Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Wayne pieced together information from the prisoners' snippets: Roger had already been taken away, most likely to Loguetown.
But that wasn't Wayne's main concern; the key question was whether Golden Lion Shiki had been sent to Impel Down.
In the afternoon, the Wild Beast Hell suddenly grew lively. The jailers all surged toward the corridor's depths in unison; with such a display, something big was clearly happening.
Wayne's pupils narrowed. He darted to the iron gate of the Seastone cell, gripped the bars with both hands, and looked upward.
There he was!
Even from a fleeting glance, Wayne recognized the burly man: the Hero of the Marines, Garp.
Garp's appearance in Impel Down at this time could only mean he was escorting Golden Lion Shiki; there was no other possibility.
Wayne's face lit with delight; his plan could finally begin.
....
Six levels underground: Eternal Hell.
"Damn you, Garp. For a man like Roger to die in the East Blue is an insult, you can't treat him like this!"
Facing the battered Golden Lion Shiki, Garp replied calmly, "Shiki, you bastard, take care of yourself first!" After saying that, Garp turned and left, ignoring Shiki's protests and not looking back.
When Garp was gone, Shiki sank into silence. After a long while, he rubbed a big bump on his forehead and complained, "Garp's fist really hurts…"
After a few more complaints, exhausted, Shiki flopped down and fell asleep, snoring like thunder.
Dream.
Shiki returned to the site of the old Edd War. He had already surrounded Roger's crew; they were trapped with no way out.
Just as he was about to warn everyone about the storm that ruined everything, the scene shifted.
He found himself on a green meadow, facing a man whose face he couldn't make out.
"Shiki, you're going to die."
Still dazed, Shiki bristled at that.
"Die? Me? Impossible! One day I'll break out of Impel Down!"
Wayne stayed silent for a while. Shiki wasn't wrong; he did later escape and earned the reputation as the first pirate to break out. But Wayne would never tell him that; otherwise, there'd be no bargaining leverage.
"Impel Down has existed since the Marines' founding. Countless strong men have been locked here. After all these years, have you ever heard of anyone escaping?"
Wayne's tactic was simple: crush him. He needed Shiki desperate; only then would a deal be possible.
Shiki didn't answer Wayne's question for a long time, finally replying stubbornly, "I'm THE Golden Lion Shiki! Just because those trash couldn't get out doesn't mean I can't."
"Do you even believe that yourself?"
"And the Marine, they are about to publicly execute the Pirate King, Roger. That will be a huge blow to every pirate. Don't you think the Marines might, to add fuel to the fire, publicly execute you, too?"
"After all, you're a legendary pirate on par with Gol D. Roger and Edward Newgate, Whitebeard."
Shiki fell utterly silent. True, he was a legendary great pirate!
From his knowledge of the Marines, it might really happen. Roger was being dragged out to be shamed; to set an example, they might do the same to Shiki. He could be confident he'd escape Impel Down, but he couldn't guarantee the Marines wouldn't publicly execute him. While he lived, he would always be a threat.
Seeing Shiki's expression, Wayne rejoiced inwardly; his psychological play had worked. Shiki really believed he might face public execution.
Shiki thought through many possibilities, but soon regained composure and grinned,
"Shihaha... kid, what exactly are you trying to say?"
"So, Shiki, what's your regret?"
That line worked so well, Wayne used it again. The effect was obvious from Shiki's thoughtful look.
Shiki recalled his life: becoming a pirate, killing for the first time… siding with Rocks, the God Valley battle, clashes with Newgate and Roger, the Edd War...
Did he have regrets? Of course, many. But what haunted him most was the defeat at the Edd War, though that was due to uncontrollable circumstances.
He had underestimated nature's power; he lost to the weather, not to Roger, and he'd long since let it go.
Shiki shook his head and said in a low tone, "I don't know if I have any regrets. Those are all things of the past; now I only want to look forward."
Thankfully, Wayne reacted quickly, anticipating Shiki's bravado and changing his approach.
"Heh, looking forward, then… before your public execution, is there anything you still want to do?"
Shiki stroked his chin and cackled, "Of course. I've killed so many in my life, but I've never killed a Celestial Dragon! If I got out now, I'd turn Mary Geoise upside down!"
Back when he attacked God Valley, he had the chance but didn't take it. Now he wanted to, but the chance was gone.
"Then let's make a deal, Shiki."
"I'll help you kill Celestial Dragons and wreak havoc in Mary Geoise. In return, you hand your strength over to me. How about that?"
"Shihahaha!" Shiki laughed uproariously. "You? A guy who doesn't even dare show his face, why should I believe you?"
Wayne didn't answer immediately; he considered how to make Shiki trust him. Who could vouch for him?
Got it!
Roger was a rival whom Shiki respected. That's why he once stormed the Navy Headquarters; using Roger to vouch would be foolproof.
"Roger trusts me. After he dies, I will take his power. As exchange, I'll protect his pregnant wife until the child is safely born."
"Roger? When?" Shiki's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Before you arrived, Roger was in Impel Down, too. I had a pleasant talk with him."
"Interesting!" Suddenly, Shiki pointed at Wayne, prideful: "If that Roger fellow trusts you, then I'll trust you this once!"
"As long as you dare to cause chaos in Mary Geoise, you can let me use your power!"
No sooner had he spoken than a ding sounded in Wayne's head.
"Commission task refreshed. Please check."
[Commission Order: Chaos at Mary Geoise]
Commission requirement: Golden Lion Shiki temporarily lends you the Float-Float Fruit ability so you can strike Mary Geoise and kill Celestial Dragons.
Commission rewards:
Float-Float Fruit ability (Awakened Version), restriction: temporarily possessed before order completion; failure to complete will result in loss of the ability.
Float-Float Fruit ability (Awakened Version), requirement: during the Mary Geoise riot, kill more than 50 Celestial Dragons.
Commission Points 20000.