I, Kizaru, only came to the chat group after I became invincible

Chapter 439 The Day of the Decisive Battle

Sure enough, the man started walking towards the warehouse. Borsalino followed behind, simultaneously considering the best time to strike.

When the man approached the warehouse complex, there were very few people around. This was an excellent opportunity to make the arrest.

Borsalino quickened his pace, but remained concealed. As the man reached the warehouse door and was taking out his keys to open it, he decided to act.

"Halt!" Borsalino appeared from behind the man, speaking in a commanding voice. "You must be 'Goldfinger' Marcus?"

The man was startled by the sudden sound and quickly turned around. He was about thirty years old, with a resolute face and alert eyes, and certainly had the bearing of a soldier.

"Who are you?" Marcus asked warily, bracing himself for battle.

“I’m here to arrest you,” Borsalino said slowly. “You should be very familiar with the case of the royal jewelry store, right?”

Marcus's expression changed, a hint of panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he tried to deny. “I’m just an ordinary businessman.”

“Ordinary businessmen wouldn’t have your skills,” Borsalino observed the man’s posture. “And the ring on your right pinky finger is exactly the same as the one in the surveillance footage.”

Upon hearing this, Marcus knew he had been exposed. His hand slowly moved towards his waist, where a weapon seemed to be concealed.

“Looks like you're not planning to surrender willingly.” Borsalino sighed. “Then there's nothing I can do.”

"Surrender?" Marcus sneered. "Do you think you can capture me all by yourself?"

“You could give it a try,” Borsalino said, maintaining his leisurely tone.

Marcus suddenly pulled a sharp dagger from his waist and charged at Borsalino. His movements were indeed very professional, fast, and at a tricky angle.

But for Borsalino, this level of attack was practically in slow motion. He easily dodged the dagger to the side, then reached out to grab Marcus's wrist.

“Too slow,” Borsalino said calmly.

But just as his hand was about to touch Marcus, something astonishing happened. Marcus's body suddenly became transparent, as if erased, and gradually disappeared into the air.

"What?!" Borsalino exclaimed in shock. "Invisibility?!"

His hand grasped at empty air; Marcus was no longer in sight. But through his Observation Haki, he could still sense the other's presence somewhere nearby.

“A Devil Fruit user.” Borsalino immediately realized the complexity of the situation. “No wonder he was able to sneak into the jewelry store without a sound.”

Stealth is indeed a unique advantage for thieves, and it can be said to be the perfect tool for crime.

"You're surprised, aren't you?" Marcus's voice came from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint his exact location. "I'm the Invisible Man who ate the Invisible Fruit!"

"The Hidden Fruit." Borsalino carefully sensed the surrounding atmosphere. "This is indeed a troublesome ability."

Although he couldn't see his opponent, his Observation Haki allowed him to sense Marcus's approximate location. The opponent seemed to be moving slowly, trying to find a better angle to attack.

“However, invisibility doesn’t mean you’re invincible,” Borsalino calmly analyzed. “Every ability has a weakness.”

“Really? Then come and find me.” Marcus said sarcastically.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Borsalino sensed a murderous intent coming from his left. He immediately dodged to the right, and a dagger grazed past his clothes.

“Not bad, that’s a good reaction,” Marcus’s voice came from his right. “But how many times can you dodge?”

Borsalino began to take this seriously. Although his opponent was far weaker than him, their stealth ability was indeed troublesome. Without being able to use his full strength, there was a real risk of being ambushed.

"Since I can't see it, I'll attack from all sides," he thought to himself.

"Flash - Area Illumination!"

Borsalino's body began to emit a bright light, instantly illuminating the entire warehouse area. Under this intense light, even those who were invisible would have a faint outline visible.

"Found you!" He pinpointed Marcus's location.

But Marcus clearly had experience dealing with bright light. He quickly moved to a different position, while simultaneously pulling out several small balls from his pocket and throwing them out.

