Pirate: I, Ace, am the King of Eclipse!

Kaku's glass hovered at his lips, and neither Kalifa nor Bruno uttered a sound. Even Lucci's grip on the receiver tightened slightly.

CP0, CIPHER POL - AIGIS ZERO.

That group didn't belong to a typical intelligence system; they were the Celestial Dragons' direct killing agency. Compared to CP9, which handled the dirty work, CP0 was the World Government's highest-level shield. Its core members possessed Observation Haki and Armament Haki, and any one of them could independently handle threats that ordinary countries couldn't resolve. Their personal arrival in Water 7 indicated that the Five Elders had no intention of leaving room for negotiation.

"The mission has changed from now on." Spandam took a breath, adopting his commanding tone again. "Notify all CP9 agents scattered throughout the city. Before midnight tonight, use your undercover identities to forcibly intercept and cut off the Eclipse Pirates, preventing them from returning to Shipwreck Island to regroup. CP0's leader will descend upon the main battlefield to deal with Portgas D. Ace. The heads of the remaining crew will be credited to my promotion! Understand?"

Before Lucci could answer, the call was unilaterally disconnected. The white Den Den Mushi rolled its eyes, and once again, only the sound of the canal flowing outside the window filled the tavern.

Ten seconds later, Lucci reached up and unbuttoned the coarse cloth jacket that symbolized his identity as a shipwright, tossing it onto the wooden chair. Two years of infiltration had required him to sheathe his fangs and play the role of a silent, reliable worker in the face of the iceberg. Now that his superiors had given him permission to kill, there was no need to continue wearing that disguise.

"Kaku, take off your mask." Lucci took the white suit tie Bruno handed him and tied it around his neck. "Notify the others to select their targets as ordered. The World Government wants to wipe out the Eclipse Pirates tonight, and we'll be responsible for preventing them from meeting up."

He walked to the table and marked the Destroyer Island and several main waterways on the Water 7 map. The Eclipse crew had already dispersed to make purchases during the day, giving CP9 the perfect opportunity to intercept them one by one. Bruno's Door-Door Fruit allowed him to bypass streets and infiltrate from inside any building; Kaku and Kalifa continued to use their identities as shipwright and secretary to approach the target, while other infiltrators would block the route back to the island after receiving the intelligence. They didn't need to defeat the entire pirate crew in one place; they could simply drag each member out until CP0 ended the main battle.

“Don’t alert Ace prematurely.” Lucci’s finger landed on the location of the wrecked island. “No one is allowed to approach before CP0 takes over there. Our mission is to cut off support, not to fight for Spandam’s most dangerous prey.”

Kaku lowered his hat brim, Kalifa put away the intelligence, and Bruno extinguished the last lamp. When the tavern's back door opened again, it wasn't Carrera's shipwright, secretary, and backstreet bartender who came out, but four assassins who had been waiting for a long time.

At the same time, the commercial district remained bustling.

Ace walked out of a street stall carrying several bags of freshly bought seafood. The night breeze blowing from the canal was damp, and a few white doves flew over the rooftops and disappeared into the shadows of the intersecting buildings.

He stopped at the street corner and glanced in the direction the flock of pigeons had disappeared. Karina's voice immediately came through the concealed communication device in his ear.

The Fox Spirit had accessed multiple underground channels in Water Seven. While CP9's white Den Den Mushi could prevent conventional eavesdropping, they couldn't stop her intelligence network, which she had planted in advance along peripheral lines and at personnel nodes. Spandam's purge order, CP9's task of dispersing the crew, and CP0's plan to seal off the Derek Ship Island at midnight—this information had been compiled and sent to Ace's ears one by one.

Ace didn't change his return route, nor did he order everyone to evacuate immediately. He picked up the bag full of seafood and continued walking forward.

During the three months of training at an altitude of 10,000 meters, everyone at Eclipse pushed themselves to new limits. Ordinary enemies could no longer test the training results, but CP9 and CP0 came to them willingly.

Night fell over the City of Water. Assassins tightened their encirclement from all sides, while the cutting machines on Shipwreck Island continued to spew sparks. Neither side showed any sign of stopping; this city, renowned for its shipbuilding, was about to witness a clash of flesh, power, and steel.

Chapter 84 Unveiling the Conspiracy: The Strongest Alliance of the Shipbuilding Holy Land

Nightfall suppressed the last rays of light in Water City, and the lights on both banks fell into the waterways, where they were broken into fragments by the ripples of the water.

