Chapter 107: The Lieutenant General storms Enies Lobby to settle scores with CP9Only now did he realize he had underestimated the World Government's utter ruthlessness.
He was a Vice Admiral in the Marine Headquarters, yet these guys dared to mess with him.
Robin, after all, had long since cleared her name and no longer carried a bounty.
Luffy gently handed Robin to Sanji, his eyes sharp as knives.
Sanji deftly pulled out a lighter, lit a cigarette with a "click," and took a deep drag to calm his nerves with nicotine.
"Now what? Judging from your expression, you know who's behind this?"
"Heh."
Luffy, unusually, reached out to Sanji for a cigarette, lit it between his fingers, and the embers flickered in the dim light.
"Damn it, I almost forgot that behind those CP9 agents stands a brainless second-generation official."
"CP9? What the hell is that?"
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"A secret intelligence agency directly under the World Government, its full name is Cipher Pol No. 9."
Luffy explained coldly, his tone full of disdain.
"A bunch of agents who specialize in doing the dirty work, mainly keeping an eye on global criminal organizations like the Revolutionary Army."
"Huh? The World Government? Isn't that our superior?"
Sanji frowned, his fingers holding the cigarette hovering in mid-air: "If they're on our side, why did they target Robin?"
"Probably because some idiot thinks his backer is stronger than mine."
Luffy took a deep drag on his cigarette, then threw the butt to the ground and crushed it under his foot.
"Since that idiot wants to play, I'll teach him a lesson—even powerful backers have different levels."
"Do you know where those guys are hiding?"
Usopp leaned closer, asking cautiously.
"Of course, where else could these rats, who can't stand the light of day, go?"
Luffy looked up at the setting sun about to sink below the horizon, his gaze piercing through the layers of buildings.
"Enies Lobby, that so-called court directly under the World Government, representing justice."
Despite its title as a court, it's actually just a vicious dog of the World Government.
Anyone imprisoned there is presumed guilty; there hasn't been a precedent of acquittal in eight hundred years.
The so-called just trial is nothing more than a fig leaf used by the powerful to cover up their dirty deeds.
Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the streets, and a large crowd surged towards the shipyard in the center of the street like startled fish.
"Something terrible has happened! Mr. Iceberg has been attacked!"
"I heard it was a masked thug wearing a straw hat!"
"Straw hat? Didn't a Marine Vice Admiral wearing a straw hat just arrive recently?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Why would the Marines bother attacking Mr. Iceberg?"
"That's hard to say. I've heard the government has been trying to get something from Mr. Iceberg. Maybe they'll try something forceful if persuasion fails!"
Hearing the commotion around them, Sanji and Usopp exchanged a glance and turned to look at Luffy.
"Why are you looking at me? It wasn't me who did it."
Luffy rolled his eyes, annoyed.
Clearly, those spies were no longer content with being undercover drivers for Iceberg, slowly searching for the Pluton blueprints.
Taking advantage of the moment Luffy was away rescuing Robin, these guys brazenly robbed him.
"Let's go, let's go get Zoro, that directionally challenged guy."
Luffy straightened his collar and strode towards the shipyard.
"I'm going to teach that idiot a lesson today, what he'll pay for angering me."
"Where are you going?"
Sanji called after Luffy, seeing him suddenly change direction.
"Going to collect some interest first, and give them a big gift while I'm at it."
Before he finished speaking, Luffy's figure vanished from the spot, leaving only a blur.
...
Inside the intensive care unit of the hospital, the air was thick with the pungent smell of disinfectant.
Iceberg lay unconscious on the bed, surrounded by the five foremen, their faces grim.
"Barry, I heard Mr. Iceberg specifically called you into his office before the attack? Did he tell you anything?"
The white dove on Lucci's shoulder fluttered its wings, asking on behalf of its master.
Gambler Barry frowned and shook his head. "Mr. Iceberg told me to burn something. I find it strange too."
Lucci and the long-nosed Kaku beside him quickly exchanged a glance.
"Did you burn it?"
"I didn't have time. You guys rushed in before I could even light the fire."
Barry slammed his fist on the wall, gritting his teeth. "Damn World Government! They've always been pestering Mr. Iceberg for things, and now they're just openly robbing him! What's the difference between them and pirates!"
Lucci and Kaku exchanged barely perceptible, cold smiles.
"Did you see what the killer looked like?"
"Hmph, saying he was here to repair the ship, it's all an excuse!"
Barry's eyes were bloodshot, his face full of hatred: "That bastard was just using the pretext of ship repairs to assassinate Mr. Iceberg!"
Lucci and Kaku nodded slightly, a glint of triumph flashing in their eyes.
"In that case, we'll guard outside. You two take good care of Mr. Iceberg."
After saying this, the two turned to leave.
Suddenly, a chilling voice came from the end of the corridor, as if from the depths of hell.
"Alright, stop acting, it's making me sick."
"Boom—!"
A loud crash, and a burly figure smashed through the door like a cannonball, slamming heavily onto the floor, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Luffy, carrying the unconscious Robin, stepped over the rubble and splinters, slowly entering the ward.
When Lucci and Kaku saw the twisted figure on the ground, their pupils instantly contracted.
"Kato?!"
Luffy, expressionless, stomped hard on the head of the burly man with long pink hair.
"I warned you, don't mess with me, but you ignored me."
Luffy slammed his foot down, cracking the ground instantly.
"Since you want the Pluton blueprints so badly, then pay with your life."
Kato, the lion who was proficient in Life Return and whose body was as hard as steel, was now crushed into the ground like a rag doll.
The moment Lucci and Kaku saw Robin, their hearts skipped a beat.
Brown had clearly failed.
Lucci's face darkened. He stepped forward, blocking the way.
"Do you know what you're doing? Marines!"
His voice was low and menacing: "We are a special agency directly under the World Government, on par with your Navy! We possess legal authorization to kill that you don't! You, a mere Vice Admiral, dare to touch us?"
However, before Lucci could finish speaking, his pupils dilated sharply.
Several jet-black metal rods appeared out of thin air behind Luffy, piercing through the already lifeless body of Kaguya beneath his feet with a whooshing sound.
"Thud—"
The sound of flesh being pierced sent chills down everyone's spine.
"I initially thought creating something like Pain was rather cruel, but using it on you, I have no qualms about it."
Luffy, carrying Robin, settled into a comfortable sofa as if he were at home, crossing his legs.
To Lucci and Kaku's utterly shocked gaze, the seemingly dead lion Kaguya twitched eerily.
Then, he slowly rose from the ground, his movements stiff and strange.
Six Paths of Pain: Preta Path, complete!
"Kashiri?!"
Lucci called out tentatively.
The response was Kashiri's massive fist, carrying a terrifying force.
"Bang!"
Lucci reacted swiftly, leaping aside, smashing a large hole in the wall behind him, sending debris flying.
"Hey! Kashiri! Are you insane! It's me, Lucci!"
Lucci tried to rouse his companion, but the enemy's lifeless eyes were filled only with killing intent, and the attacks grew even more frenzied.
"An opening! I've got him!"