Task Progress: 1274/3000
"This way! Quickly!"
With another slash, the blood-red blade combined with golden lightning intercepted the incoming bombs in mid-air. Vivian exhaled, feeling noticeably fatigued.
"These guys… won't stop until they've leveled the entire island, will they?" Vivian muttered in dissatisfaction.
"Sir, Chief Petty Officer!"
A navy soldier, recognizing Vivian's rank, ran up to him with respect and asked, "The ships are docked at the entrance pier. Should we head there now?"
"Hiss… You go ahead," Vivian replied after some thought.
"And you, sir?"
"Me? Of course, I'll stay and see if there are any more people to rescue."
He couldn't give up halfway; he needed to save three thousand people to complete the task. He had only saved less than half so far.
After all, the warding and teleportation skills were very tempting.
Even if he didn't use teleportation, the invisible wards could be very useful. Just imagine placing one in the headquarters' women's bathhouse… cough, cough!
Well, that was just a random thought. Vivian wasn't that kind of person.
"Thunder Breathing, Sixth Form: Rumble and Flash!"
Zzzap!
Boom!
Electricity wrapped around the surrounding ruins, forming a large net that intercepted the incoming bombs.
Vivian turned around, continuing to search for any remaining survivors.
"Damn, if only I had Observation Haki. Finding people with just eyesight is too slow."
As he lamented, a familiar voice sounded in his ear.
"Hey, have you rescued everyone?"
"Uh…"
Vivian turned to see the beautiful woman with pink hair in a navy uniform—Hina, the Navy's flower.
"I've saved a few," Vivian said. "Why, are you here to stop me?"
"Hina isn't that cruel."
Hina shrugged. "Hina is here to help you save people."
"You? Save people? Aren't you afraid of disobeying government orders and getting dismissed?" Vivian asked.
Hina blinked, thinking that if her superiors found out she had left her post during a Buster Call to save people, dismissal might be the least of her worries.
But she said, "I'm afraid. But after thinking about what you said, Hina also feels that it would be too cruel for these people to die here…"
Just because they were stationed here, did they deserve to die?
Hina didn't believe that unconditional slaughter was what the navy should do.
People need to be flexible.
Even as soldiers.
Hearing that Hina wanted to help, Vivian wasn't entirely pleased.
What if… the people she found didn't count towards his rescue total?
Wouldn't that make it harder to reach his goal of 3000?
But then he thought, with Hina's considerable strength, they could save more people together.
So he nodded and said, "I'll go this way, you go that way. We'll split up to find people faster."
"Okay."
"Once we find people, bring them to the warships at the port for evacuation."
"Hina understands."
…
At the same time, above the Bridge of Hesitation.
The Straw Hat crew was fiercely battling the marines dispatched from headquarters.
Chopper, having overused his Rumble Ball abilities, lay paralyzed on the ground, unable to move.
Nami and Robin, both covered in dirt and sitting beside Chopper, showed signs of significant injuries, evident from their torn clothes.
Ahead, Zoro, Usopp, and Franky stood back-to-back, fighting against hundreds of lieutenants and commander.
But the most critical part was that Luffy was currently in a frenzied death match with Rob Lucci, the strongest member of CP9. The two had been fighting for at least three to four hours.
During this time, Luffy had been knocked down by Lucci multiple times, covered in blood and on the verge of passing out, only to stand up again after a brief moment.
This classic Luffy-style "sit-up" truly made Lucci feel the meaning of despair.
Even when he was sent by the World Government at the age of 13 to single-handedly challenge 500 soldiers, he had never been this scared.
What kind of monster is this straw-hatted rubber kid?
Why can he still stand after being beaten to this extent?
Why?
"Luffy! Get up now!!!"
"Luffy!! Let's get out of here together!!"
On the Bridge of Hesitation, Usopp removed his mask, shouting desperately at Luffy, who was lying in a pool of blood.
Meanwhile.
Nico Robin, sitting on the ground, caught a glimpse of the edge of Enies Lobby, where two warships were docked near the shore, looking particularly out of place compared to other ships.
"What is that?"
She wondered.
The next second, she saw a marine cutting down several cannonballs with electric slashes and escorting groups of guards and marines onto the deck.
"What happened?"
Nami and Chopper turned their gaze in the same direction.
"Is someone rescuing the people on the island?"
"I knew it, the navy wouldn't completely disregard the lives of their own soldiers. They must have sent someone to respond." Nami pouted.
"Wait… the people from Franky's house, the giant Oimo and Kashi, and that big frog, they all seem to have been taken onto the warship?"
Chopper suddenly exclaimed.
Moreover, the guilty jury and the judges on the island were left behind, frantically chasing the departing warships, seemingly abandoned.
"That's really strange…"
"Who is that marine standing at the bow of the ship?"
"Why do I feel like he looks familiar?"
Nami muttered to herself.
And just as she finished speaking.
Bang—!
The previously open Gate of Justice was suddenly closed completely by someone.