The Man Who Drove the Straw Hat Pirates into a Desperate Situation!

"Was that scream coming from here?"

Looking at the shattered wall beside him, Xi Yan stroked his chin and said, "I didn't expect to accidentally take down the surveillance room on this floor."

Does this mean the second layer of eyes has been destroyed?

"Hey, who exactly are you people?"

"They can even take down such a terrifying monster!"

"Could you please bring us the keys? We want to escape together!"

Hearing the chattering around him, Xi Yan picked at his ear and said, "It's so noisy, you bunch of guys!"

"Don't say that, buddy~"

Unfortunately, Xi Yan didn't want to pay them any attention.

"Hahaha, don't be so impatient, Xi Yan." Buggy floated up, flew into the monitoring room to retrieve the key, and then returned to Xi Yan's side, saying, "I know you're very powerful, but if you encounter a large number of prison guards, it will be very troublesome."

After saying that, Buggy paused for a moment, then continued, "Releasing these guys out would also..."

Although Buggy didn't finish his sentence, Xi Yan understood what he meant.

However, he didn't really expect these small fry to have any effect.

But since Buggy had already started taking action, there was nothing more he could say.

"Hey, you bunch of bastards, want this thing?" Buggy said, holding up the key.

"Want to!"

"Quick, give it to us!"

"Hmm?" Buggy narrowed his eyes and said, "Is this how you beg for help?"

"Excuse me, please, please give us the key!"

The pirates all knelt down in unison, their attitude extremely sincere.

"What are you saying? I can't hear you~"

Please!

"Hahaha, in that case, here's the key!" Buggy said with a loud laugh.

Xi Yan:...

Seeing Buggy's excited face, Xi Yan's lips twitched.

Clown Buggy really knows how to pull off some crazy antics.

After shaking his head, Xi Yan walked to a nearby cell and looked at the pirates inside, saying, "Do you know where the Great Gate to the third floor is?"

The jailer has already been killed, and it's not even possible to find someone to ask, so let's ask these pirates.

If they knew, it would save them trouble.

"We know!" the pirate exclaimed. "It's in that direction!"

That direction?

Glancing at the direction the other person was pointing, Xi Yan squinted and said, "You're not lying to me, are you?"

"No," the pirate shook his head and said, "But Sphinx is guarding there, so getting through is practically impossible."

"Sphinx?"

"Ah, it's an enormous Human-faced Lion."

"So Human-faced Lion here too?" Xi Yan stroked his chin and said, "Interesting."

I remember the last time I saw this thing was in Moria's Thriller Bark.

However, the Human-faced Lion there are zombies, and they need to rely on shadows to move.

'I wonder what level of strength this Human-faced Lion possesses.'

"Hahaha, you guys, you must remember Captain Buggy's kindness!" Buggy laughed heartily, hands on his hips.

"Yes, we will always remember your kindness!"

"Quickly, get out of here!"

"Profound!"

The next moment, the pirates rushed off into the distance like madmen, clearly intending to reach the First Floor and leave.

"Hey, now that we've released so many people, you should be satisfied, right?!" Luffy grabbed Buggy and said, "Now let's get going!"

"What an impatient fellow."

Buggy was somewhat exasperated. Couldn't this guy have sent these guys to distract the Navy first?

He didn't want to clash with Magellan prematurely.

"Let's go, I already know where the Great Gate is," Xi Yan said as he walked back.

"Okay, then..."

Before Buggy could finish speaking, he noticed that the guys who had just run away had come running back.

Buggy:???

"Hey, what do you mean?"

Buggy was dumbfounded as he watched the pirates retreat back into their cells.

"Sorry, we got a little carried away."

"There are still a lot of Demon Beast on this floor; going out would be too dangerous."

"That's right, let's stay in the cell. It's safer that way."

Buggy:...

These bunch of useless trash!!

"Is this your plan?" Xi Yan glanced at Buggy and asked.

"How was I supposed to know these guys were so useless!"

Buggy was getting frustrated. If he had known it would turn out like this, he wouldn't have bothered with these guys.

"Roar roar roar roar~"

"Looks like you've run into some trouble," Mr. 3 said with a chuckle.

Who are you?

Buggy looked at Mr. 3 with suspicion, not expecting that someone so bold would appear in the hallway.

'This guy...'

Xi Yan sized up Mr. 3, thinking to himself, 'Isn't he Mr. 3 from Baroque Works?'

The Devil Fruit User, a man who once cornered the Straw Hat Pirates!

I never expected to run into this guy here.

