Enies Lobby, Tower of Justice.
"What did you just say?!" Spandam's voice cracked as he jolted up from his chair, almost tripping over himself in panic.
"Yes, Director. It's true," said the marine soldier on the Den Den Mushi line. "The main gate was blasted open... the giant kicked it straight off its hinges."
Spandam's face turned pale. "Call Oimo and Kashii! Mobilize them now! Have them take down that giant immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
Spandam slammed the Den Den Mushi shut with a grunt, pacing furiously. "Who the hell are these pirates?! What kind of lunatics bring a giant into Enies Lobby?"
"They're the Orca Pirates," came a calm voice behind him.
Spandam turned. CP9 had just arrived—Kaku, Blueno, and Kalifa stepped into the room, escorting a restrained Franky between them.
"Nico Robin recently joined them," Kaku added.
Spandam blinked, then gave a strained smile. "Ah, welcome back. But..." His eyes narrowed as he looked past them. "Where's Robin?"
"Someone intervened and helped her escape on the sea train," Kaku said. "Lucci is currently pursuing them."
"Someone... rescued her?" Spandam frowned. "Was it the Orca Pirates? Then why are they storming the main gate if they already have Robin?"
"We don't know for sure," Blueno replied. "It's possible Lucci is chasing a separate party entirely. The ones causing trouble here may be just a distraction."
Spandam scratched his head, slowly nodding. "That does explain it. So the chaos at the gate might just be a decoy to cover the real rescue…"
"Do you want us to go eliminate the intruders?" Kaku offered.
Spandam waved it off. "No, no. They're just a bunch of low-tier pirates with a flair for drama. Sure, they've got a giant, but so do we. Let Oimo and Kashii take care of them. No need to waste CP9's strength on small fry."
His eyes drifted back to Franky, who stood silently, bound but defiant.
"Now then... Cutty Flam. Do you remember me?"
Franky stared at him, completely unimpressed. "Who are you supposed to be?"
Spandam's face twitched. "You don't remember me?"
"Should I? I don't recognize your ugly mug."
That comment made Spandam snap. He stomped toward Franky, jabbing a finger toward his own face. "You caused this! This scar! You did this to me years ago, and now you say you don't remember?!"
Just as he get closer, Franky suddenly lunged forward with a growl and bit down hard on Spandam's head.
"GYAAAHHH!!" Spandam screamed. "HE BIT ME!! SOMEONE GET HIM OFF ME!!"
"Degenerate bastard Spandam!" Franky roared through clenched teeth. "You think I wouldn't recognize your voice under that smug act?! I'll remember your damn face even if it's covered in bandages!"
Kaku didn't hesitate—he moved in and delivered a swift, precise kick that sent Franky crashing into the wall with a heavy slam.
"ARGH!" Franky winced, feeling the shock and pain on his non-cyborg back.
Spandam clutched his injured head, furious. "You... you damn fool! Are you trying to kill me?!"
"If that's what it takes..." Franky slowly pushed himself upright, eyes sharp and burning with anger, "...then I'd gladly do it."
The tension crackled between the two.
On the couch, Kaku who already sat down just blinked. Kalifa helped herself to a coffee, and Blueno just stood silently on the side.
On another couch, Jabra sat there looking at Kaku and the two with analysing eyes. Standing at the back of the couch were Kumadori and Fukurou.
"So, Kaku," Jabra said. "How is your strength progressing all these years?"
Kaku didn't reply, still looking at the staring contest between Spandam and Franky.
"Oi, I'm talking to you," Jabra said.
However, Kaku still was not replying. A snoring sound came out from his mouth, but his eyes were wide open.
"He is sleeping, yoyoi," Kumadori said.
Fukurou's mouth was zipped, so he was silent.
"Dammit! How dare he sleep when I'm talking to him!" Jabra steamed, feeling annoyed.
And the staring contest between Spandam and Franky continues.
...
Near the Main Entrance — Enies Lobby.
The ground trembled as two towering figures stepped forward from the fortress walls. Oimo and Kashii, the giant gatekeepers of Enies Lobby, had arrived.
"So, who are you, pal?" Oimo asked, squinting at the large figure before him.
"Yeah, what's your business here?" Kashii added, gripping the hilt of his massive axe.
