Rayleigh: Everyone Except You Is One of Us-How Could There Be a Problem!?

Rayleigh cleaved open Shiki's cage with one blow, then went inside and slashed the chains locking Shiki against the wall several times, effectively giving Shiki half of his freedom back.

Shiki excitedly stood up, stretched out his hands, and said, "Quick, untie me!"

"Solve what?" Rayleigh asked, puzzled.

"I'll break free of these Seastone! The world is vast, who can stop me?!" Shiki said arrogantly.

"I don't have the key!" Rayleigh said matter-of-factly.

Shiki?

Then, before Shiki could react, Fisher Tiger, who had been silent all along, became a little impatient. "What are you babbling about with a dead man for?"

I'm in a hurry to burn Mary Geoise down, I don't have time to waste here!

So Fisher Tiger stepped forward, grabbed Shiki, and hoisted him onto his shoulder, saying, "Let's talk outside, we're in a hurry!"

Seeing Shiki looking at him with a bewildered expression, like a little chick being carried on Fisher Tiger's shoulder, Rayleigh couldn't help but laugh and said, "Let's go without further ado!"

After realizing what was happening, Shiki struggled and roared, "Put me down! Who do you think I am? I'm the Golden Lion!"

But clearly, after so many years of imprisonment, with a ship's wheel on his head and Seastone shackles on his body, Shiki was no match for Fisher Tiger, this tough guy. After struggling a few times, he not only failed to break free, but also annoyed Fisher Tiger, who simply changed Shiki from being carried on his shoulder to being tucked under his arm.

Rayleigh, standing to the side, had a broad smile on his old face. He never expected to see Shiki in such a sorry state. This trip was definitely worthwhile!

Quickly, the three of them returned to the elevator entrance. Seeing the several wounded and lying Jailer Beasts near the elevator entrance, Shiki stopped struggling. He was just a little puzzled as to why... why were there so few prison guards on the third floor today?

Why... even though the alarm had already sounded and I, a prisoner, knew someone was causing trouble, was the elevator still running normally?

Shiki felt something was off, but when he looked up, Rayleigh and that damned Fish-Man both looked completely nonchalant and relaxed. If he didn't actually know this was Impel Down, he would have thought these two guys were just out shopping!

"Hey, Rayleigh, something's wrong!" Shiki warned anxiously.

Rayleigh looked at Shiki with some confusion and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Don't you think the defenses at Impel Down are too lax? Don't you think there's a problem with the elevator still working under these circumstances?" Shiki quickly said.

Rayleigh paused for a moment, thinking to himself... Normally, there would definitely be a problem, but this time it's not normal!

Everyone in Impel Down, from top to bottom, except for you who were 'rescued,' is one of our own. How could we possibly have a problem?!

The problem is with you, Shiki!

"Don't worry, there's no problem!" Rayleigh didn't know how to explain anything to Shiki, so he could only offer Shiki some words of comfort.

Seeing Shiki 'Rayleigh dismissive attitude, Shiki panicked and shouted, "What are you doing? When the elevator doors open, there will be a horde of heavily armed prison guards waiting for us. We'll be riddled with bullets the moment we show our faces. You two might be okay, but I'm completely helpless right now. Please be serious... wait, why did you press the fourth floor button?!"

Just as Shiki was getting anxious, the elevator suddenly stopped with a clang, and then the doors opened. Shiki nervously looked outside the elevator doors, and then... there was no one there.

Aside from the sweltering heat emanating from the fourth floor, there wasn't a single guard outside!

Shiki?

This doesn't make sense, does it?

Rayleigh and Fisher Tiger remained calm and quickly stepped out of the elevator, heading back towards the passage they had come from.

Shiki, having regained his senses, asked in surprise, "Wait, what's going on? Where is everyone? Why didn't anyone stop us? Don't you find that strange?"

Rayleigh looked at Shiki with some confusion and asked, "Aren't you the strange one? Isn't it a good thing that no one is stopping us? Why do you still want someone to stop us?!"

Shiki opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but then he felt that Rayleigh's words made a lot of sense. However, he also felt that the situation was indeed a bit strange, but he didn't know how to question it. His mind was in a mess!

After turning the corner of the elevator corridor, Rayleigh and Fisher Tiger both stopped, a hint of doubt in their eyes... Shiki looked ahead and suddenly Satori, "I was wondering why there was no one there. So you killed everyone?"

