"Target sighted."
Even the white baseball cap couldn't hide Kaku's rectangular nose. With both hands in his pockets, he stood atop the tallest building by the harbor, overlooking the scene below.
Down on the wide, sloping port grounds stood none other than Davy Jones' crew and the Straw Hat Pirates.
He had witnessed the entire clash and now watched with a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
From the pocket of his orange jacket, Kaku took out a Den Den Mushi, placed it in his palm, and dialed. The "purupurupuru" ringing didn't last long before the call was picked up.
On the other end, in keeping with CP9's usual habits, the agent remained silent, not speaking unnecessarily.
"The giraffe is eating corn kernels." This was Kaku's prearranged code phrase, confirming to the other party that he wasn't being coerced and that the line was secure.
"The pigeon is eating leaves." Rob Lucci, CP9's top agent, replied coldly before asking, "What's so urgent you couldn't wait until we got back?"
After all, both he and Kaku were currently undercover at the same company in Water 7—the Galley-La Company. They could easily talk face-to-face back there or arrange another meeting place.
The fact that Kaku was calling now meant he must have discovered something extraordinary.
"Guess who this old man just found?" Kaku raised his brows playfully. "Bet you'll never guess."
"Quit the nonsense." Lucci always preferred being direct.
"Nico Robin."
"…Who?"
"Hard to believe, isn't it? Nico Robin—the so-called 'Demon Child' and 'Oharan Survivor.' She's here, right now, at Water 7's harbor. I confirmed it several times to be sure."
Lucci fell silent for a moment, as if pondering. Finally he said, "That, I truly didn't expect… Why would she be here?"
"Who knows? Probably latched onto yet another pirate crew like the parasite she always is. But she seems to have run into trouble—crossed paths with Davy Jones' lot."
"Davy Jones… The one who defeated Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords, and then vanished from the scene?"
"He's a big-shot now—worth 150 million berries." Kaku's tone was almost as though tempting Lucci to make a move.
"What does Davy Jones intend to do with Nico Robin?"
"Nothing, it seems. From what I saw, they've already parted ways. Looks like Robin managed to talk him around somehow. After all, the reports all describe Davy Jones as an eccentric."
His targets and the amount he robs vary at random, he doesn't stake out territories, and he isn't fixated on slaughter—unless someone blocks his path and proves worthless in his eyes. According to a grunt under Vice Admiral Garp, he even has a strange fondness for making contractual deals.
It was almost unthinkable—a pirate with a sense of contract and honor? Wasn't that alone enough to mark him as an oddity?
Then again, many famed pirates were peculiar in their own ways. Roger once annihilated an entire kingdom's army simply because someone insulted a crewmate. Whitebeard built a "family" fleet at sea, insisting everyone call him "Father."
"I'll inform Kalifa and Blueno. We'll aim to secretly capture Nico Robin, provided it doesn't compromise our cover."
"And not inform Spandam?" Kaku chuckled. "Heh, I know, I know. You're the real boss of CP9—he's just the guy with the stamp."
Lucci ignored the jab, shifting the subject. "Have you fully adapted to your Devil Fruit yet?"
Not long ago, to bolster CP9's fighting strength, their nominal superior Spandam had somehow procured two Devil Fruits and sent them over from Enies Lobby to Water 7.
The ones who ate them were Kaku and Kalifa.
"This old man's long since gotten used to the Ox-Ox Fruit." Kaku held the Den Den Mushi in his left hand and touched his square nose with his right.
"Good. Remember—our objectives are the blueprints for Pluton and Nico Robin herself. Don't cause unnecessary complications."
"You mean, don't provoke Davy Jones? Isn't the World Government considering him as a candidate for the new Warlords of the Sea? This old man can't possibly strike down someone who's to be an ally."
"That's uncertain. With a more fitting candidate stepping forward, Blackbeard has been far more proactive than him."
"What does it matter? If there are already Seven Warlords, then let there be Eight—or Nine. Why not?"
