Above the endless rails stretched across the stormy sea, three figures clashed violently in midair.
Rob Lucci, whose ability is Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard, was already taking the hybrid form of human leopard. He was moving with relentless precision—his form like a blur of shadow and speed.
Every strike he delivered carried sharp intent, and his movements were clean and fluid. Despite the two-on-one odds, he was not only holding his ground but dominating. Neither Sanji nor Kruz had landed a solid hit.
Sanji gritted his teeth as his flaming leg clashed with Lucci's arm, only to be deflected with ease. Beside him, Kruz warped around the air with brief spatial flickers, trying to catch Lucci off guard, but every slash or strike missed its mark.
Forced on the defensive, the two attackers split apart, creating space.
Lucci stood relaxed mid-air, hopping lightly using Geppo, his arms crossed as he smirked down on them. He wasn't even winded.
"Come on, you two. Is this all you've got?" he mocked, eyes gleaming with arrogance. "You call this a fight?"
He turned toward Sanji. "I'm not sure where you learned Geppo, but your stamina is nothing compared to mine. You won't be able to keep this up for long."
Sanji squinted, not convinced.
"He's right, Sanji," Kruz added from the side, floating on glimmering rifts of warped space. "I can feel it too. His stamina... it's deeper than yours. He's built for prolonged battles."
Sanji glanced at him, irritated. "What are you talking about? We haven't even gone all out yet. It's not decided who'll last lo—"
"Let me handle him." Kruz interrupted firmly, stepping forward.
"What?" Sanji blinked, surprised.
"Go. Catch up with the others. You'll be more useful there." Kruz didn't meet his gaze. "I need to prove something to myself."
There was a moment of silence. Sanji stared at Kruz's back as the space manipulator slowly advanced, each step supported by flickering rifts in the air.
Lucci raised an eyebrow, slightly intrigued.
"...Alright," Sanji finally said. "I'll leave him to you."
Just as he turned to go, a sudden sound tore through the air.
FWOOSH!!!
From the distant sea horizon, a massive tornado came barreling toward them—no, not just any tornado. This one moved like a living storm beast, tearing through the air far faster than Rocket Man. Its howling roar grew louder in mere seconds.
"What the hell—?!" Sanji exclaimed.
"Wait...!" Kruz's eyes widened. He thrust out a hand, trying to open a portal—but the storm was too fast.
Lucci's expression hardened. His instincts screamed danger. In a flash, he launched upward with Geppo, attempting to escape the tornado's trajectory.
But it was useless.
As if it had a mind of its own, the tornado expanded, its swirling winds stretching unnaturally wide—almost intentionally. With terrifying precision, it engulfed all three of them in one massive sweep.
The wind didn't just drag—it pulled, like gravity itself had shifted.
Lucci's escape failed.
Kruz's portal collapsed before it could stabilize.
Sanji kicked into the air, trying to dodge, but even his enhanced agility wasn't enough.
In the blink of an eye, all three were swallowed.
But instead of chaos and turbulence, they suddenly found themselves in the eye of the storm.
It was… calm.
Despite being surrounded by swirling winds, the space in the center was still. They could stand as if on solid ground, suspended in the air without falling. The sea raged around them, but inside, it was eerily silent.
"What is this place...?" Sanji murmured, stunned.
Lucci's eyes narrowed, realizing something unusual.
And Kruz simply looked around in awe, sensing something vast and controlled behind the storm itself.
As the three fighters stood within the calm eye of the raging storm, their eyes caught sight of something anchored silently in the swirling chaos.
A ship.
It floated unnaturally still amidst the violent winds, untouched by the fury surrounding it. Its sails didn't flap, and the hull didn't creak—it simply rested, like a beast at peace within its own domain.
Sanji squinted through the shifting winds. "That ship…"
Kruz's eyes widened. "The Silent Orca?"
They both said it in unison.
Lucci, hovering nearby, heard them and frowned. "They recognize the ship?"
