Spandine was a greedy and cowardly man.
After learning about what had happened in Impel Down, he was a little frightened—but far more excited.
He knew that such a massive incident would place a great deal of blame on the Navy. Both the Navy and the World Government had lost face, and Spandine saw an opportunity. If he could capture just one of the pirates who escaped Impel Down—not even a strong one, just someone with a little fame and strength—he could use it to gain merit. Perhaps it would even elevate his position again within the World Government.
When Mio's pirate crew appeared, Spandine's subordinates, the CP9 agents, immediately found the Black Crow Pirates listed on a bounty notice.
"Sir, it's the Black Crow Pirates. Their captain was captured a year ago. It seems they've come to get him back. The captain, Kurokawa Mio, has a bounty of 120 million. The crew member Erica is at 80 million. Warwick, 70 million. Lilith, 87 million. Hei Yan, 55 million. And Hanba has a bounty of 50 million!"
"Such high bounties?" Spandine exclaimed, shocked.
But the shock quickly turned to elation.
"Intercept them immediately! Capture every member of the Black Crow Pirates! And those beautiful women on their ship… capture them alive! I'll send them as gifts to the Celestial Dragons, hahaha!"
He laughed madly, his eyes shining with lust and ambition. In his mind, he was already basking in the rewards of his plan, imagining the Celestial Dragons praising him, and his own political power soaring.
But the next moment shattered all his delusions.
As the warships stationed near Enies Lobby sailed forward to intercept the Black Crow Pirates…
On the Black Glory, the pirate ship belonging to Mio's crew, two brilliant sword lights suddenly slashed through the air. They merged into one devastating arc.
A nearby warship was cleaved entirely in half.
"Gurgle…"
Spandine's pupils shrank, cold sweat poured from his forehead, and he instinctively took several steps back.
"Send me back immediately!" he screamed, panic overtaking him. "If this ship gets hit, we're all dead!"
He had no desire to die. There were still too many pleasures in the world he hadn't tasted.
The CP9 agents nearby quickly accepted his order—after all, Spandine was their top commander.
But before the ship could turn back, a figure appeared silently on the deck.
"You're not going anywhere."
The voice was calm, elegant.
Spandine turned his head quickly—and froze.
A beautiful woman stood gracefully at the center of the deck. It was Lilith.
"So… beautiful…"
Spandine was momentarily entranced by her stunning face. But greed quickly replaced awe.
"Seize her! Quickly!" he barked. "Capture her alive! That kind of woman—if I offer her to a Celestial Dragon—I'll gain even more power!"
Even if he couldn't get her to a Celestial Dragon, just associating with them through her would bring unimaginable influence.
Lilith noticed the disgusting greed in Spandine's gaze and frowned slightly, a hint of disdain in her expression.
Whoosh—
Several CP9 agents suddenly used Soru, one of the Rokushiki techniques, and lunged at her from multiple angles.
"Shigan!"
One of them appeared behind Lilith in an instant, thrusting his finger at the back of her head with deadly speed.
But Lilith was ready. She had spent the past year experimenting with weapons to suit her style—swords, knives—but ultimately, it was the dagger that fit her best.
She calmly sidestepped, her observation Haki already picking up the attacker's movement.
Then she spun, dagger flashing.
"Tekkai!" shouted the CP9 agent in a panic, hardening his body like iron.
But Lilith's dagger was wrapped in black Haki.
Puff.
The blade pierced the iron defense with ease, blood spurting as the weapon stabbed into his neck.
She yanked it out, spun once more, and avoided two more attacks with a fluid motion.
With a graceful leap, a pair of enormous wings burst from her back, lifting her into the sky.
"Don't waste my time. Goodbye."
Lilith floated high above the deck, smiling faintly.
Her wings fluttered.
Buzz—
A massive wind blade formed in front of her.
Shhhk—
The wind blade tore through another warship as if it were made of paper, splitting it cleanly in two.
As her wings flapped, tiny golden flecks of light—sun poison—fell gently through the air.
"Damn it! Take me away! Hurry!" Spandine screamed, now being carried in the arms of a CP9 agent as they escaped using Geppo, the moon-step technique.
He couldn't understand it. How could a pirate crew with a captain worth only 120 million be so terrifying?
The CP9 members knew it too—Lilith's strength was on another level.
But escaping? That was not part of Lilith's plan.
"This is the result of one year of training."
Her voice was soft, but her eyes shone with a chilling light.
Her wings flapped again.
Dozens of wind blades condensed and swirled around her, filling the sky.
Then—
Snap.
She raised her red lips and said coldly, "Replace."
The wind blades vanished instantly.
But the golden specks of sun poison floating near the escaping CP9 members shimmered and disappeared—replaced by flying wind blades.
Puff— Puff—
One after another, the CP9 agents were shredded by the surprise attack. The sheer number and sudden appearance of the blades left them defenseless.
Blood burst into the air, staining the sky red.
Within moments, the bodies of the CP9 agents fell into the sea, one after another.
The waves turned crimson.
Among them was Spandine.
Lilith didn't know or care who he was. She looked at him coldly as he fell with the others.
After confirming that none had survived, she folded her wings.
Then she turned and soared back toward the Black Glory.