"When?!"
Just as Shiryu was about to switch his move
"Too slow."
A calm voice rang out.
In front of Shiryu's face, a fist suddenly appeared, so close it nearly brushed his nose.
The next instant, the gale carried by that fist crashed against his face.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The wall behind Shiryu split open.
Gulp.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he instinctively swallowed hard.
"If that punch had landed… it would've been a disaster."
Shiryu thought grimly.
"Well then, Shiryu are you willing to submit to me?"
Rosen asked.
"I am willing to follow in your footsteps."
Shiryu answered sincerely, from the bottom of his heart.
"Hahahahaha! This will be the wisest choice of your entire life.. Let's first give the world a little taste of shock."
Rosen laughed loudly.
Bang! The office door slammed shut behind them.
Rosen walked in front, the towering figure of Shiryu following close behind.
"Hm? Isn't that Rosen, the Chief Warden Officer, and Vice-Warden Shiryu?"
Some passing guards recognized them.
"Those two swords at the Chief's waist look familiar…"
"Why is the Vice-Warden walking behind the Chief?"
The two of them stepped out of the gloomy depths of Impel Down, onto the vast sea platform.
Warships were docked all around the harbor, surrounding the entire prison fortress. Under the thick shroud of dark clouds, the ocean looked more sinister and terrifying than ever.
"With just the two of us, we won't be able to sail a warship." Shiryu remarked.
"You still don't understand the power I possess, Shiryu." Rosen smiled.
"Hm?"
Shiryu frowned, staring at Rosen. He couldn't think of any way they could possibly leave Impel Down.
Moments later
"This…! What is this ability?!"
Shiryu couldn't stop himself from exclaiming.
The two stood on the deck as an enormous warship slowly lifted into the air…
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Wee-oo! Wee-oo! Wee-oo!
The alarm of Impel Down blared!
For many guards, even high-ranking ones, it was their first time ever hearing that siren.
This was the institution directly under the World Government
The infamous, "never before breached" deep-sea prison Impel Down!
Inside the prison, guards scrambled in a panic but quickly reverted to their drilled routines.
Securing prisoners, keeping watch, every nerve stretched taut.
They had no idea what was happening, but all they could do was hold their posts.
On the sea platform outside
"W-What is that?! Why is the warship flying?!"
A guard cried out in terror.
"Oi oi, quit joking around! How can there be such power?!"
"That's the Golden Lion's ability! The power of the Float-Float Fruit!"
A knowledgeable squad leader shouted.
"The enemy's the Golden Lion?! Didn't he just get locked up?! Even as a joke, that's too much!"
"This is the prison that's never been breached! Golden Lion can't possibly have escaped!"
Other guards insisted firmly.
"R-Report! I just saw Chief Rosen and Vice-Warden Shiryu board that warship!"
One trembling guard stammered out to his unit leader.
"What?! Lord Shiryu and Lord Rosen?!"
The squad leader was shaken.
"You're sure you didn't see wrong?!"
"Report! I'm sure!"
"We saw it too! It was definitely those two who boarded the warship!"
Other platform guards echoed the claim.
"Let's just hope this really is some kind of joke…"
Cold sweat rolled down the squad leader's forehead.
"What's going on here?!"
Warden Dalton stormed onto the platform, staring up at the floating warship, demanding answers.
"Warden, sir!"
At his arrival, the guards breathed a sigh of relief.
If this was truly an enemy attack, this scale of power was far beyond anything their courage could stand against.
"Report, Warden sir it was Vice-Warden Shiryu and Chief Rosen who boarded that warship!"
The squad leader reported.
"Those two bastards what the hell are they doing?!"
Dalton roared in fury, then stomped off the platform, leaping into the sky with Geppo to chase after the warship.
"Oh?"
Watching the figure rapidly closing in, Rosen instantly recognized it was Dalton exactly as he expected.
"Shiryu, go stall the old man. And make sure you don't damage our ride."
"By your will."
Shiryu drew a katana, its blade wrapped in Armament Haki. The pitch-black steel radiated pure killing intent.
Bang!
He pushed off the deck, soaring upward.
Slash!
A black arc of blade-light cut through the sky, the dark sword flashing like black lightning as it swung down toward Dalton.
Sensing the murderous aura, Dalton didn't panic. Instead of drawing his sword, he covered his fist with Armament Haki.
With a forceful kick of Geppo, he propelled himself upward, fist raised to meet Shiryu's strike.
Clang!
They collided in midair, high and low, the clash of Armament ringing in deafening reverberations.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
The two split apart and clashed again, exchanging blows in an instant, their battle escalating rapidly.
Though aged, Dalton's combat skills and experience were far superior to Shiryu's.
For a time, neither could gain the upper hand.
Clang!
Another clash sent both men skidding back, suspended in the air.
"Shiryu! Are you planning to defect with Rosen?!"
Dalton barked sternly.
"Defect? No, no… this is merely another way to pursue my own path."
Shiryu replied calmly.
"But one thing you got wrong It's not me leading him. I've already sworn myself to that man. Old man, if you still want to spend your twilight years in peace, don't block our way… or you'll die!"
A crazed look spread across Shiryu's face, the look of one who revered power absolutely.
"Hmph! Letting you walk away would betray the convictions I've upheld for decades! Come accompany this old man into his twilight!"
With that, Dalton finally drew the blade at his waist, his aura flaring as he prepared to fight with all his might.
Back on the platform, Magellan having just recovered from his stomach troubles rushed over in haste.
As Chief Warden, he had to stay to control the prison interior. That left Magellan to provide backup.
He looked to the battle above, instantly grasping the situation.
As Impel Down's two top deputies, the ones meant to inherit command in the future, he knew Shiryu better than anyone.
For Shiryu to make this choice unexpected, yet not entirely surprising.
Only…
"The Float-Float Fruit's ability…?"
He had already contacted the guards in Level 6. They confirmed nothing unusual—Golden Lion was still imprisoned.
That made things tricky. Another power similar to the Float-Float Fruit's…
Could it be? Just after capturing Golden Lion, would another "Golden Lion" appear?
Listening to his men's reports, Magellan already guessed the ability's true wielder.
"Rosen, huh? Hiding it all this time, have you…"
His mind decided, Magellan launched off with Geppo, flying to aid Dalton.
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T/N:
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