One Way Home, Chapter 21.

Chapter 21: What’s In Her Mind? 2.

—OoOoO—

In a world where the ocean had almost drowned everything, leaving only a cluster of islands scattered around the globe, a giant continent surrounded the planet and forming a wall that divided the world into two parts. Over time, the giant landmass has been given various names and nicknames. However, among them, people most often refer to it as the Red Line.

The highest peak in the world where not just anyone could reach. It was unclear who ever inhabited the continent or if it was a habitable place. However, for eight hundred years, a group of people who declared themselves the rulers of the world began to occupy the Red Line. Since then, a magnificent palace had stood firmly at the top of the world.

Stussy stood before a large double door. She had taken off the Marine uniform she had previously used as a disguise. A pure white one-piece dress with a length that reached her knees was her choice. In addition, a blue robe with a gold chain hanging from her chest wrapped her body majestically, giving a touch of grace combined with masculinity.

'I hate every time I'm in this place.'

With a deep breath, Stussy pushed the door open, revealing a spacious room with impressive architecture. Inside were three luxurious sofas, each consisting of two single seats and a long sofa that could accommodate three people. However, what made the room seem intimidating was the presence of five old men inside.

Stussy walked with a firm step. Her gaze was straight ahead. The mischievous expression that was always on her face was gone, replaced with an extraordinary calmness that hid her nervousness. Every time her shoes touched the floor, a tapping sound echoed throughout the room, giving a warning that every step she took brought her closer to the five old men.

“This humble servant faces the gods who rule over all the seas and own all the land in this mortal world.”

Stussy knelt before the men, her head bowed, acknowledging the vast difference in status between them. However, they returned the respect with looks of condescension mixed with anger, rage, and disappointment.

“Nico Robin managed to escape and Enies Lobby was left in ruins. Saying that you failed the mission is too trivial considering the end result. Total defeat is a fitting term to describe the situation.”

The words, spoken with a heavy tone by the fat old man with a skullcap on his head, echoed with a pressure that filled the room.

“This unworthy servant is truly remorseful and begs for your most gracious forgiveness.”

"You think your apology is enough to solve this mess?!" replied the man called Saturn, his emotions overflowing.

Stussy froze, frozen in place, as the angry rebuke echoed through the room. The words hit her like a heavy sledgehammer as if they could crush the guts of anyone who heard them. The air around her instantly became stuffy, relentlessly pressuring against her lungs, making it difficult for her to even take a breath.

But Stussy persisted. With her head bowed and one knee kissing the cold floor, she maintained the attitude of a servant in front of her masters. Her fingers gripped the floor with her trembling knees, but the woman forced her body to stay upright. All her strength was channelled into her hands and feet to continue supporting her, refusing to show weakness even though the murderous aura felt like it was suffocating her soul.

“Calm down, Saturn.”

An old man with long white hair tried to calm the situation,

“Mars…,” Saturn muttered.

Receiving the reprimand, the fat man closed his eyes, calming down the emotions that were overflowing wildly.

“And then, Stussy. Before we get into the main topic, I’m sure you have an explanation for how this humiliating defeat could have happened,” the man said again after the situation was under control.

Before responding, Stussy took a deep breath, regaining her breathing rhythm after being overcome by the overwhelming killing intent.

“I dare not presume to offer excuses,” Stussy said, pausing to catch her breath, “However, this devoted subject is honoured beyond measure by your generosity in giving me the opportunity, My Lords.”

For the first time since the meeting began, Stussy raised her head, looking straight at the elders sitting in their respective chairs.

“With the utmost respect, I recognise how this may seem an attempt to deflect responsibility. However, I must humbly state that the root cause of the failure lies in selfishness of the CP9 chief, Spandam, who wanted Nico Robin captured alive. In this servant’s humble opinion, he ought to have acted swiftly and killed her while the moment was still secure. For not only is she known for her cunning, but her uncanny fortune has time and again allowed her to survive, even with such unremarkable skill in battle.”

Stussy paused again, looking to see if there was any reaction from the Five Elders as she made her defence. Nothing, no change was visible. Unconsciously, the woman let out a long breath as if she had just escaped the grip of death.

