"Zehahaha! With you joining us, we'll become the strongest force on these seas!!" Blackbeard laughed heartily.
Although he had only recruited five people this time, four of them were powerful pirates selected through bloody competition, each possessing formidable strength!
And Silvers Rayleigh was a Sword Master no weaker than Magellan!
With these five individuals, his chances of achieving great things had increased significantly.
As for those guys like Douglas Bullet?
They weren't the type to submit to others, so he never had any intention of recruiting them from the start.
Whether they escaped or not was their own business - he couldn't care less.
"Don't celebrate too early," Avalo Pizarro interjected. "If you can't complete your plan, we'll just go our separate ways."
"That's right!"
Catarina Devon also laughed heartily. "So you better work hard, Teach~"
The other three shared similar sentiments.
If Blackbeard failed to obtain the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, they wouldn't willingly follow this guy.
"Zehahahaha, don't you worry!" Blackbeard roared with laughter. "My plan will definitely succeed!"
According to his calculations, Whitebeard would certainly die at Marine Headquarters this time.
After all... he had grown old!
Facing the full might of Marine Headquarters, even someone of Whitebeard's caliber couldn't possibly leave there alive!
Once that guy died, he could seize the Devil Fruit ability!
By then... he would become one of the new Four Emperors!
Thinking this, Blackbeard laughed even more heartily.
"Let's hope so," said Catarina Devon.
"Speaking of which, why hasn't that guy Magellan shown up yet?" Vasco Shot belched drunkenly. "Is he having diarrhea?"
"Hopefully that's the case," San Juan Wolf added. "Then we won't have to deal with that disgusting fellow!"
"That guy's probably upstairs chasing after the Blood-Eyed Ninja and his crew," Silvers Rayleigh commented.
Though no one knew how that was going.
Whether they had been captured or managed to escape.
"The Blood-Eyed Ninja, huh."
At the mention of this name, Blackbeard's smile faded. "That guy knows Water Release Technique. He might actually be able to defeat Magellan."
"All the better," Lafitte said with a smirk. "Then we can leave Impel Down unimpeded."
"True enough."
Hearing Lafitte's words, everyone burst into laughter.
Just then, Van Augur noticed a figure appearing in the distance and his expression changed. "Magellan?!"
At these words, Blackbeard and the others' expressions changed.
"So it was because of you."
Standing on the bridge, Magellan coldly stared at Silvers Rayleigh and said, "Silvers Rayleigh, why are you helping the enemy?"
He now understood why Blackbeard and his crew had managed to escape—it must have been because this bastard gave them the antidote!
"Probably the surveillance room above was also destroyed by this guy."
No... not just that!
Perhaps the switch for the Gates of Justice was also pressed by this guy!
Thinking of this, an overwhelming killing intent surged in Magellan's heart.
"Helping the enemy?"
Silvers Rayleigh shook his head and said, "Magellan, you're mistaken."
"From the moment you locked me in the Infinite Hell, I was no longer a member of Impel Down."
"Bastard, do you think I wanted to do that? It was only because you—"
"Because I killed a few prisoners?" Silvers Rayleigh sneered. "Don't joke around, Magellan. Who would care if those scum were killed?"
After saying this, Silvers Rayleigh paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Forget it, there's no point in saying such things to a stubborn guy like you."
Magellan fell silent for a moment, then purple venom surged from his body as he said, "Fine. Since you stand with them, then... please die here together!"
As his words fell, Magellan unleashed his Poison Dragon and charged at the group.
But the next moment, Magellan's expression changed, for he saw them taking out one bottle of antidote after another!
"Zehahaha, Magellan!" Blackbeard laughed heartily. "This time, we won't be knocked out by your venom again!"
As Blackbeard's words echoed, a large amount of antidote was thrown out, landing on Magellan's Poison Dragon.
"Sizzle~"
The moment the Poison Dragons came into contact with the antidote, they immediately began to evaporate, eventually turning into harmless steam and vanishing.
