"Once I eat these two Sukuna's Fingers, with the Haki training I've done these past few days, I should rank among the strongest Admirals."
Roy did not hesitate. He swallowed the fingers formed from cursed energy in one gulp.
Gulp, gulp!
The instant the fingers reached his stomach, Roy's expression changed sharply.
A surging tide of cursed energy continually stimulated his body. Even the surrounding space trembled slightly under the influence of that terrifying cursed energy.
Outside, Emporio Ivankov and the others all paled.
They could sense that Roy had been growing stronger throughout the past few days.
Especially now-though they did not know what he was doing, his aura seemed to have surged yet again.
But what worried them more was whether the disturbance Roy caused would alert the Jailers searching outside.
Fortunately, after just a minute, that immense cursed energy gradually settled and stopped churning.
Inside the cave, Roy slowly opened his eyes, his gaze cold and excited.
"Heh heh heh. Though I'm not at Ryomen Sukuna's peak yet, I can already feel how much stronger I've become."
"Just as I thought, only by combining the physique of the Pirates world and the three types of Haki with the Jujutsu of the Jujutsu Kaisen world, letting each make up for the other's weaknesses, can I truly become the strongest."
As his words faded, a system panel appeared before his eyes.
[Host: Roy] [Templates: Ryomen Sukuna, Megumi Fushiguro (60%)] [Strength: Admiral (95%)] [Core ability: Malevolent Shrine (Dismantle, Cleave, Open: Furnace (locked))] [Special abilities 1: Reverse Cursed Technique, Piercing Blood, Black Flash, World-Cutting Slash (locked)] [Special abilities 2: Ten Shadows Technique Shikigami: Rabbit Escape, Divine Dogs (Totality), Piercing Ox, Max Elephant, Merged Beast: Agito (locked), Eight-Handled Sword: Divine General of Another World: Mahoraga (locked)] [Special abilities 3: Six Powers: Soru, Finger Pistol] [Haki: Advanced Armament (Ryuo), intermediate Observation Haki] [Cursed tools: Kamutoke (locked), Hiten (locked)] [Domains: Malevolent Shrine, Shadow Garden (locked)]
Satisfied. Extremely satisfied.
Over these days of training, he had raised his Armament Haki to the advanced level and mastered Wano Country's Ryuo, allowing him to strike precisely both internally and externally.
He had also asked Emporio Ivankov for the Six Powers training methods.
Only as a powerful fighter did he understand the intricacy of the Six Powers.
At Marine Headquarters, Garp and Zephyr had truly taken the Six Powers to their pinnacle.
Thus, he wanted to try them too.
Emporio Ivankov only knew the training methods for Soru and Finger Pistol, and taught him everything he knew without reservation.
With Ryomen Sukuna's almost analytical learning ability, Roy had fully mastered Soru and Finger Pistol, even modifying the form of Finger Pistol.
With that, he had remedied his weakness in close combat against Logia users.
Furthermore, the two Ryomen Sukuna's Fingers had directly increased his template abilities by 10%, bringing his overall combat strength to 95% of an Admiral's.
It was hard to imagine that, without even awakening Conqueror's Haki or learning an advanced ability like Conqueror's Coating, he had already almost reached the very pinnacle of Admiral strength.
But with advanced Armament Haki making up the difference, coupled with the properties of his own cursed energy, he was powerful all the same.
"Heh, Kuzan. If we fight again, I'd like to see whether you can still rely on Elementalization to block my slashes."
With that thought, Roy brought his six days of secluded training to a complete end, left the cave, and went to join Emporio Ivankov.
Emporio Ivankov and the others gazed at Roy as he was now, all inwardly stunned.
Their senses had not deceived them. Roy really had grown stronger.
"Phew. Congratulations on your progress, Lord Roy. With you here for this prison break, we'll surely fight our way through Impel Down!"
Emporio Ivankov drew a deep breath and offered solemn praise, no longer wearing that worldly air he once had.
She truly regarded Roy as someone on Dragon's level.
Roy gave Emporio Ivankov a surprised look. He understood perfectly the change in the other's eyes, but did not upset the balance, merely saying calmly:
"Everything I told you to prepare is ready, right? We must break out tonight."
Emporio Ivankov froze. "Lord Roy, why move it forward? Wasn't it tomorrow morning?"
Emporio Ivankov was not the only one who did not understand. Everyone else present looked puzzled too.
