Translator: PapaSmurf0700
As the moonlight draped over the quiet capital of Water 7, the bustling activity of the day had dwindled into a hushed silence. Inside a dimly lit room at Blueno's Bar, several figures gathered in a secretive meeting.
"The information is confirmed; it's with Franky for sure," murmured a voice shrouded in darkness. The room's scant moonlight concealed the speaker's face, but the silhouette of a pigeon perched on his shoulder stood out distinctly.
Another voice, distinctly feminine, added, "It's accurate. Franky has been invited aboard the Straw Hats' ship. And with Kokoro from Shift Station siding with the Straw Hats, it's clear she's also involved for Franky's sake."
A man with horn-shaped hair interjected, "This supports your earlier theory."
"The pieces are fitting together," said another with a long nose. "The link between Robin, the Straw Hats, Kokoro, and Iceburg must be Tom's other disciple."
As they spoke, a break in the clouds let more moonlight spill into the room, illuminating the faces of the speakers. They were members of CP9: Rob Lucci with the pigeon, Kaku with the long nose, Kalifa, the woman, and Blueno with horn-shaped hair.
Unbeknownst to them, a talisman hidden in Kaku's arms glowed faintly, pulsing softly in rhythm with their conversation, suggesting that not all secrets were safely kept within the confines of their dark gathering.
The topic of conversation for the CP9 agents, gathered in a dim room at Water 7, centered on their long-term mission: the blueprint of the ancient weapon, Pluton. Their focus had zeroed in on two key figures, Iceburg and Franky, both of whom they considered assets crucial to their covert operation. The unexpected arrival of the Straw Hats, however, threw a wrench in their plans, particularly following the failed scheme involving Robin. This setback left them reevaluating their strategy.
Kaku turned to Lucci with a critical question, reflecting the gravity of their situation: "If Franky joins the Straw Hats, should we consider deploying the Buster Call?"
This proposition put them at a crossroads. As agents skilled in combat and stealth, facing the Straw Hats in direct combat wasn't favorable, especially with Franky potentially in their ranks. Kaku argued that a direct approach with the Buster Call might salvage their years of undercover work, which now teetered on the brink of failure.
Lucci's response was measured, his voice low and serious: "Not yet." He understood the implications of such an action. Although they had the authority from the World Government, unleashing the Buster Call on Water 7, a global hub for shipbuilding and a well-known island, would be catastrophic.
He explained further, considering the broader repercussions: "Using the Buster Call to wipe out Water 7 would create a disaster for the World Government." He recalled the destruction of O'Hara, justified by the inhabitants' research into forbidden texts, a clear violation of World Government decrees. But Water 7 was different.
Lucci was also mindful of his career. While failure of their mission might still leave room for redemption given his abilities, the fallout from a Buster Call could irreparably tarnish his future prospects. His pride wouldn't allow him to jeopardize his path over what he viewed as a manageable setback.
Lucci laid out the situation: "It takes a week to fully gather the magnetic power here, and the Straw Hats came to repair their ship. That means they won't be leaving soon." He paused, considering their next moves, "If Franky really decides to join the Straw Hats, he and his family will need time to settle their affairs here. Eventually, he'll have to act on his own, and that will be our chance to isolate him from the group and take him to Enies Lobby."
The idea of catching Franky alone and avoiding a direct confrontation with the Straw Hats appealed to the group. Lucci continued, "Those tough guys from the New World wouldn't dare to follow us to Enies Lobby." He quickly began to refine their strategy based on this premise.
Kalifa, ever the skeptic, adjusted her glasses and questioned the passive nature of waiting: "Just waiting?"
Lucci understood her concerns about the plan's passivity and its reliance on many uncertain factors. However, Blueno, looking to address the gaps, added, "What about the Franky Family? Franky values them greatly, and he still needs his supplies from here."
Kaku chimed in, reminding everyone of their strategic position within the city, "Plus, if the Straw Hats are indeed planning to repair their ship, they can't avoid dealing with our Galley-La Company."
Kalifa nodded, understanding that opportunities to act would arise, "There will always be chances to act."
Lucci reassured the team about their covert status, "Despite the previous setbacks, we've managed to keep our identities hidden. Even if one of us was exposed, the others remain under cover."
This reassurance from Lucci highlighted their key advantage—their ability to operate unseen. "It's highly unlikely for us, who have been undercover here for so long, to be discovered," he concluded.
-----
In the Golden Merry's meeting room, the sound of Franky's large hand slamming on the table echoed loudly. His face twisted with anger as he burst out, "You actually want to harm my little brothers?! Unforgivable!" He shook his head in disbelief, "I can't believe that Blueno is part of the World Government!"
"And not just him—Kaku, Lucci, and Kalifa too," he added with a growl. "How could they have fooled Iceburg, that idiot, for so long?!"
Franky hit the table again, frustration boiling over. His anger wasn't just because of the betrayal; it was personal. Blueno, the bar owner he frequented, and the Galley-La Company employees—all had deceived him. The thought of Iceburg being duped for so long infuriated him even more.
Meanwhile, he felt a twisted sense of relief knowing that, according to the CP9's conversation, they had stopped pursuing Iceburg. This meant, at least for now, Iceburg was safe.
As Franky continued to vent his frustration by pounding on the table, Nami interjected with a smirk, "They think they can't be discovered?" She pointed to the glowing talismans among them, evidence of their ongoing surveillance, "They're really underestimating our crew's Bai Ye."
Robin, cradling Chopper in her arms, nodded in agreement, her face wearing a content smile. "Exactly, our deputy captain is truly reliable," she affirmed.
Amidst the praises, Luffy chimed in with a big grin, "Hahahaha, yeah! Bai Ye is super powerful!" His enthusiasm boiling.
Merry looked puzzled as she turned to Bai Ye. "But, how did you know that the long-nosed guy was from CP9?" She was trying to connect the dots, realizing that their ability to eavesdrop on CP9's plans was probably because of the talisman Bai Ye had given to Kaku earlier. Yet, she couldn't figure out how Bai Ye had determined their identities without any obvious clues.
Bai Ye kept his inner thoughts to himself—he knew from watching the One Piece anime. Out loud, he explained, "When Robin mentioned there was a World Government agent from CP9 on the island, I started paying close attention to the people around us. The man who resembles Usopp stopped Luffy with one hand as he was about to enter the Galley-La Company. Considering Luffy's strength, it would take a considerable force to halt him."
He continued, rationalizing his deductions, "I sensed his extraordinary strength, which raised my suspicions. I wasn't certain until I saw him use Navy's Six Styles: Moonwalk later; that pretty much confirmed my suspicions."
"Is that all it took?" Merry asked, her eyes wide with admiration. "You really are incredible, Bai Ye."
Usopp chimed in, his voice tinged with anxiety, "Hey, now's not the time for compliments. Did you hear what they said? Even people from the New World wouldn't dare to storm into Enies Lobby."
Before Usopp could finish, Zoro interrupted with a thump on the back of his head, "Stop whining."
Rubbing his head, Usopp listened as Zoro added sternly, "The captain has already decided our course."
Sanji, puffing on his cigarette, nodded in agreement and landed another blow to Usopp's morale, "Exactly, and we're doing it for the Golden Merry too, right?"
Usopp fell silent, his resolve being tested. For the Golden Merry, was there any hurdle too high to jump?