How can I become the Pirate King if you don’t work hard?.

Chapter 370 The Solitary Crimson!

Hannibal shuddered at the mention of the name.

The warden is the highest-ranking official in Impel Down, but the one ranked below the warden is not the deputy warden but the chief warden.

The current Chief of Staff of Impel Down is Shiryu of the Rain, whose strength is comparable to that of Magellan, who is the Warden.

Several years ago, Shiryu was imprisoned by Magellan for indiscriminately killing criminals in Impel Down and was placed in the sixth level of Impel Down, the Infinite Hell.

His temperament is less like that of a watchman in the city and more like that of a bloodthirsty executioner!

Under normal circumstances, Magellan would never allow such a person to emerge, but at this moment it was the only option.

"I see!"

Magellan nodded:

"Yes, also report what happened here to the World Government."

"Yes."

Hanni took the key from Magellan and turned to rush towards the sixth level of Infinite Hell.

Even though Magellan didn't say it explicitly, the tacit understanding from working together for many years had already made him realize that the warden who once dominated Impel Down no longer had the confidence to single-handedly oversee Impel Down.

even……

They already have the will to fight to the death!
Be one step ahead!
This crisis might be resolved sooner!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hannibal's footsteps grew faster and faster, until they disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.

Just as Magellan was about to continue his pursuit of the Straw Hat, a slender figure stood before him, knife in hand.

"I'm a little lost~"

"Hey big guy, have you seen a boy who's about fifteen or sixteen years old and acts like a monkey? Or do you know where Portokus D. Ace is being held?!"

Sorry, I didn't see you.

Magellan's expression was somber:
"but."

"Old man, you do resemble a certain legendary wanted criminal."

"Who?!"

"Pluto Rayleigh!"

……

A few minutes later.

Mariejoia.

In a lavish office, the five elders sat around a sofa, their faces grim as they stared at the Den Den Mushi on the coffee table.

An anxious and panicked voice came through the receiver.

"The Straw Hat Pirates, together with Rayleigh and Jabba the Mountain Eater, have invaded Impel Down and have already broken into Level 5. Their target is likely Roger's son, Portgas D. Ace!"

"With Impel Down's current fighting force, it is impossible to deal with two legends at the same time!"

"Asking for support! Requesting support!"

"Shiryu, you—!"

A sound like a blade cutting through flesh came from the other end of the phone, and then the Den Den Mushi was crushed by the person's foot. The Five Elders even heard the cracking sound of the Den Den Mushi's shell breaking.

The telephone bug on the coffee table closed its eyes and burrowed back into its shell.

The room fell silent for a moment, the air becoming so oppressive that it was almost impossible to breathe.

a long time.

Nasujuro drew the long sword from his robes, gripping it tightly, his face extremely grim.

"They're so crazy as to attack Impel Down?!"

"The fifth level is manageable, but those imprisoned in the sixth level, the Infinite Hell, are quite a few troublesome individuals."

"If we let them escape, the trouble it causes will probably be considerable, and the landscape of the new world may even change as a result."

Piet Saint crossed his arms, feeling a sudden headache.
"The Navy is focused on fighting Whitebeard and probably can't spare any manpower. Should we personally suppress them, or..."

Mazsan shook his head:
"Let's have the CP organization handle it."

"It just so happens that a remarkable guy has emerged in CP9 in recent years. After Spandam fell from power because of that incident, he took over as the head of CP9."

“He was the one who carried out the mission to capture Wang Zhi a year ago. If he does a good job this time, he should have a place in CP0 as well.”

"Rob Lucci?!"

Maz Saint nodded, and said calmly:
"After all, the strength of the Marine Headquarters has been greatly reduced since the Zephyr incident. We also need to watch the Marine Headquarters execute Portokas-D-Ace in case anything unexpected happens."

"Even if something happens at Impel Down, the outside world will have no way of knowing. If the news can be suppressed, then it has never been breached. If someone does manage to slip away, we can remedy the situation afterward."

"Right now, everything must make way for the execution of Fire Fist Ace."

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

……

boom!
boom!
boom!
The deafening roar echoed throughout Impel Down, and even the most notorious criminals hidden in the endless hell sensed the commotion.

In the darkness, pairs of eyes opened, gleaming with a bloodthirsty light.

"It's been a long time since there's been such a big commotion!"

