Ramen Kenpo

On the Puffing Tom, Kalifa questions the disaster in the rear cars: "They disconnected the last two cars? How could you let that happen!?" A government agent apologizes, "I'm truly sorry!!" and explains that even Captain T-Bone, one of their primary fighters, was trapped in the disconnected cars. CP9 lays out the train's remaining formation: the 1st car contains Nico Robin, the 2nd car contains Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno, the 3rd car contains Nero, the 4th car contains Wanze, and everyone else is in the 2nd car. Spandam notes that all ordinary soldiers are down and that, as of now, only five cars remain with them.

Lucci assesses the threat without panic. "It sounds like the attackers are fairly strong. However, the only problem in our current situation is... that Franky has been freed." He reminds the others, "Our mission is to deliver Franky and Nico Robin to Enies Lobby." Aside from that, nothing else matters. When Kaku asks whether they have identified the intruders, Lucci says their goal is obvious: to take Robin back, with Franky helping them. Kaku reasons that one enemy is probably a Straw Hat member, "like the guy with long nose," while the other is a blond male who appears to be another Straw Hat attacker.

Kalifa asks, "Lucci, should I go check on Nico Robin?" Lucci says there is no need and orders them to focus on apprehending Franky. Robin sits alone and understands the meaning behind the attack: "They want to take back Nico Robin, do they?" Lucci's answer is merciless. "That will... never happen." Outside, the train cuts through the storm while CP9 calmly decides where its attention should go: Franky is the mission's immediate weak point, but Robin remains the prize they will not release.

In the fourth car, Wanze poses wildly and invites the intruders to fight. Sanji asks, "Are you gonna try to stop us?" Wanze answers with cheerful nonsense: "Yeah!!! I'll stop you!!! Sasasa sasa!" He strikes another pose and announces, "The reason I'm here is... for a situation like this!!! If you want to free the prisoners... you'll have to defeat my Ramen Kenpo first!!!" Sanji, Franky, and Sogeking face the CP7 cook in the kitchen car, knowing that every minute spent here keeps Robin farther ahead.

Sanji and Sogeking react to the absurdity of Wanze's fighting style. Sogeking stammers, "Ra... Ramen Kenpo!?" and Sanji repeats, "Ra... Ramen Kenpo!?" Wanze snaps, "You idiotic cook!! Don't you mock me!!! Don't fall for it!!!" Sanji calls him energetic, and Wanze answers with a grin before suddenly firing an explosive ramen attack: "Sasasasa!! So? Did I look like you?" The blast erupts with "BOOM!!" and the car shakes as Wanze proves that his ridiculous style can still be dangerous.

Sanji is furious at the sight of food being abused. He shouts, "What the hell!!?" while Wanze asks, "What the-- that straw shouldy at least tickle you." Sogeking mutters that Wanze is scary and that his heart almost jumped out, but Sanji is disgusted: "Stop doing that stupid look!!!" Then he declares, "I can't believe I'm being mocked by someone like that!!!" Wanze calls himself a chef, and Sanji replies, "The thing I dislike most... is the fact that you call yourself a chef!!" He decides to take care of Wanze himself while telling Franky and Sogeking not to let the enemy control the pace.

Wanze launches another trick and shouts, "You fell for his trick, too!!!" Sanji kicks him, but Wanze's body acts strangely; even after being hit, he keeps moving as if nothing happened. Franky and Sogeking stare, confused: "But look... he dodged Sanji's kick so easily!!" and "That was scary!!" Wanze continues making faces and laughing, while Sanji calmly decides, "Okay, leave this guy to me. You two, go to the next car!!" He takes the Wanze problem personally and clears Franky and Sogeking to move ahead.

Wanze prepares another attack by chewing flour: "Adding golden flour!!!" He bellows, "I~~~ won't~~~ let~~~ you~~~!!!" and fires "Ramen Beam~~~~!!!!" The noodles blast outward and explode through the car as Sogeking shouts, "He's making ramen again!?" and warns, "Watch out!!!" Sanji tells the others to go, but the attack fills the space with dangerous strands and flying debris. Wanze's style is absurd, but in the tight train car it blocks movement and threatens everyone around him.

