[101] : The Five Elders

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With Akainu momentarily incapacitated, Arthur didn't hesitate. He vanished in a flash of Lightning, bursting through the Impel Down gates and soaring into the sky.

He looked down at the chaos unfolding below, a surge of pride swelling within him. Redfield had been trapped in Eternal Hell for over twenty years. Shiki, after his capture, had taken two years to break his own legs and escape.

Arthur had done it in two and a half months.

Of course, Vegapunk's help had been crucial. Without that saw, he'd likely still be down there, chained and powerless.

"I owe him a big one."

Arthur didn't like being indebted to anyone. He hadn't even accepted Roger's offer of help. But Vegapunk's gesture—a trade of freedom for freedom—was different.

"Once my crew is established, I'll find a way to repay him—to free him from the World Government's grasp."

He turned his attention back to Impel Down. Without him, the riot would be quelled soon enough. Akainu, Tsuru, the Warden, the Head Jailer, Magellan, Shiryu—together, they were more than enough to handle the remaining prisoners.

Hundreds had escaped, but only he had made it this far.

"AHAHAHAHA! Freedom! It's a beautiful thing!"

Arthur closed his eyes, the wind whipping through his hair, taking a deep breath, savoring the taste of liberty. His Observation Haki stretched out, encompassing everything within a twenty-mile radius.

"Bwahahahaha! Arthur, you little punk! Take this!"

A figure, accompanied by a booming laugh, raced towards him across the sky, using Geppo.

"That crazy old geezer—" Arthur's euphoria evaporated. He cursed under his breath, turning to flee.

In his current state, he couldn't withstand more than a couple of Garp's punches before being recaptured. Activating his Isolation Field would drain his remaining stamina, leaving him unable to escape. He didn't hesitate.

Though Garp was fast, he was no match for Arthur's Lightning Speed. He watched Arthur disappear, picking his nose, a grin on his face. "Just as Fleet Admiral Kong predicted. That kid's getting away. The New World's in trouble now!"

Unburdened by worry, he simply chuckled. Arthur's growing strength didn't concern him. He faced life—and its challenges—with a cheerful indifference.

——

Garp's arrival quickly quelled the riot. Aside from the damage to the structure, there was little evidence of the chaos that had just transpired.

Warden Ferdinand, blaming himself for the security breach, resigned.

Magellan, ever the dutiful Marine, was promoted to Warden. Shiryu's mentor, the Head Jailer, also shouldered responsibility, stepping down and naming Shiryu his successor—unaware that his protégé had already pledged loyalty to Arthur.

With the prison secured, Garp, Tsuru, and Akainu returned to their warship, contacting Fleet Admiral Kong.

Brrring! Brrring!

The Den Den Mushi's eyes blinked as the call connected.

"Fleet Admiral Kong, you were right to be worried. That brat, Arthur, got away," Garp reported bluntly.

A long silence followed, the Den Den Mushi's expression mirroring Kong's displeasure. "How? He was secured. There has to be a reason." His voice was cold, laced with barely suppressed fury, the tension palpable, silencing the Marines on board. Only Garp, Tsuru, and Akainu remained unfazed.

"We spoke with the former Warden. Yesterday, Vegapunk from the Science Division visited the prison, escorted by CP0 agents. Arthur escape today—There has to be a connection," Tsuru reported calmly.

"Vegapunk? The Chief Scientist? He went to Impel Down? Why weren't we informed?" Kong's voice rose, the Den Den Mushi's face mirroring his anger, veins bulging on its forehead.

"I'll get answers from the Five Elders!" He roared, the sound of a shattering desk echoing from the Den Den Mushi.

Tsuru remained silent.

Vegapunk was under constant surveillance by the World Government. He couldn't leave the Science Division without the Five Elders' approval.

And the Marine Science Division, despite its name, was ultimately controlled by the World Government.

"This is beyond our control—Keep Arthur's escape quiet. It cannot reach the public." Kong hung up, his fury barely contained.

A breakout from Impel Down, the impenetrable fortress, would severely damage the Marines' reputation.

——

Kong immediately contacted the Five Elders.

"Five Elders—I demand an explanation!!" His voice was tight with barely suppressed rage.

"Our decisions are not subject to your approval, Kong," Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro—an old man with a katana, said coldly.

"Watch your tone! We have the authority to remove you from your position," Saint Topman Warcury added.

"The Marines are merely a facade for the World Government. You have no say in our actions," Saint Shepherd Ju Peter chimed in.

"Arthur has escaped. I don't care what chaos he unleashes anymore." Kong, his temper flaring, crushed the Den Den Mushi.

——

Mary Geoise, the utopian city atop the Red Line.

In a lavish palace, the Five Elders—some standing, some sitting—looked relaxed.

"Kong is getting out of control."

"Should we replace him as Commander-in-Chief?"

They discussed Kong's fate, their words carrying the weight of absolute authority.

"Let's set that aside for now." Saint Topman Warcury turned to a tall—thin figure in a white lab coat. "Vegapunk, perhaps you can explain why Seabury D. Arthur escaped Impel Down a day after your visit."

"..."

Vegapunk, who'd been standing silently, his expression unreadable, didn't react. Dragon and Sado Nath stood behind him.

"It's nothing. I simply wanted to see the man who ate the Devil Fruit I've dreamt of for so long," Vegapunk said calmly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"And he escaped after you saw him," Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro said pointedly, his gaze piercing.

The pressure in the room intensified, an unseen force ruffling Vegapunk's lab coat. But he remained unfazed, his expression unchanged.

"Electromagnetism is a Fundamental Force. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit controls electricity, therefore, it controls electromagnetism—Tension, Elasticity, Friction—He's developed an Isolation Field that negates external 'damage.' If it can negate physical attacks, why not Seastone?"

"Isolation Field? Negates damage?" Saint Marcus Mars frowned.

They didn't understand the science, but it sounded troublesome.

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