Nami gazed at the perverted man in front of her, startled, and instinctively covered her eyes.
The marines barked even more harshly:
Marines: "Shameless scum! Put some pants on—now!"
Yet the man felt no shame at all; in fact he took pride in it and burst out laughing.
"Are you praising me for being a pervert?
I‑I'm not worthy of such flattery!
SUPER!"
He suddenly threw both arms high overhead, striking a bizarre pose. The twin sisters, Kiwi and Mozu, struck the same pose in perfect sync.
Nami and the marines were dumbfounded—unable to look straight at them, yet unable to make sense of any of it.
Nami/Marines (in unison): "Wh‑… what on earth are these people?!"
Franky roared with manic laughter.
"You lot know nothing about true manliness! Being a pervert is the highest form of freedom!"
Nami snapped back: "I don't care what kind of pervert you are. Your two friends rammed our ship just now—no apology, and they acted smug about it!"
Franky glanced at the twins and grinned savagely, unfazed.
"So what?!
If they're Franky's brothers and sisters, then anything they do is forgivable!
No—must be forgiven!
SUPER!"
Nami trembled all over with anger. The marines spoke coldly:
"We don't care what kind of perverts you are. We're the Navy, and even if we weren't, you should apologize when you're in the wrong!"
At the word Navy, Franky's face darkened.
"Hmph—Navy? Navy my foot! Others may fear you, but Franky sure doesn't! If it's a fight you want, bring it on!"
With that, he was already in a battle stance.
Although Vice Admiral Chiyu had ordered the marines not to cause trouble, the other side was far too aggressive; the marines could no longer endure it.
"Chiyu-sama said not to make waves, but he also said… 'When dealing with evildoers, use decisive force!' —Charge!"
In a heartbeat, four or five marines rushed at Franky.
Franky sneered, slapped his own arm, and—boom!—his fist detached and rocketed straight out!
"Strong Right!"
BOOM—!
Marines: "What?!"
Before they could react, the lead marine was smashed squarely by the sudden iron fist and sent flying.
Nami cried out in fright: "W‑What kind of monster is that?!"
Franky was a cyborg; aside from the part of his back he couldn't reach, his whole body had been mechanized.
"Strong Right" was one of his built‑in weapons: a steel fist chained to his arm, powerful yet instantly retractable.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In an instant Franky's iron fist blasted several marines clear off their feet.
The citizens of Water 7 watching nearby simply shook their heads as though it were nothing new.
Franky: "Strong Hammer!"
Refusing to let up, Franky launched another punch.
Seeing this, Nami rushed forward, using her own body to shield the fallen marines.
Nami: "Stop!"
Franky, perverted as he was, hesitated upon seeing a little girl of about ten in front of him—but alas, his punch was already beyond recall.
Franky: "Move it, brat!"
But…
Clang—
Franky's savage iron fist slammed into Nami—yet the expected gruesome scene never happened.
Everyone uncovered their eyes to find the fist had slid right off Nami's body!
A faint sheen of light surrounded her; she was completely unharmed.
Franky, Kiwi, and Mozu all gasped.
"Th‑That's… A Devil Fruit user?!"
Nami snorted: "I'm a Slip‑Slip Fruit user! Franky the Pervert, right? You're at fault and you dared to hit people— I'll never let scum like you walk away!"
She drew her iron staff, ready for a full fight.
Franky frowned.
"Who… are you, exactly?"
Spinning her staff, Nami answered in a low voice. She had been honing her strength throughout her voyage with the Navy; besides mastering her fruit, her own power had greatly increased.
Nami: "Under Vice Admiral Chiyu of Marine Headquarters… Seaman Third Class, Nami!"
Franky—and everyone around—turned ashen.
"V‑Vice Admiral… Chiyu-sama?! You mean the Navy's God of Slaughter, Uchiha Chiyu?!"
Nami said coldly:
"Afraid now? Too late."
Chiyu's name already echoed around the world. As a prosperous hub, Water 7 had certainly heard of that terrifying man.
Not just Franky—the onlookers shuddered too.
