Located in the first half of the Grand Line, Enies Lobby is a directly controlled territory of the World Government and is known as the "Island that Never Sleeps" because it remains in perpetual night. For 800 years since its establishment, this island has been an impregnable fortress that neither allows intruders nor allows anyone to escape.
Enies Lobby is a unique place even among the government's covert intelligence agency, Cipher Pol, and it serves as the base of CP9, a group that has been granted permission by the World Government to execute even uncooperative citizens under the guise of "dark justice."
The island is guarded by over 10,000 troops, including resident marines and watchmen, but the members of CP9, who reign at the top, are only a very small fraction of the overall force.
However, all the members are highly skilled experts in Rokushiki (Six Powers), making them an extremely powerful and undefeated organization.
Currently, the members of CP9 have gathered in one of the rooms at the center of Enies Lobby's Tower of Justice. The reason for their gathering is simple: Today, a new Commander-in-Chief of CP9, effectively the new highest authority in Enies Lobby, is taking office, and they have assembled to offer their greetings.
However, not all members are present, as some are on missions, and currently, the room only houses four members: Kaku, Jabra, Blueno, and Kalifa.
"The new Chief, huh? They say he's the son of the previous Chief, but let's hope he's better than the previous one," Kaku said.
"Well, who knows? I barely even talked to the previous Chief. To think that the change of Commanders is happening so soon after my formal assignment... Oh well," added Kalifa.
While sitting on the sofa, Jabra responded in a somewhat lethargic tone, and Kaku, being the youngest and the most recently assigned to CP9, mentioned that he didn't have much interaction with the previous Chief either.
"Regardless of who it is, as long as they fulfill the minimum duties of a Commander-in-Chief, there shouldn't be any problems," Blueno chimed in.
"Yeah... Oh, by the way, where's Lucci?" Kalifa inquired.
After agreeing with Blueno's statement, Kalifa looked around, realizing that one of their members, Lucci, was missing.
"Oh, Lucci said he had something to take care of and left. He said he'd be back soon," Kaku replied.
"Something to take care of? What could it be?" Kalifa wondered.
Kaku didn't have more information on Lucci's whereabouts, and he found it curious as well.
Normally, Lucci was calm and composed, and though he occasionally showed a smile or a gentle expression around his peers from Guanhao, it was still rare for him to express his emotions so openly.
Anyway, Lucci seemed to be in a good mood, occasionally smiling as if remembering something, and that left an impression on the others.
A short while later, they heard footsteps, and the door opened as Lucci, holding a paper bag, walked in.
"Hey, you're quite late. Genius-sama, were you attending an executive meeting?" Jabra teased.
"No, I just went shopping for a bit," Lucci replied.
"Shopping?"
"Well, you'll find out eventually."
Curious about Lucci's high spirits, Jabra, who usually likes to provoke and interact with others, tried to taunt him, but Lucci only responded with a faint smile, looking extremely delighted.
His unexpected reaction momentarily surprised Jabra, who then looked at Lucci with a puzzled expression. Kalifa also found Lucci's behavior intriguing.
As they were observing Lucci's demeanor, the door opened again, and everyone except Lucci was shocked. The reason was simple: "They hadn't noticed the door opening" — that is, the highly trained individuals of CP9's ears couldn't detect the approaching person's footsteps.
The ones who entered were Spandam, a man with black hair neatly combed back and dark features around his eyes and nose, dressed in a well-fitted black suit with a white tie, and behind him was a petite woman with thin, light brown hair tied in a ponytail at the back of her neck — Chelsea.
Upon seeing the two, the members sitting on the sofa stood up and lined up in front of the Commander-in-Chief's desk. As government agents, they moved with disciplined and coordinated movements.
Spandam and Chelsea walked until they were in a position to face the aligned members and the desk in between.
"Today, I have assumed the position of Commander-in-Chief. I'm counting on all of you. And the person standing behind me is Chelsea, who takes on the role of Chief Aide. You don't have to be so formal; we can talk casually. Now, I'd like each of you to give a brief introduction," Spandam said calmly.
