Chapter 69: Heading to Impel Down, Take Care of Magellan
Nami left the lab, her cheeks still tinged with pink from the thought of Chiba's "scientific examination." As she stepped out, the rest of the crew surrounded her eagerly.
"Nami! What did you get from Brother Chiba?" Chopper asked excitedly, his eyes wide with anticipation. The others crowded around, clearly curious as well.
Nami chuckled mischievously. "Oh, it's something you boys probably won't be interested in. But Sister Robin, Chopper—you'll definitely want to see this!" With that, she grabbed Robin and Chopper and led them toward her room.
"Nami, don't leave us hanging! Tell us what it is!" Usopp called after her, but Nami didn't look back.
Once inside her room, Robin eyed her curiously. "Nami, what kind of mysterious gift did Chiba give you? You're acting so secretive!"
With a dramatic flourish, Nami pulled out the small vial containing the formula. "Behold… the Beauty and Youth Elixir! With this, we can keep our youthful looks forever!"
Robin's eyes widened in surprise. "Stay young forever? That's… incredible. It almost sounds like it defies nature."
Nami grinned. "Since when did Brother Chiba's creations not defy nature? Look at all the things he's done!" She then turned to Chopper with an eager expression. "Chopper, can you check this out? Can it really do what it says?"
Chopper took the formula, examining it carefully. After a moment, he looked up. "Well… I can't say for sure without actually refining it and testing it. Brother Chiba's knowledge is way beyond mine, so I trust it could work. Based on my analysis, it should definitely have the effects of enhancing beauty and delaying aging. I'd estimate it could make you look the same for at least fifty years and slow down your aging by ten times."
Nami and Robin's eyes sparkled with excitement. The idea of staying young and beautiful for decades was more than they had ever dreamed of.
"Chopper, you have to make this Beauty Elixir for us," Nami said, clutching his arm. Her determination was evident, and Robin nodded in agreement, sharing the same hopeful look.
Chopper gulped, feeling the pressure. "I'll do my best! But… I'll need funds to buy the ingredients."
Nami immediately pulled out her wallet. "Will one billion berries be enough?"
Chopper's eyes lit up. "With that, I can also refine the body-strengthening potion and the Super Rumble Ball!"
Nami's smile faltered, realizing she might have been tricked. She glared at Chopper, grabbing his little face. "Chopper, you sneaky little reindeer!"
"It hurts! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Chopper squeaked, but he couldn't help smiling, thinking of the possibilities this funding would allow.
---
Outside the lab, the other crewmembers crowded around Chiba, all of them eager for a turn.
Luffy stepped forward confidently. "Alright, it's my turn! Study my body next!"
Just then, Zoro, appeared with an uncharacteristically serious expression. "Chiba… I think I've honed my swordsmanship to a fine edge. Surely my body is worth studying too."
Usopp pointed at his long nose. "Brother Chiba, look! My body's got some unique traits too. If you studied Nami, you should definitely study me!"
Sanji coughed, trying to hide his jealousy. "I've trained my cooking skills to perfection. I'm sure a body like mine would be more interesting than Nami's."
The four of them stared at Chiba, each vying for his attention.
Chiba held back a chuckle and waved them off. "I've been here long enough, guys. We'll do it next time."
But Luffy wasn't giving up that easily. He planted himself firmly in Chiba's path. "No way! Study me now, or you're not going anywhere!"
Without a word, Chiba raised a fist and delivered a swift punch to Luffy's head.
Bam!
Luffy's head hit the ground with a thud, bouncing a few times before he finally sat up, clutching his head. "Ouch! Why'd you hit me so hard?"
Chiba laughed. "Next time, Luffy. Next time I'll study you all. But right now, I really need to go."
His Observation Haki had already picked up several powerful presences landing on the Sabaody Archipelago—among them, his grandfather Garp. While Garp's aura was familiar, there were others whose strength rivaled that of admirals. It was clear that the Marines weren't just passing through; they were here for him.
Without wasting another second, Chiba slipped away, leading his small team—Hina, Koby, Helmeppo, and the Peacock—onto a merchant ship bound for their next destination.
---
Their course was set: Impel Down.