Onlookers: "That man is in Water 7…?
No wonder I saw the mayor and the five master shipwrights go greet someone in person!
An incredible man…
He may sound scary, but he only kills pirates and protects civilians…
Exactly!
A punk like Franky deserves a thrashing from a Navy officer like Chiyu!"
Franky snorted.
"Hero? God of Slaughter? You can quake in your boots—I, Franky, won't!"
Kiwi and Mozu, however, looked nervous.
"Big Bro, talk tough all you like, but if it's that man, maybe we‑we'd better avoid trouble…"
Franky understood too: he carried Pluton's secret—getting entangled with such a Navy big shot could doom him, Iceburg, and even betray Tom's legacy.
He could only snort: "Don't you dare think I fear Uchiha Chiyu! I just don't want my brothers and sisters dragged into this. We're leaving!"
Nami: "Hold it! You haven't apologized yet!"
Just then the recovering marines spoke up.
Marines: "Let it go, Nami. Even if we tried to arrest them, we don't have the strength. Better report to the Vice Admiral first…"
Nami, still angry, knew they were right.
"Are you all okay?"
Marines (wry smile): "Just bumps and bruises. Let's go…"
Nami: "…Fine."
She put away her staff and left, disgruntled.
At that moment, outside a nearby tavern, a burly man with a big mustache and bull‑horn hair silently polished a glass as he watched.
"Uchiha Chiyu, huh… Didn't expect that guy to show up…"
He was none other than Blueno—a CP9 agent and Door‑Door Fruit user, undercover as the bar owner.
…
Meanwhile the five shipwrights were each inspecting the parts they knew best.
Iceburg: "How is it?"
Rob Lucci: "On the surface, nothing wrong… but… I think something's hidden. I need a closer look."
Iceburg: "Even I missed it, huh… Lucci, you stay. Vice Admiral's ship maintenance is yours."
Lucci: "Understood, boss."
As the others left, Kaku gave Lucci a brief backward glance.
Lucci turned to Chiyu.
"Vice Admiral, may I speak with you alone? About the ship."
Chiyu: "Very well."
They boarded the ship; Lucci shut the door carefully and sat opposite Chiyu.
Lucci: "Vice Admiral Uchiha Chiyu— Why have you come to Water 7?"
Chiyu: "That doesn't seem like a question for a shipwright."
Lucci paused: "Have you discovered something?"
Chiyu: "Why do you ask?"
Lucci: "From the start your eyes were fixed on me, Kaku, and Kalifa—you ignored everyone else. That can't be coincidence."
Chiyu chuckled: "Why couldn't it be?"
Lucci: "For others, maybe. Not for you.
You're Uchiha Chiyu—the Navy and World Government's brightest star."
Chiyu: "Get to the point."
Lucci: "Whatever you're here for, my work is not something you can trivialize—or obstruct. No matter your power or prestige, we are a force directly under the World Government. I advise you: don't get in our way."
Chiyu laughed—an exasperated laugh: "Rob Lucci, being suspicious suits your job, I suppose. But it has nothing to do with me."
Lucci: "Good. You stick to purging pirates; the rest is none of your concern."
Chiyu: "I purge more than pirates. I'll show no mercy to corruption inside the Navy as well.
And most importantly… Don't tell me how to do my job."
Lucci's lips curled in a cruel smile: "Very well.
I know Admiral Sakazuki favors you—and lets you kill first, report later. But remember, we too have the license to kill at will… You don't want us as enemies."
A flash of killing intent burst from Chiyu's eyes: "Where do you get the nerve to talk to me like that? And, Lucci—why the hostility?"
Lucci: "You killed Nico Robin."
Chiyu: "And?"
Lucci: "She was the sole survivor of Ohara—the last person alive who could read the Poneglyphs.
With her gone, aside from Tom's Pluton blueprint, there's no other way. You cut off that path."
Chiyu: "Why should your kind care?"
Lucci: "We care! I'd rather slaughter everyone in Water 7 than keep wasting away undercover!"
At that moment, a murderous aura erupted from Lucci as well.
~~~
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