The two ships had already disappeared from one another's sight.
Behind the Sunny Go, Sabaody had faded into the distance, leaving only the endless sea stretching beneath the darkening sky. The Straw Hats had spent the first hours of their journey in relative silence, each person occupied with the role they had accepted before leaving the archipelago.
Their destination was no longer uncertain.
Impel Down.
Luffy stood at the bow with both hands resting on the railing, staring straight ahead. The wind tugged at his straw hat, but he barely seemed to notice. His thoughts remained fixed on the same person.
Ace.
Sabo approached and stopped beside him.
"You've been staring at the horizon for hours."
Luffy didn't turn. "Ace is waiting."
"I know."
"We have to get there before they move him."
Sabo gave him a sideways glance. "That's why we're going to make sure we don't get caught before we even reach the prison."
Luffy finally looked at him.
"I won't get caught."
"You said that before." Sabo raised an eyebrow.
"I meant it this time."
A faint smile crossed Sabo's face. "That's what worries me."
A few steps behind them, Baby-5 was carefully checking the small container holding her Fairy Dust for emergency. She had already explained its limitations back at Shakky's bar, and she knew they could not afford to waste even a little of it.
She closed the container and approached the two brothers.
"We're getting close."
Luffy immediately turned toward the horizon.
"Really?"
Baby-5 nodded. "We should be able to see it soon."
The three remained at the bow as the night slowly gave way to the first pale light of morning. The sea became brighter by the minute, revealing a vast silhouette far ahead.
At first, it looked like a mountain rising from the ocean.
Then its shape became clearer.
Massive stone walls emerged above the waves, surrounding an enormous fortress built directly into the sea. Towering structures rose behind them, while a heavy gate faced the ocean like the entrance to an entirely different world.
Luffy's eyes widened.
"So that's Impel Down?"
"Yeah." Sabo's expression hardened.
"It's even bigger than I imagined." Baby-5 stared at the fortress for a moment.
The closer they came, the more oppressive the structure became. There were no welcoming lights, no busy harbor, and no signs of ordinary life. Only immense walls, watchtowers, and the cold waters surrounding the prison.
"Ace is in there." Luffy gripped the railing.
Sabo nodded. "And that's exactly why we don't charge straight through the front door."
Luffy frowned. "Why not?"
"Because it's a prison."
"I know."
"One of the most heavily guarded prisons in the world."
Luffy thought about that for a moment.
"...Oh."
Sabo sighed.
Baby-5 looked toward Nami and Franky were at the helm. "We should stop here."
The crew had already prepared for this moment.
The Sunny Go slowed and eventually came to a halt far enough from Impel Down to avoid immediately attracting attention. Nami remained near the helm while Franky secured the ship. Zoro stood on deck with his arms crossed, watching the fortress in the distance. Sanji handed Chopper the last supplies they had prepared for the infiltration.
Usopp stared at Impel Down through a pair of binoculars.
"I don't like that place."
Brook stood beside him.
"Neither do I. Just looking at it makes me nervous. Although, technically, I don't even have a stomach to feel nervous with."
Usopp lowered the binoculars.
"That doesn't make me feel better!"
"Be careful." Vivi looked toward Luffy, Sabo, and Baby-5.
Nami nodded. "We'll keep the Sunny ready. The moment you get Ace out, come straight back."
Luffy grinned. "Got it!"
"Don't get lost." Zoro's expression remained serious.
"I'm not going to get lost!"
Sanji exhaled a thin stream of smoke.
"A damn moss-head giving advice about not getting lost. That's exactly the kind of thing someone says right before getting lost."
"HEY!"
Sabo laughed quietly before looking toward Baby-5.
Baby-5's expression became serious as she looked at Sabo.
"There is something you need to understand about my Fairy Dust."
She closed her eyes and took a slow breath.
A faint glow spread across her body.
Her form began to change as she activated the power of her Mythical Zoan, the Butterfly-Butterfly Fruit, Model: Fairy Queen. A pair of beautiful wings unfolded from her back, their delicate surfaces shimmering faintly in the dim light.
