Chapter 23: A Deal

But Shisui of the Body Flicker was no regular opponent to underestimate.

At close range, Shisui's [Body Flicker Technique] ranked among the top three in the ninja world, it was a movement technique on par with his legendary genjutsu mastery.

Lucci's attack completely missed its mark.

This surprised him immensely.

After all, he had been prepared to end the battle instantly without wasting precious time on a prolonged engagement.

Therefore, he had directly transformed into his human-beast form, his strongest combat mode from the very beginning.

Yet he couldn't even touch the hem of his opponent's clothing?

"[Iron Body]"

Lucci heard the distinct sound of something cutting through the air.

It sounded similar to a bullet's trajectory.

Although he detected no gunfire, he didn't perceive it as a significant threat either.

He sensed that if he continued using [Soru] to escape, he might still be struck, so he stood his ground and activated [Iron Body] directly.

The shuriken that broke through the air struck Lucci with a sharp metallic clang, producing a crisp ringing sound against his hardened skin.

Lucci immediately pounced in the direction from which the shuriken had been thrown, but missed his target once again.

The two combatants engaged in a high-speed chase, with rooftops and narrow alleyways becoming stages for their blurred afterimages.

'What kind of monster is this?' Kaku thought with growing alarm as he observed from his position.

The other CP9 members were finding the situation equally challenging and concerning.

Fortunately, their opponents weren't affiliated with the World Government; otherwise, they would have faced a genuine catastrophe this time.

"You only know how to run away" Lucci snarled with increasing frustration. "Coward!"

Lucci's anger began to build steadily.

He had never been unable to catch an opponent before, or even make contact with them during combat.

This proved completely unacceptable to his warrior's pride.

‘What kind of fighting method was this?’

Did his enemy intend to exhaust him to death through endless evasion?

Shisui suddenly stopped his retreat and threw a smoke bomb, instantly filling the narrow alleyway with thick, concealing vapor.

Lucci frowned with annoyance and waved his right hand vigorously, easily dispersing the smoke with a powerful gust.

"Finally ready to stop running?" Lucci looked at Shisui, who now stood cornered in the dead-end alley, a predatory smile spreading across his face.

Although his opponent remained bandaged from previous injuries, Lucci felt confident he could tear out the man's heart with a single claw strike.

But Shisui remained silent and drew his short blade instead.

"Whoosh"

Crimson flames suddenly engulfed the weapon's surface.

Shisui directly employed the [Body Flicker Technique] and rushed toward Lucci's position.

Halfway through his charge, he slashed outward with a flame-wreathed attack directed at his opponent.

With an excited expression, Lucci utilized his iron claw technique with his right hand, then directly tore through the incoming flame attack.

But Shisui had already appeared at his left side and slashed out another flame attack.

Almost simultaneously, he manifested an identical flame strike from the right side.

The attacks formed a triangular killing formation.

However…

Lucci just declared with a triumphant smile.

"Got you."

Then, completely ignoring the two flame attacks, he thrust his right hand directly toward Shisui's abdomen.

His clawed hand passed directly through his enemy's midsection just as he had anticipated, which filled him with a deep satisfaction.

But immediately afterward, his expression turned to one of complete shock.

Poof

The person he had struck transformed directly into smoke before his very eyes.

This made Lucci's pupils’ contract as he remembered how Kalifa had appeared when that man had brought her over earlier.

He had fallen into a trap.

Click

But he wasn't given any opportunity to recover from his realization.

Seastone handcuffs snapped closed around his wrists.

It turned out that Shisui had used the [Transformation Technique] to disguise himself as the sword, allowing his shadow clone to wield it and deceive Lucci with an elaborate feint.

This enabled him to appear beside Lucci using the least risky approach possible.

At the same moment the shadow clone dispersed, he also released his transformation technique and secured the Seastone handcuffs around his opponent's wrists.

"Despicable." Lucci's eyes were filled with anger.

