Nearby, Ivankov broke out in a cold sweat.
No matter how you looked at it, he was still one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—a big shot.
When he was young, Crocodile had even challenged Whitebeard.
This was a force that even the Marines could not afford to ignore.
A vein bulged instantly on Crocodile's forehead as he barely suppressed his anger. "Hey! Straw Hat! You've really gotten arrogant, haven't you?!"
Ace suddenly stood up. Flames flickered faintly around him as he stared at Crocodile. "Let's set aside the bad blood between you and my brother for now. But the fact that you said you want to take Pops's head... I can't just pretend I didn't hear that!"
Jinbe also stood up, his expression serious, and assumed the starting stance of Fish-Man Karate. "I can't pretend I didn't hear those words disparaging Pops, either."
"Fire Fist, stay out of my way," Crocodile said coldly. "My grudge with Whitebeard is none of your business."
Ace had indeed heard about the bad blood between Crocodile and Pops.
He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and stopped Jinbe. "Never mind, Jinbe. He and Pops have some personal history. We won't get involved."
He looked at Crocodile, his tone turning cold. "But you and Luffy also have unsettled scores. The fact that I haven't roasted you alive right now is already me showing restraint."
Luffy also stared at Crocodile and said coldly, "You turned Vivi's country into a complete mess and made her cry so many tears. Do you think I would let you out?"
Crocodile's expression darkened. He let out a cold snort. "That's all in the past! I have no interest in that country now!"
"Let him join, Luffy."
Just then, a voice that Luffy knew very well suddenly sounded.
Luffy paused for a moment, then found the Den Den Mushi among Impel Down's surveillance Den Den Mushi that the voice was coming from.
"Vivi?"
A look of surprise appeared on Luffy's face.
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Vivi covered her mouth. Her voice was choked with emotion. "Luffy! It's me!"
Ever since she had been sent flying by Bartholomew Kuma to the headquarters of the news company, she had been constantly worried and afraid, trying every possible way to get news about Luffy. Now she had finally made contact!
"Hey, don't do your lovey-dovey talk here! Say what you need to say quickly! If the World Government finds out about this, I'm done for!"
The Den Den Mushi simulated Morgans's exasperated face.
Planting his own Den Den Mushi in a place like Impel Down, a World Government agency—if those agents found out, his headquarters would have to stay in the air forever.
Morgans hadn't wanted to get involved in this mess, but when his words were tricked out of him, and then Vivi threatened to tear down his news company headquarters with her Fūfū no Mi ability...
He had no choice but to give in!
Vivi made a long story short: "Luffy! The Marines' warships and their top combatants are gathering toward Impel Down in large numbers! The war is very likely to break out at Impel Down!"
Therefore, she believed that right now, they should win over anyone who could strengthen their own side.
Personal grudges could be set aside for the time being.
"But Crocodile..."
Luffy was still somewhat hesitant.
He didn't want to forgive someone who had hurt his crewmate.
"Leave Crocodile to me."
Vivi said, "After this war is over, if we ever run into each other in the New World, I hope to settle things with him myself!"
In his cell, Crocodile heard Vivi's words. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly. He let out a cold snort. "Hmph! You sure have a big mouth, Princess Vivi."
That princess who could only cry... settle things with him?
A cold chuckle appeared on Crocodile's face.
He was truly being looked down upon.
Hearing Vivi's insistence, Luffy was silent for a moment. Finally, he nodded. "I understand."
He looked at Crocodile, his eyes still unfriendly. "I can let you out, but until the war is over, you'd better behave yourself."
"Don't worry, Straw Hat Boy. I can guarantee that he's on our side until our common enemy is dealt with."
Ivankov walked over and gave Crocodile a friendly smile. "I happen to have a little hold over you, Croco Boy~"
Seeing Ivankov, the arrogant expression on Crocodile's face instantly froze and turned somewhat ugly. He gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Ivankov, you bastard!"
He really did have something that Ivankov held over him.
As for the other prisoners in Infinite Hell, Luffy ignored them completely.
