"Take me with you."
Paulie came before Luffy.
"Where are they?"
"Today, the only way left to leave Water 7 is the last Sea Train. They're at the station." Paulie said.
"Fine. Then take me there immediately."
Then, Luffy turned to Nami, whose face had also gone pale: "Nami, you go find everyone else and head straight back to the Going Merry to regroup."
Nami asked instinctively, "What are you going to do?"
Shouldn't they all go together to rescue Robin at a time like this?
"I'll get Robin back. I'll do it alone. But after we get her back, there's something else we have to do."
"What?"
"Declare war on the World Government!"
"Declare... declare war?!"
On the World Government?
Paulie, standing nearby, was completely stunned by these words. He plopped down onto the ground, staring at Luffy in disbelief.
He'd recognized Luffy as the pirate with a 200 million Berry bounty, but declared war on the World Government?
That was something only a madman would say!
Even pirates with billion-berry bounties wouldn't dare do something like that.
Yet, the king-like, dignified and furious aura radiating from Luffy made Paulie involuntarily believe it.
This man in the straw hat was serious!
Luffy dragged the badly injured Paulie along, moving at high speed across Water 7's complex maze of rooftops in the direction Paulie indicated. They raced toward the last Sea Train departure of the night—the one heading to Enies Lobby.
"Faster! Go faster! The Sea Train's about to depart!"
Paulie urged anxiously, enduring his injuries.
They were now at Water 7's highest point. Below them stretched the deep night sky and the distant, brightly lit city. The wind howled fiercely. At this height, anyone would feel dizzy—a fall would absolutely mean certain death.
In the distance, a steam whistle sounded.
Paulie endured the pain and pointed toward the direction of the faint whistle: "Almost there! The last train to Enies Lobby is at the biggest station up ahead!"
Just then, that nagging voice—like a death warrant—rang untimely in Luffy's mind once more:
[Warning: Detected deviation from the Plan. Please turn back immediately...]
Luffy was silent for a moment, then grinned: "You should know what I'm thinking, right?"
The voice of the Plan paused briefly.
Then.
[Unexpected situation detected. Verifying circumstances.]
[Verification complete. Anticipated behavior aligns with the ultimate goal of becoming Pirate King. Deemed necessary! Formulating temporary schedule...]
[Temporary schedule published.]
[Objective: Rescue Robin. Declare war on the World Government!]
[Time limit: Twelve hours.]
"That's more like it!"
Luffy spat, his gaze growing even sharper.
This damn Plan was usually annoying, but at least it hadn't held him back at this critical moment. It had even provided some help.
Woo-hoo---!
The heavy steam whistle pierced through the rain and the sound of waves, growing clearer.
The two burst through a cluster of buildings and arrived at the edge of a high cliff on Water 7's outer sea side.
Below, clinging to the turbulent sea surface, a steel dragon was docked alongside the platform. The massive searchlight on its front illuminated the sea ahead brilliantly.
The train had a peculiar shape, as if it were a ship sailing on tracks. It was the legendary Sea Train—the Puffing Tom!
"That's it! It's the last one!"
Paulie shouted anxiously. He looked down at the height beneath them and felt dizzy. "It's so high—how do we get down? Running down won't make it in time!"
Luffy stood at the cliff's edge, his eyes beneath the straw hat locked onto the train that was about to depart. The corner of his mouth curled into a confident smile: "If I can see it, there's no way I won't make it!"
As his words fell, his gaze suddenly snapped toward a seemingly ordinary wall nearby. He said coldly, "Hey, you hiding over there! Come out!"
"Someone?"
Paulie was startled and looked at the wall uncertainly.
"Is someone there?"
Ripples spread across the wall as if it were water. An invisible door quietly opened, and an exceptionally sturdy man with a rough appearance, sporting a black horn-like hairstyle, stepped out.
He wore a black suit, his expression blank. It was Blueno, one of the CP9 members!
"Hello, Straw Hat Luffy,"
Blueno's deep voice rang out, carrying a warning tone from on high, "Before I leave, I've come to give you one final piece of advice."
As a spy who had infiltrated for five years, Blueno's mission was complete. Now he could finally reveal his true identity.
Before Luffy could speak—
When Paulie saw Blueno, his eyes instantly turned bloodshot. He roared, "Blueno, you bastard! Was Mr. Iceburg not good to you people?! Why did you attack Mr. Iceburg?!"
For five years, Blueno had run a tavern near Dock 1. Almost all the shipwrights were regular customers. Paulie had drunk with him countless times, considering him an acquaintance.
Blueno merely glanced at Paulie indifferently, as if he didn't matter.
To Paulie, this was like adding fuel to the fire. Thinking about how a coworker he'd trusted for years was actually a spy—and had attacked the Mr. Iceburg he respected—his rage blazed. Ignoring his injuries, he charged forward.
"You bastards!"
But another door appeared behind Blueno. He vanished instantly, reappearing behind Paulie the next second. A heavy punch sent Paulie flying, slamming him against the rooftop edge, nearly causing him to fall.
"Puh!"
Paulie spat out a mouthful of blood.
"I'm not interested in you, shipwright."
Blueno said coldly, his gaze locked on Luffy. "I came here to fulfill the agreement with Nico Robin. Your crew should stop seeking death. It would be troublesome."
"Agreement?" Luffy was so angry he laughed, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You take my nakama and then tell me not to come looking for trouble?"
"You don't know what that woman carries on her shoulders." Blueno attempted to explain—this was their usual psychological tactic.
"Shut up."
Luffy interrupted him roughly. "I'm sick of hearing that kind of talk! If you love preaching so much, go have a chat with that ice-face Aokiji!"
Aokiji?
A Marine Admiral?
For the first time, unmistakable astonishment appeared on Blueno's usually impassive face. He even wondered if he'd heard wrong.
How did this guy bring up an Admiral?
And in such a tone, no less.
Luffy wasted no more words. His gaze dropped to the port below.
Accompanied by a long steam whistle, a long, snake-like steel vehicle, undaunted by the rolling waves, steadily docked on the tracks. The massive searchlight on its front illuminated everything ahead.
"Is it about to leave?" Luffy asked.
Paulie climbed up hard, extremely anxious: "Yes! It's about to depart! If we don't move now, we won't make it!"
"I said we'll make it. Definitely."
***
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