Chapter Title: Downtohell2 - Behind Bars
Before the main gate of the first level of Impel Down, all the prison officers, including Warden Magellan, stood in strict formation, watching as the former Great Pirate and member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea was slowly escorted down from the battleship, her hands shackled with Seastone cuffs...
...
Liam picked up the skull mask that had fallen to the ground and pressed it back onto the staff member's head.
The staff member's face turned deathly pale, and he nodded frantically, trembling with fear. He turned and left stiffly, his convincing "skull ghost performance" sending tourists around the corner screaming, "Ah!!!" Their eyes, teeth, and hair flew off in all directions.
B.I.B. relayed the information he had "eavesdropped" from the Marines to the main body and Robin.
Liam nodded. It's pretty much what I suspected.
Abandoning the gray interests on Sabaody Archipelago?
And abandoning the "colorful" benefits that only exist because ordinary people are blind to the gray dealings behind the scenes?
Neither Fleet Admiral Kong nor his successor, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, had the courage for such a move.
The Marines could certainly punish pirates on Sabaody Archipelago, but never in Paradise, the Grove's most popular tourist attraction.
Liam was certain that as long as he didn't personally destroy Paradise, the Marines on Sabaody would simply pretend he didn't exist.
After all, his destructive power was too great.
In the eyes of the Marines, he was a walking bomb. A small explosion in the wilderness might be overlooked, with tourists merely hearing a bang, but if he detonated it at the heart of Paradise...
There would likely be no more Sabaody Paradise.
What foolhardy tourist would ever dare return?
Liam did indeed enjoy his time at Paradise with Robin, playing and having fun. If the Marines wanted to trail behind him and eat his dust, let them.
"Finally, they're gone!"
At the edge of 30th Grove, a group of Marines watched as the pair of men and women crossed the bridge to Grove 29, letting out a collective sigh of relief.
'What is this feeling of relief...?'
'They're Evil pirates, and we're the Marines who represent Justice!'
'Why do they get to roam around so carefree and cheerful, while we've been sneaking around, on edge, and under immense pressure the whole time?'
"Let's go. Report back. The JoJo Pirates have entered the Gray Zone..."
The commanding officers waved their hands, and the hundreds of Marines dispersed, straggling away.
The first requirement for Marines stationed at the Sabaody Archipelago base was that they couldn't be too weak. The second, unstated requirement was that they must have strong mental fortitude.
Marines like Smoker and Akainu, who would fly into a rage at the mere sight of pirates and charge in recklessly to kill them, clearly weren't suited for this place.
Aokiji, with his lazy and leisurely demeanor and an unpredictable, "I'll do what I want when I feel like it" attitude, was clearly not a good fit.
Admiral Zephyr, who trained recruits at the training camp and oversaw their transition to instructors, was only sent to deal with pirates when Celestial Dragon incidents occurred. Most of the time, the highest-ranking Marine officer dispatched to handle situations on Sabaody Archipelago was Vice Admiral Kizaru.
As Liam's genius netizen friends from his past life would say: "Enough pay, and he'll kick the Yonko's asses."
They followed orders without question and lacked any extreme sense of justice.
This was also a common trait among the Marines stationed at the Sabaody Archipelago Marine base.
...
"In a way, they're surprisingly law-abiding..."
After crossing the bridge to Grove 29, Liam glanced back at the Marines departing on the opposite shore.
Robin reminded him, "They're the Marines. We're the ones breaking the rules..."
The moment they entered this illegal territory, the atmosphere shifted abruptly. A faint metallic tang of blood hung in the air, thick with the stench of crime.
Along the roadside, a moss-covered wooden sign stood, bearing the skeletal remains of a Marine in tattered uniform. The words "Marines Forbidden" scrawled in dried, blackened blood across the sign.
Shadows crept from behind the sign, their greedy eyes gleaming as they fixed on the retreating figures of the man and woman.
"400 million Belly..."
"700 million... exactly 700 million. Plus 30 million... and only two targets... We'll make a killing on this job!"
Clang, clang, clang... In the dim light, flashes of blade light illuminated the faces of the bounty hunters.
"The air here is really nice..."
Liam walked, taking a deep breath. As he entered the Grove, his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) had been constantly scanning this vast Gray Zone, which consisted of over twenty small Groves.
Before long, he detected several traces of Rayleigh's aura, some strong, some moderately strong, and one particularly potent. They were scattered across different locations.
Robin glanced behind them.
B.I.B. walked backward, arms crossed, his narrow eyes gleaming as he boldly watched the bounty hunters trailing behind them, stealthily brandishing knives and guns.
"And such a warm welcome... I'm already starting to like this place."
Liam raised his hand, fingers splayed like claws. "Perfect for testing this move... Hmm, maybe it could be the seventh style?"
"Not good!" The bounty hunters behind them cried out as Giorno slowed his pace. "He's spotted us!!"
Liam waved his hand backward, tearing the air.
"Soul-Shattering Iron Claws!"
Five crescent-shaped slashes of Rankyaku, launched from his fingertips, blazed through the bounty hunters like shooting stars, sending massive waves of blood soaring amidst their screams.
Robin tilted her head, reminding Liam from behind, "Isn't that a dog's move?"
...
Sabaody Archipelago, 23rd Grove, Restaurant -
"How many years has it been since we had someone with a bounty over 100 million...?"
"After all, the Marine's control over the First Half is far greater than over the Second Half. It's too difficult for rookie pirates to grow to that level here..."
"But one has still appeared, a monster with a bounty over 100 million..."
At that moment, two figures stepped into the restaurant. The boisterous atmosphere suddenly fell silent, and many people choked on their food, spitting it out in shock.
"It's them!"
"They've arrived..."
The two imposing figures strode through the restaurant, fully satisfied with the sudden quiet. The leader grinned. "Not bad, you lot! I like it! Dahā hā hā hā..."
The restaurant owner wiped cold sweat from his brow and muttered to himself, "The Skullcrusher, Liam Neil, with a bounty of 102 million Belly, a terrifying rookie pirate from the North Blue... And his second-in-command, 'Ghost Beard,' with a bounty of 90 million..."
(End Of This Chapter)
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