"Achoo!"
Under the sun umbrella, Xiano suddenly sneezed, spilling the coffee he was holding all over the floor.
"Smoker!"
He immediately turned and shouted.
"Got it."
Smoker, who was at the helm, responded promptly.
Whoosh!
A swirl of smoke swept across, instantly cleaning the floor spotless.
Professionalism and efficiency at its finest.
Xiano rubbed his nose and looked up in confusion. In the distance, beneath the wildly swirling sunset clouds, the outline of Water 7 was already faintly visible.
Who's thinking about me this time?
Last time he sneezed, Garp showed up within two days.
Could it be... Kaido's almost here?
...
One hour later.
The Sunset finally sailed into Water 7.
Night was falling, and lights flickered on one after another, casting shimmering reflections on the winding waterways.
This city, with its intricate network of canals, had countless entry points. Almost every spot along the outer ring of the island could serve as a docking area.
Xiano deliberately chose a more secluded spot to moor, avoiding too much commotion. Once the anchor was dropped and the ship secured, the group of four and one wolf disembarked.
Naturally, they didn't forget to bring the treasure chests.
In the past,
Agin would have been the one to pull these chests.
Agin usually wasn't too happy about it, feeling it undermined his dignity as the Wolf King. He'd often roll around on the ground, putting up a fuss until Xiano kicked him in the rear, after which he'd grudgingly play the part of a sled dog.
But now, things were different. The ship had a more professional porter.
Jack made full use of his massive physique, effortlessly hoisting over a dozen treasure chests onto his broad shoulders, stacking them high.
As they walked, the clattering sound made him seem like a moving fortress, causing any residents they passed to scramble out of the way.
A few groups of thugs had their greedy eyes instantly drawn to the treasure chests.
But after noticing Jack's intimidating build and fierce expression, they quickly shrank back, not daring to make a move.
Xiano observed all this with amusement.
Being scary-looking had its perks—even with a bounty of zero, Jack had the deterrent effect of a one-billion-Berry threat.
After renting a few Blue, the group headed straight for the upper city.
The bank and Vivrecard shop were both located there.
Normally, traveling from the outer districts to the upper city would require navigating a maze of waterways, which could be quite a hassle.
But...
Water 7 had elevators.
Officially called "Water Gate Elevators," these enclosed locks could lift boats—or passengers riding Blue—from low-water areas to high-water areas in just a matter of seconds.
It reminded Xiano of the Panama Canal locks.
The group boarded their Blue, entered the elevator, and whoosh—just like that, they arrived in the upper city.
"Huh, that's odd."
Xiano glanced around but couldn't spot Kuina or the others.
They had agreed over the Den Den Mushi to meet at the upper city entrance in the evening.
"I'll give them another call," Smoker said, pulling out the Den Den Mushi.
"Alright."
Xiano nodded, not too concerned.
It was mealtime, and it was likely because Nami was too greedy for food that the others were delayed for a while.
Buru buru~
The Den Den Mushi rang for a long time, but no response came through.
"What's going on?" Smoker frowned, hanging up directly before dialing Robin's number.
Still no answer.
He tried Kuina next, but the result was the same.
Xiano, who had been admiring the fountain view, finally turned his head.
"Boss, something seems off..." Smoker muttered around his cigar, eyes narrowing slightly.
Nami not picking up was normal.
After all, that girl was always careless and unreliable—maybe her Den Den Mushi had fallen into the toilet while she was in the bathroom.
But not even Kuina or Robin answering? That was definitely unusual.
"Big brother! Big brother!"
Just then, a little girl with twin pigtails came skipping over.
She stood on tiptoe, holding up a crumpled note to Xiano. "Here! Someone asked me to give this to you!"
Xiano casually unfolded it, and his crewmates crowded around to look.
The message was clear:
[Your sisters are tied up in the train station warehouse. If you want them alive, send your subordinates to rescue them immediately.]
