CIPHER POL--AIGIS 0
The post-rain wind carried a cool dampness, causing the red lantern on the street corner to sway.
The Flame flickered and shattered in the puddles, reflecting a pool of blood-red light that seemed like some kind of omen.
"CIPHER POL--AIGIS 0."
Drake slowly raised his head, his voice low, his gaze piercing through the misty rain and landing on the symmetrical black and white mask.
"What a rare guest!"
The visitor was none other than CIPHER POL AIGIS 0, or "CP0" for short, the most secretive direct agency of the World Government.
They are known as "the Celestial Dragons' strongest shield" and "the World's Strongest intelligence agency."
Their authority is second only to the Five Elders; wherever they appear, they represent "threat" and "Purge."
The person in the lead was none other than Guernica, with her white mask and black and white eyes.
His long white coat was gently lifted by the wind, and a cold glint flashed on his metal earmuffs.
Behind him, Joseph and Gismonda stood side by side, their auras sharp as blades.
"The Navy's Blade Squad,"
Guernica's voice was deep, cold, and mechanically steady.
"Unauthorized trespassing into the territory under the jurisdiction of the World Government-- "
He paused, as if issuing a verdict, "--I have the right to take you back to Mary Geoise for questioning."
"Laugh--"
A soft laugh broke the silence.
Sanji lazily raised his head, tossed the cigarette butt to the ground, and ground it with his toe, the sparks being swallowed by the rain and mist.
A playful smile played on his lips, his tone flippant yet undeniably sharp. "Hey, hey~"
"What we do is none of the business of a mere Cipher Pol, is it?"
The air instantly tensed; that nonchalant arrogance was like a blade slicing through the night.
Joseph and Gismonda's gazes turned icy, their steps faltering, their killing intent almost tangible.
However, Guernica raised a hand, calmly gesturing for them to stop.
He did not immediately respond to the provocation, but simply watched Drake was still sitting in the wooden chair.
Raindrops slid down the eaves, splashing into tiny ripples on the ground.
The sound of the wind swirled through the streets and alleys, mingling with the aroma of tea, cooking fumes, and damp air.
--"navy."
Guernica silently murmured the name in her heart, and at that moment, a complex and indescribable emotion seemed to surge within her.
Since the end of the "Paramount War," this violent institution, which was originally regarded as the "blade of order,"
It is gradually breaking free from the shackles of the World Government and becoming an uncontrollable force.
They secretly established independent research, military, and logistics systems, and even began to contact and control the intelligence and financial networks that originally belonged to the World Government.
According to a confidential report from the CP headquarters--
The navy's funding sources are surprisingly closely related to the "Gild Tesoro".
There's even a "mysterious conglomerate" behind it all, one that even the Cipher Pol can't uncover.
Whenever the Cipher Pol attempts to trace a crucial point, the clues are instantly obliterated by a "mysterious force."
Files disappear, personnel vanish, intelligence is cut off... like undercurrents in the deep sea, silent yet powerful enough to overturn the balance of the entire world.
Guernica's brow furrowed slightly.
He knew very well that the real purpose of being sent to the Flower Country was not to arrest a few members of the naval special forces team.
What he wanted to investigate was the underlying dynamics hidden beneath this bustling facade—
Revolutionary Army, naval agents, adventure groups...
"Relax, 'Black Leg'."
Guernica finally spoke, her voice becoming steady and restrained once again.
"We're just here to ask a few questions..."
His tone appeared gentle, yet it carried a calm and authoritative air of control.
Sanji's eyes narrowed slightly, the Flame reflecting a sharp glint in them.
The smoke had long since dissipated, yet it seemed to still linger around him.
He smiled, a soft smile, yet one that couldn't hide his arrogance.
"Questions? -- Ha, that depends on whether you're worth answering."
Upon hearing this, even Guernica, who was known for her composure, couldn't help but narrow her eyes.
A flash of cold anger crossed his eyes behind the mask.
"The arrogant navy..."
As a CP0 agent, he puts the "mission" above all else.
If bloodshed is required to complete the mission, he will not hesitate;
If the person obstructing the mission is a colleague, he will eliminate them without hesitation.
"Stumbling blocks should be removed."
"The orders of the Five Elders are the supreme will."
During his trip to the Flower Country, he was ordered to investigate the convergence of various forces in the area and to uncover the secret dealings between the Navy and the Gild Tesoro.
No matter who is in front of him, he must finish.
--And this group of people in front of me are nothing more than obstacles to carrying out this mission.
Guernica's gaze turned as cold as steel.
"Higher rank than you, on a mission, and wielding power—"
He sneered inwardly, "You're not Roy, what right do you have to put on airs?"
"We are in the right. Even if we beat them into submission, it would be perfectly justifiable!"
Having thought this through, he no longer intended to waste any more words, and a murderous aura instantly spread out.
Joseph and Gismonda exchanged a glance behind them and almost simultaneously assumed a fighting stance.
Rainwater slid down the mask and dripped onto the stone floor, making a soft "patter" sound.
The night wind ruffled the edges of the cloak, and a tense atmosphere filled the air, ready to erupt at any moment.
Sanji's lips curled into a smile, his expression relaxed. "Oh~ So you want to resort to violence just because you can't reason with me?"
He stretched his neck and lightly touched the ground with his toes.
Behind him, Usopp had already released the safety on his Sniper Rifle, Hibari calmly placed his finger on the trigger, the soft metallic click extremely clear.
The Kujaku slowly raised its steel whip, which gleamed with a cold silver light under the lamp.
Drake finally stood up from his chair, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
"I hadn't had enough fun yet, and now someone else is offering themselves up."
He chuckled softly, "This is a real help."
--The atmosphere completely exploded.
"Shave!"
Guernica's gaze darkened, and with a stomp of his foot, the floor tiles shattered instantly.
His figure blurred into a streak of afterimage as he thrust out his Shigan!
"Shigan - Consecutive Fangs--!"
Sanji raised his leg to meet the attack, a sudden flash of black light from his toes.
"Diable Jambe - Black Leg--!"
"Boom!!"
The two forces collided in mid-air, and the resulting shockwave overturned a wooden table by the street. Rainwater was shaken into mist by the airflow, and in a short moment, the street seemed to be torn apart!
But in that fleeting moment of lightning—
Guernica's expression suddenly changed.
"--What about the two of them?"
He glanced around and saw that Joseph and Gismonda, who had been following closely behind him, were now standing motionless.
The two men's tall bodies were trembling slightly, as if suppressed by some kind of force.
Guernica's brow twitched; she instinctively sensed danger.
Just as he was about to turn around—
"Zzz--"
The air suddenly became dry, carrying the smell of burning metal.
Rainwater evaporated in the air, and electric arcs flickered in the shadows at the alley entrance.
A fleeting glimpse in Guernica's peripheral vision sent a chill down his spine.
--Suddenly, a figure of lightning appeared between Joseph and Gismonda.
The man was shirtless, his bronze muscles faintly visible in the flickering lightning.
He casually draped one arm over each of the two tall agents' shoulders, a playful smile playing on his lips.
"Hey, hey--"
"Are you trying to harm my lovely juniors?"