For those of you who didn't understand, or only watched the battles, let me break it down. Enies Lobby wasn't just about action. The arc was so perfectly crafted that every single member of the crew went through major character development. From physique to psyche, technique to mindset—even the Going Merry itself, who grew old and reached its end. Everyone evolved in their own way, and that growth was essential.
So, why does Coby allow things like Usopp's beating to happen? It's not because he doesn't care, and it's not about a lack of strength. It's far deeper than that. There are reasons tied to the entire crew's growth, things that can't be simplified into a quick answer. If I were to break down every reason and the long-term impacts on the crew, it would take almost an entire chapter's worth of explanation.
What matters is that each crew member faces their own battles—literal and personal—and Coby, knowing when to step in and when to hold back, respects that. Sometimes, pain and struggle are part of the journey, as we saw at Enies Lobby, and Coby understands this better than most.
--A quick note—I'm dealing with a nasty illness right now, so unfortunately, I couldn't publish yesterday.
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--xLOVEx--
As they rounded a corner a few streets down, they spotted Usopp. The sight made them stop dead in their tracks. Usopp was lying on the ground, beaten, bloody, and barely conscious. His bag of money was nowhere to be seen, and the conversations of people around them indicated he had been robbed.
Luffy's eyes widened in shock. "Usopp!" he shouted, rushing to his crewmate's side.
Nami followed closely, her expression twisted in anger and concern. "Usopp, what happened?"
But Usopp was not in a state to answer. Tears streamed down his battered face as he choked out, "I'm sorry, everyone. I'm so sorry. I lost all the money. I'm so useless. I'm sorry."
Coby's gaze hardened as he listened to the murmurs of the onlookers. "It's Franky's house, like Paulie said," Coby said, angry at himself more than Franky's gang. Without another word, he bent down and lifted Usopp onto his back. "Let's go."
As they arrived at the Going Merry, they found Chopper and Sanji already back, deep in conversation with Zoro, who was on the ship when Kaku arrived and had heard the grim analysis of the Merry's condition. But the moment they saw Usopp's bloodied and broken form, all conversation ceased.
"What the hell happened?" Sanji demanded, his fists clenching at his sides, the fire in his eyes burning bright.
Luffy, still reeling from what had happened, clenched his teeth. "Frank Group or something... they beat him up and took the money. We're going to get it back."
Sanji's jaw tightened as he stormed up to Coby, fury in his eyes. "Where the hell were you? Weren't you protecting him and Nami-san?"
But before Sanji could grab Coby by the collar, Coby's foot connected with his face, sending the cook flying off the deck and into the cold sea below. The crew froze for a moment, watching as Sanji surfaced, sputtering and drenched.
Nami quickly stepped forward, addressing the situation as Sanji swam back to the ship. "Usopp was upset about the Merry. When he heard the news, he ran off before any of us could stop him. It wasn't Coby's fault."
Sanji climbed back onto the ship, shaking off the water. His anger had cooled slightly, but he was still on edge. Coby looked at him, his gaze sharp. "And where is Robin?"
Sanji hesitated, his heart sinking. He had been so focused on Usopp's condition that he for a second forgot Robin had left them on streets. "She disappeared," he admitted, his voice low.
Luffy stood there, torn between frustration and worry. First, he learned that the Merry couldn't continue with them, then Usopp got beaten up, and now Robin was nowhere to be found. His grip tightened around his hat as he tried to make sense of everything.
But before they could deal with Robin's disappearance, there was something more immediate to address. Luffy's eyes darkened with resolve as he looked at his crew. "We're going to make Franky House pay for what they did to Usopp."
The crew nodded in agreement, their anger matching Luffy's. They knew that the Franky Family was about to feel the full force of their rage.
Coby set Usopp down gently, ensuring he was stable before turning to the others. "Chopper, take care of him," Coby said, his voice firm.
Chopper immediately went to work, checking Usopp's injuries and applying bandages. "He'll be okay, but he needs to rest," Chopper informed them.
Zoro, who had been silent up until now, grabbed his swords and stood up. "Let's go," he said simply, his eyes filled with silent anger.
