful afternoon? Criminals! Intruders!"

Nami, ever audacious, smirked slightly and shot me an amused glance before addressing the Queen. "Oh no, madam, we're not criminals. We're pirates." She placed a hand on her hip and adopted a casual stance, as if mocking the gravity of the situation.

The Queen of Hearts turned crimson, slamming her scepter violently against the ground. "SILENCE! You are guilty! I CAN FEEL IT!" She gestured theatrically toward the army of card soldiers. "GUARDS! Seize them! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"

The card soldiers immediately sprang to life, their mechanical movements producing a grating sound. Their blades gleamed in the sunlight as they rushed toward us, a chaotic yet menacing wave of attackers.

I raised my Keyblade, assuming a defensive stance. Nami and Koby quickly positioned themselves at my sides. Adrenaline surged as the soldiers closed in.

"What's their problem? I was just joking!" Nami complained, firing off a well-aimed lightning bolt that struck two soldiers. The cards shuddered from the impact but wobbled for only a moment before returning to their upright positions, their mechanical movements resetting as though nothing had happened.

"Do they never go down?!" Koby shouted, slashing one of the soldiers with his scimitar. To his dismay, no mark appeared on the rigid card's body, which seemed impervious to any real damage.

I swept several soldiers aside with a wide arc of my Keyblade, temporarily scattering them. Yet, like indestructible puppets, they quickly reassembled, regrouping with unnerving precision. "This is endless! They're weak, but they just don't stay down!"

Nami stepped back slightly, breathing heavily, sweat glistening on her forehead. "We can't keep this up. They just keep coming back. It's impossible to defeat them!"

I quickly scanned the area and noticed an opening in the maze—an escape route. "This way, follow me!" I shouted, parrying a sword strike that could have hit me.

The soldiers regrouped quickly, relentlessly pursuing us. Nami cast one last lightning spell, illuminating the area and slowing our pursuers, while Koby repelled a guard with a precise strike. But their numbers kept growing, and their coordinated movements made them overwhelming.

We rushed toward the opening, diving into the maze. The hedges seemed to stretch as we moved forward, as if they were trying to trap us. Behind us, the Queen of Hearts' voice echoed, her fury reverberating through the air. "Come back here! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR IMPUDENCE!"

The card soldiers halted at the maze's entrance, unable to follow us further. Exhausted but relieved, we pressed on.

Just as we entered the Lotus Forest, the apparent calm was shattered. The atmosphere was strangely heavy, and a dense mist floated around the giant lotus flowers scattered across the clearing. But it wasn't the mist that was most concerning—Heartless began emerging from the shadows of the trees, their familiar and menacing forms coming to life all around us.

"Looks like they didn't waste any time," I said, summoning my Keyblade and readying myself for battle. Nami and Koby immediately took positions at my sides, alert and prepared.

The Shadows were the first to attack. A wave of about thirty creatures lunged toward us, their fluid and unpredictable movements seeking to overwhelm us.

"Koby, hold your left! Nami, focus on the Nocturnes rouges if you see them!" I shouted, sweeping away the Shadows in front of me with a wide arc of my Keyblade.

Koby charged into the fray, his scimitar gleaming in the air as he fended off the Shadows with precision. Despite his inexperience, his determination was evident as he managed to cut down several enemies while dodging their dark claws.

Nami, on her part, fired a targeted lightning bolt that struck a cluster of Nocturnes rouges, dispersing their essence in an explosion of blue light. "They're not as tough as the card soldiers, but their numbers are a problem!" she exclaimed, stepping back slightly to avoid a counterattack.

The Rondouillards soon joined the fight, their massive bodies advancing slowly but with evident brute strength. I quickly issued a command, summoning a dozen elemental Heartless under my control to balance the battle. Nocturnes rouges and Opéras jaunes at my command swooped in on the Rondouillards, launching fireballs and lightning bolts to weaken their defenses.

Luffy would've loved being here, I thought as I narrowly dodged a massive strike from a Rondouillard that had survived the magical assault. But I didn't have time to dwell on the thought. I leaped into the air, delivering a powerful vertical strike to the Rondouillard, dispelling it into a flurry of dark particles.

Koby, visibly tired but determined, charged at a group of flying soldiers trying to ambush Nami. "Not this time!" he shouted, leaping into the air to deliver precise strikes. His scimitar cut through the winged creatures, which collapsed and vanished into bursts of darkness.

"Well done, Koby!" I called out before turning my attention to a group of Rhapsodies bleues launching icy projectiles. I narrowly dodged one of their attacks and retaliated with a series of magical strikes combining lightning and fire. The Rhapsodies were quickly neutralized.

After a few minutes of intense fighting, the last of the Heartless were defeated, leaving the forest in an almost oppressive silence. We were exhausted but victorious.

"That was... intense," Nami murmured, catching her breath. She glanced at the now-cleared glade. "But I guess we can relax a little now."

I nodded, scanning the surroundings to ensure no additional threats appeared. "Good job, everyone. We held our ground well. Take a moment to recover, but stay alert. You never know what might happen in a place like this."

Koby leaned on his scimitar, his face flushed from the effort but lit up with a smile. "I'm starting to understand why you enjoy these kinds of adventures so much."

I chuckled softly before turning my gaze toward the path ahead. "It's not really about enjoying it, Koby. But you're doing well. Let's catch our breath and keep moving."

(Author's Note: I'll leave you with the first part of the dungeon. I hope you enjoy this chapter ^^)