Rob Lucci.
The moment Oboro saw Lucci, he understood exactly why the agent was here. What surprised him was that the World Government had been willing to dispatch him to the North Blue for this contact mission. Did they truly believe he possessed the capability to complete such an assignment?
Unfortunately for them, their confidence was misplaced.
Oboro also remembered that Hattori was the pigeon who had accompanied Lucci since childhood, a constant companion throughout his development as CP9's most lethal operative. The headquarters of CP9 was located on Enies Lobby, and Lucci served as the organization's captain. His normal operational range encompassed the Grand Line exclusively. For him to temporarily abandon CP9 responsibilities and venture into the North Blue represented a significant investment by the government.
This wasn't Oboro making unnecessary assumptions. The World Government and the Five Elders definitely placed tremendous value on Lucci's potential. He was their strongest killing weapon, destined to become a CP0 member in the future. How many agents could claim such a predetermined career trajectory? The path had been paved for him from the beginning. Even after his defeat by Luffy on Enies Lobby, an incident that had stained the government's reputation, he had still received promotions afterward.
The pigeon Hattori spread its wings and took flight from Lucci's shoulder as Oboro's unexpected embrace disturbed its perch.
Lucci's shock was instantaneous, his body tensing to attack and create distance from his opponent. But in the next second, his limbs grew numb and his legs lost their strength entirely. One of Oboro's fingers had gently touched his chest, a sensation like a needle prick that didn't cause pain but instantly severed his control over his own body, as if his nervous system had been disconnected.
"What kind of power is this?" Lucci's mind raced with alarm.
The mission he had received was straightforward: travel to the North Sea, establish a pirate identity, find a way to infiltrate an organization called the Hell Pirates, remain dormant temporarily, and await further instructions before taking action. The upper management had briefed him on the Hell Pirates' general situation but hadn't provided extensive in-depth intelligence. However, based on Lucci's analysis, the fact that they were deploying him indicated this organization possessed at least some significant capabilities.
Through his preliminary research, he had determined that the Hell Pirates differed substantially from ordinary pirate forces. In a remarkably short timeframe, they had gained momentum to "run rampant" throughout the North Sea, and everything they accomplished was genuinely "sensational" by regional standards.
Still, given his wealth of mission experience and his previous training in the Grand Line, he hadn't taken the Hell Pirates particularly seriously before arriving. It wasn't until he engaged in combat with Hell Pirates members that he discovered this group of criminals was ridiculously powerful compared to the baseline standards of the Four Seas.
Dom's appearance had made him feel genuinely threatened for the first time.
Until the King of Hell himself appeared. Then Lucci suddenly understood everything.
He understood why the upper management had sent him specifically. He understood why the intelligence provided had been incomplete, there was a deeper "story" involved, making the situation far more dangerous than initially presented. He also understood why his mission parameters focused on infiltration rather than elimination or assassination.
"This individual doesn't belong in this place," Lucci thought as he studied the face that had appeared behind him.
"Our clothing and general appearance are quite similar," Oboro smiled at Lucci.
Indeed, both men wore black suits and hats, though the materials and tailoring differed significantly. Another distinguishing factor was Lucci's distinctive appearance, particularly his unusual eyebrows and hair styling. Their overall temperaments were also markedly different.
Bang!
Surprise flashed across Oboro's features as his arm was suddenly forced upward. Despite being paralyzed through pressure point manipulation, Lucci had somehow regained bodily autonomy within moments. While dodging, he extended two fingers and stabbed toward Oboro's eye sockets without hesitation.
Oboro maintained his smile as he lowered his upper body and gracefully evaded the attack.
"Two opponents... Perfect. I'll eliminate both of you together," Lucci declared, moving several meters away while keeping his gaze fixed on Dom before turning his attention back to Oboro.
"Hush." Oboro whistled appreciatively.
"Impressive. Excellent physical conditioning."
After delivering this assessment, he suddenly walked toward the nearby tavern and instructed Dom, "I'm feeling a bit hungry. Let's go inside and get something to eat first. I'll leave this to you."
"See you later, newcomer."
Dom's eyes gleamed with understanding. When their captain said "see you later" to an enemy, the implications were crystal clear.
"Don't kill him," Dom sneered.
Lucci didn't waste time analyzing the exchange. He burst forward instantly, leaving an afterimage as he lunged toward Oboro's exposed back. This represented a rare opportunity! His arms hung at his sides, fingers slightly curved like iron hooks as they cut through the air, prepared to strike.
However, before he could launch his attack, cold light suddenly flashed in his peripheral vision, forcing him to halt his approach.
Lucci's swift form became extraordinarily light and agile, displaying a perfect balance of power and flexibility. He leaped several meters high like a startled rabbit and retreated preemptively.
