"They are warriors of the former Giant Pirate Crew," Zian explained. "From what they said, they were guarding the gates to rescue the two giant leaders, Brogy and Dorry."
"The Navy promised that if they could hold the gate for a hundred years, those two giants would be released from the underwater great prison."
"That's a lie!" Usopp snapped, stepping forward in anger. "Master Brogy and Dorry are in Little Garden. They're not in some underwater prison at all!"
Back in Little Garden, if it weren't for those two great warriors of Elbaf, they wouldn't have survived the jaws of that monstrous creature.
Damn the Navy. To deceive proud giants like them it was unforgivable!
"What's going on here?" Sanji lit a cigarette and glanced at the two giants. "They seem to think you're their leader?"
Just now, he had clearly seen the two giants stopping the Jetman in its tracks. Halting that thing mid-flight was no easy feat.
"I used an illusion to make them believe I was the two of them," Zian shrugged. "It worked out conveniently."
He had initially planned to use illusions to control the giants as backup, but now it seemed unnecessary. Simply telling them the truth could turn them into allies.
"A ninja can actually do something like this?!"
Zoro stared at Zian in disbelief. Now he understood how the gates had been opened. Using illusions to control the opponent allowed them to open the gates willingly.
Fortunately, this person was on their side. Otherwise, he would have been a formidable enemy.
"This is so cool!" Chopper exclaimed, bouncing with excitement. This must be the power of a ninja unbelievable!
"For me, this is nothing," Zian said calmly.
Before he could continue, Sanji suddenly lunged at him, grabbing his shoulder. "Hey, buddy, if we're going to the bathhouse, you have to "
"Thwack!"
Nami's fist struck Sanji's head, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"What are you thinking?!" Nami scolded, fuming.
"Haha, just as I thought, a perverted cook," Zoro commented disdainfully.
Sanji lay on the floor, speechless. Dreaming of obtaining the Transparent Fruit, he genuinely wanted to befriend Zian.
"You're not going to do something like that, right?" Nami tilted her head, smiling at Zian.
"Relax, I'm not like him," Zian said immediately, putting a clear boundary.
Nami nodded approvingly, then gave Sanji another kick in frustration.
Behind them, Franky and the others looked on with exasperation. With everything going on, how could Sanji still have time to fool around?
"Zian, please lift the illusion," Usopp said earnestly. "I'll explain the real situation to them."
To deceive two proud giant warriors into guarding a gate for a hundred years what humiliation!
"Alright."
Seeing Usopp so serious, Zian removed the illusion.
In the next moment, Oimo and Kashi shivered, realizing that the Dorry and Brogy who had been before them had vanished.
"Strange, where did our leaders go?!" Kashi asked, confused.
"Oimo's curious too."
"Hey, hello there!" Usopp called out loudly.
"Who are you?" Oimo asked, puzzled. He didn't understand why this human was speaking to him.
Kashi, however, had noticed Zian and frowned. "Were you behind that trick just now?"
Before seeing the two giants, he remembered only this strange-looking human.
"What's going on will be explained to you," Zian said, pointing at Usopp.
Turning away from the giants, he addressed his crew. "I'll create some noise inside to draw more people after me."
"Where's Robin?" Sanji asked, scrambling to his feet.
"If I'm right, she's in the central building," Zian pointed toward the courthouse. "Even if not, we can still gather some information there."
He paused, then continued. "I'll go ahead first and see if I can sneak Robin out."
A ninja avoids unnecessary direct combat. Stealth and intelligence gathering are their specialty. If he could use his transformation technique to retrieve Nico Robin, the rest would be manageable.
"Understood. We'll head in that direction," Sanji nodded.
"Everyone, get on Sodam and Gomorra now!" Zanbay shouted.
Running on foot would be too slow and risky. Riding the Emperor Bullfish was faster and safer hence Sodam and Gomorra were here.
Seeing everyone move, Zian activated his instant movement technique and vanished.
…
"There's quite a commotion down there," Zian observed silently from the island buildings, watching Luffy battle the Navy.
That attack alone had drawn at least a third of the forces to surround him.
With a bounty of 100 million Berries, it was no wonder they were taking him seriously.
"Time to give them some trouble," Zian said with a grin, clapping his hands. "Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Bang!"
A dozen shadow clones appeared, surrounding him in a tight circle.
"Go, draw as many people as you can."
"Master, can we kill them?" a clone asked.
"Is that even a question?" Zian smiled. "Enemies get no mercy."
The clones chuckled and scattered in all directions, quickly creating chaos.
"Boom!"
"Enemy spotted!"
"What the hell? I thought there was only the Straw Hat? Who is this guy that can punch through a building?!"
"No idea, never seen a bounty on him."
"Damn it, who are you?!"
"Who am I?" one clone sneered. "I am your nightmare!"
"Boom!"
"Ah!"
The Navy could only fire their flintlock guns, powerless against the clones. Wave after wave, they were defeated.
Against a monster-level opponent, ordinary humans were insignificant.
Zian remained calm, watching from above. With his clones drawing the island forces, Zoro and the others faced much less pressure.
Finally, Zian turned his gaze to the courthouse nearby.
"Let's see if Robin is inside."
"Whoosh!"
With instant movement, Zian vanished.