The battle outside the Tower of Justice had become less of a war and more of a spectator sport for the Straw Hat Pirates' tactician.
Ben sat comfortably on the massive shoulder of Dory the Blue Ogre. He had conjured a small, floating table with his Creation quirk to hold his cola and a bowl of popcorn. Below him, Oimo and Kashii were playing "whack-a-marine" with their clubs, keeping the perimeter clear with laughable ease.
"Update, Merry," Ben said, popping a kernel into his mouth.
On the deck of the Going Merry, which hovered nearby like a watchful mothership, Mini Merry spun in her captain's chair. The holographic screens reflected in her aviator sunglasses showed multiple feeds from the Kimoyo Beads.
"Yo Papa," Merry's voice was crisp, utilizing the street-style nicknames she had adopted. "The underbosses are cleaning up. We are moving to the Main Events. The Heavy Muscle brackets are live. Spectator count: One very scared government."
"Give me the feed on the Cook," Ben ordered.
"Patching you in to Sector 5: The Kitchens. Player: The Black Leg. Opponent: Jabra the Wolf. Current Status: It's heating up."
The kitchen of Enies Lobby was a culinary warzone. Pots, pans, and expensive ingredients lay scattered across the tiled floor.
Jabra, fully transformed into his Wolf-Human hybrid form, panted heavily. His claws scraped against the stone floor. He was a master of Tekkai Kenpo—the ability to move while his body was hard as iron. He was supposed to be untouchable.
But the man standing across from him didn't seem to care.
Sanji stood amidst the wreckage, adjusting his royal blue shirt and black tie. He took a long, slow drag from his cigarette. He looked impeccable, his suit barely wrinkled.
"Is that it?" Sanji asked, exhaling a plume of smoke that formed a skull in the air. "I thought you were a wolf. You fight more like a stray dog."
"You arrogant brat!" Jabra roared. "Don't look down on CP9! I have the highest Tekkai mastery in the group! My body is harder than steel!"
"Harder than steel?" Sanji scoffed. He tapped the ash off his cigarette. "I've been kicking lightning for two months. Steel feels like pudding."
Jabra snarled. "I'll shred you! Rankyaku: Lupus Four!"
Jabra kicked the air four times in rapid succession. Four wolf-shaped blasts of compressed air screamed toward Sanji, tearing up the floor tiles.
Sanji didn't dodge. He vanished.
WHOOSH.
To the naked eye, he was gone. To an observer with Haki, he was a blur of high-speed movement. He appeared in the air above the air blades, spinning.
"Collier Shoot!"
Sanji's heel came down like a guillotine. He smashed the air blades into nothingness with sheer kinetic force, then continued his descent toward Jabra.
Jabra crossed his arms. "Tekkai: Go!" (Iron Body: Strength).
BOOM!
Sanji's heel struck Jabra's guard. The impact sent a shockwave through the kitchen that shattered every window. The floor beneath Jabra cracked and caved in.
"Heavy..." Jabra grunted, his knees buckling. "But not enough to break me!"
"I'm not trying to break you yet," Sanji whispered, his face inches from the wolf's snout. "I'm just tenderizing the meat."
Sanji kicked off Jabra's arms, flipping backward and landing gracefully.
"You talk big," Jabra growled, straightening up. "But physical attacks won't work! I can harden instantly!"
"Then let's try something else," Sanji said. He lifted his right leg.
He didn't spin. He didn't generate friction. He simply willed it.
The heat from his spirit, honed in the Time Chamber battles against Enel, ignited.
FWOOSH.
His leg didn't just catch fire. It turned a blinding, brilliant white-orange. The heat was instantaneous and overwhelming. The water in the spilled pots on the floor evaporated into steam instantly. The air shimmered.
"Diable Jambe..." Sanji murmured.
"What is that heat?!" Jabra stepped back, sweat pouring down his fur. "You're burning up!"
