Enel's face changed drastically.
Blue lightning burst from his body as he instantly entered his elemental state, preparing to flash away.
However—
Marianne's palm pressed against Enel's shoulder forcibly interrupted his movement.
"How is this possible?!"
Enel's eyes widened in shock, his voice rising.
Even in his elemental state, she could still touch him!
"If you don't even know what Haki is, stop acting so full of yourself."
Marianne let out a sharp shout.
Magic power surged through her body as seven-colored ink once again flowed from her paintbrush.
"Binding Painting Magic — Rainbow Rope!"
Swish!
The seven-colored ink split into ropes and swiftly bound Enel.
"That trick won't work on me again!"
Enel roared as dazzling blue lightning exploded from his body once more.
Clearly, he intended to break free the same way he had escaped the Binding Spring.
Spurt!
Blood splashed.
Marianne's gaze turned icy as she drove the paintbrush directly into Enel's chest.
"That trick won't work on me either."
"This time, you're not getting away."
Her expression was calm, but cold.
The brilliant blue lightning around Enel rapidly faded.
His elemental state was forcibly canceled.
A weakness unlike anything he had ever felt flooded his body.
"What is this…?"
Enel stared in stunned disbelief at the paintbrush embedded in his chest.
"My paintbrush isn't just a tool for painting."
"It's also a weapon."
"The tip is made of Seastone."
A mocking smile appeared on Marianne's youthful, slightly flushed face.
She raised what looked like a small fist, instantly coating it in Armament Haki.
"So?"
"Still want to beg for mercy now, god?"
"You underhanded—!!"
Enel roared in shock and fury.
BANG!
Before he could finish speaking—
Marianne's fist had already slammed into his face.
BOOM!
With no ability to resist, Enel was punched straight out of the sky and smashed heavily into the ground.
At the same time—
the Marianne figure that had been left standing on the ground dissolved into ink and splattered across the earth.
It was clearly a decoy she had prepared earlier to deceive him.
Whoosh!
Marianne descended from the air and landed lightly.
The moment she confirmed that Enel had fallen unconscious, she finally let out a breath of relief.
At last.
That arrogant bastard was finally dealt with.
With the Seastone tip of the brush embedded in his chest, even if Enel woke up, he would no longer be able to break free from the painting magic restraints.
Rumble…
Thunder continued to roll across the sky.
The massive black sphere of lightning that Enel had been gathering gradually began to disperse without the guidance of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
The dense storm clouds overhead likewise started to thin out.
Sunlight streamed down through the clouds.
Under the golden rays, the entire Upper Yard, Upper Yard "Upper Yard Apayado," shimmered with a sacred golden glow.
From the rear, Nami, Robin, and the others finally emerged and hurried over toward Luffy.
"How are Zoro and Sanji?!"
Nami asked anxiously, looking at the two who had been struck unconscious by lightning.
"They're fine."
"They'll recover soon."
Chopper quickly checked their injuries, then took medicine from his pouch and fed it to them.
As expected—
after only a short while, both Zoro and Sanji regained consciousness.
"Ugh…"
Sanji groaned as he sat up, clutching his head.
The moment Zoro awoke, he instinctively reached for his swords.
Only after seeing his crewmates did his tense body relax again.
"Chopper, you're amazing!"
"It worked so fast!"
Luffy immediately scooped Chopper up and bounced around happily.
Chopper scratched his cheek shyly.
Meanwhile—
Zoro and Sanji stood up and looked toward the unconscious Enel, who was now tightly bound by rainbow-colored ropes.
Their expressions were grim.
That monster had been taken down this quickly.
The rest of the Straw Hats also turned their eyes forward.
Then they saw—
Marianne was sitting on a picnic cloth, completely at ease, casually eating a box of rice crackers.
There was even a pot of green tea beside her.
The dark red twin-tailed girl looked less like someone who had just fought a life-or-death battle and more like a child enjoying a pleasant outing.
If Enel's unconscious body hadn't still been lying nearby, they would have thought the battle had never happened.
"Hey… where did she even get all that?"
Usopp muttered in disbelief.
Unlike the others, who were starting to relax—
Zoro and Sanji remained fully on guard.
They still had no idea whether she was friend or foe.
So, this was a member of the Magic Eye Pirates…
She looked so young—
yet terrifyingly strong.
"Are all members of the Magic Eye Pirates as strong as you?"
Zoro asked seriously, gripping his sword.
However—
before he could finish—
the canvas beside Marianne suddenly trembled.
A gigantic python nearly eight meters long burst out from the painting frame and lunged toward the Straw Hats.
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji's expressions changed instantly.
They all rushed forward at once.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!!"
"Two-Sword Style: Hawk Wave!"
"Mutton Shoot!"
The three attacks collided with the giant snake.
BOOM!
With a hiss, the python exploded into ink and splattered across the ground.
The three landed and immediately glared at Marianne.
"You're the Straw Hat Pirates?"
Marianne asked coolly as she swallowed a rice cracker without even looking up.
"So, what if we are?"
Sanji's leg muscles tightened like compressed springs.
He would never forget what those two men had done back at the Baratie.
"So, you know us?"
Luffy grinned proudly.
"Hehe, looks like we're famous too!"
"I'm the man who'll become King of the Pirates—Luffy!"
