The Jackal Guardian's Ascent

Chapter 35

"Then it's decided! We'll get a ship and go after them right away!" Luffy told the crew.

"No other option, eh?" Zoro asked himself.

"Not really." Anu answered.

"Hey, Rope Guy, loan us a ship!" Luffy told Paulie, who was still sitting nearby. "Or, actually, instead of a ship, are there any sea trains leaving?"

"The Puffing Tom is the only sea train in the world." Paulie explained. "It's a miracle of a ship, made possible only through the skills of a legendary shipbuilding team that used to live here."

"Then let us borrow a ship!" Luffy told him. "Give us your strongest and fastest ship!"

"Are you brainless or something?!" Paulie yelled at him. "Don't you see how rough it is out there?!"

"Yeah! You can't set sail in this weather!" one of the workers added. "It'd be suicide!!"

"In the past, it has always been impossible to set sail during Aqua Laguna, and now...look at the ruins beneath us! Before now, Aqua Laguna hasn't ever caused even close to this much damage!" Paulie told them. "Even if we give you the biggest war ship we have, it'll shatter into pieces against these monster waves! I won't give you a ship just so you can die out there!!"

"So, what do you suggest we do then?" Anu asked, frustrated at feeling powerless in this situation.

"Wait 'til morning." Paulie answered. "After the tides subside, I'll give you a ship. The rest of you, go to the shelters. The search is over."

"If we wait until morning, won't it be too late?" Nami asked. "I know what kind of place Enies Lobby is. I remember you said that it's the government's island. Isn't that where the "Gate of Justice" is?"

"What's that?" Zoro asked.

"The judicial island of the government, Enies Lobby is where the infamous criminal court is." Nami answered. "The fact that someone is being taken to Enies Lobby is evidence enough for their crimes."

"It's said the accused is simply taken through an empty courthouse and to a giant, cold, iron gate." Anu added. "After criminals pass through the "Gate of Justice" they're doomed to never again see the light of day."

"There are only two places you can go to from that point." Nami continued. "One is the "Heart of Justice", Marine HQ. The other is an island covered with interrogation chambers and execution rooms, housing all kinds of dangerous criminals from all over the world. The Great Prison of the Deep Blue, Impel Down. Enies Lobby has no sympathy for criminals, they're sent directly to jail. It's a place that's judicial in name alone! Am I right?!"

Paulie could only look on in pity at Nami trying to plead her case about helping them save Robin.

"Robin is a wanted criminal! No matter where she's taken, only hell awaits her! While we're wasting time here, she's getting closer and closer to the Gate of Justice! How can we possibly wait until morning?!" she asked him, getting increasingly frustrated by Paulie's steadfast attempts at convincing them to wait out the storm.

"If you're finished, let me remind you of something, even if the sea calms down long enough for you to sail away, no matter what kind of pirates you are, there's no way you can go and get your friends out of there successfully." Paulie told them. "Knowing what will definitely happen if you go, do you still plan to wage war in the center of the world government?!"

"Yeah! Forget it!!" one of the workers chimed in. "Aqua Laguna's too stron-"

"Silence!" Anu commanded, eyes now beginning to glow a shade of red. "If sailing through a monster storm and taking on the world government means getting Robin back, then I'm all in."