The sky above the islands flickered to life, projecting a scene that made people stop in their tracks. Crowds gathered in the streets, tilting their heads up at the sudden broadcast. No one knew where the signal was coming from—only that something big was about to happen.
And at the center of it all?
Nico Robin.
The Demon Child. A woman with a bounty higher than most pirates dared to dream of.
The screen focused on a grinning Spandam, his golden mask glinting under the spotlight. He spread his arms wide, like a performer relishing his moment.
"People of the world! Witness history!" His voice was too loud, too eager. "Today, I—a humble servant of justice—will execute one of the most dangerous criminals to ever live!"
Behind the scenes, the CP9 agents exchanged uneasy glances. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Their missions were secret. Their faces unknown. Yet here was Spandam, broadcasting himself to the entire world like some kind of hero.
"She has five minutes to repent!" Spandam crowed, pacing around Robin like a vulture. "If she begs for mercy, I'll make her death quick! HAHAHAHA!"
Robin didn't react. Her face was calm, her eyes half-lidded, as if she'd already accepted her fate.
But the CP9 hadn't.
Kaku leaned toward Lucci, his voice low. "...We should kill Spandam and take her to the Elders ourselves. This is getting out of hand."
Lucci didn't answer, but the tension in his shoulders said enough.
Then—
BOOM.
A distant explosion rocked Enies Lobby.
The camera shook as shouts erupted from the gates.
"INTRUDERS!"
Spandam whirled around, his grin faltering for the first time. "W-What? Who dares—?!"
The screen flickered, the image wobbling as chaos unfolded.
And in that moment, every person watching held their breath.
Because if someone was bold enough to storm Enies Lobby—the impregnable fortress of the World Government—just for one woman?
Then this wasn't an execution.
It was a showdown.
The CP9 agents moved like shadows through Enies Lobby, their faces grim. This was supposed to be an impenetrable fortress—a symbol of the World Government's absolute authority. If a bunch of pirates could just waltz in like it was a vacation spot, what did that say about them?
By the time they reached the commotion, they expected to find a desperate rescue attempt—pirates fighting tooth and nail to save their captured crewmate.
What they got instead was... this.
"LUFFY! LET GO OF MY NOSE! IT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU!" Usopp screeched, flailing as Luffy stretched his arm to yank on his sniper's nose like it was a toy.
"Shishishi! But it's funny!" Luffy grinned, completely oblivious to the fact they were in the middle of enemy territory.
Nearby, Nami's eyes had turned into sparkling berries as she surveyed the government stronghold. "If I loot this whole place... I could buy my own island!" she whispered dreamily, already mentally calculating how much gold was hidden in these walls.
Then there was Zoro—or rather, wasn't Zoro, because he'd somehow managed to get lost already. Yachiru perched on his head, pointing excitedly down a random hallway.
"Zo-chan~! This way! I feel the fun is over there!"
Zoro, without hesitation, immediately charged in the wrong direction.
"Damn Mosshead! That's the opposite way!" Sanji roared, grabbing Zoro by the collar and yanking him back.
"Who are you calling a moss? you shitty cook?!"
And just like that, the two were brawling in the middle of the hallway, kicking and punching while Yachiru cheered like it was the best show she'd ever seen.
Lucci, Kaku, and the rest of CP9 stood frozen, their professional pride crumbling by the second.
"...Are they mocking us?" Blueno muttered, his eye twitching.
Kaku adjusted his glasses, as if hoping the scene would change if he looked at it differently. "I think... they're just like this."
Lucci's usually calm expression darkened. His fists clenched.
This wasn't just an invasion.
This was disrespect.
These pirates weren't even taking Enies Lobby seriously! They were treating it like a playground!
"Enough," Lucci growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Wipe them out."
The CP9 moved as one—elite assassins ready to teach these reckless pirates a brutal lesson.
But just as they lunged forward—
CRACK.
The ceiling above them shattered.
Dust filled the air as a figure dropped down right in the middle of the hallway, landing between the bickering Straw Hats and the furious CP9.
Nolan stood up slowly, brushing debris off his shoulders with a bored sigh.
Somehow even with the dust in the air, his beauty never falters.
His gaze slid right over the fuming CP9 agents as if they were particularly uninteresting street signs, landing instead on Robin tied up at the execution platform. Spandam was practically vibrating with rage nearby, but Nolan couldn't be bothered to spare him more than a passing thought.
Robin's eyes widened when she saw him, her usually composed expression cracking with disbelief. Nolan clicked his tongue, annoyed but amused.
"Robin, you fool..." he muttered, the affectionate smile ruining any attempt at sounding angry.
He started walking toward her, actually walking, no floating on his nimbus, which for Nolan was basically screaming his seriousness.
The CP9 didn't appreciate being ignored. Kaku stepped forward, finger jabbing the air. "Stop right there, pirate scum!"
Nolan kept walking, barely glancing his way. "Ever heard of Tung Tung Tung Sahur?" he asked casually.
Kaku blinked. "The hell is that supposed to-"
Whatever insult he was about to hurl got cut off as he launched himself at Nolan with a vicious overhead kick.
CLANG!