"Bang! Boom! Boom!"

The ball exploded in mid-air, producing thick smoke that instantly enveloped the entire area.

"Smoke grenades?" Borsalino frowned. "They definitely have a professional training background."

Under the combined cover of smoke and stealth, Marcus became even more difficult to catch. While Borsalino's light could penetrate the smoke, its effectiveness against stealth was greatly reduced.

“Your light is powerful, but it’s not as effective in smoke,” Marcus said smugly. “And my invisibility lasts for ten minutes!”

"Ten minutes?" Borsalino asked thoughtfully. "So, your ability has a time limit."

“So what? Ten minutes is enough for me to escape!” Marcus said, and Borsalino sensed that he was moving toward the exit of the warehouse complex.

"Trying to escape? Not so easy." Borsalino began to act.

"The Eight-Foot Mirror—Moving at the Speed ​​of Light!"

He transformed into beams of light, instantly appearing at each exit of the warehouse complex. Although he couldn't see Marcus, he could use this method to block his escape routes.

"What? Such speed?" Marcus exclaimed in shock. "You're an ability user too?"

“I suppose so.” Borsalino moved quickly between the exits. “Now you can’t escape.”

But Marcus was clearly no pushover either. Instead of escaping through the exits, he moved towards the center of the warehouse complex.

“Who said I was going to leave through the exit?” His voice was sly.

Borsalino sensed that Marcus had arrived at a specific warehouse, where the sound of a door opening could be heard.

"Oh no! He's going to run away with the stolen goods!" Borsalino immediately realized the other party's intention.

He rushed to the warehouse, but it was too late. The warehouse door was already open, and the sound of rummaging through things could be heard inside.

"Flash – All-around illumination!"

A bright light shone into the warehouse, and Borsalino saw that there were indeed many jewels and valuables inside, clearly stolen goods. But Marcus was still nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, a crashing sound came from the back wall of the warehouse. It turned out that Marcus had smashed through the back wall and escaped from there.

"Damn it!" Borsalino immediately gave chase.

But by the time he reached the back of the warehouse, Marcus was already far away. In stealth mode, his escape route was completely untraceable.

“He escaped.” Borsalino said with some frustration. “I didn’t expect him to be a Devil Fruit user.” Although the first attempt to capture him failed, it wasn’t a complete loss. At least they confirmed Marcus’s identity, found the hiding place of the stolen goods, and learned about the characteristics of his ability.

"The Hidden Fruit grants invisibility for ten minutes," Borsalino analyzed the information he had just gathered. "And he definitely has a military training background and extensive combat experience."

He carefully inspected the stolen goods in the warehouse. Various jewels and ornaments were neatly arranged in boxes, and their value was indeed considerable. It seemed Marcus hadn't yet had time to sell most of the loot.

“At least the stolen goods were found,” Borsalino muttered to himself. “But to claim the 75 Berry reward, we still need to catch the culprit.”

He searched the warehouse, hoping to find more clues. In one corner, he found some personal belongings and clothing, indicating that Marcus had indeed used this place as a temporary base.

“Judging from these things, he must come here often,” Borsalino observed the items. “He might even come back.”

But given Marcus's cautious nature, he certainly won't return to this place after being exposed. We need to find his trail again.

Before leaving the warehouse, Borsalino made a decision. He used his light abilities to make a special mark on the warehouse door so that he would know if anyone had been there.

“We need to revise the plan now,” he thought as he walked. “Dealing with someone with the ability to become invisible requires a special strategy.”

It was already 3 p.m. when they returned to the restaurant. Everyone was anxiously waiting for news of him.

"How did it go? Did it work?" Nami was the first to rush over and ask.

“No.” Borsalino shook his head frankly. “The situation is a bit more complicated than expected.”

"What happened?" Luffy asked with concern.

Borsalino recounted his experiences of the day in detail, including Marcus's invisibility and the course of their first encounter.

"Invisibility?" Zoro frowned. "That's troublesome."