Luffy's eyes widened.
"Whoa!"
Baby-5 raised one hand.
Tiny, sparkling particles began drifting from the edges of her wings, filling the air around her with a soft, ethereal glow.
"This is Fairy Dust," she explained. "It comes directly from my wings. I can use it to conceal our presence and temporarily make us difficult to detect."
Nami watched the glittering particles carefully.
"So the dust is produced by your wings?"
Baby-5 nodded.
"Yes. But there's a limitation." She slowly folded her wings halfway. "The longer I release Fairy Dust continuously in a single period, the weaker my wings become."
The glow around her wings began to fade slightly.
"If I keep producing too much, their light will eventually disappear."
Luffy tilted his head.
"And then?"
"I won't be able to fly or produce Fairy Dust until my wings recover."
Sabo's expression became more serious.
"So once the wings go dark, you can't produce any more Fairy Dust."
"Exactly." Baby-5 nodded. "I need time for them to recover before I can use them again."
Luffy stepped closer.
"Then let's go."
"I can make the flight quickly, but I can't stay in the air indefinitely while carrying both of you. We need to reach Impel Down, land safely, and conserve my strength for when we actually need Fairy Dust."
Sabo grabbed the back of Luffy's coat before he could jump over the railing.
"Wait."
"What?" Luffy looked back.
"We don't run ahead."
"But—"
"We stay together."
"Fine." Luffy sighed.
Baby-5 couldn't help smiling.
"Hold on tightly."
Her wings suddenly spread to their full span.
A burst of sparkling Fairy Dust scattered across the deck as the three of them lifted from the Sunny Go and disappeared into the sky, heading straight toward the massive fortress of Impel Down.
Behind them, the Straw Hats watched in silence.
Nami shaded her eyes as she followed their movement.
"They're already heading out."
Zoro folded his arms.
"Let's hope they know what they're doing."
On the other hand, Luffy's voice could still be heard from above.
"FASTER, BABY-5!"
Sabo immediately shouted back.
"Luffy! Stop distracting her!"
Baby-5 sighed as she continued flying.
"This is going to be a long trip."
They moved.
The three slipped away from the Sunny Go and approached the massive prison from the sea. Every step brought the fortress closer until the enormous walls towered above them.
From a distance, Impel Down had looked imposing.
Up close, it felt suffocating.
Guard posts lined the entrance. Marines and prison guards moved along the upper platforms while Den Den Mushi surveillance units monitored the surrounding area.
Sabo pointed toward the main entrance. "There."
"We need to get past that." Luffy stared at the guards.
"There are a lot of them."
"Which is why you're not going to fight them."
"I know."
Sabo looked at him. "You're sure?"
Luffy nodded. "I'm sure."
Baby-5 carefully watched the guards' movements. "Wait for it."
The three remained still as a group of guards moved away from the entrance.
"Now."
They advanced.
The Fairy Dust concealed them as they crossed the exposed area. A guard stopped briefly and looked in their direction.
Luffy froze.
Sabo grabbed his shoulder.
Nobody moved.
The guard narrowed his eyes for a moment before turning away.
Sabo slowly released his grip.
They continued.
The enormous gates finally stood directly ahead.
A heavy mechanical sound echoed through the entrance as the doors began to open for an arriving transport.
Sabo looked at Baby-5.
She nodded.
The three slipped through with the movement of the guards, passing beyond the outer gate before anyone noticed the faint disturbance in the air.
They had made it.
Inside.
Baby-5 immediately checked the Fairy Dust.
The glow around them was already beginning to fade.
"We're losing the effect."
Sabo looked ahead.
The corridor beyond the entrance stretched deep into the fortress, its walls lined with metal doors and surveillance equipment.
"Ace is somewhere in there." Luffy stared into the darkness.
"Then we keep moving." Sabo stepped beside him.
The last traces of Fairy Dust disappeared.
