A Navy warship exploded in a brilliant flash.
The commanders and captains fighting on its deck were all Marines from Headquarters. Against ordinary pirates, they would not have been so easily overwhelmed—but it had to be said that this time, they had picked the wrong opponent.
Germa, the "War-Mongers," who roamed the seas from their base in the North Blue, intervening in conflicts in exchange for gold and treasure. Raids were their specialty, and a warship without a Vice Admiral was little more than a sitting duck.
"Gah…!? W-Why is Germa attacking us…!!"
Originally, the Germa Kingdom was a member nation of the World Government. Though they lacked the influence to attend the Reverie and were often treated as a fallen kingdom without any true land, they were still a recognized member. The Navy did not intervene in wars between member nations, so there was never any dissatisfaction over the division of spoils.
And now, they were attacking a Navy warship.
That pointed to only one truth.
"We act in accordance with our pact with Twilight, not the World Government. Our relationship with you ends here."
"You've betrayed the World Government!"
"Betrayal? Don't be a fool."
They had only needed to be a member nation of the World Government to rebuild the Germa Kingdom. After all, it was a world where those outside the member nations were not even granted basic human rights. A mobile nation sounded grand, but in essence, they were simply living on giant ships. If they weren't registered as a member nation, they would be treated as pirates, and warships would be dispatched against them.
If that weren't enough, their king, Judge, was a former member of a research team that the World Government had deemed dangerous and disbanded. There was a possibility he could have been kept as a captive for the rest of his life, just like Vegapunk. Judge had simply judged, with utmost selfishness, that this path was more convenient. If he determined that siding with Twilight was more profitable, he would not hesitate to raise the flag of rebellion against the World Government.
"Father, it appears there is a Vice Admiral on that ship over there. We will lead the assault."
"I see. Take as many soldiers as you need."
The combatants on this ship had been mostly wiped out. Judge's children, their main fighting force, were skilled enough to not be outmatched even by a Navy Vice Admiral. He judged that if their goal was to seize the ship rather than annihilate it, he could entrust it to them with some support soldiers. But just as they were about to take over the captured ship, a call came in on a baby Den Den Mushi.
'Judge, that ship is being targeted by the other warships. It seems they intend to sink it, allies and all.'
"We are evacuating immediately."
Receiving the communication from Sora, he immediately left the ship. A moment later, a brilliant explosion erupted on the deck where he had just been standing. It was likely from the cannonfire of the other warships. He could see it exploding from the inside, perhaps an internal munitions detonation triggered by a cannonball.
A ruthless decision, he thought with detached disinterest, as he saw his own soldiers who had been too slow to escape being consumed by the flames. Judge watched this with no emotion whatsoever and shifted his gaze to the next target, the ship Ichiji and the others were heading for.
"What is the state of the battle?"
'It's difficult to say we have the advantage. There are few Twilight ships to begin with, and it seems Robin is still on the main island of Enies Lobby. We're in a position where we can't make a move to escape.'
"Do you need assistance?"
'The opponent is Marine Admiral Akainu. No matter how strong you are, it's best you stay away from him.'
"Ngh…"
'And CP-0 is on the scene as well. It's a bit late to be saying this, but the chances of escaping safely are practically nonexistent…'
Judge and the rest of Germa's royal family all used enhancement suits called Raid Suits. These granted them a durability that could withstand cannonballs, but he was not so arrogant as to believe he could block Akainu's attacks. He was one of only three Marine Admirals. He was not an opponent who could be taken down so easily, and with CP-0 in the mix, it was tantamount to a losing battle.
Sanji was supposed to be on the island as well. Sora must have been feeling uneasy, but for all that, her voice was terribly calm.
"…I thought you would be worried about Sanji."
'I am. I still am… But I think there's something wrong with worrying forever about a child who has grown up and stands on his own two feet.'
"I'm surprised you care about such things."
'Shut up. I, too, could die at any moment. You can't blame me for being happy to have one less thing to worry about, can you? Besides—'
Sora paused, and her gaze turned upward.
Wondering what she was looking at, Judge followed her gaze to the sky—and there, floating in the air like a tiny speck, was the figure of a ship.
'—Now that she's here, there's no need to worry anymore.'
Amidst the sound of explosions, a clap of thunder echoed from the sky.
…
"A few seconds… wasted."
Both Zoro and Zepo, who had stood in his way, had already fallen.
Sanji and Tobi, who had confronted CP-0 to clear a path, had also fallen.
