The clock turned back slightly, to the moment Twilight's reinforcements arrived at Enies Lobby.
Though it was the middle of the night, Yuisheeze and the "Festival Master," Buena Festa, gazed out at the surrounding sea, which was as bright as midday, a strange look on their faces. Normally, this was a place no pirate would dare approach. While mysterious phenomena were not uncommon in the seas of the Grand Line, an island of perpetual daylight was another level of strange.
Of course, their purpose this time was not tourism.
The island of their destination lay in the sunlit sea, and upon seeing the "Gate" that existed beyond it, Festa roared with laughter.
"Hahha!! Hahahahahaha!! Look, Yuisheeze, the Gates of Justice are opening!! Now that's a rare sight to behold!!!"
Normally, the Gates of Justice at this location opened only slightly when prisoners were being transferred from Enies Lobby to Impel Down. But this time was different. To allow the ten warships of the Buster Call to pass through, the gates were opening completely. Even the guards who regularly served at Enies Lobby were witnessing such a sight for the first time.
"The gates opening means the warships will be here soon. Is this really the time to be laughing?"
"Hahaha, you've got a point! Oi, blow that fence surrounding the island to bits!"
At Festa's command, his crewmen scurried to their positions, and the cannonballs they fired struck true, shattering the fence. The Twilight fleet consisted of four warships, large and small, with a total force of just over 1,000 men. In terms of numbers alone, Twilight's disadvantage was clear.
However, battles were not decided by numbers alone.
"Dilus! How are things on your end! Are you ready!?"
"Of course. They're all itching for a fight, hearing they can finally let loose."
Aboard the largest warship were several giants. They were normally stationed to defend Midgard, Twilight's largest commercial hub, but upon hearing they could rampage to their hearts' content, they had boarded the ship without a second thought. They were hot-blooded former members of the Giant Warrior Pirates, and without exception, they were all Zoan-type ability users.
"Excellent! We'll attack from the front and make a path for those death-wishers who went on ahead to get back!!"
Festa joyfully ordered the warship to the front, preparing to unleash the giant beasts who were waiting with bated breath.
But it was then that Yuisheeze stopped him.
"Festa, in this operation, we need to secure Nico Robin. Since we know where the enemy is heading, we should get there first if we can."
"Huh? But you said there's a whirlpool near the escort ship… oh, I see."
The whirlpool was caused by the current created between the Gates of Justice and the Tower of Justice. If the Gates of Justice were wide open, no whirlpool would form. In that case, moving to secure Robin, their primary objective, was the most logical course of action. Splitting their forces when they were already outnumbered was a poor move, but it was the only way to achieve both securing a retreat path and rescuing Robin.
Festa stroked his chin, lost in thought, while Yuisheeze called out to Dilus.
"I'm going on ahead. Dilus, are you coming?"
"I will. It looks like the stronger opponents will be over there."
Whether it was due to his warrior bloodline or the hot-blooded nature of a ferocious carnivorous Zoan user, Dilus grinned and nodded at Yuisheeze's suggestion.
Festa lit a cigar, and as he watched the two transfer to another warship, he puffed out a cloud of smoke and asked a subordinate.
"Oi, have you heard anything from that Caterina woman?"
"The last contact was a report that they were entering the Tower of Justice. We've lost contact since then. However, we're still picking up her signal, so she should be safe."
"I see. Well, that woman is smart. She won't make a mistake… and that Kaie girl is with her."
In terms of strength alone, Kaie was one of the top fighters in Twilight. She wasn't in the top five, but from Festa's perspective, she possessed more than enough power. He believed she wouldn't lose unless a Marine Admiral showed up… but a Buster Call was an operation that could only be ordered by a Marine Admiral or the Fleet Admiral. The possibility that an Admiral was on site was high. Yuisheeze could fight an Admiral, but that alone was hardly reassuring.
"…Any word from Komurasaki?"
