Chapter 57 - Chapter 57 : The Night at the Mansion

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Steve's POV

How much longer…

I got my wish, just as I finished thinking that the wall of the mansion exploded.

"Let's go Luffy."

Luffy grabbed me and launched us across to the mansion.

The rest of you can catch up on your own.

"We're splitting up here." I told him as I swung onto a nearby lamp.

"Wait…" he called after me but I was going on my own.

I tried my best to keep out of sight as to not further complicate the situation. I moved around the house quickly, avoiding whoever I could.

"Dammit where the hell is she?"

While I surveyed the land trying to find Robin someone ran through the air and jumped over my head.

"What the hell?"

The masked person swung a spiked whip and me but I managed to avoid the crude device.

"That's quite a toy you have there." I smirked.

"Unless you want to die move."

"I can tell by your voice you're not Robin. My best bet is that Chopper was right and someone is making her do these things. I'll be stopping you in your tracks, not one more step." I told the masked figure.

"I don't have time for little boys like you." The person told me.

"Well make some! Whip Jetstream!" The whips coiled and unspun as they got closer to the masked person, but they hit nothing but air.

"Where'd you go?"

"I said I don't have time."

I turned around to see the person was now behind me. I felt my side and saw the whip had lashed at it.

"How?"

Did this guy run that fast? Impossible even Kuro wasn't that fast, and he couldn't see doing while it so he had no idea what he attacked. How'd this guy move that fast and land an accurate attack.

The masked person jumped up and walked in the air.

"Moonwalk."

And just like that he was gone.

"What the hell are we dealing with?" I growled a bit rubbing my shoulder.

I have to find Iceberg. Chances are that's were Robin will be.

I clutched my side and kicked in a window to make my way into the house. Everywhere was littered with bodies of men who had fallen to those freaks running around killing people to get at Iceberg.

I came for Robin, but I can't let them hurt that man. He's done nothing wrong. Why are they so obsessed with killing this guy?

I saw the door to Iceberg's room. There were chairs set up for the foremen but all but one was empty. Kaku and Lucci were on the ground and a man in a bear mask was sitting in the middle chair.

I saw that loud bearded man, Tilestone, go at the bear man with a hammer but when it hit his fist it just shattered.

"Iron Body."

And just like that he threw a man the size of a small boat through the floor.

Holy Crap! He took that guy out in one hit. Those guys nearly killed me this morning, I don't stand a chance.

When the man went after the men who came with Tilestone I took the chance to slip into the room as quietly as I could.

I slammed the door once I got in to get the attention of the people inside. They weren't too happy to see me.

"I didn't want to see you here, I tried to be positive, and I can't believe you right now." I told the woman in the room "Put the gun down Robin."

"You're not supposed to be here." She said still holding the gun to Iceberg's forehead.

"Well I am. If you kill Iceberg we're going to have a real problem."

The snail in Robin's pocket rang and said that the rest of this group was coming.

"You should leave while you still can Steve."

"I'm not moving."

"Just go!" she snapped at me.

"You ain't the boss of me." I told her "I'm not leaving unless you're with me."

I felt a sharp pain in my back and looked behind to see a person in a bull mask stab my back, with his fingers.

His finger?!

"Ugh." I fell to the ground and coughed up some blood.

I can't move. I can still move my toes so I don't think I'm paralyzed.

There were now four people in the room "Who the hell are you people?"

That pigeon from the dock flew in and landed on the bull man's shoulder.

I laughed to myself and coughed in pain "I…can't believe this crap."

"Let's talk" the bull man said taking off the mask.

"Do you get it Iceberg?" I asked the man "I'm sorry, this whole time, both of us have been playing right into their hands haven't we."

"I can't believe this." Iceberg said surprised "I expected better from you Lucci."

I recognized the two of the other masked people as Kaku, the foreman, and Kalifa, the secretary. I didn't know the last man, the one wearing the bear mask.

"Blueno from the bar?" Iceberg groaned.

I guess that's his name.

"You were all with the government."

