Time flew by, and a week later.
Impel Down, Level 3, Starvation Hell.
This was no longer the hell where pirates wailed in hunger...
It had become the exclusive training ground of the G-3 Branch Marines.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and rust, mingled with the dying screams of pirates, forming a cruel symphony.
This week, the G-3 Branch had unleashed a bloody feast inside Impel Down.
Level 1, Crimson Hell.
Level 2, Wild Beast Hel Hell.
The two floors that held tens of thousands of pirates—aside from a small number deliberately spared to endure agony as "lucky ones"—
All the rest had been completely purged by this iron army undergoing its transformation.
"First squad, flank left!"
"Second squad, hold formation, suppress with fire!"
"Third squad, ..."
The Marine soldiers formed airtight battle formations, like a precise meat grinder.
Wave after wave of pirates, intentionally released from their cages, were neatly divided, surrounded, and crushed!
Occasionally, a fearless pirate with brute strength or a Devil Fruit ability managed to tear through the formation, injuring one or two soldiers.
But the very next second, a whip wrapped in jet-black Haki lashed down from the sky, striking his skull dead-on.
Crack—
The sound of shattering bone was crisp and clear.
High above, Kujaku stood cold-faced, whip in hand.
Bang—!
Another pirate attempting a sneak attack had his head burst open, red and white matter splattering in all directions.
Not far off, atop another vantage point, Hibari's sniper rifle smoked faintly.
The bluish sparks of electricity flickered around her body. Her once-shy and soft eyes now carried only the calm focus unique to a sniper.
Their Devil Fruit mastery and personal strength were growing rapidly amidst this battlefield of blood and fire.
"Injured! Quickly!"
Several medics rushed past, carrying a soldier with a deep gash across his chest.
There, Kuma stood silently, extending his palm and gently pressing it onto the wounded man.
Paw—
A transparent paw-shaped bubble mixed with blood, pain, and exhaustion was gently pushed out.
The wound on the soldier's chest closed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
His eyes snapped open. With a sudden kip-up, he roared and charged back into battle, "Kill!"
"..."
Not far away, Zoro and Sanji leaned lazily against a stone pillar, bored out of their minds.
For them, the prisoners on Level 3 weren't even worth the effort.
Before them knelt a neatly arranged line of pirates, completely broken, shivering all over, their eyes hollow.
Kuma gently pushed the transparent paw toward the kneeling line of pirates.
"..."
Zoro glanced at the one in front—a former pirate captain with a bounty of twenty million Belly, once infamous in Paradise.
"You, want to die?"
"Yes!"
The captain suddenly raised his head, eyes bursting with longing and frenzy.
"Please! I beg you!"
"Let me die! I want to die!!!"
Too terrifying.
These Marines weren't human. They were devils!
Over this week, he had suffered through a hell a thousand times worse than death.
The prisoners who had been released thought it was freedom—only for it to be the beginning of a nightmare.
They were easily defeated, then forced to watch with their own eyes...
A once-arrogant pirate was beaten by that young Marine Rear Admiral...
With a refined, intricate martial arts technique—one punch, another punch, and another punch!
Not fatal, but breaking every single bone in his body.
Then the pirate was thrown back into his cell.
No treatment. No supplies. Nothing...
He wailed for three days and nights, his blood soaking the prison floor, staining the stone red.
And yet, he didn't die. He clung to one last breath, enduring endless agony and excruciating clarity—until finally, on the fifth day, he perished.
And then...
That Rear Admiral struck again!!!
Another "lucky one" was chosen to suffer the same torment.
A devil!
He was the devil!!!!
No one knew who would be the next to have all their bones shattered and wait helplessly for death in despair!
That unknown, extreme fear was more terrifying than any torture known.
Now, death had become their most desperate wish.
"Go on."
Sanji exhaled a ring of smoke and gave a cold nod.
"Yes! Thank you! Thank you!"
The captain, as if pardoned, scrambled toward the hovering paw.
He spread his arms, a smile of relief on his face, and willingly embraced the concentrated mass of pain.
The next second.
His body stiffened, black blood flowing from his seven orifices, and he collapsed lifelessly.
"Next."
