"Everyone, are you ready?"
"No problem, Ivankov!"
"Ready to go anytime!"
"Good." Ivankov nodded, then said seriously: "Escaping from Impel Down won't be easy."
"So while we escape, we'll seize keys to maximize the number of prisoners we free."
"This way, we'll effectively weaken the enemy's forces and increase our own survival chances."
"No problem, Ivankov, leave it to us!"
"Great, let's move out then!" Ivankov laughed heartily. "Let's cause unprecedented chaos in Impel Down!"
"Shihahaha!"
"YEAH!!"
The Okama raised their weapons and roared, their morale peaking.
"Let's go, Straw Hat Boy!" Ivankov chuckled.
As he finished speaking, Ivankov instinctively glanced to his side - only to freeze in shock.
"Wh...where is he?"
Not just Straw Hat Boy, but Ninja Boy and Crocodile Boy were gone too?!
Where did they all run off to?!
"They've already gone ahead," said Inazuma, holding a wine glass.
The man took an elegant sip from his glass as he spoke.
"Shihahaha!"
"Such willful fellows!" Ivankov exclaimed. "Quick, after them, Candy Boys!"
"YEAH!!"
"Ivankov, aren't we freeing the Level 5 prisoners?" someone asked.
"No, we start from Level 4," Ivankov replied.
"Why?"
"Level 5 prisoners are too hard to control."
Those imprisoned on Level 5 were all extremely powerful pirates - the kind that would be difficult to manage.
There was no telling if they might suddenly try to seize control of the warship after escaping.
After all... not everyone would willingly go to Marine Headquarters!
So it was better not to release the Level 5 prisoners.
A nearby Okama nodded, then asked: "Ivankov, since we're in the Calm Belt, how will we escape after getting out?"
Hearing this, the other Okama looked over curiously - this was something they all wanted to know.
"Ninja Boy said he'd find a way to commandeer a warship," Ivankov laughed.
With that man's abilities, stealing a warship at sea shouldn't be a problem.
Once they secured a warship, they could successfully escape from Impel Down!
"I see."
"Everyone!" Ivankov declared with a booming laugh. "Let's show them the power of the New Transvestites!"
"YEAH!!"
"Wait for me, little Straw Hat! I'm coming!" Bon Clay shouted excitedly, his body spinning wildly with enthusiasm.
"How much time do we have left?" Luffy asked while running.
"We probably have about five hours or so," Meiser replied, keeping pace beside him.
"About five hours, huh."
Luffy frowned. "So there's still a chance, right?"
"Of course."
According to Ivankov, it would only take an hour to reach Marine Headquarters by warship from here.
So there was still plenty of time!
"That's good." Luffy sighed in relief.
"The question is whether that old bastard Whitebeard will dare to show up at Marine Headquarters," Crocodile interjected.
If that old man didn't go to Marine Headquarters, then there'd be no point in him going either.
After all... his goal was to kill Whitebeard!
"You don't understand Pops at all," Jimbei snorted. "Pops will definitely go to save Ace!"
He had visited the Whitebeard Pirates many times and knew Whitebeard's character well.
One could say he was the most protective father figure on the entire sea.
That was why everyone was willing to follow him without hesitation!
"Let's hope so," Crocodile said.
With that, the man dashed at top speed toward the massive gate ahead.
Placing his hand on the gate, Crocodile grinned. "This thing can't stop me."
"Zzzzt—"
As Crocodile activated his ability, the incredibly sturdy gate began to tremble before rapidly weathering away, leaving behind only a few enormous chunks of steel!
BOOM!!
The massive steel pieces crashed to the ground with a deafening impact, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
"Clatter—"
"They're here!"
The guards at the stairway entrance broke into a cold sweat as they stared at the obscured passage.
Soon, the dust settled, revealing the figures of four people.
"It's... them!"
The guards paled in terror at the sight of the intruders.
Two Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea, plus two incredibly powerful invaders—how were they supposed to fight this?
