Ruth and his crew managed to return from Enies Lobby thanks to Tom's help. However, along the way, it was the Fishmen of the "Sun Pirates" who did all the heavy lifting. The "Nirvana Pirates" crew had only taken down a few ordinary Marines, and now Ruth was starting to feel a bit guilty about it.
So, when they encountered the "Judicial Hounds" and the "Judgment Jury" blocking their path, Ruth and his comrades exchanged glances, intending to offer to handle the situation themselves.
But just as Ruth was about to express his willingness to take on the responsibility to Tiger, he noticed something strange—a wave of hostility was coming from all around them.
And this hostility wasn't coming from the forces guarding Enies Lobby but from the Fishmen warriors who had been fighting alongside them all this time.
"You humans sure have some nerve, following behind us quietly all this way, and now you want to steal our prey?" one of the Fishmen sneered.
"That Tom is one of our kin; what's he got to do with you humans? Just stay out of our way. When we're done here and ready to leave, we might be generous enough to take you with us."
Wood was the close friend and benefactor of the Fishman swordsman Yasuo, and with his considerable strength, even the usually arrogant Arlong was respectful toward him. But Ruth and his crew? They were nothing special. It was one thing to have them tagging along, but now that they wanted to steal the glory? Arlong wasn't going to be polite about it.
"Arlong's right! We're here to save our own, so why do you humans need to get involved? There aren't even enough of these Marines for us to split among ourselves, and you want a piece of the action? Dream on!" another Fishman warrior chimed in.
Realizing why the Fishmen were glaring at them, Ruth and his companions were left speechless.
The "Judicial Hounds" and the "Judgment Jury" weren't ordinary Marine grunts. Before deciding to stay behind and fight, Ruth had mentally prepared himself for the worst.
But now, it seemed that their so-called resolve was completely unnecessary in the eyes of the "Sun Pirates" Fishmen.
Not only did the Fishmen not appreciate their gesture, but they were also annoyed at them for getting in the way...
For crying out loud, they were supposed to be saving their own kin! If Ruth remembered correctly, the "Sun Pirates" had only come here because their captain had called for help...
And who was this Fishman Tom anyway? Did the "Sun Pirates" even know him?
"Brother Ruth, that's how things are. My kin can handle this situation. As for you, come with me to the Tower of Justice to rescue our target," Tiger said, interrupting Ruth's thoughts.
"Wood mentioned the World Government agents of CP9; I'll take care of them. Your job is to find Tom as quickly as possible and get him out of here."
With Tiger putting it like that, what choice did Ruth have? If he insisted on staying to help with the "Judicial Hounds" and the "Judgment Jury," he feared the Fishmen might just kill him and his crew along with the Marines.
All Ruth could think was that these Fishmen had to be crazy... ahem, as the rumors said, Fishmen warriors really did love fighting.
Ignoring weaker opponents, they seemed determined to take on the toughest enemies.
Given the chance to avoid a tough battle, Ruth and his crew weren't going to argue. So, they quickly left Arlong and the other Fishmen warriors to handle the situation at the courthouse while they followed Tiger to the final stronghold, the Tower of Justice.
The "Sun Pirates" were indeed formidable, and combined with the element of surprise and the fact that Gion and Garp were occupied by Wood, Enies Lobby quickly fell.
From the moment Wood and Tiger set foot on the island, it had only been an hour, and Enies Lobby was nearly conquered.
During this hour, Spandam's mental state went through quite a rollercoaster.
At first, when he heard that Wood and his crew had walked into their trap, Spandam was thrilled.
But when he learned that the "Sun Pirates" were also attacking, along with remnants of Tom's Workers, he began to worry.
However, his worry quickly subsided when he remembered that Enies Lobby was being defended by Navy heroes like Vice Admiral Garp and Rear Admiral Gion.
Sure, Fisher Tiger was the infamous Fishman who had caused havoc in Mariejois, but surely he couldn't compare to legends like the Pirate King Roger or the Golden Lion Shiki?
With this thought, Spandam relaxed again, even setting down the Den Den Mushi he had picked up earlier.
Who was Fisher Tiger? To the Fishmen, he was undoubtedly a hero, but to the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, he was a high-value criminal.
After the Mariejois incident, the World Government had ordered the Navy to hunt down these dangerous Fishmen across the seas.
Unfortunately, the Fishmen were nearly impossible to catch in the ocean, which was like their home, and Tiger's crew was exceptionally strong, so the Navy had faced multiple setbacks, eventually giving up the chase.
But now, these Fishmen were on land, and with the powerful Garp and Gion at Enies Lobby, wasn't this a golden opportunity?
Imagine the glory if he not only secured the blueprints for Pluton but also delivered Fisher Tiger to the Celestial Dragons!
There was no need to think twice. Given the hatred the Celestial Dragons had for Fisher Tiger, such a success could propel Spandam far beyond his father's status, perhaps even making him a high-ranking official within the World Government.
The "Sun Pirates" and Tiger were high-profile criminals wanted by the World Government. If Spandam alerted the government, they would undoubtedly send reinforcements.
But if that happened, Spandam knew his glory would be shared, reducing his role from capturing a notorious criminal to merely providing information.
Spandam was greedy. He wanted all the credit, and with the forces currently at Enies Lobby, he was confident they could handle it.
Unfortunately for Spandam, stationed far in the rear, his information was severely delayed. While he was busy planning for Gion to block Wood and Garp to capture Tiger and the other Fishmen, the "Sun Pirates" had already stormed the main island of Enies Lobby.
By the time a frantic soldier burst in to report the situation, Tiger and Franky were already fighting the three-headed judges at the courthouse, and they were about to reach him.
"Where's Vice Admiral Garp? Where's Rear Admiral Gion? What are they doing? Are they just letting these pirates and Fishmen run wild on Enies Lobby?" Spandam shouted in a panic, his anger directed at the messenger. How could the Navy's top forces be failing him now?
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 300+ at pat_reon.com/Betek.