The Red Line—a colossal landmass that, along with the Grand Line, divides the entire One Piece world into four distinct seas.
It cuts the world in half like a scar through the sky, towering into the clouds and stretching endlessly. Crossing it with sheer manpower? Practically impossible.
But Uchiha Chiyu isn't your average person.
With the powers of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, getting across the Red Line is effortless for him. Using his Shadow Clone Jutsu, he lifts three others—Elephant-Sword Blade, Black Arm Zephyr, and Shuzo—and they shoot through the clouds like lightning bolts, landing directly at the top of the Red Line.
What none of them expected was a tag-along.
Baby 5, the Weapon-Weapon Fruit user, had transformed herself into a missile and followed them from below. She was slower than Chiyu by a long shot, but still managed to catch up to the summit.
The group landed and took in the scenery.
Though the Red Line stretched vast and wide, the terrain was steep, jagged, and treacherous—cliffs, ridges, and rocky mountains filled the view. Flat ground was rare. And this was only one small portion—who knew what the rest looked like?
Zephyr let out a deep breath.
"Uchiha Chiyu… you never fail to impress."
"Not only do you have the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, but you can also create clones? What even is that technique? It's not a Devil Fruit power…"
"No," Chiyu replied calmly. "It's ninjutsu."
Zephyr's eyes widened.
"Ninjutsu?! I've heard about the ninja of Wano—strange powers and all that—but I've never actually seen it with my own eyes. So… you're from Wano?"
Ever since Chiyu's name shook the world, everyone had speculated about his origins. But no one had ever guessed right.
Zephyr was just another one trying.
Chiyu waved it off. "Doesn't matter. Let's head to the other side of the Red Line. Time to get back to the first half of the Grand Line."
Zephyr got the message and nodded.
"Alright."
Just then, Baby 5 finally arrived.
Shuzo and Blade immediately went on guard, weapons ready. But Chiyu recognized her—though he was still surprised to see her here.
"What are you doing here?"
Baby 5 grinned.
"Hina and Nami asked me to come help you out, Chiyu-sama!"
Zephyr frowned.
"She was with Doflamingo. We're really trusting her?"
Chiyu considered it for a moment, then nodded.
"She's fine. Let her tag along."
Zephyr didn't argue further but told Shuzo to keep a close eye on her.
Baby 5 was thrilled, chattering nonstop the entire way—but no one really engaged.
They finally reached the far edge of the Red Line.
Blade looked down and said, "Getting off this cliff is easy, Chiyu-sama, but without a ship, we're not reaching Impel Down. And since it's in the Calm Belt, only Navy ships can get there."
"I've got that covered," Chiyu said.
"Someone's coming to pick us up."
"Who?"
Chiyu didn't answer. He turned into lightning again, grabbed the group, and shot downward.
Sure enough, a Navy warship was already waiting for them on the sea below.
The group landed smoothly on the deck. That's when Blade finally saw who was onboard.
"You're… Captain Tashigi?!"
Yep. It was Tashigi.
Turns out, long before Smoker got captured, he saw it coming. He ordered Tashigi to evacuate the G-5 base with their most loyal soldiers. Vergo wasn't around at the time—he'd gone to Dressrosa—and both Akainu and Vergo were zeroing in on Smoker, so Tashigi managed to escape.
After learning that Smoker was locked up in Impel Down, she immediately started planning a rescue. She returned to the first half of the Grand Line via Fishman Island during the chaos. But she knew they couldn't pull this off alone—so she reached out to Chiyu.
They hatched a plan to cross the Red Line.
Tashigi knew all other routes—Fishman Island, Marineford—were sealed off tight. If Chiyu was getting back in, this was the only way. So she came here to meet them.
Now that both teams were together, Tashigi issued the order.
"Head for the Calm Belt. Destination—Impel Down."
She wasn't the same girl as before—no longer wide-eyed and idealistic. There was steel in her gaze now.
"Chiyu-sama… and Zephyr-sensei."
Chiyu saw that look and knew words wouldn't help. He nodded.
"Let's go."
"Yes, sir."
