The current person in charge of Enies Lobby was, as expected, that useless Spandam.
This didn't surprise Rorschach at all.
However, what did amuse him was that Spandam actually intended to have CP9 teach him a lesson.
One had to admit—while Spandam was useless as a person, his courage was quite something.
The reason Rorschach had come to Enies Lobby was because this was part of the locations that Sengoku had arranged for his Grand Line assessment.
Impel Down, Enies Lobby, and various Marine branch bases scattered across the Grand Line.
This was to familiarize Rorschach with the basic influence and presence of the Marines in Paradise, preparing him for future military operations.
Or rather, it was to lay the groundwork for his eventual promotion to an even higher rank.
So, collecting the bounty was just an excuse.
Rorschach had already spoken with Spandam about this when he requested the opening of the Gates of Justice.
Yet, this guy pretended to agree on the surface but had other plans in secret—not only was he reluctant to hand over the money, but he also wanted to set a trap for Rorschach.
If not for Rorschach's wide-range Observation Haki, he might not have discovered this fool's scheme in advance.
Upon hearing Rorschach's voice, Spandam quickly rubbed his face, forced a fake smile, and walked onto the balcony to look over at him, saying:
"Ah, I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly, Brigadier General Rorschach. The bounty money you requested has long been prepared here at Enies Lobby. A total of 800 million Berries is stored inside the Judicial Tower. However..."
Spandam put on a regretful expression and pointed at the two retracted drawbridges on either side of the Judicial Tower:
"Unfortunately, the drawbridge here at the Judicial Tower has malfunctioned and can't be lowered. I'm afraid you'll have to wait here for a few days, Brigadier General Rorschach. But don't worry, I've already sent people to expedite repairs—it'll be fixed soon."
A bottomless abyss separated the Judicial Tower from the Courthouse.
Without the drawbridge, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to cross.
Right now, the scene between Rorschach and Spandam, along with Lucci and the others, mirrored the moment in the manga when Luffy's crew stood on the rooftop, gazing across the divide to rescue Robin.
"If the money is already prepared, then I'll just come over and take it myself. No need to wait for a few days—my time is precious, and I still have to continue patrolling various locations on the Grand Line."
Rorschach smiled at Lucci, who stood beside Spandam, and also took note of Kaku, who was staring at him nervously.
"Come over and take it? There's an abyss between the Judicial Tower and the Courthouse, how could you..."
Before Spandam could finish speaking, he saw Rorschach step into the air, crossing dozens of meters in just a few strides, gliding effortlessly over the bottomless chasm and landing steadily on the railing of the balcony.
Whether intentionally or not, the spot where Rorschach landed was directly in front of Lucci.
The sunlight streamed down from above, casting a large shadow across the balcony, enveloping Lucci, Spandam, and Kaku.
"Ge—Geppo (Moonwalk)!" Spandam's expression turned ugly.
He had assumed that Rorschach, like himself, was just a privileged Marine heir with no real ability.
If someone had told him that Rorschach was Sengoku's illegitimate son, Spandam might have believed it.
After all, in the Marines' hundreds of years of history, no one had ever been promoted to brigadier general at just fourteen years old.
But this scene before him told him that this "privileged brat" of a Marine actually had some skill.
Being able to use the Six Powers meant he had at least some strength.
But only just "some."
Compared to the CP9 members standing beside him, Spandam didn't think Rorschach had even the slightest chance of winning.
Especially against Lucci—
The one hailed as the greatest genius CP9 had produced in 800 years. The strongest in eight centuries.
Mindset, Talent, Strength—All Are Top-Tier
Even if Rorschach had learned the Six Powers and might be able to match Owl or even Jabura to some extent, there was absolutely no way he could rival Lucci!
At this point, Lucci's strength was already on par with a Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral.
"Excuse me, where is the money?"
Rorschach looked at Spandam with a smile, his expression warm and approachable, like a refreshing breeze.
Jabura couldn't help but blush slightly.
"What the hell are you blushing for?! He's a guy!" Kaku couldn't help but retort.
"What? A guy?" Jabura looked completely shocked and incredulous. "But he's way too good-looking—at least ten thousand times better than you!"
"You bastard..."
A vein bulged on Kaku's forehead.
Spandam let out a hearty laugh and spoke in a deliberately casual tone:
"No rush, Brigadier General Rorschach. Since you've come to my domain, there's no need to hurry off. Why not rest for a few days here on Enies Lobby? Oh, and by the way, my subordinates have long admired your name. They'd really love to spar with you and receive some pointers from a man who captured four pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million. What do you say?"
Rorschach's smile remained unchanged, just as he was about to respond—
A large, chubby figure behind Jabura let out a giggling sound while covering his zipper-like mouth.
"Owl! What the hell are you laughing at?! If you've got nothing better to do, go to sleep and stop embarrassing yourself here!"
Spandam was getting nervous from Owl's snickering.
He was genuinely afraid of this guy—who couldn't keep a secret and loved eavesdropping on people's gossip.
If Owl ended up blurting out his true intentions toward Rorschach...
And just as he feared, the moment that thought crossed Spandam's mind—
He heard the sound of a zipper being pulled open. Owl, still covering his mouth, turned to Rorschach with a mischievous grin and said:
"Chababa! He's lying to you. The officer brought us here just as an excuse to challenge you to a fight and knock you down a peg—legally and reasonably beat you up, that's all. Oh, and by the way, he hasn't actually prepared the money you're asking for. Chababa!"
"Owl!! What the hell are you talking about, you idiot?! Get the hell out of here!"
Spandam completely lost his composure.
"Oh? Is what he said true, Officer Spandam?"
Rorschach chuckled and turned his gaze to Spandam, who was already sweating.
This second-generation privileged officer was technically the superior of CP9, holding quite a high-ranking position—nearly equivalent to a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.
In fact, Spandam had inherited his position as CP9's leader from his father.
Spandine, while despicable in character, was a loyal dog of the World Government.
During the Ohara incident, he had been the highest-ranking CP9 officer in charge of the investigation.
"He's talking nonsense, Brigadier General Rorschach! Don't listen to his ramblings..."
Spandam tried to explain, but Jabura was already growing impatient.
Jabura pushed Kaku aside, stepped in front of Rorschach, and looked up at him with an annoyed expression.
"Enough with the nonsense—let's make this simple. Marine, if you fight us and win, we'll give you the money immediately."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Rorschach slowly crouched down, pursing his lips as he looked at the CP9 members, whose expressions were becoming increasingly arrogant.
"So terrifying, CP9..."
"But—old man... ahem, I accept your proposal. So, who's going first?"
"Not so fast. Let me see if you even have the qualifications to fight me."
As Jabura spoke, he raised both hands into a "hand-measuring" stance, aiming at Rorschach.
This technique, combined with his trained perception, allowed him to accurately measure a person's Doriki (power level).
But as soon as he assumed the stance, the arrogance on his face gradually froze.
Then came shock.
Then confusion.
Then utter disbelief.
And finally—pure fear.
His expression changed rapidly, as if he had just seen a ghost, while staring at the smiling Rorschach.
"9... 9999 Doriki?!?!"
(End of Chapter)
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