Behind them, the massive gate began to close.
BOOM.
The sound echoed through the corridor.
Luffy looked back for a moment.
Then he turned toward the depths of Impel Down.
"Let's go."
The three disappeared into the prison.
The first few moments passed exactly as they had planned.
The faint shimmer of Baby-5's Fairy Dust still clung to Luffy, Sabo, and herself as they moved deeper into the prison. Behind them, the entrance had already disappeared from sight, swallowed by the massive corridors of Impel Down. They had only a narrow window before the concealment faded.
Sabo kept his voice low.
"Stay close. We don't know how far the dust will carry us."
"I am staying close," Luffy whispered.
"You're walking ahead of us."
"That's still close."
Baby-5 glanced between them.
"Please don't argue while we're invisible."
Luffy stopped.
"We're the invisible ninja, Nin Nin."
They continued forward.
The corridor opened into a wider passage lined with heavy doors and surveillance equipment. Guards moved through the area at regular intervals, completely unaware that three intruders had slipped past them.
Sabo studied their movements carefully.
"So far, nobody has noticed us."
"That means it's working, Nin Nin." Luffy whispered excitedly.
"Don't get careless."
A few seconds later, Luffy suddenly noticed a guard standing near a side passage.
"Hey, Sabo."
"What?"
"There are stairs going down over there."
Sabo looked toward the passage.
"We don't know where they lead."
"Maybe they lead straight to Ace."
"That is exactly why we shouldn't rush in."
Luffy stared at the stairs.
Then he grinned.
"I'll just take a quick look."
"Luffy—"
Before Sabo could stop him, Luffy had already moved.
The moment he stepped into the passage, the faint glow surrounding his body flickered.
Baby-5's eyes widened.
"Luffy!"
The Fairy Dust suddenly dispersed.
Sabo grabbed Baby-5 and pulled her behind a nearby pillar just as the first guard turned around.
"What was that?"
"Someone's there!"
The alarm had not yet sounded, but the guards were already moving toward the passage.
Sabo clenched his teeth.
"Luffy…"
From farther ahead came the unmistakable sound of footsteps running away.
"Come on!" Sabo whispered.
They followed.
Luffy had already disappeared around the corner.
He ran through the unfamiliar corridors, barely slowing as guards shouted behind him.
"Stop!"
"An intruder!"
"Seal the passage!"
Luffy looked over his shoulder.
"Uh-oh."
He turned another corner.
Then another.
The prison seemed to twist endlessly around him.
"Where am I supposed to go?"
A heavy door suddenly opened ahead.
A strange man stepped through.
He had a red nose, orange hair, and a pair of distinctive tattoos on his face.
The man froze.
Luffy froze as well.
They stared at each other.
The stranger's eyes widened. "You…"
"Do I know you?" Luffy tilted his head.
The man's expression twisted in disbelief.
"You don't recognize me?!"
"Nope." Luffy scratched his cheek.
"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" The man clenched his fists. "I'M BUGGY!"
Luffy's eyes suddenly widened.
"Buggy?!"
"Finally!"
Luffy pointed at him.
"You're the Red-Nose guy from Orange Town!"
Buggy's eye twitched.
"That's right! And you defeated me!"
"Oh, yeah."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING RED-NOSE?!"
Luffy grinned.
Buggy immediately became irritated.
"What are you doing here?!"
"I'm here to save Ace!"
Buggy's expression changed.
"Ace?!"
The two exchanged a quick glance as the sound of approaching guards echoed through the corridor.
Buggy grabbed Luffy's arm.
"Whatever you're doing, you're going the wrong way!"
"I am?"
"Yes! And if you keep running around like an idiot, you'll get caught!"
Luffy grinned.
"Then show me the way."
Buggy's face twitched.
"Why should I help you?"
"Because you're my friend."
"WE ARE NOT FRIENDS!"
The shouting grew louder.
Buggy immediately lowered his voice.
"…Fine. Just this once."