Blueno had never felt so unlucky in his entire life.
Just five minutes ago, everything had been going perfectly. Their group, disguised as CP9, arrived at Impel Down aboard a Marine warship from Enies Lobby, and their initial luck seemed to be holding. They were greeted by none other than the Deputy Warden, Hannyabal. When the ambitious man saw their uniforms, he didn't show the slightest hint of suspicion. Instead, he was embarrassingly deferential, his fawning tone immediately putting Blueno's nervous team at ease.
Of course, Blueno didn't give Hannyabal the time of day. This wasn't just part of the act; it was how true Cipher Pol agents operated. They were above the common bureaucracy of the prison.
"Alright, we're here on a direct order from the World Government," Blueno stated coldly. "We are to retrieve a specific pirate from Level 5."
Hannyabal didn't question it for a second. He didn't even bother to verify their orders with a Den Den Mushi, likely because the thought of someone impersonating CP9 was too absurd to even consider. Besides, Blueno's credentials were, for all intents and purposes, completely legitimate. After the disaster at Enies Lobby, Spandam had scapegoated the team, stripping them of their official status. But communication between the World Government, the Marines, and Impel Down was notoriously inefficient. Coupled with the government's efforts to cover up the incident, almost no one knew they were no longer active agents.
"Understood!" Hannyabal snapped to attention. "I'll send an escort to take you down right away!"
But just as he spoke, the distinct sound of the main elevator opening echoed through the hall. Blueno glanced over instinctively, and the sight that greeted him made his blood run cold. Beneath his mask, his professional composure shattered.
Marine Hero Garp...
At the elevator entrance, their eyes met. Garp immediately sensed that something was wrong with the group of agents before him. Even with their faces hidden, he could feel their sudden, sharp panic. That wasn't right. True CP9 agents, arrogant as they were, would never have such a reaction to seeing him. His instincts screamed that something was amiss, and his expression hardened. He took a single, decisive step forward.
And then, just as suddenly, he stopped. His foot froze mid-stride as if he had just realized something crucial.
"Vice Admiral Garp!" Blueno's choked exclamation drew Hannyabal's attention.
The Deputy Warden, however, saw nothing strange. In his mind, it was a perfectly normal reaction. Who on the seas wouldn't be awestruck in the presence of the legendary Marine Hero?
With heavy, deliberate footsteps, Garp closed the distance, walking directly toward the disguised agents. With every step he took, the panic radiating from Blueno and his group intensified. Bonney and the others felt a wave of pure terror wash over them. While Yamato might not have fully grasped what the name 'Garp the Fist' truly represented, the rest of them knew all too well. They were standing before a living legend, a man whose power rivaled that of the Pirate King himself. They braced for the end, not even entertaining the thought of resistance.
But the final blow never came. Just as they were sure they were doomed, Garp walked straight past them without a single word, heading for the exit.
Hannyabal stared, completely baffled for a moment, before scrambling to catch up, his fawning smile plastered back on his face. "Vice Admiral Garp, are you leaving already? Won't you stay for a while? We could have dinner! The food here in Impel Down is excellent, I assure you."
Garp paused but didn't turn around. "In two days, at 0500 hours, Marine HQ will send a detail to transport Fire Fist Ace," he said, his voice flat and tired. "Make sure this prison is secure until then."
And with that, he was gone.
Hannyabal stomped his foot in excitement and threw a sharp salute at the empty doorway. "You can count on me, Vice Admiral Garp! I won't let you down!" He was so caught up in his own fantasy of promotion that he failed to notice the CP9 agents beside him, who were still trembling from the encounter.
Beneath their masks, Blueno, Yamato, Bonney, and the others were in a state of utter shock and confusion.
Outside, Garp stood on the long walkway connecting the prison to the waiting ships. He stared back at the monolithic structure of Impel Down, his expression heavy. His most trusted subordinate, Bogard, stood silently by his side with a contingent of Marines. He knew his commander well enough to understand that Garp was in a dark place.
"Bogard," Garp asked suddenly, his voice barely a whisper. "Do you think I did the right thing?"
Bogard was taken aback. He wasn't sure what Garp was referring to, but he offered what comfort he could. "Vice Admiral, you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself. The young must walk their own path."
"Their own path?" Garp echoed, looking up at the gloomy, overcast sky. It felt like a bad omen. "But what kind of old man can just stand by and watch his own child walk into danger? Let's go."
His cryptic words left Bogard more confused than ever, but Garp was already boarding the warship. Just like that, the Marine Hero left Impel Down behind.
At the entrance to Level 5, the group stood before a massive steel door. Behind them, the Impel Down jailers shivered, not entirely from the cold.
"Sirs, you're at the Freezing Hell. The temperature inside is dangerously low. Please, you must change into these thermal clothes before entering."
"That won't be necessary," Bonney snapped, her voice dripping with the kind of arrogance befitting a government agent. Of the five, she was playing the part most convincingly. "We'll go in from here. You don't need to wait for us. We'll come out on our own once we've found the prisoner."
The jailer hesitated. "But sirs, the Freezing Hell is extremely dangerous..."
"Shut up," Bonney cut him off. "This is a classified CP9 mission. Your job is to follow orders, not ask questions."
"Yes, sir!" The guard flinched and immediately saluted. "Open the gate!"
As the huge door slowly creaked open, a visible wave of frigid air blasted out from the darkness within. Without a moment's hesitation, Yamato led the others into the frozen wasteland.
About half an hour later, back on the sea-level floor, Hannyabal was lounging in the main control room, his feet kicked up on a desk. The beautiful, blonde head jailer, Domino, stood beside him. Hannyabal was in a fantastic mood. He had made a good impression on both the Marine Hero Garp and CP9, all in one day. Surely, he was now one step closer to his dream of becoming the Warden of Impel Down.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi on the console began to ring.
"What is it?" Hannyabal answered lazily.
"Reporting, Deputy Warden! The CP9 agents have left the prison."
"What!?" Hannyabal shot up. "Damn it! I was planning to bribe them into putting in a good word for me so I can finally replace Magellan!"
"Ahem, Deputy Warden," Domino said pointedly. "I'm still here, you know."
"Oh, Domino, can't you just pretend you didn't hear that?"
At that moment, the door to the control room swung open, and a massive, demonic figure strode in. It was the Warden of Impel Down himself: Magellan.
Hannyabal immediately slammed the receiver down on the Den Den Mushi and tried to look casual, which only made Magellan more suspicious.
"What's wrong, Hannyabal? Is something the matter?"
A sinister, forced smile spread across Hannyabal's face. "No... nothing at all! Oh, by the way, Vice Admiral Garp has already left." He certainly wasn't going to mention the CP9 agents; that information might interfere with his plans to usurp the Warden's seat.
"He's gone? I see," Magellan said, paying it little mind. He had more pressing matters to attend to. "Get ready. In two days, the Warlord Boa Hancock will be arriving for an inspection, and the transport team from HQ will be here to pick up Fire Fist Ace. I don't want any problems."
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