"This is the gate between Level 4 and Level 5!"
"This is the gate between Level 4 and Level 5!!!"
One guard grabbed a Den Den Mushi and shouted, "The two escaped Warlords from Level 6 and the intruders have appeared together!"
"Requesting backup!"
"Requesting backup!!!"
Watching the panicked guards, Meiser remarked, "So Magellan isn't guarding this place himself, huh."
He had expected to run into that diarrhea-ridden bastard right away, but he wasn't here?
"Maybe he's busy taking a shit," Crocodile said.
"Not impossible."
Meiser nodded, then turned to the distant guards. "Hey, you—"
"Open fire!"
"Take them down!"
The guards didn't give Meiser a chance to finish, immediately raising their guns and shooting.
BANG!
BANG!
CLANG—
THUD—
A barrage of bullets flew toward Meiser and the others, but none of them could inflict any real damage.
As a Logia-type Devil Fruit Ability User, Crocodile simply ignored the bullets.
Meanwhile, Meiser activated his Susanoo, shielding Luffy and Jimbei inside and effortlessly blocking every shot.
Crocodile glanced sideways at Meiser. Was this kid showing favoritism?
Whatever, it didn't matter. He didn't need protection anyway.
"Thanks, Ninja-san."
"Just call me Meiser," Meiser said with a smile.
"Alright."
Jimbei nodded, then stepped forward. "Meiser, let's fight our way out together."
"Yeah!"
"Dammit, our bullets aren't working on them!" a guard said, his expression grim.
"Quick, use the Sea Stone special rounds! We—"
"You think I'll give you that chance?!"
Crocodile sneered, his lower body turning into sand as he flew forward at incredible speed, launching an attack into the crowd.
"Desert Spada!"
"Gah!"
A crescent-shaped slash struck the guards, and their bodies rapidly dried up before their eyes!
Without even sparing a glance at the guards he'd taken down, Crocodile continued flying forward.
"Don't retreat! Use the Sea Stone rounds!!" a guard roared.
"Yeah!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Aiming at Meiser and the others, who were still standing in place, the guards fired several specialized Sea Stone rounds without hesitation.
Midair, the bullets transformed into Sea Stone nets, descending toward Meiser's Susanoo.
"Clang!"
"What?!"
"No effect?!"
The guards were dumbfounded as the Sea Stone nets fell uselessly to the ground.
Was this guy not a Devil Fruit Ability User?!
"Quick, switch to the cannons! We—"
"Gomu-Gomu Gatling!!"
Not giving them another chance to attack, Luffy leaped out from behind Meiser and unleashed a barrage of punches toward the distant crowd.
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
A storm of fists sent guards flying one after another.
"Ahh!"
After a glance at Luffy, Jimbei didn't hold back either.
"Fish-Man Karate: Vagabond Drill!"
"Whoosh—"
An invisible force acted on the guards, pushing their bodies uncontrollably backward.
"Wh-what's happening?!"
Panic flashed in their eyes as they realized they couldn't stop themselves from moving.
Before they could react, a terrifying shockwave slammed into them, sending them flying!
"Boom!!"
"Ahh!"
A large group of guards screamed as they were blasted away, collapsing unconscious.
Meanwhile, Meiser dispelled his Susanoo and launched a Ninjutsu attack.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Whoosh—"
A swirling vortex of water formed beneath his feet, transforming into a massive Water Dragon that surged forward.
"Roar!!"
"Boom!!"
The colossal dragon crashed into the guards, sending them howling before sweeping them away in its torrent, leaving them unconscious in the distance.
"So this is Water Release Technique?" Jimbei stared at Meiser in awe. "Incredible."
His control over water had surpassed even that of a Fish-Man.
After all... Jimbei couldn't conjure massive currents out of thin air!
"Ahahaha! Meiser's really strong!" Luffy laughed, hands on his hips.
He was well aware of just how powerful his companion was!
Tch, was this a show for my benefit?
