One Piece: Impel Down's Guard - Chapter 44
As the Hell Pirates’ ship approached, more people could see Vice Admiral Mia, bound with Sea Stone chains, slumped unconscious on the ship’s deck. Besides her, several other marine officers were in the same predicament.
It was likely an unfortunate encounter during their voyage. Despite Mia being a Vice Admiral, she stood no chance against the Hell Pirates and couldn’t even escape.
On the marine side, five Vice Admirals, including Doug, and Figo all boarded a warship’s bow, watching the scene from afar. Doug’s fists clenched tighter, his body subtly trembling.
“Little Mia… damn it…”
Figo, who had activated Doug’s character event, understood the deep-seated hatred Doug harbored for the Hell Pirates. He kept calm, observing the situation on the enemy ship.
“It’s not just Zebruth,” he noted.
The other four Vice Admirals also reported their observations:
“The main officers of the Hell Pirates are all here!”
“Two vice captains, Hell Spear Aron Jackson, with a bounty of 780 million, and Hell Shield Tony Toya, with a bounty of 735 million, are both on board!”
“The Four Beasts of Yomi Country are also present, each with bounties over 400 million…”
“And…”
“Is this an all-out operation?”
Vice Admirals, who aren’t fools, quickly realized that the Buster Call information had been leaked right from the start; otherwise, the Hell Pirates wouldn’t have mobilized en masse.
As for who leaked it, they didn’t want to delve into it now. That could be investigated later if they survived.
Just exchange hostages without a fight?
Trusting a pirate’s word was a surefire way to die young.
The Hell Pirates’ all-out movement, appearing directly, wouldn’t be just to rescue the Blind Witch and leave?
It was evident this was a war!
On one side, elite marine forces executing a Buster Call; on the other, one of the New World’s strongest pirate crews, the Hell Pirates!
The four Vice Admirals looked at Figo. Ordinary marine officers didn’t recognize him, but they, as Vice Admirals, knew who Figo was and were aware of his feat of defeating Admiral Raoul.
This war hinged on whether Figo could stand up to Zebruth, the Hell Boy!
“Doug-sensei, calm down,” Figo said. “Let’s try to exchange hostages first.”
Doug took a deep breath. “Little Mia’s safety is in your hands, Figo.”
Figo nodded, then shouted, “Hell Pirates, we agree! Let’s exchange hostages!”
Zebruth tilted his head slightly on the other ship, asking his bizarre-looking subordinates, “Who is that guy?”
As a top pirate, he knew all the key figures in the navy—Admirals, Vice Admirals, and the Fleet Admiral—but Figo was an entirely unfamiliar face.
His subordinates exchanged glances, none of them recognizing Figo. One speculated, “Is he a candidate for Admiral, someone about to be promoted?”
“Who cares who he is? Boss brought us all out here. Without all three Admirals, it doesn’t matter who they bring!” Some pirates laughed arrogantly.
“Boss, are we really going to exchange hostages?”
Zebruth lightly scratched his oddly-shaped gray nose with a finger and grinned, “Jackson, you go. Use this female Vice Admiral to bring back the Blind Witch. Don’t hurt her; she’s going to be our third vice captain.”
Behind him, a man with gray hair and chiseled features responded solemnly, “Yes, boss!”
The pirates snickered, “Vice Captain, that female Vice Admiral looks pretty nice. Be gentle, haha…”
Jackson didn’t reply.
Soon, a small boat was lowered from the Hell Pirates’ ship. Mia and the captured marine officers were placed on it. Jackson, accompanied by two trainee pirates, rowed the boat forward.
Simultaneously, Figo also boarded a small boat, taking Sapphire with him. He rowed towards the Hell Pirates’ boat… Ever since the Hell Pirates had proposed the hostage exchange, Figo had quickly put Sea Stone handcuffs on Sapphire.
As the two small boats left their respective sides and gradually approached each other, numerous eyes followed them. Despite being 37, Mia retained her youthful appearance, making many marines anxious and angry.
The Revolutionary Army members, captured or not, were closely monitored to prevent any surprises.
The ten warships’ cannons, capable of destroying islands, were aimed at the pirate ship. Any sign of aggression would trigger a devastating bombardment.
Zebruth stood with arms folded on his ship’s bow, unconcerned about the cannons. He focused on Figo and suddenly said, “That guy gives me a strange feeling. Tony, be ready.”
“Really, Boss? Could it be the vice captain can’t handle him?”
“Is he the next Admiral?”
“Never seen this guy before. Where did he come from? Is he a Devil Fruit user?”
