Chiyu smiled.
"Rob Lucci, it's not that I can't understand how you feel, but …"
"What's it got to do with me?"
"You're CP9—a spy and covert‑ops agent from the start. If you don't like the job, you can always change careers."
"I, on the other hand, follow my own will; as a Marine I've sworn to purge every shred of darkness."
"To me it looks like plain jealousy—your so‑called 'freedom to kill' doesn't come close to mine."
Rob Lucci's face fell, turning even grimmer.
When he first joined CP9, his commanding officer had asked why. Lucci's answer was just four words:
"Free to kill."
Only after becoming CP9's leader did he discover things were not so simple.
Most of the work was intelligence‑gathering, undercover infiltration, rounding up criminals—nothing like the free‑for‑all slaughter he dreamed of. True "free killing" was forever out of reach.
So when he heard of Uchiha Chiyu, murderous intent really did bloom in his heart: that was the job he wanted.
Back when Lucci had just entered the Navy, he was sent to handle a hostage crisis: pirates had seized five hundred Marines as hostages, forcing the World Government to accept negotiation terms.
Lucci's solution was …
…to kill all five hundred Marines.
With no hostages left to worry about, the pirates were wiped out at once—and the five hundred Marines were wiped out just as cleanly.
After that, people called Rob Lucci the "darkness within the Marines."
He seemed to vanish, but in truth CP9 recruited him to do the World Government's dirty work with his ruthless methods.
Lucci glared coldly at Chiyu, fists clenched.
Chiyu remained unruffled. "What—thinking of joining us?"
"Too bad. You and I walk different roads."
Lucci snorted. "Do we?"
"We do. Because I would never have killed those five hundred Marines."
Lucci's face changed drastically. "How … how do you know about that?"
Chiyu shrugged and went on:
"Call me a butcher if you like, say I'm ruthless—but I won't murder innocents to reach a goal. That isn't just unjust; it's weak and stupid. If everyone 'solved' a problem the way you did, anyone could do the job—so what's the point?"
Lucci sneered. "Not everyone can do it."
"Sure they can," Chiyu said. "All the Navy has to do is shell the pirates and the hostages together. The end result's the same as yours—so what are you good for?"
Lucci was momentarily speechless.
"If that's how it is," Chiyu pressed, "what purpose do you serve?"
Lucci growled, "Could you have done better?"
"Of course," Chiyu said. "I could have saved those five hundred Marines and killed every pirate."
Lucci wanted to scoff—but facing this man, he couldn't say it was impossible. In fact, Chiyu probably could.
Lucci changed tack.
"I hear Admiral Akainu—Sakazuki—thinks highly of you, believes you follow absolute justice as he does. Yet you know what he did, right? In the Ohara incident he ordered fire on civilian ships to wipe out 'dangerous scholars'—slaughtering countless innocents!"
"I know," Chiyu answered calmly.
"Then how is he different from me?" Lucci shot back.
"He isn't," Chiyu said.
"You two are the same."
Lucci blinked. "So you also reject Admiral Sakazuki's methods?"
"Why is that strange?" Chiyu said. "Yes, Sakazuki's helped me plenty inside the Navy. But without him I'd still have risen, just by another path.
"I kill pirates because they're evil, they're darkness. If there's darkness inside the Navy, I'll show no mercy there, either.
"Unlike you and Sakazuki—Marines who cling to some brand of 'total' or 'dark' justice—I'm just myself. I kill only those who deserve to die."
Lucci got the point.
"You realize that means sooner or later you'll clash with the whole Navy and the entire World Government? Your enemies won't just be me—they'll include Admiral Sakazuki himself, maybe even the whole world!"
Chiyu smiled. "And?"
Lucci fell silent. "You really are insane."
Chiyu shook his head. "I'm just an ordinary man. It's only in a mad world that I look insane …"
Lucci saw the resolve in him, turned to leave, and after a few steps glanced back:
"Whatever your ideals, stay out of my way. Otherwise—Navy God of Slaughter or Akainu's favorite—I'll kill you myself."
