Water 7 Arc

The Water 7 arc is the fifteenth story arc in the series, and the second in the CP9 Saga of the manga and anime series One Piece. This arc is well known for excessive use of plot twists and sudden shifts in the storyline. It is also the first arc to have its storyline continue into the next arc.

There is some dispute as to how the Water 7 arc should be categorized, particularly whether the journey on the sea train should be attached to the Water 7 arc, the Enies Lobby arc, or if it should stand alone. Another is whether or not the Water 7 and Enies Lobby arcs should be considered separate arcs or not.

Arrival at Water 7
After being attacked by Aokiji, the crew has fully recovered and has returned to sailing. Along their way, the crew sees a giant frog doing the crawl stroke and, wanting to eat it, Luffy orders everyone to make the ship follow after it. They end up on some tracks underwater and are nearly run over by a train traveling on top of the water, and the frog is sent flying by it. On a nearby island, they meet with a train conductor named Kokoro and her granddaughter Chimney, along with her pet rabbit (who acts like a cat) Gonbe. After revealing that the frog, Yokozuna, is perfectly fine and that it is always testing its strength against the train, Kokoro explains that the train is a Sea Train that connects several of the nearby islands and is called the Puffing Tom. She then tells them that the Log Pose will lead them to Water 7, a city of shipwrights where they can fix their ship, and tells them to get help from a man named Iceburg.

The crew arrives at the city, which resembles a fountain, and sail through the canals in the city looking for a place to dock, but the people are kind enough to tell them where to hide their boat. After stopping, a group of Luffy, Nami, and Usopp head out to exchange their gold from Skypiea and find a shipwright, using creatures called yagaras to navigate the canals. Later, Robin and Chopper leave to look around, and Sanji goes by himself to do the same, leaving Zoro on the ship. While Chopper goes into a book store, a masked man walks past Robin and simply says "CP9", leaving her in shock. When Chopper comes out, Robin is gone. Meanwhile, several bounty hunters come onto the Going Merry to claim the bounty on the crew, but they underestimate Zoro's power and are quickly defeated.

Luffy's group manages to exchange the gold for 300,000,000 Beli and they go to Dock One of the Galley-La Company. There, they meet Kaku, one of the foremen, who reveals that Iceburg is the mayor of Water 7 and the president of Galley-La. Kaku doesn't know where he is, so he decides to inspect their ship in the meantime, using immense speed and leaping capabilities to rocket across the city. Just after he leaves, Iceburg and his secretary, Kalifa, introduce themselves to the three and he agrees to work on their ship. However, as they're about to enter the dock, the crew finds that all of their money is gone, and they see it being taken by several people. Luckily, at that moment, another foreman, Paulie, was running from tax collectors and knocked the robbers off of their yagaras, but was about to use the money to pay his debt before another foreman, Lucci, stopped him. Iceburg reveals that the thiefs (and the men who attacked Zoro) are known as the Franky Family, a gang of dismantlers that bounty hunt and steal on the side, and are led by a powerful man named Franky.

Meanwhile, Sanji sees Robin with the masked man from before, but when they turn the corner he finds that they're gone. He later meets up Chopper and they start looking for Robin. Meanwhile, in Dock One, while Usopp is separated from the group, he is attacked by the Franky Family and the 200,000,000 Beli he had were taken. Kaku returns from his inspection of the ship and reveals a startling fact--the Going Merry is impossible to fix. Since the keel is broken, trying to fix it would be no different from making a new ship entirely. Though Luffy complains about this, Iceburg tells him to think about it for a while. The empty suitcases containing the money Usopp carried are found, and they conclude the Franky Family is the cause, so Luffy rushes off aimlessly into the city while Nami heads back to the ship after finding out about the location of their headquarters from the Galley-La workers. On the way, however, Nami finds Usopp bloody and battered on the street, who shows deep regret about letting them take the money. She leaves him there for now so she can get everyone else and explains the situation to the others, including Sanji and Chopper who had returned to the ship. At Franky House, the dismantlers' headquarters, the stolen money is presented to Franky himself, who reveals that the amount will be enough to buy what they've always wanted, and leaves his gang a bunch of money to party with. As he is about to leave, the door explodes as Usopp walks in demanding that he gives the money back.

