With nothing pressing at the moment, Zian went over to tease Chopper, and the little guy seemed more than happy to play along. Chatting before the battle was a good way to pass the time.
"Hey, big brothers!" Zanbai came running up. "Up ahead, we spotted a detached train car blocking the tracks."
"Is it Sanji?!"
Luffy's eyes lit up immediately. Could this mean Sanji had already rescued Robin?
"Not sure," Zanbai shook his head. "But we can see a figure."
"Then let's go check it out," Zian said, moving to the window. "Even if Sanji isn't there, we can gather intel about him from the others."
With his Sharingan, getting information from someone's words was no problem.
"I'll go too," Luffy said.
"No need. I can handle it myself."
"No way, I'm coming!"
Zian looked helplessly at Luffy, pointing to the distance ahead. "How do you plan to get there from so far away?"
He could run across the water at top speed, but Luffy couldn't.
"Leave it to me!"
Grinning, Luffy ran to the front of the train and grabbed both ends of the Rocketman. Naturally, he wrapped one leg around Zian's waist.
Zian's eyes widened. "You don't mean…"
"Haha! Let's go together, Zian!"
Before Zian could protest, Luffy released his hands, and they shot forward at blinding speed!
"You idiot! I can run on my own!" Zian's panicked voice echoed through the air, leaving the Franky family wide-eyed.
"You still don't get Luffy," Zoro said with a smirk. He'd seen this countless times. In danger, Luffy was reliable; safe, he was the biggest menace.
Duang!
A dull thud as Zian's head smacked the next train car. The sound alone spoke volumes.
"Luffy… I swear, I'm going to kill you eventually…"
"Hahaha, safe landing!"
"Uh?"
"Sorry about that…" Luffy said earnestly, placing his long sword across Zian's shoulders.
"Hmph, if it weren't for my sturdy body, that would've been it for me," Zian said irritably. Most ninjas were glass cannons; people like him were rare.
"See? Nothing happened…" Luffy muttered.
Zian shot him a glare, not wanting to waste words on this simpleton.
Turning to the surrounding crowd of stunned onlookers, Zian smiled warmly. "I need to ask you something."
"Pirates! They're pirates!"
"Shoot them! Don't let them pass!"
"They must be chasing the train ahead! Stop them at all costs!"
But all they were met with was a pair of black eyes, spinning with three tomoe in each pupil!
"Annoying," Zian muttered.
"Everyone, line up!"
After Zian's little "friendly" exchange, the crowd immediately fell in line. The rest, sprawled on the ground, looked thoroughly traumatized. From their expressions, it was clear they'd just witnessed something horrifying.
"Why not do this from the start?" Zian said.
"Zian, what did you do?" Luffy gawked. "How did everyone suddenly hit the ground?"
Not only that, but they seemed to have seen something terrifying just before collapsing.
"Nothing major. Just showed them something… memorable," Zian said calmly. Illusions were the fastest way to subdue everyone at once.
"Alright," Luffy scratched his head. He didn't understand how Zian did it, but the problem was solved.
"Hey, has anyone seen Sanji?" Luffy asked.
"Sanji… who's that?" someone replied cautiously.
"Huh?"
"Big brother, we really don't know," another said.
Zian's simple "huh" nearly scared them out of their wits. This man was terrifying. Just one look from those crimson eyes, and barely anyone could stand. Seeing those blood-red pupils earlier, they thought they had stepped into hell.
"Fine, I'll look myself," Luffy said, dashing forward in search of Sanji.
"Hey, Sanji! Are you there?!"
"I'm coming for you, Sanji!"
Meanwhile, Zian pointed at one man. "You, come here."
"Big brother, don't kill me…" the suited man stammered, terrified.
"Do you think I'd give you a chance to talk if I wanted to?" Zian said. "Less chatter, move."
"Y-yes, big brother…"
The suited man approached slowly, lips pale. Though only a few meters away, it felt like a lifetime had passed. Zian found it almost comical how scared he was.
"Relax. As long as you behave, I won't kill you."
The man remained silent, glancing at his fallen companions, as if saying: Big brother, your words don't convince anyone.
"Tell me why are you here? What happened?" Zian asked, curious. Were they left to intercept the Rocketman?
But that didn't add up. Chopper had said only a few people left the Seven Water City using the Rocketman. And there was no way they'd share secrets with the enemy… plus, surviving the Sea Gods' wrath? The enemy wouldn't believe it anyway.
"You promise you won't kill me if I talk?"
"You have no choice," Zian replied calmly.
"…Then…" The suited man pressed his lips, contemplating whether to give information. If he spoke, death was likely anyway.
"Fine, I'll do it myself," Zian said.
"Yourself?"
The man stared, confused. But when he saw Zian's Sharingan, the light immediately drained from his eyes. He was like a puppet.
"Is Sanji here?"
"I don't know who Sanji is, but only our people are here."
"I see…" Zian frowned. "Then how did you end up like this?"
"Someone led us to the last car, then disconnected the links between cars. That's how we got left behind."
"Of course."
Zian thought: That sounds like something Sanji could pull off. Smart as a whip. So Sanji must still be on the front train.
The rest watched Zian warily, wondering why the suited man now answered every question as if controlled.
"This is terrifying… is he a Devil Fruit user?!"
Seeing everything that happened earlier, their fear only intensified.