Fleet Admiral Sengoku was usually calm in a crisis, but ever since he heard that Ye Chen had led his people into Impel Down, he had been unable to shake his anxiety.
Ye Chen was far stronger than he used to be. During his last rampage in the Holy Land, tens of thousands of Celestial Dragons had been killed or wounded. The news had left Sengoku unable to eat or sleep properly for days. It was almost beyond belief.
The Five Elders had repeatedly ordered the matter covered up. Others might not know the truth, but as Fleet Admiral of the Marines, Sengoku did. He could not pretend it had never happened.
As a threat to the World Government, Ye Chen far surpassed the Four Emperors of the New World.
Worse still, Ye Chen grew stronger by the day. He had stunned the Marines two years ago, and another two years of training in the Holy Land's Demon Cave had sent his strength soaring. Even with Chaton and Momousagi dispatched and War Wolf personally standing guard, Sengoku could not be certain they would hold him.
He sent five more Vice Admirals under Momonga's command. As the execution drew nearer, Sengoku, who had never believed in gods or ghosts, silently prayed that all would go smoothly—that nothing would happen at Impel Down and that Ace and Luffy's executions would proceed as planned.
After leaving Headquarters, Momonga urged his men onward again and again, unwilling to waste a second. They reached Impel Down ahead of the Blackbeard Pirates.
Outside Impel Down, six warships had been sunk and countless Marines killed or wounded. Only four warships remained. Momonga's face darkened, his already stern expression turning colder still.
At the Main Gate, he found Sadi and the others and hurriedly asked how the fighting