“Another contributing factor was the Enies Lobby’s overreliance on foreign powers to guard the front gate.”

“Foreign powers?”

A fat, bald old man interrupted Stussy's explanation with a question, to which the woman gave a firm nod.

“What I mean is the two giants employed by Spandam. They are neither part of the Marines, nor affiliated with any other defence force owned by the World Government. Based on records from fifty years ago, they were willing to work under the World Government in exchange for the release of their captains, Dorry and Brogy, who we never captured in the first place. Therefore, when the giants learn of this fact, they easily changed sides and turned against us.”

Stussy paused after giving a lengthy explanation to refill her lungs with oxygen.

“With the Straw Hats breaking through the first line, and the two giants at the front turning against us, our forces were practically unable to move freely. When we retreated to chase the Straw Hats, the giants finished us off from behind. However, if we held off the giants instead, the Straw Hats would push further into our final line of defence without any resistance.”

On the battlefield, the organisation between the lines was the most crucial factor that couldn't be ignored. The front line became the tip of the spear, the middle provided backup, which was generally used for long-range attacks, and the rear was expected to be flexibly mobilised to adjust the situation on the battlefield, as well as the centre of support for all troops. In fact, it was sometimes not uncommon to place forces on the wings to flank and surround the enemy.

However, even if one part of the defence structure experienced disintegration, and that was compounded by betrayal, the entire structure would collapse. That was why every individual was required to have high loyalty and be well-trained to maintain the formation.

However, the total defeat at Enies Lobby was a humiliating blow to the World Government in the most embarrassing way. When they, as the centre of the world, shouldn’t have shown such a fatal gap in their organisational structure, they instead continued to keep the giants who were time bombs in Enies Lobby. And unfortunately, they exploded at the worst possible time.

“It’s a shame, but I can understand why the front line could be torn down,” said a bald man with glasses, “However, in the back line, we have Rob Lucci, the most promising talent in CP9. And of course, yourself, Stussy.”

“It is true I was present, yet I could do little and was unable to do much or move around freely. After all, the chain of command did not rest with me. And with all due respect, My Lords, Spandam was not the right person for that position, and neither was his father, Spandine.”

The practice of nepotism has indeed been deeply rooted even in an organisation as large as the World Government. In the past few decades, there have indeed been no significant losses from such irresponsible actions. Therefore, even the Five Elders had no sense of urgency to immediately take action against it. However, when the world was heading towards chaos with the emergence of many powerful individuals moving in one direction, the system would collapse sooner or later if no one took it into consideration.

“I understand your complaint, I’ll take action later,” replied Ju Peter, a man with short blond hair, “Then, how will you explain their escape from the Buster Call?”

“For that matter, it is beyond my authority and capacity. For more validity, it might be better to hear it from Admiral Aokiji directly.”

Despite hearing the reply, which actually sounded reasonable, the faces of the five old men showed apparent dissatisfaction. Some of them even gave off a little killing intent that made cold sweat seem to fall from the woman's pores. Stussy sighed while closing her eyes, trying to stay calm even though she had to be cornered like that again.

“However, if your majesties would be willing to hear my testimony, though based only on limited observations, I would say that their small ship, somehow, was able to sail on its own and enter the waters of Water Seven without anyone knowing at all.”

The statement made the five men look at each other with expressions of confusion clearly written on their faces.

“That doesn't make sense, you think we'll believe it?” asked Saturn.

"There were many eyewitnesses at the time to verify the information. However, what should be of concern is, how could a ship, even a small one, break in without anyone noticing?"

Stussy dropped a point that made the old men frown.

“Are you saying that Kuzan, who led the operation, let it happen?" Nusjuro, an old man with a bald head and glasses, asked.

“That is possible. However, at the same time, it is quite implausible since Admiral Aokiji has shown a strong attitude that he will run for the new Fleet Admiral.”

“So, you’re saying there are people who don’t like Kuzan, and are trying to sabotage the operation to bring down his credibility?” Nusjuro asked again.

“Though I cannot speak with certainty, for it remains but a conjecture, this lowly servant believe it is possibility Your Majesty may wish to consider.”

