Not only was Byrnndi World shocked, but even Zephyr was greatly astonished.
Magellan had actually been taken down?
How could that be possible?
It was known that although Magellan wasn't an admiral, he had long possessed strength close to that level. His power was undeniable. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been made the warden of Impel Down. In particular, the deadly poison secreted from his body was extremely difficult to withstand.
Yet such a powerful individual had been defeated—and by this seemingly delicate, golden-haired girl standing before them. It was hard for them to believe. After all, although they had also been imprisoned on the sixth underground level, they weren't kept in the same area and thus had no idea about Kaguya's battle with Magellan.
"Hmph, what's so impressive about that?" Byrnndi World wiped sweat from his forehead, putting on a show of arrogance and snorted coldly. "Consider yourself lucky. Next time you meet me, you won't have such good fortune." With that, he turned and left.
Although he left with tough words, anyone with eyes could tell he had backed down.
"Heh heh," Bacchus, face slightly flushed from alcohol, walked over and patted his shoulder, speaking gleefully. "You're not scared, are you?"
"Scared? What a joke!" Byrnndi World reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, roaring in anger. "How could I be afraid of someone like that?"
"Really not?" Bacchus nudged him with his elbow, continuing to stir the pot.
"Of course not," Byrnndi World snorted, walking away without looking back. "You fool. This lord simply didn't want to bully someone weaker."
"Is that so? Hehehe... hic"
"Idiot."
After they left, the other pirates also seized warships or cargo vessels and began retreating one after another.
Now was the best time to escape. If they waited until reinforcements from Navy Headquarters arrived, with powerhouses gathered, it would be much harder to leave.
After the brutal battle, everything was in ruins. The hastily arriving navy suffered heavy casualties. Corpses floated everywhere, dyeing the sea red. The once-majestic Impel Down was now engulfed in flames.
Kaguya let out a cold snort. "Consider yourself sensible." The hand holding her black-red longsword dropped down. If it weren't for the fact that these people were still somewhat useful to her, she would have already wiped them all out. Just a bunch of small fry—how dare they act so arrogant.
Just then, a figure suddenly lunged forward, rushing behind Kaguya in a flash. With a punch forged from seastone, he aimed it fiercely at her back.
A glint of cold light flashed through Kaguya's eyes.
Ignorant fool.
She turned and slashed with her sword.
Clang!
A deafening crash rang out. The incoming shadow was sent flying back even faster. Boom!—he slammed heavily into the cabin wall.
"With that level of skill, you dare try a sneak attack?" Kaguya said coldly. "You were dreaming."
The attacker was none other than the severely wounded Zephyr.
"Teacher!"
Ain was shocked and hurried over, but before she could reach Zephyr, a hand suddenly reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Ain's pupils suddenly contracted.
So fast.
She hadn't sensed it at all just now.
Just as Ain was about to struggle, a mass of black-red substance suddenly appeared and turned into writhing tendrils that tightly bound her.
Ain resisted fiercely, trying to break free, but the more she struggled, the tighter the tendrils became, until eventually she was almost completely immobilized.
"It's useless. These aren't those cheap seastone chains," Kaguya said as she walked over.
"Who exactly are you?" Ain's eyes narrowed, but she calmed down and asked.
"Who I am doesn't matter," Kaguya said, extending a finger to lift Ain's fair chin. "You've become even more beautiful than before."
"You know me?" Ain's eyes narrowed.
"You could say that," Kaguya whispered near her ear, "But you've also grown since then."
Feeling the warm breath against her ear, Ain couldn't help but shiver. What followed made her eyes fly open in shock.
She was actually—actually...
Ain bit her lip tightly, a flush creeping onto her delicate face as she endured the cold hand that roamed beneath her underwear. The chilling sensation made her body tremble slightly.
"The feel is better than expected," Kaguya murmured by her ear, gently biting it with a wicked grin. "And you're surprisingly sensitive."
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Ain gritted her teeth, enduring the strange sensations. "If you're trying to humiliate me, forget it. I won't yield."
"Is that so?" Kaguya's fingers brushed her cheek. "You didn't used to say that. If I beckoned you back then, you'd be eagerly waiting for me to favor you."
Ain's face flushed red in anger and embarrassment. "How could I ever do something like that? Don't flatter yourself!"
"Is that so?" Kaguya smirked. "Didn't expect you to be so principled now. But I hope you won't regret it later." With that, she withdrew her hand from Ain's collar.
Kaguya paid her no more attention and walked over to Zephyr, looking down at him with disdain. "Isn't this the former Navy Admiral? How pitiful you look now. Truly pathetic."
"Do you even realize what you're doing?" Zephyr said, struggling to contain his fury. "You're provoking the World Government."
Before he could finish, Kaguya, expressionless, suddenly lifted her leg and kicked him hard in the chest.
Boom!
A deafening crash followed as Zephyr flew backward like a cannonball, slamming heavily into the cabin wall. His eyes widened and a mouthful of blood spewed forth.
"You're just a washed-up admiral. Who gave you the right to lecture me?" Kaguya stepped on his chest and said coldly, "Your era is over, old man. Stop doing these meaningless things. Since you're retired, go live out your days in peace."
Zephyr's eyes burned with rage, veins bulging on his forehead as he growled through gritted teeth, "You're just a despicable pirate, how dare you spout such arrogant nonsense! Evil will never triumph over justice. Filthy scum like you will one day be wiped out!"