"The heat of passion," Sanji said coolly. "And the heat of hell."
Sanji vanished again.
"Soru!" Jabra panicked, trying to move away.
But Sanji was already there. He was faster than Soru. He was faster than sight.
"Premier Hachis!"
Sanji unleashed a barrage of kicks. But these weren't normal kicks. Each impact was like a molten meteor strike.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
"HOT! HOT! IT BURNS!" Jabra screamed. His Tekkai was useless. The heat was melting his defense, cooking him through his iron skin.
"Tekkai won't save you!" Sanji roared.
He spun one last time, the white fire on his leg flaring into a sun-like brilliance.
"Diable Jambe: Flambage Shot!"
He drove his heel into the side of Jabra's face.
CRACK-SIZZLE.
The sound of breaking bone mixed with the sound of searing meat.
Jabra was launched. He flew across the kitchen, smashed through the stone wall, flew through the hallway, and crashed through the outer wall of the tower, plummeting into the abyss below.
Sanji landed. He shook his leg, extinguishing the flames. He adjusted his tie.
"Overcooked," Sanji critiqued. "Too tough. Would not recommend."
He tapped his bead. "Merry-chan. The wolf has been served."
---
"OHHH!" Mini Merry jumped up in her chair. "That was spicy! Papa, did you see the DPS numbers? The Black Leg just melted his armor rating! Critical Heat Damage! Jabra has been vote-kicked from the lobby!"
"Nice," Ben nodded. "One down. How's the Swordsman?"
"Patching feed to Sector 4: The Library. Player: The Ronin. Opponent: Kaku the Giraffe. Current Status: It's getting weird."
The library was a mess of shredded paper and broken shelves.
Kaku, in his Giraffe-Human form, stood in the center of the room. He was square. Literally. He had retracted his long neck and limbs into his body to create a dense, blocky shape.
"Pasta Machine!" Kaku announced.
Zoro stood opposite him, Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri in hand, Wado Ichimonji in his mouth. He stared at the square giraffe.
"You look like a squared-off nightmare," Zoro said, his voice muffled by the sword. "Do I cut you or stack you?"
"Do not mock the Pasta Machine!" Kaku shouted. His neck suddenly shot out, not from his shoulders, but stretching incredibly long. "Kilimanjaro!"
He swung his neck like a whip, aiming to smash Zoro.
Zoro didn't move his feet. He just leaned his head to the side.
Whoosh.
The giraffe head missed him by an inch.
"You have range," Zoro admitted. "But you lack edge."
"I have plenty of edge!" Kaku spun, his four legs creating a whirlwind of slashing attacks. "Rankyaku: Amanedachi!" (Circular Tempest Kick).
A massive, circular blade of compressed air cut through the entire library. It sliced the ceiling in half. It sliced the bookshelves in half. The entire top of the tower groaned, threatening to slide off.
Zoro watched the attack coming. It was fast. It was sharp.
"Not bad," Zoro grinned.
He sheathed his two hand-swords. He gripped the Wado Ichimonji with both hands.
His aura flared. It wasn't green anymore. It was a deep, metallic purple—the color of high-grade Armament Haki.
"One Sword Style..."
Zoro stepped into the Rankyaku.
To Kaku's shock, Zoro didn't dodge. He swung his sword directly at the air blade.
"...360 Pound Cannon!"
CLANG!
Zoro's slash met Kaku's air blade. And shattered it. The compressed air broke like glass, scattering harmlessly around Zoro.
"Impossible!" Kaku gasped. "You cut my Rankyaku?!"
"I told you," Zoro re-drew his other two swords. "I've been cutting lightning. Air is nothing."
Zoro charged.
"Santoryu!"
Kaku panicked. He unleashed a barrage of nose-pistols. "Bigan! Bigan! Bigan!"
Zoro deflected every single thrust with casual ease. Clang. Clang. Clang. He was walking forward through the storm of attacks, his eyes locked on Kaku's chest.
