Launching the Buster Call!

"Speak your mind, Robin." Xi Yan, who had remained silent until now, said. "You have the right to choose, and the right to live."

"I... I can live too...?"

Nico Robin's body began to tremble. Scenes from her past flashed through her mind—the people she had met along the way.

Every single one of them had been after her head, believing she was a woman unworthy of life.

But... but... what had she ever done wrong?!

Just because she was someone who survived a Buster Call?

For that alone, she didn't deserve to live?!

No... No!!

In that moment, Xi Yan's earlier words about challenging the Buster Call echoed in Nico Robin's mind—that man had bluntly said he would force them to launch a Buster Call, just to free her from this nightmare.

And now, Luffy and the others had torn down the World Government's flag, declaring war on the entire world!!!

(De-re-re-re-re, de-re-re-re-re.)

That man's laughter surfaced in Nico Robin's heart, along with the words he had spoken.

(Robin, this sea is endless. One day, you'll find partners willing to protect you!!)

And now, she truly had!

Their words were like a beam of light, illuminating Nico Robin's entire world, dragging her forcibly out of the darkness!!

Nico Robin's heart seemed to shudder. Her body trembled even more violently, and tears began to well in her eyes.

If... if I could make one wish... I want to say...

"I want to live!!" Nico Robin shouted. "Take me to the sea with you!!!"

In that moment, Nico Robin shattered the chains in her heart once and for all, choosing to stand tall and face everything together with her partners!

Every member of the Straw Hat Pirates curled their lips into a grin, ready for battle.

Since Robin had made her choice, there was nothing left to hesitate about. All they had to do was take down these damn enemies and escape this place alive with their partner!!

"You bastards... you're really moving me to tears!!" Franky said, wiping his eyes.

He really loved these bastards!!

"Well then, I'm gonna bet on you too!!"

Franky's words cut off Spandam's train of thought. He had been about to order CP9 to take down the three of them first.

But when he saw Franky pull out a set of blueprints from his body, he got so excited he could barely speak.

"Th-this... could it be... the blueprints for the Ancient Weapon, Pluton?!"

"Pluton..." Xi Yan glanced at the blueprints in Franky's hand, clearly surprised that he had something like this.

That sand crocodile had tried to overthrow Alabasta just to get his hands on Pluton, and now the blueprints were right here... how interesting.

If Crocodile ever found out, wouldn't he cough up blood from rage?

"That's right, the blueprints for Pluton!" Franky said. "The real deal."

"You might not believe me, but..."

"Lucci, Kaku—you two should be able to tell."

While speaking, Franky flipped through a few pages for them to see, stopping only when he saw cold sweat break out on their faces.

"You actually hid the blueprints on your own body... that's unexpected," Kaku said. "No wonder we couldn't find them anywhere."

"They're real?!" Spandam said excitedly. "Give them to me! Give them to me!"

Spandam tried to lunge forward and grab them, but Xi Yan standing beside Franky made him stop in his tracks. He knew this one was no pushover—if he went over there, he'd die for sure!

"Nico Robin, I already know you're not the demon the rumors make you out to be," Franky said. "So I'm gonna bet on you guys!"

"The reason these blueprints existed was to counter any Ancient Weapon that might appear," Franky said, glaring coldly at Spandam. "Just like now—even though Robin won't cooperate with you, as long as she's alive, you might still get your hands on that dangerous weapon..."

"But things are different now. Robin has a crew of reliable partners who'd challenge the whole world for her!!"

"So these blueprints have lost their reason to exist!"

With that, Franky opened his mouth and spewed a torrent of flames, burning the blueprints in his hands to ashes!!

Watching this scene made Kalifa's blood pressure spike.

"Five years of our mission's work..."

They had spent five whole years lurking in Water Seven for those blueprints!!

And now it was all gone, the blueprints vanished in the flames.

"You bastard, stop!!" Spandam's expression twisted out of control. He dropped to the ground, scrambling to pick up the ashes, not even noticing the Golden Den Den Mushi fall from his hand.

"My blueprints... my credit... my future..."

"You bastard, why did you burn them?!"

Gone, all of it gone. Without those blueprints, how was he supposed to earn the Five Elders' favor, you bastard!!

"You're that confident the Straw Hat Pirates can take Nico Robin back?" Kaku said.

While speaking, Kaku glanced at Xi Yan, his body tensing, ready to strike at any moment.

"I choose to believe in them!" Franky said. "If we win, you get nothing."

"Neither the Ancient Weapons nor Nico Robin—you'll get your hands on neither!"

"Bastard, you want to die right here?!" Spandam snapped, hastily snatching up the Golden Den Den Mushi, his eyes icy as he stared at Franky. "Without that blueprint, you're worthless!"

But just before Spandam spoke, his mind went blank for a split second.

"Hmph, go ahead and—" Franky didn't finish before noticing the Golden Den Den Mushi in Spandam's hand.

His pupils shrank. "Hey, you bastard, did you press it?!"

Was this idiot really planning to launch a Buster Call here?!

Didn't he care about Judicial Island itself?!

"Hmm?"

Spandam looked down at his hand in confusion, then his eyeballs bulged in terror, and snot uncontrollably shot from his nose.

"I-I-I-I-I pressed it?!"

Why?

He hadn't meant to press the Golden Den Den Mushi's button just now—why had it gone off?

"This..." Kalifa's face darkened. What was this idiot chief thinking? Did he really intend to destroy Judicial Island?!

Suddenly, as if a thought struck her, Kalifa snapped her head up to look at Xi Yan and immediately noticed the man watching them with an amused expression.

Could it be... him?

"BZZ!!"

The moment Spandam pressed the Golden Den Den Mushi, alarms blared in the Navy Headquarters' communications room.

"Signal received from the Golden Den Den Mushi!"

"Who activated it?"

"Judging by the signal... Admiral Aokiji!"

"Alright, since it's Admiral Aokiji, there's nothing more to discuss." A middle-aged man said. "Contact the five Vice Admirals near the Target Area immediately to launch the Buster Call!"

"But... but, Rear Admiral, the target this time is Judicial Island."

"It doesn't matter where—knowing it's an order from an Admiral is enough!" the middle-aged man said.

He didn't believe anyone could have stolen an Admiral's Golden Den Den Mushi—no one had that kind of strength!!

If an Admiral ordered a Buster Call on Judicial Island, there had to be a reason. They just needed to follow orders.

"Yes, sir! Contacting the five nearby Headquarters Vice Admirals now!"

"Wait, Rear Admiral, sending warships from Headquarters to Judicial Island would be faster."

"Then do it!"

"Yes, sir!"

After his subordinates scurried off to work, the middle-aged man returned to his office, pulled out a Den Den Mushi, and contacted Aokiji.

"Admiral Aokiji, may I ask why you've ordered a Buster Call on Judicial Island? I need to log it."

Aokiji, seated on his bicycle out at sea, paused for a moment, then said, "I'll explain to Marshal Sengoku when I get back."

"Understood, sir!"

"Hmm."

Ending the call, Aokiji turned his gaze toward Judicial Island.

His Golden Den Den Mushi was in Spandam's hands—clearly, the man had activated the Buster Call there.

"Is it about Nico Robin...?"

"Guess I'll go take a look."