75: Assault on Impel Down (Part 1)
[Jotaro Kujo]: This is such a hassle…
[Tony Stark]: Alright, now there's only… Oh? Zhang Sanfeng joined too? That means, from now on, this group will officially use Dimensional Currency!
[Esdeath]: @Tony Stark, I need these weapons. When can they be delivered?
Esdeath uploaded a shopping list.
[Tony Stark]: Whoa, this is a big order! Please hold on, Stark Industries will complete the delivery within three business days!
[Kobayashi]: Huh? Esdeath-san, are you going to war too? That's a lot of weapons…
[Ai Haibara]: What a terrifying woman…
[Orochimaru]: You could consider hiring Manda for battle. Its destructive power is quite impressive, and the required sacrifices aren't too excessive.
[Esdeath]: A snake? The temperature near the Northern Fortress is extremely low, with constant snowfall. Normal snakes would freeze into ice blocks in no time.
[Orochimaru]: Heh, Manda isn't an ordinary snake. You should give it a try. Summoning it costs only 100 Dimensional Coins, and if you can't provide a sacrifice, an additional 200 will do.
[Esdeath]: I'll think about it later. But if it's too weak and dies in battle or freezes to death, that's not my problem.
[Orochimaru]: That's fine.
[Esdeath]: I hope this Manda of yours won't disappoint me.
[Kobayashi]: Kizaru-san is heading into the Marineford War, Esdeath-san is fighting against the northern tribes, and Grandpa Zhang Sanfeng is protecting his disciple. Why is everyone suddenly going to war? It feels like your worlds are all so dangerous…
[Fubuki]: That's normal. Even I have to fight monsters regularly. A peaceful world like yours and Ai-chan's is actually extremely rare.
[Ai Haibara]: Objection. Even in my world, all sorts of criminals appear frequently.
[Passerby Wanting to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh]: Hahaha! Sharp-tongued girl, you finally admit it! The Detective Conan world is insanely dangerous! Especially Conan—he's basically the Grim Reaper reincarnated!
[Ai Haibara]: Heh, you idiot dog.
[Passerby Wanting to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh]: Sharp-tongued girl!
[Ai Haibara]: Idiot dog!
…
Seeing Ai Haibara and Passerby arguing, Kizaru didn't step in to stop them. Instead, he added fuel to the fire.
If they weren't communicating through the chat group, those two might have already started throwing punches.
Meanwhile, as Kizaru sailed back to Marineford on a battleship…
Sabo and Luffy, who had infiltrated Impel Down, successfully made it to the first level above the sea.
Interestingly… the massive fortress standing on the ocean's surface was only a small part of Impel Down.
Like the tip of an iceberg, the real Deep-Sea Prison lay beneath the waves, with six levels hidden underwater.
"Whoo-hoo! I finally got my strength back! Ace—"
Wearing a Marine uniform, Luffy excitedly raised his hand. But before he could shout Ace's name, Sabo clamped a hand over his mouth.
"You idiot! Don't expose our identities so soon!"
Sabo was exasperated. In most other places—even a Marine branch—he and Luffy could simply storm their way through.
But among all organizations, the Revolutionary Army knew more about Impel Down than anyone except the World Government and the Marines.
Long before Golden Lion Shiki was imprisoned here, the Revolutionary Army's Western Commander, Morley, had already escaped from this so-called world's strongest prison.
Not only that, Morley had carved out an extra Level 5.5 between Level 5 and Level 6—a hidden space that later became Ivankov's Newkama Land.
Over the years, as the Revolutionary Army infiltrated further, Impel Down had practically turned into a recruitment ground for them. Many prisoners sent here by the World Government or Marines had ultimately joined the Revolutionaries.
That's exactly why Sabo understood just how heavily guarded this place was.
Even if he and Luffy worked together, breaking through the layers of security to reach Eternal Hell—where Ace was likely being held—would be incredibly difficult.
"I want Ace to know we're here to save him! If Ace sees that you're alive, Sabo, he'll definitely be happy!"
Luffy spoke impatiently.
That's just how he was—no matter how dangerous Sabo said Impel Down was, he wouldn't care.
The Monkey family was like that.
Their grandfather Garp, even as an ordinary Marine, had dared to team up with Roger to challenge the Pirate King of that era, Rocks.
Their father, Dragon, was even crazier—directly declaring war on the World Government itself. Compared to them, Luffy was actually mild.
"We're here to rescue him. At the very least, we can't get discovered before we find Ace. If they realize our target is him, they might move him before we even get there."
Sabo explained seriously. These were hard-earned lessons from countless Revolutionary Army rescues.
"I get it. So we can't make any noise, and we can't let the Marines see us."
Luffy nodded, unusually obedient in front of Sabo. He was still simple-minded, but for Ace's sake, he was doing his best to restrain himself.
…Of course, trying didn't always mean succeeding.
"That's right. We have to sneak in and—"
Sabo gave a satisfied smile—only to be cut off by a sudden, violent tremor beneath their feet.
The entire Impel Down prison shook violently.
Moments later, the sound of cannon fire erupted from the ocean's surface.
Boom!
The Impenetrable Walls of Impel Down Are Breached!
A massive explosion tore through the fortress-like walls of Impel Down, leaving a gaping hole.
A colossal ship, one that Sabo instantly recognized, charged through the opening.
"Mr. Dragon?!"
Sabo was completely stunned. Before he could react, a series of familiar figures emerged on the deck of the ship, leaving him utterly speechless.
East Army Commander Belo Betty, West Army Commander Morley, South Army Commander Lindbergh, and North Army Commander Karasu!
The entire leadership of the Revolutionary Army had arrived.
If the World Government and the Marines managed to eliminate this group, the Revolutionary Army would cease to exist.