If they, the Five Elders, heard that a small ship had slipped through the barricade of warships, the first conclusion that would come to mind, and the strongest possibility, would be that Kuzan let it happen. In short, regardless of whether it was intentional or not, Kuzan's actions in Enies Lobby were a gamble that brought almost no profit. However, while they could still be influenced by the assumption, the direction of the Five Elders could be slightly changed. Not to erase the fact of failure, of course, but to blur what was true and what was a conspiration.

'If I say more than this, I’ll be suspected of siding with one of the Fleet Admiral candidates. That's why, from now on it's up to you whether you want to follow my advice or not, Admiral Aokiji.'

A groan of frustration could be heard faintly from the old men. However, it was understandable. After being faced with the fact that the nepotism rooted in the World Government had caused the mission's failure to capture Nico Robin, they now had to swallow the reality that a power struggle existed within their military.

“Regardless of whether your conclusion is correct or not, we’ll investigate it thoroughly,” said Warcury, an old man with a long moustache and white hair that was only left on the edges.

“It’s unfortunate that Nico Robin managed to escape again even after all the effort that was put in. However, cut to the chase. How about your report on the secret mission we gave you?” chimed in an old man with long white hair and a long beard of the same colour.

“Monkey D. Luffy. Tell me, is that Nika or not?” asked Saturn.

Stussy's heart felt like it stopped beating when the question finally came out. Her breath seemed to hitch in her throat. She bit her lip, trying to mentally prepare herself for any eventuality. Even though she was confident with all the preparations she had made, there was no guarantee that it would go smoothly according to her will. One mistake, and she would lose everything. Literally, everything.

Before answering the question that would determine her fate, Stussy lifted her dress, revealing her smooth, flawless thighs. However, there was a black belt that tightly tied the thighs, as well as several pockets attached to it.

The Five Elders stared at the woman curiously, but they had no intention of interrupting her at all. They just stared at her in silence, watching her tiny hands pull out several small Den Den Mushi from the bags.

“To help analyse Monkey D. Luffy’s abilities, I installed several surveillance cameras in certain corners of Enies Lobby,” Stussy said after presenting the Den Den Mushi in front of her.

“You did it? Don’t we have some that already installed in Enies Lobby?” Ju Peter asked.

“Apparently, we do not have it at all, My Lord. And I have no choice but to install it myself because I lack the eyes to cover the entire area.”

“Nusjuro, do we really not have it?" Ju Peter asked again, but this time, the question was directed at his colleague.

“With Cipher Pol making that place their main base, and it being under CP9’s direct control, I don’t think installing a recording device in Enies Lobby is something that’s urgent,” the bald man replied.

In fact, Stussy was immensely grateful because her superiors were comprised of older individuals who, despite having broad insights, were relatively slow to respond to the latest technological applications. Moreover, they were unbelievably strong people, no doubt about that, but that was precisely what made them more easily lulled.

Because of that, Stussy was able to install her own Den Den Mushi around Enies Lobby. Which meant she could completely control whatever was recorded and freely edit the content. It was logically impossible to edit a video of such high quality in under two hours. However, that wasn’t a big deal if the person who did it was an extraordinary person with technology that the world had never seen before.

“Enough. We can discuss that later,” said Saturn, mediating his colleagues, “Now, Stussy, tell us. Is Monkey D. Luffy Nika or not?”

In contrast to before, now the blonde woman seemed calmer when faced with that question.

“First and foremost, I must state that the primary information I possess pertains solely to Monkey D. Luffy’s battle in Enies Lobby. As for the fights in Alabasta and Skypiea, I gathered everything based on witness statements.”

Stussy then pressed a button on one of the Den Den Mushi, and the device projected a video onto a white wall.

“This is one of the samples I managed to collect. For now, I will use the fight against Lucci. The rest of the footage will be played at the end as an attachment.”

The video appears to be taken from a relatively far angle. While it could cover the entire area, the details of what they were saying weren’t heard at all. However, it was understandable. In the video, a fairly fierce fight between the rubber man and the big cat was shown. The fight was quite wild, to the point of destroying several walls and floors. However, what was interesting in the video was something that Luffy occasionally did to Lucci, which seemed to sprinkle something right on his head.

