One Way Home, Chapter 19.

Chapter 19: The Battle of Hesitation.

—OoOoO—

The sound of overlapping bullets whizzing by was blaring, showing how fierce the battle on the bridge was. Two against hundreds of armed soldiers, pirates against the navy. Honestly, it was a number that was far from fair. However, even with a significant numerical advantage, they could barely push those two people of different genders.

Franky stood tall, without any fear at all, even though thousands of bullets were attacking him nonstop. His cyborg body, made of metal that was even harder than steel, could withstand all the shots, creating space for Robin to hide behind him. However, no matter how sturdy something was, it still had a limit to what it could withstand.

“Nico Robin, your handcuffs are off, right? Hurry up and do something with your powers.”

“I tried, but I must determine the target’s location to execute my technique. I can do nothing with this hail of bullets unless you open the way for me.”

Franky glanced at Robin out of the corner of his eye. She looked like she was about to peek out, but a bullet made her pull her head back.

'Fuck, they built the sandbag barrier too fast and went into a full defensive position, making it hard for me to move forward.'

The blue-haired man with a cockscomb style clenched his jaw with his eyebrows sharply arched. Breaking through and destroying the barricade wasn't too difficult for him. He could just charge forward like a berserk. However, that could only be done if he was alone or at least didn't have the objectivity to make sure the woman behind him didn't get hit by a bullet.

'I wanted to save my ammo. But, if I want to go all-out, this is the time.'

With his resolution made, Franky stretched his arms forward. Using commands from his brain connected to the artificial nerves in his cyborg body, his finger joints opened up and revealed sheaths on each finger.

“Do or die, you bastard!”

Franky shot wildly without aiming at a specific target. Suppressive fire, a shooting technique into the enemy area that wasn’t aimed at getting kills but rather focused on disrupting the opponent's concentration, slowing them down, and dampening their aggression. Simply put, it was a method to keep them in check. Or, just call it crowd control.

Moreover, Franky's cyborg body made it unnecessary for him to hide, and his auto-reload rifle allowed him to shoot without pause, making it easy for him to control the situation.

“Nico Robin! Now!”

The black-haired woman immediately came out of hiding after getting the signal. Her eyes quickly scanned her opponents. She cursed a little when she saw the sandbag barrier that blocked her view from seeing the people directly. However, the girl soon adjusted herself and immediately changed her plan.

“Mile Fleur: Gigantesco Mano.”

Thousands of hands emerge from the bridge's surface, arranged together and towering high to form a giant hand.

“Stomp.”

As if exterminating a swarm of insects, the hand struck them selflessly, slightly shaking the bridge's foundation.

About a hundred soldiers died instantly in a dire state. Those who survived could only fall to the ground with trembling eyes, shocked by the appearance of the giant hand. They had even surrendered to receive further attacks. However, the hand suddenly disintegrated into thousands of cherry blossom petals immediately blown away by the sea breeze.

“Holy shit! You can do something like that?!” Franky shouted in surprise.

Meanwhile, Robin quickly returned behind Franky, her breath coming out in short gasps with beads of sweat seeping out her pores.

“Yeah, but I can’t do it too often. It takes too much stamina and requires high focus.”

“Damn. You’re just as crazy as your friends!” Franky replied with an excited smile, “I can’t call myself a gentleman if I don’t join the party enthusiastically!”

His fingers, which had been continuously spewing bullets, suddenly closed, leaving only his left hand still working. It lowered the intensity of the attack, causing the remaining soldiers to take the initiative to launch a counter.

However, his right hand stopped shooting. Instead, his wrist opened, showing a mighty cannon muzzle.

“Get out of my way if you don't want to die, you government rats!!”

The first cannon was launched from the hand, immediately hitting and destroying the enemy's barricade. The explosion was as powerful as a medium-powered hand grenade, enough to injure and even kill anyone in the centre of the explosion. However, what made it so terrifying and highly effective was how the combination complemented each other. The left hand fired suppressive fire to force the opponent to stay where they were, while the right hand fired the cannon that would clear the way.

“We're getting closer,” Franky muttered, updating Robin on the situation.

Robin nodded behind the man's back. Her head peeked out, seeing them almost at the end of the bridge.

“We are going to take that ship, aren't we?” Robin asked.

“The only one who can take us home. So, yeah.”

Several soldiers were guarding the ship's edge, ready to fire upon them once the main barricade was almost cleared. However, the blatant action, of course, didn't escape Robin's eyes.

“Treatise Fleur.”

Thirty hands appeared to capture the fifteen soldiers, with two hands on each person. The hands held them hostage by grabbing their bodies and heads, respectively. However, Robin was in no condition to do a half-hearted job.

“Clutch.”

Following the command given by Robin's brain, the artificial hands immediately twisted their necks forcefully, making a loud 'crack' sound, which made their ears ache.

“Those on the ship will expect my next attack,” Robin whispered to Franky, “You attack them, and I will target the remains on the bridge that are still recovering.”

"Good idea.”

Not giving the opponent time to adapt was always an effective strategy. Therefore, Franky immediately aimed his rifle and cannon at the ship. Meanwhile, Robin immediately scanned the surroundings and quickly counted the remaining soldiers.

“Ochenta Fleur.”

Robin grew eighty arms to hold forty people.

“Clutch.”

Just like before, the horror scene of people having their neck joints forcibly twisted was what concluded the technique.

Once again, Robin quickly took cover behind Franky. Her chest expanding and contracting reflected that removing eighty limbs and executing them so quickly was also quite a burden on her body.

“Nico Robin, you can still walk, right?”

“Don’t worry. As long as I am still breathing, I will keep forcing this body to move,” replied the black-haired woman.

Franky smiled in satisfaction at the answer. There was no need for him to look at the woman's expression. He could feel the determination and burning passion in every word. However, the heavy mechanical sound of gears and motors suddenly sounded, distracted the two.

