79: Assault on Impel Down (Part 3)

"And then, because Maynard got drunk and started acting crazy, we all got kicked out by Instructor Zephyr..."

Vice Admiral Comir, despite being bald, had an oddly thick patch of hair at the back of his head. He spoke in an exasperated tone, holding a cup of coffee milk. Due to personal reasons, he never drank alcohol.

"You can't blame me entirely! It was Bastille's terrible singing that woke up Instructor Zephyr!"

Maynard protested, though he didn't deny he had some responsibility.

"Hmph!"

Bastille, wearing his perforated bull-horned mask, let out a grunt. Even at a party, he showed no intention of removing his mask.

"Alright, alright, let's not argue. It's rare to have time to relax together—how about we hit the hot springs after dinner?"

Kizaru scratched his head, playing the peacemaker.

One reason he never officially expanded the "Slacker Faction" was that he preferred staying under the radar. The other was that managing relationships was a hassle.

Even with just a few members, they were always bickering. He had no idea how Sakazuki and Kuzan managed to keep their Hawk and Dove factions so united.

"Ah, now that you mention it, I haven't soaked in a hot spring in years... Been too busy chasing pirates."

Dalmatian stretched. Aside from Bastille, most members of the Slacker Faction were the type to clock in, follow orders, and do their jobs.

Ironically, this meant they were assigned even more tasks. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing—after all, people like Kizaru, who tried to slack off even during work hours, were the minority. The more missions they completed, the more achievements they could earn.

"Wasn't Garp supposed to join us? I was hoping to get his autograph... for my subordinates, of course!"

Maynard, being the youngest Vice Admiral present, had a closer relationship with his subordinates compared to the others.

"He's probably not in the best mood. Here, have a drink."

Kizaru knew exactly why Garp was upset—Ace's execution was weighing on him. The old Marine hero truly saw Ace as his grandson.

Though, if Roger were still alive and found out Garp was "stealing" his son, he might just explode in rage.

"Hiccup... Marine food is so good..."

Gertz, holding a giant skewer of roasted meat, took a bite and pulled—instantly devouring what had taken a chef half an hour to prepare.

"Of course! If you want to eat like this all the time, join the Marines! Come on, Boss, let's drink!"

Vivian raised her massive cup, made specifically for giants, and slammed it down in front of Kizaru with a loud thud.

Looking at the enormous cup—big enough to be used as a bathtub, maybe even big enough for Gion and Hancock to soak in together—Kizaru rolled his eyes.

He wasn't like Garp, who could eat and drink like a giant. But before he could refuse, Sengoku's adjutant suddenly burst into the room.

"Admiral Kizaru! Impel Down has been attacked by the Revolutionary Army! Chief Warden Magellan is severely injured and unconscious, and an estimated 60% of the prisoners have escaped from the underwater prison!"

The adjutant still had a look of panic on his face. For the Marines, this was nothing short of a nightmare.

Not only did it mean that ten years' worth of effort had been nearly wiped out, but even worse—countless criminals with deep hatred for the Marines were now on the loose. No one could predict the chaos they would unleash.

The only small silver lining was that, at least for the next year, the Marines wouldn't have to worry about their budget. No matter how wary the World Government was of the Navy, they wouldn't dare cut funding in the face of thousands of escaped convicts.

With such a major crisis unfolding, the Slacker Faction's gathering had to end immediately.

---

A few hours earlier, the furious Chief Warden Magellan charged into Level 3 of Impel Down, the "Starvation Hell," his entire body emitting thick, poisonous smoke.

Staring at the floor littered with dead prison guards, the normally strict and stoic Magellan was consumed by an unprecedented rage.

"I will make sure you all die here! Venom Abyss!"

A massive cloud of deadly poison spread from Magellan, corroding everything in its path. Stone and metal alike dissolved into piles of mush under its toxic assault.

Within mere seconds, the corridors were engulfed in Magellan's poisonous mist, which surged toward the Revolutionary Army and the escaping prisoners like a tidal wave.

Faced with the endless poison, even Ivankov had no choice but to retreat while dragging Luffy by the collar, terrified of making the slightest contact with the toxic gas.

