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•———•———•———•———•———•
Chapter's Events:
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"D... Did you mention rescuing him!? He's submerged in Magellan's lethal poison!"
Buggy grappled with the incomprehension of Bon Clay's intentions; it seemed he was willing to squander a valuable opportunity for escape all for the sake of a mere Strawhat.
"Didn't the soldiers mention he was taken to Level 5!?"
"There's no hope for him! We'd simply meet our demise like mere dogs!"
Bon Clay's visage contorted in response to Buggy's words, and he declared:
"I'm indifferent to whether I meet my end like a dog or an Okama!"
"When I turned away from Straw-Chan amidst his battle with Magellan, I abandoned not only my physical presence but my very essence...!!"
"Instead of enduring defeat or capture there, I fled... And as long as Straw-Chan persists, I pledged to return and rescue him, even if it costs me my life...!!!"
With these articulated sentiments, Bon Clay's resolve became unequivocally apparent to the pair.
However, Buggy remained indifferent:
"… I'm unconcerned about your pledges; we've successfully escaped! We're secure!! Why would you willingly re-enter the perilous situation just to save him!?"
"BECAUSE WE'RE FRIENDS!!!" "I REQUIRE NO OTHER JUSTIFICATION!!!"
Bon Clay exclaimed with fervor, expressing the most unyielding rationale in the Pirate World for the act of rescuing someone.
•———•———•———•———•———•
Bentham, the young boy, attempted to wipe away his tears, yet the continuous flow of tears and mucus persisted.
"Because we're friends... Yes, yes, is there a stronger reason than that?"
"I abandoned him once, but I won't make that mistake again, huff, huff..."
Bentham cried without casting a glance at the onlookers who now observed him with a mix of curiosity and bewilderment.
"That boy..."
"Is he Bon-chan?"
"Yes, he might be. Otherwise, why would he cry and keep repeating the phrase of Bon-chan?"
"Did Rob-sama invite him to their table for this reason!?"
"If you scrutinize him closely, you'll notice a striking resemblance to a younger version of Bon-chan!"
"That's true... I've always seen him here. I didn't expect him to be a character from the manga..."
"He must take immense pride in being portrayed as Luffy's friend in the manga."
"Ah, I envy that child..."
Rob paid no heed to the hushed conversations in the restaurant, but he certainly didn't overlook the boy Bentham. The Devil Fruit he had offered remained on the table, yet the boy's focus shifted to the manga, diverting from the enigmatic fruit.
"What you're about to witness will be the most heroic scene in the life of your future counterpart."
Rob's words captured the attention of the boy, as well as Roger and the others.
On the other hand, Roger's eyes were filled with admiration as he observed the boy.
Meanwhile, Olvia and Rouge stared in shock, alternating their gaze between the manga pages and the boy seated beside them.
"Don't look at me, keep reading. Manga possesses a superior ability to convey messages compared to my words."
Rob spoke with a gentle smile when he noticed the boy looking at him.
"You'll emerge as one of the heroes in the Impel Down arc; you're destined for it."
"Me?" The ten-year-old boy pondered upon hearing Rob's statement.
"Yes, you," Rob affirmed. "After this arc, you'll become the favored character for many in this world."
"Truly, this exceptional performance exceeded my expectations... Heroes like you are rare in this unforgiving world."
Even Roger was taken aback by Bon Clay's sacrifice for Luffy.
Upon completing Chapter 536, both Olvia and Rouge found it impossible to hold back their tears.
What Bon-chan did for Luffy surpassed their expectations; this epitomized the essence of a true friendship!
...
•———•———•———•———•———•
[Impel Down: Medical Wing]
"What on earth did you just say!? No... What!?"
Bon-chan, determined to counter Hannyabal's dismissal, hastened to the medical wing in search of an antidote for the poison currently tormenting Luffy.
"No one who has faced Magellan has ever survived after being exposed to this level of poison," declared the medical wing doctor emphatically.