Crocodile shot Meiser a dark look, sensing that the other man was deliberately asserting dominance over him.
Perhaps noticing Crocodile's gaze, Meiser glanced at him before curling his lips slightly.
Crocodile: "..."
This bastard really was trying to intimidate him!!
Though thoroughly displeased, Crocodile also recognized that this Water Dragon technique posed a genuine threat to him.
After all... his Elemental Transformation was useless against a Water Dragon.
With a cold snort, Crocodile stopped looking at Meiser.
"Hmm?"
Spotting something, Crocodile's eyes lit up before he decisively left the area.
"What's he doing?"
Luffy asked, puzzled, as he watched Crocodile suddenly transform into sand and fly away.
"Don't mind him," Meiser said, approaching Luffy. "Let's get out of here before Magellan shows up."
If they could avoid Magellan altogether, there'd be no need to fight that bastard.
"Got it!"
Luffy nodded before charging forward, launching attacks at the guards.
"Gomu-Gomu Gatling!"
"Rat-tat-tat!"
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
"Damn it, we're no match for them!"
How could they possibly defeat such a combo with their strength? Damn it!
"Hold the line! We must stop them before the Chief Warden and Vice-Warden arrive!"
"Right!"
Unfortunately, courage alone couldn't bridge the gap in power.
No matter how hard they tried, the guards couldn't halt Meiser and Luffy's advance.
"Shaba~ha!"
"Straw Hat Boy, Ninja Boy, I'm here!!" Ivankov laughed heartily.
Hearing the voice behind them, Luffy turned and said, "You're way too slow."
If they'd arrived any later, he and Meiser would've already reached this floor's exit.
"Shaba~ha!"
"Better late than never!" Ivankov chuckled before addressing the other Okama: "Don't forget our plan."
"Right!!"
The Okama nodded before scattering, rushing toward the distant prison cells.
"Little Straw Hat, let me lend you a hand!" Bon Clay laughed, spinning wildly like a whirlwind in place.
"The Stimulation Hormone's effects are way too strong," Meiser muttered.
Adrenaline really packed a punch.
"Shaba~ha!"
"Ninja Boy, want a dose too?" Ivankov grinned.
"I'll pass."
Meiser shook his head.
After over ten hours of rest, he was already at peak condition—no need for hormones.
More importantly, he didn't want Ivankov sticking needles into him.
After all... this guy's Devil Fruit Ability could turn men into women.
The thought made Meiser instinctively sidestep away.
Ivankov: "???"
What's this kid's problem?
"Gahahaha, little Straw Hat, little Xiao Meiser, let's escape together!" Bon Clay laughed heartily.
"Alright!"
At that moment, Crocodile floated over from the distance, bringing someone with him.
"Hmm?"
Upon seeing the man following behind Crocodile, Bon Clay was stunned.
"Mr.1?!"
"Why the hell are you here?"
"Who's this guy?" Luffy asked curiously. "Your friend?"
Mr.1: ???
He had fought against the Straw Hat Pirates before, and now he was just forgotten like this?
"You don't remember?" Bon Clay chuckled. "He's the guy Xiao Meiser defeated in Alabasta."
"Oh." Luffy nodded. "But I really don't recognize him."
Mr.1: "..."
Silenced by the exchange, Mr.1 chose to maintain his cold expression. Watching this, Meiser almost burst out laughing.
Shaking his head, Meiser grabbed a nearby guard and demanded, "Tell me, where's that bastard Magellan?"
"Warden Magellan went to suppress the riot on Level 2."
"A riot on Level 2, huh?"
A strange glint flashed in Meiser's eyes. Could it be that the prisoners Buggy had released earlier still hadn't been captured?
These small fries were proving more troublesome than he'd expected.
"Magellan isn't here?" Ivankov laughed loudly. "That's perfect!"
"Shihahaha!"
With their strongest opponent absent, there was no way they could be stopped now!
The thought made Ivankov laugh even harder.
"Let's go! Charge to Level 2 at full speed!"
"Alright!"