One Piece: Impel Down's Guard - Chapter 40

In the blink of an eye, another six months passed.

Figo had spent most of his sixteenth year at Impel Down, and life seemed to have returned to normal after the conflict. Each day, he would discipline prisoners, capture Sea Kings of various flavors, and continue to develop and perfect his Life Return technique with his ever-strengthening body.

The Five Elder Mendezbin no longer kept him on the phone for hours. Instead, Figo’s communication with Admiral Ohka increased again. Ohka kept Figo informed about the revolutionary army’s latest situation and the progress of the World Government’s investigation. The revolutionary army had been quiet in the past six months, but Sapphire had made two moves.

Once, she attacked another slave ship.

Another time, she seized an opportunity and sank a large ship carrying Celestial Dragons, killing a father and daughter duo of the Celestial Dragons! Unlike Figo’s midnight raid with few witnesses, Sapphire struck in broad daylight with witnesses, plunging the entire pirate world into a frenzy of shock!

The enraged World Government dispatched more personnel, frantically searching for her. Figo knew she was close to being found. Sure enough, Figo soon received news through the Den Den Mushi.

“The headquarters of the revolutionary army was located a few days ago. The Five Elders directly bypassed me and ordered the Marine Headquarters to launch a Buster Call. The fleet has already set sail.

“Figo, if you still intend to go, there is a naval ship waiting for you fifty miles southwest of Impel Down. We will coordinate on the way!”

“Alright, I’ll head over now!” Figo hung up the Den Den Mushi and took off his warden’s cloak.

He found Kimchi in the training area and said, “Kimchi, I’m going out. Watch over Impel Down.”

“Going to catch another Sea King?”

“Think of it that way. Try to let Ladue realize later that I haven’t returned,” Figo said.

“Oh… huh?”

Watching Figo’s departing figure, Kimchi dropped a stone block absent-mindedly, nearly crushing his foot.

‘Am I going to be the warden now?’

…

Swimming fifty miles was effortless for Figo. He left Impel Down with ease, and within minutes, he saw the naval ship Admiral Ohka had mentioned.

The ship was familiar; he had boarded it before.

“Sister Mia, long time no see.” Stepping onto the ship again, Figo greeted the still valiant female Vice Admiral.

“Quick as always.” Mia handed Figo a towel and shouted, “Set sail!”

The ship moved, heading far away. After Figo wiped the water off his face, Mia said, “The revolutionary army’s headquarters is on a previously uninhabited island in the New World, now named Witch Island by the World Government. The ten ships of the Buster Call are the finest giant ships from Marine Headquarters, very fast. They set out ahead of us, so we must sail at full speed to catch up.”

The so-called Buster Call is Marine Headquarters’ most formidable military operation, capable of erasing an island from the map with its firepower!

In a Buster Call, ten top-tier giant ships, five Vice Admirals, dozens of Rear Admirals, and thousands of elite marines are dispatched. They use the overwhelming firepower of the ships for indiscriminate destruction and then use their superior manpower to slaughter any survivors!

It’s an annihilation operation against the target!

The Buster Call can only be initiated by the Marine Admiral and the Three Admirals. Of course, the Five Elders, who hold even higher authority, can also do so.

Launching a Buster Call against the revolutionary army didn’t surprise Figo too much. What surprised him was another piece of news from Mia.

“Doug is leading the fleet?”

Mia shook her head. “Originally, Admiral Raul was leading the operation, but when Doug learned of it, he went to the admiral and took over the command.”

Facing a flying Sapphire, sending Raul would make more sense. The World Government shouldn’t have agreed to Doug leading the fleet.

Figo thought for a moment and shook his head helplessly.

“What is that stubborn old man planning?”

The tone made Mia smile,

She quickly restrained her smile and handed Figo a Den Den Mushi. “For more details, you’ll need to contact the admiral, Figo. Compared to the teacher, you publicly defying the Five Elders’ orders this time… won’t there be any problems? What do you plan to do?”

Figo replied, “I can only hope the Five Elders give me a break this time. Otherwise, the next time you see me, it’ll be my wanted poster. Don’t arrest me, okay? Hahaha.”

Mia paused, then said, “If we hadn’t met by chance that day, if I hadn’t invited you to the teacher’s house and told you about that matter…”

“It would be the same. I would’ve heard the stories of Green Gem and Purple Gem later. It’s just that I like to meddle.” Figo laughed.

Mia was silent momentarily, then smiled, “You are completely different from when you were in the elite class. You look quite handsome like this.”

…

Meanwhile, ten giant ships were sailing on the Calm Belt route. The steel behemoths were spread out in a long line, and heavy cannons extended from both sides of the ships, creating a formidable atmosphere.

On one of the central ships, 79-year-old Vice Admiral Doug stood at the bow, hands folded, gazing at the distant horizon, his posture upright.

Although he had won the overall command of this Buster Call, the golden Den Den Mushi to officially initiate the operation was not in his possession.

He glanced sideways at the neighboring ship where the silver-haired youth from CP0, who held the golden Den Den Mushi, stood.

Just then, the Den Den Mushi rang out with an announcement.

“Attention all ships, we will leave the Calm Belt route and enter the New World. We could encounter pirate groups at any time.

“To prevent the revolutionary army and the Witch from receiving early warnings and escaping, after encountering pirate groups, once within suitable range, the ships can open fire independently. Leave no survivors! I’ll repeat, there’s no need for boarding battles, just use the firepower!”

Doug withdrew his gaze and continued to look at the distant sea, his eyes slightly deepened.

…

A day later, at noon.

Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Saintess Island.

Inside a building, Sapphire smiled faintly as she ‘looked’ at and responded to the children passing by.

“Good afternoon, Saintess!”

“Saintess! Saintess! I learned ten words this morning…”

“I learned twelve!”

“And I practiced swordsmanship for an hour!”

“I got up at five today and trained for two hours, you lazybones!”

“You’re the lazybones…”

“Everyone is doing great.” Sapphire’s words were soothing, and the children quickly quieted down.

Each of them passed by with bright smiles, and at the end of the line was a two or three-year-old blond boy with a runny nose.

“Saint… Saintess.”

“What’s wrong, Jibeck?”

“I… I had a nightmare last night.”

Sapphire smiled and touched the boy’s head, comforting him, “It’s alright. No need to be afraid. What did you dream about?”

“A big fire, a really big fire, and a big dog made of fire burned our place down. And there was someone running on the sea…” the boy mumbled.

“Fire? Dog? Someone running on the sea? How could anyone run on the sea? It was just a nightmare, don’t be afraid, Jibeck…”

As she comforted him, she suddenly froze and turned her head to the southwest, her expression growing serious.

At the same time, a voice filled with panic came from afar, “Saintess! Saintess! Something terrible has happened! Warships! So many warships! The navy has found us!”

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