Ray's mind raced.
Today's battle had been pure chaos: Big Mom's sudden appearance in the Grand Line, the berserk Chouchou, and the falling island.
Though they seemed unrelated, Ray knew the key lay in connecting them.
Big Mom's goal was capturing Ray for… reproduction.
(The thought of it made him feel creep all over his body!)
As for Chouchou, the issues were its berserk rage and mind control.
Big Mom's crew lacked the specific abilities to cause these effects, nor could her forces lift entire islands.
Therefore, another faction must be aiding her.
Who could lift islands and had ties to Big Mom?
'Kaido?' Ray wondered.
He could control Chouchou and lift islands.
But if he were allied with Big Mom, why not attack directly? Against two Yonko, Ray and Aokiji—both distracted and cautious—would likely lose.
Two united Yonko could dominate the Grand Line, even if only briefly.
Why use such complicated plan?
'Who else fit the criteria?'
Suddenly, it clicked.
'The Golden Lion.'
It made perfect sense.
Shiki's Float-Float Fruit could lift islands. It also countered the sea, allowing for the creation of deep-sea tsunamis.
Furthermore, his forces possessed animal-enhancing drugs that boosted power but induced berserk states.
Only one inconsistency remained: The Golden Lion's forces couldn't control animals once they went berserk.
Yet, Chouchou and the beasts attacking Enies Lobby had obeyed orders perfectly.
Big Mom's ability? Unlikely.
However, since the berserk Chouchou had remained by Big Mom's side, she must have been the one controlling it.
With this clarity, Ray finalized his next move.
He approached Luffy, who was still clamoring for a feast.
...
Meanwhile, Aokiji used his powers to extract salvageable Marine ships from the ice.
As the highest-ranking officer present, he led Momonga and half the elite Marines to Enies Lobby.
To Aokiji, the destruction of Enies Lobby wasn't catastrophic.
Before the battle, Fleet Admiral Sengoku's worst-case scenario had been the Straw Hat Pirates fighting desperately, costing the Marines an admiral, multiple vice admirals, and countless soldiers.
Compared to that, losing Enies Lobby was merely embarrassing.
Losing Aokiji, however, would have shifted the balance of power between the Marines and the Yonko.
That was unacceptable.
Besides, Aokiji had no stomach for another Buster Call massacre.
Thus, he had signaled goodwill to Ray early on, hoping the Straw Hats would realize the Marines weren't fully committed—they were simply appeasing the Celestial Dragons.
The low casualties were a direct result of this lax leadership and half-hearted fighting.
Without Ray's aid, Big Mom's sudden appearance could have devastated the Marines.
Fortunately, the early tsunami provided a perfect excuse to abort the Buster Call. The ships and ammunition were waterlogged and impossible to fire.
They would have to return for repairs, and by then, the Straw Hats would be long gone.
Just then, Zephyr approached Aokiji, puffing on a cigar.
"That falling island reminded me of someone," Zephyr said. "A pirate who once battled Roger to the death and attacked Marineford when Roger's about to be executed. The Float-Float Fruit user—Golden Lion Shiki."
Aokiji's eyes widened in realization.
If it was Shiki, collaborating briefly with Big Mom made sense—both were former Rocks Pirates.
Likely, their goals aligned temporarily.
Big Mom wanted Ray for breeding, while the Golden Lion sought to humiliate the Marines by destroying Enies Lobby as revenge for his imprisonment.
The Golden Lion had succeeded, effectively slapping the World Government in the face.
Big Mom had mostly succeeded as well; stealing Ray's pet would lure him into her territory.
In Aokiji's view, once Ray entered her territory, escaping would be near-impossible.
A Yonko fighting on their home turf was unrestrained.
With that home-field advantage, Ray's odds of victory were slim.
Though he was strong, the chances of soloing a Yonko crew were less than 10%.
The Marines typically required three admirals and elite vice admirals just to challenge a Yonko crew.
'Well, why worry about him?' Aokiji thought. 'If he and that old hag wipe each other out, the Marines benefit most.'
But as they departed the waters of Water 7 en route to Enies Lobby, Aokiji cast one last, profound glance in the direction of the Straw Hat Pirates.
'Nico Robin, if Ray dies, will you still be able to protect yourself?'
'Finding companions you truly like isn't easy. I hope you can live happily and peacefully for the rest of your days.'
With that, Aokiji turned and walked to the front of the battleship, found a lounge chair, and comfortably closed his eyes.
...
Back in Water 7, Robin—who had been joking with Nami—seemed to sense something and turned to look toward the port.
Moments later, a subconscious smile crept onto Robin's lips as dozens of icy tendrils formed two sentences in the air before her.
[Living means you'll always find your worth. Try to smile more when you have time. And protect yourself well.]
Though composed of frigid air, the message radiated a heartwarming warmth for her.
....
At that very moment, Ray gathered the crew together at Luffy's request and informed them of his upcoming plans.
Over the next few minutes, the Straw Hats argued several times before finally reaching a consensus.
Once arrangements were settled, Ray stood up, nodded to the entire crew, and gave final instructions to their doctor.
"Chopper, Chouchou's antidote is in your hands now."
The little reindeer immediately patted his chest with his hooves, nodding vigorously to show he would take full responsibility for saving Chouchou.
The others wore tense expressions; everyone except Luffy was deeply worried about Ray's decision.
Finally, Nami rushed up to Ray and, without waiting for his consent, threw her arms around him while sobbing loudly.
"You have to come back alive!"
Seeing that Ray didn't immediately reject Nami's embrace, Robin wondered if she could hug him too.
But just as Robin prepared to move, Nami's piercing scream echoed from near to far, and then back again.
Their navigator had been sent towards the sky—the price of her reckless impulsiveness—and was now plummeting rapidly.
"Ray, you blockhead! Ahhh—I'm falling too fast! Usopp, catch me!"
Deciding it was safer to keep her distance, Robin switched to her gentle older sister mode, offering only tender words wishing for Ray's safety.
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Ray solo vs Big mom pirates soon!