On the warship, the Marines standing where the voice had come from instantly scattered, leaving an empty circle in the middle.
And in the very center, Roy stood with his arms crossed, looking at the gazes around him—some fearful, some resolute.
"I never expected the famous overlord of the New World to appear in the North Blue. What a surprise."
Tsuru stepped forward and faced Roy calmly.
At the same time, she quietly prepared her ability in the palm of her hand.
"I assume the Op-Op Fruit has already fallen into your hands. In that case, the Donquixote Family…"
"They've all been killed by me," Roy said lightly, while glancing at her hand.
"A Paramecia-type Wash-Wash Fruit that can cleanse a person's heart and wash away evil, huh? I'm actually rather interested in it."
Roy's eyes flickered as he looked at Tsuru with a teasing smile.
"Tell me, if I killed you right now, would Garp and Sengoku go mad?"
Tsuru's heart suddenly trembled.
She realized that he might not be lying. He might truly be considering it.
At this moment, the sense of danger in her heart was stronger than ever.
She was absolutely no match for Roy.
"Forget it. Respecting the old and caring for the young is a traditional virtue. Especially for an elderly lady like you. I have my own bottom line and principles too. Besides, I still have proper business to handle right now."
Roy shrugged, shook his head as if in regret, and vanished on the spot.
"Whew!"
After Roy disappeared, the Marines on the warship could no longer endure it. They collapsed straight onto the deck, gasping for breath.
That was the strongest man in the world. Faced with someone like that, how many people could truly remain calm?
The fact that they had escaped from Thunder Emperor Roy's hands was something they could brag about for the rest of their lives.
"I'm someone who faced Thunder Emperor Roy and lived to tell the tale!"
Excitement flashed in the eyes of some of the Marines.
"Hah… he's gone?"
Even Tsuru, usually so silent and composed, wiped the sweat from her forehead at this moment, finally relaxing.
Rosinante and Law, standing nearby, were even more shaken.
Although the news of Doflamingo's death left Rosinante with complicated feelings and a trace of sorrow, Roy's words just now stirred an even worse premonition in his heart.
"Proper business to handle? Combined with that Instant Transmission ability of his, don't tell me…"
Realizing a certain possibility, Rosinante's forehead was once again covered in sweat.
"What's wrong, Corazon?"
"I'm fine, Law… I just hope it isn't what I'm thinking."
However, things always tended to develop in the direction people least wanted to see, as though it had all been decided in advance.
…
Impel Down, the great undersea prison, Level 6: the Infinite Hell.
"Clang, clang…"
The chains restraining the criminals of Level 6 rang out one after another.
"Who's there?! A stranger's presence just came in!"
"Ah… the air of the outside world! Aside from that ugly woman three years ago, no one has come in here for ages."
"That guy is standing outside the cells!"
With one excited shout, the entire Infinite Hell instantly boiled over.
"This guy is a Devil Fruit user, right?"
"Yeah! Let me out! I'm going to personally cut off Whitebeard's head!"
"Let me out! Aaaaaah!"
All the criminals on Level 6 rioted. One after another, they dragged their chains, pressed themselves against the iron bars, and stretched their hands madly toward Roy.
"All of you, shut up. Once I finish my business, if I'm in a good mood, I might toss you the keys to the cells. But if you keep making this much noise, then you can stay locked up here until you're executed."
It had to be said that Roy's threat was extremely effective.
Especially when it concerned whether or not they could break out of prison, everyone fell silent in tacit agreement.
Seeing that they had quieted down, Roy casually threw a ball of lightning toward the Level 6 passageway and elevator, welding the entrances shut.
Now, even if Magellan and the others learned what was happening here, it would probably take them quite a while to arrive.
"That light… lightning? Murunfuffuffu! You're Thunder Emperor!"
Suddenly, an excited voice rang out.
"Only recognizing me now? Catarina Devon, it looks like you haven't been doing very well in the Infinite Hell. Even your eyesight has deteriorated this badly."
Following the voice, Roy looked over and saw Devon, who had been attacked and captured by the Marines three years ago. At this moment, she was bound to the ground by Sea Prism Stone.
"Murunfuffuffu! Who would've thought those CP0 bastards were hiding in the dark and would launch a sneak attack, and even bring Sea Prism Stone with them? So, Thunder Emperor, did you come here specially to save me? I'm willing to join the Thunder God Pirates!"
"You're overthinking it," Roy replied.
Then, after thinking for a moment, the corner of his mouth curved.
"Actually, what you said isn't entirely wrong."
"Murunfuffuffu, I knew—"
"Whoosh!"
A streak of purple light pierced straight through Devon's head, making sure she would never laugh again.
"I'm only interested in your Nine-Tailed Fox Fruit."
Looking at Devon, who had collapsed to the ground and was now dead beyond any doubt, Roy withdrew his finger.
The other criminals could not help shrinking back.
This guy was the Thunder Emperor Devon had spoken of, the man who defeated Whitebeard?
The current strongest man in the world?
"Hosehsehseh… Are the juniors of this era all this strong now? That ray-like ability was extremely penetrating."
A voice filled with the weight of age came from the depths of the Infinite Hell.
"Red the Aloof? A being from the previous generation who, by his strength alone, could stand on equal footing with Golden Lion, Roger, and the others?"
Roy walked to the front of his cell. What entered his sight was an aged face that still had not lost its elegance.
"Unfortunately, your strength was not great enough to suppress the entire world. Under those circumstances, walking alone meant your current end was already decided long ago."
"Hosehsehseh. From the way you say that, are you confident that you can suppress the entire world? When the woman you just killed first came in, I heard her say this is now your era. Easily defeating Whitebeard and killing that monster Kaido from Rocks' ship in one move… Those achievements are indeed dazzling."
"To be honest, you are indeed far stronger than me. At the very least, I could never have killed that Kaido in one move. And judging from how young you look, if this isn't the effect of a Devil Fruit, then at your current age, you truly may have the possibility of dragging the World Government down from its altar."
Red spoke very frankly. As a legend of the previous era, standing before the ruler of the current era, he expressed his thoughts with great clarity.
This was a conversation between equals. He did not treat Roy as some ordinary junior.
(End of Chapter)
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