"We finally see the research facility!"
Looking at the facility in the distance, Nami's eyes immediately began to sparkle. As long as they got inside, they wouldn't have to worry about the poison gas!
"But do we have a way to get in?" Merry asked, tilting her head.
"We do."
Hearing this, Merry cast a curious glance at Zoro and asked, "What way?"
Zoro's lips curled upward. "Cut the door down, of course!"
Merry: ??
Was this Zoro's plan?
"I agree," Kin'emon said as he stood up. "At this moment, the only way to charge in is to slice through the main gate."
If they didn't do that, they would be poisoned to death by the gas outside, so... they had to cut the gate down!
"You two seem very confident~" Sanji grinned. "Fine, I'll leave the gate problem to you!"
Kin'emon and Zoro nodded calmly, indicating that slicing through a gate was no problem for them.
"It seems you're also a swordsman capable of cutting through steel," Zoro said, glancing at Kin'emon.
"Naturally." Kin'emon raised his head proudly. "I am, after all, a Sword Master; cutting steel is naturally within my power."
"I'm looking forward to it." Zoro's lips curled slightly; he was genuinely curious about how strong this guy actually was.
"By the way... why is there a dragon following us?" Nami remarked.
Hearing this, everyone immediately looked back and noticed a dragon clinging to the Wood Dragon.
"Isn't that the dragon we saw earlier?" Brook exclaimed in surprise. "I didn't expect it to follow us halfway."
What a clever creature.
"Ignore it, as long as it doesn't get in our way," Meiser said.
Since the other's presence didn't affect the Wood Dragon's movement speed, there was no need to worry. As for whether it would attack them... if that bastard actually dared to do so, Meiser wouldn't mind having another serving of Dragon Meat.
Brook nodded, acknowledging he understood. Then he asked, "Speaking of which... where are Luffy and the others right now?"
"In that building," Usopp said, pointing toward the research facility. "According to that Caesar, he defeated Luffy and the others and then brought them back to the facility."
So, Luffy and the rest were most likely inside the research facility ahead. He just didn't know what state they were in.
"Defeated?" Zoro whipped his head around to look at Usopp, his tone incredulous. "Luffy and the others were actually defeated?"
Meiser and Sanji also frowned. They clearly hadn't expected Luffy to be defeated by an enemy here; this had to be a joke!
"What exactly did Caesar say?" Usopp asked.
Zoro fell silent, and numerous veins popped up on his forehead.
"What's wrong?"
"This just won't do..."
"What?"
"This just won't do!" Zoro said angrily. "We've only just entered the New World!"
To be defeated by an enemy due to carelessness right after entering the New World—what would happen in the future? They weren't playing pirate house!
"Let's discuss this after we see Luffy," Meiser said, taking a deep breath. "The priority right now is to enter the facility."
Seeing Meiser put it that way, Zoro temporarily suppressed his anger, intending to deal with it after finding Luffy.
"Hey, look! There are a lot of Marines up ahead," Merry pointed forward.
"I saw them already," Meiser said. "They're likely the Marines we encountered earlier."
He hadn't expected Law to leave them alive instead of killing them all; it was quite surprising. Did that guy think these people were still useful for something?
Then, as if thinking of something, Meiser thought: These Marines could actually help us send those children back... Of course, that was provided he could confirm these guys were trustworthy.
"Ignore them," Zoro said. "Let's get inside first."
"Yeah."
Soon, under Meiser's control, the Wood Dragon rapidly charged toward the facility's main gate.
"Damn it, what on earth do we have to do to get in?!" a G-5 Branch Marine clinging to the gate shouted. "If this keeps up, we're going to be poisoned to death!"
"If Vice Admiral Vergo were here, it would be great. With his strength, he could definitely open this gate."
"What's the use of saying that now?"
"I wonder if Vice Admiral Vergo is even still ali—"
"Stop talking so pessimistically!" a Marine shouted angrily. "Vice Admiral Vergo must still be alive!"
That way... even if they all died here, someone could report what happened. Then Headquarters would know everything and send troops to wipe out Caesar. In that case... they wouldn't have died in vain.
"I know Vice Admiral Vergo must be alive, but cur—"
"Hey, look! What is that behind us?!"
"Hmm?"
Hearing their comrade's shout, everyone looked back and noticed the colossal Wood Dragon.
"A... Wood Dragon?"
Looking at the Wood Dragon moving rapidly across the snow, the men were completely stunned. Why was there a giant Wood Dragon here?
"Wait... this Wood Dragon is coming for us!"
"Hey, those in the back, get out of the way!"
As the giant Wood Dragon drew closer, terror flashed in the eyes of the Marines in the rear. They scrambled away in a frenzy, terrified of being hit by the thing.
To their surprise, the giant Wood Dragon stopped as it approached, showing no intention of attacking them.
"What's going on?"
Several Marines looked confused, clearly not expecting the giant creature to stop suddenly.
At that moment, all the people hiding on the Wood Dragon jumped down, landing steadily on the ground.
"People!"
"Look, it's the Straw Hat Pirates!"
"They're the ones who made this Wood Dragon?"
"Yes, it must have been that man wearing sunglasses!" one of the Marines pointed at Meiser. "He's a Moku Moku Fruit Ability User!"
This man was the Sunglasses Man with a bounty of 100 million Berries, the Moku Moku Fruit Ability User!
Hearing the Marines, Meiser glanced at them, then shifted his gaze to Zoro and Kin'emon. "Your turn to work."
Zoro and Kin'emon nodded and walked toward the gate without a word.
