Just as the two were about to test whether the name "Ron" held any power, a new, far more immediate threat arrived.
Members of CP9 materialized like ghosts along the coastline, their white suits a stark contrast to the dark, submerged ruins of Jaya.
Their eyes, sharp as hawks, bypassed the two women and locked onto the true anomaly: Shiki, and the magnificent, impossible kingdom he was constructing in the sky.
Even these elite, hardened agents, who had witnessed countless battles and powerful figures, could not help but be shocked by the scene.
"Is that… Shiki?" Kaku murmured, his voice filled with disbelief.
He knew the legends.
Shiki had lost both legs during his prison break decades ago, yet the man in the sky was whole, restored, and displaying terrifying power.
Lucci stared coldly at the distant sky, a trace of gravity flashing in his own calculating eyes.
"It seems the rumors are true. Shiki has not only recovered but is carrying out some kind of insane plan. These floating islands… his power has surpassed all reason."
Jabra sneered, his tone dripping with a feral disdain.
"Hmph, no matter how powerful he is, he's still just a madman. Our mission is to take Nico Robin. Everything else is none of our concern."
"Jabra, this is a classified operation," Lucci warned, his voice a low growl. "You'd better behave and not expose our identities to him."
"Hmph!" Jabra snorted but didn't argue further.
Kalifa adjusted her glasses, her gaze sweeping over the distant islands.
Her voice was calm but carried a hint of caution.
"Don't let your guard down. Shiki's very existence is a variable. If he decides to join forces with Robin, things could become very troublesome."
As the CP9 members were quietly discussing, their eyes locked back onto the figures on the shore.
The target, Nico Robin, and her companion, seemingly finished with their failed negotiation.
Lucci's eyes turned cold. "The target is right there. Let's move."
Before his words faded, the CP9 members shot toward Robin and Nami like white arrows.
Their speed, empowered by Soru, was incredible, closing the distance almost instantly.
Robin, with instincts honed by a lifetime of being hunted, sensed the danger.
She turn around, her eyes widening as she met Lucci's cold, predatory gaze.
"CP9," she breathed, her voice low, her body tensing.
Nami also sensed the sudden, killing intent and asked nervously.
"Robin, who are they?"
Instead of answering, Robin quickly stepped in front of Nami, her gaze cold and stern.
She knew these were the World Government's most elite assassins, and they had only one target—her.
Lucci was the first to stop, landing silently a few meters away.
His tone was icy and direct. "Nico Robin, your running ends here. Come back with us. This is your final warning."
Robin let out a cold laugh, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"Go back? With you executioners? Do you really think I would?"
Jabra cut in impatiently, "Enough talk! Do you think you have a choice? Your very existence is a sin! Wherever you go, you bring misfortune to those around you!"
These words struck Robin like a sharp blade.
Her eyes trembled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.
Nami, however, couldn't contain her anger. "What nonsense are you spouting! Robin is our friend! She's no embodiment of sin!"
Kalifa cast a cold, pitying glance at Nami.
"Ignorant woman. You have no idea who she truly is." She pushed her glasses up, the light glinting off the lenses.
"Nico Robin, the Devil Child, the sole survivor of Ohara. Her very existence is a threat to the world. If I recall correctly, your Straw Hat crew was already defeated. The reason you keep falling into crises is precisely because of the misfortune she brings!"
Robin's fists clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.
She couldn't deny it—the crew had faced danger multiple times because of her.
Seeing her silence, Lucci pressed his advantage.
"You should understand. Your existence only brings disaster to those around you. Come back with us, and at least her life can be spared."
Robin lifted her head, her gaze firm and icy. "And if I refuse?"
A flicker of killing intent flashed in Lucci's eyes.
"Then don't blame us for being ruthless."
No sooner had he spoken, they attacked.
Kaku's figure shot forward, his legs slicing through the air like blades.
Jabra transformed into his wolf-hybrid form, his sharp claws closing in from the flank.
Kalifa and Lucci moved to block the other two directions, trapping her completely.
Robin reacted swiftly, crossing her arms.
"Mil Fleur: Spider Flower!"
Countless arms sprouted from the ground and the air, weaving a net to block their assault.
However, these agents' speed and strength far surpassed ordinary people.
They tore through her defenses with ease.
Seeing this, Nami tried to assist with her staff, but Jabra easily dodged her attack and countered, sending her flying back several meters with a contemptuous backhand.
"Nami!" Robin exclaimed, a trace of anxiety flashing in her eyes.
She knew that if this continued, Nami would be killed.
Just then, a booming, mocking voice came from the sky.
"Oh? Looks like it's quite lively down here."
The CP9 members looked up simultaneously to see Shiki hovering high above, looking down at them with a cold, amused smirk.
Lucci frowned.
"Shiki," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "This is World Government business. It has nothing to do with you."
Shiki laughed heartily, his "Jihahaha" echoing across the water.
"The World Government? In my eyes, you're nothing but a bunch of arrogant trash. You're causing trouble on my turf. Did you ask for my opinion?"
Jabra snorted coldly. "Enough talk, old man! We don't have time to waste on you!"
Shiki's eyes turned cold, his voice carrying an obvious killing intent.
"Ignorant brats who don't know their place. It seems you need a lesson in respecting your elders."
Before he even finished speaking, he swung his arm violently.
High above, one of the smaller floating islands in his vast fleet detached and instantly plummeted toward the CP9 members.
A massive shadow enveloped the entire area, as if the sky itself were collapsing.
The CP9 members' eyes widened in shock.
They quickly scattered, using Soru and Geppo to evade the fatal blow.
However, the island's descent was too fast, the area of impact too wide.
Kaku and Jabra were sent flying several meters by the sheer shockwave, crashing into the jungle.
Kalifa barely avoided the direct impact, but the wind pressure shredded her suit, leaving her disheveled and exposed.
Only Lucci, reacting a split-second faster, managed to escape completely, landing on a nearby patch of wreckage, his face was a mask of cold fury.