Impel Down, the Great Underwater Prison.
Over a month ago, the great pirate Golden Lion Shiki escaped, turning the supposedly impregnable Impel Down from the world's number one prison into a laughingstock within the World Government.
Barely a month had passed since then.
News that Golden Lion Shiki had been captured alive by Beelzebul, Captain of the Morning Star Pirates, spread across the entire ocean. Naturally, Impel Down received the word as well.
"Sir, Chief Shiliew."
"Huge news! Golden Lion has been captured alive!"
Shiliew of the Rain, then the Head Jailer of Impel Down, took the newspaper handed over by his subordinate. He saw the massive headline on the front page—
[End of the Old Era, King of the Next Generation]
[The Legendary Great Pirate Golden Lion, Defeated]
Below the headline were several photos of the battle taken from very tricky angles.
One showed Golden Lion lying in a dirt pit, covered in mud and blood, his eyes vacant as he stared upward. Another showed Beelzebul looking down from above, holding a purple-bladed Tachi with purple lightning swirling around his body.
A flame ignited in Shiliew's pupils.
"Dismissed."
Once the jailer left, Shiliew opened his desk drawer and placed the fresh newspaper together with several previous ones.
Seeing the bounty posters of the Morning Star Pirates' three Great Swordsmen again, a crazed smile curled on Shiliew's lips.
"This is where I truly belong."
On this sea, the Morning Star Pirates—boasting three Great Swordsmen and three Supreme Grade Blades—were recognized as the ultimate sanctuary for all swordsmen.
Whether it was swordsmen with Devil Fruit abilities or the more pure sword masters.
Want an opponent? Want to get stronger?
The Morning Star Pirates could satisfy you!
Shiliew had even heard rumors: after the east blue emperor's trip to the East Blue, the pirates of the entire East Blue went crazy, all dreaming of joining Beelzebul's command.
Working at Impel Down was certainly excellent, allowing him to vent his inner brutality on the prisoners, but for Shiliew, joining the Morning Star Pirates offered a much broader horizon.
Shiliew was extremely tempted, wishing he could fly directly to Beelzebul.
However, going there headlong was a bit risky.
What if? What if Beelzebul rejected him? Wouldn't it all be for nothing?
It was said that during the Morning Star Pirates' East Blue trip, not a single crew member... not even an apprentice was recruited, showing how high Beelzebul's standards were.
This point made Shiliew even more excited.
Trash is not worthy of walking with us.
Strength—Shiliew admired it.
Mindset—Shiliew approved.
So the question was, what kind of tribute should he offer to bring his Talents to the Morning Star Pirates and become the sharpest sword under Beelzebul's command?
As Shiliew fell into deep thought, his waist-hung blade, thunderstorm, strangely flickered with a red light.
"Are you also longing for it?"
"Then let's make our move."
Shiliew prepared some food and wine and headed to the sixth level of Impel Down, Eternal Hell.
The prisoner held on the sixth level—the demon heir, Douglas Bullet—had once been a member of the Roger Pirates alongside Beelzebul.
Shiliew wasn't crazy enough to release Bullet; he just wanted to gather some information from him.
"Beelzebul? Not familiar."
In Bullet's eyes, Impel Down, Enies Lobby, and the Marines were all lapdogs of the World Government. If not for the sake of the hearty food, he wouldn't bother talking to this jailer.
What's your status? You think you're worthy of talking to me?
You think you're Roger?
Shiliew puffed on a cigar, a flash of confusion in his eyes as he handed over a newspaper. Not all Impel Down prisoners enjoyed the freedom to read the news.
Bullet tilted his head back, drained the entire bottle of wine, and then picked up the newspaper to scan it.
"Nani?!"
"Golden Lion was captured alive?"
"Is this... Little White Hair?"
After a brief silence, Bullet's laughter was neither happy nor mocking; he laughed until tears actually came out.
"Golden Lion, you've grown old too."
Bullet believed Golden Lion must have been defeated because of his age and the fact that he had cut off his own legs.
Otherwise, how could that frail Little White Hair from Roger's ship defeat Golden Lion, a legend on par with Roger?
