"Heh heh heh, it seems our Navy Hero finally dropped that tough-guy act."
Roy gave an evil grin and escorted the deeply unwilling Garp and the others outside.
"At least you knew what was good for you. Move."
Bullet and Red, who brought up the rear, gained a deeper understanding of Roy's ruthlessness.
He truly stopped at nothing. Garp had been entirely justified in calling him Calamity.
Even pirates like them felt they could not compare.
Bang! Bang!
Before long, Roy, Bullet, and the others reached Above Ground Floor One with Garp and the other captives.
The criminals, who had still been in despair, were all shaken to the core at the sight of Garp and the others' wretched state.
"Hiss... that man with the missing arm is the Navy Hero Garp, right? He... actually lost an arm!"
No one could have imagined that the renowned Navy Hero would be defeated and captured.
The sight was simply too shocking.
Those with keen minds, such as Emporio Ivankov and the Crescent Moon Hunter, also noticed that someone was missing among the captives.
Kuzan was gone.
Then didn't that mean...
The thought alone filled them with lingering fear.
An Admiral had fallen in battle!
Nothing like this had happened since a certain legendary pirate forty years ago!
Roy, however, paid no attention to their reactions.
He simply ordered someone to fetch shackles, knocked Garp and the others unconscious, and stuffed them into sacks.
Garp and the others completely lost consciousness without even a chance to resist.
One man was spared, however, to handle opening the Gate of Justice.
The criminals watched with strange expressions.
"Uh... which side are the Marines, and which side are the pirates here?"
Even Red could not help giving Roy an odd look.
In all his years roaming the seas, this was the first time he had seen anyone take Marine Vice Admirals and the Navy Hero captive.
This was fucking ridiculous.
Faced with their varied expressions, Roy calmly issued his orders.
"Sanjuan Wolf, the warship isn't badly damaged, but to be safe, it's your turn."
Sanjuan Wolf dared not disobey. He plunged into the sea and instantly activated his Devil Fruit power.
He was already a Giant with an enormous body, and under the power of the Expand-Expand Fruit, he grew even larger.
Soon, a body bigger than a giant warship appeared on the surface.
The criminals clicked their tongues in wonder. They had not expected his name as a colossal battleship to be so well deserved.
"Stop standing around. Having a means of crossing the seas is only the first step in escaping Impel Down."
"The hardest part comes next: making it out alive through Marine Headquarters' blockade."
Roy swept his gaze over everyone, then gave the unconscious Garp and the other Marines a meaningful look.
Then he was the first to step onto the warship formed by Sanjuan Wolf's body.
Bullet, Red, Emporio Ivankov, and the others who trusted Roy followed without hesitation.
"Lord Roy, we think an ordinary warship will do just fine. We'll board that one."
After hesitating, the Crescent Moon Hunter, Big Barrel, and a few others chose the captured warship.
Seeing this, the remaining criminals also split into two groups.
Half boarded the ship, while the other half followed Roy onto the living warship.
Roy said nothing more, but continued turning something over in his mind.
Once everything was ready, he ordered Sanjuan Wolf to head straight for the enormous Gate of Justice.
That was the only way out of Impel Down.
Sanjuan Wolf lived up to his Giant heritage. After activating his Devil Fruit power, he could move through the enormous whirlpools with ease.
He neither lost his bearings nor was dragged into them.
Soon, they reached the Gate of Justice, which was said to bar everything.
Fortunately, the previously sealed gate had already been opened.
At the sight, the excitement of everyone aboard the warship was plain to see.
"Hahaha! I've been locked up for decades, and today I'm finally leaving this damned Impel Down! I've never felt so good!"
"Heh heh heh, good riddance! Once we leave this place, we'll find a chance to make the Marines pay dearly! We must never forget what they did to us in this prison!"
Even Bullet and Red smiled at that moment, visibly relieved.
After all, they were the criminals who had been imprisoned the longest, and decades of confinement had nearly worn away their wills.
Now, they were finally out.
Yet while everyone eagerly discussed the future, Roy's expression gradually grew solemn.
It was too quiet-absurdly quiet.
Earlier, a criminal with a Devil Fruit power had sensed warships from Marine Headquarters approaching.
But why had there still been no sign of them?
It was as though they were deliberately letting them out.
Suddenly, Roy's expression changed dramatically.
"Could it be that what's outside isn't heaven, but hell?!"
Before his words faded, blinding light suddenly flooded in, and the sunlight that had long been blocked shone upon the sea again.
The Marine warship and the living warship carrying the criminals finally sailed out through the Gate of Justice.
But when they opened their eyes, what greeted them was not the freedom they had longed for.
Two giant warships and twenty smaller warships.
Along with more than twenty thousand elite soldiers, they had already formed up and were waiting, their guns and cannons all aimed squarely at them.
The criminals, who had been filled with joy, instantly froze in their smiles before turning as pale as paper.
Just then, the burly figure aboard the lead warship, Marine Headquarters' Fleet Admiral Sengoku, finally spoke.
"Criminals, welcome to our encirclement."
Even though he had anticipated it, he had never truly imagined that Impel Down would actually fall.
Not to mention Garp, Kuzan, and Magellan... they had probably already met with disaster.
At this sight, Sengoku's gaze turned icy, and his killing intent surged to its peak.
Faced with this sudden turn of events, all the criminals panicked.
They had finally escaped Impel Down, with freedom seemingly within reach. Never had they expected that what awaited them was not freedom, but the despair of being completely surrounded.
"Ah! I won't accept this! We finally escaped! How could it turn out like this?!"
"This is our only chance! We can't let it slip away! I won't give up! Break through! At worst, we'll take them down with us! I never want to stay in that damned Impel Down again!"
As the criminals floundered in panic, Roy barked coldly.
"All of you, shut up! You're not dead yet, and you're already imagining you're doomed. What a bunch of trash."
"If you want to live, follow my orders. If you don't, do whatever you like. Whoever says one more useless word dies by my hand first."
At those words, the criminals opened their mouths but dared not make another sound.
Yet they could not conceal the fear and unwillingness in their eyes.
Now, they could only pin their hopes of survival on the ruthless man who had led them in fighting their way through Impel Down.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Heh, so all of Impel Down's criminals are here. Bullet, Red, the Crescent Moon Hunter..."
Just then, Sengoku clapped in admiration aboard the warship.
But anyone could hear the coldness and killing intent filling his voice.
"And this must be Roy, the man behind this prison break? Seeing you in person truly beats hearing about you."
"For you to have made it here, you must have defeated both Garp and Kuzan. Well done indeed!"
He paused, his killing intent growing stronger. "In that case, you can join them in death!"
As his words fell, the Marine officers present, including three Vice Admirals, tightened their grips on their weapons.
They were only waiting for the order to charge out and avenge Garp and Kuzan.
Before you continue