The two escaped prisoners froze in place as they watched the giant gate slowly open. The raging sea slowly lost its power, making it calmer.

“Have their reinforcements finally arrived?” Franky muttered.

“Yes, and it is not just ordinary reinforcements.”

Her throat felt tight. It was as if something was holding back the words she had prepared as a further explanation from coming out of her mouth. Her body began to tremble without her realising it. What surprised her even more was that her right hand suddenly grabbed her left hand without any instructions from her brain.

"Nico Robin, are you okay?"

“Yeah… I am… fine.”

“But you don’t sound like it. Your face looks paler all of a sudden,” Franky replied while staring at Robin intently.

“No, even if I am not okay, it doesn’t matter. More than that, we have to hurry. It is about to happen.”

Franky raised his eyebrows curiously after hearing the response. However, the question that had been lingering in his head was answered when the calm sea surface was suddenly broken by a wave that suddenly came.

The man turned his gaze back to the gate that was now wide open. A convoy of warships was entering the waters of Enies Lobby. They sailed majestically and mightily, giving off a very intimidating impression. The warships that passed through the gate didn’t just stop at the count of ten. It looked like dozens or hundreds of ships, like a war battalion, had been deployed simultaneously.

At that moment, Franky realised what was happening.

“Hey, didn't that Maki girl manage to kill Spandam? Didn’t she confiscate the Buster Call button?”

Franky remembered seeing Spandam's body when he caught up with Robin and walked down the stairs. The wound appeared to be a stab that ripped through his chest and penetrated his back with a large blade. If you match the chronology, only Maki arrived at Robin's place while Luffy was fighting Rob Lucci. Moreover, the scar on Spandam's body matched perfectly with the bisento that Maki used.

"It was not Maki who killed Spandam, but Stussy. She also took the golden Den Den Mushi from him," said Robin.

"Stussy? That blonde woman? Aren't they on the same side?"

Robin didn't answer the question right away. Her mind replayed Stussy's words right after the woman killed Spandam with her own hands. However, before all the recordings could be played, loud, repeated bangs from the tower behind them interrupted her upcoming flashback.

“It must be Luffy and Lucy’s doing,” Franky said.

The two were previously on the lower underground floor. However, seeing their battlefield reach the tower building, the intensity seemed to increase to the point that the arena had risen drastically, and their battle might have reached its final phase.

"Amid this chaos, we don’t have time to think why Stussy did what she did. We need to get a grip quickly and secure an escape ship,” Robin said firmly.

Along with those spoken words, a cannon was fired and spewed out a hot ball that hit and exploded the outer wall of the tower,

—OoOoO—

'Is the sea always this salty?'

That was what Maki had been thinking for the past few moments after throwing herself into the sea while dragging Stussy with her.

In the cold and biting darkness of the ocean, the girl struggled to stay alive. Every beat of her heart felt like a thump in the middle of the harsh depths. Her brain stopped calculating the depth when the sun's light was almost completely gone, leaving only faint shadows on the increasingly distant surface. The silence was gripping, only the sound of the fierce whirlpools that didn’t want her to leave, as if the sea wanted to swallow her whole.

However, Maki refused to let herself be swept away by the power of nature. With undying determination, she kicked the water hard, using it as a foothold to accelerate. A technique that utilised a slight modification of the Moonwalk she had learned.

Every step of her feet created a powerful push against the pull of the water. Yet, for every step she took, the ocean dragged her down again. The wild whirlpools gripped her body again, making her stagger and lose momentum. It was as if the hand of a Shinigami manifested within them to pull her to the bottom of the sea and drown all the hopes left.

Moreover, what Maki faced wasn’t just one, but countless whirlpools. Every time she lost speed, she wasn’t only dragged down and thrown along with the wild current. When her body was trapped between two whirlpools, it was as if two mad giants were mercilessly pulling her body. Moreover, considering the intense pressure from the seawater, it made her feel like she was about to be crushed from all sides.

Humans sometimes become a little arrogant when they gain power. With God's little grace, they often forget themselves and think they could conquer anything, even nature herself. Maki learned it the hard way. Although there was no other way for her to shut down Stussy than throwing the woman into the sea, what Maki did was still considered too reckless.

'I thought I could get out by putting in more effort, but this is harder than I thought.'

Maki clenched her teeth, trying as hard as she could to endure the pain in her body that felt like it was about to be torn apart.

'I won't die a stupid death in such a place!'

Even though the girl had a strong resolution, that alone wouldn’t be able to bring her back to the surface. The only way was to brute force it, fighting the current and gravity with her raw strength. However, the intense pressure and pulling force from all directions made it difficult for her to concentrate and generate enough power to escape the raging sea.

'Is there no other way to get out of this shit?'

As if the goddess of fortune was still on her side, the seawater, going crazy with countless whirlpools, slowly began to subside. Maki felt the stress on her body gradually improve. Without thinking, she once again focused all her strength on her feet and stomped with all her might.

"Gahh! Cough... cough... cough..."

Maki immediately coughed, and water came out of her mouth when she finally reached the surface. Her mouth was open as wide as possible, trying to breathe as much air as possible. Her eyes caught a board floating nearby, making her immediately grab it to help her float in the water.

"Fuck…. I thought… I was gonna die.”

Her breath was still laboured. The girl wanted to rest a little longer. However, the universe seemed to not want to see her relax even for a moment. Her Kenbunshoku immediately buzzed loudly in her mind, even giving her a migraine sensation. Since she first discovered the ability, it was the first time Kenbunshoku had activated itself. Moreover, the signal sent felt much stronger than usual.

Maki reflexively scanned her surroundings while holding her head to slightly reduce the sting she was feeling.

The girl was shocked when she saw what had happened. Her eyes widened, and her mouth lost words.

