Issho wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a long breath.
"Finally… we've escaped that place."
He straightened slightly and spoke calmly.
"Adjutant, check if anyone is injured."
"Yes, Vice Admiral Fujitora!"
The adjutant immediately began counting and inspecting the crew.
Before long, he returned with a report.
"Vice Admiral Fujitora, only three men sustained minor injuries. No serious casualties."
Only then did Issho truly relax.
"That's good… set course. We're heading back."
"Yes, sir!"
As the crew busied themselves, Issho took out his Den Den Mushi.
"Purururu…"
"Hello, this is Fujitora."
"Oh? Issho, how did the mission go?"
On the other end, Fleet Admiral Ezra D. Vale spoke from his office.
"Rest assured, Fleet Admiral. Tesoro has been defeated."
Ezra nodded slightly. The outcome didn't surprise him at all.
Tesoro was strong, but compared to Issho, he still fell short.
"Well done, Issho."
"Take him straight to Impel Down. I'll inform Hannyabal."
"I understand, Fleet Admiral."
The call ended.
Ezra immediately contacted Impel Down.
Since the Paramount War, Magellan had been removed from the position of Chief Warden. Though the incident wasn't entirely his fault, he still bore responsibility.
Hannyabal had finally taken the position he had always coveted.
"Hello, this is Hannyabal."
"Hannyabal, this is Ezra. Issho will be delivering a prisoner shortly. Prepare to receive him. He's to be held in Level Six."
Hannyabal straightened instantly.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral! Understood!"
After ending the call, Ezra contacted Stussy.
"Stussy, Tesoro has been captured by the Marines."
She paused briefly before replying.
"I understand, Fleet Admiral. Should we inform Kaido?"
Ezra rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment.
"Yes. Inform him. You are allies now."
Stussy hesitated.
"And if Kaido loses control?"
A faint smile appeared on Ezra's face.
"Then let him come to G-1 Headquarters and find me."
Stussy paused, then nodded.
"I understand."
"Maintain your current operations."
"Yes, Fleet Admiral."
With that, Ezra hung up and returned to his work.
Meanwhile, Issho's warship cut through the sea, carrying Tesoro toward Impel Down.
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Soon, a massive fortress came into view.
"So this is Impel Down…"
"It feels… unsettling."
"Forget 'feels.' It is unsettling."
"It's an underwater prison. What we see is just the tip of the iceberg."
The Marines murmured among themselves. For many of them, it was their first time here.
Issho stood quietly, sensing the oppressive atmosphere.
"Impel Down… the final destination for criminals."
The warship docked.
Issho ordered his men to bring Tesoro up from below deck.
They disembarked together.
"Well now, you must be Vice Admiral Fujitora."
A voice called out.
Issho turned toward it.
A man dressed like an ancient pharaoh stood ahead, with Magellan behind him.
"You must be Warden Hannyabal. A pleasure to meet you."
Hannyabal's gaze swept across the group before settling on Tesoro.
Tesoro looked nothing like the so-called Golden Emperor anymore. His hair was disheveled, his clothes torn, and his eyes burned with suppressed rage.
"No need for formalities. We'll be seeing each other often."
"This is Tesoro?"
Issho nodded.
"Yes. The Golden Emperor, Tesoro."
"I understand. Leave him to us."
With a wave of his hand, Magellan stepped forward with the guards and took custody of Tesoro.
As Tesoro was dragged deeper into Impel Down, disappearing into its dark depths, Issho and his men finally relaxed.
"Hannyabal, we won't stay any longer."
Hannyabal nodded.
"Understood. Safe travels, Vice Admiral."
He turned and returned inside.
Issho and his men boarded their warship and departed.
Time passed swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, a full year had gone by.
The calendar now marked the year 1524.
Surprisingly, no major upheavals had occurred during that time.
With Fleet Admiral Ezra D. Vale overseeing the Marines, stability had been maintained.
The three Admirals and the elite Zero Division were highly active, ensuring that most pirates with bounties over 100 million met grim ends.
At the same time, Ezra avoided provoking the top-tier pirates.
This created a fragile balance across the seas.
One that could shatter at any moment.
Meanwhile, the Blackbeard Pirates had expanded rapidly over the year, absorbing numerous pirate crews.
They had grown into a massive fleet.
Blackbeard himself had finally obtained the Tremor-Tremor Fruit on a certain island.
With his overwhelming power, he carved out a fearsome reputation in the New World.
At last, he achieved his ambition.
He became one of the Four Emperors.
As for Stussy, she continued developing her territory.
What was once the Pleasure District had now become something greater.
Pleasure City.
Through her relentless efforts, it had become a haven desired by pirates everywhere.
Under her name as one of the Four Emperors, and her strict enforcement of rules, it became an unspoken sanctuary.
Violence was forbidden.
Anyone who broke that rule would be beaten down by everyone present.
Stussy had truly earned her title.
The Queen of Pleasure City.
The Red-Haired Pirates, on the other hand, remained quiet.
They followed an elite path, making no expansions, taking no actions.
Shanks seemed to be waiting for something.
Finally, there was Kaido.
His situation had not changed much.
After learning of Tesoro's capture, he nearly launched an attack on G-1.
Fortunately, King and the others managed to restrain him.
With Ulti's death, the position of one of the Three Calamities had been filled once more.
The new member was someone from the Flying Six.
Page One.
Ancient Zoan, Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Spinosaurus Model.
And beyond that…
He carried another identity.
He was Ulti's younger brother.