Impel Down, in Impel Down.
The sounds of swords clashing against Armament Haki were incessant.
Magellan had already released his venom, while Shiryu was forced into a corner by the omnipresent, deep purple liquid!
With his back pressed firmly against the wall, Shiryu, cigar in his mouth, gave Magellan a fierce yet roguish smile.
"It's just asking for leave, Magellan, is it really necessary to fight me to the death?"
"Ask for leave?!!"
Upon hearing Shiryu's words, Magellan immediately launched into a tirade.
"You tell me yourself, Shiryu, how many days of leave have you taken these past few days?!"
Ever since you started contacting Saint Gawain, you've been away for a few days every month, and I've been putting up with it!
But what about this month!
First you went to Amazon Lily to deliver those pieces of trash that I didn't want to look after and was unable to look after to Saint Gawain!
You returned from that trip less than two days ago, and then took leave again to go to Amazon Lily. This time, you were there to see Saint Gawain off!
"You said it was a farewell ceremony, but you accompanied him all the way to Sabaody, stayed there for a day before returning to your post. And now, you're already abandoning your deputy director duties to go find your Saint Gawain again!!!"
At this point, Magellan slammed his right fist down hard on Shiryu!
"Is this what you call a leave request, Shiryu?!"
Are you planning a vacation?!
Venom Demon!!!
Deep purple venom gathered in the warden's office, eventually forming three roaring purple dragons.
Faced with the rapidly forming dragon, Shiryu moved the cigar in his mouth and quickly held his longsword, Raiu, in front of him.
But as he braced himself against the blade, he couldn't help but cough twice.
Hearing Shiryu's cough, Magellan, manipulating the Venom Demon on his back, took a deep breath.
He closed his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke to Shiryu again.
"You are no match for me, so do you really have to leave?"
"Just asking for leave, cough cough, what a hassle!"
Shiryu grinned, then sheathed Raiu.
"Your abilities are simply too overpowered in a closed environment like Impel Down, Magellan!"
If we get the chance, hehehehe, let's have a good fight outside!
But now, sorry, I don't want to be absent at a time like this!
As soon as he finished speaking, Shiryu his left hand on his longsword, coughed lightly and walked towards Magellan, then passed right past Magellan.
Magellan shook his head as he watched Shiryu's resolute figure.
"We've worked together for a long time, Shiryu, although I'm very unhappy with your damned hobby of privately torturing and killing prisoners."
But in any case, we've Impel Down together over the past ten or twenty years!
I really can't understand, Shiryu...
You and I were once like each other, always strictly adhering to the rules of Impel Down. This is our post, and also our home.
But you... you changed starting seventeen years ago!
"Tch, why say all this, Magellan..."
Shiryu responded dismissively, but despite his disdain, he paused slightly in his steps.
Noticing Shiryu's slowed pace, Magellan turned around and looked at Shiryu's back as he stood at the doorway.
"Is it because of the Shiki?" he suddenly exclaimed.
"Hmph!" Shiryu snorted fiercely.
At this point, Magellan let out a long sigh.
"It really is because of him, the only pirate in history to break the rules of Impel Down!"
His existence broke the history of Impel Down, where no prisoner had ever escaped!
From that day on, I ate the Devil Fruit provided by the Five Elders, and you became even more tyrannical towards the prisoners!
Whether it's you or me, the Shiki is a thorn in our side, isn't it?
"None of your business, Magellan!"
Shiryu's breathing grew heavier, and his coughing became more and more violent along with his rapid breathing.
Hearing Shiryu cough, Magellan stretched out his right hand, and a purple gas shot out from Shiryu's mouth and nose before disappearing.
Then Magellan spoke.
"I don't know how far you will go, Shiryu, but I hope you are prepared!"
The outside world is not as simple as our Impel Down!
"Ha, Impel Down really that simple? How boring. It's long since become a Magellan ground for garbage, devoid of tradition and honor!"
Shiryu bit his cigar viciously and spoke slowly, enunciating each word clearly.
"After escaping Impel Down from the Shiki, this place is no longer the hell that everyone fears!"
And you and I, we have long since lost our traditions, and are no longer qualified to call ourselves devils of hell!
In the past, Impel Down represented eternal suffering. All the prisoners who entered here could only experience endless repentance in pain!
But since escaping from the Shiki seventeen years ago...
Every single criminal in this prison has rekindled their will to escape!
A sinner who has lost the will to redeem themselves and embraces the belief of escape is no longer a soul worthy of redemption.
They're all trash now, useless, disgusting, weak scum!
