Op-Op Fruit, Retreating Unscathed

"Roman, these children... what do you know?"

Even these children themselves noticed the problem, so this place is definitely not a legitimate institution.

This was no time to worry about adventure or 'fun,' Nami's sixth sense told her that Roman must know something.

"Since four years ago, there have been reports of accidents involving children being shipwrecked or encountering pirates in this area."

After feigning deep thought, the White Knight slowly spoke.

"The final investigation concluded it was an accident, but now it seems—"

The sheer number of children around us who have left their parents speaks volumes!

"Kidnapping!"

Nami gritted her teeth, while the White Knight shook his head.

"Not only that, there should be more—"

The white gauntlet pointed to the children who were captivated by Franky and Chopper's various transformation performances and were watching with great interest.

"Test."

!?

"Scumbag!"

Nami was furious. Two years of life in the Navy had instilled in her a strong sense of justice... no, it should be said that Nami has always been a person full of justice.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have persisted in helping Vivi despite the threat from the Crocodile and despite being terrified and on the verge of tears.

"The experiment of human gigantification is actually a research topic that the Navy has been conducting for hundreds of years."

Roman, one of the White Knight, quietly explained to Nami.

"However, it kept failing, and because the Navy gained a group of giant Vice Admiral defected, the project was abandoned. Now it seems—"

"Is it the Navy... that broke their promise?"

Nami closed her eyes. In her two years in the Navy, she had witnessed countless sailors who risked their lives for ordinary people. Although she knew there were power-hungry individuals and incompetent fools within the Navy, she knew:

"Don't worry, this wasn't done by the Navy."

The White Knight shook his head.

"Don't forget my 'status'. I'm a high-ranking naval officer, so there's no reason why even I wouldn't know about this lab. —Let's not talk about that now. Let's get the kids out of here. I've already sent Borgin and the others over."

Snap,

After a snap of the fingers, the fluttering white paper was assembled into thick cotton-padded coats on the children who were only wearing a single shirt and skirt, making the children shout with joy.

"Let's go, everyone follow!"

At the entrance of the laboratory,

"Enough talk, get out of the way! We'll leave once we've searched the lab."

When faced with Smoker's request, Law simply refused calmly.

"This is my territory now, no entry allowed!"

"What's wrong with me living alone on this island you abandoned? If you have nothing else to do, please leave. There's no one else here—"

"Yes, the exit is just ahead..."

"Hey, the gate is open?"

?!

A series of footsteps and conversations coming from behind Luo made his 'aloof' persona crumble. When he Guotou:

"Make way, don't stand in the front door."

??!!

As the magnificent white armor pushed open the laboratory door, Nami, Sanji, Brook, Franky, and Chopper appeared behind them, followed by a large group of children.

"Yes, we've left the lab."

"Success!"

"I'm finally able to go home and see my mom and dad!"

As a large group of children poured out, Luo, who was leaning against the gate, turned pale.

"Hey, didn't you say there was no one here?"

Law looked helpless in the face of Smoker's words.

"... Indeed, there were people like that, and I was quite surprised too."

Children don't understand, but how did this Straw Hat crew get out of the lab? — Did they walk through walls?!

It must be said that Luo discovered the 'truth' immediately.

"Isn't that Vice Admiral Smoker?"

The White Knight looked around.

"And there's the new Shichibukai - Trafalgar Law."

"What?!"

"Vice Admiral and Shichibukai are blocking the door... Can we go back and reopen it?"

Chopper was shocked. We must be doing this wrong!

That's right, Mr. Roman should have opened the door in the wall...

"Relax, look at them staring at each other, they're probably about to fight." The White Knight calmly directed the armed men under his control to clear a path and lead the children to the side.

"Come, children, come with us."

"We'll take you to the Navy, and they'll send you home."

·········

"Hello!!"

Smoker, whose cigar was nearly bitten off, fixed his 'fierce' gaze on the White Knight.

"We are the Navy! —White Knight, the strategist of the Straw Hat crew, where do you intend to take these... children?"

"Yeah, this Smoker uncle says he's a navy officer."

As the White Knight pointed, the group of children all shook their heads violently.

"How is that possible! These middle-aged men look like pirates!"

·······

It has to be said that the Navy of Branch G-5 is truly 'unconventional'. Not only do they not wear Navy uniforms, but they are also covered in scars, tattoos, and bald, carrying weapons and looking menacing!

