"Roman, do you know anything about these kids?"
Even the children themselves noticed something was wrong, so this place definitely wasn't a legitimate organization.
Now was not the time to worry about the 'fun' of taking risks. Nami's sixth sense told her that Roman must know something.
"Starting four years ago, there have been reports of 'children encountering shipwrecks and pirates' in this sea area."
The White Knight pretended to think for a moment, then slowly spoke.
"The final investigation results always concluded that these were accidents, but now it seems—"
The number of children here who had been separated from their parents told a lot!
"Kidnapping!"
Nami gritted her teeth, and The White Knight shook his head.
"Not just that. There should also be—"
The white gauntlet pointed at the children, who were completely captivated by Franky and Chopper's various transformation performances.
"Experiments."
!?
"Scum!"
Nami was filled with rage. Two years in the Marines had made her familiar with justice... No, Nami had always been a person with a strong sense of justice. Otherwise, she wouldn't have faced the threat of the crocodile man, even crying in fear, yet still insisted on helping Vivi.
"Human gigantism experiments. Actually, this has been a research topic for the Marines for hundreds of years."
Roman, one of The White Knight's members, quietly explained to Nami.
"However, it kept failing, and because the Marines received the support of a group of giant Vice Admirals, this topic was abandoned. But now it seems—"
"Is the Marine... being untrustworthy?"
Nami closed her eyes. After two years in the Marines, she had seen too many Marines who sacrificed their lives for ordinary people. While she knew there were some power-hungry people in the Marines and some who didn't deserve their positions, she still believed in the core of the organization.
"Don't worry, this isn't the Marines' doing."
The White Knight shook his head.
"Don't forget my 'identity'. I'm technically part of the Marine 'higher-ups.' It's strange that even I don't know about the existence of this lab. But let's not talk about that. Let's take the kids out first. I've already sent Bolkin and the others to come this way."
Snap.
With a snap of his fingers, the flying white paper quickly assembled into thick winter clothes for the children, who were dressed only in light clothes and skirts, making them excitedly shout in joy.
"Let's go, everyone follow me!"
—————
At the entrance to the laboratory,
"Enough talk, get out of the way! We'll leave once we've searched the lab."
Smoker's request was calmly refused by Law.
"This is my territory now. No entry."
"I've been living alone on this abandoned island. What's the problem with that? If there's nothing else, please leave. There's no one else—"
"Hmm, the exit's right ahead..."
"Hey, the door's open?"
!?
A series of footsteps and voices from behind made Law's 'cold and aloof' image crack. When he turned around:
"Move out of the way, don't block the door."
??!!
As the white, ornate armor pushed the laboratory door open, behind it were Nami, Sanji, and then Brook, Franky, and Chopper, each leading a group of children.
"Yep, we're out of the lab."
"We made it—"
"We can go home and see our moms and dads~~"
As the children flooded out, Law's face turned dark, standing by the door.
"Hey, didn't you say there was no one here?"
Law had a helpless look on his face in response to Smoker's comment.
"…There was someone. I was surprised myself."
Forget the kids, how did the Straw Hat crew even get out of the lab?—Did they walk through walls!?
Law immediately figured out the 'truth'.
"Isn't that Vice Admiral Smoker?" The White Knight looked around.
"And the new Warlord of the Sea—Trafalgar Law."
"What?!"
"Vice Admiral and the Warlord of the Sea blocking the door... Can we go back and open it again?"
Chopper was shocked. It must be that we're doing it wrong!
That's right, we should have had Roman open the door on the wall...
"Don't worry, look at them staring at each other. They're probably getting ready to fight." The White Knight calmly led his armed crew through the path they cleared, guiding the children to the side.
"Come on, kids, follow us."
"We'll take you to the Marines, and they'll send you back home."
··········
"Hey!!"
Smoker, with his cigar nearly bitten in half, shot a fierce look at The White Knight.
"We are the Marines! — Pirate Straw Hat crew's strategist, 'The White Knight,' where do you think you're taking these... children?"
"Hmm, this cigar-smoking uncle says he's from the Marines."
With a gesture from The White Knight, all the children shook their heads furiously.
"Impossible! These uncles look just like pirates!"
········
It must be said that the Marines at the G-5 branch really are 'one of a kind.' Not only do they not wear Marine uniforms, but they're covered in scars and tattoos, bald, armed to the teeth, and look like they just walked out of a war zone!
