Water 7.
The fish-man shipwright Tom had once been the finest shipwright in Water 7, but his departure had not caused any major impact on the city.
This place was still the most developed center of shipbuilding on the entire sea.
Tom's apprentice, Iceburg, had chosen not to leave with Tom.
After Tom departed, he established a shipbuilding company of his own.
However, not much time had passed since then, so the company had yet to show any real results.
Moreover, Iceburg felt as though someone had been watching him.
"President!"
A tall woman wearing fishnet stockings suddenly pushed the door open.
When she saw Iceburg rubbing his brow, a trace of displeasure flashed through her eyes.
But that emotion only appeared for an instant. She concealed it very well.
"The Marines still haven't left, and there are also World Government officials here. President, why exactly have they targeted you?"
Kalifa, who had successfully disguised herself and infiltrated Iceburg's side, once again attempted to draw out information regarding Pluton.
Although Tom had been taken away by that man, Iceburg was Tom's apprentice.
Perhaps he also knew the whereabouts of Pluton's blueprints.
They might even be in his hands.
And there was not much time left.
Not long ago, their team had gathered, and they had already sensed the changes in the situation across the sea.
As members of CP9, they might not be able to remain here much longer.
"Don't mind them."
Iceburg frowned when he heard that, then shook his head.
"The urgent matter is to gather enough manpower. Also, when is the negotiation with Dock One scheduled?"
Kalifa's expression did not change when she heard this.
"It's in one day. But getting them to join us won't be easy. After all, we don't have many bargaining chips right now."
"You don't need to worry about that. I'll naturally negotiate with them when the time comes."
Iceburg let out a breath when he heard this.
At last, there was some good news.
As for the Marines and World Government people gathered in Water 7, Iceburg was not actually too concerned about them.
What he did care about was the message his master had sent not long ago.
Tom had become the Hunter Guild's exclusive shipwright, and he had recruited even more people.
At present, just handling the Guild's internal orders alone was already more than enough to keep him busy.
'As expected of my master!'
"Kalifa, go rest first. Prepare for tomorrow's negotiation."
"Understood."
Kalifa nodded when she heard this, then turned and left.
After leaving the company, Kalifa returned to her residence.
Not long afterward, the masked Kalifa left through the back door, avoided the gazes of others, and arrived at Blueno's bar.
The somewhat remote bar did not have many customers.
Before long, most of them had left.
Blueno, who had been busy behind the counter, raised his eyes and looked at Kalifa.
"I've already sent Lucci a message. He'll be here soon."
"Iceburg is short of manpower right now. I can arrange for Kaku to enter the company."
Kalifa took a sip of the drink in her hand and spoke softly.
"Have you really started thinking of yourself as Iceburg's secretary?"
Rob Lucci pushed the door open and entered, his expression serious.
"Don't forget our objective," he reminded her.
Kalifa glanced at Rob Lucci when she heard this, then shook her head.
"I'd like to, but Iceburg really doesn't seem to know anything."
"Whether he knows or not is not for you to decide."
Rob Lucci immediately became displeased.
"Unfortunately, making a move against him right now doesn't seem appropriate. Tom was taken away by that person, and he has now joined the Hunter Guild. It's hard to guarantee that the blueprints won't fall into the Guild's hands. If that really happens, with the Hunter Guild's resources, they may very well build Pluton."
After sitting down, Rob Lucci spoke with a grave expression.
Their team's first mission had already become this troublesome.
Moreover, the people involved possessed terrifying strength.
Whenever he thought of the man who had come to the bar back then, Rob Lucci could not help feeling his heart tremble even now.
"We won't have much time."
Blueno set down the glass in his hand and raised his head to look at Rob Lucci.
Then his pupils suddenly contracted.
At some point, a figure had appeared seated at the table behind Rob Lucci.
When had he arrived? Blueno had not noticed at all.
"Who are you?"
Before Blueno could speak, Rob Lucci noticed Blueno's expression and did not hesitate.
He turned around and immediately launched a killing move.
His Finger Pistol carried a sharp force as it stabbed behind him.
Boom!
A powerful wave of air erupted.
Rob Lucci, who had just attacked, was sent flying backward and slammed into the wall.
"Don't move. Otherwise, I'll kill you right now."
A voice rang out.
