Station Sniping, Sniper's Return

"Hey, hey, hey, you've got the wrong person, haven't you?"

Even with his throat choked, the perverted uncle named Franky still spoke with great force.

He did put up a fight, but his punches and kicks had no effect on the man in the top hat and black suit. —If it weren't for the fact that the other man's body was still clearly flesh and blood, Franky would have suspected that this guy was a cyborg like himself.

"I'm the unsung hero of Water 7, and I've come to see why the Galley-La Company headquarters exploded..."

"No need to play dumb, Franky."

Lucci, who was carrying him and the masked Usopp and Lucci, calmly interrupted him.

"When we encountered the Straw Hat crew, whose fighting strength far exceeded our expectations, I already thought the mission had failed."

Thump!

With a loud bang, Lucci, who had returned to human form, grabbed two people and was able to travel using Geppo! His speed was comparable to that of his colleagues.

"How ironic that you would actually deliver yourselves to our doorstep at the last minute—"

"Etc!"

Robin, who was being held by Bruno, looked anxiously at the person struggling in Lucci's other hand.

"You promised me you wouldn't hurt the Straw Hat crew, so let him go!"

"We will keep our promise."

Lucci answered calmly as he sped across the rooftop.

"Once we reach the Sea Train station, I'll release this long-nosed guy. After all—"

"This is just an extra thing I grabbed on the spot."

!

Usopp, who was also struggling, froze. Was he just an 'add-on' all along? If it were before, he would have felt fortunate, but now—

"Don't underestimate people!"

In the struggle, a sudden slap landed on Lucci's ribs! The hand bound in bandages was:

"Impact Shell!"

Bang!

A surge of force slammed into Rob Lucci, causing him to sway slightly in mid-air. At the same time, Usopp's own arm swung back violently! The impact was immense, but after the white shockwave dissipated...

"A rather interesting little toy."

"What·····"

"But your attack won't kill anyone. You have to do it like this—" Usopp's neck loosened as the other person released the hand that was holding his neck. However, before Usopp could start to do a 'free fall,' a hand gently covered Usopp's chest.

"Rokuogan - Lightweight!"

Boom--

In an instant, the scene before Usopp's eyes rushed backward! He felt as if he had been hit head-on by a speeding warship, and his chest was completely numb!

He managed to look down and realized that his clothes and bandages were gone, leaving only a bloody mess!

Then, everything went dark.

To others, the masked, long-nosed boy instantly transformed into a 'cannonball' and crashed into the ground! After smashing through a building, he sank deep into the ruins.

As for whether they are dead or alive...

"Rob Lucci!!"

Faced with the furious Robin, Lucci, carrying Franky, simply glanced calmly at the ruins of the building.

"Don't worry, he's not dead."

"I only used an attack that was enough to incapacitate him."

Brush--

Lucci carried Franky, Bruno carried Robin, Kaku supported Kalifa. The three of them continued their journey using Geppo while taking out Den Den Den Mushi).

"It's me, Rob Lucci."

"Yes... it's a long-term mission, thank you for your hard work—"

Don't waste time.

Lucci interrupted the other party's polite conversation.

"Start the Sea Train and depart immediately!"

??

"But, Lucci— "

"That's an order!"

Rob Lucci, who interrupted the other person again, frowned in annoyance. Are all the CP members so ill-mannered these days? They even dare to question their superiors' orders?

"Report on the station's combat strength!"

"Ah?... Yes, there are fifty elite naval personnel and one hundred senior special agents in total..."

Get to the point!

Faced with an impatient Lucci, the other party paused for a moment before hurriedly continuing his report.

"High-level combatants include Navy Captain T-Poon, CP9 rookie 'Sea Weasel Nero,' and the ramen-fist-style Vaj..."

"Get these guys to defend the station! Immediately, right now!"

The white sailboat riding the gale-force winds behind him was the reason Rob Lucci acted this way. However, this need to 'cut off his tail to survive' made this assassin, who believed in 'dark justice,' frown once again.

Indeed, weakness is a sin!

"What is that?"

On the deck of the 'White Merry' flying in the sky, Nami looked down at a building ruin that had just been smashed open, and a stumbling figure walked out of it.

