"A bit out of control, but I'm getting the hang of it," Nami said, relaxing her fist.
The ground around her was cracked, shattered from the devastating shockwave she had just unleashed with her tremor ability. Dust still hung in the air, and several unconscious marines lay strewn across the courtyard like broken dolls. Her hand was still tingling from the impact, but her expression showed growing confidence.
A swift blur moved beside her—a black, sleek shadow that came to a silent stop next to her. It was Nojiko, still in her panther hybrid form, her sharp eyes scanning the battlefield with precision. Her muscles were tense, ready to pounce again at any moment.
From another direction, Mikita came flying in like a cannonball, her form bouncing with finesse and deadly force. She landed lightly beside Nojiko, brushing dust off her shoulders, a smirk on her face.
"That should've decreased the marine numbers a bit," she said casually, glancing at the fallen soldiers with satisfaction.
"There are still too many of them here," Nami replied, her eyes narrowing as she looked across the plaza.
Indeed, while the trio had just dropped dozens with their assault, the remaining marines were still numbered in the thousands. And more kept pouring out from the inner buildings like an endless tide.
"Then let's just put them all down," Mikita said, no hesitation in her tone.
With that, she shot off again like a bouncing missile, ricocheting between marines, each impact sending a wave of soldiers flying like bowling pins. She was a one-woman wrecking crew, her movements unpredictable and devastating.
Nojiko gave a small nod and took off in another direction, her lithe form weaving through the crowd. With precision and speed, she struck down one soldier after another, moving like a shadowy predator slicing through tall grass.
Nami, standing firm, placed her hand forward once more. The air shimmered, and another massive shockwave blasted outward in a wide arc. The tremor erupted with a low roar, knocking down dozens of marines at once, sending them sprawling across the cracked stone floor.
The Franky Family, who had just been overwhelmed moments ago, now found themselves regaining control of the area. The assault by the three women had carved open breathing space, and the enemy was falling into disarray.
"W-Who are these monsters?!" one marine gasped before being knocked unconscious by Mikita.
Just then, a squad of soldiers regrouped and attempted to charge at the now-exposed Franky Family.
"Take them out!"
"Don't let them regroup!"
But before they could get close—
BOOM!
An explosion rocked the formation, flames and smoke bursting into the air. Marines screamed, stumbling back in panic.
Then, another small sphere flew into their ranks—
BOOM!
Followed by another.
BOOM! BOOM!
Marines cried out in confusion and fear, trying to scatter as more tiny marbles rained down on them, each one exploding on impact with precise, destructive force.
"Who's launching explosives?!"
"I can't see them! Where are they coming from?!"
"Look, over there!"
From behind the Franky Family, two figures stepped forward confidently—Usopp with his slingshot stretched in hand, and Stev, holding a sleek sniper rifle of his own invention. Their eyes were focused, determined.
Behind them, Marianne followed closely, carrying paint and brushes. Upon closer inspection, bright red symbols had been freshly painted on both their backs—fiery streaks and bold lines shaped like roaring beasts. Whether it was real power or just the boost of morale from her art, the two of them were walking with the aura of war heroes.
"Let's show them what real fighters can do," Stev said, calmly loading another explosive marble into his custom sniper dial.
"Bring it on," Usopp grinned, pulling back his slingshot string with precision.
With a synchronized release, they let loose another barrage of miniature explosives. The air whistled as the marbles soared over the battlefield before bursting into controlled explosions amidst the chaos. Each blast sent marines flying or scattering in panic. The courtyard echoed with deafening booms and frantic screams, turning into a warzone of smoke, shouts, and confusion.
Meanwhile, standing near the large, shattered main gate, Zino observed the entire spectacle in calm silence. His long coat fluttered slightly in the wind as debris scattered around him. His golden eyes scanned the battlefield—not with worry, but measured calculation. His crew was in control.
Every time a group of soldiers tried to approach him or breach the gate, a swift flash of lightning would descend from the sky or erupt from his palm. Screams would follow, and bodies would hit the ground twitching. Around him, a small ring of unconscious and charred soldiers had already formed—evidence of Zino's precise and unrelenting power.
Beside him, Chloris pointed toward the battlefield. "Look. Someone's trying to attack Kaya."
Zino followed her gaze. Three marines were rushing toward Kaya with batons and nets, likely thinking she was the weakest among the group. Their assumption, however, proved to be a mistake.
Just as they neared her, Kaya's body shimmered with a gentle blue glow. A staff of light appeared in her hand, materializing as if summoned from the air itself. Without hesitation, she pointed it at the oncoming soldiers and fired a focused blue beam.
"Watch out! She's got some kind of ability!" one of the soldiers shouted as the light struck them.
But instead of pain or injury, the effect was... calming.
"Huh? What's this?" one soldier asked, blinking slowly.
"I don't know… but I feel… relaxed," another murmured, visibly swaying.
"You're right… wait, I'm… sleepy," said the third, before collapsing mid-step.
Kaya's expression remained calm and composed. "Angel Touch: Lethargic."
The glow settled over their foreheads like a comforting mist. Within seconds, all three marines dropped where they stood—one sitting, one lying down, the third curling up like a sleeping child.
"They're… asleep?" Chloris blinked.
"She doesn't seem to need any help," Zino commented with a small smirk.
"Looks like it," Chloris replied, impressed.
Zino turned his gaze across the battlefield toward a particular clash between giants. Baral, his massive crew member, was locked in combat with the two government giants—Oimo and Kashii. But Zino didn't show any signs of concern.
Despite being outnumbered, Baral wasn't falling behind. His movements, for a giant, were fluid—almost anticipatory. He dodged wide strikes and countered with shocking accuracy, landing blows that made even his colossal opponents stumble.
