One Piece Chapter 384: Give the Signal for a Counterattack

Sogeking freezes in the middle of Enies Lobby, sweat pouring under his mask, realizing he never got onto the King Bull. His first thought is only "... ..." and then the panic becomes words: "I missed getting on the King Bull..." He watches the distant battle with the shipwrights tearing through guards and mutters, "Wha-wha-wha-what should I do? I'm getting left behind." Even while frightened, he admits, "But those shipwrights are incredible..." His cowardice fights his pride until he decides, "Either way... I'm out of the group... I should escape...!!" The page title asks, "Which road will Sogeking take?" and the page leaves him alone with that shameful choice.

Sogeking tries to run, but his own memory stops him. He tells himself, "No, no, no way, no way. I can't just run!! Be a man, Usopp!!" and remembers the stakes: "Robin offered herself to protect us, so this is serious!! I've gotta fight no matter what!!!" Then he finds a strategy that lets his fear wear a heroic costume. "Okay...!!" he says, deciding, "There's only one way to get to everyone... with the 'Disguise Myself-as-a-Government-Official-and-Pass-Through-the-Government-Mob Epic Strategy'!!" The plan immediately collapses when he splashes into water and hears, "Enemy raid!! Enemy raid!!" The attack is named "Mizusime: Cutting off a castle's water supply," and soldiers scream, "Uo--!! What the? What's this Mizuseme!?" while Sogeking blinks, "Huh!?"

The water blast wakes one of the fallen giants. As water pours over him with "Splish splish," Sogeking throws up his arms and declares, "I am mortified...!!!" while someone shouts, "Gya--!!! The giant woke up--!!!" The giant Oimo looks down in confusion and grief, saying, "We failed in our 50th year... We're a disgrace to Elbaf...!!!" Sogeking catches the word and stammers, "E...!! Elbaf...!?" The giant apologizes, "We're sorry, bosses... We're sorry... Uooo...!!!" Sogeking realizes this is not merely an enemy waking up. He asks, "Did you really come from the warrior village of Elbaf!?" and then, shaken by recognition, "Who the hell are you..."

Oimo begins explaining the lie that trapped him. As smoke rolls over the ruined street, he says, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell someone like you, but..." and names himself, "Kaashii... and I... we became pirates 100 years ago... and rampaged around the world." He tells Sogeking that one day, on an island, "the two bosses began to duel." The crew dissolved and all the shipmates returned home, while "only the winner of the life or death warriors' duel was expected to return home." Oimo says, "Although we waited many years, neither of them came back." So he and Kashii went to sea to find them, but "on the way, we were captured by the Marines, and they forced information out of us. That's when they surprised us with the truth!"

Oimo says the Marines told them, "Those two strong bosses are being held in a huge Government prison...!!" Sogeking can only answer, "Ehh??" and "??" because he knows enough to doubt the story. Oimo continues that this was "about 50 years ago..." and explains the deal: "But the Government gave us this condition...!! If Kaashii and I work for the Government for 100 years... in other words, if we guard the gate of Enies Lobby for 100 years, they'll release the bosses and let us return to Elbaf together...!!!" Since a giant's lifespan is 300 years, they accepted it, but after fifty years the gate's destruction by pirates has ruined the bargain. Oimo cries, "Damnit! Now the bosses will rot in jail for the rest of their lives...!! Uooo...!!!"

Sogeking reacts to Oimo's story with disbelief, but not for the reason Oimo expects. When Oimo wails "Uooooo...!!" Sogeking tries to stop him: "Hey, hey, wait, wait a minute!! That story's funny!!" Then he corrects himself under Oimo's glare: "No no, not that kind of funny! I meant it's strange!!" He reveals the truth that shatters the Government's lie: "Those Elbaf warriors you're talking about, Dorry and Brogy, have been on that island for 100 years, and continue to fight in that endless duel!!!" Sogeking insists, "Because while we were sailing here, we met those two!!" Oimo asks, "You... how do you know their names?" Sogeking answers, "If you want more proof, I'll give you as much as you want! The way they laugh!? Their weapons!? Techniques!? I know all of it because I really met them!! Them being captured 50 years ago was all a big lie!!!"