[Come alone to the Galley-La Company headquarters and wait downstairs. I have a deal to discuss with you. Remember—come alone, or I won't show myself.]
"Hey! Wait, don't run off yet!" Smoker instinctively reached out to stop the girl from leaving. His rough, cigar-chomping demeanor made her flinch, her eyes instantly welling up.
"Sorry, sorry, little one." Smoker quickly crouched down, softening his voice as he pulled a few mint candies from his pocket. "I didn't mean to scare you. Big brother just wanted to ask—who told you to bring us this note?"
"Candy!" The girl's eyes lit up as she happily took the treats, immediately deciding Smoker wasn't so bad after all. She spilled everything she knew in one breath. "I don't know him. It was a weird guy in a mask. He gave me 100 Berry to deliver it. He was really tall and thin... That's all I remember."
Then, as a final jab: "Oh, and when I said 'big brother,' I meant the handsome one with black hair. You calling yourself 'big brother' is kinda shameless, white-haired uncle."
Uncle?!
Oh, you little brat!
A vein throbbed on Smoker's forehead as he watched the cheeky kid run off. He stood up with a huff. "So, what do you all think about the note?"
"Obviously fake," Zeff scoffed, crossing his arms. "This was written by those leftover CP9 agents or their allies. This kind of cliché trick might fool a three-year-old, but no one else is buying it."
"Eh?!" Jack, who had been fuming with worry, froze. "So it's fake?" He'd been ready to charge straight to the station the moment Boss Xiano gave the order!
"Guess we really do have a three-year-old here!" Smoker smacked Jack's knee and bared his teeth in a roar.
"Then... then why can't we get through on the phone?" Jack scratched his head in confusion.
"Idiot, it's the government's special intelligence division after all. It's normal for them to have ways to block communication signals."
Smoker sneered, "But this approach... hmph, what a bunch of short-sighted fools. Do they really not know just how terrifying the Observation Haki of the strong can be?"
Everyone's gaze instinctively turned toward Xiano.
Just as Smoker had said, Xiano was currently standing by the railing, facing the sprawling city below with his arms spread and eyes slightly closed.
—His powerful Observation Haki was fully unleashed, instantly sweeping over the entire island like a roaring tidal wave!
In such a densely populated metropolis, finding someone wasn't easy.
But Xiano was intimately familiar with Nami and Nojiko's presence. After scanning the area twice, he pinpointed their exact locations.
Xiano opened his eyes and turned around.
"They're both in the eastern district. If I remember correctly, that's where the banks are, right?"
Xiano shrugged, "Probably fell for the same fake message delivered by kids, thinking the meeting place was changed to a bank."
"So I wasn't the only one tricked!" Jack immediately chuckled foolishly.
"What are you so proud about, you idiot? It's not the same situation at all!"
Smoker couldn't help but kick him again, "The fake message they got didn't have such exaggerated content!"
One was about a kidnapping, the other just a changed meeting location.
Moreover, in the original schedule, the first thing after meeting up was supposed to be exchanging cash at the bank, so the latter was far more plausible and reasonable.
"Going through all this trouble just to separate us and meet Boss Xiano alone?" Smoker blew a smoke ring and looked at Xiano, "Boss, what's the plan?"
"You all head straight to the bank, stick to the original schedule, and fill in Kuina and the others about what happened."
Xiano glanced toward the Galley-La Company headquarters, stretching lazily as he spoke indifferently, "Since whoever's behind this wants to meet me alone so badly, I'll go grant their wish."
"Understood."
"We'll head to the bank first then, Boss."
Everyone nodded and immediately set off toward the banking district.
No one objected, and no one worried about Xiano's safety.
The reason was simple.
They had absolute, unparalleled faith in their Captain's strength!
Before overwhelming power...
All schemes, all meticulous calculations, were nothing but jokes.
————
Galley-La Company Headquarters.
