Jerry streaked through the air at tremendous speed, Brook and Zoro flanking him as they approached the first floor exit of Impel Down. Below them, the massive underwater prison's entrance came into view, where he could make out the familiar figures of Sanji and the others waiting by the sea.
"You're finally here! Thank goodness!" Carina's voice carried across the water as she spotted them descending. Nami and Usopp visibly relaxed, relief washing over their faces.
As Jerry touched down on the stone platform, Carina's eyes immediately caught the torn fabric and dark stains on his shoulder. "Wait—you're hurt! Are you okay?" Her concerned voice was echoed by worried murmurs from the others.
Jerry glanced down at the injury, already feeling his enhanced healing working to close the wounds. He managed a reassuring smile despite the lingering ache. "Don't worry about it. This is nothing compared to what the other guy just went through."
However, his expression grew serious as he surveyed the scene around the prison entrance. Bodies of guards lay scattered across the ground, their uniforms singed and torn. The massive gates bore scorch marks and deep gouges, as if something incredibly powerful had torn through them.
"Did someone else break out just now?" Jerry asked, his frown deepening as he took in the carnage.
Sanji nodded grimly, lighting a cigarette with slightly trembling hands. "Yeah, it happened right before you got here. Something—or someone—came tearing out of there like a bat out of hell."
"It was so fast we could barely see what it was," Chopper added, his small voice filled with unease. "The guards didn't even have time to react. They were just... thrown aside like leaves in a storm."
Usopp swallowed hard, his knees knocking together. "Whatever it was, it felt dangerous. Really dangerous. The air itself seemed to vibrate when it passed by."
Jerry's mind raced through the possibilities. Blackbeard's crew had been causing chaos throughout the prison, but this sounded like something else entirely—something that had been waiting for the perfect moment to escape during the confusion.
"Well, whatever monsters broke loose, that's not our problem right now," Jerry said, pushing the concern aside. "We have more important things to worry about. Let's get out of here."
"Finally!" Usopp threw his arms up in celebration as they reached the prison exit. "I'm free! Free from that nightmare! I thought I was going to go crazy in there—the smell, the sounds, those creepy prisoners..." He took a deep breath of the sea air, then spun around with a huge grin. "Guys, we actually did it! We—"
His words died in his throat. His friends weren't celebrating. Instead, they were all staring out at the empty ocean with expressions of growing alarm.
"Um... where exactly is our ship?" Usopp's voice cracked as he pointed at the barren seascape before them.
The question hung in the air like a lead weight. Where the Black Nova should have been anchored, there was nothing but empty water stretching to the horizon.
Brook raised a skeletal finger toward the distance. "Yohohoho... though I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I believe I see debris over there. Ship debris, scattered across the waves."
Nami squinted in the direction Brook indicated, her navigator's eyes picking out details the others missed. "Those colors and that design... they look like Marine warship fragments. There must have been a battle here while we were inside."
The implications hit them all at once. Their escape route was gone, destroyed in whatever conflict had taken place while they were infiltrating the prison.
Zoro glanced at the pocket watch in the cook's hand, his expression grim. "So how exactly are we supposed to get to Marineford now? We're running out of time."
All eyes turned to Jerry, who stood at the edge of the platform, his gaze fixed on the distant wreckage. The wind whipped through his hair as he assessed their situation with the calm focus they'd all come to rely on.
"The fact that even the Marine warships are gone tells me everything I need to know," Jerry said, his voice carrying over the sound of lapping waves. "Luffy's execution is about to begin. We can't afford to wait for another ship."
Without another word, Jerry extended his hand toward the sea, his fingers moving in a subtle hooking motion. The others watched in fascination as his Devil Fruit-like powers activated, though they knew his abilities came from an entirely different source.
The previously still waters of the Calm Belt began to shift and swirl. Currents that shouldn't exist in this windless, currentless sea started flowing at Jerry's command, responding to his enhanced mastery over all forms of water.
A massive piece of ship wreckage—part of what had once been a proud Marine warship—rose from the depths. Water cascaded off its surface as Jerry guided it through the currents, the wooden platform easily large enough to hold their entire group.
"There's our ride," Jerry announced, leaping gracefully onto the makeshift ship. "All aboard the S.S. Desperation."
Zoro stared at the impossible scene, then shot a questioning look at Nami. "Didn't you say there was supposed to be no wind and no current in the Calm Belt? How is he doing that?"
