CHAPTER 51:Isle of Justice

Almost everyone in the troupe, including Vivi, thought the same: things would be fine. They had to believe that—because all the troupe's actors were ordinary people. Whether the Lieutenant Colonel agreed or not, they had no say in the matter.

The four boats sailed straight toward Enies Lobby—Judicial Island.

Smoker had told Vivi that he discovered her true identity after comparing photos of several suspects involved in the Rogue Town riot. Although the chances of exposing her were slim, Vivi wasn't confident that no one on Enies Lobby would recognize her.

During her time in the troupe, she'd disguised herself well—wearing aqua-blue hair in a low ponytail, large-rimmed glasses, dark lipstick, and accessories she normally wouldn't be caught in. Even Karoo, her duck companion, now wore a wide-brimmed fisherman's hat. She believed she wouldn't be exposed. After all, a princess like her—how many could there be? Maybe a thousand across the world. The odds of being recognized were extremely low. And even if someone did, so what? A princess disguising herself to join a troupe wasn't a crime. So, she calmly followed the group into Enies Lobby.

"These are the witnesses, and those over there are the physical evidence," Lieutenant Colonel Cobana announced loudly as he disembarked.

His intention to put Randoluff on trial was clearly premeditated. He exchanged subtle nods with the officials who came to receive prisoners, showing he had greased the wheels in advance.

"Take the criminals down!" Cobana commanded, barely concealing the satisfaction on his face. He waved forcefully as two Marine soldiers pulled Randoluff out of the boat.

The old man wasn't a Devil Fruit user. He didn't seem to have Haki either. When he was young, his physical prowess had only been average. Now he was frail and aging—barely a shadow of his former self. Still, the Marines shackled him as though he were a dangerous felon, heavy chains clinking as he moved slowly.

The weight of the shackles slowed him further, and the Enies Lobby staff, all dressed in black suits, white shirts, and black ties, began urging him impatiently.

Lieutenant Colonel Cobana stood nearby, enjoying the scene of his former superior being treated like livestock. The smug smile on his face was now completely unrestrained.

"Hurry up!"

"I'll say it once—head down!"

The government officials were extremely rude. They shoved Randoluff and handled Vivi and the other witnesses with equal contempt, as if they too were criminals.

This trial was far from proper. Randoluff wasn't some infamous repeat offender like Nico Robin, and Cobana wasn't someone with power like CP9's Rob Lucci. The whole process was sketchy—no publicity, no announcements, not even Marine witnesses. They didn't go through the island's main gate but instead entered from a discreet side path, leading straight into Enies Lobby's front island.

Even Vivi was surprised when they passed through the gates.

The main island of Enies Lobby appeared suspended above the sea. Except for the central bridge connecting it to the main gate of the island, all surrounding seawater was pulled downward in a ring-like motion by some mysterious force.

It was as if a massive waterfall circled the island in reverse, dropping into a colossal sea trench. When Vivi glanced at it, her gaze was instinctively pulled into the darkness of the abyss. The pit beneath Enies Lobby was bottomless. A cold sense of unease washed over her.

"What is this?" she murmured.

She felt as though the abyss itself were staring back at her.

Her knowledge of geography couldn't explain this. Was it a natural phenomenon, or man-made? These waters plunged endlessly—where did they go? Could the world itself be hollow?

Though the island looked small from a distance, the water surrounding Enies Lobby fell into the trench below. Except for the central road leading to the island's gate, the rest of Enies Lobby hung above the void like a suspended fortress.

The roar of the sea filled her ears, overwhelming all other sound. Even Vivi couldn't hear anything else. This island was utterly different from the floating islands of Shiki the Golden Lion. Shiki's islands carried emotion and intent. If they drifted away, you knew Shiki had moved them for a reason. But here? Enies Lobby felt dead. Soulless. Hollow.

Even though this trial wasn't especially important in global terms, the ceremony remained intact. Government agents in black suits and white shirts lined up to the left; the Marines stood on the right. Randoluff, flanked by soldiers, walked in the center. Lieutenant Colonel Cobana acted as prosecutor. Vivi and the other witnesses followed behind, quietly observed by dozens of eyes.

The interior of Enies Lobby resembled a small city. Over 10,000 elite troops were permanently stationed here, prepared for high-profile pirate cases.

A minor trial like Randoluff's didn't warrant alerting the garrison. They walked for over twenty minutes until they reached the second gate—the main entrance of the central island.

Two enormous figures rested in the shadows near the gate.

Vivi's eyes narrowed. These were the two young giants she'd once used to trick Dongli and Brogy—the green ghost and the red ghost. The two had left Elbaf long ago to search for their elders, only to be deceived by the World Government into becoming permanent gatekeepers.

To Vivi, this was an opportunity. She lacked strong allies—especially ones with raw strength.

Back when Crocodile plotted to seize her kingdom through manipulation and force, she realized something vital: removing Crocodile wouldn't end the danger. The real enemy was the World Government, controlled by the hidden ruler Im. That was the long-term threat.

She had no means to defeat that kind of enemy—yet. But if Crocodile's presence helped her strengthen herself in secret, she'd endure it. She'd exploit his shadow to grow stronger.

And now? If she could upset both Crocodile and the World Government, even better.

If the World Government could deceive others, why couldn't she deceive them? She wasn't lying, after all. She was merely telling the truth when it served her goals.

Vivi let her gaze linger on the sleeping giants for a few extra seconds. She'd speak to them later—privately.

The courtroom in Enies Lobby maintained a relentless 007-style schedule, running all year due to the sheer number of cases. This time was no exception.

Lieutenant Colonel Cobana might throw his weight around outside, but here, he was insignificant. If he disrupted even a single part of the judicial process, he could easily end up on trial himself. In Enies Lobby, even a Marine Lieutenant Colonel was nothing.

The island's clerks reviewed the case files, stamped them, assigned case numbers, and told the group to wait for their trial session. Then, they left, wordlessly disappearing into the labyrinth of justice.