Even so, after landing, blood still flowed from his cheek where a thin cut had appeared.
So fast!
This man's speed rivaled his own capabilities!
Lucci wiped the wound on his face with his fingers, his expression remaining completely impassive.
"How could we allow someone like you to approach our king? Newcomer, let me play with you instead." The short blade in Dom's hand spun and created dazzling reflections under the sunlight.
As he spoke, the black bandages wrapped around his arms and wrists came undone and slid away, greatly improving his hand flexibility and range of motion.
Then both warriors rushed forward like unleashed tigers, carrying powerful winds with their movement.
At tremendous speed, they collided in the center of the street.
Meanwhile, Oboro had already entered the tavern. The villagers inside stared at him as if they had encountered a demon, trembling with terror.
Hell Pirates!
One drunkard screamed and leaped through a window to escape.
"Excuse me, could you prepare something for me to eat? Anything will be fine, thank you." Oboro looked at an elderly woman wearing an apron who was obviously the establishment's cook.
He then walked naturally to a dining table and sat down.
"Go ahead," the village chief finally spoke, having regained his composure.
Boom!
Outside, the battle between the two combatants was creating impressive destruction. The sounds of fierce fighting continued unabated.
Although Dom's weapon was a short blade only slightly larger than a dagger, it could produce effects similar to sword slashes, though with limited range. Most of his techniques remained focused on thrusting and stabbing attacks. Even so, every flash of his blade left shocking deep cuts in the road surface, some two or three meters long, others extending five or six meters, varying in size but consistently demonstrating remarkable depth.
Lucci's fighting method was relatively straightforward, pure hand-to-hand combat incorporating lethal techniques. His style appeared to lack formal structure but was actually extremely refined and efficient. His punches and kicks had been honed through countless life-and-death battles. The exchange between them left no time to consider their surroundings, despite numerous village houses standing nearby. When Lucci's fists and feet connected with anything, they could easily demolish entire buildings and reduce them to rubble.
Beyond combat experience and battlefield adaptability, the two men were competing in pure reaction speed and physical endurance.
The progress of their battle was clearly perceived by Oboro and processed through his enhanced awareness, presenting itself as detailed mental imagery.
Even the large trees planted throughout the village fell rapidly like harvested crops, either sliced apart or severed into multiple pieces by Dom's flashing blade work. Some were pierced by precise strikes that reduced their trunks to powder.
"Don't worry, you're safe hiding here," Oboro addressed the trembling people in the establishment with gentle reassurance. "Additionally, I'll pay ten times the normal rate to cover any village damages."
Hearing this promise, the village chief nodded silently. As powerless individuals, they could only accept whatever circumstances were imposed upon them.
After a short wait, a large bowl of steaming seafood noodles was served. Oboro began eating with obvious appreciation.
Rob Lucci's strategy was undoubtedly to join the Hell Pirates and establish a surveillance position around him. The Hell Pirates were actively expanding their organization, and Lucci represented a 'new' pirate with impressive credentials. The World Government had certainly fabricated a perfect background identity for him that would withstand scrutiny. Moreover, he had demonstrated formidable combat capabilities that would make his recruitment seem natural and logical.
"Hehe..." Oboro couldn't suppress another chuckle.
If he weren't familiar with the One Piece storyline from his previous life, he might have genuinely fallen for this infiltration attempt. Who wouldn't welcome such exceptional talent?
"This should be interesting... How can I give you a proper surprise?" Oboro's eyes glinted with predatory amusement as he considered his options.
Outside the tavern, Lucci was gradually accumulating more wounds while Dom maintained complete dominance in their exchange. The reason was quite simple: as a CP9 member, Lucci's most formidable techniques were based on the Rokushiki martial arts system. However, he couldn't employ these abilities now, because utilizing Rokushiki would be tantamount to exposing his government affiliation.
As for his Devil Fruit powers, he seemed reluctant to reveal that capability as well.
"Interesting," Oboro murmured while continuing his meal.
If Rokushiki techniques were forbidden, then avoiding his Devil Fruit abilities was equivalent to concealing a significant portion of his arsenal and maintaining his trump cards for future contingencies. This approach ensured that regardless of subsequent developments, he would retain substantial confidence in his ability to respond to changing circumstances. Additionally, Lucci had undoubtedly assessed that Oboro's personal strength far exceeded his own, based on their brief physical contact and the experience of being immobilized through pressure point manipulation.
His situational awareness and tactical judgment were genuinely excellent. The subsequent series of reactions, expressions, and performances were all calculated to enable him to successfully board the Hell Pirates' vessel.
He only needed to demonstrate his appropriate "value" to the organization.
He was truly worthy of being CP9's most outstanding agent. Mission objectives and strategic goals always took absolute priority in his decision-making process.