As the sun set, on a lush green island!
A tall man wearing a light green eye mask and blue and white clothes lay on the grass, making a "snoring ~ snoring" sound!
"Buru~ Buru!" The den den mushi next to the man rang!
The man pulled off his eye mask, revealing none other than Aokiji Kuzan, who had clashed with Luffy a few days prior!
Aokiji picked up the den den mushi.
"Hello, Kuzan?" An old man's voice sounded.
"It's me, Fleet Admiral Sengoku!" Aokiji replied lazily, and the person on the other end was clearly Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
"You must go to Enies Lobby immediately! The World Government heard about the pluton blueprint from somewhere, and the Gorosei have requested the Marine to send an Admiral!" There was concern in Sengoku's voice, but more so, helplessness!
"Pluton?" Aokiji was also a little surprised, not expecting this matter to involve an ancient weapon. Connecting this to Spandam's request for the golden den den mushi, Aokiji suddenly understood everything. "Okay, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, for the Pluton, I need...?"
"Sigh! Let nature take its course! However, if possible...!" Sengoku said.
Marineford,
Sengoku put down the den den mushi, rubbed his forehead, and looked out the window! Elites from all four seas were gathered there; they were the bedrock and future of the Marine!
'But... where exactly does the Marine's future lead?'
...Night enveloped the sea, and the bright Moonlight shone on Water Seven, a place destined not to be peaceful!
On the going merry,
Zoro was lifting a dumbbell ten times his size; Chopper was preparing rumble balls; Sanji was smoking on the bow, his brow furrowed!
Suddenly, a bloodied figure, whose nose was even broken, struggled to carry two suitcases. Though his body was small and his steps faltered, he moved forward with determination!
Sanji's eyes widened, and he dashed over!
"Usopp!"
Usopp looked at Sanji, and the heavy burden in his heart finally lifted. His body went limp, and he slowly fell.
Sanji supported Usopp's body. "Chopper, hurry, Usopp is dying!!"
Chopper and Zoro appeared as if by instantaneous movement.
"Usopp is severely injured!!" Chopper's face was filled with worry.
"Usopp, who did this??" Zoro's voice sounded as if it had been ground on sandpaper, like a demon from hell.
Usopp, holding onto his last breath, looked at his companions, tears streaming down his face. "I did it! I protected Merry...!"
"Usopp!!"
...Usopp lay in bed, receiving treatment!
"Usopp's injuries are very severe this time; he won't be able to do strenuous exercise for at least a week!" Chopper said to Zoro and Sanji with a solemn expression.
"Don't worry! We won't give that guy a chance to exercise!" Zoro solemnly declared.
Soon, Robin appeared before the going merry, her face clearly anxious.
"Robin-chan!!" Sanji's eyes turned into hearts as he rushed over.
"Where's Luffy?" Robin asked as soon as she entered.
"Luffy went to Sabaody Archipelago to buy some wood called adam tree!" Nami had also returned to the going merry. She looked at the anxious Robin, recalling Luffy's words before he left.
"Did something happen, Robin?"
Robin hesitated, and the air was silent for a long time. Finally, Robin spoke, telling them about meeting CP9 and the Pluton!
"So, that CP9 dared to threaten you, right?" Zoro grasped the main point.
"That's not the point, the point is the Buster Call!" Robin's eyes showed too much fear. Her hometown, her family... everything was destroyed by the Buster Call. For her, the Buster Call was the most terrifying thing in the world!
"Buster Call??" The uneducated ones had no idea.
"A Buster Call is an indiscriminate bombardment of an island by five Marine Vice Admirals and ten large warships, regardless of friend or foe! Once a Buster Call is launched, it means the destruction of an entire island!" Robin's voice was low.
"How is that possible? The Marine!?" Nami was clearly somewhat unable to accept it. Even after encountering a Marine like Nezumi, Belle-mère's education still made her feel good about the Marine. But Robin's words made her seem to realize the reality; the destruction of an island, how inhumane that must be!
"Exactly, this is the darkness of the World Government! It's a chasm I can never cross!" Robin felt somewhat powerless.
"Then let's go! Let's see the darkness of this world!" Zoro said, holding his sword, his gaze sharp.
"No, we should leave here! Luffy wouldn't want us to do this!" Robin cried out in terror. She was scared, truly terrified!
"Miss Robin, do you think Luffy is the kind of person who would let his companions be bullied without caring? Since the World Government is your enemy, as your companions, how could we abandon you!" Sanji smoked, displaying a resolute determination.
"Robin, you don't want the World Government to get the Pluton, do you?" Nami smiled.
"But... Luffy isn't here!"
"What does it matter? That idiot will agree!"
"Mm! Thank you, everyone!" Tears streamed down, but they were not tears of sadness, but of genuine happiness.