After a failed attempt to attack Franky, the others gang up on Usopp. The other Straw Hats go to where Usopp was, but all they can find is bloody footsteps as Luffy falls from the sky. After he explains that he was trying to leap across the city like Kaku, he is told the situation. Outside of the Franky House, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Chopper find Usopp even worse off than before. The four battle the Franky Family, destroying the building, but they find that Franky already left with most of the money. At this point, Luffy decides to abandon the Going Merry and buy a new ship.

The Crew Splits Apart
At the Going Merry, Usopp's wounds are treated and the news is broken to him that they will change ships. At first, Usopp thinks they're joking but when its confirmed to be true, he asks if it's because he lost the money, but Luffy insists that the money wouldn't have made any difference and the ship can no longer sail. Usopp gets angry and insists that the Going Merry is just as much of a crewmate as everyone else, yelling that Luffy would trust strangers he met just that day and abandon a friend that was with them from the beginning. Luffy insists that he thought long and hard to make the decision and that if Usopp doesn't like the way he captains then he should just leave. Sanji manages to get Luffy to calm down and the captain apologizes for what he said, but Usopp says those were his true feelings and states that if they're going to abandon Merry they'll have to leave him behind too. As Usopp leaves the ship, with everyone else looking on tearfully, he turns around and challenges Luffy to a duel over control of the ship at 10:00 that night.

On the ship, Nami tries to convince Luffy to resolve the matter with words, but Luffy points out that Usopp isn't the type to arbitrarily put his life on the line for things he didn't strongly believe in. Once he issued the challenge, there was no turning back. Meanwhile, Sanji yells at Zoro for letting the Franky Family escape after they attacked him, because if they didn't steal the money from Usopp none of this would have happened, but Nami gets them to calm down.

True to his word at ten o'clock that night Usopp came back to the ship for his duel. The fight begins and Usopp mostly uses his weaker attacks like the Rotten Egg Star and Usopp Spell, but at it turns out these were simply to set up for several brand new attacks. Usopp reveals that his strategy is to not even give Luffy a chance to attack and manages to get in several damaging hits in, though Luffy manages to hit him with a Gum-Gum Pistol. After being hit by a humongous explosion caused by shooting a Flame Star into a cloud of explosive gas stored in a Breath Dial, Luffy charges towards Usopp while doing his Gum-Gum Bazooka attack, but his foe absorbs the blow into his Impact Dial. Usopp then hits Luffy with the full force of his own attack, thinking he won, but Luffy manages to land on his feet and brings Usopp down with a Gomu Gomu no Bullet. Despite being the winner, Luffy lets Usopp have the Going Merry and has the rest of the crew leave the ship. The next morning, the entire city is in a frenzy--Iceburg was shot! Upon hearing this at the hotel they're staying in, Luffy and Nami decide to see the mayor while the others continue to look for Robin. At the ruins of Franky House, Franky returns and concludes that the Straw Hats were behind this. As it turns out, the other Franky Family members were hoping their boss would want to avenge them and were keeping tabs on the pirates. They tell Franky that Luffy is heading for Dock One. Meanwhile, Iceburg manages to wake up and identify his attackers--one was a large man wearing a mask, while the other was Nico Robin of the Straw Hat Pirates. At the same time, it is announced around the town that Aqua Laguna, an annual high tide that engulfs the lower part of the city, is coming, so Kokoro, Chimney, and her rabbit come to Water 7.

At Dock One, Franky attacks Luffy with a flame attack, leading the two pirates to believe he's a Devil Fruit user, until he jumps straight into the canal and attacks from there. After trading several more attacks, Franky reveals that he's a cyborg, a human with robotic parts. Before the fight can go on for much longer, however, the Galley-La foremen intervene. At first, Luffy and Nami think they're helping fend off Franky, but then they start attacking Luffy. They reveal that the Straw Hat Pirates are behind the assassination attempt and are trying to arrest Luffy. After much fighting, with Luffy not fighting back, Franky gets tired of everyone ignoring him and unleashes his ultimate attack, Coup de Vent, to destroy the entire dock. Luffy and Nami take this chance to escape and Luffy decides to see if Iceburg was telling the truth about Robin being his attacker. Meanwhile, the Galley-La workers search through the town for the other crewmates and the Iceburg's statement is printed in all of the newspapers. At the company's headquarters, and where Iceburg lives, Luffy breaks in and rushes around the building looking for the mayor's room, avoiding the attacks of the shipwrights there. Iceburg hears about this and has Kalifa lead Luffy to his room. When the two meet, Iceburg confirms that he really saw Nico Robin and then pulls out a gun, requesting that Luffy let him see her. Luffy says that he has no idea where she is and Iceburg shoots, attracting the attention of the other workers, though Luffy manages to escape before they get there.

