"I'll kill you!"
The furious roar from the Fleet Admiral's office echoed through all of Marineford, shaking the headquarters to its core.
Moments later, Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru rushed over to see what had happened.
For Steel Bone Kong, a man known for his composure, to lose control like this—it had to be something serious.
After all, to sit in the Fleet Admiral's chair, one must have an iron will. Otherwise, how could he command the entire Navy?
But now...
When Sengoku and Tsuru arrived, the office was in shambles.
Every object that could be smashed had been smashed. Even the reinforced walls were full of cracks and holes punched through by Kong's fists.
"Fleet Admiral Kong, what on earth—"
"Don't bother me. Get out!"
Sengoku opened his mouth to speak, but Kong's enraged bellow cut him off instantly.
Left speechless, Sengoku could only endure it.
After venting his fury a bit longer, Kong slumped down onto a half-broken chair and growled,
"Sengoku, Tsuru… you two are going to Impel Down. Capture that bastard—no matter what it takes. If you fail, don't bother coming back."
Sengoku hesitated. Soon, he was set to take over as Fleet Admiral, and he still had to inspect every Marine base along the Grand Line. There was barely any time to spare.
But seeing Kong's bloodshot, furious eyes, he knew refusal wasn't an option.
Besides, Impel Down was too important. If that prison fell, the consequences would be unimaginable.
And so, not long after Aokiji (Kuzan) had departed for Impel Down, Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru also set sail for the same destination.
Impel Down, Level Six — Infinite Hell.
Malverick had found one of his main objectives.
The Demon's Heir—Douglas Barrett!
At the sound of Malverick's voice, the massive figure sitting cross-legged in the cell opened his eyes.
In an instant, the air grew heavy with pressure.
Barrett was built like a living weapon—his body a wall of muscle radiating power.
Even his fellow inmates couldn't help but shuffle back toward the walls, afraid that the man might crush them by accident.
When Barrett had first been imprisoned, several fools had dared to challenge him.
Now, even the weeds over their graves had been cut down a dozen times.
Barrett wasn't in Level Six because he belonged there—he was there because Impel Down only had six levels.
If there were a seventh, eighth, or ninth floor, he would have been locked even deeper.
He was, without a doubt, one of the prison's most terrifying residents.
Barrett rose slowly to his feet and approached the cell door—until he stood just a few paces from Malverick.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! So it's you, kid?"
Both he and Malverick had once sailed with the Roger Pirates—though Barrett had left the crew halfway through.
When he'd departed, he'd challenged Roger himself—and lost.
Back then, there were few on that ship who could even withstand a single clash with him.
As for the young Malverick, Barrett hadn't paid him the slightest attention.
Even Shanks and Buggy were beneath his notice—just three brats aboard the Pirate King's ship: two under Roger, one under Rayleigh.
Douglas Barrett – "The Demon Heir"
Paramecia-type Devil Fruit: Fusion-Fusion Fruit
Power Level: King-tier
Defeating him will yield: Ultimate Points!
Facing Barrett, Malverick didn't show a hint of fear—instead, his eyes gleamed with excitement.
"That's right—it's me."
He glanced around the enormous prison cell and chuckled.
"I have to say, the Marines really don't know how to treat a guest. No private cell for someone like you?"
Of course Barrett deserved solitary confinement—he was far too dangerous.
Boom!
Suddenly, Barrett shoved both palms against the bars, and the entire level trembled.
Even with seastone shackles restraining him, his raw physical strength was monstrous.
"Kid, if you came here to laugh at me, you're wasting your time."
"Laugh at you? No, no—I'm not that bored."
As he spoke, Malverick reached toward the chains binding Barrett's wrists.
Barrett frowned, uncertain of his intentions—until—
Crack!
The sound of breaking metal rang out.
The seastone shackles snapped like brittle glass in Malverick's hands.
In the next moment, Barrett felt it—the surge of power flooding back into his body.
Without seastone to suppress him, the monster had awakened.
Boom!
A tidal wave of energy burst from him, the shockwave forcing even Malverick to take two steps back.
After being suppressed for more than a decade, Barrett's unleashed aura was overwhelming.
The air vibrated. The entire cell cracked apart.
Every other prisoner nearby dropped flat to the ground—some even coughing up blood from the pressure alone.
Then, with a guttural roar, Barrett stopped releasing his Conqueror's Haki and grinned wide.
"This feeling of power… it's incredible!"
He clenched his fists, veins bulging with energy.
"Kid, I owe you one—but tell me, why help me?"
Barrett's eyes burned with curiosity.
His instincts as a warrior told him clearly—Malverick was no weaker than he was.
It was hard to believe that the child once sheltered behind Rayleigh had now grown to stand at his level.
Malverick shrugged lightly.
"Call it boredom. I just wanted to have some fun."
"The seas these days are far too dull. There aren't many worth fighting anymore. Without real challenges… life's boring."
"Oh?"
Barrett laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the shattered chamber.
"Ha ha ha ha! Kid, you're more arrogant than Roger ever was!"
"Interesting. You're very interesting."
They didn't start fighting—not yet. Escaping this prison came first.
"Alright," Malverick said, waving his hand. "We'll talk later. I've still got one more person to meet."
He turned toward the far wall.
Barrett followed his gaze, smirking.
"Yeah… that old man. I still can't believe he's alive."
After more than a decade here, Barrett knew exactly who was in which cell.
"Come on then," Malverick said. "Let's pay our respects to a legendary pirate."
He stepped forward and punched straight through the wall—stone and steel exploding apart.
Behind it sat another reinforced cage.
Inside, an old man with a lean, tall frame and long white hair tied into two braids slumped in slumber.
He was bound and drugged—the only way the prison could contain someone so dangerous.
"Once, this man alone fought Roger, Whitebeard, and Golden Lion as an equal."
"The Crimson Swordsman, Patrick Redfield—'Red the Aloof.'"
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