“What was that? What did that brat sprinkle that made Lucci stagger?” Mars asked.

“Is it just me or Lucci was like fighting while in euphoric state?” Warcury added.

The five old men looked at Stussy, asking the woman to explain.

“I have checked the area where they fought. And among the dust from the rubble, I found traces of the use of a significant amount of catnip powder,” Stussy said as she took something out of a pouch on the belt that was tied around her thigh.

It was a sealed plastic bag. Inside was a fine green powder, which matched what was used in the video.

“Catnip. Isn’t that a plant that can make cats high?” Ju Peter asked.

“Where did the kid get the idea to use that?” Saturn chimed in with another question.

Stussy looked at the two figures in turn, seemingly a little uncertain about which one to answer. However, after a brief consideration, she thought that Saturn's question was the one that best suited her agenda.

“From his record so far, Monkey D. Luffy has shown quite high adaptability by utilising his surroundings. In Alabasta, he used water to fight Crocodile. While in Skypiea, his rubber body naturally became the best insulator to face Enel.”

The woman paused for a moment to gather the words she wanted to say.

“Moreover, Lucci had previously defeated Straw Hat Luffy in Water Seven by showing his zoan form. Considering his record and the situation where he had to finish everything quickly in Enies Lobby, I think those reasons prompted the idea.”

While listening to Stussy's explanation, the old men's eyes were also fixated on the video, which continued to show the fight between Luffy and Lucci. There was nothing special about the show. What the straw hat boy did was just use his rubber body to launch punches like a slingshot. In fact, Lucci actually seemed to steal more attention by maintaining his consciousness, even though he had been made drunk by catnip powder.

“Is that really Nika? It’s not like what the rumours said,” Mars muttered.

Nika was a god in mythology who was believed to have transformed into a devil fruit. There was no record of what his true powers were, nor was there any information about his true form. All knowledge about Nika comes only from information passed down from generation to generation by previous leaders of the World Government.

“Our ancestors spent resources just to get that fruit, yet they found nothing. Is that even the real Nika?” asked Nusjuro.

“It’s said that Nika hasn’t been appeared since eight hundred years ago. So, do you think a D. like that brat is qualified to wield its power?” Ju Peter joined the conversation.

On the other hand, Saturn was seen stroking his beard with his brain busy, simulating various possibilities that could happen in the future.

“He seems harmless simply because he hasn’t yet reached the awakening stage. However, if that happens, we don’t know what he can do. That’s why, I suggest executing the boy as soon as possible,” said the old man with a cap.

Saturn’s words made the world’s top brass fall silent. Their attention was immediately drawn to the fat man. Some seemed to consider the proposal, while others openly expressed their disagreement.

“Nika is a zoan-type fruit, with even stranger characteristics. The World Government has tried to obtain it for generations, but the fruit seems to have a will of its own and somehow always manages to escape pursuit.”

Nusjuro opened his opinion with words that were able to attract the attention of his colleagues.

“But now, we know where and who ate it. We can learn the true power of the fruit. Besides, if we kill it now, it’ll only bring us back to the first loop and if Nika appears again in the future, we or our future generations won’t have any valid information about that again and again.”

The opinion expressed by Nusjuro made a lot of sense. The World Government, from time to time, has been forced to face a dead end due to the limited information it had about Nika. Only holding on to outdated information sourced from ancient mythology would certainly not be helpful. Therefore, there must be a figure who was able to break the cycle of ignorance.

“Honestly, I agree with Nusjuro,” Warcury said after a moment of silence, “Getting necessary data about Nika should be our priority while the opportunity is in front of us.”

“But what’ll you do if it backfires us?” Mars asked with narrowed eyes.

“Even if something goes south, history has shown that we can beat Nika with whatever he had,” Warcury added.

“Now that I think about it, Monkey D. Luffy is Garp’s grandson and the son of the Revolutionary Army’s leader, right?” Ju Peter joined the chat, “If we kill him now, it could potentially cause Garp and Dragon to take strong action. Even if we put the Revolutionary aside, Garp has his loyal followers in the Marines. If he takes action, it could trigger a civil war within organisation.”