“And it lasts for ten minutes,” Robin analyzed. “At that duration, it’s indeed very difficult to catch him.”

"But you found the stolen goods?" Nami asked.

“Yes, the jewelry worth 150 million Berries is in that warehouse,” Borsalino nodded. “But if there’s only the loot and no one, the reward will be significantly reduced.”

"What do we do then?" Chopper asked worriedly. "Is it still possible to catch him?"

“Of course.” A determined glint flashed in Borsalino’s eyes. “Invisibility is troublesome, but it’s not insurmountable.”

"You have an idea?" Sanji asked curiously.

“Invisibility is only visual concealment; it doesn’t eliminate other modes of perception,” Borsalino explained. “For example, sound, smell, heat, and so on.”

"That's right!" Franky exclaimed, suddenly understanding. "Being invisible isn't the same as disappearing!"

“And he just said that invisibility can only last for ten minutes, which means the ability has limitations,” Borsalino continued his analysis. “We can exploit this weakness.”

"How do we use it?" Usopp asked.

“Create an environment where he can’t escape within ten minutes,” Borsalino said. “Then patiently wait for his invisibility to wear off.”

“Sounds feasible!” Brooke exclaimed excitedly. “So what do we need to do?”

“First, we need to find his trail again,” Borsalino said. “He certainly won’t go back to that warehouse now; we need to find a new hiding place.”

"Leave this to us!" Luffy declared, patting his chest. "Many hands make light work!"

“No, Luffy.” Borsalino shook his head. “Too many people will only alert them. Besides, you all need to work at the restaurant and maintain your cover.”

"So what do you plan to do?" Nami asked.

“I will continue to act alone,” Borsalino said. “But this time I will be more careful and have a more comprehensive plan.”

"Is there anything we need to prepare?" Sanji asked.

Borsalino thought for a moment, then said, "Preparing some special items might help. Like something that can make a sound, or something with a strong smell."

"I get it!" Chopper exclaimed excitedly. "It's used to track invisible people!"

“That’s right.” Borsalino nodded. “While invisibility is powerful, it ultimately has limitations.”

The next day.

Borsalino rose earlier than usual that morning. He had carefully studied Marcus's patterns of action the previous night and devised a more meticulous plan.

"I must succeed today," he thought as he dressed. "I can't let him escape again."

When he went downstairs, he found Sanji already busy in the kitchen.

"So early?" Sanji asked, somewhat surprised. "You look very energetic."

“Today is the day of the final battle,” Borsalino said. “I am confident that I can solve this case.”

"Do you need our help?" Sanji asked with concern.

“Not for now.” Borsalino shook his head. “But if I’m not back by noon, you can contact the Kingdom’s government.”

"Will there be any danger?" Sanji asked, somewhat worried.

“Probably not,” Borsalino said confidently. “I’ve already figured out a way to deal with him.”

After leaving the restaurant, Borsalino didn't go directly to the port area, but instead went to several places in the city. Based on yesterday's observations, Marcus was likely looking for a new hiding place in the city.

He first arrived at a flea market. The area was bustling with people and had a complex environment, making it a frequent hiding place for fugitives. Borsalino wandered around the market, carefully sensing the surrounding atmosphere using his Observation Haki.

“No.” He frowned. “Not here.”

Next, he went to several small hotels in the port area. These places did not require strict identification and had a high turnover of guests, making them suitable for temporary hiding.

At the third inn, Borsalino finally made a discovery. He sensed a familiar presence outside the inn.

"Found you." A slight smile appeared on his lips.

The hotel looked run-down and business wasn't good. Borsalino went into the lobby and asked the landlady at the front desk.

"Excuse me, did a man of medium build check in last night?" He showed him some money. "I'm his friend, I need to speak with him urgently."

The landlady glanced at the coins, then nodded: "Yes, room 203 on the second floor. But he went out this morning, so he shouldn't be here now."

(End of this chapter)