Back at the Summit War

Without any surprises, this escape from Impel Down could be described as leisurely. After all, the warden had not pursued them, and breaking through the remaining defenses had been effortless.

After resting and resupplying aboard the stolen Marine warship for a while, the ship was, just as history had gone before, sent soaring into the air by the massive wave Whitebeard created.

Aokiji's freezing attack followed soon after.

And then—

"The speed at which Sakura blossoms fall is five centimeters per second."

Su Lin stared wistfully at the azure sky. Sunlight washed over his handsome face, and as seabirds flew past, a tear slipped from the corner of his eye and rolled down his cheek. Su Lin spread his arms wide. It was the first time he had embraced the blue sky like this.

And also the first time he was about to be embraced by the sea like this.

"The acceleration of a human in free fall, however, is 9.8 meters per second squared."

"Sorry, I forgot about this part." Jinbe turned his head in midair, unable to look Su Lin in the eye. Who would have thought Luffy would still take the lead in smashing the frozen waves the second time around?

I'll fish you out first, Mr. Su Lin, Jinbe thought guiltily.

Although he was not a Devil Fruit user, Su Lin—

"I can't swim."

Boom—!

If not for the Human-Human Fruit's powers and the enhancement talismans, a fall into the sea like that would have reduced Su Lin's bones to powder with his physique.

He had only gone inside to sample the Marine provisions of this pirate world. The moment he stepped out of the cabin, he experienced the sensation of free fall.

"Glub glub."

Seawater poured into his nose and ears. It felt awful.

Jinbe swam beneath him.

Fish-Man Karate.

"Your Excellency Su Lin, go up first."

A recoil force came from behind him.

Boom!

Su Lin was blasted out of the sea, landed on the ice, and rolled twice.

"Cough—blegh." He spat out a mouthful of seawater, while seawater and snot sprayed from his nose.

If he had been more familiar with the powers of fruits like the Op-Op Fruit, how could he have ended up this miserable?

Come to think of it, the Op-Op Fruit demanded quite a lot of stamina too. Every use felt like sprinting. He had used it so many times in Impel Down earlier, and he still had not recovered.

"I only went inside to replenish my stamina, and you pull something this huge on me." Su Lin wiped his face with his shirt. "I should've cultivated for a few years before coming here. I underestimated the pirate world too much. No, it's because I haven't watched anime in so long that I forgot this guy is an idiot!"

He had items that could fight and defend, but because he had not cultivated, any talismans or magical artifacts capable of escape would flee at maximum distance once activated.

Getting far away from this battlefield was not what he wanted.

He shook his head, flinging the water from his ears.

The sonic booms of artillery shells tearing through the air and the clang of cold weapons colliding gradually reached his ears.

Roars and screams filled the air as the two sides fought savagely.

Having lived in peaceful times for so long, Su Lin was seeing a scene like this for the first time in reality. Someone fell every second, and hot blood splashed across the ice and earth every second.

Seeing such a sight for the first time, Su Lin swallowed with difficulty, his mouth slightly open as he looked around. The ability notifications in his mind told him that this was the site of the Summit War.

[Ability—Phoenix] recorded. [Ability—Diamond Transformation] recorded. [Smoke Ability] recorded.

Shocking as it was—

Su Lin immediately opened the book [Phoenix].

Both his mind and body let out a long sigh of relief. Thank you, peak-ranked player Marco.

"ACE—!!!"

"I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU AGAIN!!!"

He had only just relaxed a little when that deafening roar startled him tense again.

Su Lin turned around and saw Luffy standing on the warship's bow, shouting at the top of his lungs, announcing his arrival to Ace and to the battlefield.

It was both an arrival and a return.

Su Lin smiled helplessly. "Luffy, have fun with it."

Alright, it was time for him to find somewhere to slack off. It was not time for his entrance yet.

The main-course Fruit powers had not appeared yet—the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Pervert-Pervert Fruit, Ice-Ice Fruit, Magma-Magma Fruit, Buddha-Buddha Fruit, and the Dark-Dark Fruit that was still on its way.

"ACE—!!!"

"I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU AGAIN!!!"

Before the execution platform—

Veins bulged on Sengoku's forehead as he turned and cursed Garp beside him. "Garp! It's that bastard family of yours again!"

"Luffy—!" Garp clutched his head with both hands. Why had this grandson come here too?

Every last one of them was such a headache!

"Look, it's not just the Straw Hat Kid!" "Jinbe, Crocodile, and Revolutionary Army officer Ivankov!"

"And those are the Impel Down escapees!"

Quite a few Marine soldiers recognized the famous figures leading the group ahead and cried out in panic, "What happened in Impel Down?! Why did all these prisoners escape?!"

There were even people among them whom the soldiers had personally sent there.

On the Shichibukai side—

"Always at the center of the storm, the Straw Hat Kid..."

Hawkeye Mihawk watched Monkey D. Luffy in the distance and recalled what Red-Hair had said.

"STRAW! HAT! KID!" Gecko Moria gritted out the words. For the humiliation and defeat Luffy had brought him, he wanted nothing more than to rush over and fight Luffy right then.

Right, Little Oars was here too.

Gecko Moria's anger shifted into something else. He had always coveted Straw Hat's shadow.

"Luffy, it's wonderful that you're safe." A rosy blush colored Pirate Empress Hancock's stunning face. "Though I don't know why, it feels like something has changed about you. Is this the growth of love?"

"Even more handsome."

Doflamingo glanced at the opposing lineup and laughed. "Now the old and new Shichibukai are all here."

"And he's the legendary troublesome rookie, the Straw Hat Kid?"

Akainu stood atop the platform, his gaze dark as he pondered something.

"The grandson of Hero Garp, the son of Revolutionary Army Dragon... He must be completely eradicated as well!"

"Strange... where did Crocodile BOY go?"

Ivankov sensed that something was wrong. Crocodile, who had just been with them, had vanished.

"There!"

Sharp-eyed Buggy immediately spotted Crocodile. Wrapped in yellow sand, Crocodile rose into the sky and, in the blink of an eye, swooped down behind Whitebeard!

"Damn it, he got there first!" Buggy shouted regretfully, clearly too immersed in his role.

"Oh no, his target is Pops!" a member of Whitebeard's crew shouted while fighting Marine soldiers in front of Whitebeard.

"Long time no see, Whitebeard~."

Crocodile flew behind Whitebeard, killing intent in his eyes. The golden hook on his left hand gleamed coldly. "I'll be taking your head!"

"What a guy who never learns his lesson." Whitebeard did not even turn around, as if Crocodile was not worth his attention.

Whoosh—!

In an instant, a figure moved even faster, punching Crocodile's golden hook and sending him flying!

After flying some distance, Crocodile barely steadied himself. That sudden blow had carried no killing intent.

It had only been meant to stop his attack.

The Straw Hat Kid.

Both his arms were black like metal.

"Was that Armament Haki?"

This was not like Alabasta, where he had relied on water to fight him. When had this guy learned how to use Haki?

Tch. This guy.

"Once we reach this place, our agreement is fulfilled!"

"Why are you protecting Whitebeard?!"

"Ace really likes Uncle Whitebeard. I won't let you attack him," Luffy answered without hesitation.

(End of chapter)