"If possible, of course, I'd want to go with the captain to witness this great event. After all, this is the Marine Headquarters clashing head-on with the 'Whitebeard Pirates.' The entire sea is watching this war."
"But as you know, my identity isn't suitable for appearing in such a setting. While I've established some influence on the seas and have certain means to protect myself, the people gathering there are far from ordinary."
Wood, now holding the rank of Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, would find it unwise to bring Robin along. As a "Demon Child" wanted by the World Government, her presence might provoke demands from the Marines or World Government, which could escalate into a diplomatic incident. Thus, it was best for Robin to remain on Dark Abyss Island.
As for why Ruth and Perona were accompanying him, it was partly for support and partly because, as a notable figure in the world, Wood couldn't travel alone without some capable fighters—it would undermine his status.
Ruth, being a former Marine, was the perfect candidate for accompanying Wood to Marineford, especially considering his betrayal was orchestrated by Wood. Perona, on the other hand, volunteered herself. She had heard that the "Shichibukai" had been summoned, and her former master, Gecko Moria, would be among them. She wanted to see him again.
Meanwhile, at Amazon Lily, the "Kuja Pirates" were also setting sail. Pirate Empress Boa Hancock had initially intended to ignore the Marine summons. However, in exchange for the opportunity to visit the massive prison "Impel Down," she reluctantly accepted.
The storyline hadn't deviated much—on Sabaody Archipelago, the "Straw Hat Pirates" were still scattered by Bartholomew Kuma's abilities, sent to different islands. Luffy, as before, ended up on Amazon Lily, commonly known as the "Island of Women."
The only difference was that this time, Boa Hancock, who already had someone in her heart, didn't find herself captivated by Luffy.
While she developed some goodwill towards him—learning that he had defied a Celestial Dragon for his friend and even shielded her sister from humiliation during their fight—it wasn't enough to compel her to risk aiding him in rescuing Ace.
Hancock's refusal to take him to Marineford left Luffy, who lacked a ship, with few options. He realized that among the people he knew, only two had the capability to help him reach Marineford: Shanks and the underworld tycoon, Wood.
As one of the "Four Emperors," Red-Haired Shanks was undoubtedly in the New World, making him nearly impossible to locate on the vast seas. This left Wood, who had a fixed base and the resources to travel to Marineford, as Luffy's best bet.
Since Hancock wouldn't risk taking him to Marineford, Luffy pleaded with her to take him to Dark Abyss Island instead.
Although the relationship between the "Straw Hat Pirates" and Wood was somewhat casual, it was undoubtedly stronger than Luffy's ties with Boa Hancock. Besides, Luffy couldn't think of anyone else who might help him save Ace.
Unintentionally, Luffy's mention of seeking out Wood had a profound effect on Hancock. Her expression shifted instantly.
"Luffy, you know the Marine deserter Wood? Are you close? What's the relationship between him and your crew?"
The moment Luffy mentioned Wood, the previously aloof Hancock's cheeks flushed as she fired off a string of questions.
For once, Luffy seemed to have a rare flash of intelligence. Noticing Hancock's flustered demeanor, he immediately claimed that the "Straw Hat Pirates" had a strong relationship with Wood and had even fought alongside him multiple times.
Having already developed a favorable impression of Luffy for punching a Celestial Dragon, Hancock now held him in even higher regard upon hearing that he was a good friend of Wood.
Ever since Hancock and her sisters were rescued by Wood and returned to Amazon Lily, she had thought about seeking him out many times.
Initially, this proved difficult. At the time, Wood wasn't a notable figure on the seas and lacked a fixed location like Dark Abyss Island. Without his vivre card, Hancock had no way of tracking him down.
As Wood began making a name for himself—freeing prisoners from Impel Down, battling Golden Lion Shiki, destroying Enies Lobby, and so on—Hancock's desire to find him grew stronger. Her jealousy reached new heights when she learned that Wood had taken in "Demon Child" Nico Robin, a young woman who spent all her time with him.
The crisis reached a peak when Hancock resolved to set out and search for Wood. However, the former Amazon Lily ruler, Elder Nyon, managed to stop her with cunning persuasion.
The elder recognized Hancock's remarkable talent with the "Love-Love Fruit" and her extremely rare "Conqueror's Haki," making her the perfect candidate to lead Amazon Lily during its precarious times.
Hancock had no interest in ruling, focused solely on her feelings for Wood and her imagined rivalry with Robin. But the elder cleverly convinced her by saying, "As Amazon Lily's ruler, you'll be better equipped to assist Wood."
With those words, Hancock reluctantly stayed and ultimately ascended to the throne, becoming the Pirate Empress.
Elder Nyon's judgment was proven correct. Hancock not only possessed exceptional talent in all three forms of Haki but also had the powerful Paramecia-type Devil Fruit, the "Love-Love Fruit."
On her very first voyage as a pirate, she earned a bounty of 80 million Berries and the moniker "Pirate Empress." At the time, the World Government was promoting the "Shichibukai" policy, and Hancock, as the ruler of Amazon Lily with immense power and potential, naturally caught their attention. She was granted the status of a "Shichibukai," a government-sanctioned pirate.
