Rob Lucci slowly lowered the binoculars and turned to speak to his companions.
"The person next to the target should be the one who fought against the Five Elders during the Summit War."
Unlike the Mad Treasure, they had been continuously receiving information from Marineford. Although they hadn't witnessed the Summit War firsthand, they understood the situation quite well.
Hearing this, Kaku adjusted his baseball cap and said,
"Then should we continue to keep watch?"
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Earlier, when World Government's personnel captured Olga, they couldn't get any information about the lost island [Alchemi] from her. Later, Mad Treasure and his crew fought with the CP agents, and Olga took the opportunity to escape during the chaos.
But in reality, Mad Treasure was playing the long game, hoping the relaxed Olga would lead them to Alchemi herself. And the CP0 agents, positioned even higher, were tailing them, planning to seize the [Pure Gold] at the last moment.
Of course, that was the initial plan.
Now, everything had changed. Because the World Government had been destroyed.
The complete annihilation of the Five Elders, the appearance of Imu, and the Marine's decision to separate from the World Government… these three events happening simultaneously directly severed the World Government's 'brainstem'.
The various agencies beneath it instantly became headless flies. Although even without the Five Elders and other higher-ups in command, the original personnel of the World Government were still spread across the world.
But what did they usually do? They were agents, spies. To collect the Heavenly Tribute or settle matters for affiliated nations, they relied on the Marine, that sharp blade.
But now the blade was gone, leaving only them, a small handful. This level of deterrence was simply insufficient to protect the upper echelons of those affiliated nations.
And seeing the lack of protection, the kings of these nations naturally wouldn't be willing to pay such a large annual Heavenly Tribute to the World Government anymore.
Compared to a World Government without the Marine, they'd rather ally themselves with some powerful figures on the sea.
Like the Four Emperors, for instance.
So how did Lucci, Kaku, and Kalifa end up here? That goes back to Stussy.
Just before the Summit War, the four new CP0 recruits that Stussy had just taken in not long ago caught the eye of the World Government's higher-ups. Due to Stussy's passive observation, the CP0 members successfully boosted their political record again during the Whole Cake Island incident.
Although they didn't take any substantive action, they successfully relayed the details of the Whole Cake Island incident to the Five Elders.
During the meeting, the Commander of the God's Knights, Garling, also saw the potential of the Doa Doa no Mi user, Blueno, and chose to transfer him, using him as a tool in the Summit War. (T/N: Door-Door Fruit.)
As for the other three, he didn't forget them either, giving them a mission to 'find the legendary [Pure Gold]' and leaving it at that.
This kind of mission was like searching for a 'Big Foot' in another world… it was essentially just an excuse to act freely.
The three of them also graduated from under Stussy as apprentices, officially becoming CP0 members. As for Stussy's own opinion? It didn't matter.
After all, in the eyes of the World Government higher-ups, tools shouldn't have thoughts of their own. Stussy herself didn't really mind.
Apart from regretting the loss of Blueno's fruit ability, she didn't care at all about Lucci and the other three, who could only be considered 'somewhat capable fighters'.
After that, things developed into the current situation. Before they could even find the Pure Gold, the World Government itself fell apart.
Kaku and Kalifa didn't know what to do next. After all, they were orphans raised by the World Government from childhood and had never considered what kind of life they should lead after leaving the World Government.
"Of course we continue to pursue."
Lucci made the decision decisively. Unlike his two companions, his ambition… or rather, his expectations for the future weren't limited to being just a killing tool.
"Pure Gold is a rare treasure. Even if we can't hand it over to the Celestial Dragons, we can use it to earn our first pot of gold. Don't forget, now we have no World Government backing us. We need to find our own path. As for buyers for the Pure Gold… I believe there are plenty of people on this sea who would be interested in 'immortality'. For example, that [Golden Emperor] Tesoro."
Kalifa adjusted her glasses.
"Immortality… truly desirable. But Lucci, do we really have the ability to seize the Pure Gold from that person? That's someone who could fight the Five Elders."
Kalifa's concern was very reasonable. However, Lucci just smiled faintly.
"He merely relied on his companions' advantages. According to the intelligence and broadcasts, he was suppressed by the Five Elders the entire time and didn't have the ability to resist them."
Then, he clenched his fist, Armament Haki manifesting.
"Not to mention, we are also far stronger than before. A mere Mythical Zoan… worth killing!"
Lucci's strength was his ambition, which gave him immense drive. But his weakness was also this ambition, which sometimes blinded him, making him unaware of his own limitations.
Kalifa and Kaku exchanged a look, understanding that Lucci's mind was made up. They couldn't dissuade him, nor would it work.
On the Shark Emeralda.
Karin, Olga, Elizabeth, and Mad Treasure, tied up like a dumpling, all landed on the deck together. Seeing their boss, beaten beyond recognition and unconscious, the drunken woman sobered up a bit.
"D-don't come any closer!"
She decisively drew her bow and nocked an arrow. The arrowhead was fitted with explosives that would detonate on contact. Now, the drunken woman no longer cared about the ship… she didn't want to end up like the boss.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several explosive arrows shot out. At such close range, the arrows arrived in front of them almost in the blink of an eye.
"Eh?!"
Olga and Elizabeth were caught off guard, only able to watch as the explosive arrows approached.
But Karin didn't pay any attention to these arrows at all. She sensed a strong malice approaching.
"T-too good! Hit!"
Seeing the arrows about to hit their mark, the drunken woman felt a flash of relief. However, those explosive arrows strangely stopped less than a meter in front of Karin and the others.
Looking closely, there was an invisible wall of wind standing there. All projectiles, upon entering the wind wall, seemed coated with extremely sticky glue, immediately losing their kinetic energy.
Whoosh!
Several feathers shot back at even greater speed, directly shattering the drunken woman's weapon and quiver. One even grazed the skin on her neck, drawing a slight line of blood.
The threat was clear.
"There's a more formidable person approaching. Could you please stop bothering me for now?"
Thump.
After all, she was a character who had participated in the [Nightmare Dungeon] of the Summit War. The aura Karin emitted when entering serious mode was not something an ordinary treasure hunter could withstand. The drunken woman's legs gave way, and she knelt on the ground.
In contrast, Mad Treasure, beaten into a daze, seemed awakened by this aura. Hearing Karin say that a more formidable person was approaching, he opened his eyes.
'There are still others… World Government's agents…'
He seemed to realize. If there was anyone else who would get involved in this Pure Gold battle, it would only be the World Government, who they had fought before. At the same time, Mad Treasure also realized that, just as they used Olga as a guide, those guys might have used them as guides too.
Unexpectedly, Karin just shook her head lightly upon hearing him speak.
"If you're talking about the people tailing you, they aren't worth this level of caution from me."
In fact, she had already discovered Lucci and the others. But that made sense. After all, their position was visible through binoculars, so there was no reason Karin couldn't sense them.
After speaking, Karin walked to the edge of the deck, looking down into the water.
"He's coming… the more dangerous one."