Chương 110: Self-Loath
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--xLOVEx--
Iceburg's expression faltered, the realization that CP9 had pieced it together hitting him hard. He had hoped to keep Franky out of this, but now it seemed inevitable.
Lucci, keenly observant, caught the flicker of recognition in Iceburg's eyes. "So, you did pass the original blueprints to him," Lucci stated with certainty, not a question but a conclusion he had already reached. "You thought you could protect them by giving them to someone who was supposed to be dead, someone who had disappeared from the world's eye."
There was no need for Iceburg to confirm it; his reaction had given him away. Lucci knew his deduction was correct, and it only solidified CP9's next move. Franky, or Cutty Flam, would be their next target.
Just as Lucci finished his cold, calculated analysis of Iceburg's situation, the door to the room burst open. Coby, Nami, Zoro, and Chopper stormed in. They quickly took in the scene—Iceburg bleeding on the bed, Robin standing by, and the masked men who had revealed themselves as CP9 operatives.
At the same moment, Luffy, having freed himself and Paulie, smashed through the wall, debris scattering everywhere as he made his entrance. "I finally found you!" Luffy shouted, his voice filled with anger as he scanned the room. The crew was now fully assembled, except for Sanji.
Lucci's eyes narrowed as he focused on Luffy, clearly annoyed by the crew's persistence. "You're becoming quite a nuisance," he stated flatly, his tone conveying his irritation.
Paulie, who had followed Luffy into the room, froze in shock as he saw the faces of his so-called colleagues. "Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, Blueno… What the hell is this?!" Paulie's voice trembled disbelief and anger. These were people he had worked alongside for years, people he had trusted.
Lucci's gaze remained icy as he faced Paulie. "We worked together for so long," he began, his tone devoid of any emotion. "But will you forgive me for stepping on Iceburg's face?"
Paulie, eyes blazing with fury, snarled back, "You could talk, but you were mocking us all along!" In a burst of anger, he lashed out with his ropes, knives glinting in the dim light as they shot towards Lucci.
But Lucci moved with a speed that Paulie couldn't follow. One moment, he was across the room, and the next, he had vanished, only to reappear beside him, his finger poised like a spear. "Shigan," Lucci said calmly, his finger stabbing into Paulie's side with the precision of a bullet. Blood spurted from the wound as Paulie gasped, pain etched across his face.
[Skill Scan initiated on 'Soru'. Analysis in progress… Soru is a high-speed movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow by kicking the ground in a tenth of a second to generate immense speed. Mastery of this technique requires exceptional leg strength and agility to achieve such rapid acceleration. Due to its utility in both offense and defense, and the physical demands it places on the user's legs, the estimated cost for acquisition is 9,999 SP. Please confirm if you wish to proceed with the Skill Scan and acquisition.]
[Skill Scan initiated on 'Shigan'. Analysis in progress… Shigan is a technique where the user stabs their finger into a target at very high speed, creating a bullet-like impact. Mastery of Shigan requires significant finger, wrist, and arm strength to generate the necessary force for this lethal close-combat technique. Due to its deadly offensive nature and the physical requirements for effective use, the estimated cost for acquisition is 9,999 SP. Please confirm if you wish to proceed with the Skill Scan and acquisition.]
Paulie staggered back, clutching his side as blood seeped between his fingers. Lucci's expression remained unchanged, his voice cold and cutting. "You still don't get it, do you? You thought of us as friends? We are government agents, and we were never your allies."
Before Paulie could respond, Luffy, who had been watching the scene in growing horror, shouted out, "Rope guy!" His anger boiled over as he saw Lucci was about to deliver the finishing blow. Luffy launched himself at Lucci, foot extended in a powerful kick.
Lucci easily caught Luffy's leg, his grip like iron. Luffy, undeterred, followed up with a flurry of punches. "Gomu Gomu no Gatling!" he roared, his fists flying at Lucci in a rapid barrage.
But Lucci remained unfazed. "Tekkai," he said simply, his body hardening like iron. Luffy's punches landed but bounced off harmlessly, unable to penetrate Lucci's defense.
[Skill Scan initiated on 'Tekkai'. Analysis in progress… Tekkai hardens the user's muscles to the level of iron, enabling them to withstand powerful physical attacks. This technique requires exceptional physical endurance and muscle control to withstand the strain of hardening the body to such an extent. Due to the defensive strength it offers and the physical conditioning required, the estimated cost for acquisition is 9,999 SP. Please confirm if you wish to proceed with the Skill Scan and acquisition.]
Lucci moved with a speed that seemed impossible to track. One moment he was standing still, the next he vanished in a blur, reappearing directly in front of Luffy. Without a second's hesitation, Lucci struck, driving his finger into Luffy's throat with a precise Shigan. The force of the attack sent Luffy flying backward, but thanks to his rubber body, the blow didn't pierce—though it still knocked the wind out of him. Luffy hit the ground hard, gasping for air, but even as he fell, his arm stretched out to grab Paulie, pulling him to safety.
