When Maud was searching for Saul inside Impel Down.
Outside Impel Down, the two opposing sides also began clashing head-on.
The intervention of the Red-Haired Pirates had drawn away most of the Navy's top combatants.
As a result, the people of the Maud Pirates no longer had to face multiple Admiral-level opponents at once.
But setting aside the top combatants, the Navy's forces still vastly outnumbered the Maud Pirates.
Even though the Navy had already lost a third of its forces to the island assault and the Fish-Man Race lurking beneath the sea, it still outnumbered the Maud Pirates by more than a hundred to one.
For the Maud Pirates, this was undoubtedly an unprecedentedly tough battle.
But before Maud finished what he was doing, they had to grit their teeth and hold out no matter what.
As one of the team's main fighters, Shiryu should have gone to intercept the Navy's high-level combatants, but his thoughts were focused on Impel Down.
In order to enter Impel Down and reunite with Maud, Shiryu hacked a bloody path through the Navy's battle formation and charged alone to the top of Impel Down.
To outsiders, if not for the Red-Haired Pirates drawing away the Navy's high-level combatants, Shiryu's action would have looked more like suicide.
But Shiryu had clearly assessed the situation, which was why he had acted so recklessly.
Relying on the threat of the Venom-Venom Fruit, Shiryu arrived at Impel Down without a hitch.
However.
Sengoku, who was guarding the rear, obviously had no intention of letting Shiryu enter Impel Down so easily.
He transformed into his Great Buddha form and threw a punch, unleashing a shockwave that engulfed Shiryu.
Shiryu raised his sword to resist, intending to withstand Sengoku's attack with Haki.
However.
Although Sengoku was old, the power