"How could the buildings burn like hell in such ruins?”

Maki drifted quite far from where she last stood after dozens of whirlpools threw her this way and that. With her current position, she had a wide angle to take everything through her vision.

After the pain in her head subsided, Maki looked around in all directions.

"What the fuck is happening?”

The girl's eyes trembled as she saw hundreds of warships in the distance, filling the ocean. The giant gate that was originally closed was now wide open, allowing the navy to enter the waters of Enies Lobby.

"So, that's why the whirlpools suddenly disappeared?” the girl muttered.

The information Paulie had given her explained some lingering questions in her head.

"And that big fleet is the so-called Buster Call, I guess? If they're here, that means that woman pulled the trigger. In other words, she somehow survived even though I sank her.”

Her jaw was tense, and the veins in her neck were visible. Her left hand was clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Every breath she took was heavy as if she was holding back the anger boiling in the bottom of her chest. She had done everything against all odds just to defeat the blonde woman. The victory she had dreamed of, the one she believed was already within her grasp, turned out to be nothing but an illusion.

Moreover, she faced a full-scale war with the highest intensity because of that miscalculation and her false confidence.

Maki sighed and closed her eyes. Getting angry in this situation would not solve anything. They had already come this far, and there was no choice but to end it with a complete victory. Her closed eyelids opened again, revealing clear crystals filled with determination.

—OoOoO—

"Cough… cough… bweh!!”

“Haa… haa….”

“Is… is Nami-san okay?”

Three young men were seen sitting weakly with their hands supporting their bodies. They looked soaked with heavy breathing. Beside them lay a short-haired girl and a fawn in a condition that looked even more concerning.

"You can be a little more relaxed. At least you don't have to be afraid of sinking on this ship,” said a fat, green-haired old woman.

"You know the situation isn't that easy, right?”

Franky glared at her, signalling that they couldn't relax yet. However, the man with the blue crest sighed in the next second.

"But I guess you're right. We can't afford to lose our coolness.”

He and Robin struggled to plunder the warship thanks to their calmness and coordination, even though the onslaught of warships began to attack. Moreover, when Granny Kokoro, in her mermaid form, came from the sea carrying the remains of the Straw Hats, their fighting strength finally refocused on one point.

"So, all that's left is your captain and that ponytail girl, huh?” asked Granny Kokoro.

Still kneeling to regain strength, Sanji suddenly looked up at the question. His head turned in all directions, and he looked for the youngest girl in the group.

"What? Maki-chan? Where's Maki-chan? Is she still in the building? She went with Luffy, right?"

The blonde man immediately got up and darted to the ship's edge.

The tower, the last building before crossing the bridge, was in a worrying condition. Many cracks were everywhere, and the roof appeared to have collapsed. Rather than a tower symbolising justice, the building looked more like a structure that could collapse over time.

“Maki fought against Stussy,” Robin replied calmly, “That woman had an ability that made it impossible for Maki to defeat her. So, she dragged her into the sea and drowned with her.”

Despite her calm tone, the look of worry couldn't be erased from the black-haired woman's eyes. She did believe that Maki would somehow survive. However, even after the whirlpool disappeared, no sign of her remained.

“Wait, you said Maki-chan jumped into the ocean?!" It wasn’t Sanji, but Nami shouted anxiously as she forced herself to get up, “She jumped into the ocean filled with countless whirlpools?"

The short, orange-haired girl hobbled. She limped while dragging her barely-strength legs. Her eyes trembled with her pale face. Everyone looked worried, seeing her condition. However, Nami didn't care much and continued walking towards the ship's edge.

Seeing the sad sight, Sanji felt like a thin, sharp razor had sliced his heart.

“Shit. It shouldn’t be too late!” the guy said as he prepared to jump.

However, Zoro tried to prevent and pulled the guy from behind.

“Don’t be stupid, you idiot! The one we’re talking about is that Maki! The same monster who could even recover in ten minutes after being hit by Enel's attack that could level the forest of Skypiea’s ruins!”

Of course, Zoro was also surprised to hear the news. He was sure the team could defeat the agents in a one-on-one duel. However, he didn’t expect that Maki could find a way to defeat her opponent even though she was the first person to reveal Enel's weakness.

“What this young swordsman said is true,” said Granny Kokoro after she was fully dressed.

Everyone stared at the old woman in silence.

“At this stage, the most important thing is to maintain your formation. After all, you’re exhausted after the fierce battle, but the fight isn’t over. With the team's current condition, you can only watch each other’s backs. However, if one of you is gone, it’ll be like a building losing one of its foundations."

The old woman's words echoed in the youngsters' minds. They pondered her advice, absorbing the life lessons from someone who seemed to have had many experiences.

"That being said, I’m also looking for that young girl,” said the green-haired old woman.

Nami raised her eyebrows at the sudden statement.

“Huh? You’re looking for Maki-chan? Why?” the girl asked, becoming the first to respond.

“I heard she was looking for weapons before we broke through Enies Lobby, and I brought her something I found while taking you brats out of the water.”

Along with that explanation, Kokoro pointed at something with her thumb nonchalantly, causing everyone's eyes to follow the direction she was pointing.

“Wait, isn’t that…,” Franky muttered.

The man seemed doubtful about what he saw. However, all the features matched perfectly with the information registered in his brain.

What lay on the ship's floor was a cutlass sword quite large for its class. Its blade was so beautiful and clean that it could reflect the sky's light. However, what made it look unique was the pair of small tusks on either side of its guard, which pointed forward following the blade's curve. A tassel shaped like an elephant's tail hanging from the end of its hilt also gave it a unique impression.

“Yeah, I’ve seen this sword a few times every time I come here to deliver an envoy,” replied Granny Kokoro, “And I’m sure it’s of good quality since it’s the sword of that high official.”

