As the Merry continued to sail, the City of Seven Waters, known as Water 7, appeared before everyone. The most stunning and eye-catching feature was the huge fountain standing in the center of the entire city. With the fountain at its heart, waterways flowed throughout, creating a dreamy effect as the buildings and houses seemed to float on the water.
"Land seems to be integrated with the sea water. It's so dreamy," Laki remarked, her beautiful eyes making waves as she looked at the floating city. Becoming Ace's chef and traveling the vast sea was truly a blessing, and her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Conis, with a thick smile on her pretty face, took out her harp and played a romantic and graceful piece of music. The girls showed expressions of enjoyment, enchanted by the melody. Kaya, her long golden hair fluttering in the wind, hugged Ace's arm, her beautiful eyes narrowing with a smile. The most romantic thing was to enjoy the beauty of this water city with Ace. Ace scratched Kaya's nose lovingly, making her smile even brighter.
"It's really beautiful, full of vitality," Vivi murmured, her eyes shining brightly. Born in the desert country of Alabasta, she had a natural desire and affection for water. Seeing this romantic scene, she unconsciously held Ace's other arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "This city matches your hair color very well, Vivi," Ace said, smiling. Vivi blushed but still raised her face, showing a charming smile.
Nami and Nojiko looked at each other and smiled. Vivi and Kaya might like to act coquettishly with Ace, but...
"Hey!" Ace turned his head slightly, his long orange hair crossing his face. He looked at the pretty face pressed against his and smiled fondly. "Have you gained weight, Nami?" he teased.
"What? I haven't gained weight," Nami pouted.
"My navigator has grown up," Ace chuckled, making Nami blush even more.
Nojiko watched Nami acting coquettishly with Ace and smiled. "Nojiko, do you want to join us?" Ace asked, noticing her gaze.
"I would like to, but Captain, do you still have room for yourself?" Nojiko replied, looking at Vivi and Kaya holding Ace's arms and Nami on his back.
"I still have room in front of me," Ace joked.
"Pooh! Bad guy!" Vivi, Kaya, and Nami's faces turned blood red, remembering Ace's exclusive training for them. Vivi and Kaya turned their heads away, embarrassed but reluctant to leave Ace's arms. Nami bit Ace's neck playfully, sending a numbing sensation through him.
Ace's mouth quirked up slightly, amused by Nami's playful bite. Nojiko rolled her eyes at him, her face flushed. Robin drank her tea again, while Conis and Laki's faces also turned slightly red. Tashigi, thinking of something, lowered her head and kept wiping Shigure.
"Hahaha," Ace laughed, looking at the girls' reactions before turning his attention forward. Listening to Conis's music, with Kaya, Vivi, and Nami around him, he admired the beauty of the water city that reminds of Venice from his past life.
"This is Water 7, one of the islands on our route. According to Granny Kokoro, the magnetic recording of Water 7 takes a week. We have plenty of time to refit Merry's hull," Nami said, relaxing and lying on Ace's back, a smile on her face.
"That's great, Merry," Kaya said, looking at the ship's elf, who appeared at the bow of the ship. Merry, the little girl elf, nodded eagerly, looking forward to the upgrades. After strengthening, Merry would be able to take Ace and everyone wherever they wanted to go on the ocean.
The little girl Merry was filled with a cheerful smile. "But where do we go in?" Vivi poked her head curiously.
"Hey! It's not good for pirates to enter from the front. You'd better take the back street," an uncle waved and said loudly.
Seeing someone, Kaya and Vivi left Ace's arms, their faces slightly blushed. "Got it, thank you," Nami said, jumping off Ace's back and waving to the uncle. Following his prompts, the Merry headed towards the back streets.
As they navigated the city, Ace and the others met several citizens of Water 7, who guided them to a promontory for docking. "People here aren't afraid of pirates, much like the original Whiskey Mountain," Nami remarked with a teasing expression, glancing at Vivi.
"Nami! Stop teasing me," Vivi blushed, recalling her first meeting with Ace at Whiskey Mountain, where he saved her. It was wonderful to be with Ace, she thought, smiling.
"The main industry here is shipbuilding, and for them, pirates are customers. They probably have ways to resist any trouble," Nojiko guessed.
