Kaie moved nimbly through the air, her feet tapping lightly as she raced across the rooftops.
Luffy and Zoro had been thrown from the Galley-La Company headquarters, so she was heading towards the back town to search for them.
Normally, Tobi, Caterina's guard, should have also joined the search, but Kaie judged that she alone, with her wide-ranging Observation Haki, would be sufficient.
In addition, she had instructed Tobi to monitor the Sea Train heading directly to Enies Lobby tonight.
Even if a direct assault on the Sea Train to rescue Robin was impossible due to its sheer force, they could at least grasp the enemy's strength.
If they could get a rough estimate of the number of personnel permanently stationed at Enies Lobby and those on the Sea Train, they could determine the necessary number of people.
(...However, with four CP-0 agents, the chances are slim.)
Cipher Pol Aigis Zero.
The highest-ranking intelligence agents of the government, who moved only on the orders of the Celestial Dragons.
Kaie prided herself on being as strong as, if not stronger than, Emperor commanders like Jack or Cracker, but even she could only handle two of them at most.
Caterina had said she had a plan, but whether it would work was another question.
Even if they gathered forces from various locations, it wouldn't take a full day for Robin and the others to be moved from Enies Lobby to Impel Down.
If they were transferred to Impel Down, the Navy would likely fortify its defenses in earnest. It would be impossible to break through without deploying all of Twilight's forces.
With the war against Whitebeard imminent, did they really have the luxury to do so?
(In the worst-case scenario, we may have no choice but to give up on Robin.)
The Beasts-Big Mom pirate alliance would surely launch an assault on Impel Down. The "Ancient Weapons" were that valuable.
Thinking purely rationally, if the Navy and the pirate alliance clashed, Twilight could reap the benefits.
But it was hard to imagine the Navy and the government alone could stop the pirate alliance without Twilight's cooperation, and considering that only famous, high-bounty criminals were imprisoned in Impel Down, there was even a possibility that the pirate alliance's forces would be augmented in the worst-case scenario.
Since Twilight had initiated the conflict, they couldn't back down from the war against Whitebeard now, so Robin's priority would drop.
Though it was only known to Kaie and the other executives, the situation was not one where they could move their forces as easily as Caterina had said.
"──Right, this is the area."
She landed on a rooftop in the back town where she could faintly hear "voices."
The residents of the back town had moved to temporary shelters built in the factories on the main island, so if she could hear voices, it had to be Luffy or Zoro.
Holding down her hair, which was fluttering in the raging wind, Kaie pinpointed their exact locations.
"......?"
There were indeed two "voices." It was a relief that they were alive.
But their locations were strange.
One was inside a building, the other near the roof of a building.
In any case, she had to get them out quickly. The back town was within Aqua Laguna's flood range. If they were swallowed by the waves, they wouldn't be saved.
That's when Kaie saw it.
A man stuck headfirst in a chimney, looking like a sea anemone.
"...No, that shouldn't happen."
"!? W-Who's there!? Sorry, but I'm stuck and can't get out! Help me!"
"How on earth did you end up headfirst in a chimney... No, never mind that. Anyway, I'm going to pull, so brace yourself."
She grabbed both of Zoro's legs and pulled, but he seemed to be caught on the chimney and wouldn't come out easily. She could use brute force, but it would be troublesome if he got injured.
The rain had already started, and the weather was looking ominous. If only she had some baby oil, he might slip out, but she didn't have such a thing on her.
As she was wondering what to do, she saw a giant tsunami approaching from offshore.
If they stayed at this height, they would never be saved.
"A rather urgent matter has come up. I'm going to use force, but please brace your body for the impact."
"Huh!? Use force? Are you going to pull!?"
"No, I'm going to shatter the building."
No sooner said than done, Kaie kicked the brick chimney, shattering it into pieces.
She had tried to be careful not to cause too much internal impact, but Zoro still coughed, the impact taking his breath away.
Grabbing him by the scruff of his neck, Kaie rushed to Luffy's location.
"Cough, cough! Y-You're reckless, what are you──whoa!!? What's that wave!?"
