In a secluded street stood a tavern with a Closed sign hanging outside.
Despite the sign, however, the tavern was far from empty. Four people sat around a table inside—three men and one woman.
They were members of CP9 stationed undercover in Water 7: Rob Lucci, Kaku, Blueno, and Kalifa.
"I never expected the Marines to make such a huge move just to deal with a single pirate crew," Kaku said with a sigh after taking a sip of wine. "They've not only mobilized a large number of elite Marines, but even sent two Admirals."
Kaku was the youngest among the four, with a distinctive long, rectangular nose.
"I've looked into the War Pirates," Kalifa said, pushing up her glasses.
Beautiful and possessing an excellent figure, she spoke calmly.
"Many members of that pirate crew have bounties exceeding 100 million Berries. Their captain in particular—Kaito, the Golden Swordsman—has a bounty of as much as 500 million Berries."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Whether in the Grand Line or the New World, the War Pirates are far ahead of most other pirate crews in terms of overall strength. Considering that, the Marines' actions aren't difficult to understand."
"The pirates have nothing to do with us," Blueno said calmly.
With his distinctive horn-shaped hairstyle, he turned his attention toward Kalifa.
"Our mission is to locate the blueprints for Pluton. Kalifa, have you discovered anything on your end?"
Kalifa shook her head.
"No. Over the past two years, I've searched Iceburg's study and office countless times, but I haven't found the slightest clue about Pluton's blueprints."
Her undercover identity in Water 7 was Iceburg's secretary, which gave her the best possible opportunity to search for the blueprints.
Yet even with such an advantage, she had found nothing.
"Iceburg is one of Fish-Man Tom's disciples," Rob Lucci said slowly.
The man sat quietly with a pigeon perched on his shoulder.
"According to our analysis, he's the person most likely to have inherited Pluton's blueprints from Tom. Until we find another lead, we can only continue searching through him."
Lucci's words caused Kaku, Blueno, and Kalifa to fall silent.
They had already been undercover in Water 7 for more than two years.
Their lives here weren't particularly dangerous. In fact, they could even be described as peaceful.
But as CP9 agents, such a long period of infiltration was extremely frustrating.
If they had a choice, none of them wanted to continue living undercover.
Unfortunately, they didn't have one.
When they had accepted this mission, they had been given a clear requirement.
They could only return to Enies Lobby after locating Pluton's blueprints.
"Fish-Man Tom..." Kalifa murmured after a moment.
Then, as if remembering something, her eyes flickered.
"I remember that Tom had another disciple besides Iceburg."
Kaku, Blueno, and Rob Lucci immediately narrowed their eyes.
Blueno opened his mouth, preparing to say something.
Boom!!!
Before he could speak, the tavern's front door was suddenly blasted apart.
Swish!
The unexpected attack caused all four CP9 agents to react instantly.
Without hesitation, they sprang away from their chairs.
Their bodies shifted into combat stances as they stared intently toward the shattered entrance.
Step. Step. Step.
Amid the debris of the destroyed door, a tall, upright figure slowly walked into the tavern.
"Golden Swordsman?!"
"Why is he here?!"
"Wait... isn't that the captain of the War Pirates? The man the Marines are preparing to deal with?"
The expressions of Rob Lucci and the others changed the instant they saw the figure clearly.
Shock.
Surprise.
And vigilance.
The man who had walked into the tavern was none other than Kaito.
After kicking open the door and entering the tavern, Kaito immediately saw the four members of CP9.
However, he wasn't surprised by their presence.
The reason was simple.
Before he had even arrived, his Observation Haki had already detected everything inside.
Kaito stopped after entering the tavern.
His gaze casually swept over Rob Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno before quickly settling on one particular person.
Blueno.
Kaito extended his right hand.
A hole split open in his palm.
Boom!!!
A terrifying suction force erupted from within the opening and instantly locked onto Blueno.
Swish!
Blueno had immediately recognized Kaito.
Because of that, he had remained extremely vigilant.
Unfortunately, his vigilance proved completely useless.
The moment the terrifying suction force enveloped him, he didn't even have time to react.
His body was violently pulled from the ground, bending backward as he flew uncontrollably toward Kaito.
His body seemed to melt into liquid.
In the instant he reached Kaito, Blueno was sucked directly into the opening in Kaito's palm.
"Six Powers: Rankyaku!"
Blueno's disappearance had happened in an instant.
From Kaito's attack to Blueno being swallowed into the Tuntun Space, only a brief moment had passed.
Even Rob Lucci—the strongest among them—only reacted after it was already too late.
And when he finally understood what had happened, especially after seeing Blueno vanish before his eyes, Lucci's expression changed dramatically.
In fury, he immediately kicked toward Kaito.
A violent crescent-shaped slash tore through the air.
Everything in its path was ripped apart.
The floor.
The tables.
The chairs.
Even the ceiling above the tavern was sliced open by the upward edge of the attack.
Boom!
Rob Lucci's Rankyaku was incredibly powerful.
However, when the flying slash reached Kaito, he simply raised his right hand.
Smack!
The attack was caught directly in his palm.
The slash powerful enough to cut through steel was completely incapable of harming Kaito.
Not only did it fail to leave the slightest injury on his hand, but Kaito had casually grabbed it as though it were nothing.
"Six Powers: Soru!"
"Six Powers: Shigan!"
At almost the same moment Kaito caught Lucci's Rankyaku, another figure appeared beside him.
A sharp finger shot directly toward Kaito's temple.
The attacker was Kaku.
Kaku's strength was second only to Rob Lucci among the four.
When Lucci launched his Rankyaku, Kaku had also reacted.
And after witnessing Blueno's inexplicable disappearance, he attacked Kaito without hesitation.
Step!
Kaito calmly took a step backward.
Kaku's finger narrowly missed his temple.
At the same time, Kaito's left hand shot forward like lightning.
His fingers closed firmly around Kaku's arm.
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