"Why are you helping him?" Lucci asked coldly, his eyes narrowing as he watched Luffy struggle to get up.
Luffy, still catching his breath, forced himself to stand. "I promised to protect Ice-uncle. And I'm not leaving without Robin," he said, determination clear in his voice.
Robin, who had been standing quietly to the side, finally spoke. "I already told you, Luffy. I'm done with you. I used you for my goals. I can sacrifice anything to achieve them." Her words were sharp, leaving no room for doubt.
Iceburg, who was still lying injured on the bed, tried to speak in Robin's defense, but before he could utter a word, Robin's arms sprouted from his body, twisting his neck in a painful hold. "Don't say anything more," she commanded, her tone icy.
Lucci, indifferent to the drama, turned to Kalifa. "How long?" he asked, his voice clipped and businesslike.
"Two minutes," Kalifa replied, adjusting her glasses without breaking her professional demeanor.
Lucci grinned, a cold and calculated expression that sent chills down the spines of everyone in the room. "In two minutes, this place will be ablaze. Until then, try to escape if you can," he taunted, clearly confident in his team's abilities.
Robin, turning her back on the crew, started to leave the room. "I'm done here. I'm leaving," she announced, her voice devoid of any emotion.
Lucci nodded in acknowledgment. "You've done your part. Go ahead."
Luffy, still determined, tried to stop her. "Robin, wait!" But before he could get any closer, Blueno appeared in front of him, blocking his path. Luffy lashed out with a powerful Gomu Gomu no Stamp, aiming to take down Blueno with a single blow, but Blueno, using Tekkai, absorbed the attack effortlessly. The force of Luffy's kick barely made him flinch, as if it was nothing more than a gentle tap.
With a sudden burst of energy, Blueno used Geppo to take to the air, positioning himself out of reach. At the same time, Kaku and Kalifa coordinated a swift and deadly assault, both launching Rankyaku at Luffy. The razor-sharp air blades sliced through the air, aimed directly at him.
Zoro, witnessing the attack, recognized the danger immediately. "Cutting air?" he muttered, realizing the severity of the situation. He turned to the crew, his voice urgent. "Duck!"
The crew dropped to the ground just in time as the Rankyaku attacks sliced through the room, cleaving the wall behind them with terrifying precision. The debris from the shattered wall scattered across the room, leaving a gaping hole where the wall once stood.
[Skill Scan initiated on 'Geppo'. Analysis in progress… Geppo allows the user to leap into the air and effectively "walk" on air by kicking off the atmosphere itself. This technique demands immense leg strength and precise control to generate enough force with each kick to stay airborne. Due to the strategic aerial mobility it offers and the significant physical strength required, the estimated cost for acquisition is 14,999 SP. Please confirm if you wish to proceed with the Skill Scan and acquisition.]
[Skill Scan initiated on 'Rankyaku'. Analysis in progress… Rankyaku involves kicking at such high speed that it creates a sharp compressed air blade, capable of cutting through solid objects from a distance. To execute this technique, immense leg strength and precise control are necessary to generate and direct the air blade effectively. Due to its destructive potential and the physical demands on the user's legs, the estimated cost for acquisition is 9,999 SP. Please confirm if you wish to proceed with the Skill Scan and acquisition.]
Coby watched from the side, his fists clenched as he observed the chaos around him. The sight of his crew struggling against CP9 made his blood boil. But he kept chanting to himself, "One last time," trying to convince himself that letting things play out was the right move. Yet, deep down, he knew it was a lie. He wanted Robin to fully join the crew, to admit she wanted to live, and to stop hiding behind her cold facade. For that, he had let these events unfold. But seeing his crew get hurt, he hated himself for it.
He couldn't help but think ahead to what was coming next—Sabaody Archipelago, where they would inevitably clash with an Admiral. He saw only two options to avoid that confrontation: kneeling to the Celestial Dragons or somehow preventing Luffy from reaching the island. But the thought of stopping Luffy from doing anything was ridiculous. Luffy was a D., and they were natural enemies of the so-called gods.
Coby had already tried to learn Haki, pushing himself to the limit, but he had yet to spark it. And from what he understood of Enel's Mantra, he knew Armament Haki would be just as costly to acquire. He had even thought about preventing Camie from getting caught altogether, but he knew it wouldn't matter. Luffy would somehow find a way to clash with the Celestial Dragons. That was who he was, and Coby couldn't change that.
Then, next time too, would he allow the crew to get hurt? Where was the end of it? Coby hated himself for it. But there was no time for self-loathing, as flames were growing bigger and bigger.
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