"You're a swordsman," Zoro said, his voice cold. "But you rely too much on your fruit. Your swords are crying."
Zoro stopped right in front of Kaku. The giraffe loomed over him.
"I'll show you," Zoro whispered. "The weight of a real blade."
Zoro's spirit exploded. Behind him, a dark, illusionary avatar appeared—a three-headed, six-armed demon. Asura.
But this Asura was different. It was clad in the same black suit Zoro wore. It looked professional. It looked like a hitman from hell.
"Kiki Kyutoryu: Asura..."
Kaku froze, paralyzed by the killing intent. "What... what are you?!"
"...Ichibugin!" (Silver Mist)
Zoro dashed past Kaku.
For a second, there was silence.
Then, Kaku's giraffe form sprayed blood from nine distinct slash wounds.
"Splendid..." Kaku whispered.
He fell forward, transforming back into his human form as he hit the ground, unconscious.
Zoro sheathed his swords with a sharp click. He adjusted his sunglasses.
"Sorry," Zoro muttered. "I have a rescue to finish."
He tapped his bead. "Merry. The giraffe is down. Where's the exit?"
"Turn left, Uncle Zoro!" Merry chirped. "No, your other left! The one without the wall! STOP WALKING INTO THE BOOKSHELF!"
---
"Double Kill!" Merry cheered, throwing her hands up. "The Ronin just speed-ran the mini-boss! Flawless victory! Papa, the path to the top is clear!"
Ben smiled, finishing his cola. "Good. The boys did their job. Now... let's check on the Angel."
"Target located," Merry's voice turned serious. "Spandam is retreating across the Bridge of Hesitation. He thinks his crew is still holding the line. He's trying to cross to the Gates."
"Switching feed," Merry adjusted her glasses. "This is gonna be good. Trigger warning: Graphic violence against incompetent leadership."
---
Spandam was running. He was running as fast as his cowardly legs could carry him.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Spandam screamed, clutching his broken nose.
He looked back at the Tower of Justice. It was smoking. Explosions were rocking the foundation.
Spandam shrieked. "I have to get to the Gates! Once I cross, I'm safe! I'll have the Admirals protect me!"
He turned back to the massive Gates of Justice looming ahead. He was halfway across the bridge. He was almost there.
FLAP. FLAP.
A sound reached his ears. Like heavy fabric beating against the wind.
Spandam stopped. He looked up.
Descending from the sky, silhouetted against the eternal sun, was a figure.
It was Nico Robin.
But she wasn't running. She wasn't climbing. She was flying.
From her back, hundreds of arms had sprouted, weaving together, layering over one another to form two massive, angelic wings made of flesh and bone.
"Cien Fleur: Wing."
She glided down, landing softly on the stone bridge directly in front of Spandam, blocking his path to salvation.
Her eyes were no longer filled with the terror of the past. They were cold. They were sharp. They were the eyes of a woman who had decided to live.
"You..." Spandam gasped, backing away. "Nico Robin!"
He fumbled for his sword—Funkfreed, the elephant sword. "Stay back! I am the Chief of CP9! I have the authority to execute you right now!"
Robin looked at him. She didn't flinch. She took a step forward.
"Authority?" Robin asked, her voice calm and deadly. "You have nothing, Spandam. Your assassins are being beaten. Your flag is burned. And your Buster Call means nothing to me anymore. My captain declared war on the world for me."
"I... I..." Spandam trembled. He pulled out Funkfreed. "Transform! Elephant Ivory Rush!"
The sword transformed into an elephant, charging at Robin with tusks bared.
Robin crossed her arms.
"Mil Fleur..."
A thousand hands sprouted from the bridge itself. They wrapped around the elephant's legs, trunk, and body.
"...Gigantesco Mano!"
The small hands merged, forming two gigantic hands the size of a giant's. They grabbed the elephant-sword and slammed it into the ground.
CRASH.
