Just as Luffy and Buggy were leading a group of helpers in a prison break,
the Blackbeard Pirates happened to run into them halfway.
"Zehahahaha… Didn't expect to meet you here, Straw Hat kid."
Grinning arrogantly, Blackbeard made no effort to hide that he was the one who captured Ace.
"The one we were supposed to capture was you, Straw Hat kid. Can't believe you managed to survive under an Admiral's hands."
Luffy was furious and immediately shifted into Second Gear.
Watching Teach roll on the ground in pain again, Hades felt embarrassed to even look at him.
This Blackbeard—
Every time he gets beaten up first before turning the tables. He doesn't have the bearing of a strong man at all.
Blackbeard naturally counterattacked afterward. With one Dark Water, he nullified the Gum-Gum Fruit's ability and instantly pulled Luffy in, slamming him into the ground with a heavy punch.
What followed was the usual Devil Fruit ability explanation.
To be honest, it feels like in the world of One Piece, no one hides their Devil Fruit abilities.
They just start with, "I ate the XX Fruit and I'm an XX Human," like they're showing off their powers.
Except for the truly strong ones, most of the time this just lets the enemy find weaknesses.
But he never did that.
He never once said, "I'm the Warp-Warp Fruit Warp Human."
Luffy was then stopped by Jinbe, who told him this was not the time to fight.
Crocodile glanced at Blackbeard with a scornful look.
"So you're the pirate who replaced me as a Shichibukai?"
"Orin's eye for people has gotten worse and worse ever since he took a liking to Doflamingo… Only that guy with the axe looks like a true powerhouse. Hey! Want to join me!!!"
Blackbeard didn't expect Crocodile to have such sharp eyes—and to try to steal his subordinate right in public.
"Zehahahaha, Crocodile, Hades is my vice-captain. Are you trying to start a war with us?!!!"
"..."
They confronted each other for a moment before Crocodile left.
She had far more important matters to deal with.
And the Blackbeard group had no time to waste on two Shichibukai either.
They were here to find their comrades.
They simply didn't expect to run into Magellan after taking just a few steps.
The poison dragon that would have taken the entire Blackbeard crew down in an instant was blocked midair by a telekinesis barrier.
"Wehahahaha! Reliable as always, Vice-Captain!!!"
Seeing the unharmed Blackbeard crew, a dangerous glint flashed in Magellan's eyes.
"A Devil Fruit user… and one with strong Haki as well…"
With Hades' power plus the protection of the Darkness Fruit, the Blackbeard crew fully escaped Magellan's pursuit.
Seeing he couldn't catch up for now, Magellan decided to go deal with Luffy's group, who were about to escape successfully.
…
"Great, we're out!!!"
Everyone cheered. Buggy excitedly burst into pieces, waving his limbs around.
"Now tell me—who led you all out of Impel Down, my boys!!!"
"It was you, Captain Buggy!!!" ×n
"Don't celebrate too early, everyone!!!"
At this moment, Jinbe spoke with a serious expression.
"To truly escape Impel Down, we must pass the Gate of Justice. Otherwise, being captured again is only a matter of time."
Staring at the enormous Gate of Justice before them, despair filled everyone's hearts.
This was an unbreakable barrier even cannon fire couldn't hope to breach!!!
And then!!!
"Gagagagaga—"
"The Gate of Justice has opened!!!"
The henchmen folded their arms, tears streaming down their faces.
"This must be Captain Buggy's doing!!!"
"Y-Yes!!! Everything is going exactly as planned!!!"
Just then, a Den Den Mushi call came in—from the Gate of Justice control room.
A few minutes earlier—
"Guard the Gate of Justice control room at all costs! We absolutely cannot let those pirates escape!!!"
The control personnel were tense and alert.
But then footsteps slowly approached the doorway. Someone turned around—and froze completely.
"Y-You are…"
"Open the Gate of Justice."
"But… even if it's you…"
The Impel Down control officers looked at the towering man before them and couldn't say the word "refuse" no matter what.
"This is an order. I have my reasons. Are you going to defy the will of the World Government?!!"
"No!!!"
After the Gate of Justice was opened, Magellan stormed inside in a rage—but froze instantly when he saw the figure.
"Or… Orin-sama!!!"
Standing before them was the world-famous high-ranking figure of the World Government—Orin.
"I am the one who ordered the Gate of Justice opened. Do you have a problem with that, Director Magellan?"
"Orin" turned slowly, his cold gaze locking onto Magellan.
Magellan broke into a sweat, but still forced himself to speak.
"According to intel, you should currently be at Marineford headquarters… Why are you here at Impel Down?"
"Hm??? Really?!!!"
When "Orin" heard that, he showed visible surprise—Magellan immediately knew something was wrong.
"Who are you?!!!"
"Straw Hat-chan, you must save your brother!!!"
"Go for it!!! Charge forward!!!"
Meanwhile, on the warship that had just passed through the Gate of Justice—
Everyone was crying their eyes out.
Frowning while still smiling—Bentham was a true man!!!
"Bentham-chan… thank you!!!"
…
"What a spectacular event this is~"
Lying on the grand bed in the most luxurious room of the warship, Orin's gaze was strange, as if something had caught his interest.
This made Hancock—who was straddling him and busy—tilt her head curiously.
"Orin-sama, what happened?"
Orin said nothing, simply holding Hancock's slender waist.
"Nothing."
They were probably about to dock soon.
After all, in half a day, the execution would begin.
"What a magnificent banquet this will be~"
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The entire place was now fully mobilized for war. At least when Orin stepped off the warship, his Observation Haki was filled to the brim with Marines.
After being a pirate for so many years, he had never seen this many Marines in his life.
"Orin-sama!!!"
Hancock followed behind his towering figure, ignoring all the Marine gazes—her eyes only on him.
Orin also saw many familiar faces.
"Oh? Isn't this Namira? Long time no see."
The last time they dealt with each other was when Orin first invaded Marineford and nearly destroyed half of it.
"..."
Seeing the former enemy she once crossed swords with, Namira's heart was complicated, but she could only bow respectfully.
Only Hancock, biting her sleeve at this moment, stared at the beautiful Marine woman greeting Orin.
Who was that woman?