Countless dim stars traversed the gloomy firmament. Under the shroud of night, the Sea Train cutting through wind and rain.
After six hours of travel, the towering gates of Enies Lobby's Front Gate Island were now visible.
"Hmm."
Sakura opened her eyes, rainbow light flickering in her pupils.
A small tuft of lightning emerged from Leviathan's feathers, forming Enel's head. "Hey, the situation on that island ahead isn't normal!"
Naturally possessing Mantra, and having developed his fruit's power with Sakura's help recently,
Enel could now integrate his Observation Haki with electromagnetic waves, spreading it out for wide-area sensing.
Sakura, meanwhile, used her emotion-perceiving Observation Haki to read the scenes Enel detected, though the content would be somewhat distorted.
"It seems Tom-san's arrest was a set trap."
Sakura leaned against the window, looking towards Enies Lobby. "But what's the purpose? Surely not to catch me?"
After all, Tom's connection to her wasn't that close, and she had been sailing around the world continuously.
Even if they truly wanted to use Tom as bait to capture her, the arresting authority should be the Marines, widely publicizing the news. Not using CP, a spy agency that would rather muffle the sound of a fart, to carry out the arrest.
"No, the original intent was still to execute Tom-san. But someone is using the chaos from this incident to lure me into a trap."
The girl focused her gaze, staring at the churning sea outside the train. "To pull this off, they must have an intimate understanding of my movements. Only one organization on these seas can do that..."
"Who cares who set the trap? That little thing definitely isn't a good guy."
More arcs of electricity seeped from the black feathers. Enel had already formed an arm, holding a spear of dazzling, fierce lightning pointed at the bound Iceburg.
But the next instant, the spear was dispersed by the presence erupting from the person before him. Under that nearly solidified gaze, a rampant killing intent surged skyward.
Icy darkness spread inside the train car. The storm outside the window seemed to flicker, transforming into a bloody wind and rain.
All these anomalies stemmed solely from the dark lightning leaking from those emerald eyes.
"CP0, Abyssal!!!"
Sakura's hoarse voice was practically squeezed through the gaps between her teeth.
Memories of nearly costing Kuina and Tiger their lives on Foolshout Island flashed through her mind.
"Who's that?"
Enel, heart still pounding, withdrew his hand, turning to look at the other two.
After a moment of silence, Tiger answered him with a dark expression. "The Director of the World Government's intelligence agency CP0, the Celestial Dragons' strongest shield. Also the guy who almost took our lives!"
"Enel, scan the island for anyone with a massive concentration of fungal colonies in their body!"
Sakura expressionlessly grabbed the lightning, dragging him off Leviathan.
"Huh? How could I possibly do that?" Enel shook his head, refusing.
"Focus! Believe in yourself. You're a natural-born Observation Haki master. This isn't difficult for you!"
Closing her eyes and raising a finger, Sakura released a Sensory Ninjutsu. Through the Chakra Link, she found Enel's brilliant electric light within the darkness.
Then she touched Enel with a special sense. He, who was being forced by Sakura to use wide-area sensing, suddenly felt connected to an incredibly vast will.
The precision of his Observation Haki skyrocketed wildly. Finally, he could easily penetrate the bodies of soldiers on Enies Lobby, observing their microscopic state.
"Stop playing around. Find him quickly! Your own body won't last long!"
Just as Enel was engrossed in this omniscient sensation, Sakura's voice abruptly sounded, pulling him back.
Immediately after, the two cooperated, using the higher-precision electromagnetic Observation Haki to sense the soldiers on Enies Lobby, searching everywhere for Abyssal's trace.
Just one second before the train was about to enter the terminal station, Enel and Sakura spoke simultaneously: "Found him!"
With that, Enel, face pale, collapsed. Sakura caught him. She waved for Leviathan and stuffed the listless Enel into her stomach.
"That guy's true body is on Enies Lobby!" Sakura's gaze burned. "This is an opportunity!"
Tiger frowned. "But his ability is hard to guard against."