Of all the debates, perhaps what Ju Peter said was the most concerning. The gentlemen immediately fell silent, thinking about the pros and cons of killing Luffy without preparation.

Meanwhile, still kneeling in the same spot, Stussy seemed to be silent and doing nothing. There was no order for her to speak. In fact, they seemed to be ignoring her presence as if she was no longer relevant in the room. However, that was not what was bothering the blonde woman’s mind at the moment.

‘It’s bad. My purpose to outwit them seems failed. They already knew what Nika was like from the start.’

Stussy always had her own agenda in the chaos that occurred in Enies Lobby. Although she stated in front of Aokiji that her purpose there was to ensure Nico Robin’s safety, her main priority was to prevent the Five Elders from learning that Luffy was the Nika they had been looking for all this time. Therefore, she intended to provide video content that had been edited in such a way that it even showed completely fake fight scenes.

However, the attempt didn’t produce the expected results. Even with the video showing that Luffy’s power was just ordinary rubber power, the old men could still recognise immediately that it was Nika’s power.

‘In other words, the Gomu Gomu no Mi never existed in the first place, and it was a fake name given to erase Nika’s existence from the world’s memory,’ the woman muttered.

In fact, Stussy could have chosen not to give any report or simply say she didn’t know anything to keep Luffy’s secret. However, she would lose the trust of the Five Elders that she had worked so hard to build. As a double agent, that was something she couldn’t afford.

‘Although they currently seem hesitant to attack Luffy considering Garp-san and Dragon’s response, there’s no guarantee they won’t take action soon. Preventing them from finding out the truth is also impossible. If anything, the only thing that can be done is to buy time.’

Stussy bit the corner of her lip, feeling the doubt creeping into her heart.

‘I don’t want to drag anyone else into this, but I have no choice but to distract them.’

“Forgive me for my impudence, My Lords. However, there is still one more matter I must report, something which, in my view, Your Majesties ought to be made aware of.”

The interruption brought the discussion to a temporary halt. All eyes turned back to the blonde woman who was still kneeling.

“Say it,” Mars said.

As before, Stussy didn’t immediately follow the order she received. She took another Den Den Mushi and played the video footage she had prepared. However, unlike before, there was no editing whatsoever on the content.

“That’s you and Nico Robin, isn’t it? Who’s the girl that came with you?” Saturn asked.

“She is Zen’in Maki, the one who killed Spandam,” Stussy replied with a slight twist to her answer.

The video showed three women entering a large room calmly. At first glance, it seemed like they weren’t having any problems. However, after the blonde woman, who was Stussy, exchanged a few words with the girl in the ponytail, a fierce brawl began. The fight even appeared to destroy the roof, causing the recording device to shake.

“Why do you look so overwhelmed? You didn’t give in on purpose, did you, Stussy?” Saturn asked, emphasising every word.

The accusation actually made sense. Stussy was an elite with such a high-level skill, which allowed her to survive even in the New World on her own. She had years of experience, something that could not be bought with talent alone. Taking out a rookie who had just set foot in Paradise should not have been a big deal for her. However, the facts shown in the video said otherwise.

“That is certainly true. I could have defeated that girl anytime in the way I wanted. However, I have a special reason why I fought her while gradually increasing the fighting level.”

Right after Stussy said that, the scene shown in the video showed her being hit to the ground after she took her fight to the air. At that moment, the video footage immediately went black as most of the building’s roof collapsed.

“Judging from her appearance, that girl seems to be their youngest member. When I tried to trace her background, she was not present in the Arabasta rebellion, nor was she present when they were on Jaya Island. The only evidence of her existence is that she was involved with the Straw Hats during the battle in Skypiea.”

“Isn’t that quite normal? It could be that she’s from the sky,” Nusjuro said.

Stussy shook her head slowly in response to the objection.

“After I saw the Straw Hat Pirates’ ship parachute from the sky, I tried to go to Skypiea to check the situation and gather information. After all, it was surprising to see a group of rookies who managed to leave there alive after Enel took over the sky. However, what I found was a bit surprising. The locals said that Zen’in Maki came with the Straw Hats from the land.”