"Roar roar roar roar~"

"It's been a long time, Straw Hat." Mr. 3 ignored Buggy and looked at Luffy, saying, "Thanks to you, I've regained my freedom!"

"I'm a man who repays kindness, so let me lend you a hand!"

Although I don't know why the Straw Hat is here, this is an opportunity!

If they help the Straw Hat, they might be able to escape alive!

Mr. 3 couldn't help but smile at the thought of the life he would enjoy after leaving.

"Roar roar roar~"

Who are you?

Mr. 3:...

Mr. 3's laughter stopped abruptly, as if someone had grabbed him by the neck.

Upon seeing Mr. 3's appearance, Xi Yan couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Getting Luffy to remember you won't be an easy task!

"No, have you forgotten who I am?!" Mr. 3 said, sticking his hair up. "You'll remember me when you see this!"

"Ah!"

"You're number three from the giant uncle's place!"

"My name is Mr. 3, you bastard!" Mr. 3 roared, opening his shark-like mouth.

It's one thing to not remember people's names, but why give them nicknames, you jerk!

"So, why are you here?"

"It's a long story," Mr. 3 said, sounding a bit annoyed. "Anyway... after you defeated Crocodile, I was captured by the Marines and brought here with you."

He had been abandoned by Baroque Works and was planning to escape, but he was discovered by the Navy on the way and was eventually arrested.

Thinking of this, Mr. 3 sighed silently.

"Oh, I see."

Luffy nodded, then grabbed Buggy's arm and said, "Xi Yan, Buggy, let's go."

"Profound!"

"Hey, what about me?!" Mr. 3 exclaimed, dumbfounded.

He said all that just to get the other guy to take him along, and now this guy's planning to just leave him here?

"Three, are you also willing to help me save Ace?!"

"Fire Fist Ace?!"

Mr. 3, who had only taken a few steps, suddenly collapsed to the ground. He then got up, ran to the others, and said incredulously, "You guys are going to the Level 5 to Fire Fist Ace??"

"Ah, that's right!" Luffy said firmly, "I must rescue Ace!"

"Straw Hat and Ace are brothers," Buggy explained. "I'm planning to go down with them now, do you want to come along?"

"No way, are you guys crazy?!" Mr. 3 yelled frantically, "Magellan is down there!"

That terrifying creature possesses a poison capable of killing everything!

To think you could rescue Fire Fist Ace from someone like that is utter nonsense!

Thinking of this, Mr. 3 said, "Then you guys go ahead, I'm not going to worry about you anymore!"

After saying that, Mr. 3 planned to leave and find a way out elsewhere.

Just then, Xi Yan spoke up, "Are you sure you want to leave?"

"There are ten naval warships waiting for you on the sea."

"Ten..."

Mr. 3 froze, his face filled with disbelief.

With such terrifying military strength, no matter how powerful he is, there's no way he could escape from the enemy.

"I've seen your Wanted Order," Xi Yan said. "You're a Candle- Devil Fruit User, right? Can you create a key?"

If he remembered correctly, the Candle Fruit's power was extremely versatile; it could practically make whatever the user wanted.

If this guy can be the key, it would be much more convenient to bring him along; at least we wouldn't have to look for the key to the Seastone Handcuffs.

"I can make the key, but..."

"Then come with us," Xi Yan said. "When we leave, we'll take you with us."

"Let me finish what I have to say!" Mr. 3 said. "What makes you think you can rescue Fire Fist Ace from Magellan's clutches?"

"Because we are strong enough!" Xi Yan said from the passage.

Mr. 3:...

That's certainly a reason, but the problem is he doesn't even know this guy!

How much is the bounty on his head?

How good are they?

As a cautious person, Mr. 3 would not easily entrust his life to a stranger.

"But I..."

"Alright, enough nonsense, just tell me if you're coming or not," Xi Yan said.

As he spoke, Xi Yan looked towards the enormous Great Gate in the distance and continued, "Once we reach that Great Gate, we'll enter the next level. Then you won't have a chance to regret it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xi Yan revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan.

If this kid doesn't know what's good for him, he wouldn't mind forcibly restraining him.

At that very moment, Mr. 3 sensed a potentially fatal threat.

It was as if he would die a much worse death if he didn't go down with them!

Thinking of this, Mr. 3 said without hesitation, "Okay, I'll go!"

"But you have to guarantee my safety!"

"Anyway, I won't let you face Magellan," Xi Yan said. "I'll handle that guy."

He's the perfect person to deal with a guy who's covered in poison.

