Chapter 9

The betrayal of Oimo and Kashii had turned the tide. The two giants, realizing they had been tricked by the World Government for fifty years, were now swinging their massive weapons against the Marine forces, clearing a path for the Galley-La shipwrights and the Franky Family.

"Out of our way!" Oimo roared, his massive club smashing a squad of law enforcement officers into the air. "We are going home to Elbaf!"

"Not today," a voice cut through the dust.

Kurumi stood atop a crumbling pillar, her coat billowing in the wind created by the giant's swing. Her mismatched eyes were cold.

Strategy updated, she thought. In the original timeline, you two go back to Elbaf. But I need allies in the deepest pits of hell for what is coming. Impel Down needs more rioters for Luffy's future jailbreak.

"Lieutenant Commander!" a soldier cried out. "Fall back! They're unstoppable!"

"Nothing is unstoppable," Kurumi said, drawing her rapier. "They are merely large targets with slow nervous systems."

She vanished.

The Takedown

Soru.

Kurumi reappeared in mid-air, right in front of Kashii’s face. The giant blinked, surprised by the tiny speck hovering before him.

"Sleep," she whispered.

She didn't stab him. Her rapier snapped out, the pommel striking a specific pressure point on the giant's temple—a technique from the Hasshoken style she had requested in her second wish.

Thwack.

It was a precise, needle-point impact. Kashii’s eyes rolled back instantly. His equilibrium shattered.

"Kashii?" Oimo yelled.

Kashii groaned, his massive legs buckling. He crashed forward like a falling tower.

Boom.

The ground shook violently, throwing Marines and pirates alike off their feet. Kashii lay motionless, snoring loudly.

"You… you tiny Marine!" Oimo screamed, tears in his eyes. He raised his club, bringing it down with enough force to shatter the island.

Kurumi didn't run. She ran up.

As the club hit the ground, she sprinted up the handle, her boots finding traction on the wood. She moved like a red blur, closing the distance to Oimo's head in seconds.

"Get off!" Oimo swatted at her with his free hand.

Kurumi jumped, pushing off his shoulder. She spun in the air, her dress flaring like a blooming flower.

Rankyaku: Falling Blossom.

She kicked the air repeatedly, sending a barrage of small, sharp air blades down onto Oimo’s wrist. It didn't sever the hand, but it cut the tendons. Oimo howled, dropping his club.

She landed on his collarbone.

"I am sorry," she said, her voice sincere but quiet. "But your destiny lies in the Great Gaol, not Elbaf. You will thank me in two years."

She drove her heel down into the nerve cluster at the base of his neck. Iron Body (Tekkai) + Heel Drop.

Oimo gasped, his vision going black. He slumped backward, crashing onto his partner.

The Aftermath

Silence fell over the plaza. The two giants, the gatekeepers of Enies Lobby, were unconscious. Defeated by a single Lieutenant Commander.

The Marines erupted into cheers. "She did it! Lieutenant Commander Kurumi took down the traitors!"

Kurumi landed gracefully on the pavement, adjusting her gloves. She looked at the unconscious giants with a calculating gaze.

"Secure them," she ordered the awe-struck Captain beside her. "Do not kill them. They are valuable prisoners. Bind them in Sea Prism Stone chains immediately and prepare them for transport to Impel Down. Request a Level 4 containment cell."

"Yes, Ma'am!" the Captain saluted frantically. "What about the Straw Hats? The gate is open!"

Kurumi glanced at the Courthouse. The giants' bodies were now blocking a significant portion of the plaza, creating a wall of flesh that actually made it harder for the Marines to swarm the bridge.

"The giants are the priority," she lied smoothly. "If they wake up, they will destroy the island. I will hold the position here. Let CP9 handle the pirates. They are the 'perfect assassins,' are they not?"

She turned away, hiding her smile.

Stage two complete. When Luffy breaks into Impel Down to save Ace, he’ll find two very angry giants waiting to help him tear the prison apart.

"Now," she whispered to herself. "The Buster Call is coming. Time to vanish before the Admirals start asking questions."