Chapter 140: Sincerity (Patreon)

Chapter 140: Sincerity

"Boss knows them?"

Nico Robin noticed the undisguised surprise on Bahr's face and immediately sensed something amiss, her dark eyes flickering with curiosity.

Bahr didn't answer directly, his gaze lingering on Robin's face.

It suddenly occurred to him that, due to his intervention, Robin had never experienced the turmoil in Water 7 and thus couldn’t possibly recognize Rob Lucci and the other Cipher Pol 9 members.

But he was different. He knew all too well how fanatically Rob Lucci and his group clung to the World Government's "Dark Justice."

After a long silence, Bahr spoke with certainty, "Have Enel deal with them. They're spies sent by the World Government."

Robin raised an eyebrow curiously. "Boss is so sure?"

Logically speaking, after being hunted by the World Government, joining the Cross Guild out of desperation wasn’t impossible. After all, the Guild had gained some reputation in the New World and had become a refuge for many fugitives.

"I’m certain," Bahr stated firmly. "Have Enel take care of them. Leave no loose ends."

He knew Rob Lucci and his crew too well. Even after being abandoned by the government in the original story, they had eventually returned to the World Government’s embrace—proof of how deeply they were devoted to their twisted sense of justice.

How could such people genuinely pledge loyalty to an organization opposing the World Government? The only possibility was that they were infiltrators.

Nico Robin didn’t doubt him at all. Instead, she tapped her chin thoughtfully and suggested, "If they really are World Government spies, I think we should keep them around."

Bahr turned to her, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Robin explained slowly, "The Cross Guild has long been a thorn in the World Government’s side. It’s no surprise they’d send spies to gather intel. Now that we know Rob Lucci and his team’s identities, we can use this to our advantage—keep them close and monitor them."

"This way, at least we know who the enemy is. It’s better than them sending others we know nothing about, which would be far more troublesome."

Bahr had to admit her reasoning made sense.

But he still had reservations. Frowning, he said, "That’s true, but if we slip up even once and they leak our intel, bringing the World Government down on us, the risk would be too great."

Robin shot him a sidelong glance. Having spent so much time together, they had long since grown comfortable with each other, and she had a good grasp of Bahr’s thoughts.

So she shifted the topic meaningfully. "Among them, there’s a blonde woman named Kalifa. Quite attractive, with a rather... unique ability."

Bahr’s eyelid twitched. He immediately knew who she was referring to—Kalifa’s alluring figure and distinctive aura had left a deep impression on him.

He paused, clearing his throat to mask his thoughts. "Are you confident you can keep them in check?"

"Of course," Robin replied confidently, tilting her chin up. "I have my ways of handling them."

Seeing her like this, Bahr suddenly found the situation rather amusing.

In the original story, Robin had suffered greatly at the hands of CP9. Now, she was willingly taking them on—and with such confidence. The irony was truly something to savor.

He certainly hadn't changed his mind because he was thinking about Kalifa.

Bahr stood up, brushing the sand off his clothes, and said, "Let's go take a look."

Nico Robin glanced sideways at Bahr, a knowing smile curling at the corners of her lips. When dealing with Bahr, the best approach was indeed still feminine charm.

At the open space of Mermaid Cove's harbor.

Who's-Who crouched low, his claws leaving white marks in the sand as he glanced at Rob Lucci opposite him and sneered, "Once-in-a-century genius? To me, you're just average."

Lucci didn't respond, only his eyes growing colder as his fingers curled slightly.

The next second, Who's-Who lunged forward, claws aimed straight for Lucci's face. Lucci sidestepped, his fingertips forming a Finger Pistol thrust toward Who's-Who's ribs. With a metallic "clang," claws and Finger Pistol collided, sending both men half a step back.

"Your speed hasn't declined," Who's-Who said, shaking his claws before pouncing again. Lucci moved as well, leaving behind several afterimages as he darted forward.

Who's-Who closed his eyes, relying on hearing to track the movements. The moment Lucci approached, he spun sharply, claws sweeping toward Lucci's side.

Lucci leaned back to evade, countering with a sweeping kick that sent a gust of wind cutting through the air. Who's-Who leaped to avoid it but stumbled upon landing, a bloody gash now visible on his stomach. Lucci's suit was torn open at the ribs, the fabric stained red.

Both men stood panting, neither gaining the upper hand.

Nearby, Kaku watched with narrowed eyes. Kalifa leaned against a crate, fingers tapping its edge, her expression blank. Blueno stood rigidly with his arms crossed, unmoving.

"You're so noisy. If you're going to fight, hurry up and decide the winner," Enel said with a yawn, his tone dripping with impatience.