After everything he had learned from the Straw Hats, and the alliances he had subtly forged, Chiba had decided to focus on the next phase of his plan. His target? Ace.
"Chiba," Hina spoke up, breaking the silence as they sailed. "Are we really heading to Impel Down to break someone out of prison?"
Chiba gazed out at the sea, the horizon undulating with the waves. "Hina, do you really think I'm just going to storm Impel Down like some reckless pirate?"
Hina hesitated. "If you did… you'd have to face the full wrath of both the Marines and the World Government. And the Peacock and others… they may not be ready to follow you into such chaos."
At that moment, the Peacock strutted over, her slender legs and graceful movements catching everyone's attention. She flashed Chiba a seductive smile, pressing herself close. "Chiba, I'll follow you anywhere—even to the gates of Mariejois itself if that's where you go."
The Peacock's loyalty and allure brought a faint smile to Chiba's face. Hina, however, shot the Peacock a sharp look, clearly annoyed. The Peacock ignored her, nestling closer to Chiba, her eyes half-lidded with a coy look.
"Chiba, I'll be yours for life," she whispered, her voice soft and sweet.
Turning to Koby and Helmeppo, Chiba continued, "Koby, Helmeppo—you don't have to come with me. If this is too much, I'll let you go now."
Koby clenched his fists, his face serious. "Master Chiba, you gave me a purpose beyond the Marines. If you're going to Impel Down, then so am I. But… I won't harm innocent people."
Helmeppo nodded. "Same here. I'll follow your orders, but I won't hurt anyone who doesn't deserve it."
Chiba laughed, clapping both of them on the shoulder. "You two… who do you think I am, a monster who kills for fun? We're not going to Impel Down to massacre anyone."
Hina raised an eyebrow. "Then what's our goal? You're not really planning a prison break, are you?"
"Not quite," Chiba said with a grin. "As the saying goes, 'the best victories are won without a single blow.' Impel Down isn't just some fortress to be breached. It's a place of power and politics, and I intend to make allies, not enemies."
He explained his plan to approach Magellan, the prison's formidable warden, and negotiate with him. His goal was to persuade Magellan to see things his way, rather than through sheer force.
The crew listened, intrigued. They knew Magellan was a formidable opponent—a quasi-admiral-level powerhouse with the terrifying power of poison. But Chiba was confident in his ability to win him over.
"Ace is a strong fighter with incredible potential. If he's given the chance to live, he'll be invaluable to us in the future," Chiba continued. "I won't let him die in Impel Down."
---
Ten days later, they arrived at Impel Down, the infamous underwater prison located in the treacherous Calm Belt. The prison was surrounded by massive Sea Kings that deterred any unwanted visitors, and videophone snails kept constant surveillance.
Inside, countless dangerous criminals were held captive, watched over by monstrous jailers and guarded by the warden Magellan, along with Shiryu of the Rain—a swordsman as deadly as he was unpredictable.
As Chiba looked out over the prison, he couldn't help but smile. Impel Down was said to be impenetrable, but he knew that even the strongest walls could be shaken with the right leverage.
"Hina," he said, turning to her, "prepare yourself. We're going in to talk with Magellan. And if all goes well, we won't have to fight anyone at all."
Hina nodded, her face calm but determined. The Peacock moved to Chiba's other side, a smirk on her lips as she anticipated the chaos to come.
With his team assembled, Chiba took a deep breath, ready to set his plan into motion.
"Impel Down… let's see how strong your defenses really are."
[•———•———•———•]
𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!
𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼:
• 𝙅𝙘𝟭𝟮𝟬𝟮
• 𝘼𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙟𝙖𝙝
• 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗯 𝗠𝗼𝗲𝗲
𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸:
• 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟭𝟴𝟱+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.
• 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁-𝗢𝘂𝘁: 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩!
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝘁, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀!
👉 𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙣𝙤𝙬: 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣.𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧
💬 𝘼𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝘼𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙩! 𝙐𝙣𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 $30—𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 10% 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩! 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙙𝙚: 𝗚𝗢𝗗𝗢𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥.
𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙂𝙋𝙏 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙩, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣-𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙮, 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙣𝙪𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙦𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨, 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!
👉𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽: 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣.𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧/𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙥