Lucci, as CP9's strongest combatant, immediately stepped forward, his body tensing like a coiled leopard.
His eyes, cold and stern, locked onto Ron, his tone resolute and cold.
"Impossible. We won't leave anyone behind."
Ron didn't respond.
He merely lifted his eyelids slightly, his gaze utterly dismissive, as if Lucci's words weren't worth the air they were spoken on.
Just then, Shiki strode forward, a disdainful, mocking smile on his face, as if the strongest assassins in the world before him were nothing more than ants.
Without a word, he raised his leg and swung.
A sharp, compressed blade of golden energy—a Wave Slasher—tore through the air, heading straight for Lucci.
Lucci's pupils contracted sharply.
'That speed!'
His body exploded backward using Soru, yet even so, the sheer force of the air pressure from the near-miss sent him skidding back over ten meters, the ground beneath his feet gouged with two deep trenches.
His expression turned grim.
A fine layer of cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Shiki's strength, his casual, lazy strength, far exceeded his expectations.
That single, careless strike had made him feel the genuine threat of death.
"Dammit…"
Seeing this, Blueno felt a surge of intense, primal danger.
'I have to leave!'
Without hesitation, he reached out and sliced at the air, attempting to open one of his air doors to escape.
However, just as the shimmering portal was forming, Ron's voice rang out again, cold, low, and perfectly timed.
"Ancient Weapon Pluton."
Those three words struck the CP9 members like a physical blow.
Blueno's movements froze instantly, the air door dissipating at his fingertips.
Lucci's expression, already grim, turned to one of pure shock.
His eyes fixed intently on Ron, filled with a sudden, violent confusion.
Pluton.
This legendary name, a state secret of the highest order, a power capable of destroying the world...
'Why would he mention it?! What exactly does he know?'
Ron had no intention of explaining.
He merely looked calmly at the CP9 members, as if his earlier words were nothing more than a casual remark.
In truth, he had mentioned it only to intimidate them, to stop Blueno from using the Door-Door Fruit to escape.
If that man truly got away, finding him again to retrieve his bloodline element would be far too troublesome.
After a moment of heavy, suffocating silence, Ron spoke again, his tone still icy.
"I have no interest in your affairs." He then gestured to Blueno. "However, if you don't want to leave him behind, that's also acceptable."
He held up his hand.
"Shed ten pounds of your blood, and you may all leave."
These words made the CP9 members' expressions turn even more grim.
Ten pounds of blood.
For any normal person, this was a potentially fatal price.
Blueno's face instantly turned as pale as paper, his body trembling involuntarily.
A flicker of murderous struggle passed through Lucci's eyes, but soon, his gaze grew resolute.
He looked at his subordinate.
"Blueno. Drain the blood." His voice was icy and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
Blueno gritted his teeth.
Though filled with terror and resentment, he knew he had no other choice.
"Catch this!" Shiki produced a large, empty bucket from his collection of floating junk and tossed it over.
Blueno caught it.
Then, with a look of grim determination, he raised his hand and used Shigan (Finger Gun) to make a deep hole across his own wrist.
Blood immediately gushed out.
His face visibly paled, and his body began to sway unsteadily.
The loss of ten pounds of blood made his head spin, the scene before his eyes gradually blurring.
Soon, the bucket was filled.
Blueno's body swayed, and he collapsed, caught by Kaku, who immediately stepped forward to support him, hoisting him over his shoulder.
Lucci cast a cold, final glance at Ron, his eyes filled with a complex storm of emotions—anger, wariness, confusion, and even a trace of barely perceptible fear.
"Here!" he growled, and Kaku threw the bucket.
Shiki simply hooked his finger, and the bucket, now containing the priceless blood of the Door-Door Fruit user, floated gently through the air and settled at his feet.
Without another word, Lucci turned and led the CP9 members away, their forms blurring as they used Soru to swiftly retreat.
Ron stood in place, watching as their figures disappeared into the distant ruins.
His face remained expressionless, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than a trivial, expected transaction.
Shiki walked up to him, grinning as he laughed.
"Jihahaha! These government dogs are really pitifully weak."
Ron didn't respond, only giving a slight nod.
His gaze remained deep and cold, as if he were pondering something.
In truth, the reason he had spared CP9 was not out of mercy.
On one hand, he couldn't be bothered to waste time on them.
On the other, keeping Blueno alive allowed for… continuous recycling.
If Blueno died and the blood ran out, who knew how long it would take for the next Door-Door Fruit ability user to appear?
...
In the distant ruins of Jaya…
Lucci led the CP9 members in a swift, silent retreat.
His face remained gloomy, filled with resentment and a cold, simmering anger.
As the World Government's strongest intelligence agency, they had never been so thoroughly humiliated. (CP0 doesnt count)
Ron and Shiki's strength had far exceeded their expectations, and Ron's casual mention of "Pluton" sent a chill down his spine.
His sixth sense, honed by a lifetime of killing, told him that Ron knew something.
"Lucci, what do we do next?" Kaku asked in a low voice, adjusting the unconscious Blueno on his shoulder.
Lucci remained silent for a moment before replying coldly, "We report back. The intel on Ron and Shiki's recovery must be submitted as soon as possible. As for Pluton… that must be reported, too. This entire situation is beyond our ability to handle now." He glanced back in the direction of the sky islands.
"However, it seems the Water 7 plan will have to be moved up. Immediately."
Kaku nodded, his heart also filled with doubt and unease.
Ron's appearance was like a massive stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring countless, unpredictable ripples.
....
Back on the shore…
Shiki grinned as he looked at Ron. "Ron, my boy, when you mentioned Pluton earlier… were you just trying to scare those brats?"
Ron glanced at him indifferently, his tone calm.
"What do you think?"
Shiki laughed heartily and clapped Ron on the shoulder. "Jihahaha! You're really an unpredictable, cunning brat, aren't you? But I like that!"
Ron didn't respond, merely curling the corner of his mouth slightly.
Robin watched the retreating figures of CP9 and let out a long, shaky sigh of relief, but her heart was filled with even more complex emotions.
She turned to Nami, her eyes brimming with a mixture of guilt, gratitude, and sorrow.
"Nami…"
Nami, her face still stained with tears, forced a faint, watery smile.
Those devil-like figures were finally gone.
They were safe.
"Robin," she said softly, "we're partners. This is what I should do."
Shiki glanced in the direction CP9 had left and snorted coldly.
"Though they're a bunch of useless rats, they sure run fast."
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