"None. Our last contact was a message saying, 'I'll be a little late.'"
"What does she mean, 'late'? If she doesn't make it in time, this will all be for nothing."
"It can't be helped. She said she's using a new prototype ship, and that she was picking up a few people on the way."
"Choosing to gather her forces even if it takes time is a result of Kanata's teachings, I suppose. That woman will charge in alone if she thinks she can do it, but she's the type to have a backup plan."
But that would be too late. No matter how thorough the preparations, they were meaningless if they didn't arrive in time for the action. Of course, that was precisely why Festa was here, leading the rear guard.
"Get those Germa bastards on the line and tell them to hurry up!! If they plan on being late, we'll destroy them first!!!"
This was the harbinger of a world-shaking frenzy.
Festa sensed it, and an involuntary shudder ran through him. Laughter rumbled from the pit of his stomach. His lips curled into a grin on their own. His eyes gleamed, and he was seized by the urge to laugh until he keeled over.
"Ah, this is getting interesting, isn't it!! I'm not too pleased that it was those kids who started this, but the fuse has been lit—all that's left is for it to burn!!!"
The Government could not ignore this.
The Navy could not underestimate this.
Twilight had no choice but to act.
A single woman, and the circumstances surrounding her—were about to ignite a great fire that would shake the world.
And he was here to watch it unfold up close. How could this not be enjoyable?
Laughing at the thought of the flames of war spreading across the globe, Festa was, through and through, the "Festival Master" who loved a good commotion, and the "World's Worst War-Monger" who moved the underworld.
…
The incandescent magma and the fist clashed.
The fury of nature, which would normally swallow a person whole and burn them to death, was reduced to a phenomenon that could be stopped by a human, all thanks to the power of Haki. It was proof that the two clashing were of comparable strength, but it was also proof that Yuisheeze's power was insufficient to stop a man like Akainu.
If their Haki output was comparable, the Devil Fruit user held the advantage, for their ability tipped the scales. Haki, after all, only allowed one to grasp the user's true form. As long as it couldn't stop the use of the ability itself, a Logia-type user who could affect the environment would always be able to change the world in their favor.
"A Marine Admiral is as troublesome as they say!!"
If they clashed on the narrow bridge, the effects would naturally reach Luffy and the others fighting nearby. A reckless battle would benefit no one. It would be easier if he could just knock him into the sea, but a Marine Admiral wouldn't be in his position if he could be neutralized so easily.
"You're a persistent one, for a mere pirate…!"
The fact that the still-young Yuisheeze could wield Haki on par with Akainu was astonishing in itself, and the fact that he was trading blows with him was an anomaly. Akainu was a magma man who had eaten the Magu Magu no Mi—his attacks, utilizing super-heated magma, could easily destroy the human body, and even if they didn't, the secondary heat he generated could corner his enemies. His only natural enemy was Kanata, who could freeze even magma, and although Yuisheeze was defending with Haki, there was a limit.
He glanced over at Robin and saw Spandam, wringing his hands, unable to decide whether to retreat or advance. He couldn't expect anything from him, but if he fought seriously, he would involve Robin. Having come this far, they could not afford to lose Robin, who possessed knowledge of the Ancient Weapons.
"Meigo."
Akainu, his arm transformed into roiling magma, lunged at Yuisheeze. Instantly taking distance to evade it, Yuisheeze kept his posture low to dodge Akainu's other arm, which came in for a follow-up attack, and drove a blow into his abdomen.
But this, too, had no effect. Against a Logia-type user with a fluid body, one had to clad themselves in correspondingly powerful Armament Haki and see through to their true form with Observation Haki. With limited room to escape on this narrow bridge, even Yuisheeze, one of Twilight's top fighters, was gradually being cornered.
"Yuisheeze! Need a hand!?"
"Unnecessary! Go help the others!!"
