The air in the sixth level of Impel Down was thick and foul—damp stone, rusted iron, and the coppery stench of dried blood.
Past the heavy iron gates lay the worst monsters the world had ever birthed.
Shiro had been here once before, when he came to visit Roger.
He knew the layout of Infinite Hell like the back of his hand.
Avoiding patrols was easy.
And with the Paw-Paw Fruit, he suppressed his presence entirely—sliding through the rows of cells without a sound.
It didn't take long to find Patrick Redfield.
The Red Earl looked nothing like the untouchable menace Shiro had fought out at sea.
Thick seastone chains wrapped around his limbs like constricting serpents.
His arms and legs were pinned outwards, fixed to a massive wooden cross in the center of the cell.
Two gleaming iron hooks had been driven straight through his collarbones, nailed deep into the wood behind him.
Dried, darkened blood stained both chains and prison uniform alike.
Even so—
his aura hadn't fully faded.
And his Observation Haki still swept the room in a constant, silent pulse, sharp as a knife's edge.
The moment Shiro stepped inside—
Redfield's eyes snapped open.
Bloodshot yet razor-sharp, they locked onto him instantly.
His voice was rough, scraped raw, but absolutely certain:
"…You."
"Yeah," Shiro replied, arms folded as he walked toward the cross.
"It's me."
He tilted his head, lips curling in a faint, mocking smile.
"Gotta say, Redfield… for someone who used to terrorize the seas, this is a pretty tragic look.
Chained up, nailed to a cross, can't move a finger.
Definitely more pathetic than your dramatic lone-wolf entrance on my ship."
Redfield's expression darkened at once, anger flaring beneath his pale skin.
"All because of you, brat."
Even speaking made his chest rise and fall painfully, but he didn't seem to care.
"If you hadn't used that cursed fruit power to swat me straight into Marineford, I would never have been caught by that fossil Garp!"
Shiro let out a sharp laugh and stepped closer.
"Oh, give me a break.
You barged onto my ship uninvited, tried to snatch Robin, picked a fight with us—and now you're blaming me?"
He jabbed a thumb at himself.
"You started that mess. Not me."
Despite his sorry state, Redfield let out a breathy, mocking chuckle.
Even cornered, his gaze held that familiar arrogance.
"Spare me your nonsense.
You didn't sneak all the way into Impel Down just for a little banter."
His Observation Haki had already skimmed across Shiro's thoughts.
Shiro's mouth twitched.
"Man, that Haki of yours is seriously busted.
You're reading minds at this point!
If I actually got you on my crew, I'd never have a single secret again.
Just thinking about it gives me a headache."
Redfield's face hardened.
"It is because of this ability that I saw the filth in people's hearts."
His eyes chilled to frozen steel.
"'Companions'? The word is a joke.
I trusted so-called partners once. I was betrayed for it.
Don't waste your breath—I'll never believe in companionship again."
Shiro studied the pain and bitterness burning in his eyes.
His teasing dropped away.
He took a breath, met Redfield's gaze head-on, and spoke clearly:
"Redfield.
Let's make a deal."
One elegant eyebrow lifted.
Shiro continued:
"I'll break your chains.
Heal your wounds.
And take you out of here."
"In exchange…"
He raised one finger.
"You stay with the Virtue Pirates for one month."
Redfield stared.
Shiro went on, voice firm:
"If after a month, you still think all companions betray…
If you think our crew isn't for you…
Then I'll personally put you ashore.
Free and unbound."
"...Huh?"
The Red Earl blinked, genuinely taken aback.
No traps.
No threats.
Just… terms.
Such a thing was unheard of in this hellish place.
Shiro smiled lightly.
"No hidden strings attached.
The choice is yours:
Stay here forever—chained, suffocating, fading away…"
He gestured toward the dark corridor outside the cell.
"…or come with me.
Spend a month with us.
See for yourself what real comradeship looks like."
Silence.
Then—
"I accept."
Redfield didn't even hesitate.
His hunger for freedom burned too fiercely.
And Shiro's audacity stirred a curiosity he hadn't felt in decades.
Shiro nodded once.
Without another word, he drew in his Haki.
Petal-pink Ryuo coated his hands.
He gripped the seastone chains—
and pulled.
CRACK—CRACK—CRACK!
The supposedly unbreakable chains snapped like brittle twigs.
Even the iron hooks nailed through Redfield's collarbones shattered under the force of Shiro's Haki.
Shiro extended his right hand.
A translucent white Paw-shaped aura bloomed in his palm.
He pressed it gently against Redfield's shoulder.
"Hold on tight.
We're leaving."
A flash of white light—
And both vanished.
In the next instant, they appeared on the deck of the Virtue.
Shiro didn't waste a second.
He pushed his hand forward, sending a warm, soothing Paw-Paw glow washing over Redfield's body.
The torn collarbones, deep bruises, and seastone-induced exhaustion all melted under the healing wave.
Warmth flowed through Redfield's limbs.
Strength returned like a tide.
He flexed his fingers slowly.
The faintest hint of joy—carefully hidden—gleamed in the corner of his eyes.
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
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