"In such a big city, gold can definitely be sold at a good price," Nami said, her pretty face lighting up. The Entei Pirates were rich now, their cabin filled with gold from Sky Island.
"Haha, let's explore this water city first," Ace laughed, leading the way. "Having Nami's ability is really convenient. There's no need to leave anyone to watch over the Merry," Kaya said, following Ace. She thought about the large amount of gold and the valuable Devil Fruit on the ship, confident in Nami's Thunder Fruit ability to protect them.
"Of course," Nami replied, carrying a large bag of gold. Her Observation Haki, amplified by the Thunder Fruit, kept a close watch on the Merry. If anyone tried to steal from them, they'd face her thunderous wrath.
"I'm going to buy some unique ingredients," Laki said, eager to cook new dishes for Ace.
"I think I saw a musical instrument store," Conis added, looking forward to exploring.
"I'll go with you, Laki," Robin offered, her ability useful for carrying more supplies.
"I'll replenish our medicinal ingredients," Kaya decided, knowing they were running low.
"I'll join you. I need to see if there are any good guns here," Nojiko said, looking for an upgrade.
"Let's split up. We'll sell the gold, then meet at the Carrera Company to discuss the Merry's refit," Ace decided. The girls agreed, using their strong Observation Haki to reunite later.
Ace, Nami, and Vivi quickly found a large store to sell their gold. The clerk, seeing the mountains of gold, invited them into the VIP room. "Guests, I can give you 300 million beli for this gold!" the manager said greedily.
"Don't you know who we are?" Nami's pretty face darkened. "Portgas D. Ace, a wanted criminal with a bounty of 150 million beli. Do you want to cheat our captain?"
The manager, recognizing Ace, turned pale. "I didn't expect it to sell for a billion beli," Vivi said in amazement. Even as a princess, she'd never seen so much cash. Most of their gold was still on the Merry.
"Hehe, Ace loves you so much! Mua!" Nami kissed Ace's cheek, making Vivi blush and follow suit.
As they walked out, Ace suddenly froze, and Nami's expression changed. "There's a thief near the Merry," she said darkly, her beautiful eyes flashing with anger. For Nami, besides Ace and her companions, money was paramount.
Lightning surrounded Nami as she pointed to the sky. "Thunder's Sanction!" she declared, sending a terrifying thunderbolt towards the Merry.
Near the Merry, Zanbai and the Franky Family, notorious in Water 7, were planning to rob the ship. "What a bunch of immature pirates," Zanbai laughed, unaware of the impending doom.
As the thunderbolt struck, a deafening roar echoed across the sky, obliterating the thieves. "Boom!"
Laki and Robin, carrying many ingredients, heard the noise. "Ace will love these unique ingredients. Thanks to you, Robin, we have so much," Laki said with a smile.
Robin smiled and was about to speak when a tall, mysterious figure wearing a mask walked past her.
"I am CP9," a whisper reached Robin's ears.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed. CP9?! The mysterious man was startled, not expecting to encounter the Entei Pirates and Nico Robin here. The World Government considered Nico Robin a significant threat, and capturing her would be a major achievement. According to CP9's information, Robin was extremely afraid of the World Government. The mere mention of CP9 should have been enough to intimidate her and make her comply.
"Hakkawa!" he began, but before he could finish his thought, countless arms made of flowers suddenly appeared on his body.
"Iron Body!" he roared, his eyes turning blood red as he attempted to counter the attack.
"Armament Haki! Cramp!" Robin shouted, a touch of black appearing on the petal arms.
"Crack!"
"Ah!" The man screamed as the powerful Haki-infused petals crushed him, his voice echoing through the streets of Water 7.
Robin coated the petal arms with a layer of jet-black energy and folded them in half.
"Crack!"
"Ah!!!" The sound of bones breaking echoed, accompanied by the heart-rending scream of the mysterious masked man. His eyes turned bloodshot under the mask.
Why?! Why would Nico Robin attack him directly? According to CP9's information, Nico Robin, as a survivor of Ohara, had experienced the Buster Call, a war machine capable of annihilating everything. Having witnessed the horror of Buster Call, which had wiped Ohara off the map, it should have become the greatest fear in her heart.
