A small Navy vessel, its white flag fluttering in the wind, floated quietly on the open sea.
On the dock stood Emporio Ivankov, his enormous afro swaying gently in the sea breeze. He turned to look back at the steel colossus behind him, his emotions tangled and heavy.
He never imagined this day would come that he would walk out of Impel Down so easily.
No fierce battles.
No jailbreak.
Not even paperwork.
All it took was one sentence from Rear Admiral Renn Hawk, and he was escorted straight out of the prison's gates. The Navy had even prepared a ship and full supplies for him.
Behind him, Deputy Commander Inazuma and several Revolutionaries were just as dazed, as if they were still dreaming.
Ivankov glanced at the silent man beside him.
"Take care of yourself."
Then he turned toward the ship.
"Alright, set off!"
He flashed Bartholomew Kuma a victory sign, then led his men aboard.
The anchor rose, and the ship sliced through the waves, speeding toward the horizon.
With a Navy flag as their cover, the journey home would be smooth.
Ivankov stood at the bow, letting the long-absent sea breeze wash over him, unable to calm the storm in his chest.
He had to return to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters Baltigo at once.
He had to bring Kuma's cryptic warning to Dragon.
The Navy's enormous warship was about to change direction...
And if the Revolutionary Army didn't seize this moment to act, they would miss their only chance.
"..."
On the dock, Kuma watched the departing ship until it vanished completely beyond the horizon.
Only then did he turn away, stepping back into the darkness of Impel Down.
Level 5 The Freezing Hell
Steel clashed with steel.
Zoro and Shiryu were still locked in brutal combat, each collision ringing across the frozen wasteland.
High on an icy cliff, Renn Hawk stood with a cigar between his fingers, silently observing. The corners of his mouth lifted with satisfaction as Zoro's swordsmanship grew sharper with every exchange.
Soft footsteps sounded behind him.
Kuma appeared without a word, a towering silent mountain.
Renn didn't turn, though his thoughts churned.
Bartholomew Kuma.
Ever since Thriller Bark, the man had followed him without complaint loyal, dutiful, and endlessly patient.
And yet the world only knew him as a tyrant.
They didn't know he had once sacrificed everything to save his homeland.
They didn't know he had willingly accepted the world government's experiments bit by bit surrendering his humanity just to cure his adopted daughter's deadly illness.
Jewelry Bonney.
And that so-called "Bonney Pirates"…
Their crew wasn't pirates at all.
They were the strongest fishermen of the Sorbet Kingdom a group of overprotective old men who'd gone to sea not for treasure, nor for fame.
But to protect the princess they'd raised.
According to the timeline…
Bonney should be nearing the Sabaody Archipelago by now.
Renn exhaled a slow stream of smoke, the wind tearing it apart instantly.
He finally turned to face Kuma.
"Kuma."
"I've already spoken with Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
He paused.
"The bounty on Jewelry Bonney and her entire crew… has been revoked."
Kuma's colossal body trembled.
"A Vice Admiral will be sent to Sabaody to meet her," Renn continued.
"They'll escort her and her crew safely to the G-3 Branch."
Kuma's breathing turned unsteady.
Renn's tone softened, guilt flickering in his eyes.
"I'm sorry. Impel Down's trials still need you."
"But once I leave…"
"You'll be free to go to G-3. You can reunite with her."
Silence.
Slowly painfully slowly Kuma lifted his head.
This man, who had endured a lifetime of suffering, who had never shed a tear even as he sacrificed his humanity…
This man, misunderstood and feared as a tyrant…
His eyes reddened instantly.
Warm tears slipped down his cheeks, freezing into crystals before they hit the ground in the frozen hell.
He opened his mouth, flames of emotion burning in his throat.
And all his gratitude, all his sorrow, all his hope condensed into a trembling whisper:
"Rear Admiral… Hawk…"
Paradise Waters Near Pirate Island
A large, rough-looking man sat on a makeshift raft, downing a massive swig of liquor.
"Zehahahahaha!"
The burning alcohol sent a thrill straight to his skull.
Marshall D. Teach squinted toward the ruins in the distance.
After leaving the Whitebeard Pirates, he had planned to come to this lawless den of wickedness to recruit a few ruthless companions. Pirate Island was paradise for scoundrels fertile ground for ambition.
But as soon as he entered Paradise, he heard the news:
Pirate Island had been bombarded by the Navy. No survivors.
Since he was heading toward the Four Seas anyway, he'd decided to take a look.
And now he was here.
The scene before him was even worse than the rumors.
The stench of burnt wood lingered in the air.
The once-lively streets were nothing but charred ruins.
"Zehahaha… what a beautiful mess."
Teach grinned, though there was no joy in his eyes.
No ordinary Navy fleet could have done this.
His stomach growled loudly, interrupting his thoughts.
Teach shrugged off the distraction and waded ashore. He remembered a small shop here one with cherry pie so good he dreamed about it.
He rummaged through the wreckage and eventually found what remained of the shop's cellar. To his delight, several cherry pies wrapped in oil paper were miraculously intact.
Crushed, misshapen, but still fragrant.
He tore into them eagerly, washing each bite down with wine.
Then something caught his eye.
A few black specks on the horizon.
Teach froze. He raised a telescope and peered through it.
Five massive… merchant ships?
No flags.
But Teach's expression darkened.
After more than twenty years with Whitebeard, his instincts were razor-sharp.
The angle at which the ships cut through the waves…
The perfectly spaced formation…
This wasn't merchants.
This was…
Military.
Suddenly his attention locked onto the flagship.
A tall figure stood at the bow, hands in pockets, posture lazy and relaxed.
Teach's smile collapsed.
His pupils shrank.
Marine Headquarters' top-tier power.
Admiral Kuzan "Aokiji".
Why was an Admiral here?!
On the flagship, Kuzan turned his head lazily, noticing something. His eyes drifted to the lone figure standing amidst Pirate Island's ruins.
"Huh. Pirate Island still has survivors?"