Potential Threat, Marine Admiral!

"Ow ow ow..."

Pushing aside the stone pressing down on him, Franky crawled out, clutching his head. "You guys really are a bunch of reckless bastards."

The Straw Hat Pirates were one thing, but even Kokoro had to act like this? Wasn't she afraid something would go wrong?

She was already old enough as it was—if something actually happened, how was he supposed to explain it to that bastard Iceberg?

"Ahahaha, we made it safe and sound."

Kokoro stepped down from the train with Kimone and her pet, looking none the worse for wear.

"Aren't you afraid of getting hurt?" Franky roared, his shark mouth wide open. "And you brought Kimone along too? Is this how you act as a grandmother?"

Franky was furious. He'd never seen anyone so reckless.

"Haha, it's fine, isn't it?" Kokoro said. "Just a little nosebleed."

"A nosebleed..."

Franky's mouth twitched. Taking a hit that hard and only getting a nosebleed—these three were no ordinary folks.

"Thank you, Xi Yan," Nico Robin said.

Held in Xi Yan's arms, Nico Robin wasn't injured, just a bit shaken from the Rocket Man's impact.

"No problem," Xi Yan said. "Can you walk?"

"Hmm."

"Then I'll put you down."

With that, Xi Yan set Nico Robin on the ground. Seeing she was fine, he turned his head toward the Rocket Man.

By now, Luffy had crawled out from under a rock, shouting at Nami and the others not to slack off and to get to work.

"Bastard!"

"You think we're rubber men too?" the others yelled, shoving aside the rocks on top of them.

Luffy was pure rubber—blunt force didn't faze him—but they were flesh and blood. This kind of stunt could kill them!!

"It's fine, isn't it?" Luffy said, picking his nose.

"Crack~"

Nami felt a nerve snap. The next moment, she mastered the ally-special technique: Shave!

In the blink of an eye, Nami was in front of Luffy, landing a punch right on his head.

"Duang~"

The force was so great it drove Luffy's head straight into a pile of rocks.

"S...sorry..."

"Hmph, do it again and I'll hit you again," Nami said with a cold snort.

"Bastard, you just gave Robin a princess carry, didn't you!" Sanji stormed up to Xi Yan.

"Yeah, so what?"

"Damn it, I'm so... so jealous..."

Xi Yan: ...

Watching Sanji, whose whole vibe seemed to have shifted, Xi Yan's mouth twitched. Was this guy brain-damaged?

"Is he always this... abstract?" Franky asked.

"Hmm... mm-hmm."

Nami thought for a moment, then nodded seriously.

"Your pirate crew is... a bit complicated," Franky said.

How did he feel like every single one of them was more abstract than the last?

Xi Yan looked at Franky with confusion. How could this guy say something like that?

A weirdo who liked running around in his underwear all day, and he had the nerve to call them complicated?

"Hey, Luffy, where are you going?!" Zoro grabbed Luffy, who was trying to leave, afraid he'd disappear again if he wasn't careful.

"Don't stop me, I'm going to punch that pigeon-raising guy!"

"I know, but at least let's make a plan first."

"Just let him go," Xi Yan said. "A plan or whatever... do you really expect that guy to remember it?"

"Don't forget what happened before we entered the Great Gate."

Luffy was notorious for ignoring plans, but every time he did what he wanted, it turned out to be the right call. It was ridiculous.

Like now—he was going to punch that pigeon-raising guy.

"Xi Yan's right," Sanji said, back to normal as he lit a cigarette. "No matter what, you can't stop Luffy from wanting to punch that guy. Besides, there might be a key on him, so just let him go."

Sanji didn't think the keys would definitely be on the six people left behind. What if one was on that guy?

Maybe the odds were slim, but Sanji wasn't willing to gamble on it.

Zoro paused for a moment, then let go of Luffy's hand, letting him charge out alone.

"Sanji's right," Xi Yan said. "Besides... if he doesn't beat that guy, Luffy's spirit will be stifled."

For a Strong Person, what mattered most wasn't just strength—it was spirit too!

Having experienced real war, Xi Yan understood this well.

"Let's talk about the Buster Call problem now," Sanji said.

"I told you, I'll handle the Buster Call."

"I know you're handling the Buster Call, but that's not the only issue here." Sanji's expression turned serious. "Franky said the route from Navy Headquarters here is faster."

"That means we don't have much time left..."

Seeing Xi Yan about to say something, Sanji raised a hand. "Let me finish first."

"You should all remember what that idiot who triggered the Buster Call said, right?"

"Which part?" Usopp asked.

The guy had said so many things—how was he supposed to know which one Sanji meant?

"You mean... Admiral Aokiji?" Xi Yan said.

He roughly understood what Sanji was getting at. Nico Robin's body trembled at the mention of that name.

The Buster Call had a huge impact on Nico Robin, but Admiral Aokiji's influence on her was just as significant.

"Yeah, Admiral Aokiji!"

"That guy..."

Zoro's face grew grim. When they'd first encountered that Marine Admiral, they'd faced the risk of total annihilation!

If Luffy hadn't been clever enough back then, choosing to challenge him in that way, they'd probably be dead by now.

No... actually, that Marine Admiral might not have intended to wipe them out. Otherwise, as a Marine, he'd have no reason to follow pirate rules.

But this time?

Were they going to gamble on his intentions again?

Staking your life on an enemy's mercy was incredibly stupid. He wasn't willing to do it.

"I think I get it..." Usopp said in shock. "Are we going to face a Marine Admiral this time too?!"

"'Too'?"

Chopper, who seemed to have caught on, looked at Usopp in surprise. "Sniper King, have you encountered a Marine Admiral before?"

"Ahaha, of course! I once..."

"That's amazing!"

Listening to Usopp and Chopper's back-and-forth, the tense atmosphere eased a bit.

"I didn't expect you guys to run into a monster like that," Franky said admiringly.

Navy Headquarters' Greatest Battle Power, Admiral Aokiji—surviving an encounter with a monster like him was impressive.

"It's not that we're definitely going to face that guy," Sanji said. "But if Xi Yan blocks or even crushes the Buster Call, the Navy might send reinforcements, and a Marine Admiral showing up isn't out of the question!"

"So we have to be fast!"

While speaking, Sanji glanced at the distant staircase. "That guy was right—we really don't have much time left."

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Zoro said. "Split up, take down those CP9 as fast as possible, and grab the keys!"

After saying that, Zoro paused, then shouted loudly: "Everyone!"

"Win even if it kills you, got it?!"

"Ooh!"