The Calm Belt. Impel Down. A Marine warship emerged from the distant horizon, slicing through the fog-shrouded waters. It docked swiftly at the entrance of the towering prison fortress. Blackbeard Teach leaped from the deck, landing with a heavy thud. Behind him followed Burgess, Van Auger, Laffitte, and Doc Q, their presence casting a shadow over the prison gates.
The jailers stationed at the entrance stiffened, their hands tightening on their weapons. One stepped forward, his voice sharp with authority. "Hold it! Blackbeard Teach, we've received no notification of your arrival. State your purpose!"
Blackbeard threw his head back, letting out a booming laugh. "Zehahaha! My purpose? Simple. I'm here to conquer this prison and free every last prisoner inside!"
The jailers froze, their faces pale with shock. "What?!" Without hesitation, they raised their firearms, fingers tightening on the triggers. But before they could fire, Blackbeard and his crew moved like shadows. In an instant, the jailers were sprawled on the ground, unconscious or too injured to resist.
Blackbeard strode forward, his boots clanging against the drawbridge. He reached the inner gate of Impel Down, his gaze fixed on the massive steel barrier before him. A sneer twisted his lips.
"Dark Water!" He roared. A pitch-black, swirling substance erupted from his body, spreading like a living shadow. It crawled across the ground, engulfing the base of the gate. Slowly, the entire structure was dragged into the abyssal darkness beneath Blackbeard's feet.
The shrill blare of an alarm shattered the silence. "Emergency! Shichibukai Blackbeard Teach has invaded Impel Down! All personnel, report to combat stations!" The warning echoed through the prison's labyrinthine corridors. Jailers scrambled, arming themselves and rushing toward the first level.
But their efforts were futile. Blackbeard moved like a force of nature, his Dark Water ability corroding the prison's cage bars with ease. One by one, the cells were breached, releasing the most dangerous criminals within. The chaos spread like wildfire, snowballing as Blackbeard descended deeper into the prison's levels.
On Level 3, amidst the endless sea of yellow sand, Magellan stormed into view. His face was pale, his body trembling—likely from the effects of his chronic diarrhea. "Blackbeard Teach!" he bellowed, his voice dripping with fury. "I won't let you wreak havoc here!"
Blackbeard turned, his grin widening. Behind him stood hundreds of newly freed prisoners, their eyes gleaming with malice and desperation. He was just pondering how to rally these scum to his cause when Magellan appeared, as if delivered by fate itself. "Zehahaha! Come at me if you dare!" Blackbeard taunted, his Dark Water spreading across the sand like a malevolent tide.
Magellan's eyes narrowed. "I don't have time for games. Venom Demon: Hell's Judgment!" Crimson poison erupted from his body, coalescing into a massive, grinning skull. The toxic fumes hissed and spat, white smoke rising wherever the venom touched. "Take... this!" Magellan roared, thrusting his arm forward to direct the venom skull.
But as he moved, a sharp pain ripped through his abdomen. He doubled over, clutching his stomach. Damn it! Of all times, why now?! Magellan cursed inwardly, his body betraying him at the worst possible moment.
Blackbeard blinked, momentarily thrown off by the warden's sudden collapse. Although he didn't understand why the Impel Down prison warden clutched his stomach and bent over in agony, he wasn't one to waste an opportunity. "Kick him while he's down!" Blackbeard barked, his grin widening. "Dark Water!"
Blackbeard Teach opened his left hand and sucked hard, yanking Magellan towards him with irresistible force. He seized the warden by the chest, instantly nullifying the power of the Venom-Venom Devil Fruit. The venom skull dissolved into nothingness. "Die!"
Blackbeard roared, his right fist crackling with Armament Haki as it smashed into Magellan's face. The impact sent the warden flying dozens of meters, slamming him into a wall. Blackbeard glanced at the pockmarked ground corroded by Magellan's venom and decided dragging this out would only complicate things.
Magellan staggered to his feet, preparing to regroup, but Blackbeard acted faster. He pulled the warden in again, sealing the Venom-Venom Fruit before Magellan could react. "Enough! I don't have time for this," Blackbeard barked. "Everyone, attack together! Finish him off!"
"Long live Captain Blackbeard!" The prisoners roared in unison. Hundreds of them surged forward, weapons in hand, and descended upon Magellan. Blades flashed, and within moments, the warden's body was riddled with wounds. He collapsed into a pool of blood.
With Magellan dealt with, Blackbeard swaggered deeper into Impel Down, freeing more prisoners as he went. By the time he reached the sixth level, over a thousand inmates trailed behind him. Each bore a bounty of at least ten million berries, with many exceeding fifty million.
"Zehahaha!" Blackbeard's laughter echoed through the prison. "Most heinous criminals of Level 6! Listen well! Marineford faces an unprecedented crisis. The Beasts Pirates, Whitebeard Pirates, and Big Mom Pirates are launching a joint assault. Even Kong, the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government's armed forces, has taken the field! Join me, become my comrades, and I'll lead you out of this hellhole. I'll grant you power, status, wealth, fame—even Devil Fruit abilities!
Together, we'll usher in an era more chaotic and insane than the Great Pirate Era... an era ruled by pirates!"
"Long live Captain Blackbeard!" The prisoners' cheers reverberated through the prison. Many of Level 6's most dangerous inmates pledged their allegiance to Blackbeard, eager to seize the opportunity he offered.
Near Marineford, in the first half of the Grand Line, a flock of enormous black crows soared through the sky, their wings beating steadily toward the distant battlefield. Five figures perched atop the largest of the crows.
"What's the situation at Marineford?" Sabo asked the crow beneath him.
"According to the crow clones' reports," the bird replied, "the Whitebeard Pirates have breached the inner military port. Whitebeard himself is locked in combat with Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"And the Beasts Pirates? Big Mom Pirates?" Sabo pressed.
"Their coated fleet has surfaced near Marineford and is joining the battle as we speak."
"Good," Sabo said, his voice firm. "The timing's perfect. Luffy, let's go rescue Ace!"
Seated on another crow, Luffy grinned and adjusted his straw hat. "No problem! Once this is over, the three of us are having a feast to celebrate our reunion. Sanji, you're on cooking duty!"
"Leave it to me," Sanji replied, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "I'll whip up something unforgettable."
Sanji adjusted his Germa black raid suit with a practiced ease, his trademark grin spreading across his face as he nodded in agreement. "When this is over," he said, lighting a fresh cigarette, "I'm drinking until I can't stand." His voice carried the usual nonchalance, but his eyes burned with quiet determination.
Zoro stood at the rail, his gaze fixed on the island looming ahead. The glint in his eye wasn't just anticipation—it was hunger. He flexed his fingers around the hilt of Wado Ichimonji, already imagining the clash of steel and the roar of battle. This war promised strong opponents, and he intended to meet every one of them head-on.
Now, besides Usopp, Franky, and Chopper needing to guard the ship, the Straw Hat Pirates' three strongest fighters were all here. Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy stood ready, their shared resolve unshakable. Together, they'd storm the gates of hell itself if it meant saving Ace.