“You’re Pretty Cocky, Invader”
Impel Down, Level Three – Starvation Hell.
The moment they stepped out from the staircase, an oppressive wave of searing heat rolled in.
Roya gave a slight mental command, and his Observation Haki surged outward.
A transparent dome about two meters wide materialized, enveloping both him and Boa Hancock within it.
Although Observation Haki couldn't form tangible barriers like Armament Haki, it could easily manipulate airflow and thermal convection, creating a highly effective heat shield.
And since Roya's Haki was virtually limitless, he didn't care about the minor energy drain.
---
Hancock blinked in surprise.
"Strange… I'd always heard that Level Three was unbearably hot, but I don't feel anything at all."
Behind them, Buggy, who had no such protection, was already drenched in sweat, breathing like he was about to melt.
"Lady Hancock… it's hot… Really hot down here…"
Only then did Hancock realize what was going on. She glanced again at the calm and composed Roya beside her, and her heart skipped a beat.
He had, without a word, shielded her from the hellish heat. A wave of affection surged in her eyes.
For someone like Hancock—always proud, always strong—this quiet, powerful protection was a new, addictive kind of warmth.
Buggy, meanwhile, felt like he was dying—not just from the heat, but from the emotional damage of being third-wheeled this hard.
---
Trying to avoid any more psychological trauma, Buggy hurried forward to walk alongside Squard and McGuy.
To his surprise, both of them seemed completely unaffected by the heat—cool as ever.
Buggy wiped the sweat from his face, puzzled.
"Hey, Squard, how are you holding up so well in this heat? We've known each other a long time—could you teach me your trick?"
Squard snorted.
"What 'friendship'? This is a technique my master taught me—why would I share it with you?"
Buggy's face fell. He trudged along, totally dejected, his energy now completely spent.
---
Level Three—Starvation Hell—was filled with swirling dust and scorching winds.
Even with Observation Haki shielding them, the place gave off a gloomy, oppressive vibe.
Roya, unaffected himself, glanced at Hancock, who was beginning to frown slightly at the discomfort.
He spoke casually:
"The heat here actually comes from Level Four beneath us—Blazing Hell. The temperature rises through the floor."
"Meanwhile, the prisoners here receive no food or water."
"They quickly become dehydrated and die as dried corpses… which then slowly disintegrate into the dust."
"The constant wind carries that dust through the level… and that's what you're walking through."
Right as he said that, Hancock's dainty boots stepped into a mound of fine sand.
Upon realizing what Roya meant, she gave a startled yelp and leapt into the air—just like a girl spotting a snake on a hiking trail.
Roya chuckled at the unexpectedly adorable reaction.
"Alright. This is far enough."
Hancock's embarrassment vanished at his calm words.
Squard and McGuy stopped moving as well.
---
Buggy blinked, confused.
"Why are we stopping?"
But the unbearable heat beneath his feet finally overwhelmed him. With a gasp, he collapsed to his knees, sweat pouring like rain.
"Please, Lord Fifth Emperor, teach me how to survive this heat! I swear—if I ever find the world's greatest treasure, I'll give it to you!"
Roya chuckled.
"If you found the world's greatest treasure, wouldn't that make you the Pirate King?"
Buggy froze, then gave a miserable smile.
"Please don't tease me like that, boss…"
Roya's expression turned calm.
"If you survive what comes next, I'll consider letting you form a vassal crew under me. How about that?"
Before Buggy could respond, Roya raised his voice.
"Saldeath! I've been standing in your trap for quite a while now. Still don't have the guts to spring it?"
---
His voice echoed across the empty plaza.
The only answer was the dry bone dust caught in the swirling heat.
Buggy looked around blankly, having no clue what "trap" Roya was talking about.
But before he could ask, the air suddenly darkened—
A massive shadow fell over them!
BOOM!
With a heavy crash, something slammed into the ground, sending sand and ash flying like a bomb had gone off.
In the settling dust, four massive figures slowly came into view.
"You're pretty cocky, invader…"
> "To say you walked right into my trap on purpose—well then, let's see what you've got!"
As the smoke cleared, their true forms were revealed:
Minotaurus!
Minokoala!
Minorhinoceros!
Minozebra!
Buggy's jaw dropped.
"No way… All four of them—together?!"
"Each one of these Warden Beasts could single-handedly suppress an entire level… and now they're all here?!"
"This really is a trap! Why, why did the Fifth Emperor drag me into this hell?!"
Buggy glanced at Roa, hoping for some kind of reassurance…
But then—metallic clanging echoed from the walls.
Hidden compartments sprang open all around the plaza!
Dozens of soldiers surged out—Blue Gorillas, Prison Blasters, and Military Wolves all pouring in from every direction.
In moments, they'd formed a complete encirclement.
Hundreds of Military Wolves lined each flank.
Behind them, over fifty Blue Gorillas readied their massive weapons.
And in the back, the Prison Blaster troops scrambled to erect sandbag fortifications at lightning speed.
The entire plaza was now a powder keg—seconds from exploding into violence.
---
As the dust settled, Buggy finally spotted the commander.
At the front of the formation, standing proudly before the four Warden Beasts…
…was the half-meter-tall imp known as Saldeath.
He raised his trident dramatically.
"Prepare to die!"
"Because taking the Empress hostage—that is a crime that demands death!"
Roya blinked, genuinely confused.
He looked down at Hancock, still nestled in his arm.
"Huh. Didn't expect that little guy to be one of your admirers too."
Hancock's face flushed red.
"How should I know where all these strange men come from?!"
Roya laughed heartily.
But when the laughter stopped, his voice dropped to a cold, deadly monotone:
"Kill them."
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