Burdened with a high bounty, Robin had struggled to survive in the dark world using her cunning. The fear of Buster Call and the World Government should have been deeply ingrained. CP9 believed that just revealing their identity would make Robin submit. But now, why? Why did she dare to attack CP9 directly, and how could she possess such strength?
"Damn it, don't underestimate CP9!" he roared, his muscles tensing and his body strength exploding. He managed to halt the folding petal arms on his body. His right hand passed through the atmosphere, seemingly opening an invisible door. If he could enter this door, he would escape Robin's grasp.
"Enemy? Devil Fruit user?" Laki, nearby, set aside the ingredients she was carrying. Her beautiful eyes narrowed. Her arms grew dreamlike feathers, and strange flames burned on them. She partially transformed into her bird fruit form, a mythical beast species—Suzaku form.
"Whoosh!" Laki's strange flames allowed her to move at astonishing speed, appearing before the masked man.
"A Zoan Devil Fruit user?! No, a mythical beast species!" he thought, horrified. The flames were unlike any natural fire. "Damn it! This speed is faster than Soru. It's too late to enter the door!" His eyes were bloodshot, and his muscles tensed.
"Iron Body! Steel!" he cried, bracing himself for Laki's attack. But despite his enhanced Iron Body, he was no match for her.
"Boom!"
"Pfft!" His eyes turned white, and blood mixed with burning internal organs fragments spewed from his mouth. How could Iron Body-fail to defend against this attack? These flames burned muscles, bones, and internal organs.
"Boom!" He fell to the ground, his mask shattering, revealing his face. It was Blueno, a member of CP9.
"Cough! Cough!" He struggled but couldn't move. The flames continued to burn his insides, causing him to cough up blood mixed with his organs. The horrific pain was unbearable.
"Don't bother," Laki said calmly. "My ability is the Bird Fruit—Phantom Beast Species—Suzaku form given by Ace. These flames are not natural; they are Suzaku's associated flames. They burn your physical energy, muscles, bones, and internal organs until they are completely consumed."
Laki looked at the struggling Blueno with pride. This was the strongest ability given to her by Ace. Without Haki as protection, anyone infected by Suzaku's flames was doomed. Unlike natural flames, Suzaku's flames burned the very essence of the person they attacked. They could even burn through Haki. Internal organs, bones, muscles—everything would be consumed by the flames in despair, or rather, transformed by them. This power stood at the pinnacle of Devil Fruits, comparable to Four Emperors Kaido's Fish Fruit—Phantom Beast Species—Azure Dragon form.
"Such terrible power," Blueno thought as severe pain racked his body, his face turning pale and his eyes rolling back. The strange flames spread from the point of impact, engulfing his entire body. CP9's strongest defense, the Iron Body, was utterly ineffective against this strange fire. In the face of these flames, he would be completely consumed and melted.
Pain and despair filled every cell of Blueno. "Nico Robin! How dare you attack CP9! Do you know what this means? Do you want to offend the World Government?! When the time comes, not only you, but your companions will be reduced to ashes by the World Government!" Desperately, Blueno summoned his last strength, trembling as he shouted at Robin. Even in the face of death, he clung to a sliver of hope.
"Pfft!" But with every word he spoke, the flames burned more intensely, causing him to cough up fragments of burning internal organs and blood. His fear grew as he watched his organs and blood disappear in the flames.
"Offend the World Government?" Robin's red lips curled into a slight smile. In the past, she might have been too terrified to resist. CP9, as the secret police of the World Government, once represented an insurmountable force. But now, everything had changed.
"And do you know who you'll offend if you cross me?" Robin looked down at Blueno with a bright smile.
"!!!" Blueno looked up in disbelief. The smile on her face showed no fear of the World Government.
"You will offend the king of this sea!"
"Call out!" Countless petal arms sprouted around Blueno, who looked on in horror.
"Stop, stop!" he yelled.
"Crack!" The sound of bones shattering echoed as Blueno's body was violently broken by the petal arms.
"Pfft!" Blood mixed with burning internal organs spurted from his mouth as his eyes turned completely white.
"Boom!" He fell to the ground, the flames consuming the blood until no trace remained.