Sanji stops the incoming attack with "Cho--ya!!!" and yells, "Stop that!!!" Franky and Sogeking take the chance to move on. Franky says, "Let's go from the top!!" and Sogeking answers, "Okay. We'll leave him to you, Sanji-kun!!!" Wanze complains that they got away, but Sanji stands between him and the path forward. Wanze grins and says, "But oh well... the person in the next car is..." implying that Franky and Sogeking are already heading toward another dangerous opponent.

Wanze reveals the next obstacle: Nero. "Nero!! Although he's a new member, he's still one of the assassins of Justice, CP9. Those two are dead meat!!! Nero loves to kill!!!" In the next car, Nero strikes with "Flanchet" while Franky and Sogeking leap aside. Nero fires with "Shoot!!!" and "Cho--ya!!!" while Wanze continues to pressure Sanji with "Ramen Kenpo: Dough Cut!" Sanji tells him, "Get out of my way. As I said, we're short on time," but Wanze gleefully attacks again: "OK then. Take this!!"

Nero skates across the floor with blinding speed and attacks Franky and Sogeking using "Fire Skate!!!" His strike sends them crashing through seats and walls: "CRASH!" "FOOM!" Franky and Sogeking are thrown by the impact while the train continues to rattle through the storm. In the kitchen car, Wanze keeps Sanji occupied, meaning the group is now split across two fights: Sanji versus Wanze, and Franky plus Sogeking versus Nero.

Wanze attacks so quickly that Sanji counts the hits in surprise. He dodges and kicks back, but Wanze asks, "Are you actually secretly super strong!?" Sanji corrects him: "No... you're just super weak." Wanze objects that Sanji has no right to criticize his looks, and Sanji answers that the truth is obvious: "That's why I fell for your attacks!! Even my dad wouldn't say that to me!! How dare you hurt people's feelings like that!!" Wanze keeps insisting he is not ugly while Sanji sees through the flimsy performance.

Wanze escalates. "Ramen Kenpo: Ultimate Technique!!!" he shouts, and begins pulling noodles around himself: "Well then!! I'll have you know why I was chosen for this job!!" He says, "I pull and I pull it!!!" then wraps himself in an enormous noodle armor: "Ramen Formal Battle Suit!!!" The ridiculous suit swells around him until he becomes a huge, rounded figure built of ramen strands. Wanze declares that he will make Sanji his dreamy, edible battle suit.

Wanze boasts about his powered-up form: "Sasasasa, Ramen Kenpo's ultimate technique is free moving ramen!!" He says his "speed, strength, and special abilities" have dramatically improved, and he taunts Sanji for being unable to fight back. Sanji stands in front of him and says only, "Have all dramatically improved." Wanze orders him, "Stop yapping and get on with it!! I'll make you eat all of that dough!!" Outside, the train continues speeding through the dark sea toward Enies Lobby.

In the next car, Nero introduces himself. "I'm the officer of the 3rd car... the newly recruited CP9 Four-Form user! I'm the Sea Weasel, Nero!" Franky asks if he could not wait for them inside, while Nero says, "Unfortunately, I can't kill you... since we need you alive. My question was: why are you on top of the train?" Franky answers plainly that they are trying to pass him. The fight begins with Nero confident in his speed and CP9 training, while Franky stands ready to punch his way through.

Nero boasts, "Since you would try to sneak past me, of course not!" and says Franky has to be careful because something is behind him. Franky wonders what he means, and Nero suddenly lands a sharp blow: "!?" The strike slams into Franky, but Franky quickly grins and answers, "Chee!!! You play dirty!! Waaa hahaha!! That's right!! 'Cause I'm the underworld boss in my town!!" Nero may be CP9, but Franky is not intimidated by underhanded tactics.

Elsewhere on the Puffing Tom, Robin hears a familiar rhythm and voice through the cars: "Rapraprap!" Sogeking's strange presence reaches her. She stops and whispers, "Ah..." Then, shocked, she calls out, "Long Nose-kun!?" The realization cuts through her isolation: despite everything she did to protect them, one of the Straw Hats has made it onto the train and is close enough for her to recognize. The chapter closes on Robin's stunned face as hope reaches her for the first time in the escort.

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