"So, because of this, you're going to keep slaughtering them, Shiryu!"
Magellan interrupted Shiryu, staring intently at Shiryu's retreating figure, motionless.
Shiryu, with his back to Magellan, slightly raised his head and spoke.
"Who would be bothered by killing weak scum, Magellan...?"
"If you continue to hold such thoughts, Shiryu, then one day you will become a prisoner in this hell!"
Magellan cursed him in exasperation, but Magellan simply Shiryu his head in disbelief.
"So what!"
He sneered.
"Even if I stay here, I can already see the end of my future..."
Marineford, Marine Headquarters, Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru.
They gathered in the Fleet Admiral's Office, chatting with heavy hearts.
Grandma Tsuru smiled and picked up her teacup, talking as she drank.
"Based on the available intelligence, Whitebeard doesn't have any special purpose. The reason he decided to return to the Grand Line is precisely because his flag was taken down on Fish-Man Island, and because of that rising star, Saint Gawain!"
As soon as He finished speaking, Garp picked his nose in annoyance.
"Ah, that name again! I keep hearing it lately!"
Bang!
He slammed his hand, still covered in boogers, onto Sengoku's desk.
"Sengoku, you still haven't given me an explanation as to why you agreed to give Gion to that damned Celestial Dragon!"
Gion is a mainstay of our navy, a candidate for Admiral!
You actually sent her into a fire pit like that!!!
"My materials are all covered in your boogers, Garp!!!"
Sengoku roared angrily, slamming his fist on his table as he did so.
"As for Gion, do you have the right to blame me? You were the fastest one to run that day!!!"
Upon hearing this, Garp's expression turned awkward, and then he became even angrier.
"Ah, how frustrating! I really didn't know back then that the Celestial Dragon would actually have the idea of recruiting Marines!"
If I knew, even if I couldn't beat him up, I would still give him a good scolding!
My descendants are the few remaining heroes of justice who maintain this sea, not toys for him or any other Celestial Dragon trash!!!
Boom!!!
The table in the Sengoku suddenly shattered, and messy documents flew everywhere. Then, the Sengoku's Goat raised its lazy eyes, picked up the nearest document with its mouth, and began to chew it.
As for Garp and Sengoku, after Tsuru put down her teacup and gently clapped her hands, they both immediately stopped, sweating profusely.
Crane stared intently at the two men in their seventies or eighties, who were acting like brats.
Seeing that they were sweating profusely, He continued speaking.
"Garp, don't let prejudice control your eyes. If Gion were truly unhappy, she would have tried every means to return to the Navy long ago, instead of asking her colleagues to give us their regards, but refusing to even see us."
As it turned out, Gion was not only very happy, but she was definitely happier than when she was in the navy.
As for Sengoku, forgive Garp's rudeness; he just feels guilty about it.
The Navy has lost a pillar whose strength was firmly in the top ten. At this point, apart from those three young Admiral and us three old guys, no one in the Navy dares to say that they can definitely beat my Gion sister, right?
Garp always liked to carry things on his own back. He couldn't help but think that if he hadn't underestimated Gawain that day, and had stayed at Marine Headquarters with everyone else...
If none of this had happened...
As she spoke, Grandma Tsuru picked up her teacup again and slowly took a sip of tea.
He smiled as he savored the taste of the tea.
"In any case, let's continue studying Whitebeard's matter for now, and not let the Gion issue disrupt our progress."
"Hmph, what's so interesting about Whitebeard? Isn't he going back to the Grand Line?"
Once we pinpoint the location where Whitebeard will surface after his coating is completed, I'll take my ship there!
Garp was speechless, so he resolutely raised his fist.
"So let's get back to Gion. What exactly happened that day? Why did Gion agree to follow the same path...?"
"Ah..."
He sighed helplessly.
"After all these years, you're still just a hot-blooded idiot, Garp. Your prejudice is ingrained in your very bones!"
Think about it carefully. If Gawain is really the Celestial Dragon trash you're talking about, then even if Gion is blind, Jinbe, Kuma, Hancock?
In particular, your old rival's former first mate, even he and Peony ran off to Gawain's ship!
Doesn't this demonstrate Gawain's special status?
As he spoke, He gently rubbed his temples.
"You know everything, Garp. You're always so wise in your own eyes, so you actually sensed something, didn't you?"
Just like back then, even though you always seem like a fool, your decisions at crucial moments have never been wrong!
So you sense some trouble regarding Gawain again?
"What do I feel? I just feel I should go home and give my Sun Tzu a good talking-to!"