Franky and Usopp moved to do something, anything, while Chopper tried to force his unmoving body to action. Nami's face turned deathly pale at the sight of the worst possible enemies boxing them in from both front and back.
Everyone moved with the resolve to die to open a path, and as a result, they fell—in the face of this nightmarish situation, the expression of Robin, the very person they were trying to protect, could only be described as the worst it had ever been.
Because of her, her most precious friends were falling.
It was, in a way… like being forced to watch the scene from twenty years ago all over again, when she could only flee as her home was destroyed before her eyes.
She knew she had to escape somehow, but her legs wouldn't move. Her mind wouldn't work.
"Capture Nico Robin. You may kill the rest."
Lucci reluctantly followed Akainu's order, while Guernica and Stussy sent Franky and Usopp flying as they tried to protect her. Iceburg, Tom, Caterina, and Nami were frozen in place by Akainu's glare, able to do nothing but watch as Robin was about to be captured again.
It was in that moment.
"You pigeon bastard—!!!"
Luffy, having likely been thrown with tremendous force, smashed through a building and collided with Lucci. Immediately following him, Pedro burst in and stood before Guernica and Stussy. He had no sword, his body was battered, and he was in no condition to fight. But even so, Pedro was trying to fulfill the mission he had been given.
"Another interruption… their fighting spirit is first-rate, at least, this Straw Hat crew."
Akainu's gaze turned to Luffy, who had just sent Lucci flying. This man was the pillar of this pirate crew. He had seen countless crews that would not surrender as long as their captain did not fall—they were likely that type. Akainu had been indebted to Luffy's grandfather, and though the man had a mountain of problems, he respected him as a fellow Marine… but he could not possibly overlook this outrage.
"As long as you do not die, this pirate crew will not stop—then, die here!!"
"Eh—"
Luffy, who had been wary of the human-beast form of Lucci, was late to notice that Akainu had turned his wrath on him. The very fact that the situation had become this dire had pushed Luffy to the brink of panic. His friends were wounded and fallen, and Robin was about to be taken away again. He had sent Lucci flying to stop it, and all his attention had been focused on him, leaving no room to be wary of Akainu.
An incandescent arm closed in.
"Luffy!!"
To Akainu, his back was completely exposed. He had unleashed his fastest attack, but Pedro, who had been outside his awareness, was a step faster. He shoved Luffy down, getting him out of the way, but he himself could not completely dodge—and the magma arm gouged out Pedro's abdomen.
He had narrowly avoided his vital organs. But with the damage he had already accumulated, Pedro could no longer move.
For Akainu, it was merely a change in the order of things.
They were all pirates anyway… he would not let a single one escape.
"Pedro!! Oi, Pedro!!"
"Gah…! Luffy, take Robin and run…"
"Wait, wait, Pedro! Your stomach…!!"
"I'm… done for…"
Even as he coughed up blood, wracked with excruciating pain, Pedro prioritized Robin over himself. It wasn't because it was a request from the princess of the Kozuki clan, their ancient allies. It was because he could not accept seeing his comrade-in-arms, with whom he had traveled the seas for so long, captured here.
A pool of blood spread. The scent of death drew near.
Luffy, who had never experienced the death of a friend, could only stare with a dazed expression as the sensation of death approached—and Akainu would not miss that opening.
"Don't you worry, I'll send you to the same place soon enough—!!"
A blazing red arm was swung down to finish off both the falling Pedro and Luffy.
Everyone who saw it foresaw Luffy's death.
And so, this was surely—not a miracle, but the result of the few seconds that Pedro had bought.
—A clap of thunder echoed.
Appearing faster than sound, a blade swung with a flash of light, parrying Akainu's fist and sending him flying with the return stroke.
This was no ordinary technique. With ordinary Haki, even if one could cut Akainu's body, it would do no damage. In fact, as had happened with Zoro's sword, it would simply melt.
But this blade was not ordinary. It was dyed black, and the Haki leaking from it was fierce and raging.
For the first time since arriving, Akainu was clearly, and truly, wary of the woman who had just appeared.
"…Who are you?"
The woman showed no signs of anger. She answered quietly.
"I am known as Komurasaki—I am of Twilight."
…
Following Komurasaki, who had arrived on the scene faster than anyone, two shadows appeared inside the building. Guernica and Stussy had been on guard the moment Komurasaki appeared, judging that Twilight's reinforcements had arrived, but the two shadows slipped past their guard with ease.
