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The Shipyard, Fish-Man Island Port
Within a deep-water bay carved specifically for construction, a pirate ship approximately fifty meters in length was nearing completion.
Kaku, the long-nosed shipwright, tapped rhythmically with a hammer, securing bolts on the mast. Blueno hauled heavy, reinforced planks into the cabin with ease. Kalifa adjusted her glasses with a professional, intellectual air, her pen scratching across a notebook as she recorded data.
In the center of it all, Rob Lucci stood directing the operation, the white pigeon on his shoulder cooing and "chattering" in a strangely human-like fashion.
Kaku kept his head down, but his peripheral vision remained locked on the Perfume Yuda docked at the port. On the redwood gangplank, the three Gorgon sisters were leading Princess Shirahoshi off the ship.
"Six months... we finally laid eyes on the target," Kaku whispered.
"Keep your voice down. This place is far too dangerous," Blueno muttered. In this timeline, Arthur had already consumed the Door-Door Fruit, leaving Blueno to rely entirely on his mastery of the Six Powers (Rokushiki). "Lucci, if we pull this off, do you think we'll be promoted to CP0?"
"Forget promotion for a moment. Just infiltrating the Thunder God Sea was a miracle. This territory is a death trap," Kalifa said coldly.
Dressed in her signature black mini-skirt and fishnet stockings, her blonde hair swaying in the breeze, Kalifa had been the architect of their infiltration. It was her idea to spend half a year opening a high-end shipyard on Fish-Man Island to blend in perfectly.
Initially, the four had hoped to infiltrate the Thunder God Pirates directly and serve under one of the ten Division Captains. However, the inner circles were notoriously difficult to penetrate, and the outer grand fleet was too far removed from the core secrets. Their only option was to establish themselves as the island's premier shipwrights to gain proximity to the palace.
"Do not move. Keep working," Lucci commanded. "There are too many eyes on us."
He knew that the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, was leagues beyond them in strength. Any one of the three sisters could likely wipe out this young CP9 squad single-handedly. The World Government had sent them specifically because they were young and could perform the subtle infiltration that the more "obvious" powerhouses of CP0 could not.
"Don't even glance at them," Lucci added. "The Haki of the Kuja Pirates is no joke. We wait until nightfall."
The team fell silent, returning to their work. Lucci was hailed as the strongest in CP9's eight-hundred-year history; despite his youth, his potential was undeniable, and his promotion to CP0 was considered a foregone conclusion. His teammates followed his lead without question.
"Poseidon... the Ancient Weapon capable of destroying the world is really just a little girl? Hard to believe," Blueno grumbled.
"Enough talk. Finish the ship," Lucci snapped.
"It is finished," Kaku said, setting down his hammer.
"Then we don't waste time. We head to Ryugu Palace to report the completion. We'll use the opportunity to scout the interior."
Their shipyard had gained a reputation for excellence that had already reached the ears of Queen Otohime. To ensure Fish-Man Island remained integrated with the rest of the Thunder God Territory, Otohime had commissioned a ship to facilitate trade—exporting island specialties and importing goods from the neighboring islands. For her, commerce was a bridge to peaceful coexistence.
........
"Halt! State your business!" Kikyo, a captain of the Kuja Guard, barked.
Her high black ponytail and narrow eyes, accentuated by sharp purple eyeshadow, gave her a frigid, unapproachable look. The path leading to Ryugu Palace was currently occupied by Kuja patrols; no one was permitted to pass.
The CP9 squad was immediately surrounded. Some warriors held rocket launchers, some were over two meters tall, and others were nearly the size of giants.
"Are these more insolent men seeking a glimpse of our Empress?"
"Did they follow her here?"
"Should we kill them now or report it first?"
To these Kuja women, killing seemed as casual as a household chore. They spoke of it without a hint of malice or guilt.
"Wait! Don't attack!" Lucci took an instinctive half-step back, signaling his tensed teammates to stand down. Even the normally ruthless Lucci felt a bead of cold sweat on his brow.
The pressure from these women was immense. Every single Kuja warrior was a master of Haki. While CP9 was proficient in the Six Powers and had dabbled in Haki, a full-blown brawl here would likely end in their deaths.
Kalifa stepped forward, holding a set of blueprints with a polite smile. "We are employees from the harbor shipyard. The ship commissioned by Ryugu Palace is complete. We've come to report and inquire when the officials would like to take delivery."
"Oh? Not here to peep at the Empress?"
"How boring..."
The Kuja warriors lost interest almost instantly and dispersed. Kikyo signaled a guard to enter the palace and report the shipwrights' arrival. A moment later, the guard returned and whispered in Kikyo's ear.
"You may enter," Kikyo said, waving the patrol aside.
As they walked down the wide avenues of the palace grounds, the CP9 team marveled at the architecture, which carried the unique artistic flair of the undersea world. However, their minds remained sharp, moving in a tight four-corner formation.
"What's the move, Lucci? Every one of these people is a powerhouse. Even if we complete the mission, getting out alive seems impossible," Kaku whispered.
"Memorize the routes," Lucci muttered. "We'll wander a bit. If questioned, we'll just say the palace is too large and we lost our way. Act natural. Today, we are just shipwrights delivering a vessel."
They spent the next few minutes noting the layout of the massive royal complex, subtly inquiring with palace guards about the locations of the King and Queen under the guise of their report. Within minutes, the vital map of Ryugu Palace was etched into their minds.
........
"Since the Empress has graced us with a visit, would she like some local wine to take back to Lord Arthur?"
Inside the grand hall, Neptune was hosting the Gorgon sisters with typical warmth. Nearby, Queen Otohime was sharing a quiet moment with Shirahoshi.
"Wine?" Hancock's eyes lit up.
'That bitch Jessica... just because she knows how to cook, she thinks she can run to the underground lab every day,' Hancock thought venomously. 'But Lord Arthur loves his wine most of all!'
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