The crew left Nami with Usopp and the Going Merry, and walked through the deserted side of Water 7, heading straight toward the Franky House. No words were exchanged; they all knew what needed to be done.
As they approached the Franky House, the large, gaudy building came into view. It was a mismatched structure, loud and obnoxious, much like the gang that occupied it. Luffy and Coby led the way, their eyes burning with anger, followed closely by Zoro, Sanji, and Chopper.
The front of the Franky House was lined with members of the Franky Family, lounging around without a care in the world. They were laughing and jeering, oblivious to the storm that was about to crash down on them.
Luffy didn't bother with a warning. He charged forward, his fist pulled back. "Gomu Gomu no Pistol!" he shouted, his fist rocketing forward and slamming into the first thug he saw. The man was sent flying into the side of the building, the impact leaving a deep crater in the wall.
Coby was right next to him, his fists glowing with energy. He unleashed a powerful "Hiken" straight at a cluster of thugs, the fiery punch sending them flying in all directions. The heat from the attack scorched the ground where they stood, leaving a smoking trail in its wake.
Zoro drew his swords with a fluid motion, his eyes cold. He rushed at the nearest group of thugs, his swords flashing in the dim light. "Onigiri!" he called out, slicing through several men in one swift move. They crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain.
Sanji, not far behind, launched himself into the fray, his legs a blur as he delivered a series of brutal kicks. "Get the hell out of our way!" he snarled, his foot connecting with one man's chest, sending him crashing through the front door of the building.
Chopper, in his Heavy Point form, grabbed two thugs by their heads and smashed them together with a sickening crack. "You messed with the wrong crew!" he growled, tossing their limp bodies aside.
The Franky Family was in disarray, their confidence shattered as they realized they were up against something far beyond what they expected. Those who hadn't been knocked out scrambled to their feet, attempting to regroup, but it was already too late. The Straw Hat crew had no intention of showing mercy.
Luffy continued his assault, smashing through walls and doors as he searched for the leader of the gang. "Where's Franky?!" he demanded, his voice echoing through the wrecked building.
A group of thugs tried to rush him, but Coby stepped in, using his "Bara Bara Detach Hand" technique to send his fists flying at them. The detached hands slammed into their faces, knocking them out cold. As his hands reattached, Coby kicked down a door, his eyes scanning the room beyond.
Zoro cut through another wave of thugs with ease, his swords dancing in the dim light. "These guys are nothing," he muttered, cutting down another one who tried to sneak up on him.
Sanji, his cigarette clenched between his teeth, delivered a spinning kick to a thug's jaw, sending him crashing through a window. "They thought they could rob us and get away with it? Idiots."
Chopper, still in his Heavy Point form, ripped through the remaining thugs outside, tossing them aside like ragdolls. "You bastards hurt my friends!" he roared, his strength sending shockwaves through the ground as he charged.
Sadly, Franky wasn't there. The leader of the Franky Family had taken the stolen money and boarded a train, leaving the island before the Straw Hats arrived. The thugs, realizing they were about to face the full wrath of the Straw Hat crew without their boss, scattered, but there was nowhere for them to hide.
Luffy slammed his fist into the wall, frustrated. "Damn it! He ran away!"
The crew unleashed their fury on the remaining members of the Franky Family. The Franky House, once a proud symbol of the gang's power, was reduced to rubble in minutes. The few remaining thugs who hadn't been knocked out were left writhing on the ground, groaning in pain. The crew didn't stop until the entire place was demolished, leaving no stone unturned.
"That should teach them not to stole from us," Sanji muttered, lighting a cigarette as he surveyed the wreckage.
Coby kicked over a broken piece of debris, sending it ricocheting off the wall and smacking Sanji on the head.
"Bastard, you did that on purpose!" Sanji growled, rubbing the sore spot.
Coby looked at him with feigned innocence. "No idea what you're talking about. But you seem awfully worried about the money. It's just 200 million Beri. Hardly worth all this rage."
Sanji grumbled something under his breath but let it go as the crew left the demolished Franky House behind. They made their way back to the ship, the tension from earlier still lingering in the air.
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