Impel Down

Carlos lay on the dappled grass in the woods, a cigarette dangling from his lips, as he weighed a major decision.

Should he rescue Golden Lion or not?

With the broken ability of Kamui, he had the power to free Golden Lion from Level 6 of Impel Down—Infinite Hell. He weighed the pros and cons of such a rescue...

If he freed Golden Lion, the situation in the New World would become unpredictable. With a Golden Lion suddenly appearing, would the Four Emperors remain the same? How would it affect the world's balance?

Though Golden Lion suffered a crushing defeat at the Edowall War and lost much of his strength, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. He remained a top-tier force in the New World, second only to Whitebeard.

Even Big Mom and Beast Kaido, who were on the rise, still fell short of Golden Lion in both high-end and low-end strength...

In the original story, after Golden Lion was captured, his crew waited in vain for his return. When news came that he was imprisoned in Impel Down, the Golden Lion Pirates disbanded, leaving only a handful of loyalists.

Those loyalists rejoined him after he cut off his own legs and returned. But with his legs gone, Golden Lion's personal strength plummeted, and his forces shrank drastically, barely allowing him to stand in the New World...

Worst of all, his mentality took a severe hit. He lost the ambition that once swallowed the world, became dependent on external tools, and grew obsessed with Roger. He wasted his energy on pointless things like destroying the East Blue. The once-great warlord was no more, a complete failure...

If Carlos freed Golden Lion now and resolved his inner demons, the situation would be vastly different.

The remaining forces under Golden Lion wouldn't scatter and become nourishment for other crews—especially Big Mom's and the Beasts Pirates. The Four Emperors wouldn't be established so easily, and the chaos in the New World would drag on longer.

Chaos is a ladder. The longer the New World stayed chaotic, the better it seemed for him. Once the unclaimed pieces were divided, he'd have to snatch from those already holding territory—far more troublesome.

And with Golden Lion's help, his future entry into the New World would be much easier. But there were variables. A man like Golden Lion wasn't bound by gratitude. Still, there'd be a connection—if not as a benefactor, then at least as an acquaintance.

Right, if he was going to save Golden Lion, he needed a baseline profit. No matter what, he couldn't take a loss...

Golden Lion was best known for his Devil Fruit ability and swordsmanship, but with his strength, status, and Haki, he surely understood it too. If Carlos could get high-level Haki training methods, it would massively boost his own power.

As for why Golden Lion didn't use Haki against Luffy—maybe losing his legs affected him too much, or he underestimated Luffy.

Cough... The most likely reason was still three words—plot armor!

Internal Energy's effect on Logia users was unknown, but Haki's effect was guaranteed. He had to master Haki training, development, and application.

With that baseline profit, he wouldn't lose out. Everything after that would be pure gain.

As for the impact on the Marines, pirates, and the world's structure—maybe he shouldn't overthink it?

A strong man shouldn't fear or dread so-called consequences. As long as his strength was sufficient, he could face any outcome without fear!

Besides, it would still be a while before he entered the New World. He hadn't even dealt with the West Blue yet. The impact wouldn't reach him, and it wasn't necessarily bad...

Decision made. Do it!

With his mind set, Carlos stopped hesitating. He got up and left, heading straight for Marine Headquarters to track down Golden Lion and prepare the rescue.

Even if Golden Lion had already been sent to Impel Down, it didn't matter. He could go there ahead of time and wait, or intercept him mid-transport.

That was the broken nature of Kamui—especially the space it came with. As long as he stored enough supplies in that space, Carlos could wander the seas without a ship.

Having learned Geppo, even if he suddenly appeared above the ocean, he wouldn't have to worry about falling in. It was incredibly convenient.

At a secluded corner of Marine Headquarters, a spatial vortex appeared. Carlos's figure emerged swiftly and stylishly through it. His left eye shifted into a Byakugan, piercing through countless buildings to find an isolated Marine officer.

After some time, he spotted a Commander-level Marine alone. Using his sharp perception, Carlos avoided patrols and chance encounters, hypnotized the Commander, and asked about Golden Lion's whereabouts.

It wasn't a secret. Golden Lion had been sent directly to Impel Down on the day of his capture, escorted personally by Vice Admiral Garp. After the escort, Garp immediately headed to Loguetown for Roger's execution.

Having gotten the information, Carlos continued hypnotizing the Commander, who left as if nothing had happened, completely unaware.

With the intel in hand, Carlos used Kamui to leave Marine Headquarters immediately and headed straight for Impel Down, planning to wait for Golden Lion at the bottom of Infinite Hell.

Since Garp was personally overseeing the transport, Carlos decided not to risk rescuing Golden Lion from the Marine warship.

He was curious to see the infamous Impel Down anyway. Might as well check it out first.

As for the special currents connecting Impel Down, Enies Lobby, and Marine Headquarters, the Calm Belt, the Sea Kings there, and the countless warships—what did they matter to him?

They posed no obstacle. Restricting his Kamui wasn't so easy. More importantly, the Marines had no idea someone was watching them from the shadows, scheming against them. It's not the thief you fear—it's the one who's got his eye on you!

Carlos moved through the sea with unhurried spatial shifts, maintaining his Pupil Power and occasionally replenishing food. He reached Impel Down well before the warship escorting Golden Lion arrived.

At the center of Impel Down, a spatial vortex appeared. Carlos's figure descended silently onto the top of the prison, looking around with curiosity.

The entire structure was a massive tower-like building submerged in the sea, its foundation on the ocean floor. It had six levels, encased in a huge circular fortress, surrounded by rows of large warships.

Given Impel Down's location and defenses, both escaping and breaking in were extremely difficult—even for top-tier fighters. Of course, there were exceptions.

Some users of special abilities could manage it, with spatial abilities being the most convenient. Other unique powers might work too, if handled well.

After satisfying his curiosity about Impel Down's exterior, Carlos didn't rush inside. The prison was filled with surveillance Den Den Mushi everywhere—except in special places like the Extreme Cold Hell, Infinite Hell, and the high-ranking officers' offices.

Actually, Infinite Hell and Extreme Cold Hell also had surveillance Den Den Mushi, but only on the main routes between floors.

Though Carlos was confident they couldn't catch him, there was no need to alert them and put Impel Down on high alert. He didn't want to enter the Marines' sight too early. Better to keep a low profile and make gains quietly.

He found a hidden spot outside and waited patiently for the warship carrying Golden Lion to arrive. By his estimate, it shouldn't take long.

Hmm... Meeting Golden Lion face-to-face, talking with him—just thinking about it was exciting and thrilling.

Nervous? Impossible. Golden Lion was badly wounded and bound in Seastone. With Kamui's special ability, Carlos couldn't guarantee anything else, but he was confident in his ability to protect himself!