Monster!

Zzz—

Figo's sword had struck nothing solid.

Just before it reached Geld Chuck, a web of invisible threads formed in front of Figo's blade, absorbing and deflecting the force of his slash with a piercing shriek!

"Heeheeheehee... I've heard all about Underwater Great Prison Impel Down, established eight years ago. What kind of place is it, I wonder? The former Warden of Impel Down, Gaston Figo!"

Fine cracks spread across the deck beneath them. Figo lowered his head and met Worry Demon's gaze. "You'll find out in a few days."

Boom!

As he spoke, Figo's arm suddenly surged with power. A burst of force sent Worry Demon flying, crashing through the cabin!

At the same time, Figo swept a hand across his waistband and tossed a ring of keys at Xiao's feet, then charged after Worry Demon with his sword in hand.

"Hurry, unlock us!" Peslo shouted. "He needs our help!"

Nearby, Nun curled up as much as she could, cursing inwardly. You could at least get me out first before you go play with that guy, Lord Chuck!

The battle shifted to the middle of the ship, and the crashing sounds alarmed several Marines guarding the Giant.

"What's going on?"

"More enemies?!"

The word "more" betrayed their misery, but this time, they really shouldn't have come over.

Worry Demon dodged two more of Figo's slashes, then leaped onto a mast and curled his lips into a malicious smile.

"Rain Gun!"

He raised both hands to the sky, fingers spread. Countless invisible threads shot upward, then, at a certain height, sharply turned and plunged back down!

The dense threads covered every direction across the center of the warship. They attacked not only Figo but also swept up all the Marines who had come running at the noise!

The Marines couldn't see the ultra-fine threads created by his power. Unaware of the danger, they were still trying to identify Worry Demon, standing on the mast, when a crescent-shaped slash struck them in the chest. They spat blood and were sent flying into the sea.

Right after, the spots where they'd been standing were blasted apart by the dense threads, sending splinters flying!

It was Figo. Even in these circumstances, he'd only had time to knock the Marines into the sea with a relatively gentle Flying Slash. After that, they'd have to fend for themselves.

He had to defend himself, too.

With his Observation Haki fully active, he blocked or parried with his sword, cutting down the threads stabbing toward him one by one.

Clang! Clang! Clang! The space around him rang incessantly.

Elsewhere, the deck exploded again and again!

Raindrops as big as beans pelted down. Dull thuds sounded across the deck as it was torn apart under the barrage of threads, each as sharp as a blade!

The medium-sized warship sank noticeably lower in the water under the relentless assault. As the rain of threads battered it, the ship pitched and groaned, on the verge of capsizing!

"Quick! Get out of here! Warden Figo doesn't need us getting in his way!" Peslo shouted from nearby. No more interruptions followed.

At last, the threads stopped, and the rain let up.

Only two spots in the middle of the warship remained intact: the area beneath the mast where Worry Demon stood, and the small patch where Figo was standing!

The advantage had shifted. A crescent slash flew from Figo's blade toward Worry Demon, who brought his raised hands sharply inward.

"Shredding Punishment!"

Clang!!

Ten exceptionally tough threads tore apart Figo's Flying Slash and wrapped around his blade!

A piercing shriek rang out. A broken tip spun through the air and fluttered to the deck!

The battle paused.

"Heeheeheehee... That's some impressive swordsmanship. You saved those Marines and still defended against my attack without leaving a single opening. Pity your sword doesn't seem to be much good."

Figo raised his sword and glanced at it.

It really wasn't much good. His first sword had been an ordinary prison guard's sword. When he was promoted to Vice Warden, he'd gotten a Warden's sword, but it was only a better-made prison guard's sword.

Marine officers and those above them could apply for one.

His Armament Haki was fairly average compared to his other abilities, too. In eight years, he'd only participated in capturing around a hundred SRs. Each 5% of Capture Participation was equivalent to personally capturing five, so he hadn't had many chances to gain a significant boost to his Armament Haki.

He could now strengthen parts of his body with Armament Haki skillfully, but that was the result of his own training. He was still far from being able to strengthen a weapon with Armament Haki, let alone temper his sword into a Black Blade!

So under the dense barrage of Armament Haki threads, his sword had snapped, leaving him with only half a blade.

"Time for a new sword." Figo flicked his wrist and tossed the broken half of the Warden's sword, which had been with him for over four years, into the sea.

At the same time, a gust of wind whistled nearby. Another sword came hurtling through the air.

It was the sword Xiao had thrown from a distance, having seized the opportunity!

But when it was three meters from Figo, Worry Demon curled a finger. The sword changed course, dragged away by a thread and into his hand!

Xiao's face turned pale.

Worry Demon drew the sword and gave it a few swings, looking amused. "This sword isn't much better, but I won't just let you take it. How about a deal? Those four little rats—if you choose two of them to kill, I'll give you the sword!"

"Heeheeheeheehee..."

"You're a mischievous one," Figo said with a laugh. "Mischievous children need a good lesson. If I'd gotten you into Impel Down earlier, I'd have given you a whole month of special treatment and made sure you enjoyed it."

As he spoke, he undid his shirt and took a Den Den Mushi from his chest. "Moshi moshi, Fleet Admiral. I've run into a huge problem here. You heard the whole thing, right? I'm afraid I can't save the Den Den Mushi or the warship. What should I do?"

The familiar scene made Peslo, watching from a distance, widen his eyes. Not this again?!

Worry Demon was taken aback, too. The Fleet Admiral? The Marine Fleet Admiral? Which one of them was the mischievous one?!

A voice came through the Den Den Mushi. "That's all right. I'll immediately send a nearby warship to Huoyu Island to pick you up. Figo, bring Geld Chuck back to headquarters. I'll personally celebrate your achievement!"

"Got it!"

Figo hung up, then suddenly flung the Den Den Mushi toward shore. Every creature for itself, little bug.

This time, Worry Demon didn't use his threads to intercept the Den Den Mushi. Annoyed, he shot five colored threads from his fingers as Figo threw it, wrapping them around him!

The highly cutting Five-Colored Thread shredded Figo's clothes, exposing his strong physique, then continued to dig into his flesh!

But no matter how hard Worry Demon pulled, all he could leave on Figo's body were shallow bloody marks!

Figo's bulging muscles, the Armament Haki covering his skin, and his Iron Body technique made his flesh-and-blood body even tougher than a sword!

Figo's original goal had been to become a dashing swordsman, but the Prison Archives only let him choose from abilities possessed by pirates. Plenty of pirates used swords, earning him around a thousand points of swordsmanship experience a year. Add in Figo's own practice, and his swordsmanship experience now stood at 9,307 points.

He was still a Level 3 Iron-Cutting Swordsman, very close to Level 4, a Swordsman—but he could already be called one.

Yet another ability had left swordsmanship far behind!

What ability did everyone have?

Besides extending their lifespans, what did Giant Power improve?

What did eating Sea King meat nourish?

What did Armament Haki depend on?

Physique! Physique! Physique!

It was still physique!

Snap!

As he exerted his strength and his muscles swelled, the Five-Colored Threads binding him suddenly snapped and shot in every direction, leaving deep marks in the ship's railing. Worry Demon staggered, his face flashing with shock!

An aura like that of a giant beast in the deep forest radiated from Figo in every direction!

Physique: 12306

Level 4: Monster!