Cherreads

Chapter 18 - Everyone’s Here!

Jabra was furious, instinctively about to curse back—but before he could, Jin had already turned his head away, completely ignoring him.

That single act nearly made Jabra's face turn purple from rage.

"Robin, you heard all of that, didn't you?" Jin said as he looked at Nico Robin.

Robin didn't reply. Her expression was tangled with emotion.

She couldn't understand why this newly joined companion of the Straw Hat Pirates would go this far… all for her sake.

She had heard it clearly just now.

This man intended to challenge the Buster Call.

That was the Buster Call…

A force capable of erasing an entire island.

"Hahahahaha! This is amazing!!" Franky burst into laughter.

"Now this is what a real man should do!"

Challenging the Buster Call—this guy really had guts.

And yet… why did it make him feel so fired up?

Franky, who feared nothing under the heavens, was completely swept up by Jin's words.

If they truly managed to defeat the Buster Call, then the Straw Hat Pirates would create a legend!

Whether it was storming Enies Lobby head-on—

or destroying the Buster Call—

both would shatter records the World Government had maintained for eight hundred years!

"Why… why do you have to do this…" Robin bit her lip, her voice trembling.

"I've already said it… why would you go this far… for someone like me…"

"I've already done this much, and you still can't change your mind?" Jin frowned.

"Just how heavy is the burden pressing on your heart?"

"Hmph, now you understand."

Spandam, who had followed CP9 out, sneered at Jin.

"As long as I control the Buster Call, this woman won't dare do anything extra."

Just then, Luffy's voice echoed from outside the window.

"Hey!"

"Jin, are you there?!"

"Robin!!"

"That voice is—Luffy?!" Robin's pupils shrank.

He had really made it this close?!

"Looks like they're moving fast too," Jin said calmly.

Peering through the gap beside him, he could clearly see Luffy standing atop the roof of the judicial tower.

Thanks to the chaos Jin's shadow clones had caused across the inner island, Luffy and the others hadn't encountered much resistance.

Even within the courthouse itself, many guards had already been taken out by Jin along the way.

"Heh, so they really did make it here," Kaku sneered.

"Pirate, is this why you're so confident?"

"Of course," Jin replied.

"I've always believed Luffy and the others would reach this place."

Then he turned to Robin.

"Let's go. Since Luffy's already here, whatever you're thinking—you can say it to him yourself."

Two cold flashes of steel swept through the air.

Franky's and Robin's chains were instantly severed.

As the shackles hit the ground, Spandam's expression darkened.

Was this man deliberately provoking them?

But fortunately—

Seastone was as hard as diamond.

Without the special key, those handcuffs could never be opened.

"Haha! Finally free!" Franky cheered.

Being bound like that had been miserable.

Now that he was free, he was ready to help the ninja guy smash these bastards to pieces!

But before he could say anything—

Jin grabbed both Franky and Robin.

And vanished in an instant.

The pupils of the CP9 members shrank sharply.

"Damn it—where did they go?!" Spandam shouted.

"Over there," Fukurokuju pointed toward the window.

"On the balcony."

They hadn't escaped—only moved to the balcony outside.

It looked like they intended to talk things through with Straw Hat Luffy.

With that thought, all of CP9 moved over as well.

They stopped behind Jin, gazing outward toward the distant figure of Straw Hat.

"Well, that makes sense," Spandam nodded.

"At that distance, escaping with two people wouldn't be easy."

Even if he didn't understand how the man had gotten here, there was no way he could carry two prisoners across such a gap.

"Robin!"

"Jin!"

Luffy waved excitedly.

"I'm here!"

"Hey! Don't forget about me!"

"Oh. Franky."

Franky: "..."

Was he just an add-on?!

"Haha, wait a second—I'll come over right now!" Luffy judged the distance.

"It's a bit far, but I think I can try!"

With the power of the Gum-Gum Fruit, maybe he really could leap across.

"Wait!" Robin shouted.

"Who asked you to come save me?!"

"I don't want to live anymore—don't you understand that?!"

Luffy froze.

The hand gripping the rooftop loosened… then slowly fell.

"…Even now, you're still saying things like that?" Franky stared at her in disbelief.

"I've never seen someone this stubborn."

"What are you even thinking?!" Franky pointed at Jin, then at Luffy.

"This ninja guy is willing to challenge the World Government's Buster Call for you!"

"And Straw Hat and the others fought their way all the way here!"

"And now you say this?!"

"Hahahahaha! How interesting!" Spandam burst into laughter.

"Companions travel thousands of miles to rescue her—yet this woman doesn't even have the courage to resist!"

"This is hilarious!"

"Have you ever seen something this entertaining? Pirates tearing themselves apart!"

"I really want to see Straw Hat's expression right now—"

"Seriously… what's all this talk about dying…"

Luffy said casually, picking his nose.

Spandam: "???"

He was… picking his nose?!

This woman was rejecting him outright—and this idiot wasn't even reacting?!

"I'm saying, Robin," Luffy continued calmly,

"since we're already here…"

"Whether you live or die can wait until after we save you."

Boom!!

A massive crash echoed as the floor behind them was smashed open.

Nami and Chopper shot out through the hole.

"Aah—!"

"Safe landing!" Nami said, letting out a breath.

Thud.

"Not really safe…" Chopper groaned from the ground.

Next, Zoro climbed out of the hole, rubbing his head.

"Told you—this way's the fastest."

"You bastard!" Nami yelled.

If they hadn't been lucky, they'd have been cut down by his slash earlier.

"It worked, didn't it?" Zoro replied calmly.

Nami: "???"

Boom!!

"I'm here!" Sanji burst through the floor with a flying kick, landing in a stylish pose.

"I'm definitely the first one here, right~?"

Then he noticed Zoro staring at him with open disdain.

"Oh? The curly-brow showed up late?" Zoro sneered.

"Get lost again?"

Sanji: "???"

"How the hell are you saying that?!"

Sanji instantly exploded. "You moss-head bastard!!"

"Tch."

"You asking for it?!"

"Hey—catch me!!"

Usopp suddenly shot up from below, screaming—then slammed face-first into the floor.

"W-Why didn't anyone catch me…?"

"Are you okay, Sniper King?!" Chopper rushed over.

"…They actually made it here," Kalifa murmured in disbelief.

"How did they pass the Aqua Laguna?"

"It seems that man wasn't just boasting," Blueno said quietly, glancing at Jin.

"At the very least… they do have real strength."

To storm Enies Lobby head-on—

That alone proved the Straw Hat Pirates' power.

And that man's resolve…

His determination to face the Buster Call—

might very well be real.

◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment

◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.

◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested:

patreon.com/ZoroTL442

More Chapters