For most people, the information may sound trivial. However, for an agent who must consider everything in detail, there was something odd about the story. Moreover, in Maki’s case, there was a very suspicious missing link between her first appearance and the Straw Hats’ travel notes.

“This lowly servant having failed to remain near Jaya, despite having been entrusted with the mission to closely monitor Nico Robin’s movements,” Stussy said then, bowing her head deeply.

Despite having admitted their negligence, the Five Elders didn’t seem to show any anger over the mistake. No, they couldn’t be angry from the start. The reason Stussy was unable to work optimally was also because the missions assigned to her at one time were indeed too many. Moreover, they prioritised Nico Robin’s supervision and the monitoring of Skypiea.

Just like Wano and Elbaf, the World Government also targeted Sky Island to expand its influence. They couldn’t place just any agent to carry out a mission that would open up space for entry into modern colonial practices. However, the Five Elders wouldn’t admit that it was their fault.

“Forget that. So, other than her unclear background, is there anything else that makes you think it’s worth dragging out the fight with her, resulting in Nico Robin’s escape?” Nusjuro asked.

“Her growing rate is exceptional. At such a young age, she has awakened Kenbunshoku Haki. Her use of the ability is still a bit clumsy, indicating that she doesn’t have much experience and that the ability probably manifested recently,” the blonde woman replied.

“You mean, you think she awakened Kenbunshoku during the fight in Skypiea?”

Saturn’s question drew gazes from everyone in the large room. They stared at their colleague in silence for a few seconds before finally turning their gazes to the blonde woman. Understanding the meaning of the five old men, Stussy gave a firm nod, confirming what her superior had asked.

“While it’s an impressive feat, someone awakening Kenbunshoku at a young age is nothing new,” Ju Peter said, crossing his fingers in front of his mouth. “There are many people who seem to have a fast growth rate, but their potential just stops there.”

“I understand Lord Ju Peter’s intentin. However, that is not the whole of it. Prior to my fight with her, Zen’in Maki was able to learn Rokushiki just by watching. Her mind is sharp, she is fast and agile, her fighting style is very unique, and her body is incredibly strong.”

The Five Elders narrowed their eyes. There was so much they wanted to say, but they chose to remain silent and stare at the woman intently, giving her space to finish her report.

“Everything about her seems to have been designed to be a perfect warrior. She has the potential to be a great player in the future. However, what surprised me the most was….”

Stussy hung up on her words, deliberately creating a more dramatic atmosphere, even though the murderous glares from her superiors felt like they were suffocating her.

“Zen’in Maki, there are indications that the girl can see the colours of Bushoshoku Haki, and she claimed to be able to see aspects of the world, like facets scattered in the air.”

What Stussy said made the old men frown. They stared at each other as if trying to communicate silently through their eyes.

“Haki is the pinnacle of human ability,” Mars said, his gaze falling on Stussy, “While Kenbunshoku is realised when the body and mind can communicate without any boundaries separating them, Bushoshoku is realised when the body and soul are in perfect synchronisation. In other words, Bushoshoku is the manifestation of the power of the soul.”

“To say that one can see the colours of Bushoshoku is like saying that one can see and perceive the soul itself. You know how absurd that sounds, right, Stussy?” asked Nusjuro with emphasis at the end of his sentence.

“Zen’in Maki immediately recognised that I was using Bushoshoku even though she seemed to have never seen it before and had no knowledge of the ability. Regardless of whether her claim is true or not, I feel I must report the results of this observation to you, My Lords.”

Throughout history, numerous talented individuals have emerged from time to time, showcasing extraordinary abilities. It was as if the universe never tired of giving birth to talented figures. The emergence of several super rookies in one generation wasn’t something surprising for the Five Elders, who had lived for a long time. However, they had never once heard of someone who could perceive the soul.

It sounded absurd, unreasonable, and even more fitting to be called empty talk. Even so, their position couldn’t allow them to ignore such unreasonable things because no one knew where the threats that would destroy the balance of the world would come from.

“Zen’in Maki. Doesn’t her name sound like a name from Wano?” Warcury muttered.

