"Strange… why is the main gate open?"
At the inner island's gate, the guards stared in confusion toward the main entrance.
Enies Lobby's main gate rarely opened fully. Normally, it was only swung wide for someone important.
"The main gate, the main gate what's going on over there?" one guard asked, grabbing a Den Den Mushi.
But on the other end, there was nothing. Silence. Absolute silence.
Immediately, they sensed something was wrong.
"Damn it… could the main gate have already fallen?"
"Quick, send someone to check!"
"Hey, who are you? Stop right there!" One guard noticed someone running and shouted at Luffy. "Did you open the main gate?!"
"The main gate?"
Luffy paused and glanced back, confused. Only then did he realize the gate behind him had somehow been opened.
"It was me," Zian said, appearing suddenly beside him.
"Zian, you opened it?!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Mm," Zian nodded. "Opening the gate makes it easier for them to get in. Didn't we plan this earlier?"
Luffy blinked. A plan? What plan?
"You two talking to yourselves over there?!" a Navy soldier roared. "Who gave you permission to run wild? Get down on the ground!"
Luffy and Zian exchanged a glance, then spoke in unison. "We refuse!"
"You actually dare refuse…"
"Wait, that's him! That's the Straw Hat with a bounty of 100 million berries Luffy!"
"What?!"
"Quick, wake up Oimo and Kashii!"
An enemy with a bounty of 100 million wasn't something they could handle alone. And the guy in the vest said more enemies were coming.
With their strength, they couldn't stop him. They had to summon the two giants.
"Gomu Gomu no Gatling!"
Boom!
A flurry of fists rained forward, blasting a chunk of soldiers away.
After that, Luffy grabbed the high door ring. "Zian, this is your part."
"Got it!"
"Damn it, stop right there!"
The Navy watched helplessly as the intruders crossed the gate with ease. Panic filled their eyes they had failed in their duty, and Captain Spandam would likely execute them for this. Guarding the gate poorly meant certain doom.
"Where are you looking?"
"Don't underestimate us!" a soldier shouted. "Straw Hat Luffy is one thing, but you an unknown nobody how dare you face so many of us alone?!"
"Attack! Kill him!"
"Heh… underestimating me, huh," Zian muttered, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "This is the downside of having no bounty. Even with strength, no one knows you exist."
Still, no matter. After this mission, his bounty should rise considerably. After all… this was Enies Lobby.
Zian eyed the approaching Navy. "Though I bear no grudge against you, since you stand in opposition, I apologize in advance."
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Boom!
A massive fireball formed in front of Zian, surging forward with scorching heat.
"A Devil Fruit user!"
"Someone… help me…"
"It's burning!"
Boom!
One strike and an entire group of soldiers was wiped out. The ground scorched black, smoke rising from their unconscious forms.
"Someone with this level of strength can't be a nobody… who are you?!" the Navy cried, terrified.
A casually thrown attack had eliminated so many at once.
"Fire… could he be Ace, the Fire Fist?"
"Impossible… I've seen Ace. This isn't him."
"Damn… how can someone this strong have no bounty?"
"I'm just… an ordinary ninja," Zian said, scratching his ear. "Enough small talk. Who knows where Nico Robin is?"
"How would we know something like that?"
"Exactly. Even if we did, we wouldn't tell you, you evil pirate!"
The Navy seethed with anger, unwilling to yield, despite facing someone seemingly unbeatable. Some things, however, they had no choice but to endure.
"Evil pirate…" Zian shook his head. "Again with that line."
"Forget it. Let's just "
Swoosh!
Before he could finish, two massive figures leapt from behind the gate, blocking the sunlight for a moment.
Boom!
The ground shook violently as they landed, the weight of their presence unmistakable.
"Oimo, someone dared attack here today. Unexpected," Zian said, looking up at the towering giants.
"Right, Kashii," Oimo replied. "Doesn't matter. We'll just crush them."
"Quickly finish this. I want to go back to sleep," Kashii added, annoyed at being woken abruptly in the middle of the night.
"Oh-ho~"
Giants. Zian craned his neck to study them. He had never seen the Elbaf giants up close. Nearly twenty meters tall, though how they compared to the ones in Little Garden remained unknown.
"Perfect. Oimo and Kashii!"
"Move, big guy, take him down!"
"Got it, got it. Noisy lot," Oimo grumbled. If their captain weren't locked in the underwater prison, why would the Elbaf Giant Crew still be here guarding the gate? Forget that they'd handle the immediate threat first.
"Kid, surrender or we'll kill you ourselves," Kashii said, hefting his massive axe, eyes filled with murderous intent. Anyone daring to block them from rescuing their captain was their enemy.
Zian ignored him, instead using his Sharingan to control a few soldiers to open the gate.
Then he looked at Kashii. "Just because someone is bigger doesn't mean they're stronger."
"Maybe, but that doesn't include you!" Kashii roared, swinging his axe toward Zian.
If the opponent refused to surrender, they'd have to kill him.
Boom!
The impact smashed the ground, leaving a massive crater.
"Hmph, that'll pulverize him," Oimo snorted.
The strength of the giants wasn't a joke. Any ordinary person struck would be reduced to minced flesh.
"Pulverized? Not quite enough~"
"What?!"
Kashii's eyes widened. Zian had somehow appeared in midair, evading the strike.
"Now, taste the strength of a human."
"Monster Fist!"
Boom!