First day at Impel Down.
Kizaru was brimming with anticipation for his upcoming paid vacation.
Second day at Impel Down.
Kizaru began to miss the soba noodles personally prepared by Marineford's winter cuisine head chef, Klamakoff...
Third day at Impel Down.
Kizaru had grown utterly disgusted with this eerie, thunder-stricken underwater prison and couldn't wait to return to headquarters to report.
Maritime First Level, Impel Down.
Kizaru watched as Whitebeard Jr. transformed into lightning and vanished into the horizon, his entire body swaying unsteadily.
'No more... I've been working overtime for three days straight... If this keeps up, I'll die...'
Ignoring the admiring gazes of Impel Down's wardens, Kizaru instantly teleported back to his temporary office, pulled out a Den Den Mushi, and dialed Marine Headquarters.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku! I request permission to return to headquarters!"
"Borsalino? What nonsense are you spouting?"
Sengoku scoffed at Kizaru's request—though he absolutely wasn't holding a grudge over the Den Den Mushi being hung up on him three days prior.
"Didn't you need to recuperate at Impel Down due to severe injuries?"
"I am genuinely injured!"
Kizaru defended himself before speaking urgently.
"That Whitebeard Jr.! He's a complete lunatic! A battle-crazed maniac!
"Three days—do you have any idea how I've spent these past three days?!
"Impel Down—thunder in the morning, thunder in the afternoon, thunder at night!
"That madman Whitebeard Jr. came nine times in three days, not saying a word—just looking for fights!
"I can't take it anymore!"
There was a time when Kizaru had been smug about his Glint-Glint Fruit abilities.
Speed is power.
His Glint-Glint Fruit could handle 99% of the enemies on the seas.
As for the remaining few...
Even if Kizaru couldn't win, he could always rely on the Glint-Glint Fruit's extreme speed to escape unscathed.
No one could rival the Glint-Glint Fruit in speed!
Until Kizaru met Whitebeard Jr. Edward Teach, wielder of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Only then did Kizaru finally understand how his past opponents must have felt.
Can't win, can't run, just utterly at the enemy's mercy...
The feeling was beyond revolting!
Truth be told, Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit wasn't inferior to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit in raw speed.
If he really wanted to leave, Whitebeard Jr. couldn't stop him.
But Kizaru was tasked with guarding Impel Down.
If he abandoned his post, this underwater prison would become Whitebeard Jr.'s personal "playground"!
So for the past three days, Kizaru had no choice but to expend immense energy fending off Whitebeard Jr.'s "challenges."
Remember—during their previous clash, Kizaru at least had one of the Five Elders backing him up.
But here in Impel Down, no one around him could even fly, leaving Kizaru utterly unsupported.
Can't win, can't drive him off, can't even chase him down.
Kizaru's sanity was on the verge of shattering.
Tired. Just end it all already...
He was just an ordinary salaryman doing his job for money.
How did he suddenly become a laborer bleeding and sweating for the World Government?
Kizaru didn't understand.
So he chose a strategic retreat.
"Whether it's Sakazuki or Kuzan..."
In his desperation, Kizaru started listing names like roll call, mentioning colleagues and even seniors one after another.
"Or Teacher Zephyr, Vice Admiral Garp... If not, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you could come to Impel Down yourself!"
"I can't stay in this godforsaken place any longer!"
Listening to Kizaru's slightly agitated words, Sengoku couldn't help but wonder what Whitebeard Jr. had done to him...
The Kizaru of old would have maintained his usual slow, slippery, and lazy demeanor even if the sky were falling.
Yet after just a few days at Impel Down, he'd been reduced to this state?
Whitebeard Jr. must be quite capable indeed...
Ahem.
"Sakazuki and the others all have other missions to handle."
Sengoku set aside his stray thoughts and explained earnestly.
"Moreover, Borsalino, the Sea Kings around Impel Down are still rampaging. Our warships can't even reach the prison right now."
"Add to that your opponent being Whitebeard Jr.—a 'Lightning Man' who's eaten the [Rumble-Rumble Fruit]."
"From top to bottom in the Marines, you're the only one who can deal with him!"
Sengoku wasn't just making excuses to Kizaru; this was his genuine opinion.
The [Rumble-Rumble Fruit] truly was an "invincible" Devil Fruit.
And within the Marines, only Kizaru—with his [Glint-Glint Fruit]—could match Whitebeard Jr.'s absolute speed.
As for others, including the top-tier Marine fighters Kizaru had just mentioned...
Even if they did make it to Impel Down, they likely wouldn't be much help in Kizaru's battle.
A fight between two "speedsters" was something outsiders could hardly intervene in.
Just like last time.
When Whitebeard Jr. single-handedly held off both Kizaru and Marcus Mars Saint simultaneously, didn't he still manage to escape unscathed?
When it came down to it...
The enemy was a pirate—coming and going as they pleased.
The Marines were always the ones left reacting.
Sengoku even felt somewhat grateful now that three days prior, Kizaru hadn't listened to his order to return to headquarters for debriefing, but had instead stayed at Impel Down.
