"Well, it's nothing special. Just a little trick."
Golden Lion crossed his arms and waved his hand with feigned modesty.
But the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.
He really did appreciate this kind of recognition and praise from a strong fighter.
He'd never heard anything like it before!
Those bastards Rocks and Roger all had mouths like sewers.
But the smile on his face hadn't even lasted two seconds before he saw the group of okama prisoners led by Ivankov—dressed in gaudy colors and swaying their hips—walking in a line across the giant rock pillar, all of them casting grateful and adoring looks his way.
"Ah~ We're so grateful to Golden Lion-sama!"
"You're so reliable~!"
"I feel so much safer now~"
Ivankov himself wiggled his giant body and shot Golden Lion a wink. "Thank you so much~ Golden Lion Boy~!"
Golden Lion's face instantly fell, as if he had just swallowed a live fly.
"Get lost! Don't you disgusting bastards talk to this old man! Do you want me to sink you along with this lousy bridge into the blood pool right now?!"
Golden Lion said, his voice dripping with bloodlust.
Those okama immediately shut up, shrank their necks, and hurried across the bridge, not daring to get anywhere near this short-tempered legendary pirate.
So hypocritical!
Wasn't it all praise?
...
Meanwhile.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The port defenses that had been carefully arranged for the execution of Fire Fist Ace and to face the Whitebeard Pirates had now become useless decorations.
At his desk in the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku felt a throbbing pain in his temples.
In front of him were mountains of battle reports and deployment documents, along with a bunch of ringing Den Den Mushi.
A plan that had been so carefully crafted for so long.
The grand plan to use Portgas D. Ace as bait, lay an inescapable net at Marineford, and deal a heavy blow—or even annihilate—the Whitebeard Pirates now seemed to be sliding in a completely out-of-control direction.
The prisoner to be executed hadn't even been transferred over!
The gallows had already been built. To be on the safe side, Sengoku had even sent Aokiji ahead of time to escort Ace. Had he still not been in time?
Sengoku rubbed his brow, his voice heavy with barely concealed exhaustion.
"What the hell is the situation at Impel Down right now?!"
A communications soldier immediately stepped forward and reported at breakneck speed: "Reporting, Fleet Admiral! According to the latest intelligence, the emergency reinforcement fleet dispatched from Marine Headquarters is about to arrive at the Gate of Justice!
On Impel Down's side, Admiral Aokiji is personally taking command, working alongside five Vice Admirals from Headquarters and the injured but already back in action Warden Magellan to form the first line of defense!
Additionally, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, along with his crew members, has already infiltrated Impel Down ahead of the main force. Their specific objective is unknown!"
"Blackbeard?"
Sengoku suddenly stood up, gritting his teeth as he repeated the name, his fists clenching unconsciously.
This was the man who had single-handedly stirred up the storm about to engulf the world, and now, like a shark that smelled blood, he was acting on his own, sneaking into the chaotic vortex of Impel Down.
"What the hell does he want?!"
Right now, the Warlords should be following the troops from Marine Headquarters to the Gate of Justice, re-establishing the defensive line there.
Sengoku was now at least ninety percent certain that Blackbeard was up to something.
Because according to the plan, by now Ace should have been successfully transferred to Marineford for public execution.
Was his target Impel Down?
"Even though Impel Down has turned into this mess, he still insists on going there. Blackbeard's schemes and ambitions cannot be ignored!"
Sengoku braced himself against the conference table and ground out, "After this war is over, we're going to lock that bastard up in Impel Down!"
You like Impel Down so much? Then buy a room and live there!
Blackbeard was patient, ruthless, and ambitious. There was no way he would be content to serve under anyone. Joining the Seven Warlords seemed to be nothing more than using them as a stepping stone.
Sengoku didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
After Straw Hat flipped the chessboard, all sorts of devious and ambitious schemers were crawling out of the woodwork.
