On the fourth layer of the underwater prison, Blazing Hell, the Blackbeard Pirates were locked in a brutal clash with Magellan's forces. The battle was fierce, but everything changed the moment Lucien appeared with his group.
"Zehahaha~"
"What the hell!" Blackbeard exclaimed, sweat beading down his forehead. His eyes weren't on Lucien though — they flicked toward a looming figure.
"Why is Beast Kaido here?"
Evil King, Katarina, and the others all stiffened. Kaido stood before them, flanked by the Three Disasters and the Sweet Commanders of the Beast Pirates.
Why had the Beast Pirates allied with this crew?
"Marshall D. Teach." Lucien recited the names coldly.
"Combat Champion."
"Shiryu of the Rain."
"Supersonic Van Auger."
"Evil King Avalo Pizarro."
"Demon Sheriff Lafitte."
"Moon Hunter Katarina."
"Big Barrel Vasco Shot."
"Death God Doc Q."
"San Juan Wolf, the Giant Battleship."
"All here," Lucien said, eyes narrowing as he swept across the Blackbeard forces before turning to face Magellan.
With a thunderous crackle of lightning, Kaido advanced, gripping his wolf tooth club.
"Damn it," Blackbeard muttered, gathering darkness in his right hand. But the moment he tried to strike, Kaido's club smashed into him with unstoppable force. Blackbeard's arm disintegrated, and then his body was flung through rows of prison cells, blood spraying in a crimson arc. He hit the far wall screaming, blood flowing from every orifice.
"Too weak," Kaido grunted, disdain in his eyes.
Even Blackbeard's Devil Fruit powers were useless against him.
Burgess roared, charging at Lucien like a freight train, his elbow wrapped in Armament Haki.
"Unsinkable Fleet: Elbow Attack," he declared.
But Lucien blocked it with a single finger. The ground behind Lucien cracked, but he didn't budge. Burgess froze, staring into Lucien's amethyst eyes, bone-deep dread consuming him. He barely had time to register what happened before a massive hand clamped around his neck, lifting him into the air.
Black tendrils laced with Ghost Blood slithered over Burgess's body, injecting poison that twisted his muscles. His body convulsed uncontrollably.
At the same time, Van Auger fired a shot at Lucien. The bullet tore straight through, but Lucien didn't flinch. Pulling back his hand, Lucien flicked a finger — and a fissure tore through the earth like a raging strike.
Van Auger barely dodged, sliding across the ground, staring at the massive crater as if in disbelief. This was just a finger flick.
"Let's finish this," Evil King bellowed, charging like a cannonball. Katarina, Lafitte, and Shiryu followed close behind.
Lucien hovered midair, black and red crystal-like thorns erupting from his tailbone. Superheated steam swirled around them, launching like deadly arrows at the four attackers.
"Damn it!" one of them cried.
"How can he be this strong?"
The four struggled, caught off guard by Lucien's overwhelming power.
Calm and unbothered, Lucien flicked his finger again at Van Auger. Bullets whistled toward him, but they vanished harmlessly against his body — even Armament Haki couldn't harm him. In moments, his wounds healed right before their eyes.
"Immortal?" Katarina muttered, shock etched across her face.
The four retreated, bewildered and desperate to recall where such a figure could exist on the Grand Line.
"The one who will save you, soon to be your master," Lucien said in a chilling whisper before disappearing from sight.
Before anyone could react, Lafitte bent over, clutching his stomach, eyes watering as crimson spilled from his mouth. Blood gushed in thick torrents, leaving him kneeling and shaking.
One by one, Evil King, Katarina, and Van Auger collapsed, lifeless on the ground.
Shiryu's eyes widened as sparks crackled. Lucien stood before him, catching his blade with one hand. A jagged thorn pierced him straight through the heart, and Shiryu fell convulsing to the ground.
The other crystal thorns flickered through the bodies of Evil King, Katarina, and Van Auger, injecting Ghost Blood that drove them mad with pain and spasms.
The battle was over in an instant.
Elsewhere in Impel Down, Katakuri and his team had captured Crocodile and his group.
Blackbeard still writhed in agony, his Devil Fruit power useless. Kaido's relentless assault gave him no chance to strike back. Even the basic Thunder Bagua strikes were enough to devastate most foes.
With the major Blackbeard commanders defeated, Lucien turned his attention to Magellan.
Magellan's expression was grim. Standing before him were Kaido, King, the other Disasters, and the Sweet Commanders. Their combined might was overwhelming.
One strong opponent could be handled. Two was difficult. Three dangerous. But four meant certain defeat.
Five minutes later, Magellan and Blackbeard lay beaten and wounded on the ground. Lucien extended two black thorns, injecting Ghost Blood into them without effort.
Every jailer, prisoner, and guard beast in Impel Down was either knocked out or converted into Ghosts by Katakuri and his team.
Even halfway through Level 5.5, nothing was left untouched. Impel Down was completely emptied — no creature, human or beast, remained alive inside.
Golden lightning spiraled into the sky as the ruins of Impel Down stood deserted.
Meanwhile, at Marineford...
Across the frozen sea, a massive ship barreled toward the port, crashing into the docks and bringing the world to a stunned silence.
"That's… Moby Dick?" someone cried.
"The ship of the world's strongest man!"
"It can't be… Whitebeard?"
"Diamond Jozu, Third Division Commander, is carrying it. That strength alone is terrifying."
Figures appeared on the ship's bow.
"That's Marco the Phoenix, First Division Commander."
"Vista, Third Division Commander."
"Blamenco, Sixth Division."
"Rakuyo, Seventh Division."
"Blenheim, Curiel, Kingdew... all sixteen division commanders are here."
"But where is Whitebeard?"
The crowd collectively held its breath as heavy footsteps and the sound of metal hitting the ground echoed through Marineford.
Silence followed, thick enough to hear a pin drop.
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