"Hmph! Once you kneel on the execution platform, there's no way out for you!"
Akainu scowled as he lifted his leg, forcefully kicking Teach away.
"——!!!"
Akainu's move stirred up chaos across the entire battlefield, leaving the Whitebeard Pirates in shock.
Marshall D.Teach... is he really gone?!
They put in tremendous effort, even launching an assault on Marineford, the world's biggest war fortress.
There was just one goal—to rescue Teach from the Marines and uphold the "family first" principle that Whitebeard always followed on the ship.
But that single aim has slipped away now.
So, what's the use of carrying on this war?
"Hey hey hey! No, Brother Teach..."
"Damn it, Akainu, what should we do now?!"
"Hahahaha! Admiral Akainu, you did it well!"
"The Whitebeard Pirates are completely stunned now! Hahaha!"
The pirates' letdown sharply contrasted with the Marines' enthusiasm. With his sword swinging up and down, the Marine continued to cut down several more pirates.
There aren't... many Whitebeard Pirates left.
"Gululu~~"
Ice debris scattered across the sea, floating gently on the surface. Sudden bursts of intense bubbles emerged and then forcefully dispersed, causing the seawater to churn rapidly.
"Secret of Ittoryu: Behead the enemies without stopping, without resting with the sword..."
Soft chants resonated, and a potent sense of murderous intent enveloped the battlefield like a dark cloud, affecting everyone present. Suddenly, body hairs stood on end, and cold sweat dripped as if numerous sharp knives were scraping back and forth across their skin.
"Chi no Sora (Blood Sky)!!!"
A figure shot into the sky, instantly shattering the nearby ice, leaving a streak of blood in its wake.
"Um?!"
Whitebeard, still reeling from the recent events with Teach, was caught off guard as Atlas seized the opportunity.
Swish--!!!
The blade pierced flesh, and intense Haki wreaked havoc on the skeletal fascia. A significant amount of blood spilled, landing on the ice and promptly solidifying into a macabre bloodline.
Atlas has now mastered the Conqueror's infusion technique, effortlessly enveloping his entire body with Conqueror's Haki.
If Hear] symbolizes faith and Haki, Physique embodies physical strength, and Skill denotes combat expertise.
He can now be hailed as the ultimate individual who has reached the zenith of mental and physical prowess!
Clang--!!!
Whitebeard winced in response to the intense pain. He reluctantly withdrew and turned around, the massive naginata flipping over and producing a crisp sound upon colliding with the Murakumogiri.
——!!!
Two figures, distinctly different in size, engaged in a silent wrestling match, their faces contorted with ferocity.
"Whitebeard, age is catching up with you!"
Atlas's grin was radiant, his muscles rippling and contorting all over his body. His broad back seemed to have sprouted wings out of thin air, and his entire body emanated heat.
Bang!!! Thump thump!!!
Thump thump thump!!!
Not surprisingly, Whitebeard found himself once again defeated in a strength contest against the young Marine upstart.
"Gurararara!! Whitebeard's pirates! Break out with all your strength!!"
Suppressing the sorrow of Teach's demise, Whitebeard bellowed, and the unseen sound waves rapidly reached every corner of the battlefield.
Bang——!!!
Before Whitebeard could react, a massive warship descended from the sky, slamming hard into the ice floe. This impact created towering waves and caused slight fractures in the hull.
He must admit, Marine warships do maintain impressive quality.
But...
Who's this person showing up now?!
Both Marines and pirates present exchanged skeptical glances at the warship.
"Ah, Crocodile, are you in such a hurry?"
A young man, casually strolling out with a laid-back stride, held a straw hat. A standard Marine long knife hung from his waist. His partially exposed chest revealed robust muscles. The slightly extended brim of the hat partly obscured his features, but hints of red hair could still be seen, scattered.
"Hey~ Uncle Whitebeard, it's been a while!"
The young man with the straw hat beamed at Whitebeard.
....
Impel Down, Level 3.
——Starvation Hell.
Magellan sat hunched on the ground, gazing at the lifeless bodies strewn about with an empty expression, his heart sinking with even more fear.
Luckily, whether it's Starvation Hell, Blazing Hell, or Freezing Hell, once the inmates spend over three months there, they usually lose most of their fighting abilities.
Even if they aimed to exploit the turmoil to break free, most guards could likely easily subdue them.
The real predicament lies with those who just entered the new gate, and...
Level 6 Prisoners in Eternal Hell.
Yet, because of the cramped confines in the prison, most pirates attempting to escape met tragic ends due to his Venom-Venom Fruit.
The potent power of the Venom-Venom Fruit, despite its severe side effects, granted him formidable strength.
Da da da--!!!
A steady rhythm of footsteps emerged behind Magellan.
"How's it going? Have the other escaped prisoners been handled?"
Magellan inquired without turning around.
His expression was somewhat grim. One reason was that the disturbance at Impel Down would have been even more chaotic if Hannyabal hadn't sent a warning through the vivre card.
He likely hadn't even reacted by now, and a considerable number of prisoners were likely on their way back to the sea, ready to stir up trouble.
On the flip side...
He glanced down at his stomach, which was emitting loud noises, attempting to suppress it.
"Tsk!"
The visitor couldn't see his face clearly; he simply sneered contemptuously and shook the bloodstains off the long knife in his hand.
"I've been saying all along that it'd be better for me to off those scum instead of letting them live. Otherwise, this kind of mess wouldn't happen."
Approaching, a broad-chinned face streaked with blood was revealed in the dim light.
Shiryu of the Rain!!!
"Hmph! This is the most enjoyable visit I've had to Impel Down."
Shiryu nonchalantly produced a piece of high-quality brocade, delicately raising his blood-stained Raiu in hand. He began wiping it off as if nobody else was watching.
This was his sole sword. As a skilled swordsman, he naturally felt quite distressed.
"Now is not the time to discuss such matters. You should be well aware of what this upheaval signifies for the balance of the sea."
Magellan's voice carried a somber tone.
As the designated successor to the Impel Down director, he comprehended all too well the chaos that would ensue if the criminals on the sixth subterranean floor were to break free.
"Hmph! Regardless, I've dispatched all the offenders on the other levels."
Shiryu's face revealed a trace of satisfaction, and a glint of crimson flickered in his eyes, laden with murderous intent.
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