Chapter 273: Ralph: I'm Not Some Simp Cook!
Time rewinds a few minutes earlier.
After discovering that the Going Merry was empty, Ralph immediately rushed to Galley-La Company.
By the time Ralph arrived, Nami, Robin, and Chopper had already followed Paulie into Iceburg's house.
He didn't hurry inside.
Standing in an alley across the street, Ralph closed his eyes and activated his Observation Haki.
This was his most frequently used skill.
Ever since returning from Skypiea, he had been practicing it constantly.
Now, not only had the range of his perception expanded, but the details he could sense had also become more precise.
The perception of Observation Haki spread outward from his body like a net.
The entire building became transparent in his consciousness.
He could sense Nami climbing the stairs.
Her breathing was steady, her pace neither fast nor slow, carrying a hint of caution.
Beside her was Chopper, his hooves tapping softly on the wooden floor.
Robin followed behind, her breathing calm, but her heartbeat slightly faster than usual.
Paulie led the way ahead.
His breathing was heavy, tinged with irritation.
On the second floor, in Iceburg's bedroom.
Iceburg lay there, his life force weak, like a candle about to burn out, flickering faintly.
Ralph's brow furrowed slightly.
In his perception, he discovered Kalifa.
She was fleeing the building.
Then Ralph sensed something else.
Somewhere in Iceburg's room.
A mechanical device was turning.
The familiar sound of clockwork and gears in motion.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Ralph opened his eyes.
A clockwork bomb.
Without a second thought, he pushed off the ground, darting out of the alley.
The air tore as Ralph's figure left a blurry afterimage across the street.
Thus, the scene witnessed by Nami and the others unfolded.
Ralph smashed through the window into Iceburg's bedroom and threw foreman Paulie out.
After warning Nami and the others about the bomb, he rescued Iceburg himself.
An explosion sounded from behind.
Boom—
The shockwave burst through the window, shards of glass raining down like droplets.
Ralph shielded Iceburg beneath him.
Flames erupted from the window, thick smoke billowing upward as half of the building's second floor collapsed.
Ralph set Iceburg down on the ground.
Sensing that Nami and the others were safe, Ralph breathed a sigh of relief.
Paulie climbed out of the canal, dripping wet.
Ignoring his soaked state, his eyes swept over the half-collapsed house, Iceburg in Ralph's arms, and Ralph himself.
"You..."
His confusion remained stuck in his throat.
Voices began to gather around.
"An explosion!"
"Mr. Iceburg's house!"
"Hurry and check it out!"
Footsteps approached from all directions.
Some were running, others shouting.
Then one voice stood out clearly.
"The Straw Hat crew attacked Mr. Iceburg!"
Paulie froze.
"..."
He muttered,
"I just brought them here... There's no way they could have planted the bomb..."
Ralph handed Iceburg over to him.
"There's a traitor among your people."
Paulie looked up.
"What?"
"Kalifa, Lucci, Kaku, Blueno. They're all traitors."
Paulie's mouth fell open in shock.
Before Paulie could respond, Ralph pushed off the ground and vanished into the alley.
Paulie stood there, his mind struggling to process.
Traitors?
Kalifa? Lucci? Kaku? That tavern owner Blueno?
The voices in the distance grew louder.
"Capture the Straw Hat crew!"
"Don't let them escape!"
Paulie looked down at Iceburg.
The mayor's breathing was weak, but still present.
He bent down and hoisted Iceburg onto his back.
He needed to find a safe place.
After taking just two steps, a whip lashed out from the shadows, wrapping around his waist.
The whip was studded with thorns.
The thorns pierced his skin, and Paulie grunted as blood trickled down the whip from his waist.
Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the rope he carried with him and flung it back.
The rope coiled around the whip, and he pulled it toward himself.
The figure in the shadows was yanked out.
Short blonde hair, a professional suit, delicate features paired with a pair of refined glasses.
"Kalifa!"
Paulie's eyes widened. "You—"
Kalifa didn't speak.
She released the whip, stomped her foot, and shot forward like an arrow.
A single finger aimed straight for Paulie's throat.
Shigan.
With Iceburg on his back, Paulie couldn't dodge in time.
Just then, a hand reached out from the side.
The Shigan stabbed into the palm.
The finger thrust that could pierce steel failed to penetrate the blackened hand.
Ralph gripped Kalifa's finger, trying to bend it outward.
Kalifa yanked her hand back and retreated.
She understood instantly.
Ralph had deliberately left, making her think it was safe, and waited for her to reveal herself.
"You sinners..."
She whispered, "Each more cunning than the last."
Ralph didn't respond.
He turned to look at Paulie.
"Take Iceburg and go. Find a place to hide."
Paulie nodded, carrying Iceburg as he fled the scene.
Kalifa tried to give chase, but as soon as she lifted her foot, a gust of wind sliced past her cheek.
Rankyaku.
She tilted her head to dodge, leaving a slash mark on the wall.
"Your opponent is me."
Ralph said.
Kalifa stared at him.
"Who are you, really?"
"Why do you know the Six Powers? How do you know our plan?"
Ralph didn't answer, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
You're asking me? I want to ask you the same.
The plot had changed.
Robin hadn't left with CP9, Iceburg was still attacked, but the method was different from the original storyline.
And the bomb—there was no bomb in the original plot.
Judging from the explosion, the other side had clearly abandoned Robin.
"What is your plan?"
He shot back.
Kalifa remained silent.
She stomped her foot, turned, and ran.
Soru.
Ralph moved as well.
Also Soru.
Two figures chased each other through the alley.
Kalifa ran ahead, Ralph pursued from behind.
Their speeds were nearly identical, the distance between them consistently maintained at over ten meters.
Soon, the chase moved from the ground to the sky.
Until now, Ralph had relied on the speed of the Six Powers to toy with numerous opponents.
But now, facing a CP9 agent equally skilled in the Six Powers, he instantly lost his advantage.
Kalifa fled with all her might, and Ralph realized he couldn't catch up anytime soon.
But it didn't matter.
After descending from Skypiea, he had further modified his short gun using Sky Island Dials.
Bang!
With the sound of a gunshot, Kalifa's body paused mid-air before plummeting downward.
Ralph chased after her.
Kalifa leaned against a wall, standing on one leg.
She watched Ralph approach, her expression shifting from panic to provocation.
"Do you think capturing me will get you any answers?"
Ralph crouched down, looking into her eyes.
"Let's see."
He activated hypnosis.
A cross swayed before Kalifa's eyes.
"Tell me, what is your plan?"
Kalifa's gaze wavered for a moment.
Then she blinked and smiled.
"Your hypnosis... has no effect on me."
Ralph frowned.
He intensified the effort, but it still had no effect.
Kalifa's smile remained unchanged.
Her eyes were perfectly clear.
Ralph stopped.
He recalled Aokiji's words.
It was ineffective against strong-willed individuals.
This woman wasn't strong, but her will was firm enough.
CP9's training wasn't for nothing.
Kalifa leaned against the wall, her smile widening as she saw Ralph unable to do anything to her.
Ralph thought to himself, he wasn't some perverted cook!
With a bang, he threw a punch—
Her glasses flew off, and her face swelled up!
Kalifa fainted.