Above the frozen sea, silence stretched as Shirogai Yamikuro and Aokiji faced one another. The portal created by the Door-Door Fruit faded away, leaving only the two of them suspended in the icy air.
Robin had glanced back once before stepping through the green spatial fold. When the portal shut completely, the world returned to stillness.
Aokiji exhaled softly, his breath forming mist in the freezing atmosphere.
"Shirogai," he said lazily, eyes half-open, "you should know very well that Nico Robin was deliberately released as bait. They want to lure you in. I thought you would have stopped her."
He yawned as he spoke, watching Shirogai's calm expression.
"Don't you worry"
Shirogai slipped his hands casually into his pockets.
"Rather than worrying about Robin, Aokiji, I'm more worried about CP9's safety."
He smiled faintly.
"If someone insists on seeking death, no one can stop them."
Aokiji blinked slowly.
"Oh? So you left something on Robin, did you…?"
He seemed to consider alerting CP9, then shrugged.
"Forget it. That's not part of my job."
Crack… crack…
Aokiji rose from his ice seat, cold air swirling around him as he condensed razor-sharp ice crystals in both hands.
"Come on then, Shirogai. Show me how strong you really are. Last time, you didn't use your full power."
Shirogai lifted his hands, frost gathering on his fingertips.
"Heh. You'll be disappointed, Admiral. You alone aren't enough to make me go all out."
Aokiji wasn't interested in exchanging words. His eyes narrowed.
"Two Thorns Spear!"
He stepped forward, extending a hand. In an instant, countless ice spears materialized in the air behind him, thick as a swarm of arrows, shooting toward Shirogai with deadly speed.
Shirogai's smile sharpened.
"Frost Arrow Rain."
Cold air burst from his palms. Tens of thousands of glittering ice arrows formed simultaneously, colliding head-on with Aokiji's barrage.
Boom!
The shockwave of freezing force blasted across the entire sea, filling the air with so much frost that visibility dropped to zero.
The two powers clashed inside a world of white.
…
Inside the alternate space.
Blueno stood still for several seconds, making sure nothing had followed them. Only when he confirmed no sign of Shirogai did he finally exhale with relief.
"Good. That monster didn't follow."
He straightened himself. Tonight, one of his backup plans was to act as bait, dragging Shirogai away by using Robin as leverage. But thankfully, no additional clones showed up. It seemed Shirogai could only create two clones at most, and all of them—even the main body—were occupied with the Marine Admirals.
Blueno drew a circular shape in the air, opening another Door-Door Fruit portal.
"Let's go, Nico Robin."
He stepped out first, his masked face giving nothing away. Robin followed silently as the portal faded behind them.
The corridor beyond was dim and quiet, lit only by moonlight spilling through the tall windows. Their footsteps echoed faintly, but no one nearby was awake enough to notice.
Robin walked behind Blueno, her wrists bound with Sea Stone cuffs he had applied himself. With her abilities suppressed, she could pose no threat to him.
"Push me," Blueno said suddenly, placing his hand on the wall.
Robin calmly complied.
A creaking sound echoed, and Blueno's body rotated open like a human-shaped door, revealing a dark room on the other side.
Robin stepped through, her gaze narrowing at the sight of a man sleeping soundly inside.
Iceberg… the mayor of Water 7.
CP9's target.
Robin knew all too well what it meant to be on CP9's list. Those who became their targets rarely survived. Whether it was possession of secrets the World Government wanted, or refusing to bow their heads and join them, the outcome was always the same.
The chosen "cause of death" depended on what suited the Government best.
Shot eight times in the back during a supposed suicide.
Poisoned at home by a "coincidental" drink.
Most commonly, a pirate attack.
Because in this world, blaming pirates was the easiest and most convenient explanation.
Blueno walked closer to the sleeping Iceberg, his tone cold and echoing behind the mask.
"Iceberg Mayor, you're sleeping soundly."
For five years, CP9 had infiltrated Water 7, disguising themselves as ordinary citizens and workers, but Iceberg had never slipped, never revealed anything related to the Pluton blueprints.
Blueno had even come to respect him.
What impressed him most was Iceberg's restraint. CP9 had sent Kalifa to him specifically, a secretary of stunning beauty, elegance, and seductive charm. For five years straight, Kalifa had stayed close to Iceberg in every possible way.
And yet… Iceberg never wavered.
Had they not personally verified that his preferences were indeed for women, CP9's superiors would have doubted even his orientation.
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