"Seats sanctioned by the World Government don't get handed out so lightly. Anyway, I know of two more suitable pirate hunters already here in Water 7."
"Smoker the White Hunter and Tashigi's superior, Hina the Black Cage?" Kaku's tone dripped with mockery. "This old man understands—I'll pass word along."
"No. You stay and keep eyes on Nico Robin. I'll see to it that Smoker is notified."
Click. The Den Den Mushi call was cut off.
That was Lucci's way as always—once he made a decision, he never hesitated.
Kaku stowed the Den Den Mushi. Though he'd been speaking, his sharp eyes had never once left Robin's silhouette.
He watched as she boarded a ship flying the Straw Hat Jolly Roger, accompanied by a group of pirates who looked like mere vacationers.
Ah, Robin—this old man has finally found you.
But suddenly, Kaku felt a needle-sharp gaze pierce into him. Startled, he turned and saw, beneath the shadow of that massive black ship, Davy Jones himself—looking straight his way.
What—?!
Kaku instinctively rolled backward and crouched low, completely breaking line of sight.
He saw me? Impossible. This distance is at least four or five hundred meters. How could he possibly have noticed me?
Cold sweat beaded down Kaku's face. For the first time, he realized surveillance might not be nearly as easy as he thought.
"Tina, don't look so gloomy." Tashigi set her famed sword, Shigure, down on the round table and pushed her slipping glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "You had another nightmare last night, didn't you?"
Tina brushed aside her pink hair. Being fussed over by a junior more than ten years younger left her looking a little awkward.
"Ever since the Reverse Mountain Battle, you've had nightmares every so often. And every time, you spend the following day listless. Both Captain Smoker and I can see it plainly."
Hina smiled faintly. Truth was, she herself didn't understand why Davy Jones so often haunted her dreams. She didn't feel she feared him to that degree—yet the dreams came unbidden, again and again.
And lately, they'd been coming with alarming frequency. A vague sense of foreboding weighed on her.
"I brought you out to enjoy Water 7, not to watch you brood," Tashigi said, sliding one of the two cups of fruit jelly ice cream the waiter had set down across the table to Hina.
"Try to enjoy the rare holiday, Captain. You'll see how beautiful this city really is."
Hina considered a moment, then sighed softly and smiled. "Thank you, Tashigi. You're right. Let's enjoy our vacation together."
"Mm-hm!" Tashigi nodded happily, her glasses slipping down again and forcing her to push them back up.
Hina picked up her spoon, about to dig into the ice cream, when suddenly she overheard a conversation.
"I'm already the most beautiful woman on the seas."
"You hear that, Mikita? Alvida's shamelessness is unmatched. You and I were both adored by men, yet neither of us ever bragged like that."
"Yahahaha…"
"There you go again with that fake laugh—trying to smooth things over."
"Then tell me, Porche, who's more beautiful than me? And how exactly do you measure it?"
"Ever heard of Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress—one of the Seven Warlords? Anyone who's seen her says she's unrivaled in beauty. Not to mention her strength is first-class. I haven't even mentioned Princess Shirahoshi, the Mermaid Princess."
"That… doesn't count. Do they have skin as smooth and fair as mine?"
"That's just your Devil Fruit ability talking!"
Hearing this noisy exchange, Hina froze, her heart tightening. She turned—and sure enough, recognized the faces from wanted posters.
A wide white hat, cascading black hair: "Iron Mace" Alvida.
A yellow domed hat, umbrella in hand: "Miss Valentine" Mikita.
And lastly, the girl with the furry white cap, blue hair, and arms folded across her chest—the one the others called "Porche." Tina didn't know her.
But Porche's name was the least of her worries. Reaching out, she stopped Tashigi, who was happily about to take a bite of ice cream.
Tashigi blinked. "Captain Hina?"
"Our vacation's over." Hina jerked her chin toward the other table.
Tashigi glanced over. After a long moment, her eyes widened in shock as she recognized several of Davy Jones' crewmates.
Thanks to Iron-Headed War God and Sun's Tactics for the tips!
And thanks to everyone for your votes and support!