"Dangirigan!!"
"Yagura Ryuou!!"
Distracted by blocking the high-speed bullets, they were sent flying outdoors by an open-handed slap that came with a slight delay.
The two shadows—Izo and Kawamatsu—glanced at the fallen while remaining wary of CP-0.
"Caterina! You can move? Can you provide treatment?"
"I-Izo…!? Why are you here…"
"The princess picked up Kawamatsu and me on the way. That's why we were late, my apologies."
"No, you saved us… I'll start treatment right away. It's okay, I absolutely will not let them die."
There were some who were in danger if they didn't receive first aid immediately. Chopper's body was not moving properly, so he was not of much use, but the treatment kit he had brought just in case would be helpful. The problem was CP-0, who would surely attack again…
Izo and Kawamatsu laughed lightly, and as if to say there was no need to worry, they readied their guns and sword.
"We did not come here to play."
"Leave them to us."
Outside the building, Guernica and Stussy were just emerging from the collapsing structure, brushing off the dust. Though his face was hidden by a mask, Stussy somehow sensed that Guernica was making a distinctly unpleasant expression.
"…One of them looks familiar."
"That's Izo of the former Roger Pirates. I don't know the other fish-man, but from his clothes, he's likely related to Wano Country."
When Kozuki Oden had boarded the Roger Pirates' ship, Izo had accompanied him, so his face was known to the Navy. His bounty hadn't been updated since he had moved under Kanata's command, but his threat level, simply for being a former Roger Pirate, was more than high enough. He was not an opponent they could afford to underestimate.
…
The woman with the fox mask and emerald-green hair—Komurasaki—held Enma with both hands in a ready stance and quietly watched Akainu. Her opponent was a Marine Admiral, one of the strongest enemies she had ever faced. He had abducted Robin, with whom she had spent her childhood; he had pushed the two Minks, who looked up to her as their princess based on an ancient promise, to the brink of death; and he had driven the pirates with whom she had forged a friendship on the sky island to the verge of annihilation.
It was a situation where she would have been justified in being enraged, but it was precisely because of that that Komurasaki took a deep breath and calmed her mind. Anger was not needed to cut down an enemy. All that was required was to swing her sword with the utmost speed and precision.
"—Luffy-kun. I will treat Pedro! I'm sorry, but please move aside!"
"Ah, yeah… Lady, please! He's an important friend…!!"
"I know. I'll do my best. So you must not lose sight of what you have to do."
Luffy, his hands stained red with blood, entrusted Pedro to Caterina with a face on the verge of tears. Seeing this, Komurasaki felt a small sense of relief.
Pedro and Zepo had found good friends. To Komurasaki, the Mink Tribe was her family. That they had found such good friends made her happier than anything.
—And that was precisely why she could not allow their journey to end here.
"Komurasaki, your opponent is Akainu… are you sure?"
"There is no problem."
"So you say… Does that big mouth of yours have the strength to back it up!!?"
Magma swelled from within and erupted to the surface. If he were to rampage inside the building, not only the dying Pedro, but her other comrades would also be in danger.
Komurasaki lowered the tip of Enma, which she held in a ready stance, and stepped forward.
One step, and the Haoshoku Haki of a conqueror leaked out, becoming black lightning.
Two steps, and the leaking black lightning gathered on Enma. She swung the sword in a wide arc, as if to cleave Akainu's body in two.
"—Kamusari!!"
A single, god-speed slash, yet it failed to cut him. The aftershock toppled the buildings in front of them one after another, but even this was not on par with the original. Still, it was a blow that had clearly inflicted damage on Akainu in this battle.
Chasing the blasted-away Akainu, she leaped outdoors and swung her sword down from above, aiming for his neck.
"Gunuu…!!"
A fist clad in Haki would not be so easily cut off. But at the unprecedented power of the slash, a groan escaped Akainu's lips, and he immediately aimed for Komurasaki's head with an upward swing from below.
"Meigo!!"
"Raicho!!"
The clashing magma and lightning created a blinding flash and a deafening roar, scattering destruction and causing an explosion that forced Akainu and Komurasaki apart.
Their Haki was both of an extraordinary strength. Their Observation Haki, which could see even a few seconds into the future, and their Armament Haki, which could grasp a fluid body.
Even if one could grasp the body of a Logia-type, it would not inflict damage unless it could break through the Armament Haki they wore. But Komurasaki could pierce even that.
—They both felt each other's strength on their skin, and a tension ran between them.