Add to that Smoker's fierce face, his slicked-back hair, and the scar across his right cheek that he'd acquired in battles over the past two years—it was simply:

"Bad guy!"

"They must be pirates!"

"Don't try to fool us, the armored knights and robots are the good guys."

We really are the Navy!!

"Let's go, these uncles are going to fight here. Kids, don't watch!"

Watching the Straw Hat crew's Second Squad brazenly lead a group of children away, escorted by two rows of suspiciously armed personnel in biohazard suits, the Marines were completely bewildered. It was Tashigi, one of Smoker's subordinates, who reacted immediately.

"Arrest the Straw Hat crew Pirates!"

While it's unclear why the Straw Hat crew emerged from the laboratory behind Shichibukai, accompanied by a group of children of varying sizes, it's the Navy's duty to capture pirates.

"Tsk, it's wrong of me to say there's no one."

"ROOM——"

Seeing that things were going beyond his expectations, Luo raised one hand and covered the area below. A huge, transparent circle, thousands of meters long, expanded out and enveloped everyone inside.

"Tact!"

With a flick of his finger, the warship docked at the seaside suddenly 'took off' and crashed down on the G-5 branch's navy!

"In that case, I cannot let any of you leave here."

As expected of a superior fruit.

Roman, the White Knight, glanced at Law, who was manipulating the 'Op-Op Fruit' to an incredible degree—able to move objects at will, swap matter, transfer souls, combine creatures, and even grant immortality...

Isn't this just an upgraded version of many other Devil Fruits like the 'Swap-Swap Fruit' and the 'Rubik's Cube Fruit'? No wonder it's Devil Fruit worth 5 billion! — And it's priceless!

"You should stay as well."

"ROOM - Chaos - "

Just as Law was thrusting his sword 'Kikoku' towards the Straw Hat crew, the White Knight immediately turned, leaned forward, drew his sword, and slashed out at the same time!

Rip!

With a sword cry, the White Knight's longsword unleashed a massive sword aura. This aura was not a straight slash, but rather instantly swirled into a huge spiral, tearing, biting, and violently churning, forming a massive, fierce vortex in the blink of an eye.

Rolling up ice and snow like armor, and earth and stone like bones, it swept towards Luo like an angry dragon, covering the sky and the earth!

"Momo-10x Spiral Sword!"

??!!

Before he could even utter a curse, Luo used a displacement technique to disappear from his spot, and a stone instantly appeared where he had been! However, before the poor stone could even land, it was instantly shredded into powder by the White Knight's spinning sword light.

"Hey, hey, hey, this power is no joke."

Watching the 'dragon' of ice, snow, earth, and stone instantly pierce through the battlefield, leaving a huge, straight crater hundreds of meters long before plunging into the sea, Luo was so frightened that cold sweat poured down his face.

He originally only intended to launch a token attack on the Straw Hat crew, but unexpectedly...

"Well, it's because your abilities are too dangerous."

The White Knight, unleashed with a single sword strike, blocked Law's path. The 'Op-Op Fruit' was indeed incredibly overpowered; unless one's entire body was covered in Armament Haki, their body and mind would be instantly severed by his various abilities, truly making them 'the fish on the chopping block.'

And among the 'Straw Hat crew Second Squad' here, besides Roman himself, only Sanji can cover his legs Haki; the others...

Let's not talk about it.

"I won't intervene if my companions and children leave quietly."

The White Knight twirled his longsword in a flourish.

"Otherwise, you'll have to make me, the Straw Hat crew's strategist 'White Knight,' your opponent."

"Never mind, I have more important things to do."

After a moment's hesitation, Luo turned directly towards the navy. His sword, 'Kikoku,' was held upright in front of him, and he swept it with one hand:

"ROOM - Scan!"

Plop plop~~

A whole bunch of Navy Den Den Mushi suddenly appeared behind Law, making Roman, one of the White Knight, curl his lip in disapproval.

Stealing your things right in front of you, aren't you angry?

"Luo... cough cough cough, White Knight!"

As Nami, who had already run out of Law's 'ROOM' range, turned around and shouted, the White Knight also nimbly leaped backward and flew out of the opponent's ability field. Then he nodded to Nami and Sanji.

"Let's go, let's settle the children first."

As for the battle between the Navy and the Shichibukai, Roman could predict the outcome even without watching. After all:

Smoker, a Logia who specializes in hand-to-hand combat, is only a matter of how long he can withstand the monstrous power of the 'Op-Op Fruit'.