'Saul, I've found them... I've found companions who would sacrifice their lives for me!'
Moonlight shone on the going merry, as if witnessing the sublimation of friendship!
Chopper stayed on the going merry to take care of Usopp.
And the remaining four, they stood in a row, then slowly stepped into... Water Seven, shrouded in darkness!
...Meanwhile, Iceberg's mansion was surrounded by people!
Why? Because at dusk, a message spread throughout Water Seven: someone was going to assassinate Mr. Iceberg tonight!
Undoubtedly, it was Robin's doing!
"Do you think the assassin will come tonight? After all, there are so many of us, and all the foremen are gathered in front of Mr. Iceberg's room!" A shipwright spoke.
"Indeed, still trying to assassinate Mr. Iceberg? However, we can't let our guard down!" Another shipwright warned.
In front of Iceberg's room, the foremen sat in a row!
Inside the room, Kalifa leaned by the window, while Iceberg was deep in thought on the bed.
Suddenly, Iceberg spoke. "Kalifa, could I trouble you to step out for a moment? Also, please call Paulie in."
"Yes, Mr. Iceberg!" Kalifa pushed up her glasses, a strange light glinting in her eyes.
Soon, Paulie pushed the door open, and the two began to converse!
A few minutes later, Paulie became resolute!
"Then I'll go now!" Paulie stood up from the stool, pushed open the door, and left under the gaze of the foremen!
Soon, Paulie arrived at the president's office. He pushed aside the desk, then pulled back the rug, revealing a safe.
"Is this it?" Paulie spun the combination on the safe.
And in one part of the mansion, suddenly, "Bang--"
Flames splattered, and the mansion caught fire!
The guarding shipwrights panicked, then they saw a person with a bear-head mask rush into the mansion.
"Damn it, let's go, we absolutely cannot let him harm Mr. Iceberg!" Everyone chased after the bear-headed person in unison!
"Hmm!?" The two foremen guarding Iceberg heard the commotion, were startled, and then rushed forward!
At this point, the only foremen guarding Iceberg were Lucci and Kaku!
...A great commotion erupted. Although it was an assassination, CP9 did not deliberately hide themselves, but rather went on a rampage near the mansion!
In the president's office, Paulie took out the blueprint from the safe!
But the next second, two figures appeared.
"We come from the darkness, but no matter what, we are also officers of justice, the mysterious secret agent organization CP9!" Outside the door, the shipwrights lay scattered, and the Minotaur's hand was still dripping with blood!
"Your actions are more than just assassination!"
"I never said I was going to assassinate anyone!" The Minotaur said nonchalantly, then extended his hand. "Give me what's in your hand, and then, in the name of justice, I will execute you!"
Soon, Paulie lay on the ground, covered in blood, and the Minotaur picked up the blueprint. With just a casual glance, his expression instantly froze: "Fake!!"
Then, several iron rings pinned Paulie down. "Time is critical, let's go!"
In front of Iceberg's room, CP9 gathered!
"Did you get it?"
"Fake!"
Then, with a kick, they burst open the room door!
"Lucci! Kaku! Kalifa! Pub owner Blueno! Are you... all World Government agents?" Iceberg looked incredulous!
"Yes, infiltration is effortless for us." Lucci said expressionlessly, hands in his pockets.
"So, where is the pluton blueprint, the ancient weapon? Please tell me before there are massive casualties!"
"Impossible. If Pluton were to appear, people would surely fight for its power, which would only cause greater harm!" Iceberg's tone was firm.
"So, Mr. Iceberg, do you not trust the World Government?"
"I just don't trust human nature!"
The next second, "Bang!" Iceberg was brutally kicked against the wall by Lucci!
"Do you think you're still my superior? We are CP9, we have the authority to execute citizens who do not cooperate with government work on the spot. All of this... is for justice! Kaku, take his pulse!" Lucci retracted his foot, his tone cold and cruel.
Kaku quickly grabbed Iceberg's wrist.
"Next, please listen to my hypothesis... Your apprentice, Cutty Flam, is still alive and has changed his name to Franky. The blueprint is in his hands, right!" Lucci performed a detective-like deduction!
"Thump—thump—thump!" Iceberg's heart pounded wildly.
"It seems our conjecture is correct!" Kaku sensed Iceberg's heartbeat, a smile appearing on his face.
"Next, we should go find Franky!" Kalifa pushed up her glasses.
"Swish--"
"Bang--"
Two walls were broken simultaneously; one wall was neatly cut open like tofu, while the other was directly kicked open with brute force!
"What a grand show!" Zoro put away his sword, calmly looking at CP9.
"I didn't expect the foremen of Galley-La Company to be World Government agents!" Sanji lit a cigarette, hands in his pockets.
Paulie, who had been rescued by Robin, was stunned by the scene before him!
"What in the world is going on!"