Sanji intercepted mid-air, their legs colliding with enough force to crack the stone beneath them. "Sorry to interrupt," Sanji grinned, cigarette bobbing, "but you'll have to go through me first."
And just like that, chaos erupted properly.
Luffy barreled toward Lucci with his usual reckless enthusiasm. "Shishishi! You look strong! Fight me!"
Zoro already had three swords drawn, eyeing his opponents like they were particularly annoying training dummies. "Tch. Bunch of government dogs."
Even Usopp, despite his knees knocking together, managed to puff out his chest. "Y-You guys are gonna regret messing with the great Captain Usopp!"
Nolan, meanwhile, kept walking through the battlefield like a man strolling through light rain, occasionally sidestepping a flying body or stray attack, but otherwise undisturbed in his path toward Robin.
The atmosphere across the nearby islands had completely transformed. What began as morbid curiosity about Robin's execution had turned into something far more electric the moment Nolan stepped into view.
Screens flickered, broadcasting the chaos at Enies Lobby, but no one was watching for the World Government's justice anymore.
"GO! RESCUE THE PRINCESS!"
One voice broke the silence, and suddenly, the floodgates opened.
"DO YOUR BEST, STRAWHAT!"
"BEAT THOSE GOVERNMENT DOGS!"
"YOU CAN DO IT!"
The civilians, who had been neutral observers just minutes ago, were now fully invested—not in justice, not in the Marines, but in Nolan's side. There was something about him—something that made even ordinary people want to cheer for him, as if his very presence flipped some switch in their brains.
On screen, the battle raged.
Luffy was taking a beating, still not using Gear 2, trading blows with Lucci in a brutal back-and-forth.
Zoro and Sanji were covered in sweat and blood, their opponents proving tougher than expected. The CP9's Rokushiki techniques—Shave, Moonwalk, Iron Body—made them slippery and hard to pin down.
Usopp, despite his trembling knees, was somehow still standing, though his face was a mess of bruises. "Y-You think this is enough to take down the great Captain Usopp?! THINK AGAIN!"
The CP9 weren't faring much better. Kaku's nose was bleeding from a well-placed kick from Sanji. Jabra was panting, his fur matted with sweat. Even Lucci, usually calm and collected, had a cut above his brow.
It was a close fight.
Too close.
And yet—
Nolan kept walking.
Past the brawling Straw Hats.
Past the battered CP9.
Straight toward Robin.
Spandam, watching from the execution platform, felt his confidence waver. "H-Hey! Stop him! SOMEONE STOP HIM!"
But no one did.
The ocean itself seemed to tremble with each step Nolan took. Waves crashed violently against Enies Lobby's foundations, the sky darkening to an eerie twilight as if the world itself was holding its breath. The wind howled like a wounded beast, tossing debris through the air in chaotic spirals.
Nolan moved through this maelstrom like it was nothing, his eyes locked onto Robin with terrifying focus. The entire battlefield might as well have been empty for all he cared. Spandam's furious screaming, the ongoing fights between Straw Hats and CP9 - none of it mattered.
When he finally reached the execution platform, the air grew so thick with tension that even the distant spectators found it hard to breathe. Robin couldn't meet his gaze, her usual composure shattered into something raw and vulnerable.
"Robin," Nolan's voice cut through the storm, surprisingly calm amidst the chaos. "This really your fucking decision?"
She flinched like she'd been struck.
Nolan ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Look, I get why you did this dumbass sacrifice play. But here's the thing - I fucking hate it." He gestured vaguely at the crumbling fortress around them. "All this could've been avoided if you'd just trusted me to handle this shit."
Robin opened her mouth to respond, but Nolan wasn't done. "Ah fuck it, I'm bad at this emotional crap. Bottom line - you're coming home. End of story. Anyone got a problem with that?" He finally glanced at Spandam, his pink eyes glowing faintly in the gloom. "Yeah, didn't think so."
Spandam's face twisted in rage, his pistol shaking against Robin's temple. "Y-you arrogant bastard! You think you can just waltz in here and-"
"Oi, shitstain," Nolan interrupted, his voice dropping to a dangerous purr. "Let. Her. Go."
As if responding to his anger, the sea around Enies Lobby erupted with monstrous shapes - Sea Kings of impossible size breaching the surface, their massive forms encircling the island like living siege weapons. The broadcast screens showed their terrifying silhouettes, sending waves of panic through every watching island.
Spandam's confidence wavered for just a moment before he laughed hysterically, waving the Buster Call trigger like a talisman. "Fool! You might control sea kings, but nothing survives a Buster Call! I'll reduce this entire island to ash before I let you-"
Nolan's lazy grin didn't change. "Yeah, yeah, government's big scary weapon, blah blah." He took another step forward, the ground cracking underfoot. "Here's the thing, you worthless sack of shit - I don't give a fuck about your little button."
The air itself seemed to scream in protest as Nolan's power spiked, his aura manifesting as visible dark energy that made the very light distort around him. "Press it. Call your little fleet. I'll sink every last ship before they get within ten miles of this shithole."
Robin's breath caught as she finally looked up, seeing something in Nolan's expression she'd never seen before - not anger, not frustration, but absolute, unshakable certainty.
The kind that would burn the world for her.
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