This put the Straw Hat crew in a deadlock.
Because the Golden Merry is their companion, having carried them all the way from the East Sea, none of them could express any reason to give up the Golden Merry for a new ship.
At this moment...
As the captain, Luffy made a tough decision, taking on the responsibility and proposing to the crew that they should switch to a new ship; their voyage cannot end here.
Obviously...
This immediately displeased Usopp.
After all, the Golden Merry was a gift from Usopp's childhood friend's family butler, and he was unwilling to give up this ship for anything...
However...
Usopp had no new plan, just sulking by himself.
While the Straw Hat crew was in a deadlock here, no one noticed a pair of eyes spying on them from the darkness, someone had set their sights on this pirate crew.
CP9.
The special agency directly under the World Government.
This group of agents had been lurking in Water Seven, trying to find the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluto for the World Government, but having found nothing...
As these agents planned to retreat, the World Government issued them a new mission, ordering them to capture Nico Robin from the Straw Hat crew alive.
Bruno Bar.
This is the bar base set up by Bruno, an agent of CP9.
A group of employees from the Carrera Company gathered here, among them Kalifa the secretary to the owner of Carrera Company, the shipwright Kaku, Rob Lucci, and perhaps even the mayor of Water Seven who never imagined that his subordinates included quite a few spies for the World Government.
"They instructed us to capture Nico Robin alive..."
Kalifa adjusted her glasses, her gaze serious: "However, Nico Robin is among the Straw Hat crew, whose captain Monkey D. Luffy has a bounty of 230 million Bellies, and Pirate Hunter Zoro has a bounty of 160 million Bellies. Their strength is not to be underestimated..."
"I will handle the Straw Hat kid."
A voice emanated from Rob Lucci's body, although his mouth was tightly shut, with a pigeon standing on his shoulder, as if the voice came from the pigeon.
This man...
Is extremely confident.
Because he is hailed as the strongest person in the history of the CP9 department of 'Judiciary Island', having mastered the Navy Six Style to perfection, and believes he can handle the pirate super rookie, Straw Hat Luffy.
"Actually, there's no need to worry too much."
One of the CP9 agents, Bruno, said while wiping a cup, speaking of intel he had received: "Judiciary Island sent news that the Navy will dispatch a Vice Admiral from headquarters to Water Seven; if the battle falls into a deadlock, he will intervene..."
"Then we're good."
Kaku's mood instantly relaxed.
Because in Water Seven, CP9 only had four of them lurking, he felt a bit pressured to contend with the Straw Hat Pirates...
Any pirate with a bounty over a hundred million in the past was not to be trifled with, especially those who could get a hundred million bounty within a year of entering the sea...
Though this year's trend among pirates had been somewhat inflated by the sudden emergence of the Konoha Pirates, the Straw Hat crew's strength still cannot be regarded as weak...
"We don't need that Vice Admiral to act."
Again, strange sounds came from Rob Lucci's body, his expression very serious: "Our goal is merely the Son of the Demon, Nico Robin; if we act swiftly, there won't be any fierce conflict..."
"We start the operation tonight."
Rob Lucci's mind was clear, proposing his battle plan: "We'll secretly capture Nico Robin, board the sea train, and return to Judiciary Island. With the Straw Hat crew's pirate ship damaged, they won't be able to catch up to us..."
To be honest.
This plan is quite serious.
And indeed has a high chance of success.
Currently, while the Straw Hat crew is still dispersed in Water Seven, if they act quickly, the Straw Hat crew won't even have time to identify their enemy before Nico Robin is taken...
Bloop bloop bloop bloop...
While they were discussing here, the sound of the Radio Snail came out, and Bruno hurriedly answered it, as this Radio Snail usually received calls from Judiciary Island.
"I am Vice Admiral Akihara Kagura of the Navy Headquarters."
The youth's voice from the other side of the Radio Snail seemed very arrogant towards the CP9 agents: "Ordered to be responsible for arresting the Son of the Demon, Nico Robin; where are you now? Have you found the whereabouts of Nico Robin and the Straw Hat crew?"
"Found them."
Bruno's heart felt uneasy but he had to speak: "The Straw Hat crew is in Water Seven, and we have already tracked their movements."
Rob Lucci directly took Bruno's Radio Snail, speaking in a sullen voice that echoed in it: "We will start acting tonight, secretly arrest Nico Robin, and quickly board the sea train to return to Judiciary Island."
"What about my contribution?"
The Vice Admiral on the other end of the Radio Snail seemed to be speaking with a playful tone: "You bunch of agents hiding in the gutter did all the work, am I, the task commander, running all this way for nothing?"
"..."
This guy, what is he saying!
And he dares to blatantly want to steal credit!
Such a hateful bureaucrat!
The expressions of the four agents present immediately became stern.
All along, if it weren't for the bureaucratic wind within the World Government, they wouldn't have been constantly restrained, even falling into traps multiple times. Didn't expect that even the Navy has such a tendency...
"..."
Rob Lucci gripped the Radio Snail tightly, a trace of disdain flashing across his face, although his mouth remained closed, an eerily transmitted voice emitted from him: "The CP Department is directly under the World Government, and the Navy is also a subordinate of the World Government..."
The two departments are theoretically at the same rank!
What on earth is this Vice Admiral talking about!
"Lucci!"
Kalifa quickly tried to stop Lucci, whispering information she knew: "He is currently Vice Admiral Kagura in the Navy, with the Natural Type Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability; he even participated in the Sky Island incident against the Konoha Pirates..."
This person...
Should not be arbitrarily offended!
A chilling voice came from the other side of the Radio Snail.
"Hey, Spandam."
The Vice Admiral named Akihara Kagura on the other side seemed to be calling CP9's direct superior Spandam: "Your subordinates don't seem to obey..."
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"
The other side of the Radio Snail came a scream from Spandam, as if he was suffering some kind of torture, yelling: "All of you follow Vice Admiral Kagura's orders immediately, all actions to wait until Vice Admiral Kagura arrives at Water Seven before beginning execution!"
"Yes."
Rob Lucci could only reluctantly follow orders.
Because Spandam is their direct superior, his father Spandine is the old supervisor of CP9, their family are high-ranking officials in the World Government, and coupled with the CP Department's internal rules, agents absolutely cannot disobey orders.
"That's right..."
The Vice Admiral on the other side, Akihara Kagura, noticeably softened his attitude, soothing everyone in an uncharacteristically benevolent and kindly manner: "I will defeat the Straw Hat crew, capture Nico Robin; you guys bring everyone back, this operation was directly ordered by the Five Elders, there will surely be credit for you."
"Yes."
A group of CP agents gloomily hung up the Radio Snail.
The mood of these agents was utterly dismal.
"This Vice Admiral..."
Kalifa sighed, speaking quietly: "Sounds more arrogant than our direct superior, Spandam..."
"Trying to do serious work is too difficult..."
Bruno resumed wiping his glass, his mindset somewhat unstable, muttering: "The news about the World Government on the newspapers is on the brink of collapse, World Nobles being slaughtered by pirates, yet here we are trying to perform tasks being subjected to such officials..."