Inside the main island courthouse, the guards report disaster after disaster: "And even the 10,000 guards were overtaken...!!" and "The 'Houbantai' failed in their duty." The officials realize the invaders have escaped the center of the main island and are heading straight for the courthouse. The commander rages, "You buffoons are supposed to be guards in charge of this Government entryway, you know! Have some shame!!!" The excuses are useless: "The strength of the King Bulls is more powerful than we expected...!! There's one more, but it's only a matter of time before it...!!" They know their credibility is collapsing. Finally the command comes: "We're down to our last resort...!! Call those guys!!!" When a subordinate asks, "You want to release them in the city!?" the answer is cold: "That's right...!!"

The officials decide to unleash their final force. A guard protests, "You don't mean it...!!" but the order is already being shouted: "Now!! Send them out!!" Another voice names them, "Precisely!!! The punishers of Justice Island!!!" The commander barks, "Call them!!!" and loses patience with frightened objections: "I don't want to hear anymore useless information!! Jeez, shut up already!!!" The execution order becomes ceremonial and terrifying: "The time for judgement has come!!! Release the just '11 Jurymen'!!!" Someone pleads, "Are you really serious!!? The city'll be decimated!!" but the decision is final. Even the report "We also lost sight of Straw Hat" and "Now that I think about it, your honor," cannot stop the release.

On the central road inside Enies Lobby, the Government ambush tightens around Gomorrah. A cannon crew locks on and shouts, "Aim carefully!" and "Lock on." The mortar hits with "Bagya!!!" and the riders cry out "!!!" while Gomorrah roars, "Bahi hi!!!" A warning cuts through the smoke: "It's a mortar! Dodge it, Gomorrah!!!" But the bombardment is forcing the King Bull off course. Someone shouts, "This central road is bad news...!!!" and another adds, "They're ambushing us with all sorts of things!!" As Gomorrah veers, a rider cries, "We're changing our route!!!" The rescue party is no longer simply racing straight ahead; the enemy is shaping the road beneath them with explosives.

Gomorrah staggers through smoke and impact, still carrying everyone while Chopper and the others brace themselves. The sound of the mini Den Den Mushi cuts into the chaos with "Purururu..." Nami notices, "Eh, the mini Den-Den Mushi!" Someone answers, "Hello?" and another asks, "Who is this!?" The caller cheerfully says, "It's us!!" and "Thank goodness! It seems like you're all still alive! Nga ga ga!!" The crew recognizes her: "It's Old Lady Kokoro." Someone asks, "What's she want?" Kokoro replies that there was something important she forgot to tell them: "So much was going on before. I'll tell you quickly, so listen well." The page turns from survival to instructions; the group finally receives the missing route information.

Kokoro explains why Pauly's map showed no road from the courthouse to the Tower of Justice. "That's right..." she says after Nami admits, "I was going to ask about it." The map labels the courthouse and Tower of Justice, and Kokoro reveals the mechanism: "Look at the courthouse!! There are two towers, one on either side, right?" When the crew confirms it, she continues, "There's a lever in the upper level of each tower... If we pull those, a draw-bridge from the court-house to the Tower of Justice should lower." The crew is stunned that she knows this. Kokoro answers, "Back in the day, I came with Tom to fix the bridge!! It's the stupid Government that forgot this favor!!" Sanji snaps, "Granny, how'd you know something like that!?" and she fires back, "Why are you angry at me...!!"