Iceberg, the mayor of Water 7 and president of Galley-La Company, was pacing back and forth in his office with a furrowed brow.
"Strange... Where did Kalifa and Kaku go?"
He stopped walking, muttering to himself as his fingers lightly tapped the desk, "We agreed to sort through all the dockyard order reports together tonight..."
They'd been missing since afternoon, vanishing without a trace for hours now.
Kaku was one thing—he might've been dragged off to some bar by that Barry fellow and forgotten about the work.
But his usually diligent secretary Kalifa, who'd insist on working even when sick with a cold, never leaving his side... she'd never skipped work without reason before.
"This is such a headache..."
Iceberg slumped in his office chair, his face twisted in discomfort as he absentmindedly picked his nose. "Leaving me all alone here—where's the motivation?"
He was a notoriously lazy mayor, accustomed to slacking off. To get him to work seriously, someone had to practically push him from behind.
Creak—
Just then, the office door swung open.
"Finally! What took you so long, Kalifa? I thought you'd forgotten—"
Iceberg hastily wiped the booger under his desk and looked up eagerly, only to see a figure clad in a black suit and a black top hat stepping inside...
"Lucci?"
Iceberg blinked in surprise.
"Why you? Where's Kalifa? Weren't you supposed to be working overtime at Dock No. 1 tonight, repairing that merchant ship? What are you doing he—"
His words cut off abruptly.
Lucci hadn't responded at all. Instead, he walked silently to the sofa, sat down, crossed his legs, and slowly lifted his gaze. His usually gentle eyes were now as cold and sharp as blades.
"What's this about...?"
Iceberg hesitated, instinctively taking half a step back.
Something felt off...
In the year he'd known Lucci, the young man had always been quiet but diligent, reliable at work, and even witty at times—using ventriloquism to crack him up.
But now...
The man before him radiated danger, making Iceberg feel an unfamiliar sense of dread.
"My apologies, Mayor Iceberg."
Lucci casually brushed dust off his pants before finally speaking, his voice low and rough.
"Thank you for taking care of us all this time. But unfortunately... tonight, I'm not here as a shipwright."
"Eh? What do you mean by that?"
Iceberg scratched his head, forcing a dry laugh. "What kind of act is this, Lucci...? Hah, first time hearing you actually use your mouth to talk—sounds weird, honestly. Hey, where's Hattori? Why isn't he with you?"
Hattori was the name of Lucci's pigeon.
Lucci didn't answer. Instead, he slowly raised his index finger.
Whoosh—whoosh!
Two Finger Pistols shot out, piercing Iceberg's knees in an instant. Blood gushed from the wounds as Iceberg collapsed to the ground, clutching his legs in disbelief.
"Now that you can't run, let me properly introduce myself."
Lucci's gaze remained calm. "I am Rob Lucci, a member of CP9—the World Government's covert intelligence agency—and the leader of this Water 7 operation."
—What?!
Iceberg's eyes widened, his face turning deathly pale.
CP9?
That ultra-secret special ops unit under the World Government?!
Since when was Lucci a government agent?
No—wait. That wasn't the right question. The real question was: had he always been one, merely disguised as a shipwright to infiltrate Galley-La?
Hold on—leader? Then there were others...
Kalifa and Kaku... They'd joined the company around the same time as Lucci. Could they be...?
"Unfortunately, yes. Just as you suspect."
Lucci seemed to read his thoughts, replying coolly. "But the two of them are occupied tonight, so they couldn't make it. That's why I'm here to bid you farewell on their behalf."
So it's true!
Damn it, Kalifa... Kaku...
"What... exactly do you want?" Iceberg suppressed his inner shock, though his voice still trembled slightly.
Lucci didn't answer directly. Instead, he stood up and walked slowly to the window, gazing down at Water 7 under the night sky.
In his line of sight.
The little girl he'd instructed earlier was now tiptoeing to hand a note to that group of people.
