"What a bunch of ignorant fools who don't know their limits," Kaku said, narrowing his eyes as he gazed into the distance.
Watching the Straw Hat Pirates standing side by side atop the highest point of the Courthouse, Kaku couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. He never expected to encounter pirates like them in his lifetime.
"No matter how you managed to get here, today will be your last day!" Spandam barked sharply.
"Hey, Cipher Pol 9! I order you to eliminate them on this island!"
"Show no mercy, understand?!"
Though today's events had taken him by surprise, no matter what... his life and promotion were the most important.
For that, he wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice a few members of CP9!
"Oh-ho~"
"The boss has given his orders~" Jabra licked his lips with a bloodthirsty grin. "No mercy!"
As he spoke, Jabra glanced sideways at Meiser, who stood not far from Nico Robin, his eyes filled with icy killing intent.
That bastard had dared to call him a "little mutt" earlier—how reckless. He'd make sure the guy regretted it.
"Chapapapa, this is getting exciting."
"Don't underestimate them," Blueno warned. "If they made it this far, they're clearly no ordinary opponents."
"Hey, Blueno, seems like running a bar for years has dulled your skills," Jabra taunted.
He could admit that the enemies on their side weren't weak, but currently, the only ones in the Straw Hat Pirates with bounties were the Straw Hat Boy and the pirate hunter. The others didn't even have bounties—how strong could they possibly be?
Blueno didn't respond, merely casting a sidelong glance at Meiser, who remained silent.
'He's really keeping his cool...'
"Don't worry, Robin!" Nami called out. "We'll come save you soon!"
"Give it up already," Spandam said, instinctively wanting to step closer to Nico Robin but stopping when he noticed Meiser beside her. Instead, he turned and walked toward Rob Lucci.
Only after stopping beside him did Spandam continue, "This woman won't go with you willingly, and you won't be able to take her anyway."
Then, pointing at the men standing beside him, he declared:
"On my side stands the powerful assassination group—Cipher Pol 9!"
"And look behind me—the massive Gates of Justice!" Spandam exclaimed excitedly. "Once we cross those, you'll have no way of taking her back!"
"And I will become a hero to the entire world!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
The Straw Hat Pirates turned their eyes toward the enormous Gates of Justice, their expressions growing grim.
This was their biggest concern. If Robin were taken beyond those gates, even if they wanted to rescue her, they wouldn't be able to—because that was the Calm Belt!
They had no means of crossing the Calm Belt to save her. That was why they had to rescue Robin here and now.
"You won't be able to do it," Luffy said.
"Huh?"
Spandam's laughter abruptly cut off, as if he'd been choked mid-breath. Then, furious, he snapped, "What makes you say that?!"
"Because Meiser is on your side."
At this moment, Luffy firmly believed that Meiser could ensure Robin's safety—maybe even bring her back.
"Tch."
"What can he possibly do alone?!" Spandam suppressed his anger and sneered, "Straw Hat Boy, you probably don't even know who you're up against."
"See that flag in the sky!"
Luffy looked up as instructed and immediately spotted the World Government flag fluttering over Enies Lobby—a symbol of the World Government's authority!
"What you're doing now isn't just opposing me—you're declaring war on the entire world!" Spandam shouted. "Do you have the courage to fight against the whole world?!"
Luffy remained silent, glaring coldly at Spandam.
"And one more thing—aren't you curious why this woman has never dared to leave this place?" Spandam smugly pulled out a Golden Den Den Mushi. "Because I hold the authority to initiate a Buster Call!"
"Admiral Aokiji granted me the right to launch a Buster Call. With just a single press, five Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters will arrive with ten warships, erasing an entire island from the map with overwhelming firepower!"
"Just like Nico Robin's hometown~"
"Hahahaha!"
"Robin's hometown..." Chopper visibly froze, recalling that she had once been described as someone without a home.
At the time, he thought it was just an excuse—but it turned out to be true.
"What a despicable bastard," Sanji growled.
"Hmph, this is power. What do you know?" Spandam snorted, waving the Golden Den Den Mushi in front of them. "All it takes is one press—"
"Stop!!" Nico Robin's pupils shrank. "Do you even realize what that means?!"
"If you activate the Buster Call here, you'll be blown up along with Enies Lobby!"
Spandam paused, then scoffed, "Of course I wouldn't launch it here. I'm not an idiot."
Triggering the Buster Call here would mean annihilating his own men—and more importantly, Enies Lobby was the face of the World Government!
If this place were destroyed, there was no telling whether the Five Elders would take their anger out on him.
Shaking his head, Spandam smirked. "But elsewhere? I can still activate it. Hahaha~"
As Spandam continued to wave the Golden Den Den Mushi, cold sweat dripped down Nico Robin's face, the nightmares of her past resurfacing.
The deaths of her family, the loss of her friends, the destruction of her homeland—those memories flooded her mind, making her body tremble.
"Yes, that's the reaction I wanted," Spandam laughed.
"Robin..." Nami watched her with concern, her heart aching at the sight.
"Twenty years ago... the attack that took everything from me, that ruined countless lives—the Buster Call," Nico Robin murmured through gritted teeth. "Now that same terrifying disaster threatens the first companions I've ever been able to trust..."
"The more I want to stay with you, the more my fate will hurt you!"
"No matter where I go in this vast sea, there are always enemies waiting for me—because my enemies are this world and its darkness..."
"Just like with Aokiji's incident and now this... I've already dragged you into trouble twice. If this keeps going endlessly..."
"No matter how big your hearts are, one day you'll see me as a burden and abandon me!"
"I'm terrified of that moment. That's why I don't want you to save me. If I'm going to die someday anyway, then let me die here!!"
After saying this, Nico Robin took two steps back, as if these words had drained all her strength.
"HAHAHAHA, did you hear that?!" Spandam laughed mockingly. "This woman just admitted she has no will to live!"
"So just sit back and watch her die. Why bother with all this unnecessary effort?"
"Ahahaha!"
"What a noisy bastard." Franky glared at Spandam, itching to smash him right then and there.
"I finally know what to do," Luffy declared. "Sogeking, shoot down that flag for me."
"OK."
"New weapon—Giant Slingshot: Hercules Beetle!"
"Take this!" Usopp pulled back the slingshot, aiming at the flag in the sky. "Special Attack: Firebird Star!"
"BOOM!!"
A massive firebird shot from the slingshot, slamming straight through the flag in midair, tearing it apart!
The sight left every member of Cipher Pol 9 utterly stunned. They never dreamed these guys would actually dare to do such a thing.
"You bastards, do you realize what you've just done?!" Spandam roared. "You've just declared war on the World Government!"
One reckless brat challenging the Buster Call was bad enough, but now there were others bold enough to defy the World Government itself?! Were these people insane?!
"Exactly what I wanted!" Luffy shouted. "ROBIN!!!"
"Say it—that you want to live!!"