The people in the room stared at the bald man with a curved moustache that resembled a buffalo’s horns. Silence fell over the room as if the air was reluctant to move. Each of them began to frown, seriously considering whether the report they had received warranted special attention.

“Stussy, you said that this Zen’in Maki suddenly appeared out of nowhere, between the waters of Jaya and before they went to Skypiea, right? Is there anything else?” Ju Peter asked, looking at the blonde woman.

“Apparently, she called herself the Demon Lord of The Sixth Heaven. However, she probably used that to make fun of Enel who called himself a god.”

“Isn’t that from the beliefs of the Wano people?” Ju Peter asked again, “An ancient symbolism used for figures who oppose the religion and reject the old order.”

“If she does have indications of coming from Wano, and suddenly appeared just like that, is it possible that she came to the future with Toki?”

Nusjuro’s remark made the room fall into silence once again.

Toki, also known as Kozuki Toki. She was a noblewoman from Wano, the wife of a famous Daimyo who once explored the world alongside Gol D. Roger and Edward Newgate. Has a very mysterious background, which even took years for the Word Government to complete all investigations about her.

“Doesn’t her devil fruit only allow the target of her ability to appear around the location they were sent to the future? If she was sent by Toki to the future, she should have appeared around Wano,” Ju Peter replied.

“We can’t say for sure about that,” Saturn joined the discussion, “Just like Nika, we don’t have much information about the Toki Toki no Mi because it practically disappeared for eight centuries. Ancient records also say that the fruit can’t jump too far into the future, yet Toki was discovered in our era.”

“Even so, isn’t her name not listed as one of Oden’s soldiers who died or disappeared while fighting against Kaido?” Mars replied, trying to provide a counterargument.

“Or maybe, this girl is from the same era as Toki, but instead of brought her to Roger’s era, Toki sent this girl to the present.”

Once again, Nusjuro’s words fell silent. They stared at the bald man with glasses sharply as if trying to weigh the weight of his words.

“But why? Why send her specifically to this era, while Toki herself went to Roger’s Era?” Ju Peter asked.

None of them were able to answer that question. In fact, no one really could confirm Nusjuro’s speculation. All that was in the heads of these people was just a series of empty assumptions composed of vague pieces of information. They were only able to grope for the reality hidden in the untouchable darkness, a dead end that was invisible even to them.

“Forgive me for my rudeness in interrupting your discussion, My Lords,” Stussy said after a long silence.

The world’s top leaders simultaneously stared at the blonde woman.

“When you brought up the possibility that Maki is from the same era as Toki, something came to mind. It seems like the girl is very close to Nico Robin. In fact, she might be closer to her than the other members. Not to mention about Toki’s famous prophecy about the end of Kaido’s reign,” the agent continued.

The pieces of information felt like a typhoon that swept away almost all the speculations that existed, narrowing it down to the most significant possible possibility. The Five Elders stared at each other intensely. Several beads of sweat dripped from their pores as if something had put them on edge.

“Sudden appearance, unclear background, name and culture that sounds like it’s from Wano, and closeness to Nico Robin,” muttered Satrun while stroking his beard.

“That doesn’t answer the questions, but we have to act with the worst case scenario in mind. If someone from the past forms relationship with someone that can read the poneglyph….,” Mars added.

“The appearance of Nika after centuries and the devil from Ohara. If Toki is also able to see far into the future, it makes sense to send someone to this era, while Toki herself does something in Roger’s era.”

While the heavy discussion continued to flow from the mouths of the old men, Stussy remained in a kneeling position with her head bowed so deeply. Her fine blond hair fell like a golden curtain, following gravity and covering her entire face from anyone’s view. However, behind the golden mane, her shoulders shook gently for a moment, holding back as much as possible the laughter that was about to break out. No one realised that the woman, amid an atmosphere filled with seriousness, was actually enjoying the irony and stupidity presented before her.

‘From the past my ass. If that was the case, Maki-chan would have immediately found a way to go to Wano, just like Lady Toki did, instead of messing around with the Straw Hat. Besides, they completely ignored the information that Maki-chan had a unique fighting style. And if it came from someone like me, that means I’ve never seen that fighting style even from the asylums who escaped from Wano.’