On the stone bridge leading to Shipwreck Island, Ace walked at the forefront. The channel network was connected to every crew member, and the intelligence that Karina had just delivered was also simultaneously transmitted into everyone's minds.

"Kalina, this investigation went well."

Ace didn't stop, continuing with tonight's arrangements: "CP0 will arrive in Water Seven around midnight. The CP9 agents infiltrated by the Carrera Corporation have also received orders; they will take advantage of our dispersed positions throughout the city to eliminate everyone and prevent them from returning to the Eclipse."

There was a moment of silence in the channel as everyone awaited his final command.

"Since they want to split the battlefield, then let them do as they please. Nobody needs to rush to the Destroyer Ship Island; stay where you are and wait. These three months on Skypiea aren't for your vacation; tonight is the perfect time to put your cards on the table. If you can't even take down a few spies who've been hiding for years, don't call yourselves members of the Eclipse Pirates when you get to the New World."

"Understood." Leona pushed the tsuba (guard) open slightly with her thumb, listening to the soft sound of the blade grazing the scabbard. "My sword should see blood soon."

"Hahaha! Assassinate me? They'd better send a lot!" Bucky laughed louder than anyone else in the channel. "Even if you chop me into pieces now, you won't be able to hurt a single hair on my head!"

Three months of micro-splitting training certainly gave Buggy the confidence to say that. Ace ignored his boasting, and after confirming that everyone was in battle mode, turned his attention to Sabo alone.

"Go to the Carrera Corporation headquarters and find Iceberg. Tell him about Lucci, Kaku, and Kalifa's identities. Whether he believes you or not, take them to the Derek Island first. The Eclipse's refit is at a critical stage, and we need the best shipwrights here."

"clear."

Sabo cut off communications, changed direction, and disappeared at the end of another waterway.

Half an hour later, at Carrera's headquarters.

The light in the mayor's office was still on. On the heavy solid wood table were spread out timber prices, shipyard orders, and progress reports for various projects. Iceberg leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. The little white mouse in his pocket was fast asleep, completely unaware of the sound of the papers being turned.

These reports were already a headache enough, but the pressure from the World Government had kept him up all night for years. The Five Elders wanted the ancient weapon blueprints left by Tom; if they got their hands on those papers, "Pluto" might reappear on the sea. No matter the cost, Iceberg couldn't be handed over.

He reached for his coffee, but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted someone on the sofa opposite his desk.

With short blond hair and a dark blue tuxedo, the person sat casually, as if they had been waiting there for a long time.

Iceberg immediately reached under the table to sound the alarm: "Who's there?!"

"Don't press it yet." Sabo gestured that he wasn't holding a weapon, his gaze falling on Iceberg's hand. "Of the security personnel you called, at least three want you dead more."

Iceberg didn't stop: "Why should I believe such a thing from a pirate who broke into the mayor's mansion?"

“Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, and Bruno from the backstreet tavern.” Sabo rattled off four names in one breath. “They belong to the World Government’s CP9 and have been lurking here for years, all for the 'Pluton' blueprints. The Eclipse Pirates’ appearance in Water 7 has already made those above lose their patience. They will make their move at dawn tonight.”

Iceberg's finger stopped next to the alarm.

These names practically occupied the most important positions around him: the core shipwright of Dock One, his secretary who had been by his side for many years, and the tavern owner with whom he usually discussed business. If it were just a lie fabricated by a stranger, it would be far too accurate.

"Where's the evidence?" Iceberg stood up from behind the table. "Just because you know a few names doesn't mean they're government agents."

“I don’t have time to help you investigate.” Sabo also got up and walked towards the door. “You should have noticed over the years that there’s always someone around you waiting for you to slip up. You can stay here and take a gamble, or you can come with me to meet someone.”

Iceberg stared at his retreating figure: "Who?"

Sabo stopped in front of the door, turned around and said, "Carter Fram."

The coffee cup was knocked over by Iceberg's elbow, and the brown liquid spilled over the edge of the table, wetting the carpet.

“He’s dead.” Iceberg’s breathing became erratic. “Everyone saw the day the sea train hit him.”

“He’s alive, and he’s right here on Shipwreck Island. He’s currently working with our mechanics to refit the Eclipse.” Saborah opened the door. “The government will find him sooner or later. Do you want to keep sitting here waiting for CP9 to make their move, or do you want to go see your junior colleague for yourself? The decision is yours.”

