"I can't believe you're still getting lost... What would've happened if I hadn't shown up in time? You might've ended up on some pirate ship," said Uta with a mix of mockery and disbelief, arms crossed as she stared at Zoro, who frowned with clear irritation.
"Shut up. I was almost there," he replied quickly, looking away, annoyed.
"Stop lying! You were about to walk into the Bounty Hunters' Guild... which is literally on the opposite side of where you were supposed to go," snapped Uta, still in her flashy concert outfit. She had just wrapped up her tour with Brook a few hours earlier. Two years on the road as a band: she was the lead singer, Brook the backup and instrumentalist, and for some absurd reason, Koki had become their drummer. Uta was pretty sure Kara had sent her to protect her, not to play percussion.
"Bah… anyway, we're close now, right?" Zoro grunted, trying to end the topic.
"WHY did I have to go find you?! Mirajane said she saw you walk past the same door five times!" Uta exclaimed, putting a hand to her forehead. She had just gotten back and was already considering rejoining the Marines... if they were going to make her babysit this walking disaster.
"Where's Chopper?" she asked suddenly, remembering the doctor had been assigned alongside Zoro.
"Probably got lost," Zoro answered, dead serious.
"Not everyone's a road moron like you!" Uta snapped, rolling her eyes.
"You're loud..."
"I'm telling Sister Kara!" Uta threatened with a childish voice and a mischievous grin.
But Zoro's expression immediately turned sharp as he shoved her to the side.
"What the he"?!" she started, but stopped as a dark shadow fell exactly where she'd been standing seconds before. The shadow struck a nearby civilian, who froze, then slowly turned toward them.
"Miss Uta... My master requests your presence," said the man in a monotone, clearly under someone's control.
"Oh yeah? And who exactly is your master supposed to be?" Zoro asked, already gripping the hilt of his sword.
"That's none of your concern, Marine," the man said arrogantly, staring at Uta with disdain.
"No thanks," she replied, frowning.
"I wasn't asking," growled the man, lunging toward Uta.
"Laa..." Uta sang softly, barely a whisper"and the attacker collapsed instantly. A dark shadow oozed out of his body, beginning to take humanoid form.
"Tsk... you're a user? Knocking someone out with a single note... that's""
Before he could finish, Zoro unsheathed his sword with explosive speed, slashing through the air. The figure barely dodged, rolling aside and brushing against a few bystanders"who immediately turned, eyes blank and hostile.
"If you don't come... all these innocents will die. And it'll be your fault," warned the shadowy figure, now fully formed"a silhouette dressed in black, face hidden behind a full mask.
"I'm not scared of your threats," said Uta, raising her voice to sing.
But the masked man forced some civilians to cover their ears, while others began rushing toward the walls like they were about to end their lives.
Zoro, brows furrowed, launched another, sharper air slash. The enemy dodged again, but this time, the blade grazed his shoulder, drawing a thin line of blood.
Uta then intensified her song, and just before the civilians hit the walls, ethereal pillows materialized from nowhere, cushioning the impact. After two years of training, she had advanced her ability"now able to partially manifest elements from the dream world.
"Damn it..." the masked man hissed, glaring at the two Marines. He knew Zoro wasn't even going all out"probably to avoid damaging the city"but even holding back, his presence was overwhelming.
"OOOIII, ZORO! UTAAA!" shouted a familiar voice from afar.
It was Luffy, running toward them with the others, grinning with excitement.
"Tsk... This got annoying fast. Why don't they just send me to kill them like usual..." the masked man muttered before locking eyes with Zoro and Uta. "I'm just the messenger. But if they have to come... this whole island will suffer."
And with that, he vanished into the crowd, using the civilians as cover. Zoro didn't move. He knew that guy wasn't the only one lurking. There were hidden eyes everywhere, all focused on Uta. This was a hunt"and she was the prey.
"Who were you fighting? We can join in!" said Luffy, cheerful as ever as he arrived with a wide smile.
"He's gone," Zoro replied, sheathing his sword. The watching presences vanished the moment Luffy and the rest appeared.
