An old pirate sat confidently, his back straight and posture proud.
Despite his white beard and aged appearance, his aura remained fierce and imposing.
The Red Earl, Baloric Redfield, one of the legendary great pirates of the old era, was a terrifying monster who once stood on equal footing with Whitebeard and Roger themselves.
"Ryder, do you want to leave with me?"
Outside the cell, Lucifer asked indifferently.
Ryder opened his eyes, his expression cold and unreadable. "Don't waste your efforts, brat.
"I'm not like those fools behind you."
"I don't cooperate with anyone, let alone rely on them."
"If you want to conquer me, you're still a hundred thousand years too young."
With that, Ryder closed his eyes again, sitting with an air of untouchable pride.
Ryder was unafraid of death and unshaken by threats. Lucifer's schemes and tactics wouldn't sway him. For Ryder, death was preferable to dependency.
Lucifer's lips curled into a cold smile. Without a word, he swung his blade in a flash of cold light.
Clang!
The Red Earl's Seastone handcuffs shattered. Lucifer hadn't killed him—instead, he had set him free.
"Little devil, what is the meaning of this?"
"Nothing much. Just felt like doing it."
"Don't expect my gratitude!" Ryder scoffed.
"You don't need to," Lucifer replied with a smirk. "But don't think for a second that you're safe just because you've escaped the cell. If I'm not mistaken, the Marine fleet has already arrived."
"The Marines?" Ryder asked, his pupils narrowing.
Noticing the slight shift in the Red Earl's expression, Lucifer chuckled softly.
"That's right. If you want to survive, you'll have to rely on your own strength!"
"Only those who make it back to the New World alive will be true members of the Nether Pirates."
"Do you understand now?"
Lucifer's booming voice echoed across the sixth floor of Impel Down, rallying countless imprisoned pirates.
"Kill the Marines!"
"What are Marine Admirals? We're not afraid of them!"
"That's right! Those so-called Admirals are just children now!"
Laughing and shouting, the horde of lawless prisoners surged after Lucifer, breaking free from the sixth floor.
Outside Impel Down, the sea for miles had been frozen solid. The reinforcements from Marine Headquarters were blocked by the icy barrier and could no longer advance by ship.
"Admiral Sakazuki, the warships are blocked by ice. What should we do now?"
A Marine Rear Admiral approached Akainu, seeking orders.
"Have all soldiers disembark and march toward Impel Down immediately," Akainu commanded. "I'll go on ahead."
Without hesitation, Akainu's lower body transformed into molten magma, propelling him into the sky like a volcanic eruption.
From another warship, Admiral Kizaru watched Akainu's departure and sighed. "Such a hassle. Why is he always in such a rush?"
Reluctantly, Kizaru prepared to move. "Hoshō, I'll leave this to your wisdom. The old man will go ahead."
In a flash of golden light, Kizaru vanished.
"Hahaha, the young ones are so energetic," Vice Admiral Garp remarked, leisurely munching on senbei at the bow of his ship. Unlike his younger counterparts, Garp saw no reason to rush.
Soon, Marine Vice Admirals began organizing the disembarkation of troops.
"All soldiers, disembark and advance toward Impel Down!"
The orders echoed through loudspeaker bugs, and 50,000 Marines began marching forward. The stronger generals used Moonwalk, Soru, or their Devil Fruit abilities to speed toward the prison.
Inside Impel Down, chaos reigned. Pirates and Marines clashed fiercely, with casualties mounting every second.
Lucifer's forces overwhelmed the defenders, and the frozen sea only added to the Marines' difficulties. The remaining guards inside Impel Down could do little against the flood of released prisoners.
On Level 4, Enel swung his golden staff, forcing Magellan back. Lightning surged around him, his Observation Haki monitoring every life force within the prison.
"They died for justice," Magellan growled, releasing a torrent of venomous dragons. "And I will avenge them by executing every last one of you!"
Enel's smirk widened as his lightning obliterated Magellan's poisonous attacks. Cavendish joined the fray, his sword cutting through the venomous dragons with ease.
"You can't even protect yourself, Magellan," Cavendish mocked. "Do you really think you can execute us?"
Elsewhere, Weibull, Inuarashi, and Nekomamushi engaged Admiral Aokiji. Though Aokiji was formidable, taking on all three at once was no easy feat.
"Ah la la, things are getting lively here," Aokiji muttered, his usual calm demeanor unshaken.
Suddenly, Lucifer emerged from the shadows, flanked by notorious pirates like Shiryu of the Rain, Avalo Pizarro, and Catarina Devon. Behind them marched countless criminals, each with a bounty exceeding 100 million berries.
"Shiryu, you've joined them?" Magellan's expression darkened.
Shiryu smirked, exhaling a puff of smoke. "That's right, Magellan. This place is no longer my home. I've found a new path—one where I can kill as much as I want."
"Damn traitor!" Magellan snarled, his venom surging as he prepared for one final stand.
But Lucifer merely laughed. "Aokiji, I'll give you one second to escape. Whether you survive or not depends on your abilities."
Recognizing the futility of staying, Aokiji vanished in a burst of icy mist.
"Magellan, retreat for now!" Aokiji's voice echoed as he left. "Regroup with the troops and look for an opening to counterattack!"
Magellan gritted his teeth but followed the advice, retreating into the chaos as Lucifer's forces advanced.
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