After the elevator came to a steady stop, Taro walked out first with an urgent expression, with Magellan following closely behind.
"This is an exception; it won't be long. I'll give you ten minutes at most," Magellan said in a deep voice.
"That's enough. Thank you, Warden Magellan." Taro looked back and smiled. "I owe you one this time!"
Seeing Taro's new face, the criminals in the cells became a bit excited.
"Oh, a newcomer! And he's a Marine!"
"Hey, kid, what did you do to get locked up here?"
"Are you guys stupid? He's not even wearing a prison uniform; how could he be a prisoner?"
"Didn't that guy they brought in yesterday not wear a uniform either?"
"Exactly! Why waste a uniform on someone who's about to be executed anyway?"
"Brat, your elders are asking you a question! Did you hear us?"
Taro's gaze turned cold. He raised his arm and flicked his index finger.
"Finger Pistol: Flick"
With a sharp "pew," a blast of energy shot out like a bullet, instantly striking the criminal's chest.
Thud
The criminal only had time to let out a muffled groan before his body was sent flying as if struck by a heavy blow, slamming against the cell wall.
The previously noisy criminals suddenly fell silent. They hadn't expected this young man to dare to attack right in front of Magellan.
"If you don't want to die, shut up!" Magellan barked, venom seeping from his face. He then turned back to Taro.
"I told you, in here, only I have the authority to execute prisoners!"
Taro retracted his finger and shrugged. "Don't be so tense. I'm just teaching him a lesson; he won't die."
After walking further inside, Magellan was about to remind Taro of something, but Taro stopped first.
Magellan's eyes narrowed, finding Taro's perception abilities even more unfathomable.
In truth, Taro only stopped because he saw Ace.
Ace looked even weaker now than when he was being escorted earlier.
He sat on the ground with his head hanging low, both arms shackled to the wall with Sea Stone handcuffs. Only his faint breathing proved he was still alive.
Worried that Magellan would notice something was wrong, Taro only took a quick glance before averting his eyes and turning toward the cage on the left.
"Crocodile, an old friend has come to see you, and you don't have any reaction at all?" Taro smiled at the pitch-black cage.
The sound of chains scraping across the floor echoed as Crocodile emerged from the shadows of the cell.
Even though he was imprisoned, the unruly Crocodile still maintained a cold expression, along with a hint of his characteristic tsundere attitude.
Taro's smile widened as he watched him. He fumbled in his coat for a moment, pulled out a box of cigars, took one out, and handed it through the bars.
Crocodile froze for a long while before taking it. Seeing Taro hold up a lighter, he cooperatively lowered his head. After lighting it, he took a deep drag before finally speaking.
"I heard Mr. 1 mention you. I didn't expect you to actually be a Marine!"
After lighting Crocodile's cigar, Taro stuffed the entire box of cigars and the lighter into the cage, then sat cross-legged on the floor.
"Yeah, I've always been a Marine. It's just that back then, you didn't give me a chance to speak."
Taro shook his head slightly and sighed. "So, have you had any life realizations since coming in here?"
"Hmph, did you come here just to mock me?" Crocodile spoke toughly, but he sat down, mirroring Taro's posture.
"No. Although I despise what you did in that country, you've already been arrested. Since we're on different sides, I don't want to say much more."
"Then why did you come looking for me?" Crocodile curled his lip, his right hand stroking his gold hook.
"I just heard from Miss. Golden Week that you seem to have lost interest in the outside world."
Taro spoke slowly, but was immediately interrupted by Crocodile.
"You've seen them?"
"Oh? Does the Sand Crocodile, who never trusts his comrades, actually have moments where he cares about them?" Taro chuckled, his tone teasing.
"I'm just finding a common topic. Who cares if they live or die?" Crocodile's tsundere nature took over, and he spoke with disdain.
Taro didn't mind. "Even for someone like you, there are people willing to risk their lives to rescue you. Tsk tsk!" Seeing Crocodile's face darken further, Taro added with feigned regret:
"Don't mind me. The last time I saw them was on Rest Island. Unfortunately, they managed to escape in the end."
Crocodile picked up on the information Taro was sharing. Knowing that those guys hadn't been caught, his expression softened slightly.
Taro was laughing hysterically inside, but he kept a straight face. "Since you don't care about their lives, let's talk about the pirate who defeated you."
"Straw Hat Luffy!"
As soon as Taro spoke, Crocodile's face darkened again. At the same time, Ace in the cell behind him shifted, causing his chains to rattle.
Knowing he had finally caught Ace's attention, Taro organized his thoughts and said in a low voice:
"I'm sure you have some realizations by now. That kid will risk his life for those he cares about. If his family or friends were in danger—even if it were here—he would break in. Don't you agree?"
Taro appeared to be asking Crocodile, but he was actually asking Ace. Sure enough, Ace's reaction was more intense; his lips moved slightly as if he were murmuring something.
Crocodile took a deep drag of his cigar. "So what? What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Hehe, nothing. Just some reflections. Some people don't want to live, yet many others would throw their lives away to save them."
"And then there's you, in such high spirits, yet no one is coming to save you. Isn't that hilarious?"
Taro burst into laughter.
Crocodile was furious. He grabbed the cell bars and glared at Taro. "Brat, you're really asking for death!"
"You couldn't kill me before, so how could you now?" Taro stood up and casually brushed off the dust.
"Stay alive. Only by living do you have a chance!"
"Who knows, some fool might break in to save you, only to find a corpse. That would be too tragic!"
Having finished, Taro turned to leave, waving goodbye.
Magellan looked at Taro with a strange expression. He never expected that the incredibly powerful Taro would be so petty.
Going through all that effort just to see Crocodile, only to mock him to his face.
Destroying the spirit!
Magellan suddenly felt a chill. This rising star of the Marines was far too vicious. He had to remind his subordinates never to provoke him.
"Warden Magellan, let's go."
Taro had walked quite a distance past Magellan before noticing he hadn't followed, so he called back to him.
Having managed to convey some information to Ace, Taro felt quite pleased and had a smile on his face.
To Magellan, however, that smile only seemed to hide a spine-chilling cunning.
Consequently, Magellan's expression became even more solemn.
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