"WHAAAT?! We're late?! Lame! I wanted to punch someone!" Luffy whined.
"Oi, moss-head… you're the worst Marine in history. Couldn't even catch a basic hitman?" Sanji mocked as he walked over with a sardonic smile. He still hadn't let go of his grudge, and every meeting was just an excuse to push Zoro's buttons.
"Shut it. They were after her. If I left her side, the others hiding nearby could've grabbed her," Zoro snapped, clearly irritated.
"Uta...? Who was that guy?" Luffy asked, instantly serious.
"We don't know. But he wants to take her to his boss, for some reason," Zoro said calmly. Then, with visible discomfort, he added, "Maybe we should let… her know."
He didn't say the name. But everyone knew who he meant.
Kara.
...….
Meanwhile…
Kara had a headache. And it wasn't from a hangover.
It was because of the most stressful mission Kuzan could've possibly thrown on her: capturing Caesar Clown.
"A stupid, crazy scientist with a hairstyle like an upside-down bucket…" Kara muttered, massaging her temples.
Caesar had once worked with the old man Vegapunk, but now he'd turned into a fugitive rat"slippery as snot and nearly as disgusting. The problem? No one had a damn clue where he was.
And to top it off, he seemed neck-deep in illegal experiments so dangerous even a dragon would back away cautiously. Poison gas bombs, SMILEs for Kaido, and even modified giants for Big Mom.
"How the hell did he manage to recreate the SMILEs if Vegapunk destroyed all of them!? Unless…" Kara frowned.
The suspicion was obvious: the World Government might be behind it.
"Wouldn't surprise me… those bastards make shady deals with Kaido for seastone and then wash their hands like a bunch of nuns…"
And to make sure nothing came to light, there were the CP agents, erasing evidence and anyone who asked too many questions.
As if that wasn't enough, there was another thing gnawing at her soul: Shanks, the Red-Haired.
Ever since Gildarts had started wandering the New World just to try and fight him (because apparently, he had nothing better to do), Shanks had become as elusive as a ninja cat. Every time he showed up, it felt like he was scheming something.
"Butterflies… butterfly wings! So pretty and so annoying, like a pain in the ass!" Kara complained dramatically, flopping into her chair like the world owed her an explanation.
Buru buru…
The Den Den Mushi began to ring, and Kara answered it instantly, craving any distraction before her brain exploded.
"Zoro? What do you have for me?"
The swordsman's voice came through, grave:
"'Shadow.' Controls people. Your boss?"
Kara blinked. She knew him. She'd seen him during the death of that Tenryuubito. She thought he worked for Whitebeard, but now…
"This makes no sense. It just gets more tangled. Why the hell did I accept being an admiral?! I should've retired after the war! Live on a beach, surrounded by mojitos and hot girls. I don't even like men!!"
She started throwing a tantrum worthy of a five-year-old with haki.
"…Sister Kara… you haven't hung up yet…" Uta said from the other side, mildly embarrassed.
Kara froze. Then sighed.
"Tsk. Whatever! Zoro, head to the New World. It's time to move. And while you're at it, find someone for me."
"To the New World, got it." Zoro smiled. He'd been waiting for this for two years. His katana practically trembled with excitement.
"Uta, join Zoro and Chopper."
"Sure," Uta replied like she'd just been invited to afternoon tea.
And then Kara dropped the bomb.
"Luffy, the moment you enter the New World, start a fight with Kaido or Big Mom."
Silence.
The world seemed to stop.
"Sure!" Luffy shouted with a grin as radiant as it was suicidal.
"WHAT!?" Usopp exploded.
"Against a Yonko!? Are you insane!? We just finished our training!" he yelled, while Nami nodded like a spring-loaded doll.
GACHA.
"Don't hang up on me!" Usopp screamed… but it was too late. The Den Den Mushi was peacefully snoring.
Nami collapsed to the floor, fake tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I don't want to be a Marine spy…"
"Told you. Stop repeating it, it won't help," Gin sighed, arms crossed.
They were the worst spies in the world.
But somehow, the most useful.