"Why are we running—"

Before Luffy could finish his sentence, he saw a prisoner who had lagged behind due to an injured leg get swallowed by the poison.

In an instant, the man's prison uniform and flesh melted away completely. Only a pile of bones remained, which crumbled to dust the moment they hit the ground. Even his skeleton had been corroded beyond recognition.

Luffy gulped. He wasn't afraid of dying, but this kind of death—being melted away into nothing—was downright terrifying.

"You're not getting away! Venom Demon: Hell's Judgment!"

Behind Magellan, a towering crimson skeletal giant, made entirely of venom, took shape. This was his ultimate poison—anything it touched would be infected and gradually dissolve into nothingness. Any person struck by it would suffer a slow, inescapable death.

The venomous giant reached out with a massive hand toward Ivankov and Luffy. Ivankov immediately tried to flee with Luffy in tow, only to realize—

"I can't move?! Damn it—when did this happen?! Straw Hat Boy, run!"

Unbeknownst to Ivankov, Magellan had been releasing a weaker, colorless, odorless toxin the entire time. Ivankov had inhaled just enough for paralysis to set in, rendering him unable to move.

Though Ivankov could cure himself, there was no time—Magellan's poisonous grip was closing in fast.

"Dragon Claw Fist: Dragon's Breath!"

Just as Ivankov and Luffy were about to be caught by Magellan's Venom Demon, a cloaked figure arrived just in time. Dragon, with fingers curled like claws, gathered a raging storm in his palm and struck directly.

The storm took the shape of a dragon's claw, smashing apart the Venom Demon's hand, while the resulting wind pressure forced the surrounding poison cloud back.

"Fufufu! Saved, saved! That scared me to death, Dragon!"

Ivankov patted his chest in relief. He wasn't particularly afraid of dying himself, but he couldn't afford to let Dragon's son die here.

Besides, the dawn of the Revolutionary Army was right before them. If he were to die now, he'd never be able to rest in peace.

"The world's most dangerous criminal... Revolutionary Dragon! So this was all the work of the Revolutionary Army!"

Magellan, furious, exhaled lethal poison with every word. Even without attacking, anyone who stepped within five meters of him would be instantly killed by the toxic fumes.

"The World Government upholds its corrupt rule by imprisoning anyone who might threaten their power, even innocent civilians. Even if the Revolutionary Army didn't stand up against them, someone else eventually would!"

Compared to the towering Magellan and his colossal Venom Demon, Dragon seemed small. But at that moment, to the onlookers, his presence loomed even larger than Magellan's.

"Ridiculous! Are you saying these pirates are innocent civilians?!"

Magellan shouted in fury, spitting venomous droplets onto the stone floor, which immediately corroded into large pits.

"Whether they are innocent or not is something we will determine later. If you're willing to step aside, I can guarantee the safety of you and your men."

As Dragon spoke, he raised a hand. Almost immediately, Revolutionary Army soldiers appeared, escorting captured Impel Down guards, including Deputy Warden Hannyabal.

With the prison guards trapped between the Revolutionary Army and the escaping prisoners, all of them had become hostages.

Magellan, burning with rage, felt as if a bucket of cold water had just been dumped on him. He wanted to fight to the death but hesitated, knowing his subordinates were at risk.

Seeing this, Dragon let out a subtle sigh of relief. Magellan's strength, while not yet at the level of the strongest fighters in the world, was still formidable. If they were forced into a battle, even Dragon wasn't certain of victory.

After all, Impel Down's closed environment was practically built for Magellan's abilities. Even if Dragon won, it would be a pyrrhic victory.

"What the hell are you thinking, Magellan?! You're the Chief Warden of Impel Down! If these damned pirates escape, do you know how many innocent civilians will suffer?! Why are you hesitating?!"

Despite being severely injured, Hannyabal suddenly lifted his head, screaming with all his remaining strength. His face was battered and swollen, his eyes barely able to open, but his voice rang loud and clear.

"Damn!"

Belo Betty, sensing trouble, delivered a swift chop to the back of Hannyabal's neck, knocking him unconscious.

