They've only accepted the task of intelligence gathering; they weren't meant to take action. That's outside the cooperation scope.
When it comes to intelligence, they are professionals. Even with just two hours, they can scout out the basics.
Especially now, back at Enies Lobby, they obtained two Devil Fruits from Spandam, which they fed to Kaku and Kalifa, expanding their options for intelligence gathering.
Lucci is responsible for walking through the streets and alleyways, while Kaku and Jabra transformed into a deer and a wolf, with Blueno acting as the manager, leading Kumadori to pretend to be part of an animal Kabuki troupe to attract crowds and casually inquire about the city's intelligence.
Kalifa's newly acquired 'Bubble-Bubble Fruit' can produce a large volume of bubbles and also clean the city. She disguised herself as a professional cleaner to enter various estates, obtaining intelligence.
In the end, all this converged into information about the Kingdom.
However, there was something peculiar that puzzled them — this city seems prosperous, yet it's filled with people more destitute than the poor, akin to slaves.
Such slavery concepts don't surprise CP9. Although the World Government prohibits it openly, they know every place has a dark side that can't be regulated.
But this kind of thing is never in the open, unlike this city's blatant display. Moreover, their apparent identity isn't of slaves; they receive wages, have jobs, aren't treated inhumanely, and face no discrimination in life — simply a differentiation between the poor and the rich.
That's why Jabra mentioned there's no need to investigate wealthy residences, as besides this city with tall buildings, the rest are poor areas.
But looking at it now... something's different.
Clang!
Tonya was still laughing, when suddenly his ear twitched, his body leaned backward, a bolt of lightning appeared before him and swiftly turned into a narrow sword, cutting horizontally.
Thud!
But at that moment, Tonya kicked up, his toe lifted the blade above his head, while he punched sideways.
Lily's pupils shrank, she quickly withdrew her sword, slicing towards his fist, but just then, his swinging fist abruptly transformed like a nimble snake, bypassing the blade and reaching for her cheek.
Bang!
Lily's figure vanished, while Tonya puzzledly looked at his hand, muttering, "Strange, just a woman, yet her defense is strong..."
He looked up at the flash-forwarded Lily, saying, "'Sword Princess' Bienta Lily, a Pirate with a bounty over a hundred million, quite skillful."
Lily held the sword single-handedly, glancing at her slightly trembling left hand with a solemn expression.
Her left hand was still hardened with Haki.
But merely Haki wasn't enough; this man wasn't just fast, his strength was formidable, unimaginable given his short stature.
A formidable opponent!
And strong ones aren't exclusive to Pirates, just Pirates are numerous and famous, attracting attention. Typically, if Sage wasn't a Pirate, the world might not know about him.
So strong is strong, but Lily wasn't surprised. She was more furious.
She coldly said, "What have you done?"
"Done what?"
Tonya tilted his head, pondered for a while, then realized, "Oh... you mean my orders? Of course, I did what needed to be done. You're difficult to deal with, aiming to eliminate you within an hour, leveraging others' strength. But I don't want to wait for the Navy, using those wretches' lives to exhaust your stamina, isn't it a good idea?"
Apart from the continuously joining combat guards, those once hiding in the distance with tattered clothes, along with normally dressed individuals, now all rushed towards here with red eyes.
Even sensed by Observation, more distant presences began closing in on this location.
The mixed numbers were countless!
And the tighter Lily gripped her sword, the more tense her charming face became.
"Eh? You're angry? Why?"
Tonya saw Lily's expression, perplexed, "Why is a Pirate angry? Or..."
His eyes widened, his smile turned mocking, "A Pirate, unwilling to kill civilians, is it that strange?"
As he spoke, those guards unexpectedly retreated, ceasing to fight with the Pirates, replaced by civilians, wielding strange weapons like brooms, shovels, pitchforks, or bare hands, fearlessly charging at the Pirates.
These civilians caused a momentary stall in the Pirates.
Boom!
But soon, Renedia twisted the hammer, firing a shell into the crowd, exploding.
Unlike the more dispersed guards, the crowded citizens became easier targets, one blast flinging hundreds up.
Rum...
The ground trembled slightly, Marika tore apart a stone pillar from a large building entrance, fiercely hurling it forward, crushing ten people, with momentum striking down more.
As for Hawkins, his expression unchanged, his Long Sword entwined with straw, transforming into a flexible Rice Straw Sword, lashing whip-like, each whip causing dozens to fall.