Sea Star Homeworld.
Impel Down Great Prison. Fourth underground level of Impel Down. Blazing Hell.
The moment Moria stepped out of the Warden's office, he let out a long breath of relief.
Then he saw a group of Oni Tribe comrades in white prison guard uniforms looking at him with tear-filled eyes.
"Boss!"
"Are you really leaving?"
"What's so bad about living here, Boss? Stay!"
Bitterness filled Moria's heart.
Back then, in order to restore these guys' freedom, he had reluctantly chosen to become a prison guard here.
They had said at the time that it would take fifteen years to get everyone out.
But the merits he had accumulated over the years had, just before the ten-year mark, allowed both him and them to completely clear their names, leave this place, and live freely.
Yet these bastards did not want to leave, claiming they had grown used to life as prison guards.
Moria had been furious. In a fit of anger, he decided to leave by himself.
Although Columbus, Magellan, and the others tried to persuade him, he stubbornly insisted on resigning.
"Y-you guys... Since you like it here, then stay here properly!"
Moria pointed at them, wanting to curse them out.
But he lowered his trembling finger in the end and resolutely turned toward the elevator leading to the upper levels.
"Oh, you're leaving? Good. Saves you from eyeing my Chief Warden position all day long~"
Taklama, the former "Slave King" defeated by Dragon and wielder of the Paramecia Pet-Pet Fruit, stood beside the elevator in a black uniform, teasing the approaching Moria with a mocking grin.
"Jihihihihi~, what's a Chief Warden? My goal used to be becoming the Warden!"
"But forget it. The outside world is more exciting. You bastard can rot away in here!"
Moria shot