𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 73 🌞🌞

Sky frowned as she put her ruffled hair back in place before nodding. "They're alright."

"I'm glad you like them, Sky." Nanko waved his hand and bandages appeared around Sky's injuries. "You've gotten better at controlling your-" He pointed to his eye.

Sky's eyes that had a swirling Sharingan turned back to normal as she nodded. She was indeed getting better at controlling her powers.

When Zoro finally ran back, his mouth dropped open when he saw the both of them peacefully chatting like they weren't trying to kill each other mere minutes ago. "What's going on?"

Sky shook her head, feeling too lazy to explain. So Nanko took it upon himself to explain. "She promised her body in exchange for a temporary truce."

Zoro stumbled and almost fell while Sky glared at Nanko scorchingly.

"Just kidding," he avoided another attack from Zoro while talking to Sky, "I'll see you soon Sky." Then he pat Zoro on the head and left them a message before leaving. "Send my regards to your little captain!"

Zoro was bewildered and frustrated at having his fight cut short. "What the hell?"

Sky simply shook her head. "You wouldn't have been able to beat him anyway."

That didn't make him feel any better.

Meanwhile, Nanko was back in his office just in time to see his Den Den Mushi ringing. He answered, wincing when an obnoxiously loud voice rang through. "To what do I owe the honor, Garp."

"You unfilial brat! You told me you'd call me back as soon as you could and it's been a month!" The sharp voice continued nagging on and on till he ran out of breath.

"Glad to see you're still healthy," Nanko chuckled, keeping the Den Den Mushi a distance away from his ear.

Garp fake-coughed, "I'm sick like this and you still won't visit me? What have I done to this damned world that even this frail old man won't receive any visit..."

Nanko laughed, not buying his act one bit, "If you're too tired, just retire."

That silenced Garp for a few seconds before he started complaining, "If I don't work, who's going to keep the unruly pirates at bay?"

"Speaking of unruly pirates-" Garp had a bad feeling, the kind that almost made him hang up right away. "You remember your sweet little grandchild you told me about?"

Garp didn't want to answer but seeing as Nanko was deliberately waiting for his answer, he spoke through gritted teeth. "Yes?" A headache was already forming.

"Well that sweet child is currently making his way through one of the most highly-secured Government strongholds, Enies Lobby." Nanko paused for effect, thoroughly enjoying the silence his words caused before dealing the final blow. "Oh and the way things are going, I don't think it will be long before he declares war on 170 countries and the government as a whole..."

The Den Den Mushi started foaming at the mouth while its eyes rolled back.

That made Nanko laugh just a bit too hard.

"Nanko..." Garp hesitated, his voice unusually quiet, "please don't be too harsh on him..." He knew he had no right to request this of a fellow Marine Officer, but he couldn't help himself.

"Don't worry too much, old man." Nanko was about to say something else when someone called for him. "I'll call you back later." He then promptly hung up on the man who was close to having a heart-attack before looking out of the window.

A man ran in to report. "Sir, there are around 2000 casualties so far!"

Nanko frowned, feeling around for the distinctive cold aura of the CP9 members—some were engaged in combat while some were merely watching. But most of them were beginning to gather in front of the courthouse facing the straw hats.

"Take care of the wounded." He pat the young man's shoulder before leaving. As expected, once he arrived where most of the CP9 members, from where he hid in the corridor, he could see the straw hats gradually appearing.

Luffy was shouting at Robin. "I don't care what you want whether you choose to live or die...! But whatever you decide, say it while you're with us!"

Nanko smiled, his back against the wall. He didn't know when his little Luffy had grown to be that mature. The little child who once hid behind his sister was standing tall and proud in front of forces stronger than him, for his comrade. He had grown to be quite a dependable captain.

"I applaud your courage, but your chances of surviving are null," Lucci coldly stated. "Even if you were to somehow miraculously defeat us, we have been given permission to use the Buster Call."

His declaration triggered old memories in Robin as she desperately tried to reason with him, not caring that her past was revealed to everyone. But Lucci didn't care, he was trained to set aside any emotion to perform his mission perfectly. He was merely a trained dog following orders.

That was Nanko's cue to intervene. The Buster Call had originally been given to him but he had refused it so they gave it to the next higher authority, the CP9. "Lucci."

Lucci turned around to face him with a frown. "Nanko."

Nanko silently extended his hand. He could feel all the gazes on him, most were confused. Lucci finally gave him the Den Den Mushi, not without some reluctance.

"Are you not confident in your abilities?" Nanko quietly said to the CP9. When they didn't answer he smiled, "Either way I don't care, you are not decimating a whole island because you're unable to defeat something like 10 pirates. So don't even think about covering your shame, now go and do your job."

They gritted their teeth, before nodding. With that satisfaction, he left as quickly as he had appeared. "Good luck!"

Behind him, he vaguely heard Robin accept to join Luffy's crew. Nanko made a mental note to notify Dragon. He was glad Robin had finally made a decision for herself, joining the Revolutionary Army was more so out of a sense of duty.

Thus, Nanko left to help the Marines below. Some were stuck under collapsed buildings, some were still fighting. That was his duty, to take care of his subordinates: he wasn't there to capture pirates. He wasn't paid enough for that anyway.

But that wasn't the case for Konan. The whole island was a mess, it was ideal for some looting. Enies Lobby had plenty of valuable papers and treasures. 

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another chapter coming tomorrow, probably :]