"That's enough."
Kalifa straightened up, the edges of her black fishnet stockings slightly dusted. The golden hair that had been tousled by the shockwave was now neatly swept back again. She wiped the corner of her lips with her hand, her fingertips leaving no trace of emotion behind. Behind her glasses, her eyes held only a calm stillness, as if the previous humiliation had never occurred.
"This is my choice." Kalifa's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone clearly. "CP9 Regulation, Article 7: The continuation of the mission takes precedence over personal will. When sacrifice is unavoidable, the survival of the collective must be prioritized."
Lucci's gaze fell on Kalifa. His eyes, which had just shed their beastly ferocity, churned with complex emotions. After staring at her tense profile for a moment, he finally loosened his clenched fist, his dislocated left arm hanging limply.
Ryan chuckled from the sofa, saying nothing more as he leisurely adjusted his collar and sheathed the Seven Star Sword and Ivory Sword back at his waist. The faint clink of metal was unusually clear in the silent room. His eyes flicked to the silent Kalifa, his tone carrying its usual playful edge. "Want to come with me?"
"I refuse." Kalifa turned her head away almost immediately, her golden hair falling to obscure half her face.
Unfazed by her coldness, Ryan laughed lightly. "You should understand—Enies Lobby has sunk. The World Government will need scapegoats. As long as you're alive, you're a ticking time bomb around Spandam's neck. Do you really think that trash would keep a group of 'witnesses' around who could expose him at any moment?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tense backs of Kaku and the others, sneering. "Right now, you're not even worthy of being dragged to trial. In the eyes of the World Government, you're no longer CP9's blades—just 'stains' that need to be quietly erased."
Kalifa's fingers clenched abruptly, crumpling the fabric of her form-fitting dress into deep creases.
Of course she understood. Spandam's pettiness, the World Government's ruthlessness—these were survival principles ingrained in CP9's very bones.
"However, nothing is absolute. As long as you can still prove your worth, there might still be a way back. But before that..." Ryan's gaze settled on Kalifa. "You need a safe place to stay, somewhere you can catch your breath—even rebuild your leverage."
This wasn't a lie. In the original story, they had returned to the World Government, even rising to CP0. Though it was unclear how they managed it, overturning the power structure under Spandam and his father was no simple feat.
"What do you mean?" Lucci suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse.
"Simple." Ryan finally glanced at him. "I can offer you a safe haven under the protection of a Warlord. The World Government won't trouble you there. You'll have enough time to prove your worth and regain their favor."
"The price." Lucci's eyes bore into Ryan, his voice still rough.
Ryan smirked, suddenly reaching out to tilt Kalifa's chin up with a fingertip, forcing her to face him. He made no attempt to hide his intentions. "Of course, it's this beauty right here."
All this talk was simply because he had his eye on Kalifa. No one understood the untapped potential of the Bubble-Bubble Fruit better than Ryan. Otherwise, why would he bother with this group of battered remnants?
"Don't push your luck." Kalifa jerked her head away, her movement so swift it stirred a gust of wind. She adjusted her glasses, the tips of her ears faintly reddening beneath her golden hair—not from shyness, but from indignation at the affront.
"Trading a comrade for survival?" Lucci's gaze shifted between Ryan and Kalifa, his dislocated left arm trembling slightly from exertion. Yet his back remained straight as he sneered. "CP9 hasn't fallen that low."
"Think it over." Ignoring Rob Lucci, Ryan withdrew his hand and turned toward the door. "I'll be staying on Saint White Poplar Island for the next two days. Come find me if you change your mind."
He was merely offering them another path. Whether they took it was up to them.
Then, golden flames suddenly erupted around Ryan. His bones crackled as his body rapidly expanded within the blaze. In the blink of an eye, his human form had transformed into a Giant Dragon covered in peach-colored Scales, stepping onto pale golden Flame Clouds as it shattered the roof and soared into the sky. A golden tail of fire streaked across the horizon before vanishing into the clouds.
The room was left in ruins, with only the stunned gasps of the CP9 members remaining.
"What... what kind of Monster is that?!" Jabura's jaw hung open wide enough to fit a fist. The usually hot-tempered man had forgotten his anger, leaving only sheer astonishment.
