Water Seven. Water 7. Iceberg's Mansion.
"Why?"
Iceberg didn't understand why CP0 suddenly appeared and demanded that Iceberg gather all his master shipwrights to go to Marineford with CP0.
"No reason..."
"It's just that Fleet Admiral Sakazuki invited Mr. Iceberg and his subordinates to be guests at Marineford..."
"To reward everyone for their hard work."
Lucci's pigeon, Hattori, conveyed Lucci's meaning.
"Tell me the truth, don't beat around the bush, or I won't gather everyone to go with you," Iceberg said firmly, eager to know the reason.
"Mr. Iceberg, you have no choice."
"If you don't come with us, then all we can bring back are the corpses of your shipwrights. Please consider carefully."
Lucci was expressionless, and Hattori, the pigeon, threatened Iceberg on Lucci's behalf. In reality, it was impossible to kill the shipwrights; these were just words to sow discord in Iceberg's heart.
"You!..."
"Does your World Government always act so lawlessly!?"
Iceberg's veins bulged, and he angrily questioned Lucci in a loud voice.
Iceberg couldn't help but be angry. The World Government's arrogant and unreasonable threats against his subordinates, whom he regarded as family, pushed Iceberg to his limit, yet he was helpless.
"The World Government is justice, and everything it does is righteous. How can it be lawless?"
Lucci, who believed in dark justice like Akainu, didn't think there was anything wrong with doing this.
"Don't waste time. Call them over."
"We don't have much time, and our patience is limited."
Lucci didn't want any complications or unforeseen events and impatiently urged Iceberg.
Iceberg knew that for now, he could only follow the World Government's wishes, so he picked up the Den Den Mushi and helplessly summoned his shipwrights.
Before the shipwrights arrived, Roux and Golden Lion arrived first.
"Yo..."
"It's lively, isn't it?..."
"Is this a meeting?..."
"We're not too late, are we?"
Roux and Golden Lion appeared out of thin air beside Iceberg, smiling and greeting everyone as if they were very familiar.
Lucci and the others frowned at Roux's appearance. "What's going on?"
"Isn't taking Iceberg back to Marineford a secret mission?..."
"Why would the Akatsuki Organization know and appear here?..."
"Did the news leak?..."
"Only we, who are executing the mission, and Marineford know the news..."
"The news couldn't have leaked from Marineford..."
"Nor could it have leaked from the four of us..."
Lucci couldn't understand why a secret mission would be known by the Akatsuki Organization and interfered with.
"Where is Shichibukai Hancock now?..."
"Shouldn't she be here to meet us?..."
"Could it be..."
"That's it..."
"The news must have leaked from Hancock!"
The more Lucci thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Otherwise, why was the expected Hancock not here, but members of the Akatsuki Organization had arrived? After realizing where the problem lay, Lucci was also conflicted.
Lucci believed the situation was now complicated. If they started a fight in front of Iceberg, the battle's fluctuations could easily affect Iceberg.
If they didn't fight, it would be impossible to take Iceberg and the others now. Since the Akatsuki Organization had come, they wouldn't do nothing.
Kaku saw Lucci silent and knew he must be thinking of a solution, so he deliberately spoke up to sarcastically provoke Roux.
"A loser..."
"What right do you have to shout here?..."
"Do we, CP0, need you to point fingers here?..."
"Ah... yes..."
"I almost forgot your 'grace' from back then!..."
"I should thank you for my growth!"
"In our eyes, there is no such thing as CP0..."
"Wasn't this organization disbanded in disarray by our organization?..."
"Why are you still here boasting?"
"Mr. Iceberg is a distinguished guest of our Akatsuki Organization. We invited Mr. Iceberg to be a guest at our headquarters. Does this have anything to do with you damn CP0?"
Roux's series of seemingly casual words showed no mercy to CP0 and the others, making them out to be worthless. With Golden Lion by his side, Roux wasn't afraid of them making a move.
Lucci was deep in thought, devising a strategy, when he heard Roux's sarcasm. Like a mouse with its tail stepped on, he glared at Roux with a chilling gaze, wishing he could immediately step forward and kill Roux.
But Lucci, when not in a state of complete rage, was quite rational. He knew Roux's words were meant to provoke them, so he didn't retaliate with words.
Kaku's face turned red and then pale because of Roux's words, looking like a balloon about to burst at any moment.
Lucci understood the impact of Roux's words on everyone and quickly spoke to stop the enraged Kaku, preventing him from acting impulsively.
"Since everyone has the same goal..."
"Then let's speak with strength."
"This is not a place for battle..."
"Let's go outside to resolve this."
The solution Lucci came up with now was to resolve it through battle. The winning side would take Iceberg and the others; the losing side, if they survived, it was their own ability, and if they died, no one was to blame.
Lucci led everyone out of Iceberg's Mansion. Lucci signaled Nero with his eyes, and Nero, understanding, disappeared.
Lucci's meaning was simple: have Nero use his ability to leave and inform Akainu of the situation here, requesting support.
Lucci was no longer the arrogant war machine he once was; he now considered the bigger picture. Lucci indeed wanted revenge, but he also hoped Akainu would bring people to destroy the Akatsuki Organization, leaving no future troubles.
At the same time, he hoped that all of CP0 would survive the upcoming battle, and support from Marineford became the only guarantee of survival.
After Lucci and the others left, Roux and Golden Lion did not immediately follow.
Pain's Illusion Body suddenly appeared beside Roux, and he learned of the current situation.
Pain instructed Roux that his next mission was to take Iceberg and the shipwrights to Floating Island to avoid danger. Pain's Animal Path had already stealthily followed Lucci and the others.
Pain also arranged for Konan, who had finished her battle, to come here, preparing to deal with the upcoming fight alongside Golden Lion.
Pain did not let Kozuki Oden leave the island, telling Kozuki Oden and Roux to observe the situation and not to intervene unless the situation became very dangerous.
Lucci led everyone to Junk Island, where a pile of discarded ships and garbage lay, so he wasn't afraid of battle damage.
Lucci had considered the impact and thus chose such a battleground. Lucci had told Nero to inform Akainu and then return to keep an eye on Iceberg, but he was a step too late.
Nero returned to Iceberg's Mansion and hid in a spatial rift, but he witnessed Iceberg being taken by Roux and disappearing into thin air.
Nero quickly found a safe place to inform Lucci. Lucci's first reaction was to intercept the shipwrights, not allowing them to be taken away again.
But Nero's speed was no match for Roux's. Although both had space-attribute Devil Fruits, Nero's ability manifested more in offense.
This time, CP0 and the others were once again indirectly outmaneuvered by the Akatsuki Organization.
Pain and the others' unconventional tactics repeatedly disrupted the World Government's plans, turning this plan to annihilate the Akatsuki Organization into a joke full of loopholes, forcing them to engage in open warfare prematurely.
At Junk Island, Animal Path appeared out of thin air not far from Lucci and the others.
In mid-air, Golden Lion flew from a distance and landed beside Animal Path.
Lucci, Kaku, and Jabra stood opposite Animal Path and Golden Lion.
This time, with Oden not participating, where would the scales of victory tip?... To be continued...
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