"Whoosh!!!"
Two Marine warships cut through the sea at full speed, heading straight toward the towering Gates of Justice.
"Wow!!! Did we really escape from that hellhole so easily?!"
Buggy floated above the deck, arms spread wide as he inhaled deeply, savoring the long lost taste of freedom. His feet tapped excitedly in midair.
"Ahahaha! From today onward, we are free! We can finally return to life on the sea!"
"Freedom!" "Hurray!" "Long live Captain Buggy!!!"
The prisoners aboard the first warship erupted into cheers, shouting Buggy's name at the top of their lungs.
In their eyes, Buggy's so called fearless defiance against the Marines and jailers had been nothing short of legendary. To them, he was the hero who led them out of Impel Down.
"But…"
One of the prisoners suddenly pointed toward the massive structure looming ahead.
"The Gates of Justice are right there. How are we supposed to get through them?"
"..."
Silence fell instantly.
The prisoners froze, the excitement draining from their faces.
They had been so overwhelmed by their escape that they had completely forgotten the most critical obstacle.
"Captain Buggy!" "You must have a plan, right?!" "Of course you do!"
All eyes turned toward Buggy, who was still hovering in the air.
"I, I…"
Buggy stammered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he slowly turned his head toward the second warship behind him.
There was no doubt who the strongest person present was.
The reason their escape from Impel Down had gone so smoothly was because of that individual's silent assistance from the shadows.
Buggy had already pieced together Shirogai Yamikuro's true identity from the fragmented whispers of the Level Six prisoners.
"Huh? It can be opened?"
When Buggy saw Shirogai smile faintly and give a small nod, his confidence instantly skyrocketed.
"Then what am I afraid of?!"
Buggy puffed out his chest dramatically and spun back toward the prisoners.
"That's right, my loyal followers! Stand tall and don't panic!"
He pointed forward at the colossal Gates of Justice and spoke with absolute confidence.
"Everything is under Captain Buggy's control! These gates will open for us!"
"The Gates of Justice will open?" "Is that even possible?" "Captain Buggy, you're joking… right?"
The prisoners were still filled with doubt.
Rumble…!
The sea trembled.
The Gates of Justice began to shake.
Slowly, heavily, the impossible happened.
The massive gates started to open.
"..."
The prisoners stared in stunned silence as the colossal structure groaned, a narrow gap forming between the doors.
The gap widened. And widened.
"Oh my god! They really opened!" "What kind of background does Captain Buggy have?!" "A legend! We're witnessing a legend being born!" "Captain Buggy! You're a god in my heart!!!"
As the cheers erupted once more, the two hijacked Marine warships sailed cleanly through the Gates of Justice.
They passed through effortlessly.
All because Shirogai had opened them using the Magnet Magnet Fruit.
"Hey, Null… this is getting ridiculous."
On the second warship, Crocodile stared ahead, his eyes narrowing as he spoke in disbelief.
"You actually opened the Gates of Justice with raw ability alone?"
Shirogai stood near the bow in the appearance of Galdino, his fingertips glowing with a faint blue magnetic light.
"I'm putting in effort, you know," he replied casually.
Sizzle.
The blue light gradually faded as Shirogai separated his hands.
Creak… creak… creak…
The massive gates continued opening, stretching from the ocean floor all the way to the sky.
Ordinary Devil Fruit abilities could be handled with a single hand. For this, Shirogai had used both.
And that was all.
Crocodile stared at him, clicking his tongue.
"Effort? That's all this is to you?"
He exhaled slowly.
"I knew you were a monster, but I didn't expect this level of absurdity."
"Hmph, Null."
A massive figure nearby laughed darkly.
The Devil Child, Douglas Bullet, stared at Shirogai with unrestrained excitement.
"You forced open a mechanism controlled gate with ability alone. I want to try that someday."
If his Chop Chop Fruit fusion reached its peak, he believed he could physically push the Gates of Justice open himself.
"Oh? A competition?"
Another towering figure scratched his head and laughed loudly.
"Hahahaha! I think I could open it too if given the chance!"
World Destroyer World.
Earlier, Shirogai had brought them into the Dark Seclusion Chamber.
Inside, time had been accelerated.
For ten years, he fought them.
He shattered their arrogance completely.
These world destroying monsters no longer showed defiance in front of him.
Bullet and World would never admit defeat with words, but their actions were honest.
They acknowledged Shirogai's strength.
They followed him not out of submission, but certainty.
Especially after learning he had established a massive force opposing the Marines.
And most importantly, he had beaten them.
Relentlessly.
For ten years.
Every single day.
Others like the Evil King and the Great Wine Barrel had fallen within days.
Only Bullet qnd World remained.
Shirogai fought them using countless Devil Fruit abilities, adapting, evolving, overwhelming.
Even when Bullet fused maximum weapons and steel, he still lost.
Even when World unleashed his strongest amplified light cannon, it failed to harm Shirogai.
They understood the truth.
They would never catch up.
If a god existed, it would be him.
Bullet, who had lost his purpose after Roger's death, had found a new anchor.
Even