Stussy snorted as she imagined the idiotic faces of those old men who always acted like they had power.

‘Moreover, it was a good decision not to tell them that there was a hole in the sky phenomenon on the same day Maki-chan was first seen. I didn’t expect them to think that Maki-chan came from the past. By saying that she was very close to Nico Robin, it only strengthened their speculation. That way, at least their attention was diverted a little from Monkey D. Luffy even though they were technically on the same ship.’

“Stussy.”

The woman raised her head when she heard her name called, looking directly at Saturn, who was looking at her intensely.

“Go to Wano. You’re the best we have at going undercover. Infiltrate Kaido or Orochi’s ranks, then find something related to Toki and Maki. If possible, secure an arms trade route with them. It would be very profitable if we manage to secure supplies without going through Doflamingo as a broker.”

Stussy lowered her head again, hiding her expression behind her golden mane under the guise of showing respect for them.

“No, that won’t do, at least we can’t use her. Going to Wano is the same as a long-term mission with the difficulty of sending information consistently,” said Nusjuro.

“That is precisely why we must use her,” Saturn reiterated.

“No, I agree with Nusjuro,” Ju Peter joined the conversation, “If we really want to send someone to Wano, it would be better to use someone from SWORD.”

The secret SWORD unit was a special unit in the Marines that had “signed” a resignation letter in advance. In other words, they were essentially official Marine members but could be deployed for various purposes and missions without having to navigate a complicated chain of command and bureaucracy. Or at least, that was the explanation that has been polished so that the unit had a soft impression. In reality, SWORD could be said to be a suicide squad that could be discarded at any time.

“It’s at times like these that we use SWORD rather than sending our valuable assets into the enemy’s nest without a clear calculation,” Ju Peter continued.

Unbeknownst to them, Stussy let out a sigh of relief when there was an argument against sending her to Wano. It wasn’t like she was afraid of going there or dealing with one of the Four Emperors. In fact, dancing in the centre of the enemy base was something she had been doing ever since she decided to join the Cipher Pol.

However, going to Wano on a long-term mission meant that she couldn’t meet the Five Elders in person for an indefinite period. Although setting foot on the Holy Land of Mary Geoise always gave her goosebumps, going there was a necessity to complete her main objective. In other words, she wouldn’t be able to fulfil her aim if she had to carry out a long-term mission in a place that was so isolated from the world.

‘Crazy things seem to be happening in the future. I don’t know how long my disguise can last, but I think I should get all this information to that person soon. Moreover, I haven’t had any proper contact with them since I was promoted to CP0.’

Stussy glanced at the old men who were still having a heated discussion through the gaps in her blond hair.

‘Well, I haven’t managed to uncover the secret of their immortality or confirm that they’re truly immortal, though. However, the Five Elders aren’t as intelligent as I thought to be world leaders. They’re too slow in making decisions to be called leaders. People with this kind of character are more suited to be puppet leaders than real rulers.’

Stussy looked at the old men one by one.

‘Or perhaps, is there another figure who’s more powerful than the Five Elders, and they simply submit to that person?’

—To Be Continued—

Author Note: The next part of the last chapter still focuses on Stussy. Honestly, I had planned to merge the previous chapter and this one into a single, complete chapter. However, besides the fact that it would make the content too long, which I'm afraid readers will find boring, the process of writing this chapter was also quite tiring because I had to pay close attention to how Stussy interacted with the Five Elders.

A little fun fact: I even deleted a lot of dialogue in this chapter because I felt overwhelmed with the arrangement of the words. However, it doesn't mean that I can't finish it. It's just that I don't have much time, as I need to prepare for the JLPT exam.

I plan to take a two-week hiatus, at least until my July exam is over. It's been years since I passed the JLPT N2 while I was still in Japan, so I've forgotten a lot of vocabulary, kanji, and grammar. However, because I have decided to relocate there due to the worsening situation in my country, I have decided to retake the exam, as many companies are now requiring the latest certification.

I hope you understand, and I will be back around mid-to-late July. So, stay safe, and see you soon.