"We're already exposed. Even knowing he's on the island, what's the use? We can't just launch a frontal assault, can we?" Kuina was also somewhat bewildered.
"That guy likes setting traps and playing the hunter, right?" A faint smile appeared on Sakura's face. "Then let's teach him that hunter and prey can switch places at any time!"
After saying this, Sakura pulled Leviathan close, whispering something in her ear. Then she opened the Sea Train's window, letting her fly out.
The train arrived at the station. Sakura and her crew escorted Iceburg towards Enies Lobby's main gate.
"Halt! Who are you?" A Marine squad guarding the gate stepped forward, an officer also wearing a cloak blocking their path.
"Escorting a prisoner for trial on the island. This guy is a disciple of the Fish-Man Tom, who was sent here earlier!"
Sakura didn't report their unit designation or show identity verification documents, because she believed Abyssal would handle these details for her.
Sure enough, upon hearing they were escorting someone related to Tom, the gate guard squad easily let them pass.
Entering the Main Island of Enies Lobby, crossing the narrow land suspended above the abyss of a massive waterfall, Sakura and the others reached the Judgement Hall at the island's end.
As the towering doors opened, a trial was in progress inside. The defendant in the center was their target for rescue… the Fish-Man shipwright Tom.
"Tom-san!"
Iceburg, excited, tried to charge forward. Sakura pressed a hand on his shoulder. She looked up at the dark clouds gradually covering the entire island outside the Judgement Hall, then let her gaze sweep over the man in a white suit sitting in the public gallery. She stepped inside.
"Iceburg? What are you doing here?" Tom, in the defendant's stand, became agitated upon seeing his disciple.
The three-headed judges on the high platform, seeing Iceburg's arrival, forcefully struck their gavel. "Good! The accomplice Iceburg has been brought. The trial can begin!"
"No! Don't hurt him! This has nothing to do with my disciple!!!"
Tom's massive frame struggled, rattling the chains binding him beneath the stand.
Clap, clap, clap!
From the distant public gallery, the man who had been observing for a long time began applauding. He stood and walked down the steps towards the trial platform.
The moment he stood, several beams of light rose from the waterfall abyss surrounding Enies Lobby. Then, the space within the island distorted slightly. Sakura's Chakra Perception of Space-Time was consequently severed.
"Such moving master-discipline affection. Don't you agree, Miss Haruno?"
The man elegantly removed the mask on his face, revealing a harmless-looking countenance. "That trash Spandam finally did something useful, allowing me to converse with you face-to-face like this."
"Incidentally, I'd like to express my regret once more here for not having had the opportunity to work with you."
"Abyssal. You think you have me cornered?"
Sakura sneered, reaching to grasp Kumotsuna at her waist.
"Of course. This is one of the World Government's pivotal locations… Enies Lobby."
Abyssal spread his arms. "It has a permanent garrison of over ten thousand elite troops, not to mention the fleet besieging you is also on its way."
"I see. So the Marines are in on it too."
Sakura slightly lowered her head. Iron cloud surged from the sword hilt, entwined with turbulent lightning.
She raised her hand and swung the blade.
A savage flying slash spun diagonally upwards, overwhelmingly destroying everything in its path.
Kuina and Tiger also tore off their disguises, taking advantage of the chaos to charge towards Iceburg and Tom.
After breaking the chains on both, they tried to lead them out of the Judgement Hall.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave! As the host, failing to properly entertain guests would be considered impolite!"
Abyssal laughed heartily, raising a palm. Countless fungal bodies writhed and elongated from his arm, forming a sharp, double-edged bladed limb.
Coated in Armament Haki, it swept towards the four fleeing figures.
The arm abruptly extended, forming a chain sword, whistling as it descended.
Clang-!
Black thorns formed of dark clouds surged forth, extending into the chain sword's path, colliding with it, producing the sound of clashing metal.
"Give the young ones some time to grow. As for now, let me keep you company!"
Conqueror's Haki was released without restraint. In that instant, sky and earth seemed to crack!