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•———•———•———•———•———•
Chapter's Events:
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[Passage from Level 4 to Level 3]
Magellan, who had just arrived at the scene, was profoundly taken aback by the sight that greeted him.
"What on earth happened here!!!?" he exclaimed.
"Hannyabal, while you were stationed here... You were completely overwhelmed...!!?" he questioned further.
The prison guards, Hannyabal included, were sprawled on the ground, unmistakably battered.
"Snap out of it, Hannyabal!!! What transpired here!!?"
Magellan seized him by the neck, compelling him to regain consciousness.
"Gueh!! Gueehh!!! Ah… Eh… Ch… Chief Warden!! Please let go!!!"
Hannyabal pleaded as Magellan released his grip, and consciousness slowly returned.
"Buheh…!! My sincerest apologies…!! I let my guard down…!!!"
Hannyabal admitted with evident anxiety.
"I… I detest torture!!"
On the periphery, Mr. 3 vehemently protested against the notion of being subjected to torture.
"Dammit, that Okama bastard deserted us!!!"
Buggy expressed his frustration, cursing Mr. 2, who had successfully escaped.
"The escapee... utilized his okama kempou... How should I put it...? He caught me off guard..."
Hannyabal, displaying an unusual humility, harbored aspirations of assuming the role of chief warden at that very moment.
"I don't care about your excuses... Did he make his getaway up the stairs...?"
Magellan inquired about the escape route.
"That prisoner belonged to Crocodile's 'Baroque Works' and went by the name of Mister 2...!! Ah!! And he was an Okama..."
Another guard interjected, providing background information on the escaped prisoner.
"Whatever."
Magellan dismissed the significance of the escapee's backstory.
"He's a detainee from Level 3. It's merely a matter of time before he's apprehended..."
•———•———•———•———•———•
Impel Down:
"Huh!? What on earth is happening here!?"
In that pivotal moment, Hannyabal, a mere ordinary guard, observed with profound astonishment the unfolding events within the pages of the manga.
"Good grief! Did I truly lose a confrontation against that okama!? And to make matters worse, he successfully eluded my grasp!?"
"How do you envision yourself ascending to the position of Chief Warden with such a frail display of strength!"
Following the departure of Saint Warcury, common guards like Hannyabal finally found solace, allowing them to return to their manga readings with a sense of relief.
Some guards harbored hopes of encountering their fictional counterparts within the manga's narrative, while others contentedly immersed themselves in the solitary enjoyment of the manga's unfolding events.
However, those who had already made appearances, notably Hannyabal, who had captured the attention of many, experienced an overwhelming sense of embarrassment following the comical portrayal of their manga counterparts.
"Haha! Hannyabal, how pitiable you appear."
At this juncture, Shiryu, who harbored displeasure towards the manga depiction of Hannyabal, voiced his thoughts, even though he had not yet made an appearance.
"Do you honestly aspire to hold the position of Chief Warden with such meager strength? Zehahaha!"
Even Teach joined in the mockery, deriving amusement from the situation.
Hannyabal's forehead twitched in response to the villains ridiculing him.
Who could have foreseen that a seemingly ordinary prisoner would, in the next moment, ascend to the role of prison chief warden?
This turn of events was entirely unforeseen by Hannyabal, and not only by him but also sent shockwaves throughout the entire world as the news disseminated.
When Hannyabal endeavored to mount a defense, his expression froze... a similar reaction occurred among everyone engrossed in reading the manga within the confines of the prison.
The successful deception left everyone in disbelief.
"This... is utterly unbelievable!"
exclaimed Hannyabal, overcome with absolute shock.
"Zehahaha, this okama is truly intriguing."
Teach laughed heartily as the truth unfolded.
"Hahaha! Even Magellan fell victim to his deception."
Shiryu chuckled without any particular reason, solely deriving amusement from Magellan's successful deceit.
...
•———•———•———•———•———•
"… Hey!! Rise, all of you, and locate that elusive escapee immediately!"
Following Magellan's departure, Hannyabal commanded the guards to depart and initiate a search for Bon-chan.
"Y… Yes, sir!!!"
The entire cadre of guards stood up, prepared to execute the orders.
However, one of them inquired: "Ah, what should we do with these two?"
He gestured towards Buggy and Mister 3, already restrained.
"Ah… I have something I wish to inquire of them. Unlock the interrogation room."
Hannyabal asserted, appending, "I'll assume responsibility for them."
"Very well, sir."
The inquisitive guard acknowledged with a nod.
The guards escorted both Buggy and Mister 3 to the interrogation room, and Hannyabal entered.
"Take care, Vice Warden."
"Yeah."
As Hannyabal sealed the door, Buggy and Mister 3 visibly eased.
"Haa… Haa… we're in the clear," sighed Buggy.
"W… w… we evaded torture!! A… All right, what's the next step?"
For Mister 3, the paramount concern was avoiding torture.
"Isn't it evident? We must hasten…!!!"
Hannyabal expressed his apprehension, then caressed his face with his right hand.
"As swiftly as possible…!!!"
Hannyabal's visage transformed into that of Bon Clay, Mister 2.
"We're going to rescue Straw-Chan!!!"
•———•———•———•———•———•
Beyond the confines of Impel Down, in the vast expanse of the New World:
"Have we been rescued once again...!?"
Buggy fixated his gaze on the manga page, his eyes widened, and his face etched with shock.
"What's unfolding here? Why is Hannyabal extending assistance to you... hah!? Bon-Chan!"
Shanks exclaimed in surprised bewilderment.
"It's Bon-chan! Oh God, we've been ensnared in deception!"
"This individual didn't flee! Instead, he returned to rescue Luffy!"
"What an extraordinary ability... throughout, I believed he was Hannyabal! In reality, he was Mister 2!"
"This man... he's a devoted friend..."
Rayleigh acknowledged this after absorbing the revelation conveyed by Bon Clay in the concluding moments of the chapter.
…
Returning to the serene waters of the East Blue:
Precisely within the confines of the Baratie restaurant, Roger regarded Bentham with astonishment and posed a question:
"This Devil Fruit, the Mane Mane Fruit... did you truly consume it at this moment?"
Bentham gestured with a shake of his head, tears welling up in his eyes. Yet, recent events had brought a radiant smile to his face.
He found solace in the fact that his counterpart hadn't truly escaped but had returned with even greater determination.
At that very moment, Rob produced the Devil Fruit and gently placed it on the table.
"Take it... you rightfully deserve it."
Rob uttered quietly, eliciting shock from Olvia and others who gazed at the Devil Fruit in sheer amazement.
"It's the Mane Mane Fruit; I vanquished its previous user in Wano five years ago... it was intended to reach you somehow, but it has remained in my possession since then... and now, I return it to you."
Rob took pleasure in bestowing the fruit upon its rightful owner.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 652: The Okama's Loyalty - Because We're Friends!
Chapter 653: You're Alone Here.
Chapter 654: I Won't Let You Die!
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