But for now, even if Blackbeard was up to something, at least in name he was still a lawful pirate under the World Government, a force that should be on the Marines' side.
Given the bad blood between Blackbeard and Straw Hat's crew, theoretically they would clash fiercely.
Sengoku took a deep breath, trying to suppress the irritation inside him, only to find that the knot only seemed to tighten.
He suddenly stood up. The Fleet Admiral's coat behind him billowed without any wind.
"We can't wait any longer! Send orders!"
His voice was deep and steady. "Make the Gate of Justice our final fortress. Redeploy all defensive forces. Leave the chaos inside Impel Down to Aokiji and Magellan to handle. I will personally request support from the highest levels of the World Government and ask for every available force to be mobilized!
As for the remaining troops, focus all your vigilance on the Whitebeard Pirates, who have yet to show themselves! With such a large-scale operation of ours, they've surely noticed. The information may have already leaked. They will never sit by and let Ace be trapped in Impel Down. They must be plotting something in the shadows!"
The only good news now was that the Marines could still rely on the Gate of Justice to set up their defenses.
Once the situation at Impel Down was resolved, they could take back the advantage.
Aokiji's and Magellan's abilities were well-suited for this task inside Impel Down.
But would that bastard Whitebeard give them that time?
"Damn Straw Hat!"
His growth rate was too fast.
They hadn't been able to catch him on the Sabaody Archipelago. Sengoku had thought Luffy wouldn't have a chance to get involved in this war. But no one had expected the guy to punch his way straight through Impel Down.
He already felt like... he couldn't stop it anymore.
Sengoku's gaze fell on a high-level Den Den Mushi—the one that connected directly to the Five Elders.
If everything spiraled out of control, he would have no choice but to ask the World Government for help.
If possible, he really didn't want to see those guys from God Valley with their mysterious powers.
For the Marines, that would be a complete subversion.
...
Impel Down, Level Four, Blazing Hell.
Inside the passage connecting the entire prison, the battle was almost completely one-sided.
Facing the strongest prison break team in history, consisting of Straw Hat Luffy, Fire Fist Ace, Knight of the Sea Jinbe, former Warlord Crocodile, legendary pirate Golden Lion Shiki, and Revolutionary Army officer Ivankov, the Impel Down guards—who would normally strike fear into ordinary pirates—now seemed utterly powerless to resist.
There were many guards. They came out in organized formations, trying to use their numbers and firepower to build a defense. But in the face of such overwhelming strength, all their efforts were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"Ugh!"
"Help!"
"Can't stop them! No way to stop them!"
The screams of the guards and the sounds of their bodies being sent flying filled the air.
Golden Lion waved his hand casually, and the rocks on the ground turned into roaring lions that swallowed dozens of guards along with their defenses.
"Not satisfying! Not satisfying at all!"
Golden Lion hovered in midair, looking down at the battle below, which was like chopping vegetables. Boredom and dissatisfaction were written all over his face. "Is this all Impel Down's guards are capable of? You can't even get this old man excited!"
Crocodile followed close behind, his body turned into a sandstorm. Wherever he passed, the guards were instantly drained of their moisture, turning into dried corpses.
"No matter how many small fries there are, they're still just small fries. Right now, I'm only interested in Whitebeard's head."
He lit a cigar, blew out a smoke ring, and looked indifferent, clearly also lacking any enthusiasm.
He stood there and casually blew out a smoke ring.
"Gyojin Karate Ogi: Tōzura Seiken!"
A 360-degree shockwave erupted in front of Jinbe, instantly crushing the guards' formation.
"A hot place. I like it."
Ace grinned and punched forward. "Hiken!"
Boom, crash!
A giant fist of flame swept across the area, revealing the Whitebeard Jolly Roger on his back. This was practically his home turf.
Everyone's goal was now perfectly aligned: break out of Impel Down.
Clearing out these small fry was just something they did along the way.
Luffy had barely even fought. He was just running at the very front of the group.
