The corners of Kizaru's mouth twitched. As a Marine Admiral, he had heard plenty about the Red Earl — a man once regarded as being on par with Whitebeard himself.
And that wasn't all. The name "Douglas Bullet" alone carried enough weight to shake the seas.
The very idea of freeing both of them was insane.
Kizaru frowned slightly. You really dare to ask for this, huh? These two are monsters — rebels by nature. The moment they're freed, they'll probably turn on you.
He exhaled softly. "I'll report this to Staff Officer Tsuru."
"I'll give you one minute," Kaito said calmly, arms folded. "If the Marines refuse, I'll handle it myself. Don't end up like Akainu and Sengoku — at least try not to get in my way."
Kizaru turned away, pretending not to hear the warning. He took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed.
While the snail began connecting, Kaito stood silently, his crimson eyes sharp and calm.
The prisoners nearby had overheard everything.
Kizaru — a Marine Admiral — one of the three greatest powers in the Navy Headquarters, a man who stood at the very peak of strength across the seas.
Many of them had personally been captured by him. Each knew how terrifying he was — the man's speed and his light-based powers made him nearly untouchable.
And yet… this same Kizaru stood meekly before the young man with a relaxed posture.
Even more shocking was what they had heard moments ago — this young man, Kaito, had already defeated both Sengoku and Akainu.
Impossible!
Everyone knew the might of those two men — one, the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, and the other, one of its deadliest fighters. Both could crush entire pirate crews singlehandedly.
Yet Kaito had beaten them both.
The air grew heavy, trembling with disbelief.
Fear spread through the prisoners like lightning. Some trembled; others refused to meet Kaito's gaze, praying he wouldn't notice them.
A few, however, watched him with interest — the kind of people who thrived on chaos. Among them stood Bullet, his expression unreadable.
As the whispers grew, a few voices broke the silence.
"Hey… did you hear what Kizaru just said? Was he serious?"
"It has to be true! Didn't you see how Kizaru flinched the moment he saw that guy?"
"Tch! What a pity. He's only taking two people. If only it were me…"
"Be serious. Do you think the Marines would ever agree to that? They'll refuse for sure!"
The murmurs spread across Eternal Hell like wildfire.
Meanwhile, Kizaru's Den Den Mushi finally connected.
"Moshi moshi. This is Kizaru."
"Kizaru," came Tsuru's voice over the line, calm but stern. "Did you reach Impel Down? Have you captured the intruder?"
Kizaru hesitated, then sighed bitterly. "Staff Officer Tsuru… I can't handle this man. The intruder… is Kaito."
"What?" Tsuru's tone hardened. "Kaito? What is he after?"
"He says he's forming a pirate crew," Kizaru replied. "And he wants to recruit two people from Eternal Hell."
"Who?"
"Redfield and Bullet."
"…Those two."
Tsuru fell silent for a long moment. The weight of that request sank in. Both men were legendary — monsters who had once shaken the world.
"He's only giving me one minute," Kizaru continued. "If we refuse, he'll act on his own."
"Tell him we agree," Tsuru finally said, her voice weary. "Just make sure he leaves once it's done."
Kizaru nodded. "Understood."
He pocketed the Den Den Mushi and approached Kaito.
"Staff Officer Tsuru has approved your request," he said. "But I hope you'll keep your word and leave once you find those two."
"Okay," Kaito replied. "But Magellan's in a coma, right? I'll handle the search myself. I know what they look like."
He took a few steps forward, then clenched his fist.
A pulse of energy rippled through the air. With a single punch, the wall ahead shattered, revealing a hidden passageway.
Kizaru's eyes widened. "A secret passage? Even I didn't know that existed…"
Kaito smiled faintly. "Guess."
Kizaru sighed. Guess he's not going to tell me.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he followed Kaito inside.
The tunnel was pitch dark. Any normal person would've been blind, but Kaito's Sharingan gleamed faintly, letting him see every inch of the path ahead. To him, it was as if the shadows themselves parted to reveal the way forward.
After several meters, they reached a massive iron door.
Kizaru's body began to glow faintly, illuminating the room in golden light. "This door… it's made of seastone. Must be incredibly heavy," he said, smirking slightly. "Let's see how you plan to open this one."
Kaito didn't reply.
He simply extended his hand, letting his chakra surge and condense into a compressed blade of grey wind.
With a smooth swing— Screech!
Sparks flew as the blade sliced through the seastone like paper.
Another few strokes, and the door split apart, crashing loudly to the ground.
Kizaru's smirk vanished, replaced by stunned silence.
Another ability… wind manipulation? Just how many powers does this guy have?
He made a mental note. I'll have to report this later.
As the dust settled, a figure slowly came into view.
A tattered red cloak hung loosely over his shoulders. His plum-red shirt and pants were shredded, exposing lean muscles beneath. His pale cheeks were sunken, and two white braids hung from his ears.
Eyes closed, he sat motionless against the wall — as if long dead.
But Kaito's eyes softened slightly. A small smile crossed his face.
"Red Earl Redfield," he said quietly. "I'm here to invite you to join my crew."
_______
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