He had no idea what those people were about. Letting them out might cause even more chaos, and they might even turn around and attack them.
"Luffy, be careful!"
Vivi's voice came through the Den Den Mushi again, full of worry. "The Admirals will be arriving soon too."
"Ah, don't worry, Vivi."
Luffy smiled. "Once I've taken care of things here, I'll come to see you all soon. Wait for me!"
Then, he hung up.
His gaze swept over the people who had gathered around him.
Ace, Jinbe, Ivankov, Lightning, Golden Lion, the just-released and sullen-faced Crocodile, and Ivankov's group of okama prisoners who had been arriving to join them.
"Alright, now it's time for us to get out!" Luffy said loudly.
The strategic goal of rescuing Ace had been accomplished.
Next was to break through the Marines' heavy encirclement and return to the vast open sea!
At the same time, outside Impel Down.
Magellan crashed heavily onto the ground of Impel Down's Level One, creating a dull, thunderous boom. Venom splattered all around him, corroding the ground into a pitted mess.
He struggled to stand up, but the terrifying power contained in Luffy's final blow made it difficult for him to catch his breath for the time being.
"Warden Magellan! Are you alright?!"
The surrounding Marine soldiers and guards quickly gathered around, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
Their nearly invincible Warden had been sent flying from the very bottom of the prison?!
Magellan's expression was terrifyingly dark. He wiped the blood continuously seeing from the corner of his mouth and looked at the tall figure who had walked up to him. His voice was filled with both guilt and anger. "I'm sorry, Admiral Aokiji. Impel Down has completely fallen into chaos."
"Arara. The plan has been completely thrown off."
Aokiji Kuzan stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at the disheveled Magellan. His face showed no emotion, but his eyes were unusually grave. "Magellan, you should rest for now. Further reinforcements from Headquarters will arrive soon. Fleet Admiral Sengoku has ordered this place to be made the final battlefield. For now, let's just surround it."
He looked up ahead. Constant commotion and loud crashes could be heard from inside Impel Down.
"Straw Hat Luffy... truly a guy who brings surprises at every turn," Aokiji said slowly.
Although Magellan was extremely reluctant to admit it, looking at the results, this Straw Hat kid had indeed upended his understanding time and time again.
"Report!"
Just then, a communications soldier came running in hurriedly and reported loudly:
"Warden! Admiral! One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, along with his crew members, have somehow infiltrated Impel Down's Level Two, Beast Hell!"
"One of the Seven Warlords?"
Magellan's brow furrowed deeply. He looked at Aokiji. "Aren't they supposed to be on their way from Marine Headquarters to provide support?"
The expression on Aokiji's face also became somewhat subtle. His eyes turned cold. "It seems he's acting on his own, disobeying orders. That man probably had his eyes on Impel Down for a long time. What an ambitious guy."
But for now, the Blackbeard Pirates were still nominally part of the Seven Warlords—on the World Government's side, weren't they?
As the man who had triggered this whole chain of major events, Aokiji didn't think that Straw Hat and his group would reconcile with Blackbeard.
Meanwhile, inside Impel Down.
The strongest prison break team in history had assembled!
In front of a surveillance Den Den Mushi monitor that was still working, the guard on duty looked at the team on the screen—a team that could only be described as luxurious, even terrifying—and felt like his heart was about to stop. In a trembling voice, he screamed into every communicator that could still receive a signal:
"Fire Fist Ace! Warlord of the Sea, Knight of the Sea Jinbe! Former Warlord of the Sea Crocodile! Legendary Pirate Golden Lion Shiki! Revolutionary Army officers Ivankov and Lightning! And a large group of okama prisoners, led by Straw Hat Luffy, are breaking through from Level Six, Infinite Hell, with unstoppable momentum!
They have already broken through Level Five, Freezing Hell, and have reached Level Four, Blazing Hell! No one can stop them!"
This statement spread like a plague through every corner of Impel Down.