…
Meanwhile—Marineford, Navy HQ
Fleet Admiral Akainu Sakazuki was fuming, a lit cigar clenched between his teeth.
"So they're not at Fish-Man Island either?"
Vice Admiral Doberman sighed.
"No sign of them. Looks like they didn't take that route."
"And Marineford's out of the question unless they've got a death wish."
Akainu let out a low growl.
"Then where the hell did they go?"
No one answered.
Vice Admiral Onigumo spoke up.
"If they didn't use either path… there's only one option left."
Akainu narrowed his eyes.
"Don't tell me…"
"They crossed the Red Line."
A long silence.
"If it's Chiyu," Akainu muttered, "then yeah, it's possible."
Doberman added, "Even if he did, it's not like he brought a whole crew with him. Is he planning to storm Impel Down by himself?!"
"Good," Akainu growled.
"Saves me the trouble. What's the status on the prison?"
"Magellan says they're fully fortified. If Chiyu shows up, he won't leave."
Akainu scoffed.
"Yeah, we've heard that before. Looks like I'll have to handle it myself."
He stood.
"Mobilize the fleet. We're heading for Impel Down."
…
Aboard the Warship, Calm Belt
"We're close," Tashigi said, eyes fixed on the sea chart and the horizon.
They were now sailing the Calm Belt—a place with no wind, teeming with sea kings. No ordinary ship could survive out here.
Only Navy ships stood a chance.
Zephyr stood silent at the rail, deep in thought. Chiyu could tell—this wasn't just a mission for him. Zephyr had given his whole life to the Navy. Walking away wasn't that easy.
He caught Chiyu's glance and laughed.
"Man, I'm getting sentimental in my old age."
"Alright, Chiyu—what's the plan? Going in head-on isn't smart. If they panic, they could use Smoker as leverage."
"No need," Chiyu replied.
"We'll break him out first."
"Easier said than done…"
But Chiyu already had it figured out.
As they neared Impel Down's outer perimeter, he told Tashigi to stay on the ship and prep for extraction—but not to come any closer.
Tashigi nodded, reluctant but resolute.
"Please… bring him back."
Chiyu shot into the sky like a bolt of lightning.
From above, he scanned the entire structure of Impel Down—and saw a small patrol on the upper deck. Leading it was none other than Vice Warden Hannyabal.
"Wow. That was easy."
Chiyu smirked—and in a flash, descended like a thunderstrike. The whole squad collapsed, unconscious. He didn't kill them—Hannyabal, for all his ambition, wasn't truly evil.
After neutralizing them, Chiyu zipped back to the warship, collected his crew, and brought them in.
Disguised as Hannyabal, with his allies in guard uniforms, Chiyu led the infiltration.
"Open the gates!"
Mimicking Hannyabal's voice and mannerisms perfectly, Chiyu marched right in. No one suspected a thing. Even Zephyr was impressed.
"How the hell does he know Hannyabal's behavior down to the detail?"
They didn't realize—Chiyu had read all of this before. It was child's play to him.
"Listen up!" Chiyu barked in Hannyabal's voice. "Uchiha Chiyu is inbound. We're going on full lockdown!"
"Y-yes, Vice Warden!"
"I'm going to Level Six myself. I'll personally guard Smoker. You lot—move!"
"Understood!"
The team descended floor by floor.
Every level was worse than the last—each a hellish nightmare.
Crimson Hell
Beast Hell
Starvation Hell
Burning Hell
Freezing Hell
Every step deeper chilled the soul. Even Baby 5 was silent.
Finally… they reached the bottom:
Level Six—Eternal Hell.
Here, the worst of the worst were locked away. Criminals so vile that even their names had been erased by the World Government.
"We're here, Vice Warden!"
"Smoker's in that cell ahead!"
"Good. I'll talk to him alone. You all—clear out."
"Yes, sir!"
As the guards left, Chiyu stepped forward, staring into the cell's shadows.
"…Long time no see, Smoker."
The voice hit Smoker like a jolt.
"You… it's you—Uchiha Chiyu?!"