Even with Dilus, they wouldn't gain an advantage against Akainu. It was better for him to help Luffy's group, whose situation was approaching the worst-case scenario.
…
Luffy and Rob Lucci were of roughly equal strength.
Their physical abilities were comparable, and Luffy had a slight advantage in that his rubber body was immune to blunt strikes. However, Lucci, a user of the Neko Neko no Mi, could turn even his Shigan into a slashing attack by using his claws.
The problem, rather, was with Pedro and Zepo, who were fighting nearby.
"Guh…"
"Kahak…!"
"You're persistent. You have skill, but not enough to defeat us. Give up."
"Did you really think you could beat us? You fools."
Cipher Pol had ranks from 0 to 9, but 9 was not officially acknowledged, and 0 was a sort of joker that moved only on the orders of the Celestial Dragons. The strength of CP-0, who held the title of the strongest, was extraordinary, and it was nearly impossible for Pedro and Zepo to win, even if they fought with the resolve to take their opponents down with them.
Flying slashes from Rankyaku. Flying thrusts from Shigan. The Mink Tribe's unique skill, "Electro," was certainly powerful, but their opponents had countless ways to attack without making contact. Once they took damage and their concentration wavered, a direct attack became possible. With a difference in their fundamental physical abilities and techniques, this gap would not close.
"We won't… hand over… Robin!!"
"We can't… lose to you…!!"
"…I admire your spirit, but what can you do in that state?"
Stussy shot an exasperated glance at Guernica. When she asked with her eyes what they should do, Guernica simply shrugged.
Finish them quickly, then take down Luffy and apprehend Robin. The escort ship itself was still usable, and while they had to deal with Yuisheeze and Dilus… with Akainu's cooperation, that wouldn't be too difficult.
"Finish them quickly. I've had enough of these troubles."
"My thoughts exactly. Let's get this over with—Gah!!?"
With a battle cry, a giant wolf slammed its forepaw down, trying to crush Stussy. She had noticed it at the last second and managed to evade with Kami-e "Zanshin," but the killing blow made even her break into a cold sweat.
She shifted from her beast form to her human-beast form, but the size of the wolf-man was incomparable to that of Jabra from CP-9.
"A giant Zoan user…! I know of you. The giant who ate the Inu Inu no Mi, Ancient Zoan, Model: Wolf, Dilus!!"
"To be known by CP-0 is an honor, indeed!!"
She tried to dodge the fist that swung at her in a wide arc, but the wind pressure from the giant's arm swinging at high speed threw her slightly off balance. A moment later, she was sent flying by his other arm. Guernica took advantage of the opening to unleash a Rankyaku slash, but Dilus blocked it with his Armament Haki. He was originally a giant over 10 meters tall. His human-beast form made his physique even larger, and his already sturdy body was further enhanced by the unique properties of a Zoan-type. Even blows clad in Armament Haki didn't seem to have much effect.
"This is not good…"
They wouldn't lose, but Ancient Zoan-type users were even more durable and had stronger regenerative abilities than normal Zoan users. Even with both Stussy and Guernica, it would likely take some time to defeat him.
"I had considered the possibility of Twilight's reinforcements arriving, but actually fighting them, there is no enemy more troublesome than this."
"He's one of the 'Giant Beasts' who protect their largest trade hub. If that 'Witch' judged him to be a sufficient fighting force, it's only natural he'd be troublesome."
"I wanted to finish the job before this happened… but it can't be helped."
Guernica sighed, steeled his resolve, and Stussy, while checking the spot where she had just been hit, watched Dilus. The black-furred wolf-man, exhilarated by the battle, let out a battle cry, a grin on his face. He was far too large to be fighting on the Bridge of Hesitation, but paying no mind to such trivial matters, Dilus lunged at the two.
…
And so.
Behind Spandam, who was caught between Akainu in the front and CP-0 in the rear, with nowhere to run—Usopp, who had been moving along the side of the Bridge of Hesitation with his Octo-shoes attached to his hands and feet, slowly peeked out.