Chiyu laughed. "You're the first to say that to my face, Rob Lucci. Be careful—you're not far from death."
Lucci left and immediately reported Uchiha Chiyu's appearance to all of CP9—including their despicable commanding officer, Spandam.
Spandam turned pale at the name. Of course he'd heard it: the terrifying God of Slaughter who slaughtered pirates—and Marines—without mercy. He knew all too well what he himself had done: to seize the Pluton blueprints and frame Tom and Franky, he used a battleship Franky built to attack a Judicial Ship—regardless of casualties—just to pin the crime on Tom and force out the ancient plans.
Such a "Marine" was no better than a pirate, and the very mention of Chiyu left him shaking.
…
Water 7, a hidden room.
CP9 was finally all present:
Commander Spandam
Captain Rob Lucci
Members: Kaku, Kalifa, Jabra, Fukurou, Kumadori, Blueno
Lucci recounted his talk with Chiyu.
"That man is infuriating, but I don't think he'll purposely ruin our plan."
Kaku nodded. "He's still a Marine. He should know boundaries. CP9 and the regular Navy have never crossed lines."
Kalifa pushed up her glasses, worried. "Are you that sure? When I first met him, I felt his eyes could see through every one of our secrets. He's terrifying …"
Jabra sneered. "Undercover too long, Kalifa? Lost your nerve?"
Kalifa frowned. "Rude brute—you don't understand how frightening he is!"
Fukurou unzipped his lips, mouth wide. "Jabra's mad because he got dumped again, gababababa!"
Jabra flew into a rage. "Big‑mouth freak! Stop talking nonsense!"
Fukurou clapped a hand over his mouth. "Oops—did I slip again?"
Spandam, glaring, slammed his fist on the table—bang! The table was fine; his fist hurt.
"Shut up!—Ow, ow … "
Kalifa frowned again. "Commander, you're too fragile …"
"Quiet!" Spandam roared. "Or I'll show you pain!"
Kalifa adjusted her glasses. "That's sexual harassment."
Spandam: " …"
Lucci's voice cut in. "Enough. I don't know Chiyu's goal—maybe he's just passing through. Either way, our plan must move up, or something will go wrong."
Spandam sneered. "Impatient, Lucci? Fine—this time I agree. We can't wait!"
"Tom, that old fool—the Pluton blueprints are most likely with Iceburg. Grab him and make him spit out the location! Once the mission's done, I'll be rich and promoted!"
Lucci: "…"
He despised the so‑called commander, but for form's sake they obeyed. "Yes, Commander."
Spandam carefully produced a shining object from his coat.
"Heh. Even if Uchiha Chiyu interferes, I've got an ultimate weapon Admiral Aokiji himself gave me …"
Lucci's face changed. "That's … a Golden Den Den Mushi?!"
The others gasped.
Kalifa: "The golden transponder snail—legendary trigger for a Buster Call! Commander, why is it in your hands?"
Spandam smirked. "Authority granted by the Navy and World Government. Just do your jobs. If worst comes to worst—press this button, and Water 7 is erased."
…
Elsewhere
Nami and the others returned to the ship Uchiha and told Chiyu what had happened.
Rear Admiral Hina frowned. "There are still idiots daring to strike at Marines? Tired of living!"
"Nami-chan, Hina will avenge you."
Nami's eyes sparkled. "R‑really? Thank you, Hina‑neesan!"
She knew Chiyu-sama wouldn't bother with such a trifle; having Hina help was blessing enough.
But—
"Franky, hm?" Chiyu changed his mind. "Let's go. I'll handle this myself."
Nami and Hina exchanged a shocked glance. "Chiyu-sama—you'll go personally? He's just a perverted punk …"
Chiyu didn't repeat himself. He strode out. "Lead the way."
Nami was overjoyed. "Yes, Chiyu-sama!"
Chiyu had decided to act first. He would…
…take the Pluton blueprints into his own hands!