Usopp also leaned over to look at the newspaper, his nose almost touching the paper. "Do you even need to ask? It's obvious! Look at those injuries! Ace definitely beat him up personally! For a traitor who killed his comrade, Ace must have wanted to break every bone in his body!"
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring. "That guy finally served some purpose. Using such scum as a Warlord initiation offering couldn't be more fitting."
Chopper's little hooves clutched the edge of the newspaper, tears sparkling in his big eyes. "That's right, the hateful traitor!"
"Public execution…" Robin gently caughed the rubbing of the Poneglyph, her voice soft yet cold. "Compared to the way he killed his comrade, this is already merciful."
Zoro leaned against the ship's railing, his three swords gleaming coldly in the sunlight. "Public execution… The Marines are planning something big."
Ron's fingers lightly tapped the ship's railing, his gaze, sharp as a hawk, sweeping across the approaching Water 7.
The silhouette of the city on the water glowed golden under the setting sun, and the busy figures of shipwrights were faintly visible in the mist of the fountains.
"It seems Ace has created a very good opportunity for us." His voice was very soft, yet it instantly silenced all the noise on the deck.
Everyone looked over.
Robin was the first to understand, looking thoughtfully at Teach's photo. "A public execution of a Rocks bloodline… It will indeed attract all the attention of the World Government."
The corners of her lips curved into a knowing smile. "The Five Elders' eyes should be fixed on Marine Headquarters right now."
Usopp suddenly shivered. "And all the pirates will be drawn there, so, so our work on Pluton…"
"At least in the short term, it won't attract attention." Ron took over, his gaze sweeping over each of his comrades' faces. "The eyes of the entire sea are focused on that execution. This is our best cover."
Zoro's hand was already on his sword hilt. "The premise is, we first deal with the CP9 that the Captain mentioned."
Luffy pulled down his straw hat, a rare serious expression on his face. "Then we need to find that shipwright quickly."
Ron's lips curled slightly. His gaze turned towards the shipyard. "The plan is simple. First, find Franky; second, deal with CP9; third…"
"While the whole world is watching Marine Headquarters, let Pluton reappear in the world."
…
In Water 7, in a secret room, the CP9 agents, who had been hiding as undercover agents, were now gathered in a dimly lit conference room. A projection Den Den Mushi cast the Straw Hats' wanted posters onto the mottled wall, each photo glowing with a dangerous red aura.
"Confirmed." Rob Lucci's voice was like a cold blade. His long fingers traced the latest intel. "Luffy and the Straw Hats arrived in Water 7 at noon today."
His fingertip pressed heavily on Robin's photo. "The key is… Nico Robin, the Demon Child, is also among them."
The air in the room instantly solidified. Kalifa's gold-rimmed glasses reflected a cold light. "What an unexpected surprise, they delivered themselves right to our doorstep."
"Blueno, any discoveries from the bar?" Lucci turned to the silent strongman.
Blueno's square nostrils exhaled two streams of white air. "They'll be at the port soon, but it looks like they went straight towards Franky's place."
"Do they also know about the Pluton blueprints? Or have they received some news?" Kaku was very interested. "Should we act now?"
As soon as Kaku finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room suddenly tensed. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, cutting sharp shadow lines across Rob Lucci's stern face.
"Act?" Kalifa pushed up her glasses, a cold glint flashing across the lenses. "It is indeed time to reel in the net."
Rob Lucci's fingertips tapped rhythmically on the table, each tap like a countdown to death.
The projection Den Den Mushi showed the Straw Hats' latest movements on the wall: they had landed on the island!
"Something's not right." Rob Lucci suddenly stopped tapping, his pupils slightly constricted. "Their actions are too purposeful." He abruptly stood up, the muscles under his black suit tensing. "It's as if… they already know the blueprints are in Franky's hands."
"Could the information have leaked?"
"Impossible! The existence of the Pluton blueprints is top secret! Unless…" Kalifa speculated, "Unless the Demon Child has already deciphered something!"
A decisive glint flashed in Rob Lucci's eyes. He slowly put on his white gloves. This simple action instantly put all CP9 members into battle mode.
"Reel in the net early." His cold voice was like a judgment. "Operation objective changed: prioritize capturing the Demon Child Robin, seize the Pluton blueprints, and if there's time, annihilate the Straw Hats."
Act immediately!
On the top floor of the Galley-La Company headquarters building, Iceburg's hand, which was reviewing documents, suddenly froze in mid-air. He keenly sensed an unnatural fluctuation in the air.
"Who?!"
Before he could finish speaking,
Blueno's square body stepped out of an air door. Almost simultaneously, three dark figures burst through the windows from different angles!
"Finger Pistol!" Rob Lucci's finger, imbued with a deathly aura, struck directly.
Iceburg didn't have time to dodge. A bloody hole was directly poked in his chest. The intense pain made him stumble backward, but his retreat was blocked by a sudden Tempest Kick from Kaku.
"Don't waste your effort, Mr. Iceburg." Kalifa walked out of the shadows, pushing her gold-rimmed glasses, a thorn whip twirling on her fingertips. "We just need you to cooperate in a play."
"CP9…!" Iceburg's mouth overflowed with blood, but a look of determination flashed in his eyes. "You won't get away with it…"
Rob Lucci's figure ghosted closer, his Finger Pistol precisely hitting a vital point on the back of Iceburg's neck. "Take him away. Now go capture Franky. With Iceburg in our hands, we're not afraid of not finding the Pluton blueprints."
Blueno silently opened an air door, and Kaku, carrying the unconscious Iceburg, disappeared into the world within the door.
The entire process took no more than thirty seconds, and no one noticed anything unusual!
…
Sunlight shone on the sea of Water 7.
The Thousand Sunny's gilded hull reflected dazzling light, and the figurehead burst forth with rainbow-like halos in the sunlight, illuminating the entire Scrap Island with shimmering brilliance.
"Hey! Look over there!" A cyborg subordinate's wrench clanged to the ground.
"Oh my goodness…" Another goggle-wearing cyborg gaped, drool uncontrollably dripping down. "This… How many Beri must this be worth?!"
Members of the Franky Family, like sharks smelling blood, instantly poured out from every corner. Some climbed onto broken shipwrecks, others jumped directly into the sea, all staring intently at the dreamlike ship.
"It's too cool!" A cyborg frantically twisted his mechanical arm.
"Boss! Boss!" A subordinate with a mohawk rushed into the underground factory. "There's a ship covered in diamonds and gold outside!"
....
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