(T-This is terrifying!!! A Marine Admiral and CP-0, they're all crazy strong!!! Are we really going to be okay!!?)
Akainu, attacking with roiling magma; Guernica and Stussy, fighting a giant wolf-man; and Lucci, fighting Luffy—from Usopp's perspective, they were all terrifying enemies. For him, whose only asset was his ability to run, there was little he could do. In fact, he thought he should have gone back to call for reinforcements… but Tobi had already done that, and at the entrance to the underground passage on the Tower of Justice side, CP-0's Joseph and Maha were fighting Kaie. He had no confidence he could slip past them and go back, and even if he did, he couldn't think of any allies who could serve as reinforcements against this lineup.
And so.
(No, no, no!! I, the great Usopp, came here with resolve, didn't I!! I'll sneak up, hoist Robin onto my back, and escape before they notice!! That's the plan!!)
The bridge was shaking from the battles raging all over it, and it didn't seem very stable.
Tiptoeing, sneaking, he slowly approached Spandam, who was watching Lucci and the others, shouting, "Go! Get 'em! That's it, kill him!!"
Robin, vigilantly scanning her surroundings for an escape opportunity, noticed Usopp early on. She beckoned for him to come, but she was in the corner of Spandam's vision, and if she moved, she would be noticed.
In that case, he had to knock Spandam out first.
As he crept closer, hammer in hand, an eye suddenly opened on the hilt of the sword slung across Spandam's back.
(…An eye!!?)
He had no time to wonder why a sword had an eye.
"Paoooon!!"
"Huh, what is it, Funkfreed…!? You, when did you get there!?"
"Geh! I've been spotted!?"
Drawing the sword from his back, Spandam turned and revealed his wariness upon seeing Usopp behind him. This was one of the pirates who had come to rescue Robin, and the sniper who had shot down the World Government's flag right before his eyes. There was no way he would forget that face, even from a distance.
"You're the long-nose who shot down the World Government's flag, aren't you…? Die with regret!! Go, Funkfreed!!!"
Thinking he had swung from a distance clearly outside the sword's range, the sword transformed into an elephant and closed the distance. The elephant's trunk was the blade, and the slash, powered by momentum and weight, seemed poised to easily pierce Usopp's body.
"Wahaha!! Die, 'Elephant Choooop'!!!"
"Long-nose-kun!!"
It was a surprise attack using the nature of a Zoan-type. Usopp's reaction speed was not good enough to dodge it. Robin cried out in anguish, fearing for Usopp's safety, and Spandam laughed triumphantly.
But the elephant—Funkfreed—had stopped just short of hitting Usopp. Or, to be more precise, Usopp, having dodged the bladed trunk, had caught Funkfreed's charge with a single hand.
"Hah, hah…! T-That was close… I thought I was gonna die…!!"
"What are you doing, Funkfreed!! Just stomp that long-nose flat!!"
Even if the sword was dodged, a human would be no match for the weight of an elephant's charge. So why had he stopped? Funkfreed, feeling a strange sensation, was puzzled, but Spandam ordered him to stomp him flat, and he raised both his front legs—
Just before that, he was sent flying by Usopp's hand.
"Impact!!!"
Struck in the stomach by a sudden, massive impact, Funkfreed was sent flying. Having raised both his front legs had been his downfall. His weakest point, his belly, had been struck by the impact, and he was flipped over. Spandam watched this with a dumbfounded expression.
The Usopp in question had tears in his eyes from the recoil of the Impact, but knowing he couldn't show any weakness here, he glared at Spandam.
"We're taking Robin back!!"
"W-What, you've got to be kidding me!? Stop—"
"Usopp Hammer!!!"
"Bubera!!!"
Struck hard with a hammer, Spandam was quickly knocked out, and Usopp raised a hand in a victory pose.
"We've taken Robin back!!"