While the others listened to the explanation, Zoro walked with a blank expression towards the sword. He crouched to observe it closely, which caused him to unconsciously let out a long mumble.

“This is indeed a sword that has been forged very well.”

“I know, right?! My old eyes will never be wrong even though I’m not a swordsman, hahaha!” replied Grandma Kokoro with a burst of laughter.

Zoro picked up the sword. However, his brows furrowed as he felt a strong resistance from the object. It was as if the sword had a will of its own. However, Zoro glared at the unique weapon, sending out a strong aura of intimidation and dominance, which somehow ended the resistance the sword gave off.

“You experienced it too, huh?” Grandma Kokoro joked, “When I picked it up, the sword didn’t give any reaction. However, once it came out of the water. It was like forcing my soul to let it go.”

The explanation left the people questioning, and Robin wasn't an exception. The woman seemed to be pinching her chin as she considered the information she had.

“That sword can transform into an elephant, something impossible without the devil fruit. I am not sure, but I have heard that weapons can be imbued with a devil fruit with a special forging technique. However, if it does have Zoan power, maybe the sword has its own will like a real living creature?”

Those words were probably the most reasonable explanation for the sword. However, there were more speculations than conclusive facts. Overthinking about it wouldn’t get them anywhere. Moreover, it wasn’t the right time to discuss it when countless warships approached them.

“Guys, are you sure you’re going to stay still?” Usopp asked, still in disguise, “We’re lucky that this deck can hide us. However, when they find out we’re here, they'll shoot us to the sea.”

“Now you mention it…."

Chopper, who was still weak, looked around and saw hundreds of shots hitting the island indiscriminately. It was a miracle since none of the black balls targeted them. The fawn thought they could hide and rest momentarily while waiting for Maki and Luffy to return. However, he forgot to consider that the Marines would be docking soon.

Meanwhile, Zoro rose from his crouching position with a sigh.

“You got the point.”

The guy walked indifferently while carrying the elephant sword on his shoulder.

“Where are you going, Marimo?” asked Sanji.

Zoro glanced at the blonde boy for a moment.

“Back to the bridge. If the soldiers dock, they'll fill up the place. We can only make sure Luffy and Maki’s path back is free of obstructions.”

“Then why are you carrying that sword, you idiot? Didn’t you hear that it was meant for Maki-chan?”

“Shut up, you stupid chef. I’ll keep it and give it to her later.”

“And who the hell do you think you are to feel like you’ve the right to give it to Maki-chan, you moss head?!”

Zoro paid no attention to the chatter whatsoever. His gaze remained straight with his expressionless face. The words the blonde boy spat out were like a passing wind to him, something that didn't deserve his attention. On top of that, he wasn't in the mood or appetite to entertain the argument.

The green-haired boy stepped onto the ship's railing without a word or gesture. His eyes stared at the bridge steadily and firmly. Without looking back, he immediately jumped, darting out of the ship.

—OoOoO—

"Your Excellency, several Straw Hat members were spotted on the bridge! It seems they are hiding in one of our ships that is docked there!"

Kuzan glanced at his subordinate lazily when the report reached his ears.

"Has Nico Robin's existence been confirmed?" the tall man asked.

"No, not yet, sir! But we are sure she is on the same ship as those pirates!"

"What about Monkey D. Luffy?"

"Yes, sir! He is confirmed to be fighting Rob Lucci in the tower!"

Robin wasn't with the men on the bridge while their captain was still busy with his affair. That was the summary of the report received.

Honestly, without the need for notification from his subordinates, Kuzan could easily find out all the whereabouts of the targeted people using his Kenbunshoku. However, he understood that it wasn't how a team worked. Relying on his individual skills for every matter would only create dependence on his troops and reduce cohesion between personnel. Moreover, as a leader, he had to pay attention to each of his soldiers' ability to carry out their assigned roles and functions well.

"Shoot the bridge. Cut off all the paths connecting them to the ship and the tower. Then, destroy the building walls so we can see the situation inside, but keep an eye on the direction of the shot so as not to hit Rob Lucci. Destroy all the surrounding land to prevent any interference from the island's direction," said Kuzan.

The cold command from the mouth of one of the highest-ranking officers shook the souls of those who heard it.

"Yes, sir!"

The underling immediately took a communication snail from his pocket and brought it to his mouth.

"Aim the cannon at the bridge and keep destroying the surrounding buildings. Don't shoot without confirmation because Rob Lucci is still there."

"Copy that."

Kuzan glanced at his subordinates, who were rebroadcasting his orders and immediately received a quick response from the other ships. However, the man sent a signal through his gaze, indicating that his orders were not yet complete.

"Send fifty per cent of our forces. Distribute them evenly to both sides of the island to flank the rear lines of the enemy forces."

"Yes, sir!"

The spokesman, Kuzan, returned the order and spread it to all units without exception.

Meanwhile, the remaining troops had readied their cannons and had aimed at their designated targets.

"Fire!"

Countless black balls flew and hit the bridge from all sides until only one foundation was left. The attacks blew up everything, supporting a piece of the previously sturdy bridge. The same thing happened to the tower. However, only one side was hollow, showing Luffy looking overwhelmed by the big cat.

"Greetings, Your Excellency! We caught them off guard. However, no one panicked except the masked man!"

"Yeah, I can see that," replied Kuzan.

The man continued to observe the battlefield. The three men who were the initial targets looked calm while raising their guard, while the others looked a little trembling.

"Your Excellency. We have isolated the Straw Hat's members. We await your further orders!"

"Send troops and surround them at the bridge. Teach them a painful lesson for daring to challenge the World Government."

Kuzan seemed to pause his words as he shifted his focus to the ship his enemies were on.

"While they're held back, send a tactical squad to infiltrate the ship and kidnap Nico Robin. I don't care about the others, but make sure to bring the woman alive."

