The Gate of Justice!

"The Gate of Justice is gradually opening. That means the Buster Call is coming soon..." Nico Robin said gravely.

The shortest route from Navy Headquarters to Judicial Island was through the Gate of Justice.

"Isn't that perfect?" Xi Yan said with a smile. "I've been looking forward to it."

"Hmm?"

As if he had heard something, Xi Yan looked up toward the high ground and immediately spotted two figures in the air.

They were Franky and Onimaru Owl, locked in a midair struggle!

"Bastard, fall into the sea and drown already!!" Onimaru Owl roared.

After taking several heavy punches from this bastard, Onimaru Owl felt like his liver was aching. He had better throw him into the waterfall sooner rather than later.

"Damn it, I can't move!"

Franky tried to fight back in fury, but the force of the impact had left him completely unable to move. He could only plunge into the sea alongside his enemy.

Boom!!

"They're fighting fiercely," Xi Yan said.

"Are they all right...?"

Xi Yan did not answer. He merely stared ahead with his Sharinggan—more precisely, at the two people beneath the water.

Franky had now broken free from Onimaru Owl and was struggling to swim upward.

Onimaru Owl, meanwhile, was moving through the water, seemingly trying to stop Franky, though it did not appear to be going well.

"There's no problem for now," Xi Yan said.

Just then, Sanji burst out of the water and landed on the shore.

"I... I'm saved..."

That feeling of utter weakness had been unbearable. Sanji had thought he was going to die.

Fortunately, he had run into Xi Yan.

"Seawater really does restrain Devil Fruit Users quite effectively," Xi Yan said, stroking his chin. "We can completely use seawater to nullify their abilities."

"The sea is the nemesis of Devil Fruit Users, after all," Nico Robin said.

Back when she had wanted to deal with Crocodile, she had also planned to use some seawater to touch his body and make his Elementalization fail. That would have given her a chance to kill him.

"Not every ability can be dealt with that way." Sanji took out a cigarette from his pocket and tried to light it, only to discover that both the cigarette and his lighter were soaked. He looked thoroughly annoyed.

"How so?"

"Aokiji's ability can't be dealt with using seawater," Sanji said. "He can freeze the sea!"

Xi Yan: ...

All right, all right. You just had to pick the most exceptional example, didn't you?

How was seawater supposed to deal with ice?

How had Sanji even come up with that answer?

Sanji also realized there was something wrong with what he had said. He gave a light cough and asked, "Did you guys defeat this bull-headed guy?"

"Hmm, Xi Yan defeated him."

"Oh, right, hurry and take out his key." Xi Yan immediately walked over and searched Blueno's clothes, pulling out a key.

He tried it beside Nico Robin, but when it did not work, he said helplessly, "Looks like it isn't this one."

"What number key is it?"

"Number 2."

"Number 2!" Sanji immediately said, "Quick, take that key to Zoro. That idiot Usopp Handcuffed the two of them together. They need the Number 2 key to unlock it."

Xi Yan: ???

What kind of absurd development was this? Why had Usopp used Sea Stone handcuffs to lock the two of them together? Had he planned to use them against Devil Fruit Users?

But hadn't he gotten the target backward?

Just then, Franky and Onimaru Owl burst out of the water together, immediately drawing Sanji's attention.

"Franky?!" Sanji stared in disbelief. "Why was this guy in the sea?"

"And there's a CP9 agent too..."

Had they run into the sea to fight? He had not even noticed earlier. What kind of wild fighting style was that?

"They just fell from upstairs," Xi Yan said, handing the Number 2 key to Sanji. "Go on ahead. Leave this place to me."

As long as his opponent was not a woman, Xi Yan believed Sanji would not lose.

Sanji hesitated for a second before nodding. "All right, got it."

Only Xi Yan could guarantee Franky's rescue in this environment. No one else could fly.

After Sanji left, Xi Yan turned his gaze back to the sea. At that moment, Onimaru Owl noticed him as well.

"Chababa... So you defeated Blueno."

Onimaru Owl gave Xi Yan a dark look, then glanced at the unconscious Blueno.

As companions who had survived the training camp together, they had shared a fairly good bond. Now that his comrade had been taken down, Onimaru Owl felt especially heavy-hearted.

"I advise you not to concern yourself with us," Xi Yan said flatly.

"Hmph, don't get too cocky." Onimaru Owl snorted. "Once I deal with this damned guy, I'll deal with you all!"

"I'll avenge Blueno!"

Then, without caring about Xi Yan's reaction, Onimaru Owl plunged back into the water, apparently intending to finish Franky off for good.

Unfortunately, even knocking Franky down the waterfall could not defeat him. Instead, Franky restrained him, forcing him to use Geppo with one foot to slowly rise upward.

"This guy really has some tricks," Xi Yan said with a smile before calling out, "Need help, Franky?"

"No need!" Franky shouted.

Xi Yan nodded and did not insist.

Boom!!

Suddenly, a deafening sound came from above, accompanied by an incomparably savage roar.

Awoooo!!!

This sudden change immediately caught Xi Yan's attention.

"A Beast Roar?" Xi Yan frowned. "That wolf?"

"Maybe."

Nico Robin knew that CP9 had two Devil Fruit Users. One was Rob Lucci, who possessed a leopard Devil Fruit, while the other was the wolf Xi Yan had mentioned.

"Hmm... There might be others too." Xi Yan thought for a moment. "After I blasted through the Great Gate and entered, two people swallowed Devil Fruits."

"We can't rule out the possibility that someone has a Zoan."

Whenever Xi Yan thought about those two people's actions, he wanted to laugh. Just how afraid had they been that he would steal their Devil Fruits?

"Having just eaten Devil Fruits, they might not be able to wield much power yet," Nico Robin said.

Hmm, that was the optimistic way of looking at it.

Xi Yan said nothing, merely nodded, then shifted his gaze to the two people in the air.

Franky was now sitting atop Onimaru Owl, raising both hands and aiming them at his head.

"1.5 Cola Power, Coup de Vent!"

Boom!!

The terrifying impact force blasted Onimaru Owl straight out of the sky, and the immense power even punched a crater into the ground!

Onimaru Owl lay in the center of the crater, eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness.

Whoosh~

Tap~

Franky landed on the ground with a sigh of relief, took the key from Onimaru Owl, then hurried over to Xi Yan. "Finally dealt with that guy."

"Here, Ninja Bro. Take the key and see if it can unlock Nico Robin's handcuffs."

"Thank you."

Xi Yan looked at the number on the key and saw that it was Number 6.

He tried it, only to find that it would not unlock them.

"Looks like this one isn't it either."

"Then we can only wait until they defeat their opponents and take the keys," Franky said helplessly.

Just then, he noticed the Gate of Justice opening and said, "Hey, why is this thing almost open already?!"

Did such an enormous Gate of Justice need to open completely for ships to pass through?

Wait... was it because of the Buster Call?!

"Looks like we don't have much time left." Xi Yan grabbed Blueno from the ground and dragged him away. "Come on, let's find the others first."

"Yeah!"

"Wait... Why are you bringing that guy along?"

"He'll be useful later."

"Got it." Franky nodded, half-understanding, then looked back at the Gate of Justice. "The Buster Call..."

Maybe today... they would make history.