"You dealt with those prisoners that quickly?"
On the way to Ace's cell, Naruto still found time to ask Sasuke and the others about their situation.
"More or less..."
Sasuke responded casually, his mind still occupied by the intense sense of calamity he had perceived earlier.
That calamity wasn't just aimed at him… it was also aimed at Naruto.
Meaning, whatever was coming next posed a threat to Naruto as well.
A life-threatening one.
Hearing Sasuke's distracted reply, Karin couldn't stand it and spoke up.
"The few actually capable fighters among them ran when they saw the situation turning sour, especially that sand-user."
As she spoke, Karin recalled the scene where Crocodile decisively turned to sand and fled after seeing her punch break Shiryu's bones, feeling a surge of annoyance.
"As expected, sand-users are no good."
At that moment, in another world far away, Gaara, who had come to understand the importance of family and reconciled with Temari and Kankuro, suddenly sneezed.
"What's wrong, Gaara?"
Temari looked at her long-lost younger brother with concern.
His initial disappearance had made her feel like the sky was falling. She had searched everywhere with the village ninja but found no trace.
Later, news came that the terrifying Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki had taken her brother away.
This news wasn't any better than Gaara's disappearance.
In Temari's view, the result was the same: Gaara wouldn't return.
But contrary to expectations, after Naruto dealt with the Akatsuki and the Ryumyaku, Gaara actually returned on his own.
Not only that, but he was also acting completely out of character, speaking to them in a calm tone.
It made Temari wonder if Gaara had been replaced, or if he or she was under a Genjutsu.
But it turned out Gaara was really back, and he had become much easier to get along with.
This overjoyed Temari and Kankuro, who poured all the accumulated affection from over the years onto him.
It made Gaara quite uncomfortable.
"Nothing, maybe just a cold."
Rubbing his nose, Gaara was still not quite used to being fussed over by Temari and the others.
Kankuro looked up at the high-hanging sun over Sunagakure, then thought about his brother's status as a Jinchuriki.
"…"
'Whatever, Gaara can say whatever he wants.'
…
Back in Impel Down, hearing Karin's complaint, Naruto quickly ran through the possibilities in his mind.
"Sand? Ah, that's Crocodile."
As he spoke, he also laughed.
"That explains it. That guy has a pretty good grasp of the situation."
Naruto didn't know that Crocodile had once become completely arrogant after establishing Baroque Works and controlling a nation's lifeblood.
It took his old acquaintance, Luffy, landing a series of wild punches to wake him up and return him to his former cautious self.
In fact, Crocodile was currently making his way towards the upper levels of the prison.
As for the bomb implanted in his neck… he was a Logia user! Something like that, not being Seastone, couldn't possibly restrain him.
But precisely because of this, he grew more anxious.
The World Government couldn't possibly be unaware of his ability to elementalize. So why would they use such a crude, almost 'clumsy' restraint method?
The only possibility was that they didn't care.
Because there was another method, they could allow prisoners like him to use their abilities freely.
Crocodile's intuition was screaming at him to leave immediately, the faster the better.
On Level 4, the [Blazing Hell], Crocodile casually knocked out the jailer beasts guarding the prisoners and rescued his right-hand man, [Mr. 1] Daz Bonez.
But he didn't lift a finger for the other prisoners begging for his help.
"Boss, you escaped?"
Daz Bonez looked at the miraculously appearing Crocodile in astonishment, then asked, puzzled, "Why not free them too? If enough people rush out together, our chances of escape would be higher."
It seemed his time in prison had taught this usually silent man a few new things, even prompting him to suggest this to Crocodile.
Crocodile just shook his head silently, then offered an explanation.
"No time. We can only escape as fast as possible."
He had finally figured out the World Government's plan.
They weren't counting on people like him to deal with Naruto, they just needed them to buy time.
Time, time!
They definitely had another method!
Although he didn't know what it was, Crocodile understood that any power capable of handling Naruto would surely be enough to handle him as well.
Meanwhile, while passing a certain cell, Naruto and the others saw another familiar face.
It was the [Knight of the Sea], Jinbei, bound by various chains.
"Ah! Long time no see, Jinbei!"
Naruto called out happily.
"It's... it's you?! Naruto, why are you here... Ah, I see, you're here to rescue Ace, right?"
Upon seeing Naruto, Jinbei was first surprised and happy, then shocked.
Because he saw Naruto casually tear open the cell door and the chains binding him.
Pulling the Knight of the Sea to his feet, Naruto curiously asked why he was imprisoned here.
'If I remembered correctly, Jinbei should still be one of the Warlord, right?'