"That's a Mythical Zoan!"
Kaku's hand trembled slightly around his broken sword, his eyes fixed on the hole in the roof. Even Blueno's round face showed uncharacteristic shock, and Fukurou forgot to unzip his mouth.
In contrast, Lucci's reaction was the most intense of all. His rigid back jolted violently, the sudden movement sending sharp pain through his dislocated arm—yet he seemed oblivious. His gaze remained locked on the direction the Dragon had disappeared, filled with a mix of awe, wariness, and even a trace of disbelief. The overwhelming pressure exuded by the Dragon had nearly crushed his pride as a warrior.
As the Dragon vanished, Lucci finally tore his eyes from the sky, looking down at his dislocated arm. The bandages were already soaked with fresh blood, dark red droplets falling to the floor and pooling amid the wood splinters.
"Let's treat the injuries first." Kalifa's voice broke the silence as she adjusted her glasses, surveying the wreckage. "To the medical station."
Lucci didn't respond, simply turning to leave.
Jabura, Kaku, and Blueno followed silently. No one spoke.
At the medical station, the scent of antiseptic mingled with blood. Lucci sat on a chair as a medic unwrapped the old bandages. Though his dislocated joint had been reset, the repeated strain had left it badly swollen, the edges of the wound an unhealthy red.
The medic worked steadily, applying antiseptic. When it touched the wound, Lucci only let out a faint grunt deep in his throat, not even flinching.
"This needs to be immobilized." The medic retrieved a splint from the medical kit. "No strain for at least three days."
Lucci gave a curt "Mm." Once his left arm was bandaged, the medic packed up and left. But as soon as they stepped out, the sound of marching boots echoed outside. A flood of Enies Lobby soldiers poured into the room, surrounding them.
The officer at the front raised his sword and declared loudly, "By order of Chief Spandine! CP9 traitors Rob Lucci, Kalifa, and others are to be executed on the spot for attempted desertion and leaking government secrets!"
"Chief Spandine? That trash Spandam's father?" Jabura snapped his head up. "Attacking the moment the Warlord leaves—what an impatient old bastard."
Kaku's expression darkened. "They're pinning Enies Lobby's mess on us, and now they won't even let us explain?"
The soldiers ignored their protests, dozens of cold gun barrels trained on them as they advanced step by step.
Rob Lucci slowly rose to his feet, his bandaged left arm hanging slightly. His uninjured right hand clenched into a fist, his face stormy. The eyes that had just shed their beastly ferocity now held only icy detachment.
From the day he joined CP9, he had known the World Government's ruthlessness. But he had never imagined they would discard him so easily.
"Fire!" the officer barked.
The instant the gunshots rang out, Lucci's figure blurred into an afterimage. Without even using Soru, his speed far surpassed normal levels as he shot toward the officer like a black lightning bolt.
"Kill them!" Jabura roared, transforming into his wolf form and charging after Lucci, knocking soldiers aside left and right.
Kaku unleashed Rankyaku, each strike powerful enough to send soldiers flying. Kalifa, Blueno, Fukurou, and Kumadori weaved through the ranks, launching surprise attacks.
The battle didn't last long. CP9 were elite agents trained by the World Government—even injured, they were more than a match for ordinary soldiers.
Soon, the soldiers lay strewn across the ground, incapacitated.
Standing amid the wreckage, Lucci wiped a trace of blood from his lips. His gaze turned toward the turbulent sea in the distance. After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke. "Let's go."
"Where to?" Jabura asked, puzzled.
"Saint White Poplar Island." Lucci's voice was low but firm. "If Ryan wants to recruit us, let him see that CP9 isn't so easily controlled. What we've lost—I'll take it back with my own hands!"
With that, Rob Lucci strode toward the harbor, his steps steady and resolute, radiating an unshakable determination. Jabura, Kaku, Blueno, and the others exchanged glances, a glimmer of understanding in their eyes before quickly following.
Once Lucci made a decision, he would see it through to the end. And this time, Saint White Poplar Island might just be the key to turning the tables. They would reclaim CP9's dignity—in their own way.