Is it coming, Blade Swordsman Xiano?
Lucci exhaled softly, unable to conceal the excitement in his eyes.
To be honest.
After nearly a year of undercover work in Water 7, he'd long grown tired of Spandam's foolish orders to avoid alerting their targets and proceed slowly.
They'd already confirmed that Tom's blueprints were likely in Iceberg's possession. Why not just take action against Iceberg directly instead of continuing this charade as shipwrights, wasting their time?
How much longer must he wait?
Half a year? A full year??
As CP9's most talented agent in eight centuries, why should he waste so much time on this tedious mission!
At least Xiano's arrival had come.
Offering him a chance to break free from this assignment.
With this brief moment before the impending battle, it was the perfect opportunity to confront Iceberg.
If he won, he could claim the bounty on this 100-million-berry pirate and return triumphantly to Enies Lobby, while also bringing Iceberg back as a bonus—a double victory.
As for losing...
Though unlikely.
In that case, none of them would escape alive. At least before death, he could lay his cards on the table with Iceberg and vent his frustrations on this idiot mayor who genuinely believed himself to be their superior.
Kaku and Kalifa seemed to have grown fond of the man, even developing some affection for the city's atmosphere.
But he felt differently—no attachment whatsoever to this city or this company.
"Iceberg."
Lucci spoke calmly with his back turned, "Since you asked, I'll be direct. About the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluton... you're quite familiar with them, aren't you?"
Iceberg's breath caught.
So that's it...
They're after that after all!
"Pluton?"
He forced composure, responding gravely, "I don't know what you're talking about. Pluton is just a legendary weapon. How could an ordinary shipwright like me have any connection to—"
"Lies."
Lucci turned around, smirking coldly at him.
"Our superior Spandam has already confirmed everything. The reason we infiltrated Galley-La was specifically for you."
He advanced step by step, his voice growing colder, "After all, Tom's other apprentice, Franky, is already dead. With you as his only remaining student, where else could Pluton's blueprints be except in your hands?"
At that name, Iceberg's fists clenched tightly.
Spandam...
That CP5 chief who'd hounded their workshop years ago.
Because of his schemes, Tom—his teacher—had been executed by the World Government despite having been acquitted!
And his junior Franky had disappeared without a trace because of it!
"I don't know anything! Teacher Tom never mentioned anything like this to me!"
Beads of sweat formed on Iceberg's forehead, but he gritted his teeth and held firm:
"What Pluton blueprints? I've never seen them... Even if you're CP9, you still have to follow procedures. Accusations without evidence are just your delusions!"
"Under normal circumstances, we would indeed follow procedures."
Seeing no sign of cooperation, Lucci finally lost his patience. "Unfortunately, I have to go downstairs to meet someone soon, and I really don't have time to keep playing this charade with you."
Whoosh!
His figure vanished from sight, reappearing right in front of Iceberg in the next instant, delivering a vicious kick to the chest.
Iceberg spat out a mouthful of dark blood, his upper body reeling backward as the world spun before his eyes. Yet he gritted his teeth and endured the blow, refusing to lose consciousness.
Tom's disciple was surprisingly tough.
Lucci gave Iceberg a cold glance and ordered:
"Knock him out, tie him up, and put him in a bag, Bruno."
"Those officers from the Blade Swordsman's ship are also quite troublesome. After I deal with Xiano, don't linger in battle. Just commandeer the Sea Train and take these two to Enies Lobby overnight."
"Yes, Lucci."
A burly figure emerged from the shadows. Bruno's expression remained indifferent as he silently reached out with his large hand toward Iceberg.
"Bruno from the bar... So you're one of them too..." Iceberg froze momentarily before letting out a bitter laugh, forcing out words with difficulty. "My surroundings... have been completely infiltrated by your people, haven't they?"
"And I didn't notice a single clue... How utterly oblivious I've been..."
