In the first half of the Grand Line.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Inside Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office, the atmosphere had been relatively calm.
Sengoku was reviewing a report concerning possible contact between Portgas D. Ace, commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division, and Blackbeard Teach. His brow was deeply furrowed.
"Blackbeard... this is your offering, isn't it?"
Sengoku sighed. "To disrupt the world order, you start with the strongest man alive?"
He took off his frog glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and reached into his drawer for a bag of senbei, preparing to enjoy a moment of peace.
Suddenly.
A sound.
An urgent, low, deeply penetrating alarm sounded without warning from the corner of the office.
Sengoku started violently, dropping the senbei on his desk. He turned in shock toward the source of the sound.
It was a special Silver Den Den Mushi. It couldn't communicate—its only function was to receive signals from its paired Golden Den Den Mushi.
The last time it had been activated was many years ago.
A Buster Call had been issued?!
Within moments of the Den Den Mushi sounding, the entire Marine Headquarters building boiled over, like a calm lake suddenly struck by a massive stone.
Sharp assembly whistles pierced the sky. Heavy footsteps echoed densely through corridors and plazas. Soldiers poured out from every corner, hurrying to their posts, their faces filled with shock and gravity.
The mobilization of ten top-class battleships, five Marine Vice Admirals, and nearly ten thousand elite Marines—even for Marine Headquarters, this took time. All of Marineford was plunged into a state of tense and orderly chaos.
"What's going on? Where's the Buster Call targeting?"
"Enies Lobby!"
"What?! Enies Lobby?!"
"Are the Emperors attacking Enies Lobby?"
Many Marine soldiers suspected one of the Emperors was making a move—after all, the last Buster Call had targeted Ohara, which was said to possess power capable of destroying the world.
Meanwhile, Commodore Brannew rushed into Sengoku's office with a document, his tone urgent:
"Fleet Admiral! This is the list of Vice Admirals currently available for immediate deployment at Headquarters!"
"Momonga, Doberman, Onigumo, Yamakaji, Strawberry. Send those five!"
"Yes sir!"
Left alone in his office, Sengoku's composure finally cracked. His expression turned extremely grim.
He slammed his fist on the desk: "What the hell is going on?!"
How many times had a Buster Call been issued in Marine history?
The last time was Ohara. And now it was Enies Lobby?
He had just spoken with Aokiji on the Den Den Mushi—Aokiji had explicitly said he was at Enies Lobby.
A Marine Admiral. Plus ten thousand garrison troops. Plus CP9's elite forces. And now they needed a Buster Call to handle the situation?
What kind of monster had come to Enies Lobby? Had one of the Emperors personally invaded?!
Sengoku's heart was filled with questions and an ominous premonition.
Enies Lobby, Front Island Plaza.
Luffy and his crew cut through the Front Island defenses like a hot knife through butter, advancing toward the Tower of Justice deep within the Main Island.
Suddenly, Luffy stopped. His gaze sharpened toward a high point in the direction of the Tower of Justice.
"I've been waiting for you."
An icy voice rang out.
Rob Lucci stepped slowly from the shadows of some ruins, blocking the path ahead of Luffy and the others.
"Straw Hat Luffy. You actually came."
Lucci gazed calmly at Luffy, his expression cold. "Are you declaring war on the World Government? I have to admire your courage."
Behind him, the CP9 members lined up in a row: Kaku, Jabra, Blueno, Fukuro, Kalifa, Kumadori. Lucci stood at the front, the others flanking him. All wore indifferent expressions.
"I never said I forgave you for taking Robin."
Luffy cracked his knuckles. "Since you said it was the World Government's order, then I'll give the World Government my answer."
Zoro and Sanji stepped forward. Behind Luffy stood Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Robin.
The two sides faced off.
Luffy's gaze swept across the CP9 members, finally settling on Lucci—but his head tilted slightly, as if sensing something.
"We'll handle these CP9 guys," Zoro said.
"Perfect chance for payback!" Sanji lit a cigarette.
Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Robin also stepped forward, each locking onto their respective opponents.
Luffy agreed.
Because aside from Lucci, he sensed a familiar presence.
"You're looking down on me?" Lucci's tone carried a chilling edge.
"I'm more interested in the person behind you," Luffy said.
Someone watching from somewhere behind.
The battlefield fell silent.
"Heh. I may have failed once, but not again."
Lucci reached to his chest and tore off his outer coat. He paced slowly, fixing his gaze on Luffy. "What was that thing I saw on the train?"
"You want to know?"
"Obviously."
Zzzzzt.
Luffy's skin and hair turned white. Steam-like white flame clouds of Haki wrapped around him. Black-red lightning crackled, erupting outward from his center. The ground beneath his feet seemed to turn to rubber, gently undulating.
Full awakening?
Not quite, by Nika's definition.
But Luffy had mastered the method to enter this state.
The aura of liberated freedom, yet filled with oppression—all who felt it couldn't help but shudder.
At the same time, black-red lightning burst forth, crashing down beside Lucci.
The smile on Lucci's face gradually twisted into something savage. "I knew it. You weren't going all out. Then this will be satisfying."
Lucci pulled a handful of pills from his pocket and shoved them into his mouth.
Now, having taken the berserker drug, his strength surged. He crved a hearty battle to prove himself, to wash away his defeat.
The tension on the battlefield instantly became tense.
The moment the words left his lips, Lucci moved. He became like a black lightning bolt, exhibiting speed far beyond before—appearing before Luffy as if teleporting. His leg swept toward Luffy with brutal force.
"Storm... Rankyaku!"
The force of his kick, many times beyond ordinary men, created a massive slash.
But Luffy dodged and surged forward.
In Lucci's pupils, the figure before him was like a white demon, its eyes crimson.
In an instant, Luffy's fist was slammed into Lucci, sending him flying.
Simultaneously, the battle between CP9 and the Straw Hats erupted.
The ground had become rubber. Any Marines who approached were struck by black-red lightning and instantly lost consciousness.
"Hey, Pigeon Guy. This is no different from before. Not satisfying at all."
***
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