"Don't just stand there. Weren't you here to rescue Fire Fist Ace?"
Belo Betty leaped off the ship, carrying her flag, while Revolutionary Army soldiers poured out behind her, launching a direct assault on the prison.
"Betty, what are you guys doing here?"
Luffy, grinning as always, greeted Belo Betty as if her presence was nothing unusual.
"Obviously, we have comrades to rescue too."
Belo Betty adjusted her hat and smiled at Luffy.
Thanks to Dragon, Luffy had an almost maxed-out favorability rating among Revolutionary Army members.
---
"Charge!"
"Break through!"
"Long live the Revolutionary Army!"
---
Under the command of their leaders, the Revolutionary Army soldiers easily overran the Navy and jailer defenses, storming into the first underground level of the prison.
Meanwhile, deep in Level 5.5 of Newkama Land, the Okama King, Ivankov, and his deputy, Inazuma, had led their forces into Level 5—the Freezing Hell.
They had already slain the Demon Wolves and freed the prisoners locked in that frigid wasteland.
"If you want freedom, charge with us! Crush those damn jailers and escape from this deep-sea prison!"
Ivankov's booming voice echoed through the icy halls.
At first glance, these prisoners seemed harmless. But to be imprisoned in Level 5 meant they were all dangerous pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million berries.
The mere mention of freedom made their breaths quicken—an incredibly dangerous thing in the Freezing Hell, where even a slight waste of body heat could lead to death.
Not to mention, the relentless Demon Wolves were always lurking, ready to tear apart anyone too weak to resist.
Still, not all prisoners were eager to follow Ivankov. Many hoped to let others take the risks while they waited for a better chance to escape.
"You better think carefully. This is your one and only chance to break out of Impel Down. If we fail, do you really think the jailers will believe you weren't trying to escape?"
Inazuma, still in his female form, spoke calmly.
The opportunistic prisoners tensed up.
No one knew better than they did how heavily guarded Impel Down was.
If they didn't escape in large enough numbers, there was no way they'd overpower the jailers.
Especially with Magellan, the prison warden, still lurking.
That monster was every prisoner's worst nightmare.
---
"We'll go with you!"
"Count me in!"
"I've had enough of this hell! Even if I die, I'm taking some of them with me!"
Realizing their predicament, the prisoners quickly became restless.
Some had been in the Freezing Hell for nearly a decade.
Those who had been here longer were either frozen to death or torn apart by Wolves.
Everyone had had enough of this endless nightmare.
Ivankov ordered his followers to distribute food and fuel, helping the prisoners regain as much strength as possible.
Even pirates with bounties over 100 million couldn't avoid growing weaker in this brutal environment.
If they wanted them to fight effectively, they needed to recover first.
Luckily, the Freezing Hell was the only level without surveillance Den Den Mushi—it was simply too cold for them to survive.
That meant that, for now, the jailers were unaware of what was happening.
"Lord Ivankov, the explosives are ready!"
An okama wearing goggles waved excitedly. Ever since they built these bombs, they had been waiting for the perfect moment to set them off.
"Excellent! Detonate them!"
Ivankov flashed a huge grin and gave a thumbs-up.
Although Newkama Land had secret tunnels leading to other levels, the Revolutionary Army's goal was to recruit as many prisoners as possible.
They needed their combat power.
At the same time, they wanted to keep the truly dangerous criminals under control, preventing them from escaping and wreaking havoc on innocent civilians.
Because of that, Ivankov couldn't just take the tunnels.
They had to fight their way up, level by level.
Fortunately, he had already sent out a signal.
As soon as they moved, the Revolutionary Army outside would launch a coordinated attack on Impel Down, creating an opportunity to break out.
"Okay! Get ready, World Government! This bomb is the very embodiment of freedom!"
The goggle-wearing okama slammed the detonator.
In the next moment—
BOOM!
A violent explosion rocked the entire prison.
A massive tunnel was blasted open between Level 5 (Freezing Hell) and Level 4 (Blazing Hell).
"Go!"
Okamas carrying ropes quickly scaled through the new passage into Level 4 and began tossing ropes down to speed up the prisoners' escape.
As the explosion echoed through the prison, the deafening sound of sirens filled the air.
The jailers, still clueless about what was happening, panicked.
By the time they realized something was wrong with Level 4, the prisoners from Level 5 had already flooded in.
"Shit! Get Warden Magellan on the line!"
"We already did! He's not answering!"
"We're screwed! Magellan's probably suffering from another diarrhea attack!"
The prison guards in the surveillance room were in complete disarray.
They desperately tried to contact their superiors, only to discover that all communication lines had been cut.
By the time someone thought to deliver the message in person, the first underground level of Impel Down was already on the verge of collapse.
"You guys… stop getting in my way! I'm here to save Ace!"
Luffy charged at the front, knocking down Marines and jailers alike with ease.
Even the fearsome Beast Guard Brugeri, a creature that struck terror into the hearts of prisoners, couldn't stop him.
Not when Sabo was right behind him.
If Luffy couldn't defeat an opponent fast enough, Sabo stepped in immediately and took them down.
"Dragon Claw Fist!"
With a single strike, Sabo crushed Brugeri's massive axe.
Then, with one swift kick, he sent the beast flying.
"Sabo, you're amazing!"
Luffy was thrilled.
While he had to give it his all to defeat the monstrous jailers, Sabo dispatched them effortlessly.
Luffy couldn't help but feel envious.
If only I were as strong as Sabo… I could rescue Ace even faster!
"Don't worry. It won't take long before you're as strong as me—or even stronger, Luffy!"
Sabo smiled confidently.
He knew better than anyone how much potential Luffy and Ace possessed.
°°°
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