"You've worked hard, Vice Admiral Kizaru."
On the deck, the white-clad agent from CP0 spoke solemnly to the newly arrived Borsalino.
"Don't call me again for something like this next time. And hey—I put in a hell of a lot of effort this time, so go mention something about my bonus when you get back~~"
Borsalino pouted and complained as he turned to walk inside, ready to collapse in his room for a nap.
"I'll mention it, but no promises."
Five more days later.
Deep beneath the sea—Impel Down.
Level 4 of the Great Underwater Prison: the scorching heat of the Blazing Hell.
This place was the heart of the entire great prison.
The Warden's office and the food storage that supplied the entire facility were both located here.
Two days ago, Gecko Moria had awoken from unconsciousness, and the first thing he experienced was the unbearable heat.
He still couldn't believe it—just last year, he had sailed proudly from his hometown in the West Blue with his fellow tribesmen.
And now, after only a few days in the 'New World', he'd been captured and thrown into this place.
He'd once dreamed of becoming the next Pirate King…
"Finally awake? I've been waiting for you for quite some time."
A cold, unfamiliar voice came from outside the cell.
Moria, shackled hand and foot with seastone cuffs and chains, jerked his head up and glared furiously at the man in white walking in.
"Who are you?"
"I serve directly under the World Nobles."
"The Celestial Dragons?!"
Gecko Moria was shocked. "The Celestial Dragons are targeting me? Why?!"
"You could say that. As for the reason—it's because they've taken an interest in you, and in your Devil Fruit ability."
The man in white answered patiently, then continued, "All your fellow tribesmen from your crew are still alive."
"What?!"
Moria was stunned with joy. "Where are they?!"
"They're right above you, on Level Three—Hunger Hell. Aside from being hungry, they're not in any real danger. We've already treated their injuries," the man replied.
Moria let out a sigh of relief—but quickly frowned.
"You came here to see me, and said the Celestial Dragons want my abilities… So what exactly is your objective?"
"The higher-ups hope you'll join the World Government and serve as a guard in Impel Down. Of course, you'll also have a standard promotion path. If you're capable enough, becoming Warden isn't out of the question."
"What—?!"
Moria's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He stared at the masked man in disbelief and roared: "You brought me here… just so I could work for you?!"
"You could put it that way. The higher-ups believe your Devil Fruit ability is extremely well-suited for work in Impel Down, so they had me and Vice Admiral Kizaru bring you in," the man in white said with a nod.
"You—!"
Moria was infuriated by the word 'bring'.
A surge of fury rose from his gut. He sprang to his feet in a posture of rebellion.
Standing nearly seven meters tall, he was an imposing sight.
But the man in white didn't flinch.
Hands tucked casually into the pockets of his white slacks, he remained cold and unmoved.
He paid no mind to the oppressive aura Moria exuded.
"I counted—there are twenty of your Oni crew members. According to the promise made by the higher-ups: as long as you work here obediently, one of them will be released each year to serve as a guard alongside you."
"Additionally, with each promotion you earn, you can release an extra person. That means, if you eventually become the Warden, you could gain freedom within fifteen years—and leave with all your companions."
At those words, Moria froze.
Then he fell silent.
During that time, his face shifted between struggle, inner conflict, resentment, and fury.
Eventually, all of it turned into a long sigh.
"Phew—fine. Take me to see them first."
What else could he do?
...
In the stillness of the night, a new report was delivered.
"Lord Imu, the doctors from the Drum Kingdom are currently treating the merfolk and fish-men. Based on their assessment, it will take approximately fifteen days for a full recovery."
Inside the Empty Throne Hall, the Five Elders knelt in reverence below the steps.
"As for their mental state, although Vice Admiral Tsuru was initially reluctant, she eventually stepped in and cleansed them of their negative emotions."
Imu was quite pleased to hear this.
Truth be told, Tsuru couldn't bear to watch the merfolk continue living in despair, numbness, and hatred. She also considered their survival—after all, if they remained hostile toward the World Government, the only outcome awaiting them would be elimination. She had no doubt that the Government would show no mercy in that regard.
But to Imu, Tsuru's internal reasoning didn't matter. As long as the result was satisfactory, that was all that counted.