Nami's expression shifted into something truly terrifying—her eyes bulged, her teeth became shark-like fangs, and an aura of murderous intent surrounded her small frame. "ARE YOU SERIOUSLY QUESTIONING MY NAVIGATION SKILLS RIGHT NOW?!" She launched herself at Zoro with her fist raised. "You're the guy who can get lost in a straight hallway, and you want to lecture me about ocean currents?!"
Her punch connected with a satisfying crack, sending Zoro reeling.
"Nice hit!" Sanji cheered, pumping his fist in the air. "That moss-headed fool had it coming!"
"Yeah! Show him who's boss, Nami!" Usopp added, though he kept a safe distance from the enraged navigator.
Despite the tension of their situation, the familiar banter brought a moment of levity to the group. Even in the face of an impossible rescue mission, they could still find reasons to laugh together.
One by one, they jumped onto Jerry's commandeered platform. The makeshift ship bobbed gently under their combined weight, but Jerry's water manipulation kept it steady and secure.
"Alright, everyone!" Sanji declared, his voice filled with determination as he struck a dramatic pose. "Now that we've rescued our directionally-challenged swordsman, it's time to save Luffy and Robin! No Marine fortress is going to stop us!"
"Shut up, dartboard-brow," Zoro shot back automatically, but his expression had turned serious. He could feel it in the air—the weight of what they were about to attempt. Breaking into Impel Down had been challenging enough, but what awaited them at Marineford would be on an entirely different scale.
The mood among the group shifted as the reality of their situation sank in. They were about to assault the Marine Headquarters itself, the heart of the World Government's military might. The most powerful Marines in the world would be waiting for them, along with defenses they could barely imagine.
Jerry sensed the change in atmosphere. "I know what you're all thinking," he said, his voice steady and reassuring. "But remember—we're not going in blind, and we're not going in alone. We have allies, we have a plan, and most importantly, we have each other."
He raised his hand again, and the ocean responded to his will. Water rose around their platform, forming a protective sphere that enclosed them completely. The transparent barrier shimmered as it prepared to submerge, offering them safe passage through the dangerous waters ahead.
"Hold on tight," Jerry warned. "We're going underwater, and we're going fast."
The sphere plunged beneath the surface, Jerry's powers propelling them through the depths at incredible speed. Schools of Sea Kings parted before their passage, sensing the overwhelming force of Jerry's abilities. Behind them, Impel Down grew smaller and smaller until it vanished entirely.
As they raced through the dark waters toward Marineford, each member of the group was lost in their own thoughts, preparing for the battle that awaited them.
Three hours before the scheduled executionMarineford - Marine Headquarters
The massive fortress of Marineford buzzed with activity as Marines rushed to complete their final preparations. On the execution platform that dominated the central plaza, two figures sat in chains, waiting for their fate.
In the shadowy corridor behind the platform, a lone figure leaned against the stone wall, his weathered face hidden in the darkness. Vice Admiral Garp stared at nothing, his mind replaying a conversation that had taken place just hours earlier.
The memory was still fresh, still painful...
"You stubborn brat! I told you not to become a pirate!" Garp had roared at Luffy through the bars of his holding cell, his voice echoing off the walls. "If you'd just listened to me and joined the Marines, none of this would be happening!"
But Luffy had only smiled that infuriating, unchanging smile of his. "Shishishi... sorry, Grandpa, but everyone has their own path to follow. I don't regret becoming a pirate—not for a second!"
The words had hit Garp like a physical blow. His fist had slammed against the cell bars with enough force to shake the entire room. "Well, I regret it! If I had known it would come to this, I would have chained you to my ship and never let you out of my sight!"
For the first time, Luffy's expression had grown serious. "I'm sorry, Grandpa. I really am. But even if you gave me another chance, I'd make the same choice. I'd rather die free than live in a cage."
"That's what I was afraid you'd say," Garp had whispered, suddenly looking every one of his years. "Your father was just the same way. Our whole family is cursed with this stubborn streak..."
"Shishishi! That's probably where I get it from!"
"You can still laugh at a time like this?"
"Why wouldn't I? I lived the life I wanted to live. I made friends I'd die for, and they'd do the same for me. What more could a guy ask for?"
The memory faded, leaving Garp alone with his thoughts and his guilt. In just a few hours, he would have to watch his grandson die, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The weight of his Marine duty pressed down on him like a mountain.