"Oh, I see it now!" Chopper shouted, tears streaming down his face.
"Jump down! We're going back!"
"Cien Fleur: Giant Soaring Swallow!" Robin used her abilities to throw Luffy into the sea.
"Merry!"
As soon as Luffy was thrown down, he spotted the Merry anchored beneath the Bridge of Hesitation. Only then did the Marines notice that, somehow, a small triangular sailboat had appeared under their blockade.
"Who brought that ship here? How did it get past our perimeter?"
"Sir, we didn't notice this ship earlier. No idea when it arrived, but judging by the flag, it seems to belong to the Straw Hat crew. Could they have been hiding here the whole time?"
While the Marines scrambled in confusion, Ryu finally let out a sigh of relief. Destiny still had its way; Luffy truly was the child of fate, prevailing even against Rob Lucci.
But as soon as Ryu began to relax, Aokiji behind him suddenly stood up and leaped toward the Merry.
Meanwhile, the Straw Hat crew, rescued by Kokoro, had finally reunited.
"Robin, thank you for saving…" Luffy, lying on the deck still unable to move, started to speak but was silenced as Robin used her ability to cover his mouth.
"It's me who should thank all of you," Robin said with heartfelt gratitude.
The rest of the crew smiled, except Zoro, who said seriously, "Let's save the pleasantries until we're all safely away. Besides, who brought this ship here, anyway?"
Naturally, everyone objected to Zoro's remark, but just as they were about to teach him a lesson, they saw Aokiji leaping from the Huaxia, the warship nearby.
They had noticed the strange ship resembling a battleship but hadn't expected Admiral Aokiji to emerge from it.
"You really jinxed it," Sanji remarked calmly, taking a drag from his cigarette as he looked toward Aokiji.
Robin's expression turned tense—she hadn't expected Aokiji to show up here.
"It's that guy with the ice powers," Luffy said, a serious look on his face as he lay on the deck.
"Ice Ball!"
In the air, Aokiji extended his hands, releasing two ice beams aimed straight at the Merry.
"Passing by Enies Lobby and stumbling across some wanted pirates—Admiral Aokiji, mind leaving these guys to me?" Just as danger loomed, Ryu's voice rang out, and he shattered Aokiji's ice beams with a single punch.
"It's Ryu!" Nami, Usopp, and Chopper shouted joyfully.
But while Nami, Usopp, and Chopper relaxed at Ryu's appearance, Sanji and Zoro stayed alert. Franky and others were curious, wondering who this new Marine was and why the Straw Hats seemed to know him.
"Rear Admiral Ryu, are you planning to defect from the Marines?" Aokiji asked, his expression icy as he returned to the Huaxia.
"No way! You're mistaken, Admiral. This low-profile pirate crew isn't worth your trouble. Even Vice Admiral Garp hasn't made a move. Let me, a Rear Admiral, handle this—if I lose, then you can step in." Ryu said calmly as he landed beside Aokiji.
"Quick, everyone, run! Ryu's buying us time!" Nami, though too far to hear their conversation, quickly deduced Ryu's intentions as she watched the two Marines face off.
"Franky, how much more time do you need?" Nami calculated anxiously.
"I'm almost ready!" Franky replied from the ship's stern, hurrying to prepare his "Coup de Burst" to launch the Merry out of danger.
"Hey, Straw Hats? With bounties like yours, surrender might be the wise choice," Ryu's voice called out as he continued his act.
"Right on cue. As a Marine, helping us withstand an admiral's attack is probably as far as he'll go. He won't defy orders outright," Sanji said, exhaling smoke calmly.
"If that's the case, then let's fight! I've been waiting to cross blades with him," Zoro said, tying his headband around his arm.
"Why? I thought Ryu was our friend!" Chopper protested, struggling to understand.
"He's a Marine, and we're pirates. That's all there is to it," Robin answered firmly, her gaze fixed on Ryu.
"Alright then, looks like you're ready to resist. Let me show you why they call me 'The Purple Dragon': The First Technique of the Dragon Palm, 'Regretful Dragon Strike!'"
Ryu smiled, unleashing his Dragon Palm technique—a massive dragon-shaped energy wave shot toward the Merry.
"What is that?" The Straw Hats, though familiar with Ryu, were astonished to see his technique.
Even Aokiji on the Huaxia showed a hint of surprise, realizing that Ryu wasn't holding back.
"I'll go first; cook, get ready to follow up," Zoro called out, launching a slash toward Ryu's dragon energy wave.
Boom!
Zoro's strike collided with the dragon wave, weakening it somewhat.
"Diable Jambe: Flambage Shot!" Sanji, now ready, delivered a blazing kick to the energy wave.
"Three-Sword Style: 108-Pound Phoenix!"
Zoro unleashed another strike to support Sanji's attack.
Boom! Boom!
Ryu's dragon wave finally dissipated, but the blade Zoro had grabbed to replace his broken sword shattered in the attack, and Sanji was sent crashing into the Merry's deck, spitting blood as he struggled to stand.
"So this is the strength of a Marine Rear Admiral," Zoro muttered, glancing at Ryu, who was still standing on the Huaxia, with a grim expression.
"You're impressive—able to withstand my best attack. No wonder you defeated Lucci. Now, get ready for my second—huh?" Ryu was preparing his next move when the Huaxia suddenly shifted, along with nearby warships drawing closer.
"What's going on?" Ryu yelled.
"Sir, someone closed the Gate of Justice, blocking the current and creating a whirlpool!" a soldier reported.
"Well done!" Ryu cheered inwardly for Luffy's crew, though he outwardly shouted, "Get this under control!"
Aokiji gave Ryu a look and, before he could respond, jumped and unleashed "Ice Age" on the whirlpool, freezing it solid.
Ryu's expression hardened. "You're really going all out?"
"I'm a Marine. If you won't act, I will," Aokiji replied coolly.
"Fine, I'll do it. Never thought you'd go this far," Ryu said reluctantly.
The Straw Hats' faces turned grim as Aokiji's intervention had shattered their hopes of escape.
"Nami, I'm ready whenever!" Franky suddenly called from the stern.
"Really? Then do it now!" Nami cheered.
"Coup de Burst!" As Ryu prepared to attack, Franky's voice rang out, and Ryu's lips curved into a slight smile—he had just thought of a way to help Luffy escape.
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