Funkfreed squealed and transformed back into a sword, fainting from the impact.
On the Going Merry, Ben pressed his comms. "Merry, tell Auntie Robin to secure that sword. It ate a Devil Fruit. I want it."
"Roger that, Papa!" Merry relayed the message. "Angel Robin! Secure the loot! Papa wants the elephant-sword!"
Robin heard the voice in her ear. She glanced at the unconscious sword. With a swift motion of her powers, a hand sprouted from the ground, grabbed Funkfreed.
Now, Spandam stood alone. He was defenseless.
"P-Please!" Spandam begged, holding up his hands. "Wait! We can make a deal! I can get your bounty revoked! I can give you a pardon!"
"I don't want a pardon," Robin said, walking closer. "I want retribution."
"You can't hurt me!" Spandam shrieked. "My father is Spandine! The World Government will hunt you forever! I am a hero!"
"You," Robin stopped a few feet away from him, "are a mistake."
She raised her hand.
"Seis Fleur: Clutch."
Six arms sprouted directly from Spandam's body. Two grabbed his legs. Two grabbed his arms. Two grabbed his neck.
He was locked in place. He couldn't move. He was at her mercy.
"Don't!" Spandam cried. "Mercy!"
Robin smiled. It wasn't a nice smile. It was the smile of a demon who finally found the sinner.
"For Ohara," Robin whispered.
SLAP.
An arm sprouted from his shoulder and slapped him across the face.
"OW!"
SLAP.
Another arm sprouted from his chest and slapped him from the other side.
"STOP!"
SLAP. SLAP. SLAP.
Robin didn't break his neck immediately. That would be too easy. Instead, she sprouted thirty arms all over his body.
"Treinta Fleur: Strangle... and Slap."
The arms began to pummel him. It was a barrage of slaps, punches, and pinches. It was humiliating. It was painful. It was justice.
On the Merry, Mini Merry stared at the screen. Her eyes widened.
"Whoa..." Merry muttered. "Auntie Robin is going hardcore."
She quickly turned to Caroo, who was watching over her shoulder.
"CENSORSHIP PROTOCOL!" Merry yelled.
She slammed a button. On the holographic screen, a giant pixelated bar appeared over Spandam's body as Robin went to work.
"Viewer Discretion Advised!" Merry shouted. "This content is rated M for Mature! Caroo, avert your eyes! This is too violent for ducks!"
"QUACK?!" Caroo covered his eyes with his wings, trembling.
"OHHH! THE COMBO!" Merry screamed into the mic, watching the uncensored data feed in her own brain. "Left, right, slap! Slap! Slap! The Demon Child has him in a stun-lock! He can't tech out of it! This is bullying! I love it!"
Back on the bridge, Spandam was a weeping, bruised mess.
"I'm sorry!" Spandam wailed through swollen lips. "I'm sorry I was born!"
"Apology rejected," Robin said.
She crossed her arms one last time.
"Cien Fleur..."
A hundred arms sprouted. They twisted Spandam's body into a shape that the human spine was definitely not designed for.
"...DELPHINIUM!"
She threw him. She didn't just break his back; she launched him down the Bridge of Hesitation, rolling him like a bowling ball until he crashed into the far gate.
Spandam lay there, twitching. Unconscious. Defeated.
Robin exhaled slowly. She brushed a strand of hair from her face. She looked at the sky. The eternal sun of Enies Lobby seemed a little brighter.
"Target neutralized," Robin said into her bead. Her voice was light. Free.
"FATALITY!" Merry shouted. "FLAWLESS VICTORY! The Demon Child wins! The boss has been deleted!"
"Good job, Robin," Ben's voice came through warm and proud. "Head back to the extraction point. We're leaving soon."
"Understood," Robin replied. She sprouted her wings again.
She took flight, soaring back toward the main island, leaving the broken body of the man who tried to chain her behind in the dust. She wasn't running away anymore. She was flying home.