Three days passed in a flash.
Impel Down, Level 6, Eternal Hell.
Purple streams of venomous mucus dripped to the ground, hissing with corrosive sound.
On the floor lay the corpses of legendary pirates, scattered in all directions.
Their skin had turned an eerie bluish-purple, their bodies swollen, their deaths horrific.
"Venom!"
Magellan stood expressionlessly on the river of poison, pressing his palms against the ground.
From it, a giant of venom rose up, its massive body drowning the remaining prisoners, inflicting upon them an incurable poisoned state.
"Boom—"
Through the poisonous fog, Hawke's figure shot forward. With a precise heavy punch, he smashed directly into the chest of the "World Destroyer" Byrnndi World.
The force of his fist blasted straight through, shattering the pirate's heart and spine in one strike.
[Ding!]
[Host has killed the World Destroyer—Byrnndi World, gaining 50,000 Justice Points.]
[Remaining Justice Points: 944,598.]
"..."
Hawke gazed calmly at the hellscape the prison had become.
Almost there.
With the accelerated slaughter, the number of pirates in Impel Down had drastically dwindled.
In two days, the clean-up would be complete.
"Whoosh—"
A barely perceptible sound cut the air.
Kuma appeared behind Hawke.
Since the harvest had accelerated, Kuma had tirelessly moved across every level of Impel Down, delivering pain and carrying reports.
"Rear Admiral Hawke."
"Captain Zoro and Shiryu have settled their match."
"...?"
"Captain Zoro won."
"Hm."
Hawke nodded.
Zoro's victory was expected.
After all, Shiryu had already been weakened by Magellan's venom, not in his peak condition.
Hawke had kept him alive only to serve as a whetstone for Zoro, the sharp blade.
"The details?"
"..."
Kuma recounted everything he had seen.
Half an hour ago.
Level 5, Freezing Hell.
The biting cold wind carried shards of ice, howling past.
Zoro stood bare-chested, his muscular body chiseled like iron, every breath releasing thick clouds of white mist.
His eyes glowed red, like blood.
For days he had immersed himself in the feast of slaughter.
The overwhelming stench of blood within Impel Down hadn't made him sick—instead, it had awakened something deep inside him.
"Huuh—"
Zoro inhaled deeply, the air thick with cold and blood filling his lungs, sending a thrill like never before.
Across from him, Shiryu of the Rain leaned on his sword, panting heavily, eyes coldly fixed on the young swordsman.
"Kid, both your eyes and swordsmanship are good."
"But just eyes won't kill anyone."
"Your sword is still too clean."
"..."
Zoro gave no reply.
He slowly closed his eyes.
Yes. His sword wasn't fierce enough. Not ruthless enough.
If not fierce, if not ruthless—how could he protect someone?
How could he become the world's greatest swordsman?
Then...
"Glare—!"
His eyes snapped open, a bloodthirsty aura, far more terrifying than before, erupted from within!
He raised Wado Ichimonji across his chest, its blade flashing a demonic red in the dim light.
"To swallow all sin and feel no regret..."
He muttered hoarsely, his voice mad and ghostly, as if from the deepest hell.
"This is the Path of the Rakshasa!!!"
The moment the words fell, Zoro vanished.
"!!!"
Shiryu's pupils shrank. He barely saw a blood-red afterimage, carrying murderous intent, ripping apart all his defenses in an instant!
So fast, so ruthless!
"Splurt—!"
One strike.
Just one strike.
A massive burst of blood exploded from Shiryu's chest, his body flung backward, slamming into the distant ice wall.
"Whoosh—"
Zoro reappeared in his original spot, blade still mid-swing.
On Wado Ichimonji's edge, a single drop of blood slid down, falling onto the ice where it froze instantly into a scarlet flower.
He had won.
"Huff—"
Not far away, Sanji silently drew on his cigarette, watching everything.
That lingering, chilling aura around Zoro shook him deeply.
That strike—if it had been aimed at him...
No. He needed to consult Hawke. Otherwise...
He'd be left completely in the dust by that moss-head!
...
"Not bad."
After hearing Kuma's report, Hawke nodded in satisfaction.
Without the cursed sword Kitetsu, Zoro had still, through sheer talent, in this killing field, awakened another kind of aura.
Bloodlust... interesting.
Hawke turned to Kuma.
"Thank you for the hard work, Kuma."
"It's nothing."
Kuma bowed slightly, then vanished again.
He had to move on to other levels. But remembering the recent call from his old friend Borsalino...
And hearing Bonney's familiar, tearful voice over the Den Den Mushi...
He felt everything he was doing now was worth it.
"..."
Hawke turned his gaze toward the deepest part of Eternal Hell.
There remained only two cells holding pirates.
In one, Bullet sat cross-legged, eyes closed.
He knew this terrifying Marine would not act against him until their promised final battle.
In the shadows of the other cell, a pair of old yet sharp eyes slowly opened.
"So... it's finally my turn?"
"Redfield."
Hawke's voice was calm.
"Your swordsmanship is without doubt the strongest in all of Impel Down. For my swordsmen, you would have been the best whetstone..."
"Unfortunately..."
Unfortunately, the [Justice System] panel already showed over 900,000 Justice Points. Just one last step remained before the one million required to evolve his Conqueror's Haki to Top-Tier.
Most pirates worth over 100 million Belly had already been slaughtered. The bloodbath was nearly over.
Now, he needed Redfield to contribute the last of his worth.
"Ha—"
Redfield chuckled lightly, stepping out of the shadows.
"That green-haired kid... indeed, a fine talent."
But his eyes fixed on Hawke, appraising.
"Yet what surprises me more... is you, Marine brat."
"In my era of ruling the seas, the only Marine worthy of my eyes was that old bastard Garp."
"Never thought, as I rot away here, I'd encounter a monster like you."
"I suppose... with you down below, I won't be too lonely."
"My old friends will surely come to join me soon."
"Clack—"
The cell door slowly opened.
Hawke looked at the living legend before him.
"That's right."
"Every single one of your old pirate friends... not a single one will be missing!"
"BOOM—!"
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