The World Government's judicial stronghold—Enies Lobby, the Island of Judgment.
Today, just like every other day, the judges of Enies Lobby presided over countless trials, sentencing pirates and criminals brought in from Marine Headquarters.
Those found guilty of heinous crimes were shipped off to the great undersea prison, Impel Down. Others, whose crimes were lighter, were dispatched back to regional prisons or sent to Tequila Wolf, the massive "Bridge Nation" where construction had been ongoing for nearly seven hundred years. That colossal bridge connected countless islands across the seas—built by the hands of prisoners, slaves, and citizens of non-member nations.
Every year, countless convicts and slaves perished on that bridge. Because of this, Tequila Wolf had become a focal point for Revolutionary Army infiltration—an endless pool of oppressed commoners and slaves ready to be turned into rebels.
Back on Enies Lobby, however, Spandam, the leader of CP9, was furious.
The agents he dispatched had failed miserably. Not only had they gained no intel on the legendary blueprints of Pluton, but even the prodigy Rob Lucci—hailed as the strongest talent in 800 years—had been defeated and captured.
"Useless! All of you are worthless trash!!"
Spandam bellowed into a Den Den Mushi, berating Kalifa on the other end. Years of waiting, and when news finally came, it was nothing but humiliation. Slamming the receiver down, he raged, grabbing his elephant sword, Funkfreed, and hacking wildly at his desk.
"The strongest genius in 800 years? Bah!! Trash!!"
He shouted as he hacked again and again, splintering the desk into fragments before finally calming down.
Breathing heavily, Spandam strode to his office window to gulp fresh air. But today, the skies were ominous—thick black clouds pressed low, hanging only a hundred or two meters overhead.
Crackle!
BOOM!
A sudden bolt of lightning lit up the heavens, thunder rolling immediately after. Spandam flinched, his already sour mood sinking further.
"What damned weather! If you've got the guts, strike me down!"
He cursed at the sky, venting his frustration.
But the next moment, his eyes widened in disbelief. Emerging from beneath the clouds was… an airborne ship.
And then—a bolt of lightning streaked down toward him.
"An insect dares to call out? Was it you?"
A figure slowly materialized in the blaze of electricity. Cold, dead-fish eyes bore down on him—Enel.
Gulp.
Spandam swallowed hard, fear seizing him as he looked at the lightning-born man who had appeared before him.
"Y-You! Who are you?! Don't you realize this is Enies Lobby, under the authority of the World Government?!"
He raised Funkfreed, forcing his voice into stern command, though his trembling hands betrayed him. With his free hand, he discreetly pressed the emergency alarm for Enies Lobby's security.
Enemies had breached the Judicial Tower itself! Where were the giants guarding the front gates? Where was the Tribunal of Judges? The Dog Squad?
Were they all useless?!
"An insect dares point a blade at a god? Then die!"
Enel sneered, insulted, and unleashed a thunderbolt at Spandam, utterly unmoved by his shouts of the World Government's authority. To Enel, such power meant nothing.
"AAAHHH!!"
Screaming, Spandam collapsed, Funkfreed extending its trunk-like blade in autonomous counterattack.
"A Zoan Devil Fruit weapon? Like slime…"
Enel batted it aside lazily, intrigued for a moment. Then, with a single swing, he shattered Spandam's arm, wresting Funkfreed away.
"Interesting."
He smirked, ignoring Spandam's smoldering body on the floor, before flashing back to the skyship Maxim Ark, carrying the sword with him—perhaps someone in their crew would want this peculiar Devil Fruit weapon.
Meanwhile, at Enies Lobby's main gate—
"Hey, giants! I'm going to blow this island sky high. You two fools should go back to Elbaf where you belong. Dorry and Brogy were never captured—you've been tricked into guarding this place!"
Standing before the two giant gatekeepers, Souta Kiryuu confronted them directly. With Enel preparing his Thunderstorm and Souta gathering his own Lightning Tempest, he had time to speak.
Kashii and Oimo, the two giant warriors of the Giant Warrior Pirates, had been deceived for nearly fifty years into serving the Marines. They stood there, massive wooden clubs at the ready, bewildered.
"What? Captain Dorry and Captain Brogy weren't taken to Impel Down?!"
The pair bellowed in shock. They had been promised that, after a century of guarding Enies Lobby, their captains would be freed.
"You idiots. They're still on Little Garden, locked in their eternal duel. Leave here at once and find them!"
Souta explained the truth, and the giants' eyes welled with emotion. Excited and grateful, they immediately accepted Souta as a friend.
"I'll head to Little Garden myself someday. Wait for me there—I won't deceive you."
He added with a grin. Secretly, Souta planned to meet Dorry and Brogy too, perhaps to use the bond of these four giants to gain entry into Elbaf itself. If he could rally a legion of giants, his crew's power would skyrocket.
Not to mention—Little Garden was teeming with ancient beasts. Their genetic material could be harvested for artificial Zoan Devil Fruits, creating soldiers far stronger and more imposing than Kaido's flawed SMILE users.
Moved by Souta's words, Kashii and Oimo opened the gates wide before departing, lumbering off to seek their long-lost captains.
As the gates creaked open, the stationed forces of Enies Lobby finally spotted Souta Kiryuu.
With its unique sea currents linking directly to Marineford and Impel Down, Enies Lobby was heavily fortified—over ten thousand troops and World Government officials stationed here at all times.
The Judicial Guard's Dog Squad mounted their massive hounds and charged the opened gate.
"Not good!! That's Souta Kiryuu—the most dangerous fugitive! Quick, summon a Marine Admiral!!"
The Dog Squad captain's terrified cry echoed across the battlefield. This was the man who had slain a Celestial Dragon, now daring to storm Enies Lobby itself.
It was the ultimate insult—a second slap in the World Government's face.
Sirens blared. The alarms of Enies Lobby shrieked across the island.
The "Island That Never Sleeps," bastion of World Government authority, had never once been breached since its founding.
Until today—when Souta Kiryuu and his crew arrived.