Just then, a lazy set of footsteps approached from a distance.

Bahr strolled through the crowd with his hands in his pockets, his gaze sweeping over the evenly matched pair in the center. A playful smirk tugged at his lips. "Seems I arrived at just the right time."

Lucci's movements froze instantly. His sharp eyes locked onto Bahr like a hawk's, the killing intent around him receding slightly but still taut with wariness.

He had a head of black curly hair, with bangs partially obscuring his brow. His expression was impassive, jawline rigid. Even after the fight, his black suit was only slightly wrinkled, exuding an unapproachable coldness.

Who's-Who also halted, still panting heavily, though his claws remained raised in caution against Lucci.

Bahr's gaze lingered on Lucci's face before he drawled, "You want to join the Cross Guild?"

"Yes," Lucci replied in a low voice.

"Members of Cipher Pol 9," Bahr said, dragging out the words, his eyes openly scrutinizing. "Why should I trust you? How do I know you're not spies sent by the World Government to infiltrate and cause trouble?"

At these words, Kaku's expression faltered slightly, and Blueno's brow creased almost imperceptibly.

Kalifa straightened up then, stepping forward. "We were branded traitors by the government after a mission failure. We have no ties to them anymore. Nowhere to go. We just want a place to belong."

Her tone was steady, revealing little emotion.

Bahr's attention immediately shifted to her, his eyes roaming over her with interest.

Kalifa had long golden hair and wore tinted glasses. As she spoke, she habitually adjusted the frames with her fingertips.

She wore a form-fitting black bodysuit that accentuated her curves, with the faint pattern of a black mesh garment visible beneath. Her legs were encased in sheer black fishnet stockings, their lines long and straight, while her feet were clad in pointed black stilettos that remained steady even on the sandy ground. Her entire demeanor exuded mature allure, yet carried an air of icy detachment that warned others to keep their distance.

"Want me to believe you? Simple." Bahr withdrew his gaze, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips. "Show some sincerity."

Lucci furrowed his brows. "What kind of sincerity?"

Bahr raised his hand, pointing a finger toward Kalifa with a tone that was both teasing and unyielding. "The sincerity is—she comes with me."

After all, he already knew these people were enemies. A beauty delivered to his doorstep—why let her go? Besides, when dealing with spies, there were no rules to follow. Didn't their own manuals state that the ends justified the means?

The moment these words left his mouth, the surroundings fell into silence.

Kaku's eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he stared at Bahr in disbelief, then flicked a glance at Kalifa. He opened his mouth to speak, but a sharp look from Lucci silenced him.

Blueno's expression darkened, his arms tightening across his chest as the air around him grew heavier, clearly displeased with the insulting demand.

Lucci's frown deepened, his gaze turning colder as he studied Bahr for several seconds. "We know the Cross Guild's principles. We genuinely want to join. What's the meaning of this?"

His voice carried a restrained displeasure, his left hand subtly gesturing behind his back—a signal for Kalifa to retreat.

Bahr shrugged indifferently. "I don't care about others, but for people like you who used to work for the government, joining requires a different kind of sincerity. Otherwise, how can I be sure you're truly defecting?"

Lucci's face instantly darkened, his right hand resting on his waist, knuckles whitening from the force of his grip. "You insist on this?"

Just then, Kalifa let out a soft "hm," adjusting her glasses with one hand. Behind the lenses, her gaze flickered over lucci's tense profile and Kaku's clenched fists.

She took two steps forward, the sharp click of her heels against the sand ringing out like a hammer against her companions' hearts.

Stopping in front of Bahr, she tilted her head slightly, golden hair cascading over her shoulders, a faint trace of perfume drifting from her strands. "If this is what it takes to join the Guild, then it's nothing."

Her tone was as calm as if discussing the weather, though the tightness at the corners of her lips betrayed a hint of discomfort.

Bahr arched a brow, surprised by her straightforwardness.

These agents really would sacrifice anything for a mission.

Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around Kalifa's waist, his fingers brushing against the warm skin beneath her bodysuit. Her body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

"Seems you're serious about this." Bahr's smirk widened as he guided Kalifa toward the ship docked at the shore. Passing Robin, he tossed over his shoulder without turning, "Robin, handle their arrangements."

Robin glanced at Bahr's hand around Kalifa, then swept her gaze over the tense expressions of the CP9 trio. A faint smile curled her lips as she nodded silently.

Lucci remained rooted in place, watching as Kalifa was led away, her golden hair swaying in the wind like a thorn piercing his vision.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked audibly. It wasn't until Kaku cleared his throat beside him that he slowly relaxed his grip, revealing deep crescent-shaped marks left in his palms.