Fifth Floor, Tower of Law…
Zoro bursted out laughing at Kaku's strange appearance. His wings flapped as Kaku took off the carpet floor. The pressure of his wings flapping blew Zoro's unbuttoned shirt and hair.
"I will make you pay for laughing at my great transformation," declared Kaku, flying around the room. Then the upper left side of the room was sliced, revealing the clear blue sky above. Kaku's mouth agape as the invisible flying slash nearly cut a wing off. If he were two feet to his left, the slash would have clipped his wings.
But now with the ceiling cut off, Kaku had more room to fly.
Anxiety crawled up Zoro's legs as he retrieved his swords and got into a defensive position, waiting to see what the opponent would do. From above, Kaku dove downward, angling his wing to strike Zoro.
"TEMPEST WING!"
Zoro blocked with two swords but the speed and power of Kaku's overgrown size knocked him into the wall behind him. Chunks of the wall behind him crumbled to the floor as Zoro peeled himself off the wall. His glance took to the sky, the pink bird flapped in place.
"TEMPEST STORM!"
Kaku flapped his wings, tiny blades released from the feathers.
Zoro used all three swords to block and deflect the raining slashes. The ground shook from the numerous attacks hitting the floor. His arms slashed endlessly in effort.
Kaku's storm ended. The large pink bird descended onto the floor, landing on one clawed foot.
'Now is my chance,' Zoro thought, sheathing two of his swords. He sprinted toward the opponent, gripping the handle of the Wado Ichimonji.
Kaku's long neck folded inside of itself.
"Single Sword Style: LION SONG!"
"BEAK PISTOL!"
At the point before full swing, Zoro's blade was stopped by the thrust of Kaku's hardened beak. The impact completely snuffed out all of his momentum. With his balance on one foot, Kaku swung the leg that was off the ground. Zoro pulled out a second sheathed sword to block the kick.
"TEMPEST WHIP!"
The kick still managed to thinly slice across Zoro's stomach while the force sent him crashing through the wooden office door.
—Third Floor, Tower of Law…
Nami jumped down the stairs landing on the third floor while being chased by the creepy old man. He shouted of deceit and treachery from Nami's Mirages, using her wits and fakes to get around him and escape the oasis room.
She ran with tears flying out the sockets as the crazy man pursued after her and the key. "Leave me alone!"
Nami heard him descend onto the same third floor, shaking the ground. With each passing second, his footsteps stomped closer making her heart race.
Turning a right at the last bend before doing a full circle around the floor, Sogeking appeared.
"Us–Sogeking! Help me!" Nami shouted.
"Roger," acknowledged Sogeking, pulling back his Kabuto. "SUNFLOWER STAR!"
The unexpected CP9 member ran straight into the attack and flew a few feet backwards.
Sogeking whistled, impressed by his own shot. "He isn't getting back up from that."
Nami stopped by Sogeking. "Nice shot. I have his key, but I have to leave before he tries to steal the key back. I'm leaving him in your care."
Before she could turn to escape, the long haired mustache flashed his toothy grin.
"You're not going anywhere," he said while his body began to transform and grow into a large wolf man. An elongated snout and high pointed ears. One of his clawed hands swiped at Nami, she fell to the floor to dodge the attack. Sogeking aimed his weapon at the CP9 agent.
"SUNFLOWER STAR!" The ceiling above them fell onto the ground, a hole to the fourth floor revealed itself. Once the dust settled, Nami's vision returned but her eyes widened as the Wolfman gripped Sogeking by the throat. She was too slow to help as Sogeking was slammed to the ground, cracking the stone floor.
Nami swung her Clima Tact but the back of the man's hairy hand struck her first, knocking her into the air. She hit the ground a few feet away, her surroundings blurred and the stone walls of the hallway bent and contracted in weird ways, a hand resting on her bleeding temple. Once the world seemed to settle back to normal, she climbed to her feet.
The Wolfman marched in her direction but halted as Sogeking's hand trapped the man's boot. He turned on his heel and kicked Sogeking in the gut. "TEMPEST KICK!"
A piercing slash cut deeply into his stomach as he was sent crashing down the hall.
The Wolfman turned Nami. "Playtime is over. Hand me the key."
Struck with fear, she tightly gripped her Clima Tact. Her mind raced for a possibility out of this situation but nothing plausible came to mind. The only thing she did know was she wouldn't give up the key because giving it up meant forfeiting Robin's life. Hesitantly, she shook her head.
The Wolfman flashed a sinister grin and moved faster than Nami could perceive, shutting her eyes and accepting her fate to the claws of the monster.
But just before her unfortunate death, she was knocked to the floor. Then, she heard a wall collapsing. Slowly, she opened her eyes. A blonde man in a black tuxedo, Sanji.
"Sanji!" Nami shouted.
"Leave him to me," Sanji replied, pulling out a cigarette and a yellow lighter. He pointed behind him, using the cigarette. "I'm sorry to dump my burden onto you but can you take over for me?"
