Chapter 51: The Weight of a Reputation
"What did you just say?!" The arrogant CP0 agent's voice dropped to a sub-zero hiss. Even through the blank mask, the shift in demeanor was palpable. He was unaccustomed to being spoken to in such a manner. In his experience, even Marine Admirals treated CP0 with a measure of wary deference, acknowledging the authority of the Celestial Dragons they represented. This upstart was breaking protocol.
"I believe your auditory functions are intact," Levi replied, his tone not raising in volume but gaining an edge of impatience. "I am proceeding inside. Do you intend to physically impede me?"
If the agent had been politely professional, like his partner, Levi would have waited. A minor delay was irrelevant. But this posturing, this assumption of god-given authority, was an irritant. Levi didn't do hierarchy well, especially when it was wielded by lesser beings.
"How dare you!" the agent spat, his hand twitching towards the concealed weapon at his hip.
"Can you stop me?" Levi asked, a simple, deadly question.
He didn't unleash a wave. He simply focused.
A pinpoint torrent of Reiatsu, invisible and dense as a neutron star fragment, slammed directly onto the arrogant agent's shoulders.
THUD.
The man's knees hit the stone floor with a sharp crack, the impact echoing in the corridor. He grunted, the wind knocked out of him, his body forced into a position of abject submission.
"Admiral Black Crow!" the other, more diplomatic agent interjected, his voice tight with alarm. "We are here under the direct auspices of the Five Elders!"
"I am aware," Levi said, his gaze still on the kneeling man. "Which is why he is still breathing, correct?"
The kneeling CP0 agent trembled, not from pain, but from incandescent rage and humiliation. "You… you damn Marine! We wield divine authority! You will answer for this insult!"
Levi ignored him, taking a step forward.
Before the scene could escalate further, the atmosphere of Level 6 itself changed. The CP0 commander's interrogation of Rayleigh had stirred the hornet's nest.
From the cells, a chorus of raw, venomous hatred erupted, directed not at Levi, but at the white-suited agents.
"GET OUT, YOU WORLD GOVERNMENT DOGS! RAYLEIGH, DON'T YOU DARE TELL THEM ANYTHING!"
"CP0 SCUM! COME INTERROGATE ME! I'LL BITE YOUR THROAT OUT!"
"BASTARDS! YOU TOOK MY CREW HOSTAGE! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!"
A pulse of furious Conqueror's Haki, weak from malnutrition but sharp with hate, washed over the area, making the CP0 agents flinch.
"Planted spies on my ship… turned my first mate… had my woman stab me in my sleep… YOU CP0 FILTH, WE HAVE A DEBT! COME CLOSER!"
The curses grew more graphic, more personal. These weren't just pirates; they were men and women whose lives, crews, and loves had been systematically destroyed by the clandestine knives of Cipher Pol. CP0 was the embodiment of that betrayal.
The two agents at the entrance instinctively edged away from the cell bars, their superior demeanors cracking under the barrage of psychic venom. They were used to fear and obedience, not this collective, fearless loathing.
The kneeling agent, still pinned, used the distraction to sneer. "Hah! Even you, Admiral! Do you hear them? They're rabid! They'll turn on anyone!"
He expected Levi to hesitate, to reconsider walking into that maelstrom of hatred.
Levi didn't even break stride. He walked past the kneeling agent and into the main thoroughfare of Level 6.
And then, something remarkable happened.
The roaring cacophony… died.
It didn't fade; it cut off.
One moment, the air was vibrating with decades of bottled rage. The next, an eerie, profound silence descended upon Eternal Hell. The only sounds were Levi's soft footsteps and the ragged breathing of the CP0 agent still struggling to rise.
The arrogant agent's mocking grin, invisible behind his mask, froze. What?
He strained his ears. Instead of curses, he caught the faintest, terrified whispers, drifting from the cells like ghostly sighs.
"Oh hell… the Disaster is back…"
"Who's it gonna be today? Last time, three guys were left as vegetables…"
"Don't pick me, don't pick me… I still haven't figured out how my leg ended up wrapped around my own neck…"
"Experiment freak… I hate these science types the most…"
The whispers were hushed, filled with a dread that was entirely different from the loud, defiant hatred aimed at CP0. This was the fear of a predator that operated on a level they couldn't comprehend or resist.
The two CP0 agents exchanged a look, their body language now one of deep unease. This Admiral hadn't just subdued a riot; he had installed a terror deeper than Magellan's poison or their own political power.
"I… I will inform Commander Kosas!" the diplomatic agent stammered, turning and hurrying down the corridor, abandoning his post in his haste to report this unsettling development.
The arrogant agent finally managed to shove himself to his feet, his earlier bravado replaced by a sullen, bewildered silence. The madmen who feared nothing… feared him.
Levi paid them no further mind. He walked calmly towards the center of the level, where a well-dressed, unmasked man with delicate features stood before Silvers Rayleigh's cell. This was Kosas, the CP0 commander.
Rayleigh looked worse for wear—pale, gaunt, his spirit visibly drained, though his eyes still held a sharp glint. The "interrogation" had clearly been intensive, if not physically violent.
Kosas turned as Levi approached, a thoughtful, calculating expression on his face. He had heard the sudden silence, had felt the shift in the prison's atmosphere.
"How intriguing," Kosas said, his voice smooth and cultured. "A Marine Admiral who commands more than authority… he commands primal fear. I was hoping we would have a chance to speak, Admiral Black Crow. Your methods are… unique."
Levi stopped a few paces away, his eyes meeting Kosas's, then flicking to the weary Rayleigh. "You wanted to see me. Here I am. Make it quick. You're interrupting my schedule."
The CP0 commander's smile didn't reach his eyes. The balance of power in the room, he realized, had just shifted dramatically. He was no longer the sole apex predator in this pit.
(End of Chapter)
✨If you're enjoying this story, consider supporting me on Patreon —
Patreon.com/TofuChan
💕Patreon members get early access to chapters, bonus content, and voting power on future ideas.💕
Every bit of support helps me write more and faster. Thank you so much for reading! 🥰
Bonus Chapter For Every 100 Power Stones
Lets hit the goal of 200 Patreon Members now for 5 Extra Chapters 💕
We are at 156 members 🎉
There is a limited discount going on Patreon now 3 days left 😊