One of the three main institutions of the World Government, Enies Lobby, the island of justice. In one of the rooms belonging to CP9 located within the central tower of justice, the CP9 members had gathered.
Normally, they would gather in the office of their Chief, Spandam, but as he was currently out, they had assembled in a different room.
The atmosphere in the room was tense, and Fizz, one of the CP9 members, was nervously fidgeting with irritation. His expression was grim, clearly showing signs of anger.
Other members, except for Kalifa and Rob Lucci, also wore stern expressions.
"Tch... If Chelsea took care of them, there shouldn't be any mistakes. It's annoying. It's because of those idiots that the Chief couldn't complete the mission, right?"
Fizz and most of the CP9 members were frustrated after hearing about CP4 officials' actions in Water 7 from Chelsea. Fizz, in particular, idolized Spandam, and thus he felt angry towards those CP4 officials who had hindered Spandam.
However, Chelsea had already dealt with the matter, so there was no further action they could take, leaving them with no target for their anger.
While other members wore varying degrees of displeasure on their faces, Rob Lucci was the only one who had a smile of amusement.
"...Kukuku."
"What's so funny, Lucci?"
"Well, it's just amusing to see your misguided reactions."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Jabra's question prompted a vein to pop on Kalifa's forehead, but Lucci continued to speak cheerfully.
"Chelsea's explanation may have been lacking, but your thinking is also shallow... Think about it carefully. Do you really believe the cunning Chief couldn't predict those fools' actions?"
"...You're right. Now that you mention it, Chief should have easily anticipated such moves."
"Exactly. He deliberately allowed them to act... right?"
After Lucci's explanation, Blueno and Kalifa nodded in agreement. Indeed, the person they knew as Spandam possessed not only overwhelming combat power but also an astute and cunning intellect.
"That's the idea, right, Chelsea?"
"Yes. The Captain undoubtedly foresaw CP4's actions. In fact, he even manipulated the situation. He deliberately instructed them to investigate thoroughly, saying that if Tom is acquitted, the investigation will become difficult."
"So, Chief intentionally made CP4 go out of control, huh?"
"But whyy~ would he dooo~ such a thing~?"
Hearing that, the CP9 members' expressions changed from anger to bewilderment. Lucci then explained why Spandam took such actions.
"In the end, CP4 panicked and made a huge mistake... According to Chelsea, she got statements from them, admitting that they received instructions from their superior. And where is the Chief now? At the CP4 Headquarters, right?"
"Yes, he said he'll come back after having a peaceful discussion."
"Hahaha, that's good. I'm sure it was a very peaceful discussion. It would make you want to retire immediately..."
Looking at Lucci, who was laughing heartily, and listening to his words, the other members began to understand. Spandam deliberately allowed CP4 to go out of control to get rid of their superior. In other words, he planned to eliminate one of the obstacles to his advantage.
"That means, our Chief intentionally manipulated CP4 to create this situation?"
"That's what I think. Our Captain must have been planning to eliminate CP4's superior from the moment he received the orders."
"Indeed, you said that before, Jabra. The Captain bears a grudge against CP4's superior because of his father..."
"However, CP4's superior will probably step down as a result of this incident. And our superiors wouldn't want to incur the Chief's displeasure. Next, a person with a positive stance towards our Captain will likely be appointed. If that happens, can CP2 continue to behave as they did before? It seems unlikely."
As Lucci continued to explain, he stood up and fetched a drink from the refrigerator in the room. Although it was a non-alcoholic drink as they were on standby, he still refreshed himself before continuing.
"...Our Captain saw CP2 and CP4's superiors as obstacles to his interests. At some point, he probably planned to eliminate one of them. If he does that, the remaining one will be terrified and submissive... In that case, practically all of CP will be under the Chief's control."
"So, in essence, the Chief will be at the top of CP... That sounds great."
After hearing the explanation, Fizz, who had initially been angry, now wore a satisfied grin on his face.
"Jabra, didn't you mention before that the Chief had an unusual expression when it came to this mission?"
"Yeah, I felt that he was thinking differently about this mission... Wait a minute, could it be..."
"Probably, as soon as the orders came, the Chief was already planning to eliminate CP4's superior."
"Seems likely. Our Captain had already anticipated the attack on the judicial ship; it seemed like everything was under his control... Well, that aside, those who didn't follow the Captain's instructions are major criminals, so we punished them."
Chelsea agreed with Lucci's view, and while they all knew that everything was Spandam's plan, they still felt annoyed with those who didn't obey his instructions and were severely punished.
"Indeed, our Captain is truly... terrifying. Not just because of his monstrous combat strength, but also his flawless cunning and schemes. It's awe-inspiring."
Like Kalifa, all the CP9 members present felt both fear and admiration for their leader.
Then, after a while, the door of the room opened, and Spandam entered. This wasn't the Chief's office, and since the CP9 members were currently on standby, they immediately stood up and formed a line, anticipating that he had some information to convey.
"I have two reports. Firstly, the mission is currently on temporary hold. As a result, I will be resuming regular duties starting tomorrow. Secondly, though it's not directly related, CP4's superior will be replaced soon, so be prepared... Any questions?"
"I'm curious about the peaceful discussion with CP4's superior."
"There was no problem, they settled it amicably. There were communication errors on both sides, so it won't be treated as a significant issue... However, CP4's superior felt 'tremendous mental pressure' due to this incident and has decided to retire for rest and recovery. Everyone, be cautious about stress."
"Huh, hahaha... I see, I see. I'm sure it was such an enjoyable discussion..."
Just from that short conversation, Lucci and the others could imagine the reason behind Spandam's amusement. He probably unleashed the pressure he usually held back during the discussion.
The abnormal pressure one felt just from being near him would likely be overwhelming for CP4's superior, who was skilled only in flattery, and as a result, he would probably have no will left to resist Spandam by the end of the conversation.
Truly, their leader was both terrifying and, above all else, dependable, and that's how the CP9 members felt.
***
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