Enies Lobby Arc

The Enies Lobby Arc is the sixteenth story arc in the manga and anime series, One Piece, and the third in the Water 7 Saga. Enies Lobby is the eighth island that the Straw Hat Pirates encounter on the Grand Line. This arc also serves as a point of advancement for each of the Straw Hats, as almost all of them become stronger in some way. In this arc, the Straw Hats also say farewell to their beloved ship, the Going Merry. Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Chopper, the Franky Family, the Galley-La carpenters of Dock 1, Kokoro, Chimney, Gonbe and Yokozuna left Water 7 in the prototype Sea Train, Rocket Man, and head for Enies Lobby despite a heavy storm known as Aqua Laguna. Meanwhile in the Puffing Tom, Sanji, Sogeking (Usopp) and Franky attempt to rescue Robin. They encountered strong enemies, including Nero and Wanze. However, their mission ended in failure, and Franky is recaptured by CP9. Reunited with Sanji and Sogeking shortly thereafter on the Rocket Man, the Straw Hats, along with the Franky Family and Galley-La, began an all-out assault on the government island of Enies Lobby against thousands of Marine soldiers and the Cipher Pol agents in a last ditch effort to rescue their friends Nico Robin and Franky before they are dragged through the Gate of Justice. The massive doors are the only thing standing between Robin and Franky and their respective destinations: Marine Headquarters and the terrifying prison of Impel Down.

While the others battled with the giants Oimo and Kashi, dog-riding guards, monstrous jurors and a three-headed judge, Luffy rushes ahead and engages the numerous Marines and Agents on the island; in spite of their numbers and numerous wrong turns, he overpowers them and eventually reaches the roof of the courthouse. Meanwhile, Spandam gloats with overconfidence until a Marine finally reports in that casualties are mounting at a horrendous rate: over 2,000 so far, with Luffy himself responsible for half that total. Furthermore, thanks to his previous contact with Dorry and Brogy, Sogeking was able to convince Oimo and Kashi to defect. For the first time, Spandam starts to panic. On the courthouse roof, Luffy encounters CP9 agent Blueno . Unlike last time, Luffy is able to keep track and match his skill. Then Luffy reveals his new Gear Second ability, which allows him to imitate the techniqueSoru to great effect, enhances his body to withstand the strain while using it, and allows him to overpower Blueno's strongest Tekkai technique, ultimately knocking him out. The others finally catch up, and as the CP9 and Straw Hats face each other, Robin's past is finally revealed, as well as her last reason for being unwilling to return to the crew: having been betrayed so many times in the past, she's terrified that one day the Straw Hats will see her as a burden, and also betray her. She screams that she would prefer death to that. The other Straw Hats quietly acknowledged the reason Robin had, then Spandam burst out laughing, saying she's absolutely accurate, and nobody would be stupid enough to think she wasn't a burden after traveling with her. Spandam pointed at the flag on top of the Tower of Justice, and told Luffy that the organization after Robin is over 170 affiliated nations. Luffy acknowledged this, then told Sogeking to shoot down the flag. Sogeking complied, utilizing his new Kabuto weapon to launch a fiery missile at the flag, setting it ablaze and shocking Spandam, Robin, and all the Marines and Agents in Enies Lobby beyond words; the Straw Hat Pirates had just declared war on the World Government. Spandam questioned Luffy's sanity, but he just bellowed back that he can take it, then tells Robin to admit that she wants to live. Unable to doubt her friends any longer after seeing them declare that her enemy is their enemy also, she tearfully begged them to take her out to sea with them. At this point, the Franky Family finally managed to pull the levers, and the drawbridge between the courthouse and the Tower of Justice began to lower. The Straw Hats waited impatiently, while Spandam is terrified. However, Judge Baskerville ordered the personnel to fire the mortar cannon to forcibly stop the drawbridge. Paulie and Zambai attempted to stop him by cutting between his three heads, but it is revealed that they were three people in the same suit. The mortar cannon fired, stopping the drawbridge, and Spandam started to drag Robin, heading for the Gates of Justice, but Franky stopped him.