However, the blonde Straw Hat suddenly jumped to the targeted ship before his troops could execute the instruction. He acted quickly, carrying two girls, one grandmother, and one fawn without asking for their permission. Meanwhile, Kuzan could only clench his fists when he saw the man jump out while bringing them back to the group.

'They really won't let me finish this job easily.'

"Your Excellency, your order?"

Kuzan sighed as he closed his eyes for a moment.

"Attack them on the bridge and destroy their ship. Get Nico Robin at all costs, even if it means killing them."

"Understood, sir."

However, once again, before the men could do anything, the tower was utterly unable to maintain its shape after receiving hundreds of consecutive blows.

Everyone was stunned. Even Kuzan couldn't take his eyes off the sight.

"What, what happened?!" said one of the officers.

Dust still billowed, preventing outsiders from seeing what was inside. However, the Admiral grasped the situation easily due to his always-active Kenbunshoku. He quickly snatched the Den Den Mushi from his subordinates to give direct instructions after repeatedly encountering things beyond his expectations.

"Attack, all of them. Right now! And for Momonga! Bring your troops to capture Straw Hat Luffy alive!"

—OoOoO—

“Our escape ship is destroyed!! Now what??!!”

Sogeking screamed hysterically as their only way to escape was neutralised. Although his expression was covered by his weird mask, he was now quite desperate. It felt ironic to remember what he had said to Luffy to motivate him when he was cornered by Rob Lucci a while ago.

“This isn’t the time to worry about that, you know?" Nami replied, then went deeper into the group.

The Marine soldiers began to attack the pirates. The disparity in numbers was pronounced. Seven people had to face the soldiers who kept coming nonstop. However, they still put up high resistance even though they had been through a long battle since the beginning.

Sanji twirled his legs, performing a series of beautiful and powerful acrobatic kicks. His powerful kicks instantly shattered his opponent's bones in one strike. He remained calm, but his eyes moved here and there to scan the battlefield and ensure the ladies weren’t in danger.

Meanwhile, Zoro looked more ferocious than usual. With two swords in each hand and one in his mouth, the man truly looked like a demon as he slashed his opponents mercilessly. Even though the weapon he used in his left hand was Spandam’s sword, which he had never used before, the man could swing it well.

“Hey, Marimo. That’s going to be Maki-chan’s. You better be careful with it, or just give that damn sword to me!” Sanji said as he kicked his opponent’s neck.

“Don’t be a nag, you idiot. I know what I’m doing.”

“Can you guys not fight for a moment?” Nami shouted in annoyance while looking at them.

Although not as strong as the two monsters, Nami still tried hard to fight the soldiers who gang up on them. However, unlike Zoro and Sanji, who attack aggressively, Nami tended to group up with Sogeking, Robin, and Franky, while Chopper still couldn't do anything for a moment.

They formed a party that could protect each other. Sogeking and Franky acted actively as long-range attackers. Moreover, with his cyborg body, he could also be a tank. While Nami and Robin would clean up the opponents that escaped the two of them. Although no figure was a big hitter among them, it was a suitable formation for the group while continuing to protect Kokoro.

“Don’t worry, Nami-san. We’re doing good!” Sanji replied cheerfully.

“But it’d be even better if this fool were thrown into the sea.”

Zoro replied sarcastically, as usual, but his hands didn't stop cutting anyone who came near him. However, Sanji was furious to hear that and immediately kicked someone towards Zoro, who cut the poor guy who came.

“Watch where you kick, you idiot!”

“Sorry, I didn’t expect our little swordsman to be that surprised!” Sanji replied with a bit of mockery.

The situation was chaotic, with a lot of pressure from all sides. Panicking wouldn't provide a solution, so Sanji wanted to act as normal as possible to maintain his composure.

“Be careful! That guy can rust metal with just one touch!” Franky shouted.

Zoro and Sanji turned to the man and saw a rusty chain extending from the cyborg's chest. Their eyes quickly moved to the end of the chain and found a veiled man who appeared to be the perpetrator. Feeling that his paramount ability had been discovered, the man immediately moved quickly to dart at Zoro.

However, Sanji was faster and immediately kicked the man's chin without mercy.

"Don't… touch… that… sword!!!”

The man with the deadly touch was immediately thrown into the sea with his head twisted back and accompanied by a heartbreaking sound.

“I don't need your help!”

“Don’t get me wrong, you third-rate swordsman. I don't want to help you either. I did it because I didn’t want the sword Maki-chan would have to rust,” Sanji replied, pointing at the sword in Zoro’s left hand.

The green-haired man glanced at the elephant sword. In fact, he felt strange about himself. Going so far as to keep someone else's weapon was unlike his usual self, who only cared about his swords. However, witnessing such an exceptional swordsman like Maki brought back his memories. It was as if he had remembered the pleasure he once experienced in his hometown.

“Guys, guys. It looks like Luffy-kun is in serious danger,” Sogeking said, “I’ve been trying to call him, but he can’t move at all. Worse still, he’s surrounded by warships.”

Zoro was the first to be surprised, and his eyes bulged when he heard the shout.

"They're flanking us. Luffy has been one of their main targets from the start, not only to destroy the island."

As the main mastermind behind this riot, it was natural that Luffy would be the first to be hunted down besides Robin. However, despite knowing it was coming, none of them had an effective way out other than waiting for Luffy to recover as soon as possible.

“Sanji-kun, Zoro. Can’t one of you go to Luffy and help him?” Nami asked.

The girl asked with a gasp since she was also busy beating up the World Government dogs.

“If we were in a wide-open field, I’d go without hesitation,” Sanji replied, “But in a place like this, with enemies coming nonstop, it's hard to find any space.”

It wasn't just about how to get to Luffy's place. However, they weren't given the luxury of doing whatever they wanted. The current composition was the best. The two main fighters acted as the first filter by fighting freely here and there to reduce as many enemies as possible. If one of them left, it would leave a big hole and expose the people behind them to danger.

"Luffy!! Can you move your body just a little bit?!” Sogeking shouted.

Luffy glanced at Usopp, who was still in disguise. He struggled to do something, but the best he could do now was move his head.

“I can't!!”

While Luffy was trying to recover, the Marines began jumping off the ship to attack Luffy. Leading the troops was a tall man with a black mohawk and a long, pointed moustache. His fierce expression looked very intimidating. Moreover, the Marine coat he was wearing showed his high rank.

“We really need to do something, at the very least,” Robin said.

The woman crossed her arms in front. At the same time, Usopp began to target those who approached his former captain. Those who could fight at long range began to increase their workload by ensuring Luffy was clean from the touch of those Marines. However, the squad leader, Momonga, reacted quickly by detonating smoke bombs on all sides to block their view.

“Dang it!” Usopp cursed as he lowered his aim.

“They really don't want to give us any opening,” Franky replied.

There was no choice but to pick Luffy up directly if they wanted to save him. However, that didn't mean they could just ignore the resistance on the bridge.

'To execute this plan, we need at least one more main fighter,' Ussop thought.

The guy kept shooting at the soldiers who were jumping off the ship, who hadn't gotten into the smoke yet. Although it didn't solve the problem, he thought it would at least slow them down a bit.

'Someone who’s not only strong but also fast and has high mobility. Fights effectively and tactically. Able to focus on objectivity rather than just picking a fight mindlessly.'

There was one person that crossed the mind of the long-nosed boy. And to be honest, he really expected her to come as soon as possible, especially in such a dire situation.

“Hey, someone is coming from the air!!” Chopper shouted.

All the pirates on the ruins of the bridge immediately looked up, staring at the figure the fawn was referring to.

"Shit, is that a CP9 agent? Has she recovered? This fast?” Nami growled with trembling eyes.

The girl had experienced firsthand fighting CP9. Their level was clearly much higher than that of ordinary soldiers. If such a figure were to rejoin the battle as an enemy, it was clear that they would be doomed.

“No, I’m not sure it’s the same person. I mean, the Marines tried to shoot her down multiple times,” Usopp replied.

Unlike those who showed confused faces, Robin's expression looked calmer and showed some relief. In fact, a confident smile began to appear on her face. However, without further explanation, everyone would understand because the figure was shooting at high speed.

“It's….”

Ussop's eyes widened when he saw it. A ponytail girl in a black uniform shot up, using the air as her footing. He and the others initially found it hard to believe what they saw and mistook it since she used one of CP9's signature techniques. However, a broad smile immediately broke out when her figure was confirmed.

“It's really Maki-chan!!” Nami shouted happily.

“And she can do the same things CP9 agents can do!” Chopper replied.

The girl had arrived and was right above Luffy's position, still covered by thick black smoke. She immediately did a somersault with her body upside down, then kicked the air above her to manoeuvre sharply downward.

Minor tremors occurred in the remains of the building that used to be the tower. Grey dust mixed with thick black smoke, making it increasingly difficult for outsiders to see what was happening inside.

Maki landed with a superhero-landing style. Her right hand grabbed the head of one of the enemies and buried it in the concrete floor. Although it was faint, Luffy could see the figure on the back and couldn't help but smile in victory.

“Maki! It's you!”

“Sorry, I’m a little late,” the girl replied, glancing back.

"No, you came just at the right time!"

The situation immediately became silent when the girl suddenly appeared out of nowhere. All the soldiers about to attack Luffy, even those who almost touched him, froze while pulling their bodies back. They were fixated on the sudden entrance that caused a commotion.

“Stay focused on our mission!” Momonga shouted, “Don’t panic! The special glasses you’re wearing can track anyone in this smoke!”

From the start, seeing through the thick smoke was impossible without special equipment or particular abilities.

The Marines who attacked Luffy were all equipped with the latest model of glasses developed by Vegapunk. These glasses could track the distribution of heat in humans. However, they couldn't distinguish individuals, so friends and enemies had the same heatmap. Therefore, they were also equipped with special vests that emit certain heat.

“Charge!” Momonga shouted again.

Shouting commands as loudly as possible amidst the thick black smoke might sound silly because the situation was perfect for ambushing targets silently. However, the Vice Admiral had his own plan.

As the roar of the soldiers approached Maki and distracted her, Momonga sneaked up behind. His target remained unchanged. He was aiming for Luffy, who was still lying limp. But something suddenly kicked his chest as he was about to kidnap the pirate leader.

“Not that fast, old man.”

Momonga flew for several metres before he stopped by stabbing his sword into the ground. Surprise was clearly written on his face when the girl kicked him amidst the thick smoke, especially when he moved stealthily, using the crowd of his soldiers as a distraction.

Meanwhile, Maki immediately beat up anyone who approached her. Her punches and kicks greeted the soldiers. However, those who could sneak up on her were not just one person.

Maki felt someone coming from beside her with a gun pointed at her head. She immediately caught and lifted the soldier's hand just as the trigger was pulled. The whistling sound of the bullet coming out, which was right in front of her, didn’t surprise the girl at all.

“It’s dangerous, you know?” she said.

“W-what?”

The soldier's eyes shook behind the visor as he couldn't free his hand from the girl's grip. Maki didn't bother and kicked him with the same force as she had kicked the mohawk man earlier. However, the girl didn't consider the resistance of her weak opponent with her firm grip. As such, the hand was severed, torn from the body, while the victim was thrown into the sea.

“Oh, sorry.”

Maki immediately threw his hand into the crowd to slow them down.

The girl felt the presence of the mohawk man who was charging her without being as stealthy as before.

'Guess he's stronger than the rest of 'em.'