“He seems to be a swordsman…”
The second vice captain, Tony Toya, a fat man nearly as wide as he was tall, said, “I think something’s off too, Boss. Look at the Blind Witch. She should be a tough opponent, but there are no visible injuries. How was she captured?”
Zebruth’s eyes shifted, his folded hands flexing slightly as a faint flame appeared on his fingertips. Tony immediately moved closer, and the other pirates fell silent.
The distance between the two small boats was less than a hundred meters in the middle of the sea. Figo’s rowing slowed slightly as he calculated time and speed.
The Hell Pirates’ vice captain, Hell Spear Aron Jackson, suddenly said, “Hey, I’ve never seen you before. Who are you? And you, Blind Witch, we’re here to save you. Why haven’t you said a word?”
Figo didn’t answer.
Sapphire weakly replied, “He’s the Warden of Impel Down, Gaston Figo. I don’t need your rescue. I won’t become a pirate.”
“Tch,” Jackson scoffed. “You’re a captured fool. Do you really think your 1.2 billion bounty is real? Impel Down Warden, huh, Gaston Figo…”
He recalled for two seconds and then said, “I’ve heard of you. A few years ago, didn’t you capture the troublesome Mogaldesh? His strength wasn’t great, but his abilities were a pain. Catching him is quite something.”
He eyed the sword at Figo’s waist with interest. “You’re a swordsman? Coincidentally, so am I. I love dueling swordsmen. How about a match?”
As they spoke, the two boats came within fifty meters. Figo glanced at Jackson and asked, “Really? Where’s your sword?”
His legs, folded under him, tensed slightly as he spoke, ready to spring. But Jackson suddenly grinned viciously, grabbing Mia by the neck and hurling her at Figo!
Flying like a cannonball, Mia’s hair streamed back, a pained expression flashing across her face.
Figo’s eyes darkened. He remained still as Mia was caught in his hands, her impact absorbed with no disturbance to his posture. Behind him, several voices shouted warnings: “Watch out!”
From behind, Jackson appeared suddenly, faster than Mia’s throw! His right arm transformed into a razor-sharp blade, coated with flowing, blood-red Armament Haki, slashing at Figo’s back, blade and sword aura combined!
“I am the sword! The sword is me!”
Hell Pirates’ vice captain Aron Jackson, a Paramecia-type Cleave-Cleave Fruit user, extremely proficient in Armament Haki. His highly developed fruit made his body-transformed blades sharper and tougher than any named sword. He often cut enemies and their weapons in half during battles, making him the strongest offensive force in the Hell Pirates!
Clang! The sound of metal clashing rang out!
His blade-arm successfully penetrated Figo’s Armament Haki and muscles, causing a spurt of blood, but Jackson’s expression froze. What was this sensation? It felt just like the Boss!
I couldn’t cut through; it got stuck!
“That hurt. You broke through my defense.”
Figo gently set Mia down and stood up straight, lifting Jackson slightly with the embedded blade in his muscle.
At the same time, a soul-shaking force spread out, like a thunderclap in everyone’s minds on the sea!
The two trainee pirates rowing Jackson flipped their eyes and collapsed!
The marines’ anxious faces froze, Vice Admirals like Doug showed looks of shock!
The pirates’ excitement dimmed, even Zebruth showing a hint of disbelief!
“Conqueror’s Haki?!”
Impossible!
He’s a marine!
At close range, Jackson’s mind went blank momentarily, then quickly cleared under his Observation Haki’s frantic warnings!
Before him, Figo looked down, both fists clenched, golden Armament Haki flowing, as he struck down towards Jackson’s head, the wind pressure almost blinding Jackson!
Coming at me head-on? Don’t underestimate me, bastard. Let’s see who gets hurt more!
He gritted his teeth, transforming his head into a sharp cone like future Chinjao, its tip gleaming metallic, coated with flowing Armament Haki, meeting Figo’s fist head-on!
Boom!
Figo didn’t hold back, his fist slamming into the metallic tip, shattering the small boat beneath them instantly!
Jackson’s metallic cone head was instantly forced back into its original form! His head, returning to flesh, wobbled like jelly, features distorted, bleeding from all orifices, teeth and saliva flying, as he fell into the sea, eyes rolling back!
Figo, meanwhile, grabbed Mia with one hand and Sapphire with the other. He leapt onto the pirate’s small boat, which the waves had tossed. Punching through the splashes, he rode the giant waves, quickly bringing the Marines back to their fleet.
Drip. Drip.
Drops of blood fell from his fist.
Figo glanced down.
As expected of a pirate with a bounty of over 700 million berries.
The second strike broke through as well.
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