On the calm sea, a massive wooden raft hewn from giant logs hurtled straight toward Impel Down.
Blackbeard stood proudly at the bow, a smug grin on his face as the prison drew nearer. "The Marines will soon battle Whitebeard—it's the perfect ti. No reinforcents will be spared for Impel Down. On this run, we'll seize at least three to five warships, recruit enough fighters and sailors from inside, then settle our score with Whitebeard!"
Behind him, his newly recruited right-hand n roared in agreent. The entire crew's confidence soared—they acted like victories had already been clinched.
But as they neared, Blackbeard noticed the chains and gates of Impel Down were wide open. Moored in the docks were several ships he recognized: Empress Boa Hancock's Kuja (Serpent…) and two others—likely faction ships from Whitebeard's allied pirates, though no flags revealed their captains.
"Why are they here?" he wondered.
The crews aboard these ships watched Blackbeard's raft with no surprise. Why did they seem to expect his arrival?
Blackbeard felt a chill: "Has soone already beaten to it?"
He hesitated—if soone else had already seized Impel Down and gathered strength inside, entering now might spark a deadly confrontation. And they might already have recruited powerful allies from among the inmates—Boa Hancock's influence could have swayed many.
Then, realization hit him: Why did I dismiss the idea that Boa Hancock might lead this?
A wave of dread surged through him—Blackbeard trusted his instincts, and this felt very wrong.
He barked, "Turn back! Retreat!"
His eager crew hesitated. So almost rushed forward, but then stopped, awaiting further orders.
Before he could repeat himself, loud commotion erupted from the entrance hall on level one. Several powerful auras burst out!
Blackbeard's eyes narrowed—he recognized them imdiately: Crocodile, Daz Bonez, Don Krieg, Galdino, and Buggy! A lineup of notorious pirates, including a forr Warlord.
It was clear—Impel Down had been completely overtaken.
Yet, if Crocodile remained uncaptured, perhaps the occupier hadn't fully secured the prison. There might still be a chance to recruit so of the inmates—Crocodile wouldn't have been left behind if things were under control.
Blackbeard's ambition and greed flared. "Follow ! Let's crash this and seize our own foothold!"
He leapt off the raft, brushed past the group of five, and charged toward the hall.
---
Roya stood before a specially reinforced cell, unmoved as he stared at the prisoner inside—a mountain of flesh and bone.
He towered at least 100 ters tall yet was confined in a cell under 20 ters long. He could only curl up, and even then, he filled the cell entirely.
Using Observation Haki—I can see him clearly now—Roya thought.
Jinbe broke the silence: "That's the giant ship-shaper, San Juan Wolf. He's been falsely imprisoned, seen as a threat for his size. He's been locked away for who-knows-how-long."
Roya nodded. Gently placing a hand on the giant's tangled hair, he said, "Let's bring you down to ten ters."
Pure energy flowed from Roya into the giant—condensing his massive form into a precise container of energy. In an instant, the 180-ter colossus shrank to exactly ten ters tall.
Jinbe gasped, nearly biting his own fangs. He sensed the man's body had been transford into pure, refined energy—the hallmark of fully awakened Devil Fruit strength. It clicked with the Haki fluctuations from the earlier battle.
"Roya-dono—you can manifest others' fruit powers purely by WILL?" Jinbe whispered in awe.
Roya rely smiled: "Devil Fruit or Haki—it's all energy at its core."
Jinbe and Boa Hancock fell silent, deep in thought.
anwhile, San Juan had already snapped his prison bars and stepped out. He blinked and said, "Thank you for freeing , kind sir! Can I have sothing to eat? It's been years since I've eaten… Also, why do you guys feel so much bigger?"
Roya laughed and led them toward the lift. Soon, they all rose to level one—right as Blackbeard barreled forward, wild-eyed and breathless.
"Roya! It's you!" he snarled, as a column of black smoke rose behind him—his awakened Devil Fruit aura.
Blackbeard scanned Roya's group, then jeered, "What, Second-in-Command now going rogue?" He turned and flashed coded signals at his crew.
PS: Access advance (70 ) chapters at
spatreon/c/NanamiTL
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