"That's fine then," Mr. 3 said with a sigh of relief.

Thinking about it carefully, he really couldn't escape from here alone, after all, there are ten warships stationed outside.

Even if he manages to fight his way out, he'll be killed by the navy on the warship.

So why not just go with them and take a gamble!

Of course, if this kid were killed by Magellan, he would run away without hesitation.

Just then, Clown Buggy suddenly grinned and laughed.

"Hahahaha!"

"What are you laughing at now?" Luffy asked Buggy, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"It's nothing, I just feel like I'm not the only one who's having bad luck."

Mr. 3:...

Mr. 3 glanced at Buggy, who was laughing uncontrollably, and fell into deep thought.

So, does that mean the other person is just like him?

However, Mr. 3 immediately relaxed after realizing that he wasn't the only one who was unlucky.

Soon, the group arrived at the Great Gate area from the second floor to the third floor.

"Hey, what's that wall here?" Luffy asked, puzzled.

As he spoke, he even went up and touched the enormous wall of flesh.

"What wall?!" Mr. 3 exclaimed in frustration, "That's the Sphinx, the Human-faced Lion king guarding the Great Gate to the Second Floor!"

Damn it, how could he have forgotten about this big guy?

This is the king of Human-faced Lion, a terrifying being capable of suppressing the entire Beast Hell!!

Faced with such a terrifying opponent, Mr. 3 had no idea how to fight him.

"So this is the Sphinx?" Xi Yan looked at the enormous creature before him with great interest and said, "It's quite large."

Its size is comparable to that of Sea Kings.

No wonder those pirates who escaped earlier were so scared. With such a behemoth here, they would have to think twice before trying to break out.

Just then, the Sphinx pulled its head out from under its claws and turned to look at the people behind it.

Sphinx:???

Why are there home delivery services?

"Ah!"

"We've been spotted!"

Buggy and Mr. 3 stared at the Sphinx in horror, their tongues involuntarily sticking out.

"Quick, we..."

"Vermicelli!"

"Um?"

Upon hearing the word uttered by the Sphinx, the people present were completely stunned.

"Hanging... noodles?"

Why would this big guy say "noodles"?

"This guy is also Human-faced Lion," Mr. 3 said after thinking for a moment. "He has human bones, so he can make human sounds."

"But this guy probably doesn't know what he means."

Mr. 3 had barely finished speaking when the Sphinx's enormous paw slammed down, shouting, "Char Siu Noodles!"

"Ah!!!"

"He made his move!"

"Clang!!"

After using Susanoo to block the opponent's attack, Xi Yan complained, "Why are they all noodles?"

Could it be that this guy usually enjoys chatting with the prison guards who eat noodles?

"Did it really block it?"

Mr. 3 stared in shock at the pale gold skull armor on Xi Yan's body and asked, "What is that thing on him?"

That thing gave him the feeling that it looked really valuable!

"He said this thing is called Susanoo," Buggy said. "It's the manifestation of energy."

"Devil Fruit User, huh?" Mr. 3 guessed.

"I don't know about that," Buggy shook his head. "But he said he's Ninja."

As for whether this ability is from Devil Fruit User or Ninjutsu, he didn't know.

"Ninja!!!"

Mr. 3 looked at the man's retreating figure in disbelief and said, "He's actually Ninja?"

Having lived for so many years, this was the first time he had ever seen a living Ninja.

This is amazing!!!

"Char Siu Noodles?"

Looking at Xi Yan, who had blocked his attack, a question mark appeared above Sphinx's head.

Clearly, they couldn't understand what that pale gold thing was.

"Finished, everyone?" Xi Yan grinned and said, "It's my turn!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the pale golden skeleton moved, forcefully pushing back the enormous claw in front of it.

Then, Xi Yan manipulated the skeleton to raise its right hand and strike the Sphinx on the head.

"Take this punch!!"

"Bump!!"

An incredibly terrifying fist slammed into Sphinx's head, sending him flying into the air, hurtling towards the distant prison cell!

"Whoosh~"

"Boom!!"

Its massive body slammed into and collapsed the cell!

Then, the enormous creature tilted its head to the side, rolled its Byakugan, and lost consciousness.

"They really took them down!!!"

Mr. 3 stared at Xi Yan in shock. The other party might not be exaggerating; his strength was indeed formidable!

'If that's the case... this prison break plan might actually work!'

Thinking of this, Mr. 3 immediately became excited.

"Alright, the guards on this floor are done," Xi Yan said. "Let's go, let's head to the next floor."

"Profound!"