"You idiots! Why are you attacking him?"
Many Marines had just injured themselves by firing at Shirogai, who had not even retaliated.
CP-9 officer Spandam stomped his feet in frustration, shouting across the courthouse:
"Ignore him! He won't attack you! Focus all your strength on the intruders who broke into Enies Lobby with those pirates!"
Following his orders, the Marines and CP agents immediately shifted their attention.
Shirogai, a notorious pirate with a World Government bounty, strolled with a calm smile through the middle of the chaos, moving against the current of panicked soldiers.
All the Marines along his path ignored him, rushing instead toward the Franky Family and the giants defending the courthouse plaza.
"Up ahead! The giants are still fighting! Take them down!"
"Where are the cannons? Aim at them! They can't dodge!"
"Damn it! Every cannonball is intercepted mid-air by that rope user! He's incredible!"
"He's even using a rope we can't see! Take him down first, and the rest will crumble!"
Shirogai shook his head and chuckled as he observed the Marines rush off without paying him a shred of attention.
He stepped lightly onto the drawbridge.
"Don't move! Stop!"
A Marine aimed his gun at him, but his comrade grabbed his arm in fear:
"Are you insane? The higher-ups ordered not to attack him! They say all attacks aimed at him will reflect back!"
The Marine froze, lowering his weapon, staring at Shirogai as he calmly crossed the drawbridge toward the Judicial Tower.
"But as Marines, are we just going to watch a pirate walk into the sacred Judicial Tower?" he whispered.
"The higher-ups said so. What can we do?"
Another Marine, hiding nearby, lowered his voice, trembling as he watched Shirogai:
"Even an Admiral is no match for him. What can two low-ranking privates like us do? Let's just pretend we didn't see him."
"Shh! Be quiet! Look, he's looking back at us! He heard us!"
Several Marines froze as Shirogai stopped, turned his head, and stared at them.
Panic-stricken, they frantically raised their guns and fled the drawbridge.
"How pathetic," Shirogai muttered, shaking his head.
"This is the Marine of justice, allowing a powerful enemy to walk freely on Enies Lobby yet too afraid to act."
"Don't trouble yourself over them," Aokiji's lazy voice came from behind.
"This is normal. Do you still insist on fighting an enemy you cannot defeat?"
"Of course."
Shirogai smiled and glanced at Aokiji across the drawbridge.
"Isn't that what justice demands of a Marine?"
Aokiji shrugged casually, indifferent to the potential embarrassment:
"If all Marines truly had this resolve, there would be no pirates left in the world, and the Four Emperors would not exist today."
Having faced countless injustices and evils in his long Marine career, Aokiji had developed a broader understanding of justice.
He neither demanded others recognize his view nor deemed theirs wrong.
Shirogai stepped onto the drawbridge, approaching Aokiji with a grin.
"You, having dealt with the Celestial Dragons repeatedly, must know the depths of human evil. Anything to say?"
Aokiji paused briefly, then diverted the conversation with indifference:
"I don't discuss these matters with pirates. Let's continue our bet."
Shirogai nodded.
"You're right, it was presumptuous to comment on Marine shortcomings in front of an Admiral."
Then he leapt into the sky, grinning:
"Let's see who has the last laugh in this bet."
---
Inside the Judicial Tower, a swordsman duel was underway.
"When we were in Water 7, I noticed your swordsmanship was impressive," Kaku said, drawing his twin swords with a flourish.
"Coincidentally, this old man is a swordsman too."
Swish!
Kaku vanished, while Zoro swung his three swords in a fluid motion:
"Three-Sword Style?"
"You guessed right!"
Kaku parried, unleashing a Rankyaku with his feet and slashing with twin swords:
"Four-Sword Style: Four-Blade Whirlwind Slash!"
"Not bad," Zoro muttered, drawing Wado Ichimonji in his mouth, swinging Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu in a dazzling display.
"Two-Sword Style: Seventy-Two Pound Phoenix!"
"Tempest Kick: White Ray!"
Their attacks collided mid-air in a spectacular explosion.
Clang!
Kaku frowned.
He had underestimated this Three-Sword Style swordsman, whose attacks rivaled his own.
Zoro's swords, now coated in Armament Haki, gleamed black:
"Three-Sword Style: Night Yaksha Crow!"
Kaku's eyes narrowed as he dodged, leaving deep claw-like marks where Zoro's swords had sliced through the air.
"You can use Armament Haki too!" Zoro exclaimed with excitement.
"Perfect, I'll use you as my whetstone!"
Kaku sneered.
"Be careful not to break your own sword."
They clashed again, sparks flying in a deadly dance.
---
Elsewhere, Usopp was in desperate flight.
"Damn it! Stop chasing me!"
Jabra, transformed into a massive wolf, lunged at the Sniper King:
"Coward! Iron Mass: Wolf Fang!"
Usopp dodged behind a pillar, the wolf's claws smashing into stone with resounding cracks.
"What? When did this glue appear?" Jabra roared, stuck in the sticky trap Usopp had prepared.
"You underestimated me! I never ran!"
Usopp fired a prepared metal bottle:
"Finishing Move: Shirogai's Special Grenade!"
Bang!
Flames erupted, engulfing Jabra in scorching heat.
The grenade's design amplified Shirogai's Explosion Devil Fruit energy.
Only a rapid, precise reaction could prevent detonation, which Jabra failed to achieve.
"No! It's burning me alive!"
Jabra rolled in flames before diving into a nearby pond, extinguishing the fire.
Usopp lamented that Shirogai hadn't added Eternal Burning Demonic Flames—too dangerous for the crew if mishandled.
Jabra's wolf form swelled, enraged:
"You long-nose! You've angered me!"
Usopp bowed frantically:
"Please forgive me!"
Jabra lunged again, carving a deep claw trench.
Bang!
A clash rang from above.
"Underestimating me, huh?" Zoro's voice cut through the chaos.
He landed in front of Usopp, twin swords ready, blocking the wolf's jaws:
"Mangy dog, what are you planning to do to my comrade?"
"Roar!"
Jabra snapped, but Zoro's swords jammed between his fangs.
Usopp stared, awestruck, as Zoro stood over him, blood dripping from his mouth.
"To turn your back to save a comrade…"
Kaku, transformed into a giraffe, remarked from above:
"You are a loyal ally, but this weakness will cost you."
____
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