Impel Down, Level 1 – Prison Cell!
"Hahaha! Buggy's secret prison break operation has begun! You idiots can rot in here for the rest of your lives—this great me is off to find treasure!"
Clown Buggy, with his ridiculous red nose, ignored the desperate pleas of the other prisoners. He couldn't care less about rescuing those fools!
At the same time, Victor and Luffy found a relatively safe spot.
The effects of the Shrinking Pill and Invisibility Pill had worn off, and both of them had returned to normal.
"Victor, you're really strong! Just now, your speed was even faster than my Gear Second!"
Luffy always respected the strong, and the power Victor had shown earned his immediate approval.
"Victor, thank you for helping me!" Luffy suddenly said seriously, his tone unusually earnest.
"Don't mention it. It was just a small favor. Who knows—maybe one day I'll need your help."
Victor waved his hand. Truthfully, if it weren't for being tricked by the system, he would have gone straight to Marineford.
The Goro Goro no Mi! A reward that was practically within reach, yet annoyingly out of grasp!
"Hehe, that's true. I'm the man who's going to become the Pirate King. When that time comes, whatever dreams you have, Victor, I'll help you achieve them!"
Luffy laughed. His ambition had always been to become Pirate King!
"What if my dream is also to become the Pirate King?" Victor suddenly asked.
Luffy's expression turned serious in an instant. His eyes gleamed as he stared at Victor and declared, "Then I'll beat you up!"
Victor: …
"Hahaha! As expected of you, Luffy!"
Victor stayed silent for a moment, then burst out laughing.
Luffy: "?"
"Don't worry, I have no interest in becoming Pirate King. But if we were to fight, I would definitely win!"
"Hahahahaha!"
The two men exchanged glances, then both laughed loudly. Never giving up—that was their shared creed!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A sudden commotion broke out ahead. A group of huge, blue-furred monsters came rushing toward them.
In front of these monsters, a disheveled figure was frantically fleeing—their obvious target.
"Buggy Clown!"
Victor recognized him instantly. That ridiculous red nose could only belong to the former apprentice of Pirate King Roger—Clown Buggy.
"Wah! Run, Victor!"
Luffy grabbed Victor and bolted.
Victor was speechless. Really, Luffy? You're a Supernova with a 300 million bounty, and you're running away?
Victor firmly believed that if it were Zoro here, he'd already be cutting down the monsters without hesitation. After all, Zoro wouldn't even flinch cutting down women—let alone these creatures.
"Huh? Straw Hat?!?"
Buggy spotted Luffy, stunned. Straw Hat got captured by the Marines too?
"Oh, it's Buggy. You got caught, huh? Why are you on the first level? Is it because you're too weak?"
Luffy showed no reaction at all. They weren't exactly close.
"Ha!? You dare mock the great me? Aren't you two also on the first level!?"
Buggy was furious. How dare anyone underestimate the great Clown Buggy—even if Luffy's words were true.
"We're different from you. We're invaders. You're a prisoner—a Level 1 prisoner, at that!"
Victor retorted. Impel Down had multiple levels—the deeper the level, the stronger the prisoners. Level 1 was filled with nothing but mediocrity.
"Hah! Invaders!? Don't make me laugh! Just you and Straw Hat? Aren't you being chased by the Jailer Masira just like me?"
Buggy burst into laughter. To him, Victor looked even weaker than Luffy. Otherwise, why would he be running? Definitely a braggart.
"Luffy, where did you meet this braggart? He doesn't look strong at all, yet he brags even more than me!"
"Vec—uh, Victor is very strong, and we are invaders, Buggy! Watch out, or you might get beaten up!"
No sooner had Luffy spoken than a massive axe came crashing down behind Buggy. Startled, Buggy split his body apart with his Chop-Chop powers to dodge.
"How dare you underestimate a Chop-Chop Fruit user, you damned Masira!" Buggy cursed.
The Jailer Masira—sea fighter beasts known as Blue Gorillas—were formidable, far stronger than normal humans.
Of course, Victor wasn't "normal."
Buggy, however, thought Victor was pathetic for running. In his eyes, Victor was just an empty boaster.
"I say, Luffy, stop running. Buggy is right—why run from a few Masira? We're not trash characters like him! If we keep running, it'll only cause a bigger commotion."
Victor was frustrated. Was I running? Luffy's the one dragging me, and now I'm being mocked by Clown Buggy…
Mocked by Clown Buggy! What a fucking disgrace!
"Eh, you're right!"
Luffy finally stopped. Side by side, he and Victor turned to face the Masira.
"Ah! You two are trying to die! Fine, the great me is going ahead!"
Buggy tried to sneak away, but Luffy kicked him straight into the wall, leaving him stuck there.
"Luffy!! What the hell! That hurts, damn it!"
Buggy cursed, secretly shocked at Luffy's power. But that only made him despise Victor more. Clearly, in Buggy's eyes, Victor was just hiding behind Luffy's strength.
The Jailer Masira raised their axes and swung at Victor and Luffy.
"Gum-Gum—!"
Luffy stretched his arms, ready to unleash a Gatling barrage.
"Wait, Luffy. Your move will make too much noise. Let me handle it."
Victor stepped forward.
Luffy paused, puzzled but willing to trust him.
"Keep bragging, idiot. This great me can't wait to see you smashed into the floor!" Buggy sneered.
But Victor stayed calm. He even closed his eyes as the Masira's giant axes descended.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open!
Buzz! Buzz!
A mental shockwave exploded outward from Victor's body, sharp and overwhelming.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A dozen Masira instantly collapsed, their minds shattered. They lay unconscious, completely defeated.
"Hey, Victor, you could've at least left one for me!"
Luffy complained, pouting.
Meanwhile, Buggy—still stuck in the wall—was slack-jawed, trembling as he whispered hoarsely:
"Con… Conqueror's Haki!!!!"