Indeed, in the passageway ahead, a large number of prison guards lay scattered on the ground, all looking like corpses.

After exchanging a glance, Rayleigh and Fisher Tiger didn't delay. Unlike Shiki, whose power was sealed and who couldn't do anything, they were able to sense from the aura that those people were faking their deaths, even though they were still some distance away from the area where the 'corpses' were lying.

"It's really kind of Impel Down to cooperate with us like this..." Rayleigh thought to himself.

Quickly, a group of people began to move through the area of corpses. Looking at the dead jailers, Shiki felt a surge of satisfaction and laughed loudly, "Hahahaha, you bastards have finally been taken down. But you're lucky. Once I'm out here and have recovered, I'll be back in Impel Down. Next time, I'll show you bastards what true hell is..."

But as Shiki was laughing, he suddenly noticed that a dead jailer not far away seemed to move slightly. Shiki frowned, and upon closer inspection, exclaimed, "That guy is faking death! You didn't kill him! Quick..."

"Never mind all that. Just cooperate with our operation and shut your incessant mouth, and I guarantee you can leave Impel Down!" Fisher Tiger snapped irritably.

After being rescued from the cage, this guy kept chattering away, driving Fisher Tiger, who was already a bit irritable, crazy. He even considered killing Shiki beforehand, since taking him back would just mean certain death anyway, so why not just take a corpse?

But considering that Ortolan had repeatedly told him he wanted to see Shiki one more time, Fisher Tiger held back.

After being reprimanded by Fisher Tiger, Shiki was stunned. He looked at Rayleigh and angrily questioned, "Who is this damned Fish-Man? Doesn't he know who I am? Shiki, I am Golden Lion Shiki!!!"

"Do as you please, we can talk outside." Rayleigh gave Shiki a perfunctory reply, and the group quickly crossed the passageway.

Seeing this, Shiki was secretly furious. Is this how you ask someone for a favor? Don't blame me for turning ruthless once we get out of here!

And those damn bastards in the Marines, what was that Inazuma brat's name again? Bane Ortolan... yeah, that's the name. Once I get out of here and recover, I'll send all of the Impel Down to their deaths first, then I'll find that damn Marines and kill him!

Just as Shiki was thinking about these things, as if to cooperate with Rayleigh and Fisher Tiger's performance, as soon as they passed through the area, they heard the sound of footsteps chasing after them. Then, a few shots were fired from somewhere, and a group of prison guards rushed out shouting. Before they could run two steps, Rayleigh released his Conqueror's Haki, and the group of prison guards fell to the ground and became still.

This series of incredibly smooth maneuvers left Shiki speechless. No, that's it?

Impel Down? An impregnable fortress? Not a single capable fighter among them? Where are the officials? Why aren't they here? Does this place have a rule where if something happens, the leaders go first?

Seeing Rayleigh and the Fish-Man's nonchalant expressions, Shiki gradually felt a sense of unease. Something was wrong, something was definitely not right!

I have a feeling that a conspiracy is closing in on me!

"Rayleigh!" Shiki suddenly roared.

Rayleigh, who had been walking quietly through the passage, was suddenly startled by the shout and glared at Shiki Jiyu, cursing, "What are you doing!?"

"You bastard, you're definitely hiding something from me. It's a conspiracy, you guys are definitely plotting something! This time, your prison break to save me seems so strange from beginning to end..." Shiki glared at Rayleigh with indignant and questioning eyes.

"What nonsense are you talking about? We'll be leaving soon, so don't cause trouble here!" Rayleigh replied dismissively.

Shiki struggled and shouted, "I'm not leaving here until you explain yourself clearly. And even if I do get out, I won't help you..."

But before Shiki could finish speaking, Fisher Tiger delivered a powerful punch to the back of Shiki's head, instantly knocking Shiki unconscious.

After delivering that punch, Fisher Tiger let out a satisfied sigh, "It's quiet now, that feels good... If you ask me, Mr. Rayleigh, you were too polite. You should have punched him when you first met him, to let him know that escaping from prison has nothing to do with his will, it's up to us! What Golden Lion, Silver Lion? Did sitting in Impel Down make him stupid? Times have changed!"

Looking at the unconscious Shiki, Rayleigh nodded with some emotion. "Yes, times have changed. The old ways of fighting and brute force are no longer effective on the high seas. Now it depends on methods, connections, and relationships... It's getting more complicated."