Meanwhile, Chopper and Sanji find Robin. Robin explains that there is a darkness in her heart that will engulf the rest of the crew if she stays any longer and declares that she is leaving. Sanji tells Chopper to go back and tell everyone what happened, but he has something else he needs to do. Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Chopper gather together and reach the conclusion that Robin may be being forced to do everything by the man in the mask, but Zoro points out that it wouldn't be good to have false hope. Either way, they conclude that there will be another attack that night and they should confront her there. Meanwhile, Franky decides to bring Luffy out of hiding by kidnapping Usopp and stealing the ship. At the Galley-La headquarters, all of the workers and foremen gather to protect their director.

CP9 Attacks
In the Galley-La headquarters, Iceburg calls Paulie into his room to tell him something, and afterwards Paulie leaves his guard post to go into another room, opening a hidden safe. The four remaining Straw Hats gather outside of headquarters hiding in a tree, observing the building for any events out of the ordinary when there is a huge explosion. At that point, several masked men in costumes rush into the building, who the workers assume are Straw Hat pirates. Nami, Chopper, and Zoro decide to break in too only to find that Luffy is gone. While the female assassin distracts the guard, showing incredible speed and the ability to jump while airborne, the man with Robin, wearing a bear mask, manages to enter Iceburg's room from the side using his Doa Doa no Mi (Door Door Fruit). He shoots Iceburg to weaken him, stating that they can't kill him until they get the signal, and leaves him to Robin while he handles the guards. The bear masked man easily takes care of the foreman Tilestone, demonstrating an ability to make his body as hard as metal. At this point, Iceburg reveals the identities of the attackers--they are the government agency Cipher Pol 9, who intentionally failed in the first assassination attempt in order to place the blame on the Straw Hats, and they are after the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluton, which Iceburg owns through inheritance from the great shipwright Tom.

Meanwhile, Zoro, Nami, and Chopper break into the building, thinking that Luffy would have distracted all of the guards by aimlessly rushing in, only to find themselves surrounded. As it turns out, Luffy got stuck between two buildings. Meanwhile, Paulie pulls blueprints out of Iceburg's safe only to encounter two men in a bull and skull mask. Paulie attacks them only to be beaten easily, but as it turns out the blueprints are fake. Using Den Den Mushis, the other CP9 agents are alerted to gather in Iceburg's room. At this time, however, Luffy manages to get free and breaks into the room only to be caught off guard by the powers of CP9, which include the ability to fire an "air blade" from their legs. Luffy and Paulie are pinned to the ground, but after talking for a bit, Luffy manages to squeeze himself out and release Paulie. Meanwhile, Zoro fends off the carpenters using the backs of his swords and the three make their way upstairs. In Iceburg's room, the four CP9 agents reveal their identities--the foremen Lucci and Kaku, the secretary Kalifa, and the bar owner Blueno!



As Kaku checks Iceburg's pulse, Lucci (who, as it turns out, can speak normally) gives his theory as to what happened to the Pluton blueprints. It was assumed that Iceburg was the last apprentice of the shipwright Tom and inherited the blueprints as a result, since reports said that his other apprentice, Cutty Flam, died when he was run over by the Sea Train. However, Cutty Flam isn't actually dead--he continues to live in the city to this very day under the name Franky! When he hears this, Iceburg's pulse greatly quickens and Lucci concludes that he was right. Just as CP9 is about to leave to go after Franky, Luffy, Paulie, Zoro, Chopper, and Nami break into the room. When Paulie finds out the situation, he attacks Lucci only to be beaten easily. Lucci reveals that all CP9 agents are capable of using "rokushiki", six martial art techniques, to put them beyond any other human. The Straw Hats try to talk to Robin, but she leaves stating that there's a dream she can't accomplish when with them. As it turns out, CP9 had set a firebomb in the building to go off soon, but before that Lucci decides to show off his Devil Fruit power, the Neko Neko no Mi (Cat Cat Fruit) Model Leopard. Luffy and Zoro attack him, only to be thrown across the island, and the building is engulfed in flames, with Iceburg and Paulie tied up unconscious, Nami thrown outside, and Chopper buried under rubble inside. At this point, the four CP9 agents leave and come across several Franky Family members, who are yelling around town that they have Usopp and the ship captive and that Luffy has to go to the workplace under the bridge if he wants to see them again. Lucci beats them up to find an exact location and the agents head for Franky's hiding place.