Chimney adds the clue everyone needed: "Hey!! That rubber pirate guy... I saw him climb to the top of the courthouse roof!!" Someone asks, "Really!? Luffy did!!?" and Kokoro says there was some kind of fight on the roof, with stones crumbling afterward. The crew understands at once: Luffy is already above them. "Now we know where to go...!!" they declare. Kokoro gives one last warning: "One more thing, young lady! Keep the Den-Den Mushi on so we know what's going on over there." The plan forms around speed. Franky says, "Okay!! You guys go first." The Franky Family takes the bridge job: "We'll split into two parts and lower the drawbridge." The others are told, "Head for the courthouse roof and meet up with Straw Hat!!" Everyone answers, "Alright!!!"

Gomorrah charges toward the courthouse as the group commits to the new plan. One rider cries, "It's up to you, Gomorrah!! Until we reach the court-house!!!" Gomorrah roars "Barurururua!!!" and "Bahi hi!!" but the road ahead erupts with chained iron balls and spiked weapons. The impact explodes across the street, and the riders shout "!!!?" as the attack slams into their path. The defenders have created another deadly barricade, and Gomorrah meets it head-on. The page is almost pure collision: the King Bull's last sprint crashes against the Government's traps while the crew clings to the momentum that Sodom and Gomorrah bought for them.

Gomorrah breaks through one barricade but is finally forced down. The riders cry "Gomorrah!!!" and "Oo--!!" while the defenders shout in panic, "Who are those guys!!!" and "Shit...!!" In the shadowed corridor, Government agents jeer, "So you thought you could get by easily? You pieces of trash..." But the battlefield reports turn in their favor: "They did it!! They took down the second one--!!" and "The pirates don't have a leg to stand on anymore!!!" The order follows immediately: "Surround and arrest all of them!!!" Gomorrah has carried the group farther than anyone expected, but now both King Bulls have been stopped, and the crew is stranded in the middle of enemy territory.

Enies Lobby mobilizes around the fallen riders. Announcements blare, "Calling all Enies Lobby personnel!! In the center of the southeast D-block, the King Bull ridden by the pirates has been stopped!! All personnel convene and close off D-block completely!!!" The surrounding streets fill with guards. Nami sees the danger first: "The guards we outran before are catching up!!" Someone shouts, "They're coming from the front too!" and another warns, "They're aiming their mortars." Chopper cries, "This is awful!! There are thousands of them!" Sanji mutters, "This is bad!" From above, the city looks like a closing trap, and the conclusion is plain: "If we get surrounded here... We'll be done for!!!"

At the Tower of Justice, Robin sits chained beside Franky, refusing to believe anyone should still be coming for her. Franky tells her, "You should be happy... You've got really good friends." Robin answers, "They don't usually come to save you, you know... Oh, I'm not sulking or anything, just 'cause my guys aren't coming to save me, ok?" On the main island front gate surrounding area, the gate giants Oimo and Kashii rise again. The soldiers panic: "Oimo and Kaashii woke up!!!" and "Ohhh!! They did it!!" But the Government men misunderstand for only a moment. They yell, "Now, kill those three, giants!!!" and "Hurry up and trample these guys!!!" until they realize the giants' anger is no longer aimed at the pirates. One defeated guard gasps, "How did this happen...!? Haa... haa... We don't have any strength left to fight them...!!! So this is the end...!!"

Oimo and Kashii turn their fury on the Government that deceived them. Guards scream, "What the--!? Those two have turned against us!!!" and "Oo-woaaaa--!!!" The giants remember the lost years and speak with terrifying calm before striking: "Before we celebrate our bosses' safety... before we mourn all those lost years... until this anger is satisfied... we will rampage!!!" They call out, "Let's do it together!!!" and name Sogeking with respect: "King of Snipers!!!" Oimo and Kashii smash down together, roaring, "How dare you deceive us!!!?" as soldiers are hurled away with "Gyaaaaaa!!!" Sogeking stands below them and gives the signal the chapter promised: "Fear not!!! Now's the time to give the signal for a counterattack!!! Hurry to where our comrades are!!!"

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