"What do you mean I'm fine…? That punch from Vice Admiral Garp just broke three of my ribs," Wood groaned, his earlier excitement from finding the Pluton blueprints quickly fading as he pushed aside the rubble and saw the sails of the warships that now surrounded Enies Lobby. Any sense of relief evaporated.
It was clear that during his intense fight with Garp, Wood had completely overlooked the World Government reinforcements that were closing in. Now, the entire island was surrounded.
And it wasn't just that they were surrounded—Garp's last punch had really done a number on Wood. Not only were three of his ribs broken, but the high-intensity battle had severely drained his stamina.
"With the way the World Government operates, if you told them you're a Navy spy, you'd probably be dragged back to one of their interrogation facilities for some serious torture," Garp said, his tone grim. "Don't count on Sengoku to bail you out. His influence means nothing to the Five Elders. You need to focus on escaping. This is my mess, so I'll take care of one of the warships to the northwest. You can use that as your exit point."
Wood couldn't afford to be captured. If he was, his fate would be nothing short of tragic—whether or not he really was a Navy spy. The fact that he had called on the help of criminals like Fisher Tiger and now possessed the Pluton blueprints meant that the World Government would never let him go.
Even Sengoku himself wouldn't be able to save Wood if the World Government decided to go after him. Destroying World Government warships was a serious crime, but Garp's status was extraordinary. Although he wasn't the Fleet Admiral, his position might even be more respected.
If Garp had killed a Celestial Dragon, there'd be no escape from execution. But destroying a few warships and taking out some intelligence officers? Garp might lose his rank, but he probably wouldn't be executed.
Gion didn't say anything, but the way she silently drew her sword, Konpira, made her stance clear.
"Don't be reckless," Wood said, his tone weary. "Things might be looking bad for me right now, but it's not worth turning against the entire World Government. After this, I'll probably end up on their blacklist anyway…"
Wood's expression was one of resignation as he spoke, and as he did, the runes on his chest began to glow with a silvery light, something that didn't escape the notice of Gion and Garp, who looked on in surprise.
"Sir, we've reached Enies Lobby, but the lookout reports that over half the island's structures have been destroyed, and the defensive forces are in total disarray," an officer reported to the CP0 commander aboard one of the many warships that had arrived. "Vice Admiral Garp and Rear Admiral Momousagi are still engaged in combat with the enemy."
The World Government had sent a fleet of thirty warships to reinforce Enies Lobby, most of which were filled with low-ranking intelligence officers—little more than cannon fodder. The highest-ranking officer, however, was none other than the head of CP0, an individual whose status was equivalent to that of the Navy's Fleet Admiral.
In fact, as a direct subordinate of the World Government, the CP0 commander's rank was arguably higher than the Fleet Admiral's.
The CP0 commander frowned at the report, clearly displeased. He was about to send more troops to the island to gather information when a figure suddenly appeared on their ship.
"There's no need to send anyone else. The defensive forces on Enies Lobby have already been decimated," Garp announced, suddenly standing on the deck with an unconscious Spandam slung over his shoulder. "The only ones left on the island are the Navy traitor Wood, who's currently locked in battle with Rear Admiral Momousagi."
"Wood's strength is on par with that of a high-ranking Navy Vice Admiral. Any ordinary soldier would be throwing their life away by engaging him. But you CP0 agents, the so-called 'strongest shield of the Celestial Dragons,' might just stand a chance."
Garp wasn't alone—he had brought Spandam with him as a captive. His explanation was that he had been busy protecting Spandam, the highest authority on Enies Lobby, which was why he hadn't been able to continue fighting.
He also made it clear that it wasn't the Navy's fault that things had gone wrong; the problem lay with the incompetence of the forces stationed on Enies Lobby.
Despite having over ten thousand soldiers, including elite units like the Judicial Hounds and the Jury of Guilty Verdicts, they had been overrun by a few hundred Fish-Men.
Garp claimed that he and Gion had been on the verge of capturing Wood and severely injuring Tiger, but they had been let down by the island's defenses. The entire force had crumbled under the assault of a few hundred Fish-Men, and even their highest-ranking officer had been taken hostage. Enies Lobby, one of the World Government's three great institutions, had thoroughly disgraced itself.
Spandam, still unconscious, couldn't defend himself against these accusations. And in truth, most of what Garp said was accurate. Without Garp and Gion, Enies Lobby would have been helpless against Wood and the Sun Pirates.
And Spandam really had been taken hostage. As for Tiger's injuries, who could say if they were really caused by Gion?
"Speaking of which, doesn't the World Government owe the Navy an explanation?" Garp continued. "We were told that we were coming here to capture the traitor Wood and assist Spandam with his mission. But Fisher Tiger, the man who attacked Mary Geoise, being here? That's news to us.
"Sure, Shipwright Tom is a Fish-Man, but would Tiger really risk so much just to save one of his kind? It makes you wonder if the World Government is hiding something from us—like maybe there's more to Tom than meets the eye…"
Garp's speculation was cut short as the CP0 commander raised a hand to silence him.
"Garp, mind your place," the CP0 leader said coolly. "The Navy was sent here by the World Government to assist, nothing more. Don't go digging into things that don't concern you."
Had it been anyone other than Garp standing before him, the CP0 commander wouldn't have even bothered with an explanation.
The World Government wasn't surprised by the Sun Pirates' sudden appearance. After all, Fisher Tiger was notorious for his willingness to do anything for his fellow Fish-Men, including storming Mary Geoise. Compared to the World Government headquarters, Enies Lobby was a relatively minor target.
And if Tom really did possess the Pluton blueprints, the World Government wouldn't be surprised if the Fish-Men were interested in such a powerful weapon, given the long-standing animosity between humans and Fish-Men.