Meanwhile, at Franky's hide-out, Usopp continues to fix the ship while Franky and his assistants, the Square Sisters, cry from his story. When Franky asks what Usopp plans on doing once he fixes his ship, he replies that he's going back to Syrup Village in East Blue after adventuring for a bit longer. Franky tells him that he can't let him do that, since the ship won't even reach the next island, nonetheless go back to East Blue, and suggests letting him dismantle it. After arguing, Franky throws Usopp into the water under the ship so he can see for himself that the ship is too damaged to go anywhere. Even after resurfacing, Usopp continues fixing the ship and reveals that he already knew the ship was doomed.

On Skypiea, the night after the ship was heavily damaged by Priest Shura, Usopp saw a strange figure in the fog fixing it, telling Usopp, "Don't worry, I'll carry everyone a little longer." The next day, though crudely done, the ship was fixed and back in its original form without the upgrades made by the Saruyama Alliance. Not only was it odd that someone would be there to help them, but that they would know what the ship originally looked like, which led Usopp into thinking that the figure was the Going Merry's soul. Franky confirms this suspicion, telling Usopp about the Klabautermann, a ship spirit that appears to warn and even save crewmembers when the ship is near destruction and only appears if the ship loves the crew it carries. He then points out if Usopp traveled on the ship and ended up dying when it fell apart, the Going Merry's soul won't be able to live with itself, but Usopp asks Franky if he should just leave behind a friend when he is about to die.

Before this discussion can go on much longer, the four CP9 members break in, knocking out the Square Sisters. Franky recognises them as being from the Galley-La Company and attacks them, asking them what they think they're doing there. Lucci reveals to him that they are from the government and they know he is really Cutty Flam, also claiming that they killed Iceburg. The cyborg is then knocked through a wall, revealing a dusty workshop--the place where Tom's Workers operated--and the CP9 decide to look through it in search of the Pluton blueprints, tearing the room apart, but Franky tells them to get out of there.

Franky's Past
Twenty-two years ago, a young Franky sails his newest ship only to be attacked by a Sea King and his new weapons are ineffective against it. When he comes back onto shore, a young Iceburg scorns him for constantly making weapons as their mentor, a pufferfishman named Tom, finishes up on a ship by tossing it into the air and throwing the masts in with great accuracy. As they, along with Yokozuna the frog, eat food made by Kokoro, she explains how the island isn't getting any business, and when they do the shipbuilding companies fight each other over customers, and with the water level steadily rising, all anyone can do is wait for the city to sink. That night, however, Tom works on his plan to fix this problem.

Later, after the execution of Gold Roger, a judiciary ship arrives in the town to put Tom on trial--they are arresting anyone who helped the late Pirate King, and Tom was the one who built his ship, the Oro Jackson. Tom is about to be sentenced to be executed at Enies Lobby until he reveals his plans: he will build a Sea Train that can travel in any weather to connect the nearby islands together. After the judge requests a route to Enies Lobby, he gives Tom ten years to make the Sea Train before his trial is redone. Though Franky is angry that Tom would be arrested for making such a great ship that reached the end of the Grand Line in the first place, Tom's Workers immediately gets to work. After ten years, the Puffing Tom makes its first successful launch.

Government agents, led by the leader of Cipher Pol 5, Spandam, arrive at where Tom and Iceburg are, only to be shot by Franky's cannons. Spandam is ignored as Franky exclaims that he finally made a ship strong enough to defeat a Sea King, but is once again yelled at by Iceburg, explaining that he can't just leave such powerful weapons lying around. Spandam manages to get their attention again and talks with Tom personally. Spandam explains that he is after the blueprints for the Pluton, though Tom denies having them. The CP5 leader then threatens to reveal that Tom built Gold Roger's ship if he doesn't reveal where the plans are, only to be dumbfounded when Tom points out that everyone already knows that. After the agents leave, Tom takes the blueprints out of a safe and entrust them to Iceburg and Franky. Franky suggests that they try to build it, but is yelled at by Iceburg once again. Meanwhile, at a bar, Spandam laments that it's just not right for the builder of the Pirate King's ship to go free.