Some of their preparations had all been scheduled for tomorrow morning.
Roy suddenly moving things forward could easily disrupt their timing.
Roy glanced at everyone and gave a mocking smile. "Fools. Kuzan and Garp are conducting a rigorous search. They're bound to interrogate the prisoners thoroughly.
"Quite a few prisoners on Level 5.5 stumbled in here by accident. But their targets vanished outside without even leaving a corpse."
He paused, then continued dismissively, "I've disappeared. With them questioning everyone like this, can you guarantee that none of those prisoners will have heard rumors of people disappearing along with their corpses?
"If you ask me, they might already know that Impel Down has a Seventh Level."
"Though that's quite different from Level 5.5, if they really track it down, we'll be exposed.
"Rather than passively waiting to die, we might as well make the first move."
At those words, Emporio Ivankov and the others understood.
That was right.
In the past, nobody cared if a few, or even dozens of prisoners, disappeared from Impel Down.
There were plenty of beasts in Impel Down. Perhaps those missing people had been eaten.
But Roy's disappearance alone was enough to make them take notice.
An expert like Roy clearly could not have been eaten by beasts.
Following that reasoning, it could only mean that Impel Down had a Seventh Level, or a hidden level between floors.
Once the Jailers understood that logic and investigated one place after another, they would find Level 5.5 sooner or later.
Thus, breaking out early was actually better.
Seeing that nobody objected anymore, Roy turned to leave. "Then the prison break officially begins. Let's fight our way through Impel Down together!"
But Emporio Ivankov stopped him.
"Lord Roy, please wait!"
Roy frowned and glanced back at Emporio Ivankov.
His gaze held a trace of displeasure, as though saying, You'd better give me an explanation.
Emporio Ivankov clapped his hands and smiled. "For something as sacred as a prison break, how could you wear a ragged prison uniform!"
As he spoke, two cross-dressers brought out an exquisite box under Roy's surprised gaze.
Emporio Ivankov opened it himself.
"Over our years on Level 5.5, we've collected quite a few things, including some fine, expensive fabrics. While you were training, Lord Roy, we specially made you an exquisite kimono."
As she spoke, she took the kimono out of the box.
Exquisite black patterns were embroidered on its cuffs and lower hem, while the middle was a clean white.
It looked rather noble, or at least far better than a prison uniform.
The patterns on the cuffs, in particular, had been custom-made to match the tattoos beneath Roy's white prison uniform.
Roy narrowed his eyes after just one look.
"It really is a fine piece. It suits my bearing well."
"But it might get ruined in battle. Whether I wear it or not doesn't really matter."
Despite his words, Roy had other thoughts.
He did not want to become too entangled with Emporio Ivankov and the others.
After the escape, the two sides might well become enemies.
Though he carried Ryomen Sukuna's cold emotions, he still retained his own fundamental consciousness.
He did not like owing others too much.
"Hahaha, rest assured, Lord Roy. This is simply a personal gift from me."
"If you need another in the future, you can have one made in this style."
"Besides, how could a king about to break free of his cage be dressed in rags!"
Emporio Ivankov spoke sincerely, and Roy gave her a long look.
A moment later, Roy appeared before everyone in the exquisite kimono.
The patterns on its cuffs and lower hem complemented the exposed tattoos on his body, making him look particularly mysterious.
At that moment, Roy carried himself as though he had been born a noble prince.
"Haha, just as expected of Lord Roy. Clothes make the man, just as a saddle makes the horse. The outfit I personally made this time has finally found its true owner!"
Even Emporio Ivankov, who had met countless important figures, could not help clicking his tongue in admiration.
She was convinced.
Roy's bearing truly surpassed even Dragon's.
"Enough. It's time to break out."
Roy answered indifferently and headed toward the tunnel entrance.
That was the opening leading from Level 5.5 to Level 6 of Impel Down.
They only needed to enter Freezing Hell on Level 5 to reach Level 6.
His plan was to exploit the difference in timing and release the monsters on Level 6 of Impel Down first.
As long as someone kept Kuzan and the others occupied, nobody would stand in his way.
"Then we'll do as Lord Roy says. It's time for us in Newkama Paradise to leave Impel Down and see the real Kamabakka Kingdom outside!"
Emporio Ivankov regained the bearing of the cross-dresser queen and led the dozens of followers from Newkama Paradise after Roy.
Their Kamabakka Kingdom was about to be fully established in reality.
Before you continue