Conqueror's Haki isn't omnipotent.
This scene led Shiliew to a conclusion: Bullet and Beelzebul had an average relationship.
He didn't believe Beelzebul had become this strong in just two years. When he was with the Roger Pirates, Beelzebul must have hidden his strength.
For such a person to hide their strength and appear weak, there must be some unknown grand ideal. This made Shiliew even more fascinated.
Before leaving the sixth level, Eternal Hell, Shiliew deliberately left a message.
"A month ago, Vice Admiral Sakazuki, who arrested you—now Admiral Akainu—and Admiral Aokiji led ten thousand Marines to launch the Ohara Buster Call."
"Beelzebul defeated the Marine Buster Call fleet and rescued an Ohara survivor without taking any damage."
What's your status? You think you're worthy of being a member of the Roger Pirates alongside my Captain?
Hearing this, Bullet opened his mouth but didn't know what to ask. Though the news was unbelievable, given that Little White Hair had defeated Golden Lion, it was highly likely to be true.
Both were Buster Calls, and the one executing them was the same Marine, yet the results were worlds apart.
Bullet was exhausted, captured, and thrown into Impel Down.
Little White Hair was still out there living freely.
He even had time to capture Golden Lion alive.
"What a failure, Roger!!!"
Placing the newspaper solemnly in the corner of the wall, Bullet felt as if he had found a new goal. A raging fire ignited in his heart once more—it was his dream—
Since he couldn't defeat Roger, he would defeat Beelzebul Seven, the Little White Hair who inherited Roger's will.
To prove that he, Bullet, would never be inferior to anyone in his life.
"Beelzebul, wait for me!"
...New World, the Moby Dick.
The newspaper handed over by his dear son Marco caused a look of 'as expected' to appear on Whitebeard's face. That fellow Golden Lion had not only been soloed by his 'dream son' Seven, but he'd also been captured alive.
"Pops."
"Seven has changed way too much."
"If I hadn't known him for years, I'd doubt if the current Beelzebul is even the same person."
Taking a rare opportunity to tease his father, Marco leaned in and feigned a sentimental tone.
"Tsk tsk tsk, King of the Next Generation, eh? Pops, out of the three legendary pirates, only you are left now. Feeling any pressure?"
Whitebeard gave his signature laugh.
"Gurararara~"
"Brat, go prepare the banquet!"
If Seven were allowed to continue growing for a while, Whitebeard believed he might eventually lose, but definitely not now.
If his 'dream son' dared to come now, Whitebeard would dare to make that kid stay and be his son.
"What a great legacy."
"Too bad that fellow Roger beat me to it."
Unlike other pirate crews that seized territory everywhere, the Whitebeard Pirates planted their flag only to protect—to protect their hometown and the friends who had once helped Whitebeard.
Of course.
The grand fleet under his command would also go out to plunder wealth; otherwise, where would the Whitebeard Pirates' expenses come from?
On the Moby Dick, a banquet began once again.
Amidst the singing and dancing crowd, the fat, dark Teach was all smiles. His heart had already grown accustomed to the major incidents Little White Hair Beelzebul repeatedly caused.
He'd even broken through the Ohara Buster Call, so capturing Golden Lion alive was perfectly reasonable.
However, according to Little White Hair's current development trend, could Teach's life of walking on thin ice ever reach the other shore?
There was still no news of the Dark-Dark Fruit. It was possible that in another ten years, Little White Hair would have unified the four seas and been crowned king of the world.
Circumstances really differ from person to person.
The former Little White Hair was famous across the seas, while he, Teach, could only play house in the Whitebeard Pirates, acting as a desireless, loyal, and honest 'good son'.
Humph, Teach snorted coldly in his heart.
If you're so capable, why don't you go kill Directly Ruling?
Back then, it was precisely because of Directly Ruling that Teach, his mother, and the former world-class beauty Shakky were sent to God Valley, becoming prey in the Celestial Dragons' hunting game.
Beelzebul, aren't you the King of the Next Generation?
Go kill Directly Ruling!