Baral stood tall, now in his Cloud Yeti form, wings fluttering slightly as he peered at the two giants.
"Oh? A couple of fellow giants?" he muttered, his voice low and unimpressed. "I think we can skip the introductions. They'd only waste my time."
Without another word, Baral launched forward, his body moving with unexpected speed for his size.
"Tch! Don't underestimate us!" Kashii snarled.
He stepped in, swinging his broad axe in a heavy arc toward Baral's head. Simultaneously, Oimo brought down his giant spiked club in a crushing vertical slam.
BOOM! CRASH!
Their attacks landed—on the stone plaza, not on Baral. The Cloud Yeti moved like mist, weaving between their strikes with fluid ease. In the next instant, he spun and drove a double punch straight into their jaws.
BAM!!
The force of the blow rocked the entire courtyard.
Kashii stumbled back, disoriented, then crashed into the ground with a massive thud, his body flattening part of the stone tiles beneath. Oimo landed next, face-first into the dirt with a shuddering quake.
Baral stood tall, looking down at the two fallen giants.
"Your movements are slow, clumsy, and predictable," he said, voice cold.
With Oimo and Kashii down for the moment, the path forward was clear.
The Orcas didn't waste any time. They rushed past the giants, heading into the inner courthouse. Zoro, eyes sharp, was about to finish off Kashii with a quick strike—but Baral extended an arm to stop him.
"Leave them to me," Baral said calmly. "You handle whatever lies ahead."
Zoro gave a nod. "Fine. Don't lose."
The rest of the crew burst into the courthouse interior. But no sooner had they crossed the threshold, a volley of gunfire greeted them.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The shots whizzed through the air—but the Orcas, sharp and seasoned, ducked and dodged with ease.
"Who dares barge in at this hour!?" came a ridiculous, triple-voiced shout from deeper inside.
It was the trio known as Baskerville the Three-Headed Judge. One head barked, "Identify yourselves!"
Another shouted, "You are interrupting court!"
And the third, "Let us pass judgment upon you!"
From the shadows, a new figure stepped forward. Clad in armor, gaunt, and hollow-eyed, he was unmistakable—Captain T-Bone of the Marines.
"I shall be your opponent," he said with quiet resolve. "Justice will not allow your violence to go unchecked."
Standing beside him, another figure smirked. "Looks like staying here paid off," said Nero, the recently promoted CP9 member. He adjusted his sleeves, eyes locked onto the incoming pirates.
In the corner, Jerry from CP6 calmly stretched his long limbs, tightening his gloves as he prepared for close combat.
Unseen by most, multiple Blue Gorillas and the Dog-Riding Guards had begun to move in stealth. From the shadows, they readied for an ambush, slowly circling to flank the intruders.
"Hey, you," Alvida called out, her mace resting on her shoulder as she turned to one of the Franky Family.
Zambai blinked, confused. "Er… me?"
"Yes, you," she repeated firmly, her gaze sharp. "Do you see your boss among them?"
Zambai quickly scanned the chaos unraveling inside the courthouse. He checked every face—Blue Gorillas, marines, even the freakish Baskerville trio.
"…No. I don't see Aniki anywhere," he said, shaking his head.
"Then there's no point holding back." Alvida's eyes narrowed, and she cracked her neck with a smirk. "Time to eliminate all of them."
As soon as her words dropped, it was like a signal. The Orcas instantly sprang into action.
Galdino's eyes gleamed as he locked onto Baskerville. "That weird three-headed freak looks like easy bounty." Without hesitation, he leapt forward, aiming his wax powers to smother the trio in hardened restraints.
Zoro's gaze was fixed on T-Bone's blade. It wasn't just the man—it was his sword style. "That's the kind of sword I'd test my blades against," he muttered. With a burst of speed, he lunged toward the marine captain.
Alvida's attention landed on Nero. His twitchy movements, rodent-like face, and smug grin irritated her instantly. "You look like a rat. I hate rats." She charged at him, her mace raised high, ready to smash the CP9 rookie.
Gin, without saying anything, he rushed toward the tall guy, Jerry. His tonfas are already spinning in combination movements, even before he reached that CP6 guy.