Witnessing this, Magellan's pupils contracted sharply.
At that moment, he knew he couldn't stop this group.
'Damn it, if it weren't for that Blood-Eyed Ninja, how could my body be so weak that I can't even unleash stronger toxins?!' Magellan roared inwardly.
Damn it, damn it!!
Just then, Silvers Rayleigh moved.
The man appeared beside Magellan at an incredible speed and, with a single slash, severed his left arm.
"Thud!!"
Watching his left arm fly off, Magellan's pupils contracted instantly.
"Your left arm looks severely injured~" Silvers Rayleigh, standing beside Magellan, grinned and said, "So I'll help you get rid of it~"
"Gush!"
As Silvers Rayleigh's words fell, blood spurted from Magellan's body.
"Ugh!"
Feeling the intense pain from his severed arm, Magellan's face broke out in a cold sweat, and his body began to tremble.
Glancing at Silvers Rayleigh standing beside him, Magellan tried to endure the pain and fight, but his physical condition simply wouldn't allow it.
After a series of battles and excessive blood loss... his body was reaching its limit.
"You've come to this day too."
With a glance at the teetering Magellan, Silvers Rayleigh swung his blade and struck Magellan, sending him flying.
"Whoosh~"
"Boom!!"
Magellan, now bearing a massive gash, struggled to lift his head and look at Silvers Rayleigh in the distance before his eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness.
"Zehahaha! As expected of you, Rayleigh!!" Blackbeard roared with laughter.
To have taken down the warden of Impel Down so quickly—truly formidable!
"He was already at his limit," said Silvers Rayleigh, sheathing his blade. "I was merely the final straw."
After a cold sneer at the unconscious Magellan, Silvers Rayleigh turned and left the scene with Blackbeard and his crew.
"What did you say?"
Upon hearing the communications soldier's report, Sengoku shot up from his seat, staring in disbelief.
"Impel Down has been breached?"
"Yes."
After a moment of silence, Sengoku said, "Give me the details."
"Currently, Straw Hat Boy and the Blood-Eyed Ninja have escaped Impel Down with a group of fugitives," the communications soldier reported, sweating profusely. "According to Warden Magellan's analysis, they are highly likely to head for Marine Headquarters."
"To Marine Headquarters?"
Borsalino, seated nearby, raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting oddly. "Are they planning to rescue Fire Fist Ace right here at Marine Headquarters?"
"It appears so."
"Well, I'll be..."
Borsalino was at a loss for words. Were youngsters these days really so audacious?
But then, recalling they had dared to break into Impel Down, Borsalino understood.
"Storming Enies Lobby, killing a Celestial Dragon, invading Impel Down... There's truly nothing they wouldn't do."
As expected of that man's descendant—their courage was immense.
"This is a variable," Sengoku muttered, frowning.
If nothing else, that kid with the undying body alone would be troublesome to deal with.
After all... they couldn't kill him in a short time!
But since it had already happened, Sengoku had no choice but to accept it.
He then continued, "You said besides Straw Hat Boy and the Blood-Eyed Ninja, there are other escaped prisoners, correct?"
"Who are they?"
"Crocodile, Fisher Tiger, Ivankov..." The communications soldier listed a string of names, causing veins to bulge on Sengoku's forehead.
"Every one of them is a troublesome individual."
If these people were all coming to Marine Headquarters to join the war, the scales of victory would begin tipping in Whitebeard's favor.
Especially with that Blood-Eyed Ninja among them, possessing large-scale offensive techniques...
Recalling what Aokiji had said about the ninja's ninjutsu, Sengoku felt a headache coming on.
That terrifying Lightning Release Technique, like divine punishment, was something ordinary marines simply couldn't withstand.
Taking a deep breath, Sengoku asked, "Is there any other news?"
"Yes."
"Speak!"
"Not long ago, Blackbeard and his crew invaded Impel Down," the communications soldier reported. "It seems they incited a riot on the sixth level."