"Gecko Moria has also agreed to become a jailer at 'Impel Down'. He'll be in charge of cutting off prisoners' shadows and managing the extracted ones. According to Director Columbus's reports, although Moria treats his colleagues with noticeable indifference, he's reasonably dutiful in his tasks. The only issue is that he often feeds his fellow clan members in 'Hungry Hell' with extra food and clean water without authorization, which has caused quite the headache."
"Let him handle it himself," Imu replied coldly. "As long as it doesn't go too far, we'll tolerate Moria. What matters is that he behaves and does his job properly."
Nearly 600,000 inmates were being held in Impel Down. The workload Gecko Moria faced was tremendous—especially since another wave of prisoners was expected soon.
According to intelligence gathered by Cipher Pol across various seas, rumors about the 'One Piece treasure' were growing increasingly rampant, and the Navy had started noticing a surge in pirate activity across the oceans.
"What's the status of the Thriller Bark incident?"
Ju Peter replied, "With the help of three Log Pose birds found in the forest of Jaya Island, CP5 has located it within the Misty Sea. They're currently working to master its control mechanisms."
"Get to work on refitting it immediately," Imu commanded from his lofty throne, voice icy and forceful. "The undercurrents of the Great Pirate Era are stirring again. We need that ship to suppress this tidal wave that's sweeping across the world!"
"Yes, Lord Imu," the Five Elders responded in unison.
"Also, summon that brat from the Donquixote family. I have a task for him," Imu added.
This command visibly startled the Five Elders. They exchanged puzzled glances, their expressions filled with doubt and confusion. Nevertheless, they accepted the order without hesitation.
"As you command, Lord Imu!"
Warcury asked cautiously: "Shall we summon the other one as well? I recall he's turning twenty soon."
Imu furrowed his brows but quickly realized who he was referring to. After a brief pause, he said, "Not for now. Wait until he turns twenty next year."
He still hadn't figured out what to do with the boy. Better to let him roam free for now and continue tempering his strength.
"Yes, Lord Imu!"
Just as the Five Elders assumed the meeting was concluded and were about to bid farewell, another command echoed from the throne above.
"In a few days, I'm going out. Prepare a vehicle with flight capabilities. It must be spacious."
What?!
The Five Elders were stunned. They all looked up at Imu in shock, thoughts nearly identical—Lord Imu is going out?
He was someone who had lived secluded in Pangaea Castle for centuries… Could it be that he had finally grown restless from his loneliness?
"What, am I not allowed to go out?" Imu's tone carried a trace of irritation upon seeing their astonished faces.
The Five Elders immediately went from surprised to terrified.
"No, no, of course it's your right! We have no objections whatsoever," they hastily replied. "It's just… your safety is of utmost importance. Might we ask your intended destination and the timing of your departure?"
The question came from Nusjuro.
"I've got quite a few places to visit, and I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. I'll head out once the Reverie concludes, so start making preparations now. If anything comes up, contact me via Den-Den Mushi."
After giving it some thought, Imu decided to offer a simple explanation.
Over the past year or so, he had remained confined to Pangaea Castle, and at most wandered within the confines of Pangaea Castle. The stifling isolation was starting to get to him.
His predecessor might have managed to live as a shut-in for over 800 years, but he couldn't do it. The outside world was far too beautiful and exciting. He'd long wanted to go out and see it for himself—besides, there were indeed a few matters he needed to handle personally.
The only issue now was transportation. Traveling by ship was too slow—and it couldn't fly.
And besides, once he was out and about, there would no doubt be all kinds of petty matters popping up. He couldn't be expected to handle all of them personally, right?
"I understand, Lord Imu. But… what identity will you assume during your travels? And your appearance?" Mars asked with concern.
"Prepare a new identity for me—just an unremarkable Celestial Dragon. As for my appearance… I haven't shown my face in hundreds of years. No one will recognize me."
The Five Elders could tell that Lord Imu had fully made up his mind, so they chose not to push the matter any further. All they needed to do now was carry out their duties accordingly.
"One more thing about Impel Down—I want someone transferred. Send someone to inform them."
Just before the meeting concluded, Imu added this last instruction.