——————
"If I told you I could cure your disease, and even get you out of here—what would you choose?" Rimuru asked, meeting Roger's eyes. He genuinely admired the man, and if there was a chance to save him, then why not? As for how the story of this world was supposed to unfold… well, that wasn't his problem.
Roger fell silent. If he could live, who would really choose death?
"…Why save me?" Roger finally asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Milim butted in before Rimuru could speak. "You know where the treasure is! We break you out, you lead us there, then we dig it up together!"
"Ohhh, so that's the reason!" Ramiris nodded, as if enlightened.
Rimuru nearly fell over. 'That's not what I meant!' he thought—though, now that they mentioned it… it wasn't a bad idea. He had been kind of curious about the so-called One Piece himself.
"I see…" Roger said slowly. "But anyone who finds the treasure will be hunted down by the World Government. You really want the entire world chasing you?"
"What kind of crappy government is that?" Milim scoffed. "So what? We'll just wipe them out."
"Exactly! You're underestimating Demon Lords way too much!" Ramiris jabbed a tiny finger at Roger's nose, puffing herself up despite her small size. She might look tiny, but her power was nothing to laugh at—and she was the Fairy Queen, with her entire race behind her.
"Demon Lords…?" Roger's brows lifted in surprise.
"That's settled then!" Milim declared. "Bestie, I'm going first!" And without waiting for a reply, she shot off.
"Milim!" Rimuru twitched violently, "Don't just run off like that!" But she was already gone. Well… knowing Milim's strength, the marines outside were probably in for hell anyway.
"Ramiris," Rimuru turned quickly, "can you turn this prison into a labyrinth? I'll handle Roger's treatment."
"No problem at all! Leave it to me!" Ramiris zipped into the air proudly.
"Labyrinth Prison!" she cried. A massive magic circle flared beneath and above her, enveloping the entire prison. The walls began to writhe as if alive, stretching and twisting, until the space expanded into an endless, shifting maze.
Roger's expression kept shifting—shock, disbelief, then outright alarm. His Observation Haki… had vanished? He couldn't sense anything. This labyrinth actually suppressed perception! If even his Haki was useless, then ordinary people had no hope. They'd never escape this place alive.
Seeing Ramiris finish, Rimuru drew a blade and, with a single slash, cut through the shackles that bound Roger.
"Impressive swordsmanship," Roger muttered despite himself.
"Thanks," Rimuru grinned. "Now, let's begin the treatment."
He placed a hand on Roger, scanning his condition. "Hmm… worse than I expected. But not impossible. Let's see… heart's shot, lungs are failing, kidneys are toast… eh, might as well just replace everything except the brain!"
Roger froze. Was this… really medical treatment?
...
Outside, Milim stood triumphantly on the body of a fallen giant vice admiral, looking down at the ring of marines surrounding her. She folded her arms and smirked. "What, this is all you've got? Way too easy."
A massive shadow suddenly crashed down from above, the ground shaking under the impact. A broad figure rose, cloak of Justice flaring behind him. The Commander-in-Chief of the Marines, Kong.
"Do you understand what you're doing?" Kong's voice was cold, heavy with authority. Picking a fight here wasn't just reckless—it was a direct challenge to the World Government. A crime they would never forgive.
"Hmph. And who do you think you are?" Milim shot back dismissively.
"Commander!" A frantic marine with an afro rushed up, shouting, "The prison's been compromised!"
"What!?" Kong's face darkened with fury. "Sengoku! Take a squad, secure Roger immediately! If he resists, execute him on the spot!"
"Yes, sir!" Sengoku barked, rallying several men as they rushed toward the prison.
Kong turned back, his killing intent flaring. "So it was you!"
"Yep! That was us," Milim said cheerfully. "So what are you gonna do about it?"
"Seize her!" Kong roared.
But before anyone could move, a small fist slammed into his chest. Kong was blasted back like a cannonball, crashing through dozens of buildings before vanishing in the rubble. Milim appeared in his place, smiling innocently.
"So fast!" Marines all around went pale. Even the ones who had charged forward froze mid-step.
Garp narrowed his eyes. He had only barely glimpsed an afterimage just now. This girl… she was monstrously strong.
"Damn it!"
Kong roared, bursting from the wreckage, arms coated in Armament Haki as he threw a punch.
Milim grinned and met it with her own tiny fist. The collision exploded into a shockwave so violent that every vice admiral staggered, and rank-and-file marines were simply blown away like leaves.
And then… the crowd watched in horror as their Commander-in-Chief was launched across the battlefield again, his arm nearly shattered, dangling uselessly at his side.
Milim hadn't even taken a scratch.
Gulp...
The marines gulped audibly.
She was terrifying.
---
"WTF?"
Meanwhile, Sengoku pushed open the prison doors—only to stop dead.
Instead of a simple cell block, there stretched a vast corridor with towering walls that seemed to climb endlessly into the sky. The prison had completely transformed.
Sengoku blinked. His men blinked. They turned back—outside, the prison was still a squat stone fortress, maybe twenty meters tall. Inside… it was a boundless maze.
For the first time in his career, Sengoku wondered if his brain had stopped working properly.
.
.
.