"Managing a single type of poison is one challenge, but devising a universal antidote for multiple types of poison is an impossibility...!!!"
"And you dare to call yourselves doctors!? This is no time for jesting!!" exclaimed the imitation Hannyabal.
"Eh!?"
"No... This is no jest!! Take action!!! We must deliver Strawhat Luffy to the Marines alive!!"
Bon-chan clung to hope.
"Any attempts to cure him would only accelerate his demise. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do..." the doctor expressed regret, intensifying Bon Clay's desperation.
...
"Look, there's no way to save Strawhat!!"
Upon returning to the place where Buggy and Mister 3, Buggy urgently implored him to flee once more instead of attempting to rescue Luffy.
"Fighting Magellan and emerging unscathed would require a miraculous intervention," mentioned Mister 3, who found himself melting like wax under the scorching heat.
"... A miracle..." Mister 2's eyes widened upon hearing this word; it triggered a recollection of someone.
"... That's right, he's here in Impel Down...!!!"
"The 'Miracle Worker,' The Okama King Iva...!!!"
"People abandoned by conventional medicine... Nations teetering on the brink of collapse... a man who saved them all!"
"Leaving behind legends of his miraculous feats throughout the okama world, the preeminent star, Iva!!"
"Our sole beacon of hope lies in finding him!!" declared Mister 2.
"Who?" exclaimed Buggy and Mister 3, their heads adorned with hovering question marks.
•———•———•———•———•———•
Sorbet Kingdom:
"Could he possibly be referring to me!?"
Ivankov brushed away tears only to find them welling up once again.
The resonance of Bon-chan's words from the preceding chapter, 'Because we're friends!!,' lingered in Ivankov's mind, provoking the emotional response that brought tears to his eyes.
Bon-chan's unwavering commitment to saving Luffy and his daring venture into the Medical Wing of Impel Down, all in the pursuit of discovering an antidote for Luffy's poisoning, deepened Ivankov's admiration and affection for this compassionate okama.
Now, Ivankov was left in awe as he witnessed the profound hope and certainty that this okama harbored for himself. Despite knowing nothing about him beyond his name and never having encountered him before, Ivankov was moved by the strength of character displayed.
"Could I truly attain such a distinguished reputation among the okamas in the future!?"
"I'd like to see you save my son in the manga, Iva..." said Dragon.
"Did you not foresee such a scenario, Dragon?"
...
"I hold deep admiration for the character of this young man... He exemplifies true honor," commented Garp while savoring his rice crackers.
"It appears he's truly preparing to venture into the fifth floor..."
"Where is Hannyabal in the midst of all this?"
Crocodile, on the other hand, ridiculed Hannyabal, whose identity had been pilfered by his former agent.
...
Marineford:
"What the hell am I witnessing!?"
Sengoku exclaimed in frustration.
"Where is the genuine Hannyabal in all of this!?"
Momonga inquired.
"Haha! I wouldn't be surprised if he's colluding with them, perhaps blaming Magellan later," Zephyr chuckled.
"That scoundrel!!! How did this unfold!? Why hasn't the manga provided clarification yet!?"
Akainu was seething with anger at the current turn of events, hinting at yet another rescue for Luffy...
"I perceive... It's only in the face of utter despair that a new ray of hope emerges. Is this the very essence of the friendship power frequently extolled by Naruto, Gon, and Killua!?"
Tsuru reminisced about vivid instances from other realms.
"I discern a sense of justice in this okama's heart; I commend that. At least he's not a coward." Kuzan remarked, prompting Sakazuki to cast a disapproving glance at him.
"Ho~ I'm intrigued to see how he'll evade Magellan's poison... Could the Okama King possess the ability to perform miracles!"
Borsalino pondered aloud.
"Let's observe how this unfolds."
Sengoku nodded and resumed his reading.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 653: You're Alone Here.
Chapter 654: I Won't Let You Die!
Chapter 655: Impel Down Level 5.5: The Prisoners' Secret Flower Garden.
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