Zoro's voice was utterly flat.
The second pirate in line rushed forward eagerly toward the paw.
"..."
One after another, until the paw finally dispersed in the air.
Those not chosen were instantly filled with ashen regret and terror.
It was over!
They collapsed, swallowed whole by despair.
As the Marines grew stronger and more coordinated, the chances of injury decreased!
This meant fewer "pain bubbles" would be created... and fewer pirates could be granted the mercy of death.
Which also meant...
The odds of being selected by the Rear Admiral as a "lucky one," condemned to endure five days of hell, increased dramatically!
Ruined!
Completely ruined!
...
On the high platform.
Hawke looked down indifferently at the scene below.
Suddenly—Buru buru~ Buru buru~
Click.
Hawke answered the Den Den Mushi. Sengoku's voice burst through, unable to hide his excitement.
"Hawke! It's me!"
"Fleet Admiral?"
"Good news!"
Sengoku's voice trembled. "Every technical problem of the 'Sea Bottom Dredge' has been conquered by Vegapunk!"
"The first batch of submarines has already entered mass production!"
"Very soon!"
"Very soon the Marines will open the era of 'harvesting riches from the sea floor'!"
"Good."
Hawke's lips curved into a faint smile.
He knew it. Driving Kizaru with money, driving Vegapunk with research funds and dreams—there was no way it would fail.
This game of chess had been solid from the start.
"Not only that!"
Sengoku's words fired like cannon shots.
"Thanks to the full cooperation of the Alabasta Kingdom, the first batch of gold has already been converted into vast stores of food, textiles, top-quality steel, and military funds!"
"The military factories we invested in have also officially started production!"
"It won't be long before the Marines can completely break free from the World Government!"
"Excellent."
Hawke nodded.
The Sea Bottom Dredge plan was the source.
The Alabasta Kingdom was the converter.
One dug treasures from the dust of history.
The other transformed those treasures efficiently into the muscles and bones of the Marines.
Together, this war machine called the "New Marines"...
Was secretly amassing power at an unprecedented speed, in the shadows of the world!
Perfect.
Sengoku's tone shifted, his voice sinking.
"But Hawke, Tsuru and I have discussed this."
"If we keep doing this, the World Government's old men will discover us sooner or later."
"If they really tear the mask off and launch a full counterattack against the Marines, we must be ready for the worst-case scenario!"
"Worst-case scenario?"
"Yes!"
Sengoku's words were ironclad.
"Abandon the New World, abandon Marineford!"
"Pull the entire force back to G-3 Branch, make Paradise our foundation, and completely seal off the Red Line!"
"Let the Yonko monsters stand right at the gates of Mary Geoise. Let the Celestial Dragons and the Yonko tear each other apart!"
"The Marines will shift from offense to defense, draw nourishment from the Four Seas, bide our time, and wait for the day we sweep the world!"
"This..."
A trace of amusement flickered in Hawke's eyes.
Using the Yonko as weapons to attack the World Government.
Now that was ruthless. Brilliantly ruthless.
"But that's only the worst-case scenario."
Sengoku sighed.
"As long as we don't have to abandon the people of the New World, the Marines won't go that far. You don't need to worry about this."
"Speaking of which, how's the trial in Impel Down going?"
"Very smoothly."
"Good! Once your trial ends, return to headquarters and see for yourself the new Marines!"
"Yes!"
Hawke hung up the call.
With a thought, he glanced at his system panel.
[Remaining Justice Points: 383,520.]
One week.
In just one week.
His Justice Points had skyrocketed from over fifty thousand to three hundred eighty thousand, as if riding a rocket.
Though the pirates on Level 1 and Level 2 weren't particularly strong, and the points they provided individually were few...
Their sheer numbers made up for it!
Impel Down held well over a hundred thousand criminals!
Three hundred eighty thousand Justice Points.
Enough to raise his Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and martial arts to Admiral level.
Then, once he gathered one million points, he could raise his Conqueror's Haki to Top-Tier!
By then, with mastery of Advanced Conqueror's coating, he would truly step into the ranks of the strongest on this sea.
Hawke closed his eyes and whispered in his heart.
"System, add points!!!"
[Ding!]
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