The moment they heard that voice, Kalifa and Blueno trembled, their faces showing fear.
They felt their bodies stiffen, unable to move.
It was because of fear.
Although they had only heard this voice once before, the impression it left on them was extremely deep.
The chairman of the Hunter Guild.
Flame Demon Cyrus.
After leaving Water 7 last time, he had charged into Mary Geoise alone, destroyed half of the Holy Land, killed a great number of Celestial Dragons, and still retreated unharmed.
"I have Pluton's blueprints. So, do you want them?"
Cyrus turned his head and swept a glance over Kalifa before finally settling his gaze on Blueno, the bull-horned man.
'Good.'
'He had not left yet.'
Otherwise, finding him really would have been troublesome.
Cyrus's words shook Kalifa and Blueno to the core.
Rob Lucci, who had been heavily injured by Cyrus's casual strike, also struggled to pry himself out of the wall before falling onto the floor.
However, all three of them had only one thought in their hearts.
'It was over.'
Whether it was encountering Cyrus right now or this mission itself, everything was over.
"What exactly do you want?"
Rob Lucci struggled to stand, clutching his shattered right arm as he forced out the question.
"Are you qualified to question me right now?"
Hearing this, Cyrus turned his head and looked at Rob Lucci.
Then the enormous pressure of Conqueror's Haki forced Rob Lucci, who had just stood up, to collapse again.
"Are you going to attack me?"
Cyrus looked toward Kalifa and Blueno, who had subconsciously started to move.
A door had already opened slightly, and part of Blueno's body had already entered it.
But as soon as Cyrus's voice fell, an overwhelmingly powerful suction force appeared.
Blueno, who had just entered the door by a little, was directly pulled toward Cyrus.
Smack!
Black mist spread from Cyrus's left hand as it pressed against Blueno's head.
"Finger Pistol!"
A voice rang out from outside the bar, followed by dozens of sharp air bullets flying toward Cyrus, only to be completely blocked by flames that appeared out of thin air.
What followed immediately was a slash.
Knowing who the newcomer was, Cyrus raised his hand and shattered the incoming slash.
The small bar collapsed under the impact of the battle.
Holding the person in his hand, Cyrus flew out of the collapsing bar.
On the street outside, a large group of Marine soldiers had formed ranks, their firearms aimed toward the bar.
In front of these Marines stood a Marine officer.
At this moment, he was holding a sword. The slash from earlier should have been cut out by him.
Beside the Marine officer stood Kaku from Rob Lucci's group.
"Atta— Cy… Cyrus!"
When the Marine officer saw someone come out, he had just raised his hand to give the order to fire.
But after seeing Cyrus's face, his body stiffened and his face turned pale.
Damn it!
What was going on?
Wasn't he just here to assist CP9 with an arrest mission?
Why was Flame Demon Cyrus here?
In an instant, cold sweat covered his entire body.
As for the other Marines, every one of them wore stiff expressions, and the hands holding their guns were trembling.
"Withdraw!"
Without the slightest hesitation, the Marine officer leading the group gave the order directly, then turned and left.
Fight?
There was no way they could win!
As for dying with dignity through resistance?
Whoever wanted that dignity could go have it!
Right now, he could only pray the other side would not attack them.
As for CP9?
What did World Government people have to do with the Marines?
He had already made up his mind. He would leave this place immediately.
Running into the chairman of the Hunter Guild here was simply absurd.
This was exactly like going to a village to arrest a pirate, only to run into the Pirate King there.
Cyrus raised an eyebrow, but he did not attack the Marines who left immediately.
A battered Kalifa brought Rob Lucci out from the ruins.
Kaku looked at Cyrus with a pale face, his legs trembling slightly.
Cyrus lowered his head and looked at Blueno in his hand, then looked at the three people before him.
"I'll give you a mission."
Just as Cyrus was about to act, he suddenly remembered something.
"A mission?"
Kalifa and Kaku froze, but inwardly, they breathed a sigh of relief.
"Go to Foosha Village in East Blue and find a kid named Luffy. Then bring him to Sky Island to participate in the Hunter Exam." Cyrus spoke.
"Of course, you can also pretend this mission doesn't exist. I won't kill you now. But the next time we meet, I'll reluctantly send you out of this world."
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