402 Chapter 402
402
Crouched in the corner of the Tower of Justice, Usopp—currently no bigger than an ant and cloaked in the disguise of Sogeking—felt his heartbeat in his throat. His eyes were focused intently on the agents of CP9 and a Vice Admiral who were arguing with each other about what they should do.
From the dressing scheme he could easily identify the CP9 agents, he also recognized the Vice Admiral. The last one Usopp didn't recognize, but he seemed someone important by the name of Spandine.
All of them were intently hearing the reports of the attack that was happening on Enies Lobby. Sweat beaded on Usopp's forehead under the mask; every flicker of movement among the agents amped his tension higher.
Beside him, also minuscule, was Gin —disguised as Gintaro— but unlike him he was calm. Like a predator out for a hunt.
Sometimes Usopp wondered how his friend could be so focused like that. It almost made him jealous in a way. But then again Gin was pissed about the whole thing from the start, he was barely holding himself back from ripping those agents up.
In some ways, Usopp would have done the same, but their crewmates were hostages. And not to mention there was a Vice-Admiral here.
Both Usopp and Gin remembered Vice Admiral Sinbad, the young marine was strong enough to match Luffy's strength at the time, so a man of the same rank shouldn't be underestimated.
Usopp's fingers tightened around a flash dial he'd collected from Skypiea, one that was a bit tweaked with Anchor's powers, its coiled energy giving a small comfort in his palm.
He was waiting, praying, for the room to empty out. The odds were already bad; they didn't need to get worse.
It didn't take them more than a minute to get here. With their shrunken form, no one noticed them. And now they were hiding and waiting for a time to act.
Suddenly an explosion occurred that shook the island, it came from the front island gate.
"What?! The front island gate was destroyed by a… what?!" Vice Admiral Onigumo asked over the transponder snail. "It's fully destroyed, by some unknown pirate group… The Super-Sniper Pirates? Who? Captain Very Good, are you making things up?!"
"Sir," Lucci injected, "They are the crew that were working with Franky when we retrieved them. It seemed they were foolish enough to attack the island."
'That's the signal… please fall for it' Usopp thought.
"We can't let that slide, this is a mockery of the world government… Lucci, take some of your men and stop them from entering the main island. I don't think those stupid giants will be enough to stop them," Vice Admiral Onigumo ordered. "Also make sure to make an example out of them. We can't let a place like this be attacked right before a war."
"Of course, sir," Lucci said, an open blood-thirsty smile on his face.
"What? Why? Lucci, you son a bitch, aren't going anywhere until you tell me the truth about what happened to my son!" Spandine growled trying to grab the agent, but a cold steel on the neck stopped the former leader of CP9 from moving.
"You will do no such thing, Spandine," Onigumo said with a glare that almost made the other man piss his pants, "My patience is running thin, don't make use of my sabers on you."
Spandine gulped and nodded, staying shut.
Lucci smirked at Spandine before looking at the rest of the team, "Kalifa you stay here, your powers in a group might work against us. And same for you Blueno, your arm isn't fully well… so stay here in case of emergency. The rest of you come with me."
No one refused Lucci's orders and fell on their duties. Spandine glared the whole time at Lucci's retreating figure before he went down and sat on the sofa. His old age wasn't doing him any good.
Even Groot and Franky didn't say anything about what was happening, but it seemed that Groot was exceptionally a bit happier when he realized that his crewmates came to save them.
'Don't worry, little guy. We will save you.'
As the agents exited, Usopp tracked them with his observation haki, only after they left for the main island did relief wash over Usopp. Blueno and Kalifa remained, along with Onigumo and Spandine. But they can be handled.
'Four to deal with. We can do this.' He thought, nodding at Gin.
Just as the agents were far enough Usopp acted.
In a flash, he hurled a flash dial into the center of the room. A brilliant burst of light erupted, blinding everyone momentarily. Usopp reverted to full size and sprinted toward the prisoners. They were chained down, and he knew he had just seconds to free them.
He just needed to touch them and the whole thing would be over.
But just as he reached Franky, and Groot a sword blade shot down, millimeters from his face, slamming into the ground. Vice Admiral Onigumo stood over him, with eyes closed.
Before Usopp could even say anything, he was kicked in the sternum, making him fall back while coughing. "Y-you… how?"
"I thought something was wrong, but for you damn pirates to even reach here?" he hissed, his tone dripping with disdain, as he squinted his eyes, trying to get his vision back.
The Vice Admiral even without his vision managed to stop the sniper, showing how skillful he was with his observation haki. Still, Onigumo seemed to be irritated by the lack of vision. But that wasn't needed as four more —spider-like— eyes grew on his face, glaring at Usopp. Six other spider-like arms grew out from his back, each holding a saber sword.
'Eight swords? Really? Oh, come on. A zoan user, with multiple eyes and arms… what are the odds.'
Panic, like icy water, rushed through Usopp's veins as the Vice Admiral attacked. With eight swords on each hand, Usopp had to focus all of his effort on not getting stabbed or cut down.
Each strike felt faster than the previous, and yet Usopp managed to avoid them, surprising both him and the Vice Admiral. All the training drills that Luffy put him through were actually helping him survive. Who knew?
Usopp lept back, narrowly avoiding another swing of Onigumo's sword. His thoughts raced.
'I can't back down. I have to free them. I am the brave Sogeking!'
"My eyes! Ear?!… what's happening?" Spandine said, unlike others, the old cowardly man wasn't taking the effects of Usopp's 'trick' well. But everyone ignored the coward.
While Usopp was being confronted by the Vice Admiral, Gin was fighting his own fight with the remaining cipher pol agents.
"Resistance is useless, comply and I might give you a swift death?" Onigumo's voice dripped with an icy growl as he glared at Usopp.
Usopp, by instinct gulped, good thing he was wearing a mask or his fear would have shown. His instinct, observation haki everything warned him about going against the man. And yet he did.
He wasn't a coward anymore. No, he was a brave warrior of the sea Sogeking, "Tempting, but I'm not in the mood to unalive myself today," he joked, trying to ease the tension, pissing off the Vice Admiral instead.
"We will see…" Onigumo growled, and hissed like a spider, before glancing back at the other pirate that was overpowering the remaining cipher pol agents. He moved his eight swords quickly, showering multiple small wind slashes to stop both of the pirates and not destroy the tower completely.
But the Vice Admiral underestimated Gin's durability, as he easily shrugged off the small wind slashes and went after the agents.
— — —
A/N: Just something to note. Everyone is holding back for now. Onigumo and CP9 agents because of this being the tower of justice. (Mainly because Bradly will come for a visit.)
And Gin and Usopp cause they don't want to harm Franky and Groot.
That's why Usopp is only using his guns. And Gun-fu!
But don't worry as the fights go on. He will be fully utilizing his arsenal.
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