Meiser's current demeanor stirred unease in Momonga's heart—could this too be part of his calculations?

"The plan failed~" Meiser remarked.

"That's not what your expression suggests..." Momonga said gravely, his gaze fixed on Meiser. "What else have you done?"

Splash—

As Momonga spoke, part of the Sea King carcass that Onigumo had slain floated to the surface, right beneath them.

Meiser was now buoyed up by the Sea King, looking up at Momonga as he said, "Take a guess~"

.

"I'll tell you if you guess right."

Out of the corner of his eye, Meiser caught sight of Sanji and Zoro—clearly, the battle at Enies Lobby had concluded.

Momonga: ...

What did he mean by "tell him if he guessed right"?

Well, it made sense—the enemy had no obligation to explain anything.

He racked his brain, trying to recall what he might have overlooked.

'Is it the Straw Hat Pirates?'

Momonga glanced at Nico Robin and the others, who had nearly wiped out the marines around Spandam. He wondered if this was their way of creating a delicate balance.

If they refrained from attacking the Straw Hat Pirates, the enemy would stop killing ordinary soldiers.

If that were the case, he wouldn't object.

After all, even if they killed this guy, the Straw Hat Pirates had no chance of escaping—their fate was sealed.

But... was it really that simple?

Did this kid not fear that they might sacrifice some marines to eliminate those people?

After all, hardliners like Onigumo wouldn't bother with reason.

"BOOM!!"

Suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted as an enormous fist burst through the side of a building at the end of the bridge, sending debris flying.

Atop the fist, a figure was sent hurtling through the air.

"Rob Lucci?!"

Momonga recognized him instantly. As a vice admiral of Marine Headquarters, he was privy to much intel.

"Seems he's no match for Luffy," Meiser said with a faint smile.

"Hmph, don't be so sure."

Watching Lucci crash onto the wreckage of a warship, Momonga sneered, "He's hailed as CP9's strongest genius. There's no way the Straw Hat Boy can defeat him."

"Then let's wait and see."

"You'll regret your arrogance."

With that, Momonga ignored Meiser. This was just a clone—destroying it wouldn't achieve much.

Better to join Onigumo and Doberman in hunting down the ninja's real body in the waters below.

"Let's go, Onigumo, Doberman."

"Huh?"

Receiving no response, Momonga turned in confusion—only to find his comrades in dire straits.

Doberman's eyes had rolled back, white foam bubbling at his lips—clearly poisoned.

Onigumo wasn't faring much better, his legs trembling so violently he could barely maintain Moonwalk.

Momonga's face darkened completely.

"Poison?!"

"Bastard, you poisoned them?!"

As if those words were the final spark, Onigumo's legs could no longer maintain Moonwalk, sending him plummeting straight onto the carcass of a Sea King below.

"Thud!"

Two dull impacts sounded as both men lay sprawled across the dead Sea King's body.

"How naive of you to say that," Meiser remarked. "I'm a Ninja—poisoning is second nature to me."

"You didn't... actually think I'd take on all five of you head-on, did you?"

From Robin's intel, he knew Navy Vice Admirals were the strongest combatants below Admirals. Did anyone really believe such figures would be weak?

Fighting five at once would have been sheer recklessness.

Why not use simpler means to eliminate the enemy?

"Cough... you... damn... I... you..."

Onigumo struggled to form words, his glare clearly cursing Meiser.

"What kind of poison is this?!" Momonga exclaimed in shock.

These were Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals! How could a Ninja's toxin incapacitate them so swiftly? Just how potent was this poison?!

"Just a neurotoxin," Meiser said, crouching to retrieve two senbon from their bodies. "Paralyzes their systems, rendering them combat-ineffective."

"Though... prolonged exposure will lead to organ failure and death!"

After casually tossing the senbon into the sea, Meiser looked up at Momonga with a deceptively pleasant smile. "But... if you get them medical attention fast enough, they might just survive~"

Neurotoxin!

The moment these two Vice Admirals had attacked him, this plan had crystallized in Meiser's mind. Everything since had been orchestrated toward this end.

Onigumo's eyes widened in disbelief. When had he been poisoned? Had the toxin been in the seawater? Or those thin needles embedded in them? Either method would have been sufficient—both had inhaled seawater, and Doberman's wounds had direct exposure too, combined with those specialized weapons... Damn it!

Damn these pirates!

"Don't look at me like that," Meiser scoffed, glancing at Onigumo. "If you weren't still useful, I'd finish you off right now."

Onigumo shut his eyes, refusing to meet Meiser's gaze. Humiliation burned through him—his full strength never even unleashed, defeated by unfamiliar tricks.

'You bastard! In a straight fight, you'd be no match for me!!' Onigumo raged inwardly. 'Damn it, damn it all!'

How could some brat who didn't even know Haki stand against them? Yet the absurd reality was their enemy had toppled them with laughable ease.

"Now then, Mohawk," Meiser said, flashing that same 'friendly' smile up at Momonga. "Care to try threatening me with my crewmate again?"

"Of course, you're welcome to attempt escaping with these two deadweights... if you can outrun me."

"Assuming... you can even take them from me!"

Momonga didn't speak, only staring at Meiser with an ugly expression.

'At this distance...'

Onigumo and Doberman were currently at the enemy's feet. If he made a move, who knew if the opponent might suddenly kill them both?

That way, there wouldn't even be a last chance to administer the antidote.

The losses then wouldn't just be the Marines in the waters, but two Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals!!

'Damn it, this is humiliating!'

Those two useless hardliners—what the hell was their Observation Haki even for? Why couldn't they avoid the attack in advance?

Momonga was absolutely furious!

He'd thought the situation had turned around, but it turned out they were still under the enemy's control... How could he not be angry?

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Momonga glared coldly at Meiser and said, "Remember your words, or you'll face the Marines' endless pursuit!"

Without another word, he turned and left using Moonwalk.

"Don't worry, I always keep my promises~" Meiser said with a grin. "Provided... you don't do anything unnecessary~"

Ninjas—it's all about mind games!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com