King of the Pirates?
Marianne paused slightly.
Then a quiet laugh escaped her lips.
"I never expected you to join a pirate crew like this."
"So weak."
"So ignorant."
The moment those words fell—
everyone except Luffy froze.
Their eyes all turned toward Robin.
"I thought you were dead."
"So, you really joined the Magic Eye Pirates."
Robin tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear.
Her dark blue eyes sharpened slightly.
"You haven't changed much either."
"You still like having a picnic even in the middle of a battle."
From Marianne's tone, Robin could tell—
she had no idea Robin herself was also technically a member of the Magic Eye Pirates.
What exactly is that man planning?
Robin thought silently.
"This is the legendary Sky Island."
"With scenery this beautiful, it would be a shame not to have a picnic."
"Miss All Sunday."
"No… I suppose now I should call you Nico Robin."
Marianne calmly lifted her teacup.
"Robin, you know her?"
Nami asked in surprise.
Robin nodded.
"I told you before."
"I used to be the vice president of Baroque Works."
"She was once a member too."
"Her name is Marianne."
Clack.
Marianne placed the teacup down and stood up again.
Her gaze turned cold.
"That's enough reminiscing."
"Which one of you is Usopp?"
"Huh?"
Usopp reflexively made a sound and looked over blankly.
Whoosh!
Marianne vanished from where she stood.
She became a black blur rushing forward.
"Move, Usopp!"
Luffy shouted first, stretching both arms toward her.
Splash!
"Wax Wall!"
A large amount of wax suddenly materialized, forming a white wall that effortlessly blocked Luffy's attack.
Usopp's face turned pale with fear.
He instinctively stepped back and turned to run.
But Marianne was faster.
She was already in front of him.
"What do you… want?"
Usopp fumbled for his slingshot.
THUD!
Marianne struck the back of his neck with a hand chop.
His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed instantly.
At the same moment—
Zoro and Sanji rushed in from both sides.
"Two-Sword Style: Rhino Cyclone!"
"Mutton Shoot!"
BOOM! BOOM!
Facing the pincer attack—
Marianne's body swayed slightly.
A layer of white wax rapidly coated her entire body and solidified in an instant.
Wax Armor!
CLANG!
Zoro's blades struck the wax and actually produced a metallic ringing sound.
It was as hard as steel.
Even Zoro's hands trembled from the recoil.
Sanji's kick also landed with a dull thud.
His face filled with disbelief.
The gap between them was—
far too great.
"Pointless resistance."
"Just hand over your crewmate obediently."
The hardened wax melted back into liquid and then burst outward from both shoulders as sharp wax spikes.
Zoro and Sanji quickly retreated to avoid them.
Marianne ignored them completely.
She bent down and lifted the unconscious Usopp.
"You bastard!"
"Stop her!"
Zoro and Sanji charged again.
"Put Usopp down!"
Luffy rushed in too.
Marianne's eyes flashed.
She crouched slightly and flicked her fingers.
Black ink shot out from both sides.
In an instant—
both Zoro and Sanji's clothes were stained with black ink across the chest.
"Black of Betrayal."
Their movements halted.
Then—
instead of attacking Marianne—
both of them turned and attacked Luffy.
"What are you doing?!"
"Zoro! Sanji!!"
Luffy shouted in shock.
Marianne dragged Usopp toward the still unconscious Enel.
But before she could take more than a few steps—
three figures blocked her path.
Nami.
Robin.
Chopper.
"Let Usopp go."
Chopper said firmly despite trembling with fear.
Marianne ignored Nami and Chopper completely.
Her gaze settled on Robin.
"For the sake of our past work together, I don't intend to fight you."
"So, move."
Robin's expression turned serious.
"You're using the Wax-Wax Fruit?"
"Yes."
Marianne admitted it without hesitation.
"I know what you want to ask."
"Mr. 3, Mr. 5, and Miss Valentine are all dead."
"I killed them myself."
Robin's pupils contracted.
Then understanding dawned.
"So that's why you joined the Magic Eye Pirates."
Marianne did not answer.
The moment Robin raised her arm—
"Wax Wave!"
BOOM!
A massive tide of white wax surged forward like a wave.
In an instant—
before the three could even react—
Robin, Nami, and Chopper were engulfed and solidified into wax statues.
Marianne stepped past them casually.
She grabbed Enel with her other hand.
"PUT THEM DOWN!!"
Luffy roared in fury.
His body was covered in wounds.
He had just blasted Zoro and Sanji away.
White steam faintly rose from him.
"Usopp is my crewmate!"
"I don't care if you're from the Magic Eye Pirates or whoever!"
"A person who can kill their own comrades—"
"There's no way I'll lose to someone like that!"
"And there's no way I'll let you take my friends!"
Clearly, Luffy had overheard the earlier conversation.
He charged forward, stretching both arms toward Usopp.
"How persistent."
Marianne frowned slightly at the rise in Luffy's aura.
But she still remained calm.
The next moment—
a silver spatial passage shot out from the Magic Eye Cross hanging on her chest.
Then—
Marianne vanished completely from Sky Island.
Luffy's hands grasped only empty air.
He stared blankly at the place where she had disappeared.
"…Usopp…"
(End of Chapter)
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