The blonde CP9 agent fell onto their floor and readjusted her glasses and fixed her coat. Nami spun on her heels to face the intruder. "Leave it to me."
"I know I can count on you," replied Sanji, walking toward the collapsed wall and past the Wolfman. The CP9 man knocked everything off of him as he rushed to his feet with a look of panic. Shock and confusion as Sanji calmly walked past him, lighting the cigarette.
He looked back and forth from Sanji and Nami, deciding on his next target. "Who are you? Where are you going?"
Sanji stopped with his back toward him and blew out a puff of smoke. "I am the hunter but let's take this elsewhere, I don't want to show this side of me to Nami-swan."
He bent down to the bleeding and unconscious Sogeking, checking his pulse. He flicked a thumbs up at Nami, then continued walking without turning back to see if he was being pursued.
"Follow him!" Kalifa scolded. "He stole my key!"
Without wasting another second, the Wolfman raced after Sanji leaving Nami and Kalifa in the fourth floor hallway.
—Support Tower of Bridge of Hesitation, Underground of the Tower of Law…
Luffy climbed to his feet, a bright smile expanded. He wiped the dirt and dust off his red sleeveless button shirt. With his hands resting on his knees, he stretched.
"I don't see what's funny, Straw Hat." Rob Lucci sneered, cracking his knuckles and removing the suit jacket. His body turned yellow with black spots appearing across his skin. He grew three times the size and black razor sharp claws. "You don't have what it takes to save, Nico Robin. She is going to die because you lack the strength to save her."
Luffy's body was pumped with rushing blood, skin rippled like waves as large sums of rushing blood flowed throughout his veins. "That may have been the case before, but I am stronger, strong enough to send you flying."
His body pumped again, feeling his heart pounding oxygenated blood to the far ends of his body quickly. Steam arose from the pores of his heated skin.
"GEAR SECOND!"
Lucci growled. "Oh really?"
Slowly, Luffy nodded, sticking out his left palm as he took aim. "GOMU GOMU NO…"
"Hit me if you can! SORU!" Lucci kicked off the ground with rapid speed, moving at a completely different velocity. The same speed Luffy saw in Water 7 by Rocky Cape where he suffered a quick defeat. But here, Luffy's eyes followed him as Lucci zigzagged toward him to strike.
"JET PISTOL!"
Luffy's fist surpassed the speed of sound as he punched Lucci in the gut. Drops of blood fell from the leopard's mouth as he was sent flying backward into the wall. Luffy advanced forward, launching into the air.
Lucci jumped to his feet and was immediately greeted with Luffy's quick punch. In defense, he crossed his arms and activated his Iron Body technique.
Luffy dropped to the ground, dodging a tempest kick. They both blitzed toward each other, unleashing attack after attack, punches and kicks. Their increased speeds took them all over the open room, the force of each impact destroyed wooden crates and cracked the floor. Both of their fists landed a hit on the other's face, putting an end to their exchange.
"I understand," Rob Lucci huffed, holding his jaw. "You increase your body's abilities and strength but overworking your heart, to any normal human being they would be dead within seconds but your heart is rubber. It can withstand the strain but it must come at a price. How long till your heart bursts? Weeks, months, years?"
Luffy rolled his shoulders and neck. "Doesn't matter, I have friends that I need to protect. And with this, I will be able to do just that."
"We will see about that, I am still standing before you," replied Lucci, dropping low into a stance suited for his catlike transformation.
Luffy grinned. "Not for long, I will be the last one standing."
"Time to show you what it means to be a true master of the six powers." Lucci said as his form took a slender state. His claws pressed against each other in a flicking formation. "Flying Finger Pistol: Sting!"
He launched an air projectile like a bullet from flicking his finger, hitting Luffy on the shoulder. The impact of the attack knocked Luffy off balance, falling backwards. Lucci used this to his advantage, smashing off the ground much quicker than before, dashing to Luffy's left side.
"TEMPEST KICK: LEOPARD TAIL!" A spiral slash shot from his leg, this technique shot out much quicker than previous kicks. Luffy surged forward, diving forward to dodge but Lucci's tail caught his leg. His tail yanked Luffy up, holding him in front of Lucci.
Luffy launched both arms backward, nearly touching the far wall behind him. "JET BAZOOKA!"
"IRON BODY: EMPTY TREE!"
The speed of Luffy's arms returning kicked dust off the ground as his palms slammed directly into Lucci's chest.
Lucci groaned, blood spilled from the corners of his mouth. "Not bad. My turn."
Keeping Luffy up in the air with his tail, Lucci closed his fists and held them out, pressing against Luffy's stomach."SIX KING PISTOL!"
An invisible shockwave shot from Lucci's fists directly into Luffy's stomach, damaging his innards and the force sent him into the air. Once Luffy hit the ground, he immediately flipped over, grabbing at his injured stomach as blood poured from his mouth, writhing in pain.