Iceberg hesitated for only two seconds before grabbing his coat from the back of the chair and chasing after him.

Even in the dead of night, the derelict ship island was still brightly lit by cutting machines and welding torches. The Eclipse sat in the center of the dock, its disassembled armor, keel joints, and wiring throughout the hull making it look like a steel behemoth undergoing a skeletal replacement. A dozen external tracked cranes operated simultaneously around the hull, while small robots carried parts back and forth among the scaffolding.

When the iceberg arrived, the first thing it saw was the figure standing in the middle of the crane arm, shouting loudly.

Blue pompadour, floral shirt, robotic arm, and those unchanged briefs.

"You bastard..." Iceberg stood there, the rest of the words stuck in his throat.

Franky turned around at the sound, his eyes widening behind his sunglasses: "Idiot Iceberg?!"

The two rushed together, and as soon as Franky opened his arms, tears streamed down his face: "What are you doing in a place like this! War is about to break out here!"

"Let go first, your iron arm is about to break me!" Iceberg punched him on the head, but his eyes were also red.

After a brief period of chaos, Franky explained the Eclipse Pirates' purpose, the lunar technology that Zeno possessed, and the World Government's actions that night. Iceberg didn't answer immediately. He walked to the oil drum, picked up the unfolded modification blueprints, and after only a few glances, his expression was completely absorbed by the structure in the blueprints.

The lunar engine, the ship's intelligent weapon control circuit, the composite hull of meteorite black steel and precious tree Adam, and an astonishingly large bow ram. Any one of these features alone would be enough to keep the shipbuilding industry debating for years.

Iceberg's fingers slid down the stress lines of the keel, then he suddenly looked up: "Stop! That piece of black steel can't be cut at this angle!"

Geno, who was operating the crane boom, turned his head and looked over.

“The weight of the meteorite impact ram exceeds the existing ship standards, so we’ll directly use a metal chassis assembly method. The first full-speed impact will send stress into the main keel.” Iceberg took off his suit jacket, hung it on a scrap metal rack, rolled up his sleeves, and walked into the dock. “Lower the third set of cranes by half a meter and remove this section of the joint first. I’ll use underwater multi-dimensional mortise and tenon joints to reassemble it, allowing the wooden keel and the black steel armor to share the pressure.”

Jeno recalculated the calculations against the blueprints, then pushed his goggles up to his forehead: "Hey, you in the suit, you've got some skills. Come over here and lend a hand. Let's assemble the main valve frame tonight!"

"Don't call me that, I'm an iceberg."

"Names don't matter when you're doing the work!"

Franky grinned as he watched the two argue and readjust the crane boom, then jumped onto the scaffolding. For the first time, Tom's two apprentices and Jeno, who possessed lunar technology, stood in the same dock. Their technical approaches differed, yet they could all immediately find feasible solutions to the questions raised by the other.

The tracks started turning again, and welding flashes lit up the screen. Small robots carried parts in a row, and the assembly and weapon installation of the Eclipse's main body increased once more.

Iceberg quickly discovered that Jeno's modifications weren't simply about piling weapons onto the ship. The lunar engines provided power far exceeding any existing shipboard equipment in Water Seven; if a conventional warship's transmission system were used, the torque generated during startup would be enough to snap half of the main shaft. Therefore, Jeno eliminated most of the mechanical transmissions, preparing to distribute power throughout the hull via a new energy circuit.

The problem lies precisely here. While the Adam Wood can withstand the impacts of the sea, and the Meteorite Black Steel is suitable for encasing the hull, the two materials have different deformation ranges. The problem isn't apparent during navigation, but once the ram, main guns, and lunar engines are operating simultaneously, the joints become the first points of failure.

“Add three more movable tenons here.” Iceberg took a charcoal pencil and corrected the straight joints on the drawing. “Let the wooden keel retain some room for expansion and contraction, and the outer black steel will be responsible for preventing deformation. As long as the two materials are not welded together, the impact can be distributed throughout the entire hull.”

Jeno stared at the few changes and immediately called the small robot to recalculate. Soon, a series of confirmed data appeared on the screen of the lunar instrument.

Franky patted his chest and laughed, "This is the work of Tom's Workshop! Leave the power to Jeno, the hull to us, and by daybreak, this ship will be super—"

"Stop posing and get the port side support up first!" Iceberg kicked him in the butt.

