For a heartbeat, there was no sound.
The slash was so fast it shattered the sound barrier, parting the air to form a perfect vacuum.
The hundred-meter sword descended with absolute precision, its edge grazing mere millimeters past Black Three's scalp.
The agent felt the brim of his tall hat ground to dust by the sheer air pressure.
A freezing, primal terror poured from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.
Then, the blade touched the ground.
The thick stone slabs of the dock couldn't withstand the terrible force for even a fraction of a second.
They shattered.
There was no thunderous impact—only cracks spreading in dead silence.
A bottomless black fissure opened beneath Black Three's boots.
It tore through the entire dock at a speed the naked eye couldn't track, extending straight out into the distant sea.
Rumble!
Only then did the displaced air rush back, unleashing an explosion like rolling thunder.
The sea split!
Centered on the slash mark, millions of tons of water were forcibly shoved aside, opening a terrifying trench that stretched to the horizon before the waves could even begin to collapse.
Deep below, several enormous Sea Kings, startled awake by the disturbance, were caught by the residual sword pressure and shredded before they could surface.
Blood bloomed through the ruptured water, dyeing the trench a murky crimson.
Outside the Gates of Justice, everyone aboard the warships stared in stunned silence.
Sengoku's jaw went slack, his mind completely blank.
Vice Admiral Strawberry's grip nearly crushed the hilt of his sword.
Kizaru's hand froze mid-adjustment on his sunglasses, his lazy demeanor entirely solidified. Even Akainu's murderous scowl revealed a trace of profound shock.
That slash... it surpassed their entire understanding of swordsmanship!
However, as the smoke and water vapor drifted away, clarifying the figure on the ruined dock, their pupils contracted.
Black Three was still standing and he was completely unharmed!
Aside from the vaporization of his tall hat, he didn't bear a single scratch.
He stood blankly at the edge of the abyss-like ravine, trembling uncontrollably.
The front of his trousers was soaked, giving off a foul stench.
The hundred-meter sword had vanished.
The fragments filling the sky reverted to specks of light, flying back to Zaraki's hand. Gathering above his palm, they transformed with a soft ding into an ancient-looking bronze ring that slipped automatically onto his index finger.
Zaraki shook his hand out, rolled his shoulders, and looked at the dazed agent.
He scratched his cheek.
"Ah, sorry, sorry."
He took two steps forward and casually kicked a piece of rubble into the abyss beside him.
A distant splash echoed from the depths.
"I thought you were another prisoner escaping from Impel Down. It seems i went a little overboard, didn't scare you, did I?"
He spoke lightly, but the casual words dragged everyone back from their world-shattering shock.
A misunderstanding?
You call a slash that split the ocean "going a little overboard"?
Zaraki ignored the stunned expressions around him.
He turned toward the warships and complained loudly. "Seriously, old man! Aren't you going to do something about this? How can you just let anyone in? This is the Impel Down! What if some great pirate escapes? Who will takes the responsibility?"
His skill at shifting the blame was truly practiced.
"Pfft... Bwahahahahahaha!"
An explosive burst of laughter erupted from the flagship.
Garp clutched his stomach, laughing so hard tears gathered in his eyes.
He slammed a fist against the railing, making the wood hum.
"He's right! Who the hell are these guys? Sneaking in without even announcing themselves—if my grandson beat them up because he thought they were bad guys, that's their own fault! Bwahahahaha!"
"Garp!" Sengoku growled, though the profound relief in his tone was unmistakable.
Black Three finally snapped back to his senses.
Listening to Zaraki and Garp echo one another, and feeling the strange stares of the surrounding Marines—a mix of fear and odd amusement—humiliation and rage surged into his heart, twisting his face.
"Misunderstanding?!" His voice was hoarse and shrill. "You bastard! You killed three of my subbordinates! This is an open provocation against the World Government! Fleet Admiral Sengoku! What are you standing there for? Arrest this lawless criminal immediately!"
Black Three leveled a violently trembling finger at Zaraki, looking ready to devour him alive.
Sengoku's face instantly darkened.
He walked down the gangway, each deliberate step seeming to land heavily on Black Three's chest.
The sheer dignity of the Fleet Admiral pressed down like a physical weight!
"Arrest him?" Sengoku stopped in front of the agent, looking down coldly.