Before either could answer, the winds shifted. From the swirling vortex, a silhouette began to form—shaped from the storm itself. It solidified slowly, stepping forth from the mist-like wind.
It was Zino.
He stood calmly at the front of the Silent Orca, arms crossed, gaze locked on the three figures suspended in the storm's eye.
His first words were calm, but on point.
"Where is Robin?"
"Zino?!" Sanji and Kruz both exclaimed, this time in surprise and relief.
The storm, the ship, everything made sense now. Their captain had arrived. Both felt a surge of confidence and calm settle in them.
Zino's presence changed everything.
Sanji pointed toward Lucci. "Robin's still being held captive. By them."
Zino turned his head slightly, eyes narrowing as he took in Lucci's form. "Ah… a CP9 agent. So that's what we're dealing with."
Lucci remained still but tense. This new presence had an energy about him—controlled but vast.
Zino asked, "Why were you two fighting him?"
"He blocked the way," Kruz said plainly, stepping forward.
Zino's lips twitched. "You've got some nerve," he said, addressing Lucci with a look of disinterest, bordering on boredom.
Lucci's eyes flashed. "Are you… looking down on me?"
"So what if I am?" Zino replied casually, hand dusting his shoulder. He gave a brief look toward his crewmates. "You two are strong enough. I trust you can handle him."
Before Sanji and Kruz can reply, Lucci already growled, his temper snapping. "You're in for it."
In a flash, he disappeared with Soru, rocketing toward Zino at blinding speed, aiming for a direct strike to the head.
Zino didn't flinch.
CRACKLE!
BOOM!
A thunderous sound burst out as lightning crackled. Zino's fist met Lucci's chest before he could even complete his strike. The impact rang out like thunder, coated with Armament Haki. Lucci's eyes went wide.
Before he could react—
CRACKLE!
BOOM!
A second strike came from the side, sending Lucci spinning midair. The force alone rippled through the air around them.
Crackling again.
Lucci's eyes widened with desperation.
"Rokuogun!!"
BOOM!!!
He unleashed his most powerful technique in blind reflex—but it struck only air.
In return, Zino landed one final hit. A precise blow, packed with force and Haki, cracking against Lucci's side like a hammer hitting steel.
Lucci's body went limp. His consciousness slipped away, and he plummeted from the air, crashing into the swirling wind below.
Zino exhaled quietly. "You're not an Admiral," he muttered. "You shouldn't have tried to take me on."
Kruz blinked, mouth slightly open. "Er…"
Sanji just wiped sweat from his brow. "Well, that ended fast…"
Zino turned without a word. "Let's move. Robin won't wait forever."
The eye of the storm shifted again, and the Silent Orca pressed forward—storm trailing in its wake.
...
The Judicial Island — Enies Lobby.
"CP9 has arrived!"
"Welcome back from your long deployment!"
Rows of soldiers stood tall in formation, saluting as the CP9 agents stepped down from the sea train. Blueno and Kalifa exited first, calm and composed. Behind them, Franky, bound and flanked by guards, was being escorted by Kaku.
"Open the main gate!"
KRIIIK!
The massive iron gate began creaking open. As they stepped through, Franky's jaw dropped. His eyes widened at the sheer scale of the place before him.
"Woah! What is this place?!" he shouted in disbelief.
All around him was a surreal sight—a giant hole in the ocean, a bottomless trench carved into the sea itself, surrounding the island's core.
"There's a big freaking hole in the ocean! What's wrong with this island?!"
"Shut up and walk." Kaku grunted, giving him a push forward.
Franky resisted the urge to step closer to the edge. "I can't even see the bottom... This is messed up."
"I said shut up." Kaku's voice was sharper now, clearly irritated.
Behind them, the heavy gates started closing again with a deep rumble.
Meanwhile, out across the sea—just barely visible on the horizon—a second train was rapidly approaching.