The Marines blocking the way instinctively drew their weapons. "Hey, pirates, what are you planning to do?"
"Cut the gate down, obviously," Zoro said flatly.
Marines: ??
Cut the gate down? Could these pirates actually achieve such a thing?
Zoro and Kin'emon ignored them, walking past with indifferent expressions. The Marines didn't make a move, simply staring blankly as they approached the gate.
The next moment...
Clang!
Clang!
Boom!!
Two flashes of blade light streaked across, and a massive gap was instantly carved into the facility's main gate!
"?"
"!!!"
Looking at the gate sliced open by the two, the Marines' eyes bulged in shock, and their tongues practically hung out.
"They... they actually cut it open?!!"
This was a steel gate that not even cannons could leave a mark on! Were these two monsters?
"Let's go," Zoro said.
With that, Zoro and Kin'emon walked into the facility together, intending to check the situation.
A Marine Lieutenant Colonel nearby remained silent for a moment before saying, "Forget it, let's just follow them inside for now!"
Although he wanted to arrest these pirates immediately, the current situation didn't allow it. It was better to get inside and avoid the poison gas first.
"Aye!"
The other Marines roared in response and rushed toward the gap in the gate. The others didn't stop them; after all, these small fry posed no threat.
"Hmm?"
"Why is there a cage over there?"
Merry looked curiously at the giant cage high above. What was that used for?
A Marine, glancing at the cute Little Merry, instinctively replied, "That's for holding Straw Hat Boy and his crew."
"What?!"
Hearing this, the Straw Hat Pirates' expressions changed instantly. Were Luffy and the others actually in there?
Meiser also frowned as he looked at the cage, not expecting Luffy and the others to be put there.
"Is it because they want to use Luffy and the others to test that poison gas?" Sanji asked, frowning.
As he spoke, he recalled the fate of those who had taken off their protective suits. Perhaps that bastard named Caesar intended to use their lives to test his weapons?
"It's possible."
Meiser nodded and released his Observation Haki, intending to check on Luffy and the others. But when his Observation Haki touched the cage, he froze.
"Not there?"
"What's not there?"
"Luffy and the others aren't there," Meiser said. "I can't feel their presence."
As soon as he said this, Sanji's expression shifted.
"Could it be..."
"Don't worry, it's definitely not that they've died," Meiser said. "Since Caesar intends to have us test his weapons with our lives, he wouldn't kill Luffy and the others prematurely."
"That means..." Nami's eyes lit up. "Luffy and the others have already escaped!"
"Most likely," Meiser nodded. "They're probably already inside the facility."
Although he didn't know how they had escaped, as long as they were no longer in the cage, it was fine.
"Then let's go in too," Brook said, looking back at the purple poison gas rushing toward them. "The gas is almost here."
Given the speed of the gas, it would reach them in a matter of minutes!
The others nodded, clearly recognizing the severity of the situation.
"Hey, you wretched pirates, get inside quickly!" the Marine at the door shouted. "We need to seal the gate again, otherwise the gas will still get in!"
Meiser looked at the Marine in surprise; he hadn't expected these guys to be so reasonable. The others also looked at the Marine with surprise, not expecting such words.
As if sensing their thoughts, the Lieutenant Colonel shouted irritably, "Even though we're enemies, we owe you for opening the door this time, so we don't intend to attack you right now. Now stop dawdling and get inside!"
Once everything here was settled, he would move to capture these wretched pirates! As for now? Survival first!
This time, Meiser and the others didn't say anything and quickly rushed inside the gate.
After glancing outside, the Lieutenant Colonel shouted, "Quick, lift the gate back up! Seal it!"
"Aye!!"
The Marines sprang into action, quickly grabbing the gate that Zoro and Kin'emon had sliced down and lifting it bit by bit. However, because the gate was extremely heavy, they lifted it very slowly.
Seeing this, Merry quickly flew over and said to them, "Leave it to me!"
"Power of Wind: Rise!!"
Whoosh~
In the next instant, a gentle Power of Wind appeared around the Marines, lifting the colossal steel gate and bringing it close to the gap. After carefully controlling the wind to set the gate back into its original position, Merry said, "There, it's done."
"What a cute little girl..."
Lieutenant Colonel: ??
"Idiot!"
After slapping his subordinate's head, the Lieutenant Colonel roared, "Is this the time for sentimentality?"
"Quickly fix the gate with wood and steel! Otherwise, the poison gas will still leak in!"
He admitted the little girl who helped them was indeed very cute, but this was no time for that, you bastard! Now was the time to find a way to survive!
The other Marines snapped back to their senses and rushed to the gate with their tools.
The Lieutenant Colonel turned to Merry and asked, "Little girl, fixing the gate won't interfere with your ability, will it?"
He didn't want the gate to be pushed out while they were fixing it; if that happened, they'd be finished.
"It won't," Merry shook her head. Just fixing a gate wouldn't affect her ability.
"That's good."
The Lieutenant Colonel breathed a sigh of relief and shouted loudly, "Did you all hear that, you bastards! Hurry up and fix the gate!"
"Aye!"
The Marines roared in response and quickly used their tools to secure the gate.
"It... it should be fine now, right?" a Marine said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Not necessarily," another replied. "After all, the gate was sliced open once."
Hearing this, the others' expressions became solemn. Indeed, although they had secured the gate, it was no longer a complete whole. Therefore...
"Don't worry," Merry said with a giggle. "I'm here. I'll hold the gate up!"
With her ability, even if the fixtures couldn't hold the gate, she could keep it in place!