Otherwise...
Without Kizaru guarding Impel Down,
Who else in the underwater prison could stand against Whitebeard Jr.?
They couldn't possibly let Whitebeard Jr. "destroy" Impel Down again after Golden Lion II had already "destroyed" it once, could they?
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I know you're making sense."
Kizaru sighed, no longer as emotionally charged as before.
"But this can't go on forever, can it?"
"Am I supposed to stay at Impel Down indefinitely, never returning to Marine Headquarters?"
That's not something I can decide...
Sengoku thought to himself.
It depends on when Whitebeard Jr. stops attacking Impel Down...
Ahem. "How about this..."
Sengoku racked his brains and quickly devised a strategy.
"I'll arrange for some reinforcements to assist you at Impel Down."
"Reinforcements?"
Kizaru thought about Impel Down's isolated location and the still-rampaging Sea Kings surrounding it.
"But warships can't even reach Impel Down right now..."
"It's fine if we can't get there by ship—we can try other methods."
Sengoku said seriously.
"For example, finding someone who can fly."
Kizaru stroked his chin.
"Fly?"
...
"Moshi moshi... Fleet Admiral Sengoku?!"
Storm had to admit.
The moment he received the Den Den Mushi call from the Marine Headquarters' fleet admiral, he felt a slight twinge of nervousness.
It was like a student who had just made a mistake suddenly running into the patrolling principal on the street...
A mix of tension and excitement, with a hint of peculiar thrill.
However.
When Storm fully grasped Sengoku's request, he froze.
"Nani? Fleet Admiral Sengoku, what did you just ask me to do?"
"Head to the Calm Belt—Impel Down! Reinforce Borsalino!"
Sengoku spoke gravely into the Den Den Mushi.
Turning to Storm was a last resort.
The Sea Kings near Impel Down were currently in a frenzy.
Marine warships couldn't sail into Impel Down.
Against the near-endless hordes of Sea Kings.
Even the strongest fighters couldn't hold out indefinitely.
So, to reinforce Impel Down, they had to rely on another method—flight!
Moreover.
To provide meaningful support to the beleaguered Kizaru rather than becoming a burden.
The person with flight capabilities also needed to possess considerable combat prowess.
Otherwise.
Before the reinforcement could even act, they might get instantly taken out by Whitebeard Jr....
Flight ability, substantial strength, capability to reach Impel Down, and no severe threat to the prison itself...
With all these conditions combined, Sengoku didn't need much effort to think of the perfect candidate—
Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral, SWORD Unit member, Royal Seven Warlord of the Sea, White Dragon Vongola Storm!
True.
Storm had indeed caused "damage" to Impel Down in the past.
But his "damage" paled in comparison to that of Golden Lion II and Whitebeard Jr.
At worst, Storm had only killed a few prisoners.
Golden Lion II and Whitebeard Jr. wanted to destroy Impel Down entirely!
The scale of destruction wasn't even comparable!
In Sengoku's eyes.
Storm's past actions merely labeled him as a "somewhat radical" Marine.
Entrusting such a Marine to defend Impel Down against notorious pirates?
Sengoku could rest completely at ease.
However.
While the Fleet Admiral was reassured.
Storm was struggling to keep his composure.
To be fair.
While Kizaru had been fighting for three days straight.
Storm had also been sweating it out for three days!
Over the past three days.
Using Kizaru as a whetstone, Storm had fully assimilated all the abilities and attributes he had recently enhanced.
Having achieved this, he felt it was time to call it quits.
Kizaru was no easy opponent to handle.
These past three days.
Kizaru was exhausted.
So was Storm.
He had originally thought.
Since Kizaru was steadfastly guarding Impel Down, even with Whitebeard Jr.'s strength, it would be hard to completely overpower the Marine Admiral wielding the [Glint-Glint Fruit].
So why not take the battle elsewhere?
Though Storm's initial "Three Strikes on Impel Down" plan couldn't proceed further.
But Impel Down wasn't the only place on the seas that housed powerful pirates.
Storm could always go elsewhere to continue his high-level Grand Prize Trophy hunting spree.
Yet against all expectations...
Before Storm could even make his move...
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's Den Den Mushi rang...
And it was specifically inviting him to Impel Down...
What a coincidence?
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku..."
Storm pondered for a moment before speaking with utmost seriousness.
"You know I've never been fond of that place, Impel Down."
"Hmm..."
Sengoku nodded in agreement, then continued.
"But recently, Whitebeard Jr. has been persistently harassing Impel Down."
"Borsalino alone doesn't have the strength to completely drive off this formidable pirate."
"So I could only think of you..."
"Whitebeard Jr...."
Storm suppressed a laugh and said gravely.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, that guy is the Lightning Man who ate the Rumble-Rumble Fruit - a 2 billion Belly bounty pirate even Admiral Kizaru can't defeat..."
"...Storm, what are you trying to say?"
"I can go help out at Impel Down, but... I have one condition!"
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