Blackbeard nearly exploded.
Who the hell are you calling "little Blackie"?!
And who wants this kind of "fate" with you?!
Though furious inside, he knew the truth.
In terms of reputation, status, and bounty—
Even at his age, he was nowhere near Luo Xing's level.
And on the seas—
Strength ruled all.
Luo Xing had every right to look down on him.
Blackbeard understood that better than anyone.
A man who could endure decades under Whitebeard's shadow was no stranger to patience.
So he swallowed his anger.
Forced a stiff smile.
"Fifth Emperor Luo Xing… what a coincidence. I thought you returned to the New World after Sabaody."
Luo Xing saw straight through him.
A mocking smile curved his lips.
"A once-in-a-lifetime war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines. If one doesn't stage a grand performance before the world at a time like this, wouldn't that be a waste?"
Blackbeard's facial muscles twitched violently.
He knew exactly how rare this opportunity was.
He created it.
He was supposed to be the one performing on the grand stage of the era—
And yet this bastard had arrived first.
Worse—
From Luo Xing's tone, it almost sounded like he knew everything.
As if his decades-long scheme had been laid bare.
No.
Impossible.
He had never revealed the full plan.
Not even to Burgess and the others.
And yet—
Here stood Luo Xing, already inside Impel Down.
Blackbeard steadied himself.
"You didn't come merely to destroy the prison, did you?"
Luo Xing smiled faintly.
"Correct."
"This place houses the most vicious criminals on the seas. Scum, all of them—but useful scum."
Blackbeard's heart sank completely.
The objective was the same.
Recruit the prisoners.
Use them.
Exactly his plan.
Behind him, Burgess whispered urgently,
"Captain! That bastard's stealing our prey again! Let's kill him!"
Blackbeard resisted the urge to slap him.
If killing Luo Xing were easy, he would have done so back in Alabasta.
He had carefully gathered intelligence after Sabaody.
Luo Xing matching Rayleigh in Conqueror's Haki infusion.
Two subordinates capable of clashing with Admirals.
Only three men—
Yet terrifying.
If they fought now—
The Blackbeard Pirates would lose.
Possibly be wiped out.
Blackbeard understood his limits.
He was not yet ready.
Not for Luo Xing.
Not for the Beasts Pirates.
So—
He endured again.
Standing at the junction between Levels Three and Four—
He neither advanced nor retreated.
He refused to give up.
But he dared not provoke a direct clash.
Wait and see.
That was all he could do.
—
Within Level Four—
The ten colossal giants rampaged.
Each swing crushed dozens.
Magellan's poison dragons surged forward.
Though the giants possessed immense strength—
Their defenses were pitiful.
Venom corroded flesh.
Two or three giants collapsed, writhing in agony.
Yet even in their death throes, their sheer mass devastated entire sections of the prison.
Level Four was being reduced to rubble.
Magellan roared in fury—
Only to be struck by a massive bolt of lightning.
His body convulsed.
The Doku Doku no Mi was terrifying—
But against Enel's mobility and ranged lightning strikes—
He found himself restrained.
Meanwhile—
Chief Jailer Shiryu of the Rain faced Roronoa Zoro.
Blade met blade.
Sparks erupted.
Steel shrieked.
Both were beasts.
But Shiryu was holding back.
Zoro noticed immediately.
"Fight seriously," he growled.
"Or you'll die."
Ordinarily, Shiryu would have killed anyone who dared speak so.
But this green-haired swordsman—
He couldn't kill him.
Young—
Yet monstrously powerful.
Strength, speed, precision—
And that eerie Asura technique—
It made Shiryu's skin crawl.
And yet—
This swordsman and the lightning user—
Were merely subordinates.
The Fifth Emperor and the Beasts Pirates…
Truly terrifying.
Perhaps—
This was where he belonged.
When Magellan imprisoned him earlier, Shiryu had already grown tired of prison life.
He wanted freedom.
To kill as he pleased.
And when he saw Blackbeard—
A man daring to provoke Whitebeard—
Frozen at the entrance by Luo Xing's mere presence—
His decision solidified.
Shiryu suddenly sheathed his sword.
A cigar hung loosely from his lips.
"You wouldn't mind one more strong swordsman in the Beasts Pirates, would you?"
Zoro blinked.
"Hah?"
His expression turned bored.
"So you're surrendering? How dull."
He shrugged.
"That's not my call. Ask Luo Xing."
At the entrance—
Luo Xing wasn't surprised in the slightest.
In the original timeline, Shiryu joined Blackbeard.
But now—
With a stronger pirate crew standing before him—
Why would he choose second best?
Luo Xing smiled.
"Of course not."
"We welcome anyone willing to help us tear down the world."
Shiryu knelt slightly.
"From this day forward, I will clear every obstacle before Lord Luo Xing and the Beasts Pirates."
Two men reacted violently.
Magellan's eyes burned with rage.
That traitor!
He released him to help—
And he defected?!
The second—
Blackbeard.
His face drained of color.
He had little chance before.
Now—
With Shiryu added to Luo Xing's side—
There was no chance at all.
He felt as though ice water had been poured down his spine.
This expedition to Impel Down—
Might truly be wasted.
All his preparation.
All his scheming.
It seemed—
He had sewn a wedding dress—
For someone else.---
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