The Edifice Was About to Collapse (II)

Meanwhile, Enies Lobby.

The miracle of the Island That Never Sleeps continued. The shadows cast by its buildings beneath the vast blue sky remained towering and still, yet the figures who should have walked through this light with solemn dignity and composure had now lost all calm.

Beep—beep—!

The alarm system, silent for centuries since Enies Lobby's founding, rang with exceptional urgency today, catching the Marines and Cipher Pol agents stationed here completely off guard... because the invader was just one man and one sword, yet he had thrown all of Enies Lobby into panic!

"All personnel, all personnel..."

"The intruder is extremely dangerous, repeat..."

"However—the sacred ground of justice must not be defiled! As the person in charge of Enies Lobby and commander of Cipher Pol No. 9, I, Spandine, will stand with you all through life and death! Fight bravely..."

Amid the piercing alarms, Spandine's forceful, impassioned words became a source of confidence, filling the hearts of every defender... Rumble, rumble rumble!

"It's a swordsman—no, an attack from a Great Swordsman!"

"My God, get out of the way... we'll die!"

"Run, run—!"

The guards had not even caught sight of the invader when sweeping waves of sword energy arrived... The main gate, said to be capable of withstanding a punch from Whitebeard, was cleanly split in two without the slightest hesitation!

"Spandine, have you decided how you want to die?"

Thud, thud... As the ground shook violently, Joe appeared at the end of their vision. His curls whipped wildly in the gale, his sword dragging against the ground in his right hand. Every step he took sent sparks flying and caused earthquake-like tremors, while the hurricane swirling around him was utterly unstoppable.

Though he had only one man and one sword, every defender felt something absurd that they