"Justice?" A sneer appeared on Kaguya's face. "That's just a tool to fool idiots. Do you really believe the World Government represents justice? Don't make me laugh. Otherwise, how do you think your family died?"
Zephyr's pupils shrank sharply at her words.
...
Impel Down had fallen.
As soon as this news broke, it caused an enormous uproar across the Grand Line, setting off waves of shock and disbelief.
When people first heard the news, their initial reaction was certainly one of scorn, assuming it to be nothing more than a rumor.
After all, Impel Down—the great underwater prison—was built by the World Government itself, with extremely tight security. The place was heavily guarded by marines, with patrols every few steps. Not to mention, Magellan, whose strength was nearly on par with an admiral, was stationed there. The prison was constructed like an iron fortress—impenetrable.
Since its creation, only one person had ever escaped: Golden Lion Shiki, a pirate of the same era as the Pirate King Roger. Even that alone demonstrated the prison's formidable strength.
But now, Impel Down had actually been breached. Magellan was critically injured and on the verge of death. Even the reinforcements from the navy suffered heavy losses in the battle.
How could anyone believe that?
To most, it sounded like nothing short of a fairy tale.
Yet the World Government soon issued a wanted poster that confirmed it. The poster featured a delicate, pretty girl with golden hair, delicate features, and a subtle, elegant makeup look. But the coldness in her eyes was enough to keep people at a distance.
And the bounty?
Five hundred million.
It was unbelievable. From the start, only a handful of people had ever been given such a massive bounty, and each one was a renowned and feared pirate.
Could it really have been her who broke into the underwater prison?
People exchanged bewildered glances.
As for Zephyr—ever since that day, his personality had changed. He became more withdrawn and silent, lacking the enthusiasm he once had for training. No one knew what had really happened that day. Many believed that the incident had simply hit him too hard.
But was that really the truth?
Kaguya leaned lazily against the ship's railing, letting the cool sea breeze wash over her as she gazed at the endless ocean. A stunning smile curved at the corner of her lips.
Sometimes, hatred is just a tiny seed buried in the soil. Without notice, it begins to sprout and take root, eventually growing into a towering tree.
As for Zephyr—he would eventually choose his own path. Of that, Kaguya had no doubt.
After all, that was what the original story said.
"These are dumplings I personally prepared. I wonder if they suit your taste."
A charming and sweet voice suddenly rang out. A tall figure, Hancock, pushed a food cart over.
The cart was piled high with food, like a small mountain.
"You don't need to make so much from now on," Kaguya said.
Now that she had the Black Holy Grail providing her with endless magical energy, she no longer needed food for sustenance. Apart from basic daily meals, she had no need for extra nourishment.
Hancock paused for a moment and asked, "Is it because my cooking isn't good?"
A touch of sadness appeared on her beautiful face.
"Of course not," Kaguya walked over, hooked her finger under Hancock's chin, and smirked. "Your cooking is excellent. But now, I've found something even more delicious."
Hancock's eyes shimmered like water, as if covered in a light mist, ready to overflow at any moment. She already knew what the other party intended to do, but before anything could happen, her legs had already gone weak.
Just as Kaguya was about to feast, she suddenly sensed something, her brows furrowing slightly. She turned her head toward the vast sea.
Hancock, still dazed, didn't understand what had happened. But seeing Kaguya's expression, she suppressed her fluttering heart.
In the distance, a massive ship sped toward them. It was fully armed, bristling with cannons, all aimed at Kaguya's vessel. Judging by the pirate flag fluttering from the mast, it was clearly a pirate ship.
"Hmph, ignorant fools, daring to interrupt me," Hancock said softly. "Let me give them a proper lesson." With that, she prepared to act.
Being interrupted, especially at such a moment with her beloved, made her furious.
But just then, Kaguya grabbed her arm and said, "Let me handle it."
"Yes." Hancock's face turned slightly red, and she obediently nodded. Her earlier anger quickly faded.
At the same time, the pirates on the approaching ship began shouting.
"Hey, listen up! We're the Fire Tank Pirates! If you know what's good for you, hand over all your treasure, or we'll blow your ship to pieces!"
The pirates laughed rowdily, but the moment they saw the two girls on deck, their eyes widened and turned lecherous. Drool nearly dripped from their mouths.
"Hey, did you see that? What beautiful women!"
"Yeah, this is amazing! Heh heh."
"Didn't expect this kind of surprise bonus."
"Hey, you two ladies, come drink with us. If we're in a good mood, maybe we'll let you live."
"Yeah, that's right!"
"Hahahahaha!"
The pirates laughed without restraint, their lustful expressions obvious. Their hearts itched like they were being scratched by cat claws—they couldn't wait to capture the women.
"Insolent fools, begone!" Hancock placed one hand on her hip and pointed at them with the other, head tilted back. "Just a bunch of filthy mongrels, how dare you spout nonsense in front of me."
Hearing such sharp words didn't anger the pirates. If anything, their obsession only deepened. Excited, they shouted louder.
"Step aside," Kaguya said, stepping forward.
A blush appeared on Hancock's face, and she softly replied.
"When you encounter scum like this," Kaguya raised her arm, and a black-red sword appeared in her hand, "just kill them."
The chilling aura from the sword spread out like frost, turning everything in its path a pale white. Though the sun was blazing overhead, the icy, bone-piercing cold lingered.
The pirates suddenly sobered up. One of them, noticing Kaguya's face and the sword in her hand, widened his eyes as if he'd seen a ghost and stammered, "Th-this is..."
The others noticed too, and their faces turned pale.
"She-she's Artoria!"
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