That's who they work for.

I felt Robin's gun on the back of my head "Don't do this beautiful."

"Tell us where the blueprints are before more people die."

"We've been undercover here for five years." Lucci told Iceberg "It would be wise for you to not waste my time."

He explained that they were from the government, a secret branch called Cipher Pol Number Nine, or CP9 for short.

"I wasn't aware they even went that high." Iceberg said.

"Yes, because we have special privileges that give us to the ability to kill anyone who won't cooperate."

"There should be no killing in justice." Iceberg told him.

I'm bleeding out over here someone help me!

"You don't trust the government, do you Iceberg?" I said from the ground "I guess were a lot alike."

"I only know the nature of humanity."

Lucci kicked him across the room and started interrogating the man. Kaku took his pulse they talked about these blueprints and someone named Cutty Flam. Most of the conversation was about those ancient weapons Robin told me about.

"So that means that Tom's other disciple Cutty Flam is still in Water Seven." Lucci revealed "And he now goes by the name Franky!"

"Your blood doesn't lie." Kaku said.

"It makes sense you'd entrust the blueprints to Franky, they'd be safe since we thought he was dead."

"Hurry up let's go find Franky." Kalifa told them.

The wall at the back of the room cracked and shattered. I took the chance to get off the floor and away from the gun.

"Where's Robin!" Luffy and Paulie broke through the wall and Zoro and the others burst through the door.

"Everybody's arrived." I mumbled straining to stand up.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Zoro yelled.

"I've been right here."

"Steve what happened to you!" Chopper yelled "You're covered in blood!"

"Don't worry about it right now; these are the people trying to kill Iceberg." I said.

"Wait don't these people work here?" Nami asked "Are you saying this was an inside job."

"Yes, we are really government agents. Paulie you'll forgive me if I apologize to you right, I mean we built ships together. Do you want me to prove it to you; I can step on Iceberg's face if you like."

"You…you lied to me! Pipe Hitch Knives!" Paulie threw a rope full of knives at Lucci.

"Finger Pistol." Just like my back a hole was dug into Paulie's chest with a mere finger.

"Why?" Paulie asked trying to stand "WHY?!"

"It doesn't matter." Lucci told him "I'll end you here and now."

"Stop it!" I threw a whip at Lucci but he caught it.

I cut the cord and attacked with more fervor.

"Whip Hurricane!"

The series of rapid strikes hit but they did no damage.

"Iron Body. This is growing tiresome…Shave." He disappeared like the woman had earlier.

Another magic technique.

"Finger Pistol!" His finger dung at my neck but luckily missed my vital parts "You got lucky."

Luffy grabbed Paulie and pulled him to safety "Weren't you shipwrights together?"

"That was in the past."

"So you really are a traitor, I told this guy that I'd beat the crap out of the people who tried to kill Iceberg."

"I've got business with you two." I told them "Robin, what are you doing with these people? If you want out of the crew just tell me why."

"You don't listen very well. I told the cook, the doctor and your sister goodbye, did they not tell you."

"I did." Chopper told her "but I don't understand why."

"I did it to achieve my goal, something I can't do with you." She told us "I will sacrifice anything to achieve it."

"Even stabbing your friends in the back." I told her.

Iceberg tried to say something but Robin pushed his head to the ground "Keep quiet."

"I'll have to stop you know; this mansion will be engulfed in flames in two minutes." Lucci explained "I would suggest you leave while you still can, if you manage to escape you might barely survive."

The members of CP9 blocked our path.

"Appears Robin wants to stay on the other side." Wyper remarked.

"They plan on eliminating the witnesses." Zoro said.

"So are we leaving without Robin?" Luffy asked me.

"Hell no." I told him.

"The fire will start soon." Lucci told us.

"I'll be going then." Robin said putting her hood up.

"Wait, I won't stand for this!" I yelled after her "You get back here now!"

"Goodbye."

"No! Robin!" I ran after her and slid under Blueno to try and stop her from getting out the window.