After becoming a Shichibukai and the queen of Amazon Lily, Hancock realized she had been tricked by Elder Nyon. Her life had fundamentally changed. As both a monarch and a Shichibukai, she could no longer act on her whims.
The Shichibukai were nominally part of the World Government's forces. Meanwhile, Wood had destroyed Enies Lobby, stolen the Op-Op Fruit, and treated the World Government as a joke. If Hancock, as a Shichibukai and queen, sought out Wood during this time, what consequences would that bring?
A close association with Wood would undoubtedly implicate Amazon Lily. Despite her impulsive nature, Hancock suppressed her longing and desire to act, knowing she could not jeopardize her homeland.
It was this hesitance that had kept Hancock from seeking out or contacting Wood since the day he saved her. However, upon hearing that Luffy knew Wood and that Wood might appear at the Marineford war, Hancock did not hesitate to agree to help Luffy.
This time, Elder Nyon did not stop Hancock from going to sea. On the contrary, she actively supported Hancock's decision to travel to Marineford.
For one, refusing the Marines' summons could result in the revocation of her Shichibukai title. Additionally, times had changed. Wood, now a prominent figure on the seas, commanded respect across the board—from pirates to the World Government. Associating with Wood was no longer a liability for Amazon Lily but rather a shield and an invaluable ally.
As in the original storyline, Luffy used Hancock's special privileges to easily infiltrate Impel Down.
At this moment, within Impel Down, the prison's vice warden, Hannyabal, was acting as Hancock's guide. With a fawning expression, he enthusiastically explained the levels and regulations of the massive underwater prison.
Hannyabal's demeanor wasn't entirely his fault. Since Hancock's escape from Mary Geoise years ago, coupled with the amplifying allure of her "Love-Love Fruit," she had solidified her title as "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World."
Hancock's beauty wasn't just in her appearance but also in the unique charm bestowed by her Devil Fruit. Her mere presence could enthrall anyone—man or woman, young or old.
As they descended from the first level to the fifth, even Hancock couldn't help but marvel at the prison's reputed security. The sheer number of surveillance Den Den Mushi and guards along the way was staggering.
Reflecting on her time at Mary Geoise, Hancock silently compared the two. She couldn't help but wonder: if Mary Geoise's defenses had been as tight as Impel Down's, would Wood have been able to rescue them back then?
"From the fifth level onward, I've been sensing an unpleasant aura. Is it the presence of Sea Prism Stone?"
Hearing her question, Hannyabal immediately stepped forward with a sycophantic grin. "Indeed, starting from the fifth level, all prisoners have their hands and feet bound with Sea Prism Stone shackles.
As for the sixth level, even the cells themselves are made entirely of Sea Prism Stone."
Only Devil Fruit users knew the true impact of Sea Prism Stone. This rare material, capable of emitting the same energy as the sea, not only boasted exceptional hardness but also nullified Devil Fruit powers.
No, to say it nullified powers wasn't entirely accurate. It made Devil Fruit users weaker than ordinary people. Most users, already handicapped by their inability to swim, would find their combat strength reduced to nearly nothing upon contact with Sea Prism Stone.
"Sea Prism Stone chains and cells—this Impel Down must have an endless supply of money," Hancock remarked.
"I've heard your warden, Magellan, is the strongest in the prison's history. With his strength, aren't such precautions overkill?"
For Hannyabal, nothing was worse than hearing a beautiful woman praise another man—especially when that man was his superior, Magellan.
"Warden Magellan is strong, yes, but he spends more than half of his day in the bathroom with diarrhea.
Compared to that lazy slacker, I, the great Hannyabal, am far more suited to lead Impel Down..."
"Hannyabal, I'll take over as guide from here. You should return to your duties."
Before Hannyabal could finish complaining, a massive shadow loomed behind him. It was none other than Magellan himself, the warden of Impel Down and a Paramecia-type "Venom-Venom Fruit" user.
Magellan, clad in black and towering in stature, was known as the strongest man in Impel Down. His Devil Fruit powers, though categorized as Paramecia, exhibited abilities akin to Logia types. His entire body was covered in deadly poison, making him a nightmare for martial artists.
Contact with Magellan's body, even for a stronger opponent, would result in poisoning. His venom was nearly incurable, save for a few rare remedies in the world.
However, the power of the "Venom-Venom Fruit" came at a cost. As its user, Magellan suffered severe side effects, spending much of his time dealing with gastrointestinal distress.
Hannyabal's earlier remarks about Magellan spending half his day in the bathroom weren't exaggerated. It was an unfortunate reality.
Finding Magellan was easy—if he wasn't in his office handling paperwork, he was undoubtedly in the restroom.
Yet, despite his limitations, Magellan's strength remained undeniable. Judging by how he single-handedly chased down Luffy and his allies, Magellan's power rivaled that of a Marine Admiral's, if not just shy of it.
________
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to 100+ chapters for $5 and receive daily updates at [email protected]/Betek (@->a).