"That's why I'm in a hurry! Don't move, you might slip and I'll drop you!"
Luffy was inside a larger building—or so she thought, but something was off.
He was located right in the middle of two adjacent buildings. Kaie, though in a hurry, peeked between the buildings and found Luffy wedged there.
Both of them in strange places... she thought, but she would think about it later. If they didn't hurry, this place would also be swallowed by the waves.
The wave was right in front of them. This was no time for idle chatter, and thinking she could apologize later, Kaie leaped onto the building Luffy was stuck in.
"'Straw Hat' Luffy! Stay put there for a bit!"
"Ngh!? I-Is someone there!?"
Kaie put all her strength into one breath, broke the building's wall to get inside, confirmed Luffy's approximate location, and then broke the wall again.
Ignoring Luffy's attempts to speak, she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and rushed to Zoro's side.
The giant tsunami was now right before their eyes.
Since Zoro alone couldn't escape by jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Kaie grabbed the arm of Zoro, who had been waiting patiently, and raced towards the main island at top speed.
Having narrowly escaped the great wave that swallowed the town, shattered the great bridge, and bit into the shipbuilding island, Kaie let out a deep breath and released Luffy and Zoro.
"Ugh."
"Ouch."
Released unceremoniously by Kaie, who was over three meters tall, the two, who had been dangling in the air, were thrown to the ground.
With a deafening roar, the tsunami shattered the great bridge connecting the back town and the main island, creating a spray of water and a pile of rubble.
"That was a close call," Kaie remarked.
"No kidding... Sorry, you saved us."
"Thanks! That was dangerous!"
"You were both in such strange places, it took an unnecessarily long time," Kaie said, exasperated.
It was good that they were safe, but if she had been a little later, she would have had to abandon them and flee.
Zoro and Luffy seemed to vaguely recognize Kaie, tilting their heads and saying, "We've met somewhere before, right?" That was probably the extent of their impression of her.
Kaie, finding it too troublesome to explain, simply said, "Ask your crewmates later," and connected her baby Den Den Mushi, which she had in her breast pocket.
"Caterina. This is Kaie, I've recovered the two missing persons."
"Thanks, Kaie! It's going to take a little longer over here, so could you bring them and join us?"
"Understood."
She had been told the meeting place in advance.
Kaie tucked Zoro, who would get lost even if led, and Luffy, who would try to move on his own, under her arms and began to move.
***
The back of the garbage disposal plant, the brick warehouse.
That was the meeting place Caterina had designated.
"Is everyone here?" Luffy asked.
"They should be. The plan is to get what they need and meet here."
She entered the warehouse marked No. 2 and opened the door leading to the basement.
There was another locked door inside, but the lock had already been picked and it was ajar.
When the three of them entered, a single Sea Train sat there. The only difference from the one Luffy and the others had ridden was the shark's head used on the front.
"A Sea Train!? Are we going to chase Robin with this?" Luffy asked.
"That's likely. I've heard there are multiple Sea Trains, and this is probably one of them," Kaie replied.
"Unfortunately, there are no operational Sea Trains left on this island right now. The one that headed for Enies Lobby was the last one," Caterina's voice came from inside the train.
Caterina, her face partially smudged with soot, poked her head out of the Sea Train and continued.
"This is the first prototype we built. It's a failure that won't slow down from full throttle no matter what we do. It felt like a waste to scrap it, so it was left here, but if we want to cross Aqua Laguna and head to Enies Lobby at top speed, this is our best bet."
This was the "Rocketman," a prototype Sea Train built with the collective skills and technology of the three from Tom's Workers and Caterina.
An ordinary ship couldn't cross Aqua Laguna, and the more time they took, the lower the chances of rescuing Nico Robin became. If they were willing to bet everything, there was no other choice but to use this Sea Train.
Of course, the reason it wasn't being used was because it was dangerous.
But Caterina winked, as if to say that was a given.
"You're going to risk your lives to save Robin, right? If so, we have to do something this dangerous."
"Thanks, lady! We can do this!!"
