In a secret room on Judiciary Island, all members of CP9 sat in silence, the atmosphere so heavy it seemed ready to drip.
Their faces were tense, and a sense of nervousness filled every corner of the room.
Directly in front of this group of elite agents stood a large table, and behind it, CP9's superior, Spandam, held a Den Den Mushi with an almost fawning demeanor.
His voice was cautious as he spoke through the snail.
"Yes, Lord Saturn. Rest assured, CP9 will spare no effort in carrying out every one of your orders, ensuring there are no mistakes."
An unmistakable excitement flickered in Spandam's eyes.
As a mid-level official, the distance between himself and the highest echelon of World Government power—the Five Elders—was like an unbridgeable chasm. Even catching a glimpse of them on a regular day was a luxury, let alone directly receiving a call from one of the Five Elders, Lord Saturn.
This unexpected phone call made him feel both flattered and unavoidably anxious.
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Lord Saturn's low voice carried a weight that inspired awe.
"Spandam, regarding the intelligence on Hashirama in Alabasta, we must obtain it. Entrust this mission to CP9. Remember, at any cost."
"Yes, yes, yes. We will certainly accomplish it."
Spandam spoke these words with a fawning smile.
The moment he hung up, he let out a massive sigh of relief, his tense shoulders slumping.
Then, an uncontrollable surge of joy welled up inside him, making him laugh out loud, the sound echoing through the empty office.
"I'm going to hit the big time!" Spandam muttered with a foolish grin. He knew clearly that if he could satisfy Lord Saturn, higher positions of power would be within his reach.
However, this smug satisfaction did not last long. Suddenly, Spandam thought of the CP9 members standing behind him.
His expression instantly darkened, his demeanor shifting as his voice turned cold and ruthless. "Lord Saturn has an important mission. He wants you to go to Alabasta and investigate Hashirama."
The CP9 members' expressions changed drastically upon hearing this.
The name Hashirama tightened their hearts.
"But that's the World's Most Dangerous Criminal… He even dared to lay hands on a Celestial Dragon…"
Kalifa spoke up, her voice laced with clear concern. In her view, this was clearly a mission from which it would be a miracle to return alive.
"I'm only telling you to investigate, not to eliminate Hashirama."
Spandam's lips curled into a cold smirk. He was well aware of his subordinates' misgivings but remained unconcerned, continuing his persuasion: "Don't worry. If you complete this mission successfully, joining the ranks of CP0 isn't out of the question."
"This is a rare opportunity. You'd be wise to seize it."
Spandam's heart was filled with urgency and desire. He had lingered in Water 7 for too long, yet had made little progress on the blueprints for Pluton.
In comparison, going to Alabasta to investigate Hashirama seemed like a much more feasible path to claim merit.
However, Kalifa's worries did not dissipate.
"But he is the Fifth Emperor of the Sea…" Clearly, the name Hashirama alone was enough to instill fear.
Just then, Rob Lucci interrupted her.
He spoke coldly, "We will accomplish the mission."
As a tool of slaughter serving the World Government's brand of dark justice, he had long grown accustomed to unconditionally carrying out his superiors' orders. No matter how arduous the mission, he would see it through without hesitation.
Seeing this, Spandam was overjoyed.
He knew that with Lucci's commitment, the chances of success for this mission had undoubtedly increased significantly.
He stood up excitedly, preparing to accompany them to Alabasta. "Hahaha, as long as you complete the mission successfully, we are sure to reap enormous rewards this time!"
…
Meanwhile, the Straw Hat Pirates had safely arrived in the Alabasta Kingdom.
In this world, although the Warlord Crocodile remained entrenched in Alabasta, he had been forced to temporarily rein in his ambitions and schemes after being sternly warned by a certain Marine Admiral not long ago.
This pressure from the upper echelons of the Marines had shackled Crocodile's restless ambition, preventing him from carrying out his plan to overthrow Alabasta's government to this day.
Concurrently, Vivi was still in her own kingdom, so naturally, she would not encounter Luffy and his crew.
As Luffy and his group looked around, ready to display their skills and explore the secrets of this land, a small, exquisitely crafted wooden boat slowly sailed into view on the distant horizon.
As the boat drew closer, a figure landed steadily on the beach with astonishing leaping power.
It was a man clad in red armor, his long black hair fluttering in the wind, his expression gentle.
He held a map, his brow furrowed as if troubled by an inability to find the correct route.
Just then, his gaze unintentionally swept over Luffy and his crew. As if discovering some kind of treasure, a flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes, followed by a burst of hearty laughter as he strode briskly towards Luffy.
"Young man, do you know how to get to this place?" The newcomer was none other than Hashirama, his face sporting a cheerful, optimistic smile.
Seeing this, a characteristic grin tugged at the corner of Luffy's mouth. Just as he was about to call his companions on the ship to help give directions, Usopp suddenly grabbed his sleeve from the side.
Usopp's voice was laced with barely concealed terror. "L-L-Luffy… that's that guy! How could we possibly run into him here?!"
Simultaneously, Zoro and Sanji also noticed this unexpected visitor, their expressions turning extremely grave.
A bead of cold sweat instantly formed on Zoro's forehead as he muttered under his breath, "Hey, hey, what's a big shot of that caliber doing showing up here for no reason? This is definitely not ordinary."
Although Luffy didn't understand why everyone was so tense, he could feel the subtle tension in the air. He patted Usopp on the shoulder, signaling him not to be afraid, and then, with his characteristic optimism, shouted at Hashirama, "Hey, old-timer, are you a really famous person?"
Luffy called for Nami to come help.
"This idiot captain."
Nami cursed inwardly. Hashirama was, after all, rumored to be the World's Most Dangerous Criminal.
Nami walked over, her steps trembling.
"Lord Hashirama… hello." Nami tried her best to keep her voice steady, but her quivering tone betrayed her inner nervousness.
She bowed her head respectfully. Though her heart was filled with fear, Nami still did her best to help Hashirama examine the map, her finger gently gliding across it until she finally pointed out the location Hashirama was looking for.