Garp's face fell in frustration, then he crossed his arms and strode toward the door.
As he walked, he spoke to Sengoku without turning his head.
"I'll go to Whitebeard's place myself. Aren't Kuzan and Borsalino, those two brats, there too?"
No matter what Newgate's motives are, with me here, he can't turn the world upside down!
With that, Garp left Sengoku's office, boarded his warship wearing his spotted dog hat, and headed towards Sabaody.
Meanwhile, at the pier of the Casino Islands of Sabaody.
Uta gave a pitiful look, gazing at the seemingly calm but actually turbulent sea in front of the dock.
In just a few days, most of the pirates who stayed in Sabaody fled to Water 7 is a bit further away.
At this time, those still in Sabaody were not the ordinary people who did not have boats and could not leave.
All that remained were Rosward and his group, who didn't care about anything and continued to play mahjong like crazy on the Casino Islands.
It's said that mahjong can really strengthen friendships. Rosward and Mjosgard, who used to be at odds, have actually improved their relationship quite a bit after playing mahjong for the past couple of days.
Let's not mention the mahjong game played by the Celestial Dragon.
At this Sabaody, besides ordinary people and Celestial Dragon, the docks near Uta in Sabaody Archipelago were mostly filled with reporters.
They not only wanted to film the anticipated events to come, but some of them even planned to board the ship with Uta and use Camera Den Den Mushi to record the Dark Bird Ship concert on film and television.
So, sensing the tense atmosphere around him, Uta muttered something uneasy.
"Do we... really have to sing on that ship...?"
"Don't say that, Princess Uta! That Celestial Dragon; even you can't refuse him!"
Gordon rubbed his tangled hair and said helplessly.
Uta frowned in displeasure upon hearing Gordon's words.
"Is it absolutely not okay to refuse? If that matter is brought up, will I have the right to refuse?"
"Don't say that. Please don't have any other thoughts. We really can't refuse."
But don't worry, Princess Uta, we've investigated that Saint Gawain, and he's vastly different from ordinary Celestial Dragon.
Not only does he not keep slaves, and not only is he very handsome, he has also gained the approval of Dark King Rayleigh, and gathered many of the Shichibukai as his subordinates!
Looking at it this way, that one must be a Celestial Dragon with lofty ideals!
"Oh?"
Upon hearing this, Uta was slightly taken aback. Celestial Dragon with lofty ideals?
As she pondered, Uta silently lowered her head, her expression growing increasingly cold.
"Is he another one of those idiots who... would do certain things even if it means abandoning their dearest family and children!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Uta lowered her head slightly, her eyes losing their former sparkle.
She said in a low, muffled voice.
"I understand. There has never been true equality between people. I will do as he orders!"
Does he want to hear my singing? No matter who he is, he's my fan, and I'll dedicate the most beautiful music to him!
As for now, Uncle Gordon...
Can we board the ship now?
"As long as you're willing, Princess Uta."
Gordon said to Uta with satisfaction, while Uta, with a composed expression, walked step by step toward the Dark Bird Ship landing carrier ahead.
The moment Uta stepped onto the landing craft, Gawain received a message from Kalifa.
"My lord, the songstress has boarded the ship."
"Hmm, what about Whitebeard?" Gawain asked softly.
"Whitebeard dived into the sea three hours ago, but he hasn't passed Fish-Man Island yet."
Prince Manboshi of Fish-Man Island is continuing his reconnaissance work, and will be on his way once he discovers Whitebeard's...
Just as Kalifa finished speaking, Shakky walked towards Gawain from not far away, carrying a flock of pigeons.
"Little Gawain, I just received a call from the Fish-Man Kingdom. Whitebeard has arrived at Fish-Man Island, and Prince Manboshi is receiving him."
"I see."
Gawain nodded slightly, then picked up the Den Den Mushi that was beside him.
With a series of pops, he dialed the Den Den Den Mushi), and the call was answered a moment later.
Fish-Man Island, Prince Manboshi, accompanied by countless soldiers, sat atop his shark mount, nervously watching Whitebeard.
Whitebeard, sitting upright in his chair, laughed heartily as he spoke to the nervous Fukaboshi.
"Gurarara, Little Fukaboshi, you didn't look at me like that last time we met!"
"White... Whitebeard Pops...!"
Fukaboshi's expression froze. Yes, everything had changed.
Thinking about the changes that had occurred over the past three months, Fukaboshi was about to reply to Whitebeard.
Suddenly, the underwater Den Den Mushi in his arms rang.