The deflection of the lethal beam gave Vegapunk the opening he needed.
The bubble vehicle surged forward and slipped through a temporary gap in the Frontier Dome—one Edison had just managed to carve open. The moment the vehicle passed through, the barrier sealed shut behind them.
Inside the sphere, Franky had joined them, gripping the interior railings as the vehicle began descending toward the Fabriophase. The massive wheels activated their special property, clinging to the artificial cloud pathways that stretched downward like suspended highways. The bubble locked onto the cloud current and rolled vertically, safely guided along the path toward a lower structure.
Below, Marines spotted them immediately.
A low-ranking soldier shouted the report, and within seconds the command spread. Rifles raised. Cannons adjusted. Pacifista units turned their heads toward the descending vehicle, mouths beginning to glow as lasers charged.
But Atlas suddenly popped her head out of the bubble, eyes blazing.
Atlas: Pacifistas! You have a new order! Direct from Dr. Vegapunk! Every Marine on the island must be eliminated!
The effect was instantaneous.
Lasers powering up in their mouths flickered and shut down mid-charge.
The Pacifista units rotated in perfect synchronization, turning away from the vehicle—and toward the Marines they had been standing beside only moments ago.
Then they opened fire.
Beams of light ripped across the Fabriophase, striking Marine formations with brutal precision. Explosions erupted in every direction as soldiers scattered in confusion, realizing too late that the weapons meant to protect them had switched sides.
The battlefield descended into chaos.
For a brief moment—
Things were looking up.
But that fragile advantage would not last.
Far off the coast of Egghead, aboard a massive warship, Saint Saturn sat in stillness.
The so-called God of Science and Defense did not move.
He simply waited.
Back on the island, the Pacifista fulfilled their new directive with mechanical efficiency. They did not hesitate. They did not question. They executed.
Laser blasts echoed constantly now, detonating across platforms and tearing through Marine lines as the tide of battle shifted.
Inside the bubble vehicle, the wheels remained locked to the descending cloud path, the artificial clouds seamlessly attaching to one another as they rolled straight down the island's structure.
But there was no time to celebrate.
They still had to find Bonney.
Atlas leaned out again, calling her name. Sanji did the same, scanning below as they descended.
Then Sanji closed his eyes.
His Observation Haki expanded outward, sweeping across the entire island in a wave. He filtered through countless presences until he locked onto the one he was searching for.
Naturally, he called it his ladydar.
And naturally, it only worked for women.
Without hesitation, Sanji leapt out of the bubble mid-descent, kicking off the air and rocketing toward Bonney's location.
Meanwhile, Bonney was still in trouble.
Marines regrouped around her and opened fire again. She grabbed a discarded rifle and shot back—her bullets glowing pink with her Devil Fruit power.
Each Marine struck was forced into a horrifying illusion of their own future skeletonized form. The terror overwhelmed them instantly. One by one, they collapsed unconscious, unable to process the sight.
She kept running.
Then a Pacifista dropped down directly in front of her.
Its mouth opened.
Laser charging.
The unit was being controlled—ridden by a small elderly Vice Admiral who had eaten the Ride-Ride Fruit, granting her control over anything she sat upon.
The Pacifista aimed directly at Bonney.
For a split second—
She froze.
It looked like her father.
The silhouette. The size. The face.
And now it was about to eliminate her.
The laser fired—
But before it could hit, Sanji crashed into her from the side, tackling her clear of the blast radius. The beam detonated behind them in a violent explosion.
Sanji understood why she had frozen.
He didn't say anything.
Another Marine lunged toward them. Sanji scooped Bonney up and launched into the air, dodging the incoming strike.
Then another Pacifista appeared—this one free from the Vice Admiral's control—and began attacking the ridden unit, forcing it to defend itself.
At that same moment, Vegapunk's bubble vehicle rolled into view.
Sanji landed, grabbed Bonney, and jumped back into the sphere. The vehicle immediately accelerated, rolling away from the battle as lasers and explosions lit up the background.
Elsewhere—
Inside the lab, Usopp and Nami carefully transported an injured Robin. She lay inside a padded container—something between a stretcher and a protective box—designed to keep her stable during movement.
They moved quickly but carefully down the corridor.
Stussy remained behind.
She had something to do.
When Edison heard her words, he understood immediately. Without hesitation, he shot into the air and sped down the corridor in the opposite direction, while Usopp and Nami continued escorting Robin toward safety.
Out at sea—
Saint Saturn remained seated.
Still unmoving.
Still silent.
But the look in his eyes suggested he was simply waiting for the right moment to step onto the board.
And that's a wrap
I would've made this chapter longer, but honestly this felt like a really good place to end it