"So that bastard really went to Impel Down," Sengoku said through gritted teeth.
Ever since receiving the news that Blackbeard had left Marine Headquarters, he'd had a bad feeling about it.
Then he received this report...
Not long ago, an unauthorized Navy battleship had arrived at Impel Down!
He had suspected it might be Blackbeard heading to the underwater prison, and now it was confirmed.
"That guy went to Impel Down?" Borsalino frowned. "What's his objective?"
He could understand why the Straw Hat Boy would go to Impel Down - after all, Fire Fist Ace was his brother.
But Blackbeard... did he have family in Impel Down too?
"Unknown, but he's caused an even more terrible riot within Impel Down," the communications soldier reported.
"Unknown, huh..."
Hearing this, Borsalino fell into deep thought.
Sengoku then asked, "Didn't Magellan stop them?"
"Warden Magellan defeated Blackbeard's crew with his poison, but someone unknown rescued them," the communications soldier explained. "By the time Warden Magellan discovered what happened, they had already released the Level 6 prisoners."
"There's a traitor then."
With his sharp mind, Sengoku immediately considered this possibility, though he didn't know who the traitor might be.
After a moment's thought, Sengoku asked, "How is Magellan now? Did he try to stop them from leaving?"
"Unknown. We haven't received any information about that yet," the communications soldier said. "However, according to Vice Warden Domino, Warden Magellan has suffered serious injuries and might..."
Hearing this, Sengoku closed his eyes in pain.
This news essentially confirmed that Magellan couldn't stop Blackbeard's crew at this point.
After a moment of silence, Sengoku said, "I understand. You may go."
"Yes!"
After watching the soldier leave, Borsalino stood up and asked, "Should I go there?"
"We don't have time for that," Sengoku shook his head. "The war could break out at any moment. You need to stay here."
Although Borsalino could reach Impel Down quickly with his speed, the problem was that the public execution was only hours away!
At any moment during this time, Whitebeard might attack Marine Headquarters, so Borsalino absolutely couldn't be moved.
"Alright," Borsalino nodded.
After another moment of silence, Sengoku said, "We'll have to deal with the Impel Down situation after this war is over."
"Our top priority is dealing with Whitebeard first."
They could postpone handling Blackbeard's matter, but dealing with Whitebeard couldn't be delayed.
As for those Blood-Eyed Ninjas... they would have to take things one step at a time.
"Then I'll go prepare," Borsalino said as he stood up. "It's almost time."
"Go ahead," Sengoku nodded.
After watching the man leave, Sengoku murmured, "I hope we can successfully keep these guys here this time."
Just then, Major General Kaled, who had remained silent until now, spoke up: "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, about that Blood-Eyed Ninja—"
"Ah, I know," Sengoku replied. "I'll have Kuzan keep an eye on him."
Since the opponent possesses the ability to perform large-scale Water Release techniques, Aokiji must be assigned to monitor him.
"Admiral Aokiji, then."
Recalling Admiral Aokiji's Devil Fruit ability, Rear Admiral Kaled nodded and said, "He is indeed the most suitable candidate. At the very least, he can neutralize the Blood-Eyed Ninja's Water Release Technique.
As for that incredibly fearsome Lightning Release Technique?
As a Marine Admiral who has faced this move head-on, Admiral Aokiji is also the most suitable person for the task!"
"Alright, you should go and prepare as well," Sengoku said. "Your presence is no longer needed here."
"Yes, sir!"
Rear Admiral Kaled nodded, then picked up his sword and left.
Watching him depart, Sengoku suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "What is that guy Garp doing?"
The communications soldier at the door replied, "Vice Admiral Garp has been staying in his office ever since he left your presence. So far, he hasn't come out."
"Is that so?" Sengoku nodded. "I understand."
Then, with a complicated look in his eyes, the man glanced at the sky outside the window and murmured to himself, 'Old friend, at this critical moment... please don't do anything irrational.'
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