The brothers' argument echoed through the dock once more. Sabo didn't disturb them, turning to climb onto a piece of wrecked ship and gazing towards Water Seven. On the network, others were reporting enemy activity. As planned by Ace, he would soon be heading to the breakwater as well.

Just as construction sounds resumed on Shipwreck Island, three white figures were leaping across the sea, approaching the outer perimeter of Water Seven.

On the other side, Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, and Bruno also received final permission: to arrest the Eclipse members scattered throughout the city, and to execute them if they could not be captured alive.

They assumed the prey had already been cut open.

Within the channel network, however, no one lost contact.

Chapter 85 The Dark Water City: The Mismatch Between Agent and Prey (Part 2)

After midnight, no ships could be seen sailing on the waterways. Fog drifted from the sea into the city, obscuring most of the outlines of stone bridges, towers, and warehouses. The residents had long since turned off their lights and gone to sleep, with only the sound of the tide lapping against the foundation stones echoing through the alleyways.

CP9 chose the most opportune moment for the assassination and assigned someone to carry out the execution for each target.

In the abandoned warehouse area on the south side of the main city, Urki sat cross-legged on a pile of timber, picking up an oak barrel and chugging wine. He was only wearing a pair of monk's trousers, his broad back completely exposed to the night, as if he had no idea that someone was approaching.

A dark shadow swept across the warehouse wall through the fog, landing without stirring up a speck of dust.

Rob Lucci pressed himself against Urouge's back, his taut index finger already aimed at his heart. Powered by the Six Powers, that finger was strong enough to pierce steel plates; there was no killing intent before it struck, nor was there a sound of wind.

The finger gun pierced the flesh, drawing a small amount of blood, but stopped less than two inches away.

Lucci's fingertips were gripped by clenched muscles, and the bones beneath felt like a single, continuous slab of rock, preventing any further force from penetrating.

"You didn't hold back, benefactor."

Urki tilted his head back and finished the last sip of his drink, his back muscles suddenly tensing. Lucci felt a jolt in his knuckles, immediately pulled his hand away and stepped back, his shoe leaving two shallow marks on the ground.

Urki lifted the hexagonal iron pillar from beside the timber and slammed it into the ground, causing several rotten planks around it to spring up. He turned around, wiping the wine from his mouth: "Rob Lucci, right? The Fox said someone would come looking for me tonight, and he specifically mentioned your name."

Lucci glanced at his blood-stained fingertips. The other person's wound wasn't deep, but what was more troublesome was that the Eclipse Pirates already knew about CP9's personnel and the timing of their operation.

“The intelligence can get inside Carrera, and you’re not as bulky as you look.” Lucci loosened his tie, his bones cracking from his shoulders to his wrists. “Unfortunately, knowing who’s after you doesn’t guarantee you’ll live past tonight.”

Ulki stood up, his figure almost blocking the moonlight from the warehouse doorway. He hoisted the iron pillar onto his shoulder, the bleeding from his wounds slowing down: "This body has been beaten up on Sky Island for three months. That last blow was just to sober me up."

At the same time, in the canal area on the north side.

Several gusts of wind-like energy slashed from the rooftops, the bridge deck, and the side waterways simultaneously, their blue crescents intersecting and slicing the bridgehead where Leona stood into a gradually tightening net of blades.

Leona's closed eyes snapped open. She had already heard the faint creaking of the roof tiles under the force of the impact, and she had also spotted the only gap between the slashing waves that allowed a person to pass through. Shifting her position quickly, she sidestepped the first slash, then ducked down and passed under the two intersecting slashing waves. The final vacuum blade grazed the hem of her trench coat and landed on the stone bridge behind her, instantly creating more than a dozen deep cracks in the bridge surface.

"The sound of leg thrust was too clear." Leona pressed her hand on the twin swords at her waist and looked up at the rooftops across the bridge. "Trying to ambush me with something like that? You're a little short."

Kaku, wearing a white baseball cap, leaped down from the rooftop, his two long swords pointing at the ground, one in front of the other: "Knowing our identities beforehand, and still managing to avoid the Four-Sword Flowing Mist Kick. You were better prepared than the government anticipated."

"Crazy Chef." Leona drew her black steel cleaver and silver boning blade, and told him her title. "If you make it back alive, remember not to write it wrong."

Kaku lowered his blade: "This is a shipbuilding city, I don't want to destroy too many buildings. Draw your sword and come with me to the waterways below to fight."