CP Organization
"An iron block? This thing can actually block attacks."
Yang Ning silently complained in his heart, but his eyes grew sharper.
Iron Block wasn't some street brawler's trick—it was a technique exclusive to the World Government or the Navy.
As expected, the leader of the black-suited men, after barely managing to block Esdeath's greatsword, growled in a low, threatening voice:
"Pirates! Get your act together! We are CP8 of the World Government, dedicated to protecting the Celestial Dragons. To dare to defy us is to defy the Celestial Dragons themselves."
Upon hearing this, Esdeath—confused but recognizing the gravity—paused, sheathed her sword, and returned to Yang Ning's side. Nami and Sylvester just stared at Yang Ning with blank expressions.
Those four, born and raised in the East Blue, had never heard of CP8 or Celestial Dragons.
Yang Ning scratched his head. Of course he knew exactly what this meant.
"This really is a big problem."
"Is it just CP8? Surely the Celestial Dragons' personal guard shouldn't consist of only you guys?"
"That kind of thing!? How arrogant! How dare you speak of my lord so casually!"
The CP8 leader's face twisted in fury at Yang Ning's words. Without another word, he lunged forward.
"Kill them all. Leave no one alive."
"Storm Kick!"
The three agents moved in perfect sync. Their legs lashed out, carving pale blue crescent-shaped trails through the air—mimicking the flying slashes of elite swordsmen.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The three incoming attacks were blocked—Yang Ning, Esdeath, and Sylvester each intercepting one.
Yang Ning couldn't help but glance at Sylvester in surprise. He hadn't expected the goofy brother to be this capable in a fight. And judging by the lingering black sheen on his knuckles—Sylvester actually knew Armament Haki.
Yang Ning's eye twitched. He himself still hadn't awakened it.
But more fighters meant faster resolution. That worked in their favor.
All six combatants clashed again instantly—each pirate matched against a CP8 agent.
"Finger Gun!"
"Steel Fist – Explosive Impact!"
Sylvester was the first to fully engage. In battle, his usual silliness vanished. His expression turned serious, movements precise—like a true disciple of combat.
His fist met the CP8 agent's Finger Gun without hesitation. The blackened knuckles shattered the agent's fingers on impact. Before the man could react, Sylvester drove a second punch straight through his forearm, crippling it completely.
Meanwhile, Esdeath's opponent fared no better.
If the agent fighting Sylvester had been careless, the one facing Esdeath was fighting at full strength.
"Shave!"
In an instant, the CP8 agent vanished from Esdeath's sight—reappearing silently behind her.
"Finger Gun!"
With the force of a bullet, his fingertips shot toward the base of her skull.
But Esdeath wasn't unprepared. Months of meditation had sharpened her senses to the very threshold of Observation Haki. Her awareness far surpassed that of ordinary fighters.
Her greatsword, impossibly light in her hands, arced backward with perfect timing—blocking the strike cleanly.
"Clang!"
The metallic clash rang out as steel met hardened flesh.
On Yang Ning's side, the CP8 leader was clearly the strongest. Using Shave, he disappeared from view—and reappeared directly in front of Yang Ning before the eye could track him.
"Iron Fist Technique: Wolf Charge!"
The move was treacherous. Though called a fist technique, it drove two rigid fingers straight for Yang Ning's eyes.
Fortunately, Yang Ning's reflexes were faster than the attack. He summoned his Soul Furnace Shield just in time. The strike landed—but did negligible damage. He didn't even flinch.
The CP8 leader, unperturbed, vanished again with another burst of Shave.
Yang Ning braced for a rear sneak attack—but the man reappeared right in front of him instead.
And this time, his move was even more vicious.
"Storm Kick – Ship-Slaying Blade!"
A pale blue blade of compressed air lanced upward—aimed directly between Yang Ning's legs.
Yang Ning's calm shattered.
"You fucking wrecked my ship?!"
He could tank most hits with his shield—but not this. Some things a man simply couldn't risk.
In a split second, with no time to draw Kotetsu, Yang Ning spread his legs, lunged forward, and slammed the **scabbard** of Tiger's Cudgel downward.
*Thud.*
The kick met the hardwood scabbard—deflected just in time.
The CP8 leader vanished once more.
That was enough.
This old bastard had poked at eyes, kicked at groins, and played dirty at every turn. Yang Ning had had enough.
"Clang!"
Tiger's Cudgel cleared its sheath in a flash of red. Yang Ning's eyes burned with cold fury.
He pinpointed the CP8 leader's position. The man kept circling with Shave, relying on speed to become visually invisible.
No fancy technique this time.
Yang Ning simply raised his blade—and waited.
*Whoosh.*
Half a second later, the CP8 leader, still invisible to the naked eye, **impaled himself** on Yang Ning's perfectly timed sword.
Blood sprayed. His eyes bulged in disbelief.
"You—!"
He collapsed, choking on blood and foam, unable to finish a single word.
Yang Ning didn't bother listening. He yanked his blade free and delivered one clean, horizontal slash.
The CP8 leader's head tumbled to the deck, rolling to a stop beside his body.
With his opponent down, Yang Ning turned to assess the others.
Sylvester was methodically hammering his foe into the wood—each punch backed by raw, domineering force. Though inexperienced, his Armament Haki ensured every blow counted. The agent was barely conscious, arms shattered.
Esdeath's fight was stranger. Despite the long exchange, her opponent remained completely unharmed.
Yang Ning looked closer—and realized Esdeath was fighting **with her eyes closed**.
The scene was instantly familiar. It was exactly what he'd done when forcing his Observation Haki to awaken.
*She's on the verge,* he realized. *This fight is her breakthrough.*
"Esdeath, you're really something."
One brother was gaining combat experience. The other was awakening a new layer of power.
Yang Ning leaned against the railing, content to let them finish it themselves.
But peace never lasted long.
When the three CP8 agents failed to return, the massive ship realized something was wrong.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Five more figures leapt across the gap—landing with heavy thuds on the *New Windbreaker*'s deck.
This group was different. Their leader wore a **white suit** and an **animal mask**, radiating authority far beyond the black-suited agents.
Yang Ning's mind raced.
CP0. The World Government's ultimate enforcers. The Celestial Dragons' strongest shield.
The CP0 leader didn't even glance at Yang Ning properly. His gaze drifted downward, as if looking through his nose.
He took in the severed head of the CP8 leader and the two agents still struggling—and sneered.
"A bunch of useless trash. Can't even handle a few small-time pirates. No wonder you're stuck in CP8."
The four black-suited CP8 members behind him bowed their heads in silence. Even the two fighting didn't dare speak.
Then his masked eyes settled on Yang Ning—and for a brief moment, Yang Ning saw something unexpected: **disappointment**.
No grand speech. No warning.
Just a quiet murmur:
"Shave and turn the sound."
The white-suited agent vanished—so fast that even Yang Ning's newly awakened Observation Haki couldn't track him.
"Finger Gun—Messed Cannon!"