74: Chapter 74 Heading to Enies Lobby"If you want to save your comrades, come to Enies Lobby.We'll be waiting for you there," Chaton and Momousagi said as they entered the air portal.Luffy watched them leave without stopping them."Enies Lobby, huh?I'm going back.If I could get two Admiral candidates to infiltrate Marine Headquarters and suddenly defect during the height of the Marineford War, it would definitely annoy the World Government." Luffy's gaze fell on something called "Puppet Talisman" in the system shop.(Puppet Talisman: The user becomes a puppet, loyal to its master.In fact, it will readily draw its sword and slit its throat if asked to die.Permanent effect.)
As for Robin, Luffy's reason for not stopping her was simple: with his strength, dealing with these CP9 members who hadn't yet mastered Haki would be a piece of cake.However, doing so wouldn't truly win Robin over.What Luffy needed to do was declare war on the World Government in front of Robin, showing that he didn't care how much trouble she was carrying."Luffy, what should we do?Should we go save Robin?" Zoro walked up to Luffy and asked in a deep voice, looking as if he would charge into Enies Lobby with three swords and eliminate their crewmates at Luffy's command.Sanji walked over and scolded, "What did you say, you green-haired, directionally challenged swordsman?How can we just stand by and watch Robin die?"
Luffy stopped the two from fighting and returned to his crew.He then said seriously, "Everyone, I think I understand why Robin betrayed us."
Everyone looked over with curiosity.Luffy continued, "I heard my grandfather mention before that CP9 is a secret intelligence agency directly under the World Government, and the members are all incredibly powerful.Robin probably said that we wouldn't have anything to do with each other in the future to protect us.She did that to protect us, right?"
After hearing this, everyone lowered their heads in silence.After a moment, they raised their heads again, their eyes shining with determination: "Luffy, give the order!Let's go to Enies Lobby together and rescue Robin!"
Upon hearing this, Iceberg felt that the group of young people in front of him had gone mad.He quickly stopped the group that was about to leave, grabbed Luffy's arm and said, "Are you all crazy?Don't you know what Enies Lobby is?Once Robin enters Enies Lobby, there is no way she can come out.You bunch of pirates want to break into that place with just one person who betrayed you?Aren't you afraid of being hunted down by the World Government?"
Luffy smiled slightly, pried open Iceberg's hand that was grabbing his arm, and said confidently, "Crazy, old man, young people have to be crazy sometimes.Besides, Robin is our most important partner.How can we stand by and watch our partner die if she is in danger?"
As Luffy and his crew bypassed Iceberg and strode away from his mansion, the sky over Water 7 gradually darkened.A howling wind accompanied a torrential downpour.Iceberg, watching the turbulent sea from afar, suddenly looked grim and muttered to himself, "Is this the start of the Water Gods' reign?"
The so-called Water Gods are the annual tsunami that occurs in Water Seven.It is said that each time Water Seven is flooded, less than half of the city is submerged due to this tsunami, causing severe damage to the city each time.Nami, who was heading to Dock One, also noticed this situation and immediately said seriously, "Everyone, we need to hurry up.It looks like a tsunami is about to happen.We need to set sail before the tsunami forms!"
Hearing Nami's serious tone, everyone realized the gravity of the situation and quickened their pace.When they arrived at Dock One, they were all dumbfounded.The Going Merry was nowhere to be seen in the dock.Looking at the loose mooring lines, Usopp had a bad feeling.Could it be that someone had untied the Going Merry's mooring lines and caused it to fall into the sea?
"Look over there!Two people have fainted!" Uta shouted, pointing to the ground not far away.When everyone ran over, they found that it was the two square-haired women who had been following Franky.Chopper immediately began to treat them.After Chopper's emergency treatment, the two women slowly woke up.Seeing several familiar people in front of them, they couldn't help but cry.While crying, they told everyone what had happened.Everyone then learned that the mastermind behind all of this was actually a member of CP9.It turned out that during the CP9 members' retreat, they discovered that the so-called Ancient Weapon blueprints that Iceberg had given them were fake.Based on the intelligence gathered by everyone over the years, they deduced that the real Ancient Weapon blueprints were probably with Iceberg's junior brother.In order to save time, the CP9 members and the two candidates for general immediately.They set off to search for Franky, just as he arrived at Dock One to tell Luffy and the others the good news of buying the Adam Wood.However, Luffy and the others didn't find him; instead, Franky himself was given a sound beating by the frustrated CP9 members.Finally, a battered and bruised Franky was taken away by CP9.The two women survived only because of Momousagi's intervention.As a Marine, she naturally didn't want to see innocent civilians killed.However, before leaving, to annoy Luffy and the others, Chaton untied the mooring ropes securing the Going Merry, letting it disappear into the sea."No, Going Merry, our Going Merry!" Usopp collapsed to the ground in grief.He couldn't believe what kind of torment the Going Merry would suffer in this terrible weather—perhaps it would be torn to pieces, or hit a reef and sink into the sea?
Usopp couldn't imagine it, but the most important thing now was how they would get to Enies Lobby without the Going Merry.Just then, a drunken old woman and a little girl with pigtails walked in."Grandma Kokoro.""Chimoni, what are you doing here?" Nami exclaimed with delight upon recognizing the acquaintances who had recently helped them.Granny Kokoro explained that she had some connection with the owner of this dock, and that their station had been flooded, so they were taking refuge here.Upon hearing of Luffy and his crew's predicament, Granny Kokoro took a swig of sake, let out a burp, and said, "I don't know those people you're talking about, but I think I saw a group of people escorting someone to a station not far from here.If that person is one of your crew members, I advise you to set off immediately.I remember this sea train is officially departing soon."
Hearing this, everyone seemed to regain their hope and immediately rushed into the rain towards the station Kokoro had mentioned.However, they were still too late.Seeing the train about to depart, Sanji volunteered to use his Moonwalk to catch up, but before leaving, he grabbed Usopp's long nose and dragged him along, crying, "No~~~~"
Usopp's scream pierced the sky.Luffy and the others, left at the station, silently mourned for Usopp's nose for three seconds before returning to discuss a plan to see if there was any other way to reach Enies Lobby.