Michael followed behind Garp in silence.
But his eyes wandered curiously, filled with awe at this colossal underwater super-prison.
In the past eighteen years, he had never once set foot in Impel Down.
As the saying goes, "Seeing it once is better than hearing about it a hundred times."
Garp, on the other hand, looked completely at ease, like a frequent visitor. Inside the elevator, he said to a visibly tense Hannyabal:
"Where's Magellan? Don't tell me he's off to the bathroom again?"
"That's right, Magellan did run off to the bathroom again. With such an unreliable Devil Fruit ability, he might as well give up the Warden position to me... Crap! I let that slip again!"
"Waahahaha! You're as funny as ever!"
Garp burst into loud laughter.
Meanwhile, Michael glanced at Hannyabal with a blank, unimpressed expression.
So that's your game, huh? Eyeing Magellan's job the moment the opportunity arises?
Talk about staying true to your ambitions. Not aiming for power, just aiming to replace Magellan, huh?
As Hannyabal clumsily juggled his ambition and guilt in a tangle of excuses, the elevator quickly descended to Level 6.
Eternal Hell.
"Vice Admiral Garp, this way please." Hannyabal waddled ahead, leading the way. "The cell for Golden Lion Shiki is all prepared."
"No rush. We're also here to pick up Roger. Take us to see him first," Garp shook his head and declined. He said to Hannyabal, "Golden Lion and Roger need to talk."
"Uh... alright then."
Of course Hannyabal would accommodate Garp's request.
Besides, one was shackled with Seastone cuffs, and the other was terminally ill and surrendered willingly. What could a little chatting do?
So he didn't probe further and directly led the group to Roger's cell.
"Vice Admiral Garp, please enter."
With that, he immediately stepped outside—then ran off even farther.
Hannyabal had no intention of overhearing anything he shouldn't. It was much safer to keep a healthy distance.
Turning back and looking at the cell door from afar, he wiped sweat from his forehead—it was soaked.
"Garp, Roger, and Golden Lion, three of them in one tiny cell... The pressure is unreal!"
...
Inside the cell, the atmosphere was tense—
Just kidding.
"Ahahahaha! Garp, why didn't you bring your dog-head hat today?"
Roger burst out laughing the moment he saw Garp, like he'd just run into a beloved old friend.
"That gray hair of yours really makes you look ancient… Oh wait, you are quite a bit older than me!"
"Gol D. Roger, show some respect to old man Garp, Kora! He didn't want his hair to turn out like that!"
"You little bastard!" Garp snarled and swung his "fist of love" at Michael, who easily dodged with a casual move. "You're the one who respects me the least!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
Michael replied lazily, brushing off Garp's anger, though his eyes remained sharply observant.
So it was true. Roger had made a deal with the Marines and was ready to give up his final days.
This cell...
It wasn't even reinforced.
It looked no different from a regular holding cell in some small town.
Roger watched with interest the banter between Michael and Garp—the contrast between generations—before finally shifting his gaze to the Golden Lion.
"Yo, Shiki, Garp caught you too? That doesn't make sense. With your Devil Fruit power, if you really wanted to escape, not even Garp—and definitely not both of us together—could've caught you. What happened?"
His eyes brimmed with scrutiny and curiosity.
But Golden Lion said nothing. Neither did Garp.
Michael had no choice but to break the silence.
"It's your fault, really."
"Huh? Me?" Roger pointed to his face in mock surprise. "I turned myself in ages ago! How's that my fault?"
"He surrendered because of you. Then stormed Marine Headquarters in a rage."
"Like a dumbass. Fought to the bitter end, didn't retreat, and gave Garp and Sengoku the perfect chance for a two-on-one."
"And now here you are together in Impel Down," Michael said with a shrug. "The bond between you two is seriously weird."
After speaking, Michael stepped aside to enjoy the show.
Sure enough, the teasing light in Roger's eyes gradually faded into calm.
"Shiki..."
"Gol D. Roger!" Golden Lion cut him off sharply. Even bound in heavy full-body Seastone restraints, he straightened his back with all his might and stared directly into Roger's eyes. "Tell me—why did you surrender?"
"Because I'm sick. I don't have much time left. So I'm using this dying body to buy peace for my friends. Isn't that worth it?" Roger answered calmly, unfazed by Shiki's questioning.
"I want to protect the people who matter to me."
"Bullshit! What person could be more important than the freedom we take pride in!?"
"You're the Pirate King! You said the freest man on the seas is the Pirate King!"
"But look at you now, rotting in some cramped little prison cell, waiting for your execution in seven days!"
"What kind of freedom is that, you bastard!?"
Golden Lion's hair and beard flared wildly as his eyes nearly popped from fury. He looked like a bloodthirsty, enraged lion.
He forced his hands up and grabbed Roger by the collar.
Pulled that calm face right up to his own.
That's when Michael saw it.
This "calm" Golden Lion was really suppressing a volcano of fury the whole time.
That fury had been echoing inside his chest, and now—it erupted.
"You're wrong, Shiki. I am the freest man. I always have been—and I still am!"
Roger pushed Shiki's hands aside, his smile brimming with boldness and pride. He didn't look like a prisoner at all—he looked like a Pirate King who still ruled the seas.
"Choosing to protect those who matter—that's my freedom."
"Surrendering—that's my freedom."
"My life doesn't need to explain to anyone what freedom means."
Golden Lion spat on the ground and scoffed.
"So now that you're sick, you've even learned to twist words?"
"You're just too arrogant. You've never trusted anyone. That's why you've got subordinates but no companions."
"I trusted you, Roger! You were the only one I trusted!" Golden Lion's gaze grew cold. "And you betrayed that trust."
"Come on, Shiki. You didn't trust me—you just didn't trust yourself," Roger said without looking back at him. "Garp, and this young Marine... I suppose it's time you took me out of here?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
Garp, who had been silent all this time, gave a slight nod and turned to the side, waiting for Roger to step out of the cell.
Roger's expression was calm as he walked toward the door.
"The old era of the Pirate King is over. I'm going to usher in a new one."
"I'm the Golden Lion! My era will never end!"
Their figures crossed paths.
This was the last conversation between the Pirate King and the Golden Lion in this life.
The beliefs of the strong—never compromised.
Even when faced with the only man they had ever truly acknowledged.
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