"This is much worse than the impact dials on Skypiea," mumbled Luffy as he stampeded to his feet. Wobbled and in a daze, Luffy was knocked out of gear second. All of the exhaustion and bodily strain the formation caused ached his bones, lungs, and heart.
"Tired, Straw Hat? Is your life that insignificant to you?" Rob Lucci asked.
"I'm not dying till I send you flying." Luffy inhaled a deep breath, filling his lungs with air to their max stretched capacity. He chomped onto his right thumb. "Gear Third!"
—Kalifa's Bedroom, Tower of Law Fifth Floor…
Sogeking entered the pink room, iridescent bubbles floated from the active shower. Kalifa whistled a peaceful tune as Sogeking watched her shadowy silhouette wash herself.
On the floor was a bleeding and unconscious Nami. Her fingers gripped where the key should have been, but the iron key rested on top of spare clothes, on the bathroom counter by Kalifa's tub.
Sogeking knelt at Nami's side and felt for her weak pulse.
The shower hissed off and the naked Kalifa stepped out of the shower and then wrapped herself with a towel. A hand searched for her black glasses, once retrieved she shoved them on the bridge of her nose. She wasn't embarrassed or surprised to see Sogeking in the room while she was in a vulnerable state.
"And who are you to sneak into a women's room unannounced?" Kalifa asked, unamused.
"I thought it would be okay, since it's just us, now," Sogeking replied, rising to his feet. Kalifa's usual cold and intelligent demeanor shattered from Sogeking's voice. "It's not my first time seeing you unclothed."
"It's you," She smirked, dropping the towel and revealing her body. Kalifa changed into a fresh set of clothes, a fishnet onesie underneath a black coat and skirt. "So, what's your real name, Naruto Uzamaki?"
Minato removed the impersonating Sogeking mask, revealing his long blonde hair and blue eyes. "Come with me and I will tell you everything."
"You killed Schollzo?" She asked without a hint of hostility or doubt, more so getting clarity for an unsolved question for her own sanity. She dropped the key into one of her coat pockets.
Minato nodded.
"Hmm," She bundled her blonde hair in a separate towel to dry. "I have a theory."
Minato smiled, tossing the mask onto the ground. "Go ahead, but I'm sure you already know the answer.'"
"You are the Yellow Flash of the Revolutionary Army," Kalifa declared. "Dragon's secret weapon and second in command."
"What gave me away?" Minato asked, unsurprised. He cupped his hands and once separated, a green bubble appeared and grew in size to encompass the injured Nami on the floor. He began restoring her body to health. "I thought I was careful. How did you find out?"
"My parents were CP0 and I was trained to be the perfect spy so naturally, I'd detect another fake like you," she responded while slipping her feet into three inch heels. The corners of her mouth tugged in the shape of a retrained grin. "Plus you were suspiciously never on time."
"I'm sensing there is more to the story," replied Minato as the ground shook from the rampaging Chopper.
"Yes, my parents were killed while operating on duty by the Yellow Flash."
"That wasn't–"
"I'm not finished," Kalifa interrupted Minato. "You killed Spandine and those involved with the Ohara incident fifteen years ago and then went off the grid for another seven years but my parents were killed twelve years ago."
"The World Government is using my moniker to kill their own people."
"Perhaps," Kalifa shrugged. "But, I knew it wasn't you and I still don't know what happened probably because I don't have access to that information as a CP9 or someone much more powerful is pulling the strings."
Minato studied the women's movements as she approached him. He relished in the woman's irresistible features. The steam from the shower fogged up her glasses, blocking the beauty behind them, carefully he took them off her face and wiped them clear. She smiled playfully as he put them back on her face. For a few seconds, they remained in silence.
"Are you going to kill me if I don't go with you?" Kalifa mused.
"Of course not," snapped Minato.
"I know when you are in deep thought. What are you thinking about?"
"How did we end up in this situation? This relationship…"
She chuckled, resting a hand on his cheek. "The Yellow Flash is human after all. The way some higher ups speak about you is quite ominous and haunting."
"I don't blame them."
"Neither do I…" Kalifa's hand fell to feel Minato's beating heart. "These last six months have been fun, exhilarating, and scary to be honest. I always knew I couldn't keep my secret from you and I knew one day you would find out but I enjoyed it regardless."
Minato looked deep into her eyes. "We are spies, Kalifa. If we were to meet again–"
She shoved him but didn't have the necessary strength to move him. "I'll kill you."
Minato smirked, grabbing onto her wrists. He leaned to whisper in her ear. "Go ahead."
Her face blushed with pink as Minato lips pressed against her heated cheek. He twisted on his heels and walked away, leaving his back exposed to the World Government agent.
He pulled out an iron key from his pocket. "I will be keeping this."
"Hey!" She prepared to unleash a furious tempest kick at Minato but he teleported to the special mark he left around her coat's cufflinks, appearing to her exposed side. With a swift chop, he knocked her unconscious all before she could lift her leg. Gently, he caught her and laid her on the floor.
Minato picked up Nami and teleported from the room.