Iceberg lowered his head in self-mockery, then suddenly looked up directly at Lucci, grinning wildly. "Taking me to Enies Lobby? Do you think... I'm afraid to die?"
Lucci's brow furrowed slightly.
"My teacher chose to face death with dignity rather than hand over the blueprints." Iceberg's voice grew steadier. "As his disciple, how could I possibly dishonor his will!"
"Pluton is a forbidden weapon capable of destroying the world. No matter what, I will never allow it to resurface!"
"And as for killing me?"
He suddenly pulled out two pistols from his suit pockets, gripping one in each hand, eyes burning with fury:
"Come and try, you government lapdogs!"
Bang! Bang!
Two pistols fired simultaneously, bullets whistling toward Lucci.
Lucci's brow furrowed slightly, his gaze turning completely cold.
"A foolish move."
He stood rooted in place, not even flinching as the bullets flew toward him.
Iron Body was already activated. If these soft bullets fired by ordinary people could penetrate it, it would be a joke...
BOOM!!!
At that very moment, the office window exploded inward!
A slender greatsword shattered through the glass, perfectly intercepting the bullets' trajectory—splitting them in half midair—before piercing through Iron Body and impaling Lucci through his right abdomen, pinning him violently against the wall.
The scene unfolded with shocking suddenness.
Neither Bruno nor Iceberg could react in time. Even Lucci froze for two full seconds before looking down at the wound gushing blood from his side...
"Ara ara, my apologies."
A lazy voice drifted in.
Lucci strained to look up and saw a black-haired youth lounging casually on the windowsill, legs dangling carelessly, wearing a cheerful grin:
"Originally, I was waiting in the garden downstairs for you to finish your business. But the commotion up here got a bit loud, and I worried you might lose your temper and actually kill this Mr. Gin. So, I had no choice but to intervene first."
Gin?
Who?
Lucci blinked, not understanding Xiano's meaning.
But... that didn't matter!
His attention snapped to the sword impaling his abdomen, and he nearly threw his head back in laughter right then.
What tremendous Energy Force...
To think a casually thrown blade could pierce his Iron Body!
Was this the swordsmanship of a Master Swordsman renowned across the seas?
But...
Pirates truly were idiots!
The note he'd left had been an open trap from the start.
Whether the opponent saw through it or not, he'd been certain that a pirate of such fame would harbor overconfident arrogance about their own strength.
And just as predicted.
Not only had the opponent cared about so-called "Pirate Dignity" and "Pirate Chivalry," coming alone as promised.
But they'd even thrown away their sword to save someone without Bruno needing to lift a finger!
Were they afraid their Sword Aura might accidentally hit Iceberg?
Regardless, retrieving it now wouldn't be so easy.
The plan was proceeding even smoother than anticipated!
"Bruno!" Lucci suddenly barked, wrenching the sword from his body with sheer force.
"Understood!"
Bruno instantly grasped his intent, catching the bloodied greatsword before swiping his right hand across Lucci's torso—
"Human Door Opening!"
An eerie phenomenon occurred.
Lucci's body split open like a swinging door, revealing a rectangular void filled with emerald-hued space.
Without hesitation, Bruno leapt inside clutching the greatsword!
SWISH!
The opening vanished instantly, leaving no trace of man or blade behind.
Huh?
Xiano tilted his head in confusion at the bizarre spectacle.
"Complete success."
Lucci licked blood from his lips, the wound in his abdomen still freely bleeding as if he didn't notice.
Under the moonlight, CP9's strongest agent's body began violently expanding—immediately entering Half-Beast Transformation as muscles coiled like Steel Tendons, eyes burning with fanatical battle lust:
"That stab of yours... hurt me terribly."
"But now..."
He tore away his tattered shirt with a vicious grin, reveali
ng his sculpted torso:
"It's my turn now. Time for you, Master Swordsman, to witness the true charm of Martial Arts cultivated to its peak!"