He felt his strength completely drain away as his ability to resist vanished entirely.

At this moment, he burned with righteous anger as his human-beast form rapidly weakened and disappeared, reverting him to human appearance.

If he had fought with everything he possessed and lost to his opponent, then he could accept such a defeat.

Just as he had when losing to Straw Hat Luffy

But this current situation left him feeling cheated and dishonored

However, being unconvinced proved entirely useless now.

Shisui produced steel wire, bound him securely, then dragged him out of the alleyway.

Kaku and the other CP9 members stared at this scene in complete bewilderment.

This definitely wasn't the outcome they had wanted to witness.

"How's your injury?" Yami inquired with genuine concern.

This result didn't surprise him in the slightest.

Ninja techniques offered far too many tactical advantages.

Unless an enemy possessed completely impenetrable defenses, there would be a way to deal with them.

Not to mention that Devil Fruit users carried such devastating vulnerabilities to Seastone and seawater exposure.

"There was some bleeding, but it's not a serious problem," Shisui replied with characteristic stoicism.

Lucci looked at Shisui with obvious surprise, clearly not having expected that his opponent during their fierce battle had actually been fighting while wounded.

"What do we do now? Both Kalifa and Lucci are in their hands," Fukurou asked in an unusually quiet voice for once.

Without Lucci's leadership, decision-making authority naturally fell to Kaku.

"Let's negotiate. It seems they're not affiliated with the World Government," Kaku concluded with a troubled frown.

"We have fulfilled your request to serve as training partners; can you release them now?" Kaku immediately called out.

Lucci remained silent at this critical moment, waiting to see the results of the negotiation.

If diplomacy failed, he would immediately speak up and order Kaku and the others to escape while they still could.

"You're wanted by the World Government, but you're still members of an intelligence organization. I have no desire to deal with such complications," Yami answered thoughtfully.

"However, this man just made a direct attack and intended to kill my companion. That makes it impossible for me to simply release you without consequences."

Yami's expression appeared genuinely conflicted as he considered their situation.

Kaku couldn't help but want to surge forward and punch Yami for his casual attitude.

The assembled Uchiha clan members naturally looked to Yami for guidance and leadership.

"We can offer you compensation, whatever you require" Kaku insisted, though he had to suppress the anger burning in his chest and continue speaking diplomatically.

"Killing you would be simple enough, but there happens to be something dangerous that needs doing, and we require additional manpower," Yami stated without further delay.

"Your leader and this woman, will serve as a hostage. After completing this task for me, I will grant their freedom."

Yami didn't hesitate and stated his terms directly and clearly.

Upon hearing this proposal, Kaku's expression remained troubled, but he felt a measure of relief wash through him.

At least everyone's lives would be preserved.

Simultaneously, he felt surprised that this person possessed knowledge of their specific identities and backgrounds.

Although they were wanted by the World Government, their true identities should never have been revealed to outsiders.

Kaku didn't answer immediately, instead looking toward Lucci for guidance.

"What exactly are you planning to do?" Lucci asked with measured caution.

"Capture Straw Hat Luffy," Yami stated with brutal conciseness.

"Deal." Upon hearing that familiar name, Lucci agreed without the slightest hesitation.

The other CP9 members also looked surprised, not having expected such a specific mission objective.

"Clean up this area thoroughly, and when you're finished, come directly to the port to find us," Yami commanded with military efficiency.

Then he gestured to Yashiro and the others and took Lucci and Kalifa away immediately.

Kaku and the remaining CP9 members were left behind to handle the aftermath and evidence disposal.

Although Kaku and the others felt deeply unwilling to accept these circumstances, they could only watch helplessly as these people of unknown origin took Lucci and Kalifa away, disappearing from their sight entirely.

"Hurry up and check whether Jabra and Blueno can still move" Kaku sighed heavily, then issued orders to assess their wounded comrades.