Bet

Enies Lobby, Main Gate.

At this moment, the Rocket Man train...has started its charged on Enies Lobby!

"A sea train!?"

"What's going on!?"

"It's charging right at us! Are they trying to ram their way onto the island!?"

"There's no way it can get past the fence!"

Several marines that were injured from the earlier fight with the Frankies Family and Galley-la members were shocked to see a sea train with a pointed head that looked like a shark heading towards them!

Standing on top of the train were Zoro and the frog Yokozuna.

Zoro ignored the panicking marines and saw that the gate had been closed. He shouted.

"Hey, granny!"

"Hm? What?"

Kokoro stuck out her head from the driver's seat and saw the situation as well. She announced to everyone inside with the intercom.

"Everyone, there's a change of plan! Hang on to something tightly!"

"Eh?

Confused, Sanji stuck out his head as well out the window to look for Zoro.

"Hey! Stupid swordsman! What's the problem!?"

"They closed the main gate!"

"What!?"

Surprised, Sanji turned to look at the gate at the distance and indeed saw that it has been closed.

Hearing this, Nami, Chopper, and Usopp started to panic!

"Turn! Turn! Kokoro-san!"

"Ah!!! What should we do!?"

"Oh no! We're gonna crash!!!"

However, Zoro was still as calm as ever.

"Don't worry, there's a way!"

He pointed at the fence and commanded.

"Push down the fence, frog!"

"Gero!"

*Bam*

The steel fence was actually bent!

Using this fence that now looked like a ramp, the sea train Rocket Man...flew!

"No way! Going up the fence at this speed…!"

"Waahh!!!"

Even Kokoro was frightened!

On the ground, the marines watching the scene had their jaws drop at the unbelievable sight.

"No way!"

"The sea train is...flying!!!"

Inside the train, as expected, everyone was panicking even harder now!

"Owaaahh!!!"

"We're all gonna die!"

"Eh!? We're going to die!?"

"Nami-swaan! Push to my protective embrace!"

"Idiot! Isn't there a huge pit behind that gate!!!???"

"Zoro! Did you consider how we're going to land!?"

"..."

Zoro was as serious as ever.

His arms crossed to his chest as he stood there calmly like everything was going just as he planned.

"Leave it to...luck!"

"Gero!?"

…

Back inside Spandam's office, Lucas had just confirmed that Luffy and the rest had finally arrived.

He was about to talk to Robin and Franky when something beneath his foot spoke.

"D-damn...you!"

"Ah, I forgot you were there."

"You're stepping on me! How can you forget!?"

Lucas shrugged and kicked him away.

"Gh-! You bastard! Wait till Aokiji hears about this! The deal is off! Prepare to be hunted and killed by an Admiral you bastard!"

Spandam somehow rolled away, took the denden mushi, and stood up despite his injuries.

What a cockroach this guy is…

Lucas looked at him calmly and made an expression as if he had just remembered something.

"Oh, right. That."

"Heh! It's too late to regret it now!"

Spandam immediately contacted Aokiji to report while Lucas was simply waiting for him.

The call connected and Aokiji's voice could be heard from the other end.

"What's up?"

"Aokiji! The shichibukai you recruited, Lucas, just turned against us!"

"...Huh?"

Spandam was about to further explain when a shadow loomed over him.

He looked up and saw that Lucas was already in front of him. He panicked and was about to run away but Lucas still managed to grab a hold of him and took the denden mushi.

"This is Lucas."

"...What have you done?"

Lucas' mouth turned to a cold smile.

"Aokiji, how about we make a bet?"

"Bet?"

"That's right. If you win, not only will I fully listen to you, I wouldn't even mind if you give me a slave collar or put a brand on me. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it."

Aokiji fell silent.

"...And if you win?"

"If I win, The CP9 is disbanded, and you give me Water 7. In the future, Water 7 will be my exclusive territory. A neutral territory. No pirates are allowed to plunder or kill...and no marines allowed to make any arrests. Not even if the Fleet Admiral comes!"

At first, Lucas wanted to secretly help Robin get free, but with Luffy and the rest arriving here, he thought it would be best to change it.

Plus, this will be beneficial for Luffy and the others as well.

On the other end, Aokiji understood what Lucas was trying to do.

"So in other words, as long as Luffy and his crew stay in Water 7, they are off-limits. Is that correct? Well, certainly, if they don't ever leave, then that would be for the best."

"So you agree then?"

Lucas didn't bother correcting Aokiji. He knows that Luffy would still leave after the new ship has been made. He just wanted them to have time to relax while the ship is being made and not rush things.

The new ship will be big after all. It will take some time to make. It wouldn't be good if any marines were to cause trouble for them during the process.

Though he knows that Iceberg can also help, it was still better to get extra assurance. Besides, he still has other plans for this island…

"What if we refuse?"

The smile on Lucas' face disappeared as he let out his murderous intent.

Though Aokiji wouldn't be able to feel it, everyone in the room felt it.

Spandam started shaking and even Lucci grimaced!

"If you don't make this bet...or if you change the rules in any way...I am going to sink this place down in the bottomless abyss. By the time you get here, I would be long gone. I wouldn't care about the consequences anymore. I'll even lift up Impel Down and sink Marineford if I have to! And I will reach the top of the Red Line and start killing my way to the World Noble's homes! Do not forget, I have with me the person who holds the blueprints of Pluton and the person who can decipher it!"

For a while, the room went quiet.

Even on Aokiji's side, there were no sounds as well.

Finally, someone with a different voice spoke.

"What's the bet about?"

"This voice...is it Sengoku? Heh, well, the bet is simple."

Lucas mused with the fact that he's dealing with the Fleet Admiral himself as he explained the rules.

"There are two teams in this battle. The Blue team, which are the CP9 members, Marines, and the Government Agents on this island. And then the Red team, which are the Strawhat Pirates and his gang of troublemakers. The Blue team will be delivering the 'payload' to the Gates of Justice. Once the 'payload' reaches the destination in one piece and passes through, it will be considered as the Blue team's win. On the other hand, if the Red team snatches the 'payload' and leaves the island, the Red team wins. It can also be the win of one team if they manage to beat everyone on the other team. Isn't it simple? Naturally, I wouldn't be participating myself. You can have someone watch me to verify this. If you caught me helping one side, you can consider this as my loss."

"..."

Sengoku frowned. No matter how he sees it, if Lucas won't be joining the fight, then it would definitely be the Blue team's win.

So...just what is Lucas planning!? Surely he wouldn't be betting on picking the Blue team to win?

Lucas knew what Sengoku was thinking so he reassured him.

"Oh, I'll be betting for the Red team to win of course."

"...Fine. What's the payload?"

"Naturally, it would the reason why this whole thing started. The two keys who can revive the ancient weapon, Pluton. The payload that the Blue team needs to deliver to the Gates of Justice are...Nico Robin, and Franky."

Everyone was shocked!

They all thought that Lucas had planned for the two to join the Red team and have some object to be the payload.

Actually, Lucas thought the same at first but decided not to. Only this way...will Luffy and the others' powers will grow!

Luffy is the strongest...when there is someone he has to protect!

Both Robin and Franky were looking at Lucas in confusion. Only after a while did Robin seemed to have thought of something and sighed.

She naturally knows Luffy's nature as well. Since this was the case…

"I agree."

Hearing that Robin agreed to be the payload, everyone turned to look at her.

"But I will make this clear...if I see a chance, I am escaping and joining the Red team myself!"

"Heh, if you can escape, then the Blue team isn't worth much."

Lucci and the other CP9 members were angered!

They suddenly felt that this may not be as easy as it seems!

Since Robin had agreed, coupled with what she said as well, Franky also agreed.

"Well? Fleet Admiral Sengoku? Do you accept?"

"...Alright. Hand the denden mushi to Lucci, I need to tell him something."

"Fine. Just so we're clear, if you were to kill the payload before the game finishes...I hope you have prepared yourselves for the consequences!"

"..."

Lucas no longer spoke and tossed the denden mushi to Lucci and went over to Robin and Franky.

The three of them went to a corner and talked in private.

"First of all…"

"Hm?"

Robin saw Lucas stretch his hand on her head and was confused. A second later, she felt a sharp pain on her forehead!

"Ow!?"

"That's for starting this whole thing."

"Aren't you the same? I heard you made a deal with Aokiji to prevent any admirals from chasing Luffy and the others directly!"

"I'm different. I don't plan to die."

Every time Lucas sees Robin, he had always had this feeling that she was going to sacrifice herself...and seeing her expression now, it seems he was right.

She just tricked the government saying that she will help revive the ancient weapon when all along, she plans to kill herself…

Lucas sighed and patted her head.

"Robin. It's not a sin to exist...believe in Luffy...believe in me...this world is better with you in it."

"...I…"

Robin's heart suddenly faltered!

She tried to say something but ultimately didn't know what to say.

Is this what Nami felt?...

While Robin was still thinking about what she was feeling, Lucas had turned towards Franky.

"Oi, you better not let anything happen to Robin. Otherwise, I'll kill you myself!

"..."

Gaddamit! What's with this difference in treatment!?

Franky felt unresigned! But he knows this guy's powers is beyond him! He can only swallow his thoughts and grunt…

Lucas thought for a while then patted Franky on his shoulder.

"I may have beaten you up before...but I know you'll do the right thing in the end."

It would still be best if Franky burns the blueprints himself. If Lucas was the one to do it, everyone would start to question how he knew where it was, or why did he destroy it, or such troublesome things…

Once everyone had finished their talks, the two sides talked once again.

"Right now, we can't afford to lose any firepower...Spandam will be watching over you. I hope you fulfill your end of the bargain."

"I swear."

"...Good. Lucci, I'll leave the rest to you."

"Understood, sir."

*Kacha*

Lucci didn't waste any time and started to give orders.

"I will be taking these two myself to the Gates of Justice. As for you all...take care of the Strawhat Pirates!"

To Lucci, as long as Robin and Franky don't escape, and with Lucas not participating...then everything would be easy.

As long as he himself guards over the two, then it's impossible for them to escape. And he can also allocate more people to deal with the Strawhats.

He has seen their strength. There is no way for them to win over the CP9!

Lucas chuckled.

"Lucci, you think too little of Strawhat Luffy. That man will one day become the Pirate King...do you think he can't even beat someone like you?"

"...I already see what he can do. He's weak. Frankly, I don't understand why you used to work under him."

"Hey, don't you work for this weakling as well?"

Lucas pointed at the thing wearing a metal mask.

"That's different."

Lucas shook his head and didn't bother commenting any further.

Seeing as he wasn't going to get his answer, Lucci left while taking Robin and Franky.

Actually, he can just grab these two and run in his top speed to the Gates of Justice himself but...something about what Lucas said bothered him.

Can Luffy truly beat him?

...Lucci wanted to find out.

Since this is the case...I'll walk to the Gates instead. If that Luffy can't even reach here, then there was nothing to worry about.

Even if he does reach here...I refuse to believe he can win!

Lucci's eyes seemed to glow with murderous intent!

Jabra saw Lucci giving orders to everyone and felt pissed off! But the Fleet Admiral had already given his orders, he can only bury his unwillingness and act as commanded.

Back in the office, Lucas sat on Spandam's chair and relaxed his back.

Spandam was annoyed seeing Lucas. Just earlier today, he was still an outstanding Chief! And now...he was reduced to being a watchdog! He can't even command anyone anymore!

Lucas saw how Spandam was looking at him so he sent him a glare.

Spandam froze up and no longer looked.

Using this opportunity, Lucas shot out a mass of water out the window.

The water moved and picked up various clothes from the unconscious marines and agents...eventually forming a shape of a man! A masked man with a hood and cape!

Heh, I did say I wouldn't be participating directly...but only if you catch me. It's stupid of Sengoku to actually trust this work to Spandam of all people.

Once Lucas made a water clone, he relaxed.

With this, I should be able to help if things go wrong somewhere…

After all, he had changed so much already. It would be bad if it had caused a butterfly effect and actually lead to Luffy's loss…

It would be best if there aren't many changes before they reach the New World…

Lucas had only read until the end of Whole Cake arc when he was sent here so any future knowledge is useless.

But right now, he can still make use of his knowledge as long as the overall plot doesn't change.

Besides, he didn't want to really change too much before all the crew is gathered. There is still Brook left.

Outside the office, Blueno opened an Air Door and traveled to where Luffy was.

No matter what, as long as they can take the Captain's head, then this game is as good as over.

Having arrived in front of Luffy who was now standing on the last gate, Luffy was surprised!

"Ah! You're the cow that was with the pigeon guy!

"Looks like our intelligence really messed up their information."

"Hey! What'd you just do!? That's so cool! Are you a magician!?"

"I figured the damage had to be more than five people but…"

Blueno ignored all of Luffy's nonsensical comments and spoke coldly.

"This is unheard of in the World Government...a man that broke in all the way to the front steps of the government. How long do you plan on struggling?"

Luffy grinned.

"Until I die!"

And so...the game between the CP9 and the Strawhats…has begun!