Magellan's appearance did not stop the two men from moving forward.
Before long, they had reached the first floor above the sea.
Here, Hannyabal had already taken care of everything. The surveillance snails had been temporarily shut off, and the guards had been replaced.
"Admiral River, your ship is ready. Once you're outside, you can leave straight away!"
Hannyabal hurried over and whispered into River's ear, then brushed past him and quickly left.
River's eyes flickered, and he and Crocodile picked up their pace.
In a blink, they saw the gates of Impel Down ahead, open just wide enough to let a little sunlight through.
Expressionless guards stood on either side of the gates, spears in hand, without so much as glancing at the approaching pair.
"Finally, we're getting out of here!"
Light shone in River's eyes. Even he could not help feeling excited at this moment.
He had spent twenty whole years in Impel Down, never seeing the light of day. Never mind the sunlight-even the air and smells were different from those outside.
Beside him, Crocodile was also trembling slightly with excitement. They quickened their steps, soon reaching the gates and passing through.
It was like stepping into an entirely new world.
Sunlight, ocean, breeze, sky.
A riot of vibrant colors flooded River's eyes all at once, making him want to shout.
Words could not express the excitement in his heart.
"Admiral River, your ship is over there!"
"Warden Hannyabal has everything arranged for you. Well, he won't let us call him vice warden!"
The jailer beside them spoke with a chuckle.
Drawing a shallow breath, River reined in his emotions and nodded.
After exchanging a glance with Crocodile beside him, the two hurried toward the ship.
It was a small warship flying the Marine flag, normally reserved for field-grade officers at branch bases.
But for River, that was clearly no problem.
After everything he had already done, getting a warship to sail around in was hardly a big deal.
A short while later, the warship slowly pulled away from the harbor.
"Goodbye, Admiral River!"
The jailers stood at the harbor entrance, waving cheerfully, completely unaware that they had just seen off a world-class criminal.
The warship slowly left Impel Down, heading toward the whirlpool between Marineford and Enies Lobby.
Crocodile pulled back his hood, then let out a long breath. "Does this mean we've successfully broken out?"
"Not yet."
"The Marines have plenty of warships patrolling these waters."
"We're close to headquarters. You're still in danger."
River smiled as he breathed in the sea air, savoring a sensation beyond anything he could have imagined.
I never realized this world was so beautiful!
"And you're not in danger? Letting a criminal like me go?"
Crocodile's tone carried a hint of amusement, though his mask hid his expression.
"The moment you're discovered, I'll arrest you immediately!"
"Then I'll tell them you tried to escape!"
River turned his head and suddenly grinned.
Crocodile visibly froze, then sneered. "You really are a nasty piece of work!"
"I never said I was a good person!"
River laughed.
The sea breeze grew stronger, tugging at their clothes and the loose hair over their foreheads.
It meant they were drawing closer to the great whirlpool. At the same time, Marineford's massive silhouette was becoming faintly visible.
"What next? Do you have a plan?"
"If you dared recruit someone like me in Impel Down and get me out, you must be planning something big, right?"
Crocodile narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
"A plan? I haven't decided yet!"
"But I need a group of capable subordinates!"
River raised an eyebrow.
One person could not accomplish everything in this world. No matter how powerful he was, he still needed reliable companions and subordinates.
"Capable subordinates?"
Crocodile sounded puzzled.
"Yes. People like you!"
River smiled.
Crocodile paused, his gaze growing slightly more serious.
For a Marine, River was doing things that many people would find utterly incomprehensible.
"I remember you once founded a secret organization?"
He asked in a low voice.
"An organization? You mean Void Night?"
River smiled, his eyes flickering.
Once he had entered Impel Down, the organization under his command would inevitably have faced a purge.
He simply did not know what had become of Void Night after all these years, or whether any members still remained.
"Void Night? So, are they still around?"
Crocodile asked gravely.
The organization under River's command had been quite famous back then. It had always kept a low profile, only revealing itself to the world when that incident erupted.
Only then had everyone realized that this man had already gathered such an enormous force under his command.
Its members ranged from commoners and nobles to kings and Celestial Dragons, giving it an extraordinarily wide reach.
Could anyone imagine it? This madman had even brought a Celestial Dragon into his ranks!
Although, after the incident broke out, that Celestial Dragon had taken his own life, and his descendants had been expelled from Mary Geoise.
"Are they still around? Who knows?"
"Perhaps a few of them are!"
River smiled, narrowing his eyes.
"Where are we going now?"
Crocodile asked again.
"My orders from headquarters are to find Straw Hat and his crew!"
River smiled.
"Straw Hat!"
Crocodile froze, then his eyes turned cold.
That man was the very reason he had ended up in prison, and why the goal he had pursued for so long had failed.
"But personally, I have no interest in him."
"Find a way. I need to make a trip to Sky Island!"
River soon added.
Crocodile was even more baffled. "Sky Island? What are you going there for? Besides, does an island like that really exist?"
"Of course it does!"
River answered firmly.
"You've been there?"
"I have!"
Of course he had been there. The Void Night Palace stood on Sky Island, high above the ground, and served as the headquarters of his organization.
But twenty years had passed. No one knew what condition that headquarters was in now.
Crocodile fell silent, his expression shifting.
By agreeing to join him, he had committed himself to following River's orders. But what unsettled him, even frightened him, was this.
Even now, he still had no idea what River's objective was.
What earth-shattering scheme was this man plotting under the guise of a Marine?
"One of our companions is on Sky Island."
River spoke again.
"Someone from Void Night?"
Crocodile grew curious.
"Not yet. But once I get there, he will be!"
River smiled.
Enel, who possessed the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, was undoubtedly well suited to becoming one of his fighters.
Like Crocodile, that fellow was only missing a little something.
Just a little something.
But that little something was what River could provide.
Before you continue