"correct!"

"The last time something like this happened was when that guy named Shiryu was stripped of his official position and imprisoned in Impel Down."

in the corner.

Looking drunk, Basque Jotte was half-asleep and unconsciously stuck out his tongue to lick his lips.

The other prisoners around them also showed expressions of excitement.

"Magellan's decision to release Shiryu shows that he alone is powerless to fight against the invaders here!"

"This may be the closest we've ever come to seeing the light of day again!"

……

Heavy breathing could be heard from each of the cells.

Even these monsters, who once roamed the seas and had bounties of hundreds of millions or even billions, could not remain calm at this moment!

"Muru hoohoo hoohoo~~~~"

The pale-faced hunter, Katrin Demi, grinned, revealing a set of unusually sharp teeth.

"I have a feeling that today might be our chance to escape."

Throughout her conversation, Katrin Delme's gaze remained fixed on a corner of the cell, on a middle-aged man who was tightly restrained but whose face remained defiant.

She stuck out her tongue and licked her lips, her eyes filled with anticipation.

"Crocodile, you should keep your word, right? I'm very interested in that Crusade you mentioned!"

"Offering a reverse bounty to the navy to stir up the world's affairs!"

"I'd really like to see just how much of a mess you'll make of this ocean after you break free of your cage, you monster."

"Your combat strength may not be top-notch on the sea, but your strategic planning ability is second to none."

"No!"

Crocodile slowly opened his eyes, his gaze radiating an indescribable air of pride:

"My strength is also top-notch!"

Accompanied by the words, a gray-white shock swept around Crocodile, causing the chains in the cell to flutter like a whirlwind!

Wow!
The noise was deafening, and the cells were in turmoil.

The jailers guarding the Infinite Hell were so overwhelmed by this domineering aura that they foamed at the mouth and lost consciousness before they could even make a move.

"Hahaha-!"

A dry, hoarse laugh echoed through the endless hell, and even the most notorious criminals imprisoned there could not remain calm!
The hardened criminals in each cell instantly fell silent, their sharp, piercing gazes fixed on Crocodile, who stood in the center of their line of sight!

"Conqueror's Haki... Haki?! A talent only one in a million possesses, and this guy actually has it?!" "He has Conqueror's Haki, a Logia-type..."

"The only template I can think of is those few monsters in the Navy!"

The opportunity to escape is right in front of us. At this moment, revealing the king's qualities is demonstrating the qualifications to ascend to the top and become king!

While intimidating the restless prisoners, it also gave these uneasy individuals hope—the hope that they could reach the top by following in his footsteps!

But no doubt.

Crocodile's move was effective!

The increasingly intense gazes from all around are proof of that!
Even the two most hidden figures in Impel Down couldn't help but turn their gazes to Crocodile!

"Conqueror's Haki?!"

Barrett slowly opened his eyes and looked at Crocodile.

He had briefly fought the man before him, and the man's methods of draining the water from the entire land and turning it into a desert left a deep impression on him.

But without a doubt, Crocodile did not display any Conqueror's Haki in that battle!

"Did I acquire this knowledge after I was imprisoned in Impel Down?!"

"what!"

Crocodile's lips curled into a smirk as he felt the Conqueror's Haki surging around him, his expression growing increasingly ferocious!
This was a power he had longed for but could never control, yet it was naturally drawn out after the battle before he went to prison!

Fueled by his belief derived from Conqueror's Haki, his combat power not only did not decline due to his long imprisonment, but instead advanced further, reaching a realm he had never touched before.

"Thanks to that bastard!"

A name popped into Barrett's mind, and he asked:

"Knight Gawain?!"

"Knight Gawain!"

Crocodile nodded, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes:
"How about it?!"

"Want to team up with me and take that guy's head?"

Barrett glanced at him, his voice cold and hard, like steel:
"You're not qualified."

"I'll go get that guy's head myself!"

"What an arrogant guy!"

Crocodile, unconcerned, shook his head and focused his attention on the two separate cells deep in the darkness.

One of them was frozen for decades, with no trace of life emanating from him, and may have already died during his long imprisonment.

One of them appeared to be around seventy or eighty years old. Even in his prison cell, his hair was impeccably groomed, and he exuded an air of nobility.