It wasn't the right time to continue fighting, and Maki understood that well. She quickly picked up Luffy and carried him on her shoulder. A hail of bullets greeted her as she was about to leave, but the girl could dodge them all well. Even Momonga's slashes didn't hit her as the girl spun her body like she was dancing.

“Hey, you know I’m bulletproof, right? You can use me as a shield if you want,” Luffy said.

“You're right. How could I forget."

Maki immediately grabbed Luffy's leg. However, instead of following the guy's advice, she swung it. With his elastic body, Luffy stretched every time the girl swung like he was playing with a rope, but it was a rubber human instead. Thanks to her increased reach, his body hit many opponents at once.

"Get your heads together!” Maki exclaimed.

“Oh!”

Luffy didn't need to ask. He put his complete trust in the girl.

Meanwhile, Maki immediately spun Luffy like a cowboy playing with a rope. After feeling that she had built enough momentum, she immediately swung Luffy like a flail with his head facing forward.

"Hahaha! It's so funny!" Luffy shouted happily.

However, the laughter sounded like a disaster for Marines when his head hit whatever was in front of him. Therefore, many people subconsciously started to distance themselves from them. Without wasting any time, Maki took the opportunity to do a high jump, carrying Luffy out of the thick smoke, which was intentionally continuously released from some devices.

When the youngins were finally free from the mob, a cloudy sky welcomed them. The fresh wind flowed and caressed their skin roughly when Maki's jump showed no signs of decreasing altitude. However, thanks to that, they could see their friends clearly from the height.

“Hey, you guys!!!”

Luffy's voice echoing in the sky attracted everyone's attention, enemies and friends. All conflicts and disputes stopped for a moment to watch the two teenagers floating majestically in the air,

“WE ARE GOING BACK TOGETHER!”

The boy, who still couldn't move, screamed much louder. However, his dazzling positive energy prevented his colleagues from holding back a confident smile.

'No wonder you're the leader,' Maki thought as she glanced at the boy on her shoulder.

The girl kicked her feet in the air, performing a swift downward manoeuvre. The superhero's landing rattled the remains of the bridge pillars, signalling that she had truly entered the final phase.

“Maki!”

Zoro called the girl's name, automatically making her turn her head.

“The old lady got a sword for you,” the guy said without further ado.

Zoro threw the elephant sword as those words were uttered. Meanwhile, Maki caught it well and immediately spun around to slash it at the soldiers approaching.

“Tis rather a weird sword, but it feels good!” Maki said with an excited smile.

The girl then crouched down, spreading her left leg to the left while her right leg was bent. A sword passed above her as the girl made that move. However, Maki immediately grabbed the soldier's collar, pulling him down until his body was bent over. And at the same time, she thrust the sword into his stomach.

Maki immediately pulled out the sword and stood back up. She jumped over it like someone jumping over a table. Without slowing down, the girl immediately cut down the people around her.

“Any idea how we can get out of this shithole?” Maki asked.

Even though they were somehow able to exert pressure and had the upper hand now, Maki was sure that it wouldn't last forever. Putting aside the seemingly endless number of opponents, Maki could feel an overwhelming presence in the Naval Command's rear lines.

“I actually have one,” Franky replied as he continued shooting at the enemy, “But they destroyed our escape ship. Only if we get another one.”

“So, there's no other choice but to hijack their ship again?” asked the girl in the ponytail, who didn't get any response other than a soft nod.

“Hijacking a ship in a situation like this? That’s impossible unless they are kind enough to give us one!” Nami complained.

All the escape groups gritted their teeth as they continued to put up fierce resistance. Some others exchanged anxious glances. The tension was getting more and more suffocating, hanging in the air like a deathly mist that refused to dissipate. The battle on the ruins of the bridge was just an attempt to buy time. Everyone understood that. Their bodies would eventually collapse. The mission sounded almost impossible even for Maki, who had the stamina of hundreds of horses and had a fast recovery.

"Jump down.”

Amid that madness, a gentle voice suddenly disturbed their ears.

“What was that sound?!” Chopper asked in a panic.

“You heard it too?”

Ussop stared intently at the fawn still lying on the ground.

“Yeah. Everyone heard it, too, right?” Chopper replied as he watched his friends.

"What? What do you mean?" Franky replied.

“I'm not sure. I've heard many things, but something does seem strange,” Nami gave her opinion as she threw lightning from her staff.

Not everyone heard the voice. Or, they heard it but didn't understand what was actually said. Usopp reached that conclusion. However, only he and Chopper confirmed it, making him doubtful of the conclusion.

"Lu, I mean, Luffy-kun, how about you?"

Usopp bit his tongue because he almost let something slip that could have blown his cover.

“Yeah, that voice has been calling us since earlier,” the rubber man replied, “Hey, Sogeking! Watch out! Someone's gonna snap you off!”

Usopp jumped at the scream, but luckily, Robin covered it by growing arms to the soldier who almost cut his head. However, the long-nosed guy was still dissatisfied and wanted to confirm further.

“Maki!”

The Jujutsu student glanced briefly and then returned her focus to her fight.

"Yeah, I heard it clearly. It sounded like a child, or rather, a little girl."

Ussop was relieved when his colleague gave a similar testimony. At least, with three people, or maybe two people and a deer hearing the same call as him, he wasn’t hallucinating. However, the question was where the voice came from and who owned it.

“Look below.”

As if answering his uneasiness, the voice echoed in his brain again. A desire to check the truth arose in the long-nosed boy, but the situation where the enemies kept coming to gang up on him made it difficult for him to get out of formation.

However, his eyes met Maki's. As if having the same thought, the girl immediately darted towards Usopp. She quickly cut down anyone who was around him.

“Go! I've got your back!”

With that, Usopp immediately ran to the edge of the bridge while Maki cleared a path for him. He looked down without further ado, and his eyes widened when he saw what greeted them.