The next day, the judiciary ship comes back to give Tom a retrial and everyone is sure that Tom will go free this time, until the ship is attacked. As Franky watches in horror, the attacking ships turn out to be his own creations, and after the judiciary ship sinks Spandam order the agents controlling the ships to return and jump off the ship. Tom and Iceburg board the ships once they stop attacking only to find that there is no one there and are shot by some more ships. Franky arrives to find them badly wounded and the three are arrested by CP5. At the trial, Spandam claims that he was the one who saved everyone and no one believes Franky when he declares that Spandam was the one who attacked in the first place. It is pointed out by the CP5 leader that the ships were made by their company, but Franky declares that no ship that hurts his friends like that is any ship of his, which Tom responds to by breaking out of his manacles and punching his apprentice for the first time. The Fishman declares that no matter what a ship does, even if it ends up bringing about the end of the world, the creator must love it with all of his heart. He then runs up and attacks Spandam too only to be shot by tranquilizers. Since the creation of the Sea Train nullifies one crime, Tom request that this one be erased, making it so that he will be executed for building the Oro Jackson but Franky and Iceburg are now safe.

Franky and Iceburg are released and the first thing Franky does is take a tranquilizer gun from a nearby soldier and smashes in Spandam's face with it. (This also reveals later on how Spandam got his face mask). Franky then runs away as the soldiers attack him. Tom is taken onto the Sea Train, which is leaving for Enies Lobby, and Franky takes one of his boats farther down the track. As he stands on the track, with Yokozuna watching, he fires cannons at the train but it won't stop. He then tries to stop it with his bare hands only to get run over, supposedly getting killed.

Four years later, Iceburg has managed to unite the shipping companies of the island and Water 7 is thriving once again. One day, Franky comes to Galley-La Headquarters requesting to talk to Iceburg only to be turned away. Later that day, Iceburg meets with Franky in secret and he gives him the Pluton blueprints after an argument. Iceburg requests that Franky leaves the island, but he refuses to do so.

The Other Sea Train
As Franky and Usopp are restrained by CP9, Franky is told that their commander would like to talk with him. As it turns out, the leader of CP9 is Spandam, who now has to wear a leather mask to cover his wounds, and he states that he will make Franky pay for what he did to him before. CP9 decide to arrest Usopp too, as even though he left the crew he still claims to be a pirate. Kaku then notices that they still haven't gotten rid of the ship and releases it into the storm of Aqua Laguna.

Meanwhile, at the Galley-La Headquarters, Iceburg (who was saved by Chopper at the last minute inside the Galley La HQ) and Nami manage to regain consciousness and Iceburg requests to the other carpenters that they speak alone. Iceburg then reveals that Robin told him that CP9 could call for an island-destroying fleet of battleships known as the Buster Call, thanks to permission from Aokiji, and that they would use it on the Straw Hat Pirates if Robin didn't help assassinate Iceburg and come with them to be executed at Enies Lobby. In other words, the goal she can't reach when with the Straw Hats is for the six crewmembers, excluding herself, to leave the island safely. With the knowledge that Robin didn't betray them, Nami rushes to wake up Chopper. Paulie wakes up and tells the other shipwrights that the pirates weren't the assassins, but lies that he didn't see who the attackers really were and that Lucci, Kaku, and Kalifa were at home. Nami then rushes to stop the Sea Train, led by Paulie and several other Galley-La workers, while Chopper and other workers search for Luffy and Zoro.

At the Blue Station, the four CP9 agents, along with Corgi and their prisoners, board the Sea Train as Sanji observes the situation. As the train starts to leave, Sanji sneaks on board, but Nami and the others get there just in time to see it leave. Thankfully, the carpenters find a note from Sanji that states that he's on the train (after a love letter for Nami) along with a Baby Den Den Mushi so they can contact each other once he finds a Den Den Mushi on the train. Thus, Nami switches her priorities to finding a ship to chase after them, but Paulie says it would be crazy to use a ship during Aqua Laguna.