At the mention of this topic, Jinbei's face fell, but he explained the reason.
Precisely because of his Warlord status, the World Government demanded he attend Ace's execution and be responsible for security.
Ace was his sworn brother. The Knight of the Sea, who always upheld justice and righteousness, couldn't accept this demand.
But the World Government also threatened the Fish-Man Tribe. Cornered, Jinbei could only renounce his Warlord title and allow himself to be arrested.
That's why Jinbei, a non-Devil Fruit User and a whale shark fish-man, allowed himself to be bound by such flimsy chains.
Because what truly bound him was Fish-Man Island.
"It's fine. I'm here to save Ace anyway, you can come with us."
Unexpectedly, Jinbei shook his head.
"No, if I leave, they will target Fish-Man Island..."
Before Jinbei could finish, Naruto interrupted him with a punch.
Holding his punched face, Jinbei was stunned. Then he heard Naruto say,
"One after another, why are you all so stupid."
"Do you think just because you're locked up here, the World Government will keep their promise?"
"Idiot. They don't dare move against Fish-Man Island, not just because Whitebeard is still alive, but because the World Government still needs to wear that mask of hypocrisy."
As he spoke, Naruto poked Jinbei's chest.
"It's definitely not because of your concession, understand?"
Jinbei's behavior seemed to touch a nerve in Naruto, making him transfer his dissatisfaction with someone else onto Jinbei.
After saying that, Naruto realized his outburst and apologized.
"Sorry, Jinbei, I got a bit carried away."
"It's alright, Naruto."
Jinbei lowered his hand and shook his head.
Naruto's punch and reminder snapped Jinbei out of it.
He had been too close to the situation to see it clearly, unlike a certain swordsman from Wano Country who was truly stubborn.
"Let's go, let's rescue Ace first."
Jinbei understood why Naruto had been so agitated.
As if deliberately ignoring Naruto's earlier loss of composure, Jinbei brought up the rescue.
Naruto took the offered way out and didn't bring it up again.
This instead made Sasuke and the other two curious.
Naruto rarely, rarely lost his composure like that. All three knew there must be some past events that couldn't be easily mentioned.
Just like his curiosity about Kakashi's face under the mask, Sasuke was also very curious about the life Naruto had lived in this world.
But now was clearly not the time to ask, and he'd have to find an opportunity to explore it later.
Jinbei's cell wasn't far from Ace's. With their speed, they soon reached Ace's cell door.
Before Naruto or Jinbei could act, Sasuke spoke up first.
"Let me."
As he spoke, his hand covered the cell door, and flames suddenly erupted.
Witnessing this, Jinbei softly marveled.
"Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit's Abilities are truly miraculous."
On the way over, Naruto had introduced Sasuke's group and Jinbei to each other.
"Ace!"
After the cell was destroyed, Jinbei hurried forward, wanting to support the seemingly unconscious Ace.
But his movement was stopped by Naruto.
"As expected, he's not here..."
Sasuke was the first to react upon seeing this. Under Jinbei's wide-eyed gaze, he without hesitation launched an attack at 'Ace'"
The probing shuriken had just flown out when 'Ace', who had been in a comatose state, instantly opened his eyes and effortlessly broke free from the ordinary chains disguised as Seastone shackles.
'He' flipped in the air, and nine tails emerged from his back as his appearance began to change.
Soon, the previous 'Ace' had transformed into a different form.
It was a woman with an oddly long nose, looking like a witch, but with a muscular build.
Catarina Devon, the [Crescent Moon Hunter].
"Murunfufu... Strange, the Nine-Tails transformation should be perfect. How did you see through it?"
Catarina let out an odd laugh, then drew her weapon, aiming it at the group before her.
Similar to Mr. 2's [Mane Mane no Mi], her Mythical Zoan Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Nine-Tailed Fox allowed her to completely change her appearance into someone she had touched, including voice and physique. (T/N: Clone-Clone Fruit.)
It could even conjure corresponding clothes, like an illusion.
It could be said that if not for Naruto and Karin's ability to perceive the elusive 'malice', it would have been very difficult for those present to distinguish whether an unconscious Ace was real or fake.
"Do you even need to look? Your malice is practically overflowing..."
Naruto looked at the ugly form of the huntress and knew this trip had been in vain… then his gaze shifted to the equally stunned Jinbei beside him.
'Well, not entirely in vain. At least we rescued an acquaintance.'
"Murunfufu~ But what does it matter if you figured it out? My task is already complete... Hey! You saw that, right? I finished what you asked! Now let me out!"