Although Chiyu had not foreseen the initiation of the Buster Call, he still made an immediate decision.
On one hand, he ordered Rear Admiral Hina to inform the whole of Water 7 at once and have all residents evacuate immediately.
That said, the small boats owned by ordinary citizens could scarcely escape the encirclement of the Navy's main warships.
Even Water 7's famous sea train would be utterly helpless against a Buster Call.
Their only hope was Chiyu's own ship—the Uchiha.
Without hesitation he commanded that every civilian be transferred to the Uchiha, instructing Rear Admiral Hina, Nami, and the others to handle their accommodation.
On the other hand, he had Franky and his crew sabotage Spandam's vessel.
Because they had slipped in covertly, Spandam was not aboard a large warship—only a small naval launch that could hold a handful of people.
For Franky and his crew, dismantling such craft was second nature; the professional team finished the job almost instantly.
Yet the moment Franky caught sight of Iceburg, rage flared within him—he was ready to fight these people to the death!
Moreover… he recognized Spandam.
His mentor Tom had died at this man's hands!
When foes meet, anger blazes.
Spandam, however, no longer recognized Franky.
Franky had changed his name, grown from a boy to a man, and became heavily modified—there was no way to identify him.
Besides, in Spandam's mind that brat named Cutty Flam had been dead for years.
Franky roared, his mechanical right fist detaching and blasting toward Spandam.
"Strong Right!"
Bang!
Spandam was terrified—in terms of power level he was only a 9, weaker than an ordinary sailor, and had no hope of taking Franky's furious punch.
But—
Clack.
With a light snap, Rob Lucci merely raised a hand and effortlessly caught Franky's Strong Right.
He said coldly, "Franky, who ordered you to destroy our ship?"
Of course Franky knew Rob Lucci.
But the Lucci he remembered was a shipwright under Iceburg; seeing him display such terrifying power shocked Franky.
Still, he shouted back, "Why should I tell you?!"
Lucci could easily guess.
"It was Uchiha Chiyu, wasn't it…
Seems he really is determined to oppose CP9."
Spandam turned pale at the name.
"Uchiha Chiyu?!
Why—why is he against us?!"
Lucci, recalling his talk with Chiyu, knew it was surely because of the Buster Call—an act that utterly violated Chiyu's sense of justice, especially the indiscriminate strike on innocent civilians.
But matters had reached the point of no return, and Lucci cared nothing for Water 7's "innocent" townsfolk.
He suddenly unleashed the full mastery of the Six Powers.
Boom!
A violent rebound erupted; Franky's Strong Right not only ricocheted but was magnified ten‑fold, hurtling back at its owner.
Franky cried out, "What?!"
His fighting style was pure head‑on power with little dodging; even against an admiral he would gamble everything on a finishing move.
"Coup de Vent!!"
In an instant—
The two forces clashed. Though Coup de Vent was wildly destructive, it was not solid, so it only slowed the punch rather than stopping it.
Bang!
Franky was struck by his own Strong Right, his body hurled through the air!
"Franky!" Iceburg exclaimed.
Spandam clutched his head in panic.
"What do we do? Without a ship, how do we escape the Buster Call?!"
Just then, a horned figure came racing from Water 7's direction.
Spandam was overjoyed.
"That—that's…
Blueno!
Yes! With his Door‑Door Fruit, he can warp us all away instantly!"
Blueno was the most unusual of the CP9 infiltrators.
While Lucci, Kalifa, and Kaku had embedded themselves near Iceburg, Blueno ran a bar in Water 7, so he arrived later.
Lucci and the others nodded slightly. Blueno's power truly could move them to safety at once.
Yet in that same moment—
Blueno had no time to react.
"Huh?"
RUMBLE—
CRACK!!!
A savage bolt of lightning plummeted from the sky, striking Blueno with pinpoint accuracy!
One hit left him charred inside and out.
"What—?!
Wh‑what was that…
Blueno! Get up! We need you to escape!"
Spandam shrieked hysterically.
"You have nowhere left to run."
Spandam and all the CP9 agents looked toward the hazy moonlight.
A lone man was walking toward them—
yet he felt more terrifying than ten thousand men.
It was—
"U‑Uchiha Chiyu?!"
Spandam nearly fainted.
The other CP9 members frowned deeply.
"So that's Uchiha Chiyu— the so‑called Navy God of Slaughter?"
Lucci, Kalifa, and Kaku had met Chiyu before; the others—Fukurou, Kumadori, Jabra—saw him for the first time.
"What power did he use just now?
He summoned that monstrous lightning—was it a Devil Fruit ability?!"
Lucci's brow furrowed.
"Could that be… the legendary Logia hailed as invincible—the Goro Goro no Mi? But that fruit vanished years ago. How did he get it?"
Chiyu stepped past Blueno's paralyzed body.
Without even glancing down, he thrust his famed blade Kazashū straight through Blueno's heart.
Lightning burst forth; a hole blasted in Blueno's torso—he died on the spot.
Spandam and CP9's faces drained of color.
"D‑damn you, Uchiha Chiyu!
You actually killed a CP9 agent!
Do you realize this is open rebellion against the entire World Government?!"
Chiyu replied coolly, "So what?"
Spandam could only shriek wordlessly.
Lucci gave a cruel smile.
"Interesting.
Uchiha Chiyu, I never thought you had such nerve.
Forget the World Government…
Do you think you alone can defeat all of CP9?"
Chiyu said, "I intend to try."
Suddenly he raised an arm; a torrent of lightning erupted.
"Lightning!"
RUMBLE!
The massive bolt split in two, blasting toward Kalifa and Kaku.
They paled, using Soru at full speed to flee.
Chiyu, likewise turning into lightning, flashed forward, rescued Iceburg, and slung him to Franky.
"Can you still move?"
Badly wounded, Franky gritted his teeth. "Of course!"
"Get Iceburg aboard first."
Franky's face changed. "What about you?"
Chiyu didn't answer. He stepped forward—alone—against the whole CP9.
Iceburg shouted, "Vice Admiral! No matter how strong you are, that's the entire CP9!"
"We should retreat!"
"And the Buster Call will launch any moment!"
Without looking back, Chiyu said, "You two go.
This fight will be over before the Buster Call begins."
Iceburg and Franky exchanged a glance—words failed them, yet they knew they would only be a burden.
"Vice Admiral, stay… stay safe!"
Franky added, "I'll drop Iceburg off and come right back to help!"
They dashed away.
Spandam shrieked, "Don't let them escape!"
Fukurou and Jabra powered up to pursue—but RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Two bolts slammed down, hairs standing on end; they stopped short, barely dodging the strikes ahead.
Chiyu said calmly, "I told you—
I am your opponent."
In that instant, even knowing Chiyu's dread reputation, every CP9 member seethed with rage.
Jabra growled, "Uchiha Chiyu, you're underestimating CP9!"
"With us all gathered, we could wipe out an entire Navy battalion, let alone one man!"
Kumadori cried, "If CP9 can't win together, I shall commit seppuku! Ayoye‑ho!"
Fukurou unzipped his mouth. "To challenge all of CP9 alone—unprecedented in naval history! Gababa!"
Lucci said gravely, "Very well. As you wish…
Before the Buster Call fires, let us decide the victor—Uchiha Chiyu!"
Under the misty moon, with Water 7 already encircled and doom approaching, waves crashed against the docks.
One man—Uchiha Chiyu—versus the entire CP9.
~~~
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