During this, Kokoro watches the ocean, noting that the distance the water draws back shows how strong the following waves will be during Aqua Laguna. This year, the water draws back an abnormally large distance, giving the appearance of the ocean drying up. At this point, Chimney notices something in the back alleys and, as Nami approaches them, she points out that Luffy is stuck between two of the buildings. Meanwhile, Chopper looks at the back alley too and sees Zoro stuck in a chimney. Both Nami and Chopper hop across the buildings to where each respective crewmate is. While Chopper tries to pull Zoro out of the chimney, handing Zoro his sword upon request, Nami yells to Luffy that Robin gave up her life so that they could escape the government's wrath. Luffy then pushes the buildings he was stuck between apart and Zoro slices in half the building whose chimney he was stuck in just as the first wave of Aqua Laguna crashes towards them. They just barely manage to reach higher ground only to underestimate the strength of the waves and are engulfed. Thankfully, Paulie was close by and manages to pull them up, but it's still not over as they have to quickly reach even higher ground before they are caught again. They succeed and the two crewmates are told about the situation.

Meanwhile, on Puffing Tom, Sanji tries to decide the best course of action when he is found by an agent. He kicks the agent through the cart, drawing the attention of everyone there. One of them suggests alerting CP9, but the CP6 agent Jerry, a very tall man that needs to bend over to fit in the cart, says that there's no need to do that. He tries to fight Sanji only to be beaten without any effort. In the car where CP9 is staying, Corgi explains that in the 5th car is the Marine Captain T-Bone, in the 4th Wanze of CP7, and finally in the 3rd the newest member of CP9, Nero, making it so that there is no chance of any attackers reaching them.



Back at Water 7, Luffy decides that they're going to take a ship to chase after Robin, but Paulie points out it's useless since no ship can get past a normal Aqua Laguna and this year's is far beyond average. At this point, Kokoro says that if any ship could get past this it would be the Sea Train, and tells the Straw Hats to follow her. She takes them to an old cellar where the prototype Sea Train, Rocketman, was kept, and they find Iceburg finishing up on maintenance. He had the same idea as Kokoro and came to the warehouse earlier to get it ready, and the train is ready for departure. Luffy and Zoro manage to fully recover by eating a bunch of meat and sake brought by a group of conductors and before they can leave, the Franky Family appears before them. They tearfully request to Luffy that they come with them to Enies Lobby so they can rescue Franky, and Luffy lets the group join them. As Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Chopper get on board, with Kokoro conducting, the train launches out of one of the gates in the city straight into Aqua Laguna.

En Route to Enies Lobby
As the train launches out of the city, the Franky Family attaches their cart to the train, bringing along their king bulls Sodom and Gomorrah, and Kokoro steers the ship onto the tracks, greatly boosting its speed. Being a prototype, Rocketman's speed can't be controlled and, once it gets on the tracks, it's almost impossible to steer. As it turns out, Chimney, Gonbe, Paulie, Tilestone, and Lulu stowed onboard. After Paulie tells the other two foremen the identities of the assassins, he reveals that he came along to avenge Iceburg. Since they share a common enemy, the Straw Hats, Galley-La, and Franky Family officially form an alliance.

Meanwhile, on the Puffing Tom, Sanji breaches the next car, which is where Usopp and Franky are being kept. After being convinced that Franky is good by Usopp, Sanji reluctantly frees both of them and they climb on top of the next car, where Captain T-Bone is stationed. Using a Den Den Mushi from the previous car, he calls Nami and is told about Robin's situation. Back at the Rocketman, a huge wave is coming towards them and despite the best efforts of the Franky Family and the Galley-La Foremen, they can't break it apart. At this point, Luffy and Zoro make their move by performing their ultimate combo attack, Gomu Gomu no 300 Pound Cannon, and blast a huge tunnel through the wave, saving the train.

