Chapter 167: Baltigo

After concluding their business in Water Seven, Luo Ning gained a valuable asset: a special agent organization. Lucci and his team recruited the remaining CP9 agents who had escaped Enies Lobby. These agents had nowhere else to turn. Spandine had no intention of letting them go, so escape or face death was their only choice. Lucci's phone call served as a lifeline, a stark contrast to their perception of him being useless.

Lucci's swift defection secured a new patron – Luo Ning – who, in their eyes, was far more reliable than the World Government. The World Government held little regard for these lower-ranked agents, making Luo Ning a much more appealing employer.

Spandine was left fuming. No agents were captured, and his anger only intensified upon discovering Lucci and his team's complete disappearance. The reach of the CP0 proved insufficient for locating them.

With this chapter closed, Luo Ning with Robin returned to Impel Down. The following days resumed their usual routine. He promptly sent Lucci and his team to the training room for an intensive training period. Due to their mission-heavy schedules, their strength had stagnated.

Originally, after rejoining CP0, Lucci's combat power skyrocketed, surpassing even Luffy's growth rate. This rapid advancement highlights Lucci's exceptional talent.

Following a period of rigorous training, Lucci's strength surged, reaching the level of an alternate Headquarters Admiral. Further improvement wasn't out of the question, but it would require a period of focused development.

In truth, this level of power was quite satisfactory for Lucci. The other agents also witnessed significant improvements, though the disparity between them and Lucci remained considerable.

After everything settled down, about half a month later, Luo Ning received another call, this time from Dragon. He hadn't contacted Dragon for a long time after agreeing to trade with him.

However, he had gotten quite a lot of intelligence from the Revolutionary Army. During this period, the Revolutionary Army had intensified a series of operations thanks to Luo Ning, causing major disruptions.

The Revolutionary Army's development was also progressing much faster than in the original story, and they had avoided the embarrassing situation depicted there.

But this time, Dragon's call was a plea for help.

"This kind of low-level mistake is completely out of character for you guys." Luo Ning was speechless after listening to Dragon's explanation. Frankly, the Revolutionary Army's actions in the four seas had been highly successful, and the region was now teeming with revolutionary forces.

Naturally, they had tried to capitalize on this momentum by entering the Grand Line while the iron was hot, but they had indeed hit a snag.

The initial smooth sailing had lulled the Revolutionary Army into complacency, a consequence of taking too many quick victories. This lapse in vigilance allowed the World Government to respond swiftly. The Marines had been keeping a close eye on the Revolutionary Army, and now their main battle force was surrounded and facing imminent defeat. After all, both the Marines and the World Government had mobilized significant forces.

The Revolutionary Army was now in a dire situation.

"Things have been going a little too smoothly for a while, leading to a loss of vigilance. I don't have much power available right now, so I can only rely on your help."

Dragon opened his mouth to speak. Regarding Ivankov, the Impel Down demon king, Luo Ning had already taken care of it. He didn't want another "ladyboy paradise" brewing there.

"Understood," Luo Ning replied, "but you need to be more vigilant in the future."

He knew that once someone became inflated with success, accidents and problems were easy to occur. The same principle applied to Sabo in the original story. Sabo's lax vigilance allowed Blackbeard to directly attack the Revolutionary Army headquarters.

One thing had to be said about Blackbeard – he was audacious. While the Revolutionary Army wasn't as strong as the World Government, Luo Ning hadn't expected Blackbeard to make a move.

At that time, all the Revolutionary Army commanders were fighting elsewhere, and most of their forces were deployed abroad. The headquarters was understaffed, and once exposed, the Revolutionary Army would immediately relocate.

That's why Blackbeard was able to take over Baltigo. With the Revolutionary soldiers out on missions, it would have been difficult for Blackbeard to escape in the past.

Don't be fooled by his two Devil Fruit abilities. Blackbeard's own combat prowess wasn't top-tier.

Blackbeard's physical condition was a significant weakness. He relied on the Gura Gura no Mi's power to block Sengoku's attack, but if the fight continued, Blackbeard would likely be the first to fall.

His body was flawed, and he had a low tolerance for pain. After consuming the Yami Yami no Mi, the pain he endured doubled. That wasn't good news for Blackbeard.

After obtaining the location of the besieged Revolutionary Army base, Luo Ning didn't bother with a ship. Since he was going to provide support this time, he set off directly, alone.

Dragon himself could come and go freely, but not everyone could do that too. As a result, three of the Revolutionary Army commanders were besieged.

The remaining one was still overseeing some final touches, otherwise all four commanders would be surrounded.

Soon, thanks to Luo Ning's super speed, he arrived directly at Baltigo.

"That was incredibly fast. You got here not long after I finished calling!" Dragon said, a hint of speechlessness in his voice. Luo Ning's speed was truly unbelievable.

"Didn't you want me to hurry? How are the preparations for the breakout?" Luo Ning asked.

"Of course not, the sooner the better. As for preparations, we've already done everything we can and planned to wait for you before setting off together!"

Dragon glanced at the people around him. He had gathered everyone the Revolutionary Army could muster.

Besides himself, there were also Kuma, Sabo, Ivankov, and the unbesieged army commander, Belo Betty, who was dressed in a more practical and stylish outfit.

Honestly, while many female characters in the One Piece world have cool clothing styles, there weren't many who could compare to Betty.

However, Betty's Devil Fruit ability was truly outrageous. In the original story, a little girl with her power directly crushed a pirate with a bounty exceeding 10 million. It was unbelievable. That Devil Fruit ability was simply too powerful.