In a certain corner of Level Four, Buggy the Clown, who had participated in most of the chaos and was trembling in fear, swallowed hard.
No way?
That Straw Hat guy actually saved them?
And he put together a team of monsters like that?!
"W-We should take this chance to break out too!"
Behind Buggy, a large group of prisoners who had escaped from various levels had unknowingly gathered.
He didn't have the same picky standards as Luffy. Getting out in the chaos was the most important thing!
"Yeah! We'll follow Buggy-sama forever!"
"That Straw Hat is Buggy-sama's ally too, right? I saw Buggy-sama fighting side by side with Straw Hat!"
"For freedom!"
The surrounding prisoners started cheering. Buggy's smile froze on his face.
Why did these bastards have to imagine so many things on their own?
As they ran.
Ace said to Luffy, "Pops and the others probably don't know the details of the situation here yet, but they're definitely paying close attention to the Marines' movements. If we can hold out until Pops and the others come to rescue us, with us inside and them outside working together, we'll have a chance!"
Hearing this, Golden Lion, who was nearby, let out a bold laugh. "Gehahaha! Why wait for that old man Whitebeard? Straw Hat! With our lineup right now, let's just go raise some hell with those guys at Marine Headquarters! Just thinking about it gets me excited!"
"Golden Lion, don't underestimate the strength of Marine Headquarters," Jinbe warned in a deep voice beside him. "Marine Headquarters is still the strongest force in the world."
Crocodile said coldly, "I just want Whitebeard's head. This chaos suits me perfectly."
"Hey, Crocodile, don't say bad things about Pops."
"You want to spar?"
"Stop arguing. Let's get out first."
Luffy, running at the front, suddenly spoke, and with a single sentence, all discussion instantly stopped.
His words carried an intangible authority that made even these unruly big shots temporarily quiet down.
Ivankov, following behind, watched Luffy's back. His throat moved involuntarily.
The natural leadership and commanding presence that Luffy was displaying at this moment were just like his father Dragon's!
So this was an innate kingly disposition?
One had to know that the people following Luffy right now were all great names who shook the seas, people of immense strength!
And Luffy, this youngest of them all, had taken absolute core and leadership of this group!
Seeing this scene, Ivankov couldn't help but faintly recall a name that had once loomed over the entire world, only to eventually disappear into the dust of history.
The man who had once gathered countless legendary pirates under his command and nearly became the king of the world.
Rocks D. Xebec!
...
Level Four, Blazing Hell.
The earlier fierce battle between Luffy and Magellan had left behind a huge crack in the floor.
Above was the intense heat of Blazing Hell; below was the bone-chilling cold wind of Freezing Hell. It poured upward through the chasm like a reverse waterfall, forming a chaotic air current of ice and fire together.
A steady stream of guards had been added here, setting up a final line of defense.
They had gathered on one side of the rift.
Across the nearly hundred-meter-wide, bottomless chasm, they nervously set up their guns.
With the passage destroyed and such a wide gap, anyone who couldn't fly would never make it across.
Most of the prison break team on the other side were ability users. Seastone bullets would be very effective. If handled properly, they could buy quite a bit of time.
On the surface, that was true.
"Hold here, and we still have a chance!" a guard leader roared to boost morale.
"A chance? What chance?"
A figure flew over rapidly. His golden mane danced wildly in the ice-fire air current. Golden Lion, completely unfettered by gravity's, flew across.
"Do you think you still have a chance against this old man?"
"Golden Lion!" the guards exclaimed.
Golden Lion stretched his legs and frowned slightly. "Tch. Without Oto and Sakurajū by my side, using my ability feels a bit uncomfortable."
He looked down at the guards, who were acting as if facing a great enemy. A grin spread across his face as he casually pressed his hand downward.
"Shishi I: Jikan!"
Hum!
In an instant, the hard rock walls on either side of the passage came to life as if awakened. They shaped into several giant lion heads, which opened their gaping maws and swooped toward the guards' positions.
"Ah! What is this?!"
"Help!"
The guards were terrified.