Taking a slightly wider stance to rest, the members started with Jabra, the oldest, and introduced themselves concisely. Except for Lucci, the four of them watched Spandam closely, assessing him.
It seemed like they were cautiously trying to figure out the strength of the person before them.
However, Spandam offered a small smile in response to their probing gaze.
Then, as the introductions came to an end, Spandam spoke again.
"...It's good to assess your opponent. Seeking information about your opponent is a positive attitude. But don't underestimate them based on assumptions. Thinking that they are below you just because you are users of Rokushiki is... shortsighted."
"Huh?!"
Instantly, the four members, except for Lucci, jumped back to the corner of the room. They felt an immense pressure emanating from Spandam, and it was almost a reflexive response.
Though they reacted swiftly, the expressions on their faces were filled with astonishment, and their bodies trembled slightly. Yes, they had all come to realize one thing: The presence before them was far beyond what they had encountered before.
"Kuh... Hahaha!"
Amid the tense atmosphere, a cheerful laughter echoed, and their gazes turned to its source. There was Lucci, genuinely smiling.
"Please don't tease them too much, Chief... No, it's 'Commander' now, isn't it? They are all quite capable. The reason they didn't recognize your strength immediately is simply because your skill in suppressing your presence is too high. Honestly, you could kill someone just with your presence if they were weak-willed. So, I wonder, what kind of thick skin do you have to wear to hide your presence like that?" Lucci playfully said.
"We are agents of the intelligence agency. Naturally, we should be skilled in infiltration and concealing our presence even among ordinary people. You should polish your skills in hiding your presence as well, just in case," Spandam replied.
"Haha, same old you. I'm glad."
With a smile, Lucci picked up a bottle of whiskey that was on the table, offered by Spandam as a congratulatory gift.
"I remember you like whiskey, don't you? This is a celebration for your new position," Lucci said.
"Why did you bother buying it for me?" Sapndam asked.
"Well, I'm looking forward to having you as my superior... I had trouble sleeping last night because of it... Anyway, I have a suggestion. Since you all want to get to know the new Chief better, and the Chief also wants to understand the abilities of his subordinates, how about we all sweat together in some training? It can serve as a way to bond too," Lucci proposed.
"I see... You're right. Today, our main agenda was just the introduction. We don't have many other tasks. Understanding each other is important... Very well," Spandam agreed.
Leaving the confused four members behind, the discussion progressed, and in no time, they decided to confirm each other's abilities through training in the training ground.
***
In the underground training ground exclusively prepared for CP9 at the Tower of Justice, Spandam addressed the five members who were lying on the floor, panting and exhausted.
"...Let's call it a day for now. I have to handle the paperwork for the handover. You can all take a shower and then wait individually. However, be prepared for the possibility of urgent missions, so keep your communication devices on."
With that, Spandam and Chelsea left the training ground.
"...What kind of... strength was that..."
"And he didn't even use ten percent of his full power, it seemed..."
Kaku muttered while lying on his back, and Kalifa agreed, leaning against the wall and looking drained.
"I can't believe it... Is he the embodiment of absurdity or something?"
"Yeah, damn it... I can't stand... he's like a monster..."
"Kukuku, hahaha..."
Similarly battered, Blueno and Jabra also spoke, and a little distance away, Lucci, who was lying on the floor, laughed heartily, appearing genuinely delighted.
"That's it! This overwhelming power... this is what a Commander-in-Chief should be."
Despite his injuries, Lucci seemed extremely satisfied, reconfirming the strength of an opponent he acknowledged as superior, and he was genuinely thrilled by it.
In fact, Lucci appeared even stronger than when he was with CP5 for a short time, and a feeling of joy overflowed in his heart, thinking, "Does this monster still have more room to evolve?"
After laughing joyfully for a while, Lucci propped himself up and spoke to the other four.
"...What do you think? He's truly a man worthy of leading us, right?"
There was no denial in response to his words.
***
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