World Destroyer - Bundy Wald!
Lone Red - Baron Redfield!
Two more names that are enough to shake the world!
Crocodile looked at the two cells, remained silent for a long time, and ultimately did not speak.

He was somewhat confident in dealing with the former, but there was no need to expend too much effort on someone whose fate was unknown.

But even now, he has no confidence in the latter.

That was a man who, single-handedly, rivaled the three legendary pirate crews of the past, stormed the Marine Headquarters alone, and defeated the then Fleet Admiral, Sora!
In that era, in terms of sheer power, only Whitebeard and Roger were worthy of his attention.

The old man sitting in the cell looked at Crocodile with interest, then closed his eyes again, returning to his previous calm and composed demeanor, as if nothing could change his expression!

But in the next instant...

The old man's eyes snapped open as he looked up at the gates of the infinite hell!

boom--!
The gates to Infinite Hell were smashed open, and a giant fist, accompanied by Luffy's shout, burst into Infinite Hell!
"Ace!"

"I'm here to save you!"

Luffy rushed into the Infinite Hell with a face full of excitement, but what awaited him there were only pairs of eyes that were either cold, mocking, or violent.

"This brat is the man who invaded Tuiji City?!"

"It's quite different from what I imagined, but its imposing aura is undeniably powerful!"

"When did such a person appear on the high seas?!"

"The new generation?"

"still……"

……

The crowd couldn't help but start discussing it.

Until the lone, red figure in the corner, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, and the surroundings fell silent instantly!
"Who is Garp to you!?"

Luffy looked in the direction of the sound and saw an old man sitting cross-legged on the ground, his lips curling into a simple smile.
"It's my grandfather."

"Is that so? Garp's grandson is already so big. It seems that many years have really passed outside."

We're all getting old~

Redfield smiled as he looked at the boy in front of him, and in a daze, he saw the young marine who had once followed in his footsteps.

After being imprisoned for decades, he looked down at his hands for the first time.

The flesh was shriveled and the skin resembled tree bark.

Time has left too many marks on this body, and has also taken away the power that once allowed it to rival Whitebeard for dominance of the seas.

Although he is still powerful, he is far from being as strong as he was in his youth, and he is no longer able to compete with Roger and Whitebeard again!

Why does adventure always end? And why are people destined to grow old?
When this question came to Redfield's mind, an intense resentment, strong enough to consume him, began to burn within him!
If the Five Elders can exist for hundreds of years, enduring countless trials and tribulations without changing, why can't I?!
Wow!
Redfield stood up, the chains binding him tightening and making a piercing noise that was crystal clear in the eerily quiet cell.

He walked step by step to the cell door, his calm gaze meeting Luffy's. The latter trembled, as if the old man before him could see right through him.

Like flipping through a book.

"I am..."

While Lu was still wondering, Redfield's face suddenly showed a look of realization.

"I see,"

"Roger's son, Garp's grandson, these two are actually sworn brothers?! The Navy is preparing to execute Roger's son to intimidate the seas?!"

"Rayleigh, Jabba?"

"Ah, I remember now, they were those two pirates who followed Roger. Have they become legends by now?!"

"Wait, this person is..."

……

The surroundings were silent. The prisoners felt a chill run down their spines at the sight, for the ability to see right through a person with just a glance was simply too eerie.

Even Crocodile's gaze became incredibly solemn in that instant.

He knew of this person's power.

He once dominated an era, rivaling Roger and Whitebeard, but no one expected that he would possess such a bizarre ability.

Seastone was mixed into the shackles used to imprison criminals in Impel Down, so Redfield could not have obtained the information using a Devil Fruit ability.

"The abilities of a special race?!"

"neither!"

Barrett, unusually, spoke up, looking at the old man in the distance with an indescribable shock in his eyes:

"It is the color of perception and observation."

"I once heard Roger mention that when one's Observation Haki is cultivated to a high level, each person will develop different abilities due to their personality, fighting style, and desires."

"Common traits such as foresight and fighting instinct are included."

"But above these ordinary derivative abilities, there are two special forms of Observation Haki that cannot be obtained through training."

"The first is Roger's ability to listen to all things, and the second is the ability to read the opponent's memories and mind, which is the so-called mind-reading technique."

"Both of these abilities are innate, and are possessed by truly chosen people."

"And standing before you is a powerhouse of an era, the strongest in the world after Rocks and before Whitebeard."

(End of this chapter)