Though Franky decides to help rescue Robin, Usopp refuses to, citing that he is no longer a member of the crew, and walks away. Minutes later, however, a masked man in a cape who looks exactly like Usopp, calling himself Sogeking (sogeki, or "sniper", combined with "king"), appears before them and says that Usopp told him about the entire situation and that he is willing to help. Sanji and Franky see right through his disguise, but decide not to say anything. As Captain T-Bone, an ugly but honorable knight swordsman, and his soldiers look through the last two cars, the three intruders detach them from the rest of the train, leaving very few people left. They enter the next car, which holds the kitchen, and encounter the CP7 chef Wanze, a very odd-looking and energetic man that makes ramen with his nosehairs and fights using Ramen Kenpo. Sanji holds him off as Franky and Sogeking continue to the next car.

After a while, Rocketman approaches the detached cars and, after Luffy makes sure Sanji and the others aren't on it, Zoro cuts it in half to get it off the tracks. Soon afterwards, they come across Captain T-Bone, who ran on ahead on the Sea Train tracks in a desperate attempt to stop the intruders. T-Bone fires projectile slashes towards Zoro, but he manages to dodge them and knocks T-Bone off the tracks.

Meanwhile, Sanji battles Wanze and Franky faces off with Nero as Sogeking continues on to Robin's car by using suction octopuses to walk along the side of the train. He tells Robin about the situation, but she still refuses to be saved. When Corgi comes in to see the source of the noise, Sogeking hides under Robin's cloak. In the kitchen, Wanze proves to be very weak, but Sanji can't hurt him with his kicks since his feet will get stuck in his ramen armor. The Straw Hat cook manages to bypass this, however, but using knives to cut the armor apart, stating that he's in a kitchen and he's cutting up food, so he can ignore his legs-only rule in this case. On the top of Car 3, Franky is overwhelmed by Nero's speed, especially once he discovers that his back is his weak point, but through trickery Franky manages pin him down. As the cyborg punches Nero through the roof, Sanji kicks Wanze through several cars until he lands right next to the CP9 agents.

In Robin's car, Corgi finds Sogeking, but he is shot by one of his Gunpowder Stars. Despite Sogeking trying to stop her, Robin goes into the car where CP9, Sanji, and Franky are. She once again denies their help, even going as far as attacking the sniper king, but he throws a smoke bomb and the four criminals escape to the last car, detaching it from CP9's car. However, Kalifa manages to grab onto the car with her whip and it is pulled in by Blueno. Franky sacrifices himself by breaking down the wall being held by Blueno and falling back into their car, but this is futile as Blueno teleports to the separated car with an "Air Door" from his Devil Fruit. He attacks Sanji and Usopp, but Robin has him stop on the condition that she willingly goes with him. Before Sanji can counterattack, Blueno and Robin go into the air door back to the Sea Train. Talking to Robin, Franky learns that Iceburg is still alive (Sogeking told her this) and then informs her that no matter what anyone says, simply being alive isn't a sin. Puffing Tom then arrives at the no-night government island of Enies Lobby.

Meanwhile, Yokozuna the frog appears on the tracks to test his strength against Rocketman and the impact separates the Franky Family's car from the train and knocks the train off the tracks. After landing on the train, Kokoro calls the frog over and he is extremely happy to see her, since he thought she was kidnapped by the government. Somehow managing to talk to the frog, Kokoro finds out that he was attacking the Sea Trains so he could become stronger and so he'll be able to stop his friends from being taken away again. She informs him that Franky was taken just like Tom was, and Yokozuna decides to accompany them to Enies Lobby. Meanwhile, the Franky Family come across the cars Sanji and Sogeking were in and the two board theirs. Rocketman and the Franky Family's car reconnect and Sogeking introduces himself to everyone there--everyone realizes that he's Usopp in disguise except for Luffy and Chopper. As the sky starts to turn blue again, Enies Lobby comes within sight.

Manga-to-Anime Changes

 * In the anime, Usopp's alter ego is called Sogeking, a pun on the japanese word, "Sogeki", which already means king of snipers. (Thus Usopp calls himself the king of sniper kings) While in the Viz Media, it is just "Sniper King". This would later bring redundancy with Usopp's poster's Epithet, "Sniper King, the king of snipers"

Story Impact

 * Franky and his past are introduced leading to him becoming the Shipwright of the Straw Hat Pirates.
 * The Going Merry reveals that it can't be used anymore leading the Straw Hat Pirates to get the Thousand Sunny.
 * Robin and Usopp leave the crew.
 * CP9, the saga's main antagonists, are introduced.
 * The arc leads into the next arc, Enies Lobby Arc.