"I should be asking you, Black Three. Who gave CP0 the authority to barge into the Marines' highest-prison without prior notice, without presenting authorization documents, and with armed personnel?"
His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried lethal weight.
"Your actions violate every regulation. I have reason to suspect you are not CP0 at all, but a group of Revolutionary Army infiltrators attempting a prison break!"
The rage on Black Three's face froze, turning deathly pale.
He wanted to argue, but found his throat locked.
Every sentence Sengoku uttered struck a fatal weak point.
The operation had been executed under the Five Elders' secret orders, deliberately bypassing the Marines.
Procedurally, it had never been legitimate.
Now that Sengoku had seized that weakness and slapped him with the label of a Revolutionary, Black Three couldn't explain himself even if he had a hundred mouths.
"As for the subbordinates you mentioned," Sengoku continued, not bothering to lift his eyelids.
His tone grew colder. "My people only saw Zaraki, acting under Marine authority, kill three unidentified thugs attempting a prison break, and subdue their leader. Is there a problem?"
Black Three's lips trembled.
Desperate, he looked toward the two Admirals who had disembarked alongside Sengoku.
Akainu crossed his arms, his face impassive.
He let out a disdainful snort, as if looking at the agent dirtied his eyes. Without a word, he strode past them toward the entrance of Impel Down.
Kizaru offered an exaggerated yawn, slowly pushing up his sunglasses.
"Oh my~ how frightening. That slash just now almost made my heart jump out of my chest. I'm getting old, you know. I can't handle this kind of excitement anymore. I should find somewhere to take a nap..."
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Kizaru leisurely trailed after Akainu.
The two highest combat powers of the Marines had expressed their stance clearly.
They absolutely refused to cooperate!
Black Three's expression stiffened completely.
His face shifted between blue and white, his lips trembling violently.
He understood now.
From the moment Zaraki swung that sword, the Marines had made up their minds to close ranks and trample him into the dirt.
His fists clenched, nails biting deep into his palms.
He forced his voice through gritted teeth. "Good... very good! Marines! Just you wait! I will report every last detail to the Five Elders! Let's see how you explain yourselves!"
Unable to endure another second, Black Three turned around.
Dragging his soaked trousers, he staggered toward his own ship in total humiliation.
"Take care, Black Three-chan," Zaraki's smiling voice called after him. "Be careful on the way back. Don't accidentally fall into that trench I just cut! There are... quite a few pieces of big guys down there."
Black Three stumbled.
A bitter taste rose in his throat as he nearly spat a mouthful of blood.
He didn't dare look back, only quickening his pace as he fled in utter disgrace.
Watching CP0 retreat with their tails between their legs, Sengoku's tense face finally eased.
He turned to Zaraki with a complicated gaze.
Ultimately, he merely sighed heavily and waved his hand.
"Let's talk inside."
Everyone understood his meaning.
They followed Sengoku into Impel Down, where a cold, oppressive air drifted outward.
The air grew damper and the atmosphere making even breathing feel heavy.
Eventually, they reached the central surveillance room on Level One.
Dozens of jailers were stationed inside.
Seeing the Fleet Admiral and two Admirals arrive in person, they scrambled to their feet in sheer terror, too frightened to breathe.
"All of you, leave," Sengoku ordered.
"Yes, sir!" The jailers practically sprinted out, treating the command like a royal pardon.
The heavy iron door closed with a defining clang, separating the room into a different world.
Only Zaraki, Garp, Sengoku, Akainu, Kizaru, and Chief Warden Magellan remained inside.
The room was silent, save for the faint static of the countless Den Den Mushi surveillance screens embedded in the walls.
Sengoku walked to the main control console.
Placing both hands on the table, he took a deep breath. He turned around, his sharp gaze locking onto Zaraki.
"Now can you explain? Zaraki, what exactly happened in here?"
All eyes focused on the young Marine.
Zaraki didn't answer immediately.
He simply looked at the Chief Warden beside him, whose face had remained deathly pale and covered in cold sweat since the dock.
Zaraki pointed a lazy finger at him.
"That question should be answered by Chief Warden Magellan."
The atmosphere in the room grew instantly heavier.
Magellan's massive body trembled violently.
He raised his head, his lips moving a few times, his face twisted in struggle!