Spandam's outburst had ended, and the criminals Nico Robin and Franky were taken away under escort.
Now, the CP9 agents sat before the "gifts" Spandam had promised them.
One was shaped like a banana.
The other, like a melon.
Devil Fruits.
Their powers were unknown—the reference books held no record of these fruits. Not even Spandam's connections seemed to know what abilities lay within them.
"If these are Devil Fruits… I can't help but wonder what kind of powers they'll grant."
"Hopefully something useful. I'd rather not end up with some useless bottle-opener ability."
Kaku and Kalifa murmured as they touched the strange fruits placed before them.
"There is no such thing as a useless Devil Fruit," Lucci finally spoke. "Its worth depends entirely on the vessel that wields it."
"Hah. Speaking with your own voice at last, Lucci?" Jabra mocked.
Lucci, though irritated, dismissed him entirely. With only half his Doriki, Jabra was beneath notice.
Being ignored only enraged Jabra further—but even he knew Fukurou's measurements didn't lie. He forced himself to stay quiet.
"Regardless," Lucci continued, "you should eat them now. If the Director is right, we may be forced into battle at any moment. Better to learn your powers here and now."
Whether Rokushiki or Devil Fruits, they all trusted Lucci's judgment as their senior. Kaku and Kalifa both nodded, peeled back the skin of their fruits, and took a bite.
The flesh looked unappetizing—yet within that foul taste dwelled the power of the devil.
"…Ugh!"
"…Mmmph!"
Both reacted almost immediately.
"Oi, are you all right?"
"Yo?"
But their bodies stabilized. No convulsions, no collapse.
"I-It just tastes awful."
"This taste… even starving, I don't think I could eat another bite of it…"
They grimaced at the memory of that bitterness lingering on their tongues.
Seeing this, Jabra—himself a Devil Fruit user—nodded knowingly.
"Yeah, I know that taste. Devil Fruits are foul beyond words. If Gesarin's cooking ever tasted like that… I don't think I could've loved her."
"Not that it matters—she dumped you anyway, chapa-pa."
"Yo! Even if Gesarin cooked something as foul as a Devil Fruit, Jabra wouldn't have the chance to taste it!"
Fukurou and Kumadori jabbed at his wound, leaving Jabra's face red with rage.
"Damn it! Stop poking at my scars already!"
"You brought it up yourself," Lucci remarked coolly.
"What did you just say, Lucci?!"
The scene echoed their old days in Galley-La—Jabra thrashing and shouting, while Lucci sat silent and indifferent.
"…It seems my body is reacting already," Kaku said at last. "I'll return to my quarters to test this power."
"Me too. If this ability proves troublesome, it'll be better to know now than later."
With that, Kaku and Kalifa departed, each retreating to their rooms to experiment with their newfound powers.
...
Meanwhile, Enies Lobby itself had already come under siege.
The prototype Sea Train Rocketman, together with the King Bulls Sodom and Gomorrah, had brought the Straw Hats and their allies charging into the island.
Not even the ten thousand stationed troops, bolstered by the elite Hound Unit, could hold them back.
"Then we have no choice—contact Vice Admiral Rengoku!"
"No! We can't drag him into something like this! We must capture the pirates ourselves!"
"Are you insane?! That's not what's important right now!"
"Argh! Return fire! Launch the mortars—fire everything we have!"
Despite the barrage, the Straw Hats and their allies cut through the battlefield like a storm. The garrison of ten thousand stationed troops was being torn apart.
"What about Director Spandam?!"
"Damn it! We can't reach him!"
"What is he doing at a time like this?!"
"He probably dropped the receiver again!"
The entire base had descended into chaos.
"There! It's the Straw Hat! Up there!"
A government officer pointed upward, where Monkey D. Luffy had appeared—face to face with Blueno of CP9, who had come forward to assess the battle.
"Yes! That's Blueno of CP9! This fight is over—the Straw Hat's capture is only a matter of time!"
Their faith in CP9's strength was absolute.
But, to their misfortune, Blueno could not live up to their expectations.
"Gear… Second… All of his movements are faster than before…"
Blueno's eyes widened as he was struck squarely by Luffy's Jet Pistol. The speed was overwhelming.
His body could not keep up. Rokushiki had only ever increased his movement speed—never his striking speed. Luffy's attacks now came faster than he could follow.
And worse, his proudest defense, Tekkai Kenpo, had already been shattered once before by Rengoku's grip. His shoulder still carried that wound. Even if he wanted to counterattack quickly, his body could no longer respond.
That left him with one option—surprise attacks with his Devil Fruit ability.
"Rankyaku!"
He slashed the air to force distance between them, then slipped into the subspace of his Doa Doa no Mi.
From within the void, Blueno watched the boy. Steam hissed from Luffy's body like a boiling engine, his movements accelerating with every breath. Blueno had no idea what this power truly was.
Gear Second… then there must be a Gear Third… maybe even a Gear Fourth… If I drag this out, I'll be finished.
Only a surprise strike would work.
As he had done before, he opened a door in the air—this time aiming for Luffy's head—to blind his opponent's vision and split him with his strongest Rankyaku. Against rubber, physical strikes were useless. Only slicing attacks could cut him down.
He lunged from the door.
But Luffy moved as though he had predicted the spot, dodging with ease.
Blueno's heart sank. A second ambush would never work now.
Then I have no choice… I must decide this here and now!
"Rankyaku—Mad Bull!"
Kicking with savage force, he unleashed his strongest Rankyaku, blades of compressed air pouring out like a stampede of raging cattle.
The countless slicing waves screamed toward Luffy—yet he twisted and wove through them all, untouched.
"Gomu Gomu no… Jet Bazooka!!"
Blueno braced.
"Tekkai Kenpo—Go!!"
Though Rengoku had shattered it, that was because he was beyond reason. Against this boy, Blueno swore on CP9's name—he would not break.
BOOM!
The impact erupted like an explosion. Blueno's body was hurled back, his consciousness shattering into blackness.
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