"Hey, brat, don't you know you're standing in the way?"
Before Katie could fully process the situation, a deep, gruff voice rang in her ears.
"Haha, little Barto, after all these years, your temper hasn't changed a bit."
Another voice followed, calm and composed, completely unlike someone who had been imprisoned for years.
"Old man, don't think just because you've been here the longest that you're the boss. Your era is long gone—just rot away in this cell for the rest of your days!"
The two went back and forth, completely ignoring Katie standing outside.
Being ignored like this... really didn't feel good.
Without hesitation, Katie slowly removed the guard uniform she was wearing, revealing the black-and-white striped prison garb underneath.
The air froze. All sound, all movement—everything stopped. In that moment, countless eyes locked onto her.
"Hey, kid! Let me out! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you!"
"Don't listen to him! Free me first, or I'll rip your head off!"
Some threatened, some begged—but without exception, they all wanted Katie to release them. After all, this might be their last chance to escape before death claimed them.
"SHUT THE HELL UP!"
A furious roar drowned out all other voices. At the same time, a wild, overwhelming aura erupted, surging violently through the cramped space.
Prisoners collapsed one after another without warning. By the time it was over, less than half remained conscious.
But before the chaos could settle, another burst of domineering energy exploded forth—just as savage, just as oppressive.
When it finally ended, only a handful were still standing, their spirits broken as if they had endured inhuman torture.
Katie's heart pounded. So this is the power of Conqueror's Haki... In just an instant, hundreds of pirates with bounties over a hundred million had been knocked unconscious.
The only reason she was unaffected was that the two had deliberately avoided targeting her.
"As expected of the two of you... the 'Lone Red' and the 'Demon Heir.'"
She couldn't help but admire their strength.
"You know us?"
Raid was surprised. Realistically, he had been imprisoned here longer than this kid had probably been alive.
"Hard not to. What you two did back then was... legendary."
Rather than pleased, Raid frowned. His instincts told him this kid hadn't come here by accident—she was looking for them.
"Who are you? And what do you want?"
After a brief moment of shock, Raid's expression turned cold.
"Wait, I don't care what your goal is—just get me out of here first! I can't stand another second in this hellhole!"
Unlike Raid, Bartolomeo only cared about one thing: freedom.
"I'll let you out... on one condition. Form an alliance with me. Agree, and I'll free you. Refuse, and that's that."
No deception, no tricks—Katie stated her terms outright.
For a moment, silence fell. Neither Raid nor Bartolomeo spoke.
The eerie quiet made Katie uneasy, as if she had overlooked something crucial.
"An alliance? With us? What makes you think you're worthy?"
Though only Bartolomeo spoke, Raid's expression mirrored the same disdain.
The "Lone Red" Raid—a man who once fought the entire Whitebeard Pirates alone. The "Demon Heir" Bartolomeo—a man who, after repeated betrayals, believed only in absolute individual strength.
Had Katie asked for anything else, they might have reluctantly agreed. But an alliance? They only acknowledged the strong.
"Kid, focus on surviving first. Then we'll talk."
The unexpected answer left Katie stunned.
But in the next instant—
A bone-chilling killing intent surged toward her.
Instinct took over. She threw herself to the side just as a slash tore through the air.
Whoosh!
The ground split open like tofu, the cut surface smooth as glass.
Cold sweat drenched Katie's back. A fraction slower, and that slash would have bisected her instead of the floor.
A figure emerged from the dust, his voice dripping with amusement.
"To think you'd risk everything sneaking in here... I expected your target to be that Ace brat. But no—it's these two old relics."
"Shiryu... I'll kill you for that."
Bartolomeo's rage flared at the insult.
"If you can even get out."
Shiryu smirked. The cells of Impel Down's Level 6 were designed specifically to hold monsters like them. No matter how strong they were, trapped inside, they were powerless.
"Damn you! Bastard!"
"Kid! Beat this piece of trash, and I'll agree to your terms!"
Whether out of fury or something else, Bartolomeo threw out the offer.
Katie's eyes sharpened. Shiryu's arrival had given her the perfect opportunity—not just to negotiate, but to test herself.
She glanced at Raid, her gaze questioning.
"Survive first."
His answer remained unchanged. Worse, his eyes held open skepticism.
In truth, Bartolomeo felt the same. Both could sense the gap between Katie and Shiryu.
But was that really the case?
Before meeting these two, maybe.
Now? After acquiring three Master-level abilities?
The odds weren't so clear anymore.
And no one—not even Katie herself—knew the full extent of her power.
A fierce grin spread across her face.
She was looking forward to this fight.