"Ahem... Hello everyone!... Ahem,"

The long-nosed figure below, wearing a mask and cloak, waved with difficulty to the crowd in the sky.

Could you give me a ride?

······

"That's right, I am the Sniper King from Sniper Island."

While having Chopper bandage his wounds, Usopp, wearing a mask, instilled his own 'persona' into Luffy and Chopper.

"I'm Usopp's good friend. If you're going to rescue Robin, I can help. Cough cough~~"

"Hey, you're coughing up blood, don't try to be a hero—"

Faced with Roman's words, Usopp, wearing a mask, looked up, his eyes filled with an expression that was hard to decipher—whether it was determination or pleading.

"I... I can help!"

"Hehehe, since he's Usopp's friend, he's our friend too!"

Luffy patted 'Sniper King' on the shoulder.

Let's come together.

"····good!"

Ugh, these idiots.

Splash splash~~~

Sheets of white paper flew out from Roman's body and wrapped around Usopp... no, the Sniper King's entire body.

"My paper can provide a layer of defense surpassing steel, but it will still be damaged if subjected to impact. So—"

"Watch out, Sniper King."

"... Hahaha, of course, just wait and see me show off my skills! Cough cough cough~~"

Usopp, we're even more worried about you looking like this! X4

"Yes, yes, yes, we're counting on you, Sniper King!"

Luffy and Chopper happily accepted their 'new' crewmates, leaving Roman speechless. However:

"Everyone be careful, it seems they don't intend to let us get Robin back so easily!"

······

"Is that the strange ship?"

"Take it down!"

At the south entrance of the shipyard, various weapons were set up and aimed at the sky—or more precisely, at the 'White Merry' in the sky. A dense barrage of fire was ready to rain down as soon as Roman and his men entered firing range!

Meanwhile, after the conductor and train crew were thrown out of the 'Smoking Tom', the Sea Train slowly began to accelerate, spewing out plumes of black smoke.

"The other side is trying to escape, we—"

"Right-Angle Bird - Penn's Great Bird!"

A naval captain with long, curly black hair under his helmet, a gaunt face, and a long neck, who truly looked 'seven parts ghost and three parts human,' suddenly drew his sword and slashed through the air.

A right-angled sword wave swept towards the 'White Merry' from a distance, the tip of the strike shaped like a bird's head!

A sharp, righteous Flying Slash struck the Straw Hat crew first! It seemed like it would split the white paper boat in two in the next second, but a figure had already jumped off the deck to meet the flying slash.

"Three-Sword Style: Gyūki - Heroic Claw!"

Holding his twin swords upside down and biting down on the Wado Ichimonji, Zoro fearlessly faced the attack that could slice through a ship. With the aura of a fierce demon, he Flying Slash into a burst of light.

"Is this the master who made our predecessors flee in disarray?"

As the Sea Weasel Nero ascended into the air using Geppo, he suddenly drew his twin pistols and aimed them at the falling Zoro. However, before he could pull the trigger, a heavy, Eight-sided Han Sword silently entered his pupils, startling him so much that he broke out in a cold sweat and instinctively tried to dodge.

"Kami-e!"

Just as the Sea Weasel Nero's body suddenly flattened like paper to dodge the longsword, a hand made entirely of paper reached out to grab him from mid-air, accompanied by Roman's mocking voice.

"Playing 'Kami-e' in front of me?"

Isn't this just like 'Big Saber in front of Guan Yu'?

Snap!

With his five fingers closed, Roman grabbed the CP9 newcomer in his palm and then slammed him to the ground.

Boom!

After slamming half of the opponent's body into the rocks of the station, the armored figure, still in 'White Knight' form, slowly rose and scanned the terrified agents and naval soldiers around him.

"It seems you've been abandoned."

"Don't listen to him, everyone attack!"

Although the government soldiers immediately opened fire, the Fire Pistol only produced a clanging sound and sparks when they hit Roman's armor, which was far superior to steel. Like rain hitting banana leaves, the sound was loud but the fire could not leave a trace.

"Go,"

Sheets of white paper flew out and began to spin at high speed.

"Paper Dance - Maple Forest!"