The two Logia users were unstoppable.
Logias, the Devil Fruits that could go toe-to-toe with any strong fighter, provided nearly full AOE coverage.
Add to that a sky pirate who could float any object, and their advance was almost like a steamroller.
The guards would barely show their faces, and in the next second, they'd be buried under all sorts of terrifying attacks.
It was like a game of whack-a-mole, and the moles had no chance to fight back.
"Woo hoo! This is too easy!"
An okama prisoner wearing a pink ballet skirt excitedly wiggled his hips as he watched the big shots perform up ahead.
There was no chance for members of their New Okama Pirates to do anything here.
One had to know that the people selected to serve as guards in Impel Down were by no means weak.
They would be considered skilled fighters anywhere on the four seas, at least the equivalent of sergeants or warrant officers in the Marines.
But in front of these true devils, the guards' strength seemed so pale and feeble.
This was what it felt like to be carried by the big shots!
The okama cheered and shouted from the sidelines.
But after a few of the big shots turned around and gave them death glares, they dared not shout anymore.
"Even Luffy-sama hasn't lifted a finger yet!"
An okama clasped his hands over his heart, stars of adoration shining in his eyes. "With a lineup like ours, even in the New World, no one would dare mess with us, right?!"
Four Warlord-level fighters, plus a legendary pirate like Golden Lion, plus Straw Hat Luffy himself, whom the papers were calling the Fifth Emperor...
This makeshift prison break team, on paper, had already risen to rival or even surpass the main crew of any existing Yonko!
And there was also Nika, an unassuming tanuki-looking creature, hopping around without much interest in fighting.
Suddenly, her gaze changed. She looked at an empty spot on the wall not far away.
"Luffy, there are nasty guys," Nika said in a low voice.
"Ah, I already see them."
Luffy suddenly stopped. The inertia from his rubber body made him sway slightly before he steadied himself.
Nika jumped onto Luffy's shoulder. "A smell I really don't want to smell."
"Yeah, no kidding. Didn't expect to see them here. Should we say we're lucky?"
Luffy's gaze fell on a shadow-covered corner ahead and to the side of the passage. It gave off a chaotic aura completely different from its surroundings.
"Come out. Hiding is useless."
"Ze hahaha! So you spotted us. I was already getting out of your way. Wouldn't it have been better if you'd just gone on by?"
From the empty space in front of Luffy, as if a curtain had been pulled aside, a rough, hoarse laugh echoed out of the shadows. Then, a few burly men walked out with arrogant strides.
The man at the front wore an open black captain's coat over a bright red shirt, a conspicuous green beaded necklace around his neck, and rings with precious stones on his fingers that glittered garishly in the dim light.
He spread his arms wide, showing a grin missing several teeth. "Straw Hat, I don't want to have a conflict with you guys here either."
As he spoke, Teach's gaze swept over Luffy and then landed on Ace behind him. "Ace, long time no see. I didn't expect you to actually be rescued! Zehahaha! What a shame!"
"Blackbeard!"
Ace's eyes instantly became incredibly sharp. The temperature around him suddenly rose. His killing intent coalesced into something almost tangible.
This was the man who had betrayed his crewmate, killed Thatch, handed him over to the World Government, and single-handedly caused the storm now sweeping the world!
"Yo, Ace, no need to be so hot-headed."
Blackbeard completely ignored Ace's killing intent. "Wouldn't it be better to just pass through here quietly? I really don't want to fight you guys in Impel Down. Aren't our goals, in a way, the same right now?"
Luffy didn't speak. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the group before him.
They were never on the same side.
Just as Nika had said, there was something about Blackbeard's smell that he hated.
The two sides were naturally incompatible. Luffy could feel off Blackbeard... no, off all of them... that nauseating aura.
"Blackbeard?"
Crocodile, with a cigar in his mouth, let out a strange laugh with his signature hoarse voice. "The new Warlord who took my place? You seem ambitious enough, but your strength doesn't seem to match your ambition."