"Golden Lion, you sure run fast."
A streak of flame flew through the air. Ace was close behind.
"Hiken!"
The passage was instantly lit up by dazzling firelight. A giant fist of flame rushed straight across from the other side of the passage, brushing past Golden Lion.
Boom, crash, rumble!
The collision between the flames and the rock lion's head triggered a violent explosion!
The blazing flames instantly shattered the rock lion heads into pieces. The flying gravel were further melted by the intense heat into magma-like liquid, scattering in all directions.
If you didn't know better, you'd think Akainu had arrived.
The dark passage was completely baptized by the flames. In Blazing Hell, Ace was like a fish in water.
Luffy and the others all looked drenched in sweat, but only Ace seemed at ease.
The Mera Mera no Mi had been developed quite far in terms of temperature.
The flames faded. Ace's figure turned into a stream of fire, instantly crossing the hundred-meter chasm and landing lightly on what had been the guards' position.
Flames that hadn't fully extinguished yet wrapped around him. After landing, he looked at the exaggerated deep crater beneath his feet and raised an eyebrow in some surprise. "There was quite a fierce battle here before?"
"I fought Magellan here earlier."
Luffy followed closely, using the telescopic ability of his Gomu Gomu no Mi to catapult across. He landed steadily and, in a good mood, dusted himself off with a grin. "I gotta say, that guy's poison was a real pain."
The Doku Doku no Mi—Magellan had developed his ability well.
Luffy also found him troublesome, which was why he had sent him flying out first.
The guards who had luckily survived the aftermath of Shishi I: Jikan and Hiken had completely lost their will to resist.
They collapsed to the ground, their eyes vacant.
One guard held a Den Den Mushi. "R-R-Report!
This is Level Four, Blazing Hell. Golden Lion Shiki, who escaped from Level Six! Fire Fist Ace! Straw Hat Luffy! They've appeared! Requesting backup!"
Before he could finish speaking, a figure passed by like a ghost. The sandstorm it kicked up instantly engulfed him.
"Hey, hey, hey. Don't ignore this old man."
Crocodile, wearing his fur coat, turned his body into a cloud of sand, easily drifting across the chasm before condensing back into his physical form.
His sinister gaze swept over the remaining guards. He was somewhat displeased.
He was a former Warlord of the Sea, after all. Didn't he have any dignity left?
"Fire! Open fire!"
The newly arrived guards saw this and instinctively pulled their triggers.
Bang bang bang!
Bullets whistled out, but all of them easily passed right through Crocodile's body.
His body instantly turned to sand, leaving behind a few holes, which then quickly returned to normal.
"Foolish."
Crocodile let out a cold snort. In the guards' terrified gazes, he instantly transformed into a sandstorm and rushed in front of them. His gold hook arm, coated in Armament Haki, swung out fiercely!
"Crescent-shaped Hill!"
A giant crescent-shaped shockwave composed of sand particles flattened everything in its path. The guards' bodies were shattered mid-strike and quickly withered and turned to sand.
Almost at the same time, Jinbe leaped across the chasm like a cannonball. His massive body crashed into the enemy ranks with the force of ten thousand tons.
"Gyojin Karate: Gosenmai Wara Seiken!"
Boom!
A powerful shockwave spread out from his fist. The guards barely had time to react before their bodies were twisted and sent flying.
Screams filled the air.
In an instant, this final line of defense, which the guards had pinned such high hopes on, completely collapsed. They hadn't even managed to mount a decent resistance.
"How can they just keep coming like this?!"
The guards were completely dumbfounded.
"What is that?"
Then someone saw it. Countless gravel gathered together from all sides, forcibly kneaded into a giant rock pillar by some unseen force, spanning across the chasm and connecting the two sides.
"Oh, Golden Lion, old man! Your ability is really handy!"
Luffy gave Golden Lion, who was slowly descending, a thumbs-up and praised him without restraint.
This was what he had seen in Golden Lion's ability.
Being able to fly anything was so cool!
***
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