One Piece: Talent Copy System!

Chapter 83: CP9 in Hiding! Finding Franky!

"Franky?"

Hearing this name, a deep sense of caution instinctively flickered in Iceburg's eyes.

In Water 7, everyone believed that their beloved mayor would never be associated with a tyrannical gang leader. However, the truth was that they had trained under the same master. Despite their frequent quarrels, they were very close, like family.

The reason they didn't publicly acknowledge this relationship was due to their master, the fish-man Tom.

Tom was the creator of the steam-powered Sea Train of Water 7. Even more astounding was that the ship the Pirate King Roger used to sail around the world, the Oro Jackson, was crafted by him.

After Tom was executed by the World Government, the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluton were passed on to Iceburg. But Iceburg, being too prominent a figure, entrusted them to Franky.

So when Noir came up to him and immediately asked to see Franky, it was clear he knew something, forcing Iceburg to be cautious.

Feigning nonchalance, Iceburg asked, "Franky? I have no idea where he is. Why are you looking for a thug like him?"

Noir smiled slyly and said, "Mayor, there are some things that are better discussed in private."

Iceburg glanced around at the enthusiastic citizens gathering around them. After a moment's thought, he said, "Very well, please wait a moment. I'll take you to Dock One, and we can talk more there."

Noir inwardly chuckled. Using the ship as an excuse to keep it close, afraid I might escape, huh?

With matters involving the ancient weapon, his master's trust, and his junior apprentice's safety, Iceburg couldn't afford to be careless. He needed to get Noir to his turf to figure out his next move.

Despite the inner turmoil, Iceburg maintained a smiling demeanor as he asked, "May I know your name, sir?"

"Noir."

Iceburg tensed up slightly, asking, "Kyros D. Noir?"

Noir, surprised, responded, "You know me? Am I that famous already?"

Iceburg's expression stiffened.

Overpowering a Warlord of the Sea and slaying the king of an allied nation, even though Noir's deeds hadn't made the papers yet, Iceburg had heard bits and pieces through his extensive network.

And now, he had just invited someone on par with a Warlord into his company's shipyard?

Kalifa, standing nearby, also showed a hint of fear, perfectly playing her part. But in her mind, she was certain that the man before them was the very target the government had tasked CP9 with capturing.

With the Copy-Copy Fruit, Noir's ability was highly coveted by the government for its potential in many areas. For example, could Noir replicate the powers of the Ope Ope no Mi and perform the Immortality Operation? Could he replicate other powerful but dangerous Devil Fruits and wield them without suffering the side effects? And so far, there seemed to be no limit to the number of fruits Noir could copy.

This temptation was irresistible to the Celestial Dragons, who, through the government, had passed down orders to the Marine and, ultimately, to CP9.

Even though Kalifa reassured herself that they were well-prepared, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of fear. Anyone who could challenge a Warlord was no easy opponent.

Don't be fooled by the poor performance of Warlords like Crocodile and Moria in the original series; they were still chosen by the government from among the most fearsome pirates in the world, each with near-sovereign power.