Impel Down's Freezing Hell.
Permafrost ice covered the world like black jade, ice shards hung like sharp blades, cold air condensed into surging white mist, and the frozen bodies of pirates were embedded in the ice, emitting a deathly pale blue-white glow.
Sabo, Ivankov, Crocodile, Jinbe, and a group of new Okama stood in the icy world, unhurried even as they shivered from the cold!
"Hehehe, why are you still waiting for me! Are you afraid I can't catch up??"
Luffy's flip-flops left footprints in the snow, and the falling snowflakes landed on his straw hat!
"straw hat boy!" Ivankov placed his hands on Luffy's shoulders, "I heard Magellan has woken up!"
Luffy nodded, it wasn't strange; as Impel Down's big boss, it would be strange if he hadn't woken up by now!
"We still have too few people. Should we release some prisoners to attract the jailers' attention, and then... fish in troubled waters!"
"What are you thinking?!" Luffy interrupted Ivankov, pressing one hand on her face, flinging her into the snow, then clapped his hands.
"Although we're a bit short on numbers, it doesn't make a difference to us whether we have a lot of people or not!"
After all, with him + Jinbe + Sabo + Ivankov + Crocodile, breaking through Impel Down would be no problem, so why bother with extra steps!
"Alright!" Ivankov clutched his forehead... There was nothing he could do; after all, he was now Impel Down's strongest man!
"Little straw hat, Queen!"
A man with wild blue-purple wavy hair, clad in a pink-purple bodysuit, with star markings on his face and a smile in his eyes, danced a swan dance, stepping closer and closer!
"Mr. 2 Bon Clay!" Luffy also smiled!
After a brief exchange of greetings,
"Then let's charge! Break out of prison, go to Marineford, and save Ace!"
...Marineford!
The square was paved with solemn stone slabs, the Marineford building stood majestically, and white sails and justice cloaks flapped in the wind.
Cannons were grimly aimed at the sea, tens of thousands of Marines were arrayed like an iron wall, their epaulets glinting coldly, and the sound of their boots shaking the heavens.
The clouds hung low, sunlight was tinged with the smell of gunpowder, and the air was thick with the tension of impending battle, every inch of land exuding the grim solemnity and majesty before a decisive war.
These were the elites of Marineford; sending them to the four sea branches, one of them could easily take on ten!
With 5 hours left until the execution, Marineford also bared its lion-like fangs, eager to bite off a piece of the Emperor of the Sea!
Meanwhile, a man with spiky white hair, a cigar clenched in the corner of his mouth, clad in a dark green coat, and sunglasses that still couldn't hide his sharp aura, sat by a shady flowerbed.
His gaze was fixed on the newspaper at his waist, his fingers constantly rubbing it, and he exhaled smoke like a dragon from his mouth!
'Straw Hat, has he become an Emperor already??'
"Smoker, not bad!"
A woman with shoulder-length burgundy wavy hair, a high-collared black dress accentuating her dashing figure, sunglasses covering her eyes, and a cigarette held between her red lips, exuding a cool and glamorous aura, approached Smoker with her shapely legs.
"I heard you defied orders and ran out of the New World?... Zephyr-sensei still speaks highly of you!"
"Hoo--!"
Smoke billowed, and Smoker's eyes became weathered.
From Kuzan's advice in Alabasta to the stimulation of the newspaper on Enies Lobby... it finally made him make up his mind.
He disregarded his superiors' dissuasion and resolutely stepped into the New World to find his mentor, Zephyr!
After more than ten days of life-and-death struggles and Zephyr's unreserved teaching, he... underwent a complete transformation!
...Fleet Admiral's Office
"What did you say?? Straw Hat is assembling former Shichibukai to attempt a prison break? Buggy the Clown is causing trouble on Level 2? Blackbeard Teach is attacking Impel Down??"
Sengoku's beard was practically flying off from the shock.
Why at this particular time??
