Spandam gulped nervously.
"You can't kill me! The Marines are already here! I'm the highest-ranking officer in CP9! If you dare kill me in front of them, the entire world will become your enemy! You'll be hunted like never before!"
"Oh? That so..."
Hearing Shiranami Hakusei's slightly hesitant tone, Spandam's heart leapt with joy. He seized the opportunity and began pleading:
"Let me go! I promise you, "
Before he could finish, Hakusei had already stepped up to him, wearing a harmless-looking smile as he said, "That works out perfectly."
Spandam's pupils shrank. His eyes caught one final glimpse of light in this world… and then came a strange lightness, a floating sensation, as if he were weightless.
Hakusei coldly stared at the head soaring into the sky, then crashing heavily to the ground. He sneered, "You were hoping they'd save you? You should be praying they can even save themselves."
He walked over to Spandam's corpse and casually picked up the ivory-hilted sword that had never once been drawn, the Elephant Sword. Without hesitation, he stored it away.
As the saying goes: "If you pass on a freebie, you're a fool!"
A good item, naturally, should be taken.
However, he had no time to admire his loot. The real trouble was just beginning.
As the old saying goes, climbing the mountain is easy, getting down is hard. Coming here had been relatively smooth, but leaving was another story.
Twenty Marine battleships lined up ahead in a blockade. While all flew the Marine flag, it was obvious these weren't from a single faction.
One group of ten ships sailed straight toward Enies Lobby itself, showing no intention of getting involved at the bridge. Their objective clearly lay elsewhere.
The other group of ten, however, was already maneuvering to surround Hakusei's position. They had come specifically for him.
"Now who could this be?" Hakusei wondered aloud while untying Robin and Franky, silently planning how to deal with the next wave of enemies.
What he didn't know… was that every small movement he made while untying Robin had quietly stirred her heart.
Facing this breathtakingly handsome face at such close range, Robin's cheeks turned pink. It's often said that when a man is serious, his charm is most lethal. At this moment, Shiranami Hakusei was frowning slightly, deep in thought about what lay ahead.
To Robin, this made him even more masculine. Combine that with the fact he'd just saved her from a living nightmare… and a surge of admiration bloomed in her heart.
But with powerful enemies approaching, Hakusei didn't notice her reaction. After freeing them, he turned back toward the approaching ships, battle intent rising within him. He knew what was coming next, no small fries. This would be the true core of Marine power.
Thankfully, before the enemy could get any closer, reinforcements arrived.
Luffy burst out from the underwater tunnel ahead of the group, followed by the Straw Hats and the three powerhouses: Redfield, Crocodile, and Waldo.
"Robin! Don't be afraid! I'm here to save you!" Luffy shouted, leaping forward with arms raised, eyes blazing with righteous fury.
But the moment he landed and took in the scene, he froze.
What the hell? It's already over?
The rest of the Straw Hats emerged one by one, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the sunlight, only to be greeted by the same shocking sight.
Spandam's decapitated body lay on the ground.
Robin and Franky were already free.
Their expressions turned bitter.
So after all that sprinting, they were just… background characters?
From the front gates to the bridge, all they managed to do was gang up on Kumadori and Blueno. Not a single foot soldier crossed their path.
Seriously? These four lunatics cleared the whole Enies Lobby dungeon by themselves? Took out all the bosses and didn't leave a single mob for them to vent on?
The Straw Hats stared at Hakusei's group with teary-eyed resentment. The joy of rescuing Robin had been completely overshadowed.
Not that Hakusei and the others cared, they had no time to explain. Both he and Redfield had already sensed three extremely powerful presences rapidly approaching using Observation Haki.
"Enemy forces will arrive in 30 seconds," Hakusei muttered after a quick estimation.
Hmm?
That line sounded oddly familiar…
No matter. From the bow of the nearest Marine ship, they could already make out the three approaching figures.
It was Vice Admiral Garp, and Admirals Kizaru and Aokiji!
But instead of exuding overwhelming pressure, they were in the middle of a very odd scene. Garp appeared to be furiously yelling at the two Admirals.
According to Fleet Admiral Sengoku's plan, the three were supposed to split up, Garp to Water 7, Kizaru to intercept the sea train, and Aokiji to lay in wait at Enies Lobby.
But the two had come up with every excuse in the book: "We're protecting Garp," "We don't have a ship," "The Sea Kings are too fierce," and so on.
In the end, they all hitched a ride on Garp's battleship.
They had run in circles, from Water 7, to the sea train, to Enies Lobby, chasing one empty lead after another. Garp was absolutely livid, scolding them non-stop.
But neither Admiral seemed fazed. Aokiji had pulled his sleep mask over his eyes and was sunbathing with his arms behind his head.
Kizaru, meanwhile, was intently poking at his Den Den Mushi, talking into it like he was in the middle of a serious science experiment.
Garp was losing his mind, veins bulging on his forehead. Just as he was about to lay down some good old-fashioned Fists of Love, he suddenly leaned back…
And started snoring.
...
Everyone, Marines and pirates alike, stood there, dumbfounded.
What the hell?
These guys… are supposed to be the pillars of Marine strength?
Are you kidding?
Only Hakusei remained calm. He knew the truth. Anyone who underestimated these three because of their ridiculous personalities was asking for death.
And sure enough, the Straw Hats' guard had already dropped a bit.
"Why do these Marines look so weak? I feel like I could solo them myself," Usopp muttered confidently behind his mask.
"Don't be careless," Sanji warned. "Judging by their uniforms, they're high up in the Marine hierarchy. They've got to have some real strength."
"But that one guy looks a lot like, "
Luffy was about to say more when a sudden commotion interrupted him.
More Marines were pouring in from the Gate of Justice, flooding onto the bridge.
Spotting the trio on the battleship, their faces lit up with awe and relief.
"Look! Isn't that an Admiral?!"
"Yeah! It's two Admirals and Vice Admiral Garp!"
"Hahaha, with those three here, the criminals attacking Enies Lobby are doomed!"
"Hey, you scum on the bridge! Surrender now before the Admirals blow you away!"
What?!
Admirals?!
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