“Everyone! Follow me and jump down!”

People stared at Usopp curiously. Even Zoro gave a suspicious look. After all, no matter how desperate they were, jumping into the sea was ridiculous. However, when he saw Maki, the girl didn't seem to give any reaction. In fact, with her continuing to protect Usopp, it seemed as if she agreed with the idea.

“Alright,” Zoro said as he picked up Luffy.

'Even if it sounds crazy, but Maki at least isn't someone who won't care about nonsense things in such a situation.'

“Hey, are you sure about that?” asked the blue-haired man.

Seeing the most serious person in the group follow the advice so easily didn't immediately erase Franky's doubts.

"It’s not like we’ve any other option," replied Zoro.

Seeing his friends start to follow him individually, Ussop nodded in satisfaction. Without waiting for them to gather, he immediately jumped down. The other escapees followed behind him, and their expressions changed to joy when they found out that the one who picked them up was a friend who had always been with them through thick and thin.

“Merry!!”

Everyone shouted with emotion, filled with enthusiasm that gave a morale boost.

However, Maki stayed on the bridge, ensuring everyone had left without one left behind. Unconsciously, a smile appeared on her beautiful face.

“Alright, it'd be awful if you chased us all the way to the ship.”

Without further ado, the girl jumped. However, instead of following her friends, she jumped into the middle of the crowd of enemies. The sword she was carrying had moved to her mouth with the hilt she was biting. Her hands were raised as if she were trying to create a positioning.

'If the Moonwalk can be done with the feet, it should work with the hands too, right?'

Maki stomped the air above her with her hand, creating a blast that pushed her downward at high speed. Her right hand was clenched tightly. Her nose sucked in as much air as possible and held the oxygen in the chest.

Maki slammed her fist into the ground in the blink of an eye. The thunderous booming sound accompanied by a strong gust of wind was proof of how much power she had poured into the punch. With high speed, supported by the acceleration of gravity pulling her down, and combined with strong raw power, Maki created a spectacular strike momentum.

The bridge was made to tremble, shaking the only pillar that still supported it. However, the force Maki exerted was greater than that. A crack spread and grew rapidly, destroying the structure's remains into ruins. Everyone who was there immediately fell into the cold ocean, with large pieces of debris sinking them.

'This way, at least they won't chase us.'

Maki immediately planted her feet in the air, pushing herself upward to prevent herself from falling into the ocean. She was pretty pleased with her work but knew she had to join the others when she took off, speeding towards the small ship.

"Maki-chan!!” Nami immediately hugged her, "My heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw you didn’t follow us! You should have told me you wanted to destroy the bridge first.”

“Sorry, but we’re really in a rush right now, right?”

That being said, a lot had happened even after being left for a short while. Zoro and Sanji seemed to be working together by utilising Luffy's elastic body to block all the incoming cannonballs, while Franky seemed to be preparing something. Everything really went by fast, as if they were fighting against time.

There were so many things to take in at once that Maki didn't even realise until the gate had closed and whirlpools were starting to appear everywhere.

'But How?'

The officers couldn't have been stupid enough to close the gate again. They must have known that it would cause instability in the ship, making it difficult to aim at the target.

'In other words, if someone closed the gate, it might be a technical glitch, or even someone on our side did it,' the girl thought.

Wild ocean currents could also be detrimental to the Straw Hats. However, with Nami's navigation guidance, they can overcome them without any significant problems.

“Wow, you’re amazing at this, Nami,” Maki praised in awe.

"It's just the tip of the iceberg of my greatness, you know?"

“I've lit the smoke bomb!”

Along with Sogeking's scream, thick smoke enveloped the ship.

Maki raised an eyebrow at that. Everyone seemed calm and confident amidst the tension. It was obvious that a plan had been made, and they were ready to execute it.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” the girl asked.

Franky, who happened to hear this, smiled widely as if victory was within his grasp.

“That’s not necessary! If anything, just find something to hang out!”

Franky combined his index finger and thumb to form an upside-down diamond shape.

“Coup de Vent.”

Franky's grin grew wider as the energy became more concentrated in the hands of the blue-haired man with a crest.

“Maximum Pulse!”

A powerful explosion came out of his hand, giving a strong push that made the small ship fly through the air. The friction of the wind made them have to hold on tightly to something. However, some parts of the poor ship seemed not strong enough to withstand the sharp friction of the air, but still did her best to save her dearest friends, indicating that she also continued to fight until the last drop of blood.

—OoOoO—

"What the hell is happening?"

Aokiji was left dumbfounded and floored by what he had just witnessed. A small ship that glided majestically through the sky. Not just floating, but the ship actually flew with grey smoke as a tail that was impossible to understand. The sea spray it carried reflected the sunlight that began to peek through the gaps in the overcast clouds, creating a rainbow that seemed to follow it from behind. It was truly a miracle in the midst of despair. In the madness, the ship left, giving hope to those who boarded it.

Aokiji's eyes narrowed, trying to ensure it wasn't an illusion. But no, it was real.

“Your Excellency…, sir.”

“We have been defeated… in the most amazing way I have ever witnessed.”

—To Be Continued—

Author Note: Hello. Sorry for the delay, and now I'm back from my holiday.

9k words. It's way longer than I thought. Kuzan's scene wasn't actually planned at the first. However, because I wouldn't write Luffy vs Rob Lucci's scene since there's no change at all, so I decided to add Kuzan's scene commanding his fleet to summarize the battle.

This chapter also ends Enies Lobby, and the next chapter will wrap everything up. And, I won't be writing Merry's funeral scene. As I always say, this fic is a long story, and I'll be summarising some scenes, even some arcs to make the pace faster.

Alright, that's all from me. See you in two weeks on Oregairu fic. By the way, I've started working on the Spiderman story, and I'll upload it after finishing chapter 2.