"You're the one who started this whole war!"
Jinbe stepped forward, his expression grave, and assumed the starting stance of Fish-Man Karate. "This old man will never forgive you!"
"Gehahaha! What an amusing look."
Golden Lion floated over and looked Blackbeard over with great interest, especially his missing front tooth. "A guy missing a tooth? If you weren't missing that tooth, you'd look very familiar to me."
It reminded him of a certain man.
"Ze ha ha, all big shots."
Facing the hostility of this group of big names, Blackbeard showed no fear—instead, he became even more excited. He spread his arms wide and shouted at Golden Lion, "Golden Lion! You're also one of my targets! How about it? Want to join my crew? I came all the way here to recruit true strong fighters like you! My new era needs powerful comrades..."
Before he could finish, a drop of cold sweat involuntarily appeared on his brow. His gaze locked onto Luffy.
An intangible pressure had suddenly emanated from Luffy, making him feel extremely uneasy.
Luffy hadn't even said a word, and he had been cut off.
It was Haki!
"Straw Hat, that Haki of yours... it reminds me of a certain man."
Teach's mind flashed to the scarred face of Red-Haired Shanks. "Ze ha ha, I'd like to leave a scar on your face too. It might suit a man like you."
"What you want to do and what you're actually doing don't match up. Just now you were trying to hide from us, too scared to come out."
Luffy stared at Blackbeard and said, "But you can't hide the stench on you."
Like rats hiding in a gutter. Disgusting.
He drew the black blade Magi from his waist. Its jet-black blade seemed to absorb light. "Since you're a Warlord, you work for the World Government. So I'll take care of you right here."
Flames erupted from Ace's body. He stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Luffy, his voice low. "Hey, Luffy, this guy is my target. I have to settle the score with him myself."
"Gehahaha! Fire Fist boy, don't push yourself!"
Golden Lion laughed loudly. "Your body hasn't even fully recovered yet, has it? Do you want to get caught by this guy again?"
He had completely ignored Blackbeard's invitation.
In his eyes, although this toothless guy had a strange aura, his character was nowhere near that of Roger or Whitebeard, whom he admired.
He was an ambitious man, alright.
But his vision was too small.
"Ace, you take care of his crewmates."
Luffy grinned. "As his little brother, it's only right that I help my big brother get some revenge."
His gaze never left Blackbeard. "I'll take this toothless bastard!"
Ace calmed down.
Just as Golden Lion had said, despite how easily they were clearing out the guards, the prisoners who had just been released from jail were far from their peak strength.
Almost the moment Luffy finished speaking, from the other side of the passage came the excited, sadistic voice of Chief Guard Sadi-chan:
"Guards! Attack! Capture all these disobedient escapees! Ah~ We'll make sure they get the harshest punishment this time!"
Blackbeard glanced at the reinforcement guards and Jailermon and grinned. "You really don't let a guy finish his sentence, do you?"
The various chaotic forces were all making their appearance.
And the members of the Blackbeard Pirates also stepped forward.
"Wahahahaha! Running into this level of enemy right after coming in? That's tough, Captain!"
The champion fighter Jesus Burgess raised his thick arms and laughed, looking eager.
"Everything is a gift of fate." Van Augur raised his rifle, Senriku, his tone calm and unmoved.
"Hehehe, then let them eat some apples."
The sickly Doc Q, lying on the back of his muscular horse, Stronger, spoke weakly as he pulled a few very suspicious-looking apples from his basket.
"If you please,"
Lafitte, wearing a tall black top hat and dressed like a theatrical actor with bright red lipstick, elegantly removed his hat and gave Luffy a slight bow. "Esteemed Mister Straw Hat, I believe our interests do not conflict at this stage. Your goal is to escape Impel Down, while our goal could perhaps become the force that helps you create chaos. Cooperation is the theme among pirates. There's no need..."
***
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