Marine Headquarters.
Vast numbers of Marines stood atop the ruins. Although the battle against the Golden Lion had cost them many elite troops, the remaining forces were still formidable, their overall strength largely undiminished.
Amid the shattered buildings, Marines garrisoned every corner. At a glance, every one of them was at least a staff sergeant, their formidable strength marking them as the elite of the elite. As one ventured deeper, the Marines' ranks climbed higher, reflecting their increasing power.
At the innermost layer, Vice Admirals themselves stood guard. Five towering Vice Admirals from the Giant Clan loomed over the area, their immense size casting shadows that blotted out the sky, forming an impenetrable cordon around the central structure.
Such defenses were as impenetrable as an iron wall, making it virtually impossible for any enemy to infiltrate.
Suddenly, from the outermost perimeter, a man in handcuffs and shackles was escorted forward by a detachment of Marines. Leading the squad was Garp, wearing his signature dog hat and radiating an air of stern authority.
"Kid, can't you even stand properly anymore?" Garp asked, frowning as he watched Rojen struggle to walk slowly toward the center.
'Devil Fruit users are such a hassle,' Garp thought. 'Once their powers are suppressed, they become completely helpless.'
Rojen shook his head and smiled faintly. His current weakness and difficulty walking weren't due to his Devil Fruit.
In that final clash, he had channeled every last ounce of his magical power into the Jasper Gourd, completely draining himself. Combined with the Devil Fruit's side effects, moving felt like wading through treacle.
"This path... doesn't seem to be heading to Impel Down," Rojen murmured, his voice tinged with suspicion.
Indeed, after being taken below, he hadn't been brought directly to Impel Down. They were still within Marine Headquarters, in one of the few remaining buildings spared by the war.
"Have you forgotten already? There was another before you. You two will be sent to Seabed Great Prison together on a later date!" Garp said sternly.
"Oh?" Rojen's eyes narrowed as he chuckled.
'He's going to Impel Down with the Golden Lion? That's quite interesting!'
'What's the legendary great pirate really like?'
The rest of the journey passed in silence. Due to Rojen's slow pace, it took a full hour to reach the innermost section.
At the very center of the building stood an immense cage forged from steel. Inside this iron cage, a figure sat cross-legged on the ground, head bowed in rest.
Clang, clang, clang.
The metallic clatter echoed as Rojen stepped inside. The sound startled the seated figure, who jerked his head up.
"Garp! You can't just throw any nobody in here with me!"
The man's booming voice roared like a lion's roar, radiating formidable authority.
"Shiki, he's no ordinary boy. Why don't you two have a good chat while you're together?"
"Hmph!" Garp barked coldly.
Nearby, Marine officers swiftly unlocked the steel cage and gestured for Rojen to enter on his own.
Rojen glanced at the towering man, smiled, and stepped inside.
He offered no explanation, merely found a quiet corner, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes.
"Hmph!"
The Golden Lion shot Rojen a frigid glare but refrained from questioning his identity further. Weakened by the recent war, he lacked the energy to probe the newcomer's background.
The steel cage now held the two strongest combatants of the conflict, keeping the surrounding Marines on high alert. Garp himself took a seat nearby to personally guard the pair.
Rojen paid no heed to the Golden Lion's scrutiny. He swiftly circulated his internal magic power, beginning to slowly absorb spiritual energy from the air to accelerate the restoration of his dantian.
Silence fell over the chamber as no one spoke.
Sinking his consciousness into stillness, Rojen quickly entered Training mode. As he felt his body grow fuller and more powerful, a faint smile surfaced on his face.
He harbored no despair about being imprisoned in Impel Down.
As long as he wasn't immediately executed, there was still hope. Even the most arduous trials only served to temper his resolve and make him stronger.
After an indeterminate amount of time, when Rojen felt his magic power had recovered to about half its full capacity, chaotic noises erupted outside his cell.
"Hmph, this kid really has guts, sleeping even in this place."
The voice belonged to the Golden Lion. Immediately afterward, Rojen heard the clanging of metal.
"Rojen, wake up! It's time to set off!" Garp's booming voice followed.
Slowly exhaling, Rojen felt a pang of disappointment; his magic power hadn't fully recovered yet.
Opening his eyes, he saw the Marines had unlocked his cage. Elite Marine soldiers stood guard all around, their eyes fixed intently on him and his companions, the atmosphere thick with tension.
"Ha! I never thought I'd be treated like this one day!"
Rojen slowly rose to his feet, letting out a hearty laugh.
The Marines facing him seemed to be confronting a peerless fiend, their eyes filled with tension and solemnity.
If they were ordinary Marines, it wouldn't have mattered much. The crucial point was that this group included Rear Admirals, Vice Admirals, and even higher-ranking officers.
"Stop grinning like an idiot. You're about to set off," Garp said coldly.
At this moment, even the Hero Vice Admiral had lost his usual smile and optimism.
Two Admirals and a World Criminal surpassing even Admiral-level power—even Garp's heart grew heavy at the prospect.
Soon, a large contingent of Marines converged, encircling the pair, and the atmosphere on the scene became exceptionally tense.
Rojen strode to Golden Lion's side, the two standing shoulder to shoulder.
"Who the hell are you, kid? You look vaguely familiar," Golden Lion grumbled, his curiosity piqued. 'This kid, imprisoned with me, must be more than ordinary if the Marines are treating him like this.'
"Hello! My name is Roger!" Rojen replied with a grin and a nod.
"Roger?!" Golden Lion froze for a moment before erupting into a roar. "You bastard! Who do you think you're fooling?"
As he was about to unleash another tirade, Rojen had already stepped forward to follow the Marines, who were moving ahead.
"Stop shouting, Shiki," Garp intervened. "This kid is Roger's younger brother. He's also the mastermind behind this attack on Marine Headquarters, the one who critically injured two Admirals and devastated the entire southeast quadrant!"
Garp silenced the Golden Lion's roar.
"It was him?!"
The Golden Lion recoiled in shock at Garp's words.
He naturally remembered the powerhouse who had ravaged the southeastern corner of Marine Headquarters, held off two Admiral-level combatants, and even defeated them before escaping unscathed. But he never expected the opponent's age or identity!
"He's actually Roger's younger brother?!"
Overwhelmed by shock, the Golden Lion finally recalled where he had seen Rojen before.
"The Marine's Wanted Poster!"
"Stop gawking, Shiki! We need to move!" Garp urged.
Shiki snapped out of his stupor and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! What a twist of fate, kid!"
(End Of This Chapter)
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