"On what basis did you think we could do it?" Zoro calmly retorted to Luffy, who was speaking purely on momentum.
While they were talking, the other members entered through the front door.
The time was already past 11 o'clock. If they were going to rush to save Robin from here, they needed appropriate preparations and rest.
Alcohol, food, weapons, and medical supplies. Gathering the bare minimum they could, the Straw Hat crew and Kaie boarded the "Rocketman."
"Pedro, Zepo. How are your injuries?" Kaie asked.
"They hurt a bit, but it's not a problem. They'll heal quickly with rest."
"Same here."
"I see. Then, Tobi. Your report."
"The Sea Train departed Water 7 earlier than the scheduled time and headed for Enies Lobby. The members were four each from CP-0 and CP-9, whom we saw at the Galley-La Company headquarters. I don't know the exact number, but there were reinforcements from other Cipher Pols and soldiers from the Navy. I believe the total number is no less than 500."
"...That many on just the Sea Train? Troublesome."
Tens of thousands of footsoldiers were nothing, but even so, the violence of numbers was always strong.
If their stamina was depleted before they could fight the main opponents, their chances of victory would only decrease.
"There are four people to retrieve."
Nico Robin, Tom, Iceburg, Franky.
Knowing that Caterina would move to rescue them, Paulie and the other foremen had tried to accompany them, but Kaie had stopped them.
From here on, it was a real war. Even if they were accustomed to rough situations, it would be a painful loss to take precious shipwrights with them and lose them.
Since there was no time for a detailed explanation, she had forced them to accept it, but at this rate, they might stow away and come along anyway. If they could deceive Kaie's Observation Haki, they would be a viable force, so she left them as they were.
There was one more problem.
"Take us with you!"
The Franky Family, who had rushed in just as they were about to depart.
Their boss, Franky, had been taken away, and Mozu, Kiwi, Zambai, and the rest of the 50-strong group, armed, pleaded to be taken along.
If they could be of some help, taking them along wasn't out of the question, but it was clear to Kaie without even looking that they would be useless.
Their main profession was shipbuilding, not combat. Even if they were accustomed to some rough situations, rushing into Enies Lobby, the government's gateway, with that level of skill was tantamount to suicide.
Kaie stood up to make them give up again, but Caterina stopped her with a hand.
"Zambai, you guys, you want to save Franky, right?"
"Yeah! We owe Aniki more than we can count!! We don't mind risking our lives to save him!!"
"Then no. I can't allow you to come if you're prepared to throw away your lives."
"!? Why!! Are you telling us to just stand by and watch as Aniki is taken to Enies Lobby!!?"
"You see. I'm a shipwright, but I'm also a doctor, and a pirate. I've seen the faces of people who go into battle with the resolve to die more times than I care to remember."
On stormy nights like this, she remembered things she didn't want to.
About a crewmate who, in order to save his comrades, rushed in without a thought for himself, sustained a fatal wound, and whom Caterina couldn't do anything for.
For a while after that, she was plagued by nightmares every time she heard the sound of thunder.
That was why she couldn't grant Zambai and his group's wish.
"Franky... well, he's an idiot, so he'd probably be happy if you came to save him, but if you died and didn't come back, he'd be sad."
"...But, Franky-aniki, if we don't go and help, won't you be short-handed..."
"Who do you think we are?" Caterina said, her hands on her hips, looking exasperated.
We are Twilight.
"Don't worry, I'll bring Franky back safely. What you guys should be doing is staying by Kokoro-san's side, who's been through this on this stormy day, and reassuring her! And, prepare for a banquet for when we get back!! Got it?"
"...──Understood... Please, take care of Aniki."
Zambai dropped his weapon, got on his knees, and pleaded with Caterina.
The members of the Franky Family followed suit, and Mozu and Kiwi also got on their knees and pleaded.
Caterina thumped her chest and smiled reassuringly.
"Leave it to me. I'll bring everyone back. Tom-san, Iceburg-kun, and Franky too."
-And so.
As the Franky Family watched, the "Rocketman," its steam built up, began to run to overcome the stormy night.