It was the Rocket Man.
Inside, the mood was tense.
"They're already closing the gate," said Hibari, peering through binoculars from a window. The others quickly gathered around.
"Looks like we're switching to Plan B," Gin muttered.
Their new objective: intercept Robin before she reached the Gate of Justice, located deeper inside Enies Lobby.
Paulie, who had once worked here, took charge of briefing everyone.
"We'll split into two teams," he explained. "We—Galley-La and the Franky Family—will head to the gate control tower first."
"Once we open the gate, we'll signal you guys to move in," he added. "Then, you guys will go in and rescue Robin and Franky."
"Got it." Zoro gave a short nod.
"Good luck out there," said Kokoro, watching them with a steady gaze.
Just as the teams were getting into position—
WHOOOSH!!!
A gust of wind blasted from behind.
"Eh? What the—"
"Wind?"
"Wait—AH! A TORNADO!!"
Before anyone could react, a colossal storm swept in from the rear—whirling, shrieking, and pulling the entire Rocket Man and the Franky Family's transports into its grasp.
"WAAAHH!!"
"HELP!"
"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"
Screams and panic filled the Rocket Man as it was violently swept up by the cyclone. The sudden whirlwind tore through the sea like a living force, howling with unnatural speed and strength. Everyone aboard was tossed and jostled, clinging to anything they could grab.
The cyclone barreled forward, faster and more precise than any vehicle could dream of—charging straight for the island like it knew exactly where to go.
BOOM!!
In a thunderous impact, the storm crashed down on the rocky shoreline of Enies Lobby. And then—just as suddenly as it came—it vanished.
The Rocket Man and all the Franky Family transports were now resting solidly on the ground. The passengers, once trapped in the storm, were scattered around the train—dazed, coughing, and confused, but largely unhurt.
"H-Huh?!" stammered one of the Franky Family members, looking around in disbelief.
"Did we just... teleport?!" shouted another, eyes spinning.
A wave of stunned murmurs passed through the group. Some were still slumped on the ground, dizzy and disoriented. Others looked up slowly, realizing they had somehow arrived at the very edge of Enies Lobby.
"D-Dammit... what's wrong with that storm..." Galdino groaned, holding his head. "It's like it had a mind of its own."
The other Orcas weren't much better off—staggering to their feet, still trying to make sense of what just happened. But as they looked around, a few of them spotted familiar figures standing tall amidst the wreckage.
A short distance ahead, standing calmly at the head of the group, were three people—unshaken and composed.
It was Kruz, silent as ever, his eyes focused sharply in the direction of the giant gate.
Sanji, casually waving toward Nami, Nojiko, and the other women, wearing a wide grin like nothing had happened.
And at the center of them—
Zino.
"Zino!" someone shouted.
"Captain!!"
"Zino, you finally came!" exclaimed multiple Orcas, their voices ringing with relief and excitement.
The sudden cheer spread through the group, momentarily pushing away the confusion and nausea from the storm.
Zino, however, wasn't smiling. His eyes were closed.
He stood completely still, breathing evenly, as his Observation Haki stretched far and wide across the island. Through that sense—and his electromagnetic awareness—he silently scanned every presence and movement across Enies Lobby.
Seconds passed.
Then, his eyes opened.
"Robin... she's not here." His voice was calm, but serious. "She's not on this island."
"What?!" That words earned a unison disbelief.
Mikita cried out, "How can that be? Did the CP agents already bring Robin and Franky to the Gate of Justice?!"
"But the Puffing Tom just arrived," Nami said, shaking her head. "It only pulled in a moment before we did."
Zino nodded slightly, his gaze sharp. "Which means... Robin didn't make it to this island at all.*"
The statement sank in heavily.
Gasps and murmurs passed through the crowd. Everyone looked between each other, wondering what could have happened—and where Robin might actually be.
Zino stared beyond the main gate, his brow furrowing.
The mission had just become more complicated.