But it was too late. Hannyabal's words had struck a nerve.

With bloodshot eyes, Magellan's body surged with a fresh wave of venom. His Venom Demon grew even larger before charging toward the biggest cluster of escaping prisoners.

The battle reignited!

"Venom Hell!"

Magellan, who usually restrained his own poison to avoid unnecessary casualties, unleashed everything at once. A tidal wave of toxic mist erupted in all directions.

Though this kind of widespread attack wouldn't be much of a threat to powerful enemies like Dragon, there were very few people in Impel Down capable of surviving it.

"Everyone, get out! Dragon Claw Fist: Tornado!"

Dragon crossed his arms before him, then forcefully swung them apart, unleashing a rapidly expanding tornado. In an instant, it sucked in the vast poison cloud.

Seeing this, Magellan only sneered and continued spewing venom. The tornado, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of poison, rapidly turned a deep crimson, then darkened into a congealed, blood-like red.

Dragon's expression changed. The tornado had managed to contain the poison, but the toxic mist hadn't disappeared.

If they were in an open area, he could have dispersed the poison with the wind. But in a closed space like Impel Down, doing so would only spread the toxin, making things even worse.

"Dragon! Over here!"

Western Army Commander Morley plunged his giant fork into the ground, shifting the very floor beneath them like flowing water.

The once-flat floor quickly rose into waves. Ivankov's right-hand man, Inazuma, transformed his hands into massive scissors and, with a swift snip, cut the ground itself. The detached section of floor lifted into the air like a thick carpet.

"Fufufu! Newkama Kenpo: Dream Strike!"

Ivankov leaped high into the air and unleashed a flurry of high-speed hand chops, adjusting the cut-out floor section to the perfect angle before letting it fall back down—forming a massive, open-mouthed bag.

"Dragon Claw Fist: Dragon King's Breath!"

Dragon timed his attack perfectly, using the windstorm to push the tornado and all the poison directly into the makeshift pouch.

"Amazing!"

Luffy's eyes sparkled in awe. Their teamwork was incredible—without needing to exchange a single word, everyone instinctively knew what to do.

He couldn't wait to try something like this with his own crew. Next time, he'd test out their synergy with Zoro and Sanji!

"Dragon! Marines have entered Level 1!"

At that moment, Koala rushed in with an urgent report. The Revolutionary Army's forces were limited, and they had left too few men on the lower floors. If the Marines blocked their escape route, the situation would become dire.

"Luffy! Come with me!"

Sabo called out to Luffy. In this battle, Luffy wasn't strong enough to be of help to Dragon. Plus, he lacked the deep camaraderie and experience the Revolutionary commanders had in working together. If he stayed, he'd only slow them down.

"Okay!"

Luffy still wanted to save Ace first, but when he heard Sabo's command, he instinctively followed him.

As Vice Admiral Strawberry led the Marines into Level One of Impel Down, the scene before him made his blood boil.

Most of the prisoners were still locked up, but all the prison guards had been thrown into empty cells. Meanwhile, Revolutionary Army soldiers stood watch over them.

The Revolutionaries planned to take full control of the prison before screening out and freeing those deemed "less evil."

"Eliminate them!"

Strawberry didn't hesitate. Even though his wounds hadn't fully healed, he immediately drew his twin swords, ready to fight.

"Gomu Gomu no Pistol!"

Before he could attack, a rubbery fist stretched toward him at high speed.

Strawberry barely had time to raise his swords in defense. The impact sent him stumbling several steps backward.

"Vice Admiral Strawberry, huh? Koala's told me quite a bit about you!"

Sabo smirked as he stepped forward. Seeing Strawberry was a relief—he had been worried an admiral might show up. Any one of them would have been a massive problem.

"You're... Revolutionary Army Chief of Staff Sabo. Bounty: 602 million berries! The second-most dangerous man after Dragon!"

Strawberry's expression turned grim. This situation couldn't get any worse.

The Revolutionary Army was attacking Impel Down. And if Sabo was here, then there was a very real chance Dragon was here too.

°°°

If you want to read ahead and access 20 advanced chapters, check the patreon

Link: Patreon/Moziel