Zino's eyes narrowed slightly, then widened with realization. "Baral… he's using Mantra?"
Chloris looked up at him. "Mantra? That's Observation Haki, right?"
"It is," Zino confirmed, a hint of delight in his voice. "He must have awakened it instinctively during battle."
Chloris's eyes lit up. "I want to learn that too."
"You can," Zino said, turning to her. "But first, you need to awaken it. Once it's awakened, everything else will follow naturally."
Chloris nodded, determination settling on her face like steel. Despite the explosions, shouts, and chaos echoing across the battlefield, her focus narrowed to one thing—awakening her own hidden power. Deep inside, she believed that if Baral could unlock Mantra, then so could she.
"It's really convenient once you've awakened Observation Haki," Zino said, sensing her resolve and offering encouragement. "For example, I can use it to 'see' the entire island in a wide, spherical sense. It's like I can feel every movement, every heartbeat within that range."
Chloris blinked, surprised. "That wide?"
Zino nodded. "Not just that. I can also focus it in one direction, like a narrow beam—stretching my awareness far, without wasting energy sensing unnecessary areas."
"You can extend it that far?" she asked, genuinely curious. But a second later, she felt like the question was too vague, maybe even dumb. So, she quickly corrected herself. "I mean, how far exactly can you sense in one direction?"
Zino shrugged. "Hard to say. I haven't tested the full range in a while. It depends on focus, how calm I am, and if I use lightning sense to amplify it."
"Could you try now?" Chloris asked. "Maybe… just maybe, you can find Moris. He might still be in the area."
Zino paused, glancing up at the smoke-filled sky. "It's unlikely. I doubt they're near the island. But… it doesn't hurt to try."
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Lightning crackled faintly around his form, quiet and controlled. Slowly, he began to extend his awareness—not in all directions, but in a single, concentrated beam. His focus tightened like a spear tip, moving slowly across the horizon, sweeping through the sea like a radar turning clockwise.
At first, there was nothing but water and scattered marine ships.
Then—he felt it.
Two faint life signatures, far out at sea. One was small and light, the other larger, but still flickering with exhaustion. They were adrift, vulnerable, and disoriented. On a raft, no clear direction, no compass to guide them.
Zino's eyes opened wide. "I actually found them…"
Chloris's eyes lit up. "You did?"
"Yes," he confirmed, still a bit surprised himself. "It's Moris. They're on a small raft, just drifting out there."
He raised his hand and pointed in the exact direction.
Chloris followed his gaze, trying to see what he saw. But there was nothing on the horizon—just endless sea and sky. "I can't see anything."
"You wouldn't from here." Zino bent down, lifted her effortlessly, and hoisted her into his arms. "Hold on."
With a burst of wind, they shot upward into the air. Chloris gripped his coat as wind rushed past her face. They soared in a swirling wind, cutting across the sea and into the distance horizon.
...
Far across the open sea, Robin and Moris sat on their makeshift raft, slowly paddling with what strength they had left. The waves were calm but vast, and the horizon showed no signs of land or ships. The endless blue stretched in all directions, and their oars dipped into the sea in a rhythm that felt increasingly hopeless.
"Are we lost?" Moris muttered, glancing around anxiously. Sweat trailed down his back, his arms aching from the constant rowing.
"Looks like it," Robin replied, her tone calm but slightly weary.
Moris sighed. "Uh... did I make the wrong choice by veering away from the sea train rails?" He frowned. "Maybe we should go back and try to follow them again."
He sounded uncertain, guilt creeping into his voice. He had taken responsibility for Robin's escape, but now they were adrift without direction. Regret started to bubble in his chest.
"Let's just keep rowing and let fate decide," Robin said quietly. Her voice was emotionless, yet her mind was full of conflicting thoughts. A part of her still believed she should separate from the Orcas. She didn't want to burden them—again.
She added, almost jokingly, "Maybe we'll just drift out here and rot away in the middle of the sea."
Moris shivered at the dark comment, sweat now pouring like bullets. "That's… not funny."
Suddenly, something caught their eyes—a small dot in the sky, rapidly growing in size. It zipped across the air, cutting through the clouds.
"Huh? What's that?" Moris squinted, shielding his eyes from the sun.
They both leaned forward, trying to get a better look. In just seconds, the dot had grown clearer, revealing a figure flying through the air, carrying someone in his arms.
"It's Captain... and Chloris?!" Moris shouted in disbelief, his eyes wide with surprise. Relief flooded through him, and a big smile formed on his tired face.
"Hey!! Over here!!" he waved enthusiastically, standing on the unstable raft.
In just a few moments, the flying pair descended. Zino touched down lightly on the edge of the raft, feeling it strain under their combined weight. Without hesitation, he tapped the surface of the sea, and ice spread beneath them, forming a thick, stable platform to support them all.
"Brother!" Chloris rushed over and threw her arms around Moris in a tight hug. "You did great!"
Moris laughed softly, hugging her back. "Chloris."
Zino turned to Robin and gave a small nod. "You did a great job saving her, Moris," he said, acknowledging the younger sibling's efforts.
Then, he looked directly at Robin. His voice softened. "I'm sorry. I wasn't there when you got taken."
Robin's expression faltered. She hadn't expected to face Zino so soon. She had tried to leave—tried to cut ties with the Orcas so she wouldn't endanger them anymore. And yet, here he was… coming to find her.
She looked away, saying nothing, guilt pressing heavily on her chest.
Zino watched her for a moment but didn't push her. Instead, he smiled faintly and said, "Let's go. There are people that need to be taught a lesson."
Robin blinked. "Go? Go where?"
"To Enies Lobby," Zino said firmly. "Let's pick a fight with the World Government."
Robin stared at him, startled.