On one side was Impel Down, on the other was Whitebeard!
Sengoku exhaled, his eyes filled with ferocity, "Magellan, one hour! It doesn't matter if Impel Down falls, but Straw Hat must be stopped. Just one hour, and you will be the greatest hero behind the scenes!"
This phone call made him realize the biggest variable in this battle!!
...Impel Down
Magellan put down the den den mushi.
"Send word, release Shiliew and have him stop Blackbeard!"
Magellan's massive figure charged straight to the 2nd floor; if you're going to pinch, pinch the soft persimmon first!
Beast Hell was already in complete chaos, and with the help of the bug-level Wax-Wax Fruit, the pirates had all escaped their cells!
"Yo ha ha ha, now is the best chance! If you want to breathe the air outside, then gamble your lives and make a big ruckus!" Red-nosed Buggy the Clown waved his arms high!
"Captain Buggy!!"
"He's truly our savior!"
"He's so cool!"
...All the prisoners on the entire 2nd floor had become Buggy's little fanboys!
'This is great, now we have a chance to escape!' Buggy opened his large mouth, his long red tongue fluttering in the air!
Suddenly, "Sizzle~ Sizzle!"
The floor was corroded, and a man covered in purple venom stood at the entrance of the first level, looking at them with cold eyes!
Then his entire body was enveloped in venom, and nine poisonous dragons spewed forth!
"Ah, help!"
In just an instant, thousands of people were engulfed by the venom and turned into ghosts, leaving only Buggy, Mr. 2 Bon Clay, and a tiny handful of "Imperial Guards"!
"Ah--, I... we're going to die!" Buggy and Mr. 3 embraced, snot and tears streaming down their faces!
"Die!" Magellan's towering figure enveloped Buggy and the others, and the poisonous dragons roared!
Just then, a sudden change occurred.
Luffy's figure appeared like a phantom in front of Magellan, his features handsome and cold, his black messy hair fluttering in the wind!
"Crack!"
A fist, tearing through the air and wrapped in black lightning, powerfully slammed into Magellan's chest!
Magellan flew backward, but the purple venom instantly turned blood-red, blood-colored poisonous dragons corroding the floor, air, and corpses, and rapidly rushed towards Luffy.
"Buggy, and 3, it's been a long time! I didn't expect you to get caught!"
Luffy calmly faced the poisonous dragons, dense lightning condensing on his arm, and turned to look at the two, "Find a place to hide, don't die!"
Black lightning exploded, intertwining with top-tier Armament Haki, forming an armor covering his right arm!
[Thunder God's Arm]
A destructive aura rippled, he clenched his fist, transforming into a bolt of lightning that shot straight through the massive poisonous dragon!
"Bang~ Sizzle!"
The poisonous dragon was instantly shattered by the lightning, and continued its unstoppable charge directly at Magellan!
Magellan's eyes widened, his dark figure exuding an aura of death, and his thoughts couldn't help but race!
[Magellan, at all costs, stall Straw Hat for one hour!]
"One hour!!"
Magellan's eyes burst with countless bloodshot veins, and he slowly extended his left hand,
"Crack~!"
"--Ah!" A nerve-piercing pain surged through his heart, Magellan's expression became ferocious, he clenched his right hand into a fist, the blood-colored poisonous dragon compressed to its extreme, and he punched out!
[Extreme Blood Poison Dragon]
Luffy was instantly "pierced" by the poisonous dragon, "sizzle sizzle" black lightning expelled the toxins from his body... but this was just a drop in the bucket!
The pervasive toxins corroded his body, and the intense agony made him frown deeply!
Helpless, Luffy could only sit cross-legged, using lightning to temper his body and his lineage factor to jointly expel the poison. As for Life Return... he couldn't use it at all!
Meanwhile, Magellan in the distance, his entire left arm had turned into a bloody mist, his face was extremely pale, cold sweat streamed down, and even his stomach was churning!
For a time, the two fell into a stalemate!