As soon as I got up he was already in front of me "The power of my legs is more than you can comprehend."

"That's what you think." I told the man "I saw a guy do that once, it wasn't perfect but now that I saw you do it maybe I can figure out how he did it."

"What foolishness, a weakling like you could never learn one of these arts, it took years of training for us to learn them, and you think you can master it in a few hours."

"I'll show you how strong I can be."

"Tempest Kick!" I felt two blades hit my back and I fell to the ground again.

I looked back and saw the kicks and broken walls.

It's a cutting technique.

"Will you idiots help me here!" I yelled back.

Zoro crossed blades with Kaku "Was that inspection the truth or was that a lie too?"

"No that was very much the truth, I took that job seriously."

"Impact!" "Iron Body!"

Wyper shot his dial off at Blueno but nothing happened.

"What the hell, that should have made you internal organs explode."

"Finger Pistol!" Wyper blocked the blow with his dial but instead of absorbing the impact the shell shattered from the blow.

"How?!"

"You've gone far enough!" Kalifa said getting in my way.

"Out of my way hag! Whip Lash!" The whip hit her lags but instead of knocking her over it just bounced off.

The window opened and Robin stepped to the edge.

"Don't go! We're not finished!"

"No. This conversation is over. Goodbye Handsome."

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Luffy's hands slammed into Kalifa "GO!"

"Thanks." I rolled past her and went to stop Robin "Don't turn your back to me Robin. You owe me too much. I made a promise, I said I'd take you out while we were in this city, I won't let you make me a liar. Please don't go! Don't leave me!"

Lucci grabbed my face "Enough boy, Nico Robin it's time for you to go."

And just like that she jumped out the window and left me behind.

"It's funny." Lucci laughed "A date? What you thought you'd be with her, she's too old for you brat. Love is such a useless emotion, your love for Nico Robin will get you killed. Besides a woman like her doesn't deserve love."

"I'll get her back." I told the man "I refuse to give up now, not until I keep my promise!" I punched the man in the face and he dropped me "She's my responsibility that was the promise I made when she got on my ship, I took responsibility, and I won't shake that off now!"

I tried to run for the window but Lucci grabbed my ankle.

"Just shut up!" He threw me across the room and I crashed into the wall by Luffy, Zoro, and Wyper who all looked to be in bad shape as well.

"Try all you want pirate. You can't touch power like mine." Lucci said as his muscles grew larger "Let me show you just how weak you are!"

A Devil Fruit!

"The Cat-Cat Fruit Model: Leopard. The Zoan Fruits are the strongest when it comes to pure strength." He said.

With one kick Lucci knocked the whole building over, the whole place was starting to crumble.

"Nami get away from the wall!" Wyper yelled.

Chopper ran by and pushed Nami out of the way but got himself caught in the falling rubble as a result.

"Chopper!"

Paulie tried to rescue Iceberg but only got caught by Lucci and the rest of CP9.

"Give it up Paulie."

"I…I really thought we were friends!"

"That's just it, you thought."

Lucci went to bring his claws down on Paulie.

"LUCCI!" I slammed my shoulder into him knocking him off balance and saving Paulie.

"You insolent punk!" his entire right claw dug into my back and he picked me up with one hand.

"AHHH!"

"DIE YOU BRAT!"

"Steve!"

He slammed me into the floor and my head banged against the ground.

"GAH!"

"I'M SENDING YOU TO HELL!"

With that he threw me through the roof. I landed on the outer part of the building and saw Lucci jump out after me.

It hurts to breathe.

"DIE!"

Lucci's claw dug into my chest and he slammed me into the ground again, this time he did it multiple times, my head slamming against the ground, the shoulder wound ripping back open, I could feel the blood soaking into my clothes.

"JUST DROP DEAD!"

He picked me up to examine his work. I was barely alive yet somehow conscious.

"Why won't you die?"

"Screw…you." I said as I spat blood in his face.

"Suffer and bleed out on the ground!"

With that he threw me to the courtyard where I passed out.

Why Robin?