Add to that Smoker, the leader, with his fierce face, his slicked-back hair, and the new scar that cuts across his entire right cheek from recent battles, and it's like...
"Bad guys!"
"Definitely pirates!"
"You can't fool us, the armored knights and robots are the good guys."
········· We really are the Marines!!
"Let's go, these uncles are going to fight here. Kids, don't watch~~"
Watching the 'Straw Hat Crew's second squad,' escorted by two rows of armed bio-suited personnel, march out with a group of children, the Marines couldn't figure things out. It was Tashigi, Smoker's subordinate, who reacted first.
"Capture the Straw Hat crew members!"
Although they didn't understand why the Straw Hat crew had come out from the lab behind the Warlord of the Sea, Trafalgar Law, with a group of giant children, the Marines' duty was clear—capture pirates.
"Tsk, I shouldn't have said nobody is at fault."
"ROOM——"
Seeing things escalate beyond his expectations, Law raised one hand and, with a swift motion, a huge transparent sphere hundreds of meters wide expanded, enveloping everyone inside.
"Command stick!"
With a flick of his finger, a warship anchored by the coast suddenly 'lifted into the air' and began hurtling toward the G-5 Marines!
"Since it's come to this, I can't let any of you leave here."
As expected, a top-tier Devil Fruit power.
Roman from The White Knight's side glanced at Law, who was showing off the 'Surgery Fruit,' capable of moving objects at will, swapping materials, transferring souls, combining life forms, and even granting immortality...
Wasn't this just the higher-level version of many Devil Fruits like the 'Swap Fruit' and 'Rubik's Cube Fruit'? No wonder it's worth 5 billion Berries—though it's practically priceless!
"You all stay here too."
"ROOM—Chaos—"
As Law aimed his sword 'Kikoku' toward the Straw Hat crew, The White Knight immediately turned, leaned forward, drew his sword, and struck!
Swish—!
With a sharp whistle, the long sword in The White Knight's hand cut through the air, unleashing a massive sword wave. But this wasn't a straight cut—it instantly spiraled into a giant swirling energy that tore and twisted in the air, forming a violent and powerful cyclone.
It gathered ice and snow like armor, and earth and stone like bones, roaring like an angry dragon as it charged toward Law with overwhelming force!
"More More—10x Spiral Sword!"
??!!
Before he could even curse, Luo quickly used a substitution technique to disappear from his original spot, and a rock appeared in his place! However, the poor rock didn't even have a chance to hit the ground before it was instantly shredded into dust by The White Knight's spinning sword light.
"Hey, hey, hey, this power is no joke."
Luo watched as the icy, snowy, and rocky "dragon" shot across the battlefield, leaving a massive, straight trench hundreds of meters long in its wake before diving into the sea. He broke into a cold sweat, shocked.
Originally, he had just meant to lightly attack the Straw Hat crew, but he never expected...
"Well, your ability is just too dangerous."
The White Knight, swinging his sword, stood in front of Luo. The "Ope Ope no Mi" (Surgical Fruit) was incredibly overpowered. Unless someone used full-body Armament Haki, they would be instantly cut apart in both body and spirit by his abilities. It was the true meaning of "being the knife, while I am the fish."
As for the "second squad" of the Straw Hat crew, besides Luo himself, only Sanji could cover his legs with Haki. The others... well, let's not mention them.
"
"Let my friends and the children leave peacefully, and I won't make a move.
The White Knight twirled his sword gracefully.
"Otherwise, I'll have to step in as 'The White Knight,' strategist of the Straw Hat crew."
"Forget it, I have more important things to do."
After a moment of thought, Luo directly turned toward the Marines' direction. His sword "Oni Kiri" stood before him as he swung it with one hand.
"ROOM—Scan!"
With a loud sound, a whole bunch of Marine Den Den Mushi (transponder snails) appeared out of nowhere behind Luo, causing Roman in The White Knight to raise an eyebrow.
Stealing in front of your face—how does that make you feel?
"Ro... ahem, The White Knight!"
Having already left Luo's "ROOM" range, Nami turned and shouted loudly, and The White Knight easily jumped back out of her ability's range, then nodded toward Nami, Zoro, and Sanji.
"Let's go. We'll settle the kids first."
As for the Marine versus the Seven Warlords of the Sea drama, Roman didn't even need to watch to know the outcome. After all:
Smoker, with his Devil Fruit that was based on hand-to-hand combat, was no match for the overwhelming power of the "Surgical Fruit."
---
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