"My captain is the most Haki man on this sea. Provoking his crew, and you hope to survive? CP9." Robin looked at Blueno's motionless body and smiled lightly. Her captain, Portgas D. Ace, was a man who could rival the World Government's highest combat power, Admiral Aokiji. He possessed the most powerful spirit on this sea and was an overlord-level figure. As his historian, Nico Robin was entirely different from before. Anyone who offended the Entei Pirates would face only one fate: death. The majesty of the king of the sea would not tolerate any provocation.
"Well, he still has some breath left. Let's give him to Ace and see what he wants to do," Robin said with a smile. Those who dared to challenge the Entei Pirates' majesty had to be severely punished, but the final decision belonged to the captain.
"Um." Laki smiled as she retracted the Suzaku flame. She had been careful; otherwise, someone like Blueno, who didn't know Haki, would have been completely consumed by the flames.
The crowd on the street had vanished in fear of the fight.
"This guy's abilities are quite interesting. Paramecia Devil Fruit?" Robin wondered as she used her ability to lift Blueno. Opening doors in the air suggested rare spatial abilities, something that might be useful for Nojiko's sniping skills. They would see what Ace decided to do with this Devil Fruit. Robin's red lips curled into a happy smile. This would be her first contribution to the Entei Pirates.
"Huh? Over there with Robin and Laki..." Nami suddenly stopped as she walked towards the meeting point.
"Robin and Laki? What's wrong?" Vivi asked curiously. Her Observation Haki wasn't as enhanced as Nami's, whose detection range had expanded significantly after acquiring the Thunder Fruit.
"They're fighting with a strange guy, CP9," Nami murmured.
"CP9? I only know CP0 to CP8. What is CP9?" Vivi frowned. As a secret spy agency of the World Government, Vivi was familiar with CIPHERPOL numbers from NO.1 to NO.8. She had never heard of CP9, despite her background as the princess of Alabasta and her participation in the World Summit with her father, Kobra.
"CP9 is CIPHERPOL's secret unit, headquartered in Enies Lobby, one of the three major institutions under the World Government. They are the strongest among CIPHERPOL," Ace explained with a light smile, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. He had anticipated that CP9 might target Robin and had locked his Observation Haki on her. Though Ace's Observation Haki didn't have the terrifying range of Nami's, he could briefly "see" the future and had easily kept track of Robin. He had also "heard" her words and was very pleased.
As a member of his crew, Robin had shown the courage and power necessary to challenge the throne of the sea. Anyone who dared to provoke the Entei Pirates would die. This was how the Four Emperors ruled the second half of the Grand Line and the New World—by eliminating any who challenged their majesty. Ace's crew would follow the same principle.
"So this is CP9, and they targeted Robin because of her past and abilities?" Nami mused.
"Hmph, no matter who they are, if they dare to offend our Entei Pirates, they must be killed!" Vivi exclaimed, waving her little fist. She had realized her role as a crew member of the Entei Pirates and knew that anyone who dared to attack them was provoking the majesty of their captain, Portgas D. Ace. Sailing these seas required an unassailable majesty.
Vivi, who had experienced the Shichibukai incident, understood that this majesty could not be questioned. It was what deterred other pirates and maintained order. Once broken, countless would vie to replace it. This could not be allowed. Haki faintly emanated from Vivi's body.
"Vivi, you're very hungry for battle," Nami observed with a smile. Even Nami, usually averse to trouble, now had lightning flashing in her eyes. The last time, when they faced Admiral Aokiji, Nami had watched Ace fight from a distance, frustrated. Now, with CP9 challenging Robin and the Entei Pirates, she wouldn't tolerate it.
"Hehe," Vivi blushed slightly, her beauty exuding Haki. As a crew member of Ace, she needed to have the courage to match him. Haki was inevitable. Vivi unconsciously puffed up her chest.
"Let's go. First, we'll visit the Carrera Company to see about the Merry's transformation. Then..." Ace's mouth curved into a slight smile, and in his eyes, the majestic purple-black of Conqueror's Haki flashed.
"Enies Lobby can be removed from the three major institutions of the World Government."
Nami and Vivi exchanged a look, understanding perfectly. In their eyes, the black color symbolizing Haki flashed. There were no questions, no unnecessary words. This was an order from their captain, the king of the sea.
Nami took out the phone and informed Robin, Laki, Conis, and Tashigi to head directly to the Carrera Company to meet up. Then, she followed Ace's footsteps.