"They're already picking the interesting ones," Sanji grumbled, lighting a cigarette as his eyes flicked to the Blue Gorillas. "Guess I'll beat the round ones with sticks."
"Then I'll take care of the dog-riders," Kruz added calmly, already cracking his knuckles. "They look annoying."
The two split off, heading toward their respective opponents.
Watching the Orcas leap into action, Zambai and the rest of the Franky Family stood frozen.
"…Are they really treating this like a hunting game?" one of them muttered.
"This isn't a battlefield. It's a playground to them," another added, shaking his head in disbelief.
Zambai exhaled. "Alright! Forget it. Let's handle the foot soldiers. Come on!"
Rallying their spirits, the Franky Family and the two King Bulls charged toward the general marine forces. But they soon realized the difference in strength and numbers.
"Fire!"
"Don't let those bulls pass!"
"Take down the intruders!"
Gunshots rang out, bullets flying in every direction. Smoke filled the air as explosions from bazookas and cannons erupted across the battlefield. Dozens of marines surged toward them with rifles and sabers drawn.
"Uwaaahhh! They're too many!" one shouted.
"We're being overwhelmed!" another cried, backing up as the pressure increased.
Zambai gritted his teeth as he defended himself with a metal pipe. "Damn it! This isn't how I imagined it! We were supposed to be helping—now we're being pushed back!"
The Franky Family huddled into a defensive formation, trying to protect the King Bulls and hold their ground. But the marines kept coming, relentless and without fear.
Meanwhile, further ahead, the Orcas were carving through the battlefield like predators in a feeding frenzy.
Chaos had taken over Enies Lobby. And this was just the beginning.
Just then—
"Phanter's Flash!"
A blur of black tore through the battlefield like a shadow caught in a storm. One moment, the marines were shouting, holding the line. The next, a flurry of strikes landed in rapid succession.
Slash. Slam. Crash!
Within seconds, multiple soldiers dropped to the ground, groaning or knocked unconscious, their bodies flung aside like ragdolls. The mysterious figure didn't stop. It weaved through the crowd, zigzagging unpredictably, like a phantom dancing in combat.
"W-What's happening over there?!" one marine stammered, watching his comrades collapse one after another.
"Something—someone—is cutting through our lines!" another gasped, frozen in place as chaos unfolded before him.
The soldiers took a brief step back, trying to regroup, but failed to notice the shifting air above their heads.
A deep voice shouted, "Juryoku Geppo!" (Heavy Moonwalk!)
BOOM!
A massive figure descended from the sky like a comet. With a thunderous crash, his heel smashed directly into the chest of a bulky marine, slamming him to the ground. The force of the impact was enough to leave a crater in the stone floor. Blood coughed out from the man's lips as his body went limp.
Before the surrounding soldiers could even react, the attacker launched upward again, defying gravity.
"Juryoku Hansha!" (Weight Ricochet!)
The figure became a human cannonball—bouncing between soldiers mid-air, rebounding off their bodies, each strike landing with the force of a falling boulder. Every soldier he stepped on was either knocked out cold, sent skidding across the stone courtyard, or slammed into the air, their bones cracking from the pressure.
"D-Dodge! Someone's jumping on us!"
"Where is he coming from?! I can't see—"
Panic erupted. Guns wavered. Formations broke. But even their frantic movements were too slow. The figure ricocheted with such precision that every step seemed calculated, each landing perfectly aimed to break enemy lines.
Then, a calm yet firm voice echoed through the chaos, "Franky Family, duck."
Zambai blinked. "Huh?!"
But instinct kicked in. "Everyone, get down—now!"
He grabbed the closest members and yanked them low. Others followed suit, diving to the ground just in time.
BOOM!
A punch landed.
The air itself trembled.
There was a visible ripple—like a crack forming in the sky—and then an explosive shockwave blasted forward, sending a wide cluster of marines flying in every direction.
The soldiers who took the hit were launched into the air, some crashing into walls, others colliding with each other mid-flight. Blood sprayed, screams rang, and metal clattered. It was like a cannon had gone off point-blank into their ranks.
The path was instantly cleared. Marines lay everywhere—groaning, unconscious, or too shocked to move. Dust rose from the shattered stone floor as silence fell, momentarily replacing the battlefield noise.