Ron slightly raised his eyes, and Conqueror's Haki poured out like a tangible entity. The sky suddenly darkened, and the clouds were torn apart by an invisible force, forming a massive vortex. The two individuals who were about to escape suddenly froze.
Then they felt an overwhelming aura descend from the sky, like a towering mountain pressing down on them!
Bang!
The two were directly slammed to the ground!
"This is...?" Lucci's beastly face twisted and deformed, and his bones emitted a creaking sound under the unbearable pressure. His Six Powers techniques, which he prided himself on, were meaningless under this oppressive force, like ants in a storm.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, this strongest genius of CP9 in eight hundred years knelt heavily on the ground. Kaku, even more so, prostrated himself completely, his long nose buried deep in the mud. They tried their best to lift their heads but couldn't even move a single finger.
Ron slowly walked over, his black trench coat flapping in the surging Haki: "The moment you appeared..." His voice was very soft, yet it made Lucci's hair stand on end, "...you should have anticipated this outcome."
Lucci's leopard eyes trembled violently, his pupils dilated to their limit. Ron's words exploded in his mind like thunder, and past scenes flashed back like a revolving lantern—
From the Thousand Sunny's sudden appearance on Scrap Island, to the other party's deliberate display of the Pluton design; from allowing Usopp to provoke, to Sanji's precise acquisition of the Door-Door Fruit... Every step seemed like a meticulously woven spiderweb.
"So that's how it is..." Lucci's voice was hoarse and inhuman, blood seeping from his bitten-down teeth, "Your target... has always been us..."
His vision blurred as he scanned the battlefield: Blueno was unconscious, Kaku was severely injured and collapsed, Kalifa was charred from the electricity... CP9's most elite squad was completely wiped out in just ten minutes.
The most ironic part was that they thought they were the lurking hunters, unaware that from the moment the other party stepped into Water 7, they had already been the prey in someone else's eyes.
Lucci coughed out a mouthful of blood, his body trembling continuously under the suppression of Conqueror's Haki. "A high-level hunter often appears in the guise of prey..."
He recalled Spandam's mockery before they set off: "This mission will be as easy as a vacation."
Now, thinking about it, it was utterly absurd. The strength and cunning displayed by this black-clad man in front of him would likely even make the Five Elders wary.
Ron slowly walked up to Lucci: "Understand now? You're nothing but... an appetizer."
These words became the last straw that broke the camel's back. Lucci's proud heart of a strong man was completely shattered, and the light in his eyes extinguished.
When the hunter becomes the hunted, when the conspiracy is outmaneuvered, this meticulously planned "encounter" completely tore apart CP9's pride.
And Lucci, at this moment, despairingly realized what a terrifying existence they had provoked...
"Here you go, Captain."
Sanji's slender fingers flicked lightly, and the strange fruit covered with door patterns cut through the air, landing steadily in Ron's waiting palm.
Ron's fingertips stroked the fruit's uneven surface, a deep playful glint flashing in his eyes: "Perfect spatial movement ability..."
His voice was very soft, yet it made everyone present hold their breath.
"It's just right for our next move."
Franky stood rooted to the spot, his rugged face filled with disbelief.
He had personally witnessed CP9's most elite agents being crushed like ants before Ron and his crew. This overwhelming power disparity made his proud modified body tremble.
"Super... amazing..." He mumbled subconsciously, then shook his head abruptly to clear it, rushing to Iceburg's side in a few strides, carefully helping up his dear friend, who was like both a brother and a father.
"Thank you for your help, everyone." Iceburg patted the dust from his suit, maintaining the mayor's composure despite his pale face.
He looked warily at Ron and the others, "However, regarding the Pluton blueprints, we really... truly don't have them."
"Hahaha!" Ron suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter echoing through the ruins, "Whether you have the blueprints or not is completely irrelevant. We didn't come for any blueprints."
Instead, his gaze fell on Franky, "We came here to invite Franky to join us."
Franky was also thinking about the blueprints he had seen earlier. He had only glanced at them, but couldn't tear his eyes away. Those exquisite structures, those long-lost techniques, were the treasures he had dreamed of!
"Wait, wait!" He forced himself to look up, "What exactly are you...?"
Ron stepped forward: "We have ship design blueprints. We only need to build a ship according to these blueprints, a ship that can conquer the New World."
His gaze went past Franky, looking towards the distant sea, "And to achieve this dream... there's no one more suitable than you."
Iceburg watched Franky's eyes gradually light up, sighing helplessly—he knew his junior apprentice too well. Faced with such a tempting challenge, no shipwright in the world could refuse.
Franky exaggeratedly hopped back two steps, crossing his arms into an "X" shape across his chest: "Super~ You're being too familiar!"
He shouted without hesitation: "You want me to be your nakama just after meeting? I'm so happy in Water 7, it's great here. I don't want to go out to sea!"
"Slap!"
A crisp slap echoed through the scrap yard. Iceburg withdrew his reddened hand, his eyes a mix of anger and worry: "Have you sobered up, you idiot?"
Franky stood frozen, covering his cheek. He had never seen the gentle Iceburg-san lose his composure like this.
"Captain Ron," Iceburg turned to Ron, bowing deeply, "Please forgive this unpromising younger brother."
When he straightened up, a determined glint flashed in his eyes, "But he's right, Water 7 is no longer safe."
Just as Franky was about to retort, Iceburg grabbed his Hawaiian shirt:
"Open your eyes and look clearly!" He pointed to the unconscious CP9 members, "The World Government can lie in wait for five years for the Pluton blueprints! They can kidnap the mayor!"
The sea breeze messed up Iceburg's meticulously combed hair, revealing the hidden scars underneath:
"Do you think refusing will protect Water 7?" His voice suddenly deepened, "Only if you leave... taking the blueprints with you... can this city truly be safe."
Franky's lips trembled, his gaze sweeping over the messy scene, "Iceburg, you..."
"Go." Iceburg released his grip, tidying his messy tie, "Go and build a ship that can make even the World Government tremble."
He showed a relieved smile, "This is what Mr. Tom expected... the true path of a shipwright."
....
The journey continues right now for our Jade Dragons! 🐉
For just $6/month, you can step into the advanced chapters and never face a cliffhanger again. Gain instant access to 50+ chapters immediately, support the story you love, and help decide its course.
🔗 Become a Jade Dragon:https://patreon.com/J_Dragon