Sanders wasn't surprised by Bullet rejection. Having read the original story, he knew that Bullet past experiences made him distrustful of others. After joining Roger's pirate crew, the idea of "having to protect comrades" made him feel that he wasn't fighting decisively enough, which in turn made him believe he had become weaker. That's why he left Roger's crew. Barrett firmly believed that being strong alone was what truly mattered.
But Sanders still wanted to try and win him over. After all, if he wanted to fight against the World Government and destroy the Celestial Dragons, he would need powerful comrades by his side. Solo fighting wouldn't be enough. If Barrett joined, Sanders could take on the Four Emperors right away. Speaking of which, Red-Haired Shanks was probably about to become the fourth Emperor.
"What if I help you escape from Impel Down?" Sanders asked.
"I refuse!" Barrett continued training his strength without hesitation. No one could become his comrade, not even Pirate King Roger, let alone a kid who was once a Marine. Besides, Barrett hadn't fully refined his own power yet.
"Alright," Sanders shrugged and turned to the Red Count: "What about you, Red Count?"
As a top-tier powerhouse of the previous era, the Red Count was now quite old. But Sanders knew that the Red Count was aware of the whereabouts of a Mythical Zoan fruit. Once he ate that fruit, age would no longer limit his power.
"I refuse!" The Red Count's voice was sharp and aged. "Kid, you're not qualified to be my captain!" Like Barrett, he too rejected Sanders.
Sanders didn't press further. Out of everyone on Level 6, only these two were worth recruiting. The rest of the prisoners didn't interest him at all.
"Hey, Marine, why aren't you asking me?" A voice piped up. "I want to play make-believe too. Captain of Impel Down's pirate crew, 'King of Evil Governance' Avalo Pizarro, at your service! Bwahahaha!"
Pizarro's eerie laughter echoed across Level 6. His sarcastic tone stirred laughter among the other prisoners.
"Pssh, he doesn't even care about you!" Catarina Devon, one of the few female pirates there, sneered with a giggle.
"You damned woman, he doesn't care about you either!" Pizarro snapped back, enraged. The two started hurling vicious insults at each other, arguing about strength, looks, and even their families.
This was typical life on Level 6. Darkness and isolation had made these pirates irritable, and had they not been locked in separate cells, they would have already fought to the death.
Ignoring these lowlifes, Sanders focused on his interface, waiting in silence for the Top-Tier Armament Haki to finish deriving. Once that power was his, he could begin his escape. With Life Return, the handcuffs and leg irons didn't really restrict him. Plus, the sea stone's suppression of his Devil Fruit ability was limited. Though he couldn't fully transform into lightning, he could still use a little bit of his power, like releasing a small shock.
Time ticked by, and the remaining time for the Top-Tier Armament Haki continued to decrease.
"Hey, Marine, why aren't you training today?" Pizarro mocked. "Did you finally give up?" He never missed a chance to taunt Sanders. Pizarro hated Sanders for his former Marine identity.
"You should've given up a long time ago. We're never getting out of here. Isn't it better to wait here and die slowly with us?"
The other pirates, having lost all hope of escaping, were naturally irritated seeing someone who hadn't sunk into despair alongside them.
"I'm not like you worthless scum," Sanders replied calmly. "Today, I'm getting out of here. I'm just conserving my strength."
The pirates erupted in laughter, mocking Sanders mercilessly.
"Conserving your strength? More like you're still dreaming! Hahaha!"
"You stupid Marine, wake up already!"
"This is Impel Down, not your house. You can't just come and go as you please."
"..."
"Hey Marine, why aren't you talking? Did you finally wake up and realize reality?"
"Are you lying on the floor, crying now? Haha."
"From Marine genius to Impel Down prisoner. How does it feel to fall from the heavens to the pit of hell?"
"So young and already locked up for life. Poor kid."
"You're probably still a virgin, huh?"
The pirates mocked Sanders endlessly, often trying to strike at his emotional wounds. They'd vividly describe the pleasures of the outside world, hoping to break him mentally. But it never worked. Sanders had never once lost his cool, which frustrated them to no end.
As the pirates continued to taunt and jeer, the Top-Tier Armament Haki was finally fully derived.
An immense surge of power flowed through Sanders' body, making his Armament Haki at least twice as powerful!
"Life Return!" Without any hesitation, Sanders used his mental control over his body and activated Life Return. His black hair began to grow longer, stretching over a meter in length, moving like tentacles. With his mental command, his hair stretched towards the handcuffs and leg irons.
This was a rare and powerful ability that few Marines ever mastered. With it, you could inject your consciousness into your body and control any part of it — even your hair, nails, and internal organs.
With two crisp clicks, the handcuffs and leg irons were effortlessly unlocked by Sanders. The moment the sea stone left his body, his suppressed power surged like a dam breaking. Terrifying bolts of lightning crackled around him, dancing like silver serpents, glowing brightly.
His dim cell was now illuminated by the lightning, almost as bright as day. The surrounding air seemed to buzz with static electricity, filled with a faint crackling sound.
Sanders' eyes gleamed with electricity, as if they could pierce the darkness. This was the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!
Feeling his strength fully return, Sanders clenched his fists in excitement. His aura began to rise, exuding a terrifying pressure. He no longer suppressed his power, letting it flow freely. After three years of patience, the time had finally come for him to reap the rewards.
The once noisy Level 6 instantly fell silent. All eyes were drawn to Sanders' brightly lit cell and the overwhelming aura radiating from him.
"This is... the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!" Pizarro gasped in disbelief, gripping the bars of his cell as he stared at Sanders. Everyone knew that those wearing sea stone shackles couldn't use their Devil Fruit powers.
"Did this guy cut off his hands and feet?" someone whispered, recalling how the Golden Lion had escaped by cutting off his limbs. "Has this kid gone insane?!"
Without arms or legs, how could he hope to fight Impel Down's top enforcers like Magellan and Shiryu?
Everyone on Level 6 extended their Observation Haki toward Sanders' cell, trying to figure out how he was using his Devil Fruit powers.
The moment Sanders broke free of the sea stone shackles, dark clouds began to gather over Impel Down. Lightning crackled through the clouds, and thunder rumbled ominously, as if some world-ending storm was brewing. It was as if the sky was about to unleash destruction.
Black clouds covered the sky, and in an instant, the day turned dark. Deep in the ocean, massive sea kings stirred in fear, swimming away to the depths.
Above the sea, a massive fleet of Marine ships surrounded Impel Down. Sailors stepped out of their cabins, gazing up at the sky in confusion.
Just moments ago, the weather had been sunny and clear. How had it turned into this in the blink of an eye?
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T/N:
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