Chapter 163: Pluton Blueprint

"Sorry, Lucci, we didn't mean to bother you, but Spandam is dead! Killed by Nico Robin! We weren't sure if we should contact you!"

A few agents helplessly chimed in, acknowledging the protocols for undercover agents. However, with their immediate superior dead, they had no choice.

"Spandam's dead! What do we do now?"

"What? Spandam is dead? Killed by Robin? Which Robin? Nico Robin?"

Lucci's face contorted in confusion. What kind of operation was this?

"That's right, Luo Ning brought Nico Robin to Enies Lobby. They killed Spandam and left!"

Several agents quickly recounted the events. Lucci's face darkened further.

While secretly pleased about Spandam's demise – the man was a buffoon in Lucci's eyes – the timing was terrible. Spandam had a father, Spandine, and there was a high probability of his wrath falling on the remaining Enies Lobby agents. Lucci knew they must have contacted him because of this. Those stationed in the Seven Water capital wouldn't face this issue.

"I don't have a good solution," Lucci said. "You'd better be prepared to escape."

He acknowledged his own limitations. He wasn't much more than a talented pawn in the grand scheme, and his skills weren't a factor here. He currently had no way to help them, only advise them to prepare for potential escape.

Leaving them with that, Lucci hung up. He had no other options. While he wouldn't have minded including them on his escape if the situations were reversed, his own situation was different.

Lucci, still on his undercover mission, had no intention of jeopardizing himself over this. He was powerless in this situation – a talented pawn but ultimately dispensable. With no way to help, he advised them to prepare to flee.

The remaining agents in Enies Lobby understood the gravity of the situation. They were all too familiar with the vindictive nature of World Government officials.

***

Luo Ning, oblivious to the chaos he caused, continued his journey by sea train to the Seven Water capital, a renowned tourist destination. This unique mode of transportation wasn't found elsewhere.

Upon arrival, Luo Ning recognized the need for a disguise. While unafraid of trouble, his current notoriety made him a walking target. Unlike the seclusion of Wanokuni, the Seven Water capital knew him all too well.

With their disguises in place, they were unrecognizable.

"Can the Pluton blueprints truly be located there? Weren't they retrieved by the World Government?" Robin questioned, her doubts arising from her understanding of the situation. After all, Tom's death secured their access to the blueprints. If they existed, they should be in World Government possession.

The World Government desperately needs to locate the Pluton blueprints. Their inability to do so necessitates the undercover agents stationed there.

Luo Ning expressed certainty. "The blueprints were in Tom's possession. That's why the World Government targeted him relentlessly."

Following Tom's demise, only two apprentices held the secret: Iceberg, the current foreman under constant government scrutiny, and Franky, who had gone into hiding and adopted a new looks.

Iceberg entrusted the Pluton blueprints to Franky, now a cyborg with numerous mechanical body parts. This ingenious hiding place – within Franky himself – made the fragile blueprints virtually indestructible. While Rob Lucci and his team could overpower or even eliminate Iceberg, the elusive blueprint location remained a thorn in their side, necessitating their extended undercover mission.

Understanding the World Government's predicament, Robin grasped the situation. Simply eliminating people wouldn't yield the blueprints. Their covert presence confirmed their intent to acquire the blueprints.

"Otherwise," Robin stated, "with the World Government's nature, they'd have resorted to murder, just like they did to me. An eight-year-old girl with a 79 million bounty, supposedly planning world destruction with Pluton? It's ludicrous. Who in their right mind would believe that?"

Many, in fact, didn't. However, the bounty attracted those seeking easy money, turning Robin into a target for capture and exchange. Robin, unfortunately, was all too familiar with the World Government's ruthlessness.

Soon, they located Franky. Luo Ning wasted no time, subduing him with Reiatsu and obtaining the Pluton blueprints.

"This feels unreal," Robin mused. The ease with which they acquired the blueprints was staggering. Compared to Crocodile's elaborate schemes that ultimately yielded nothing, this was child's play.

"All those schemes and conspiracies, and Crocodile still came up empty-handed," Robin said with a hint of pity for the former Shichibukai. "Here you are, casually obtaining the very blueprints he craved."

Ever since encountering Poseidon, Robin had suspected Luo Ning's knowledge of Pluton's location. However, the effortless retrieval of the blueprints surpassed even her expectations. It bordered on ridiculous.

"The design itself is undeniably complex," Luo Ning remarked, examining the blueprints. "Building such a weapon wouldn't be a simple feat. Only the World Government, with their immense resources, could even consider such an undertaking."

Despite his limited understanding of the blueprints, he could grasp some basic concepts. He recognized the colossal scale – a ship the size of an island. Building such a monstrosity required a staggering amount of manpower, materials, and time – resources only realistically available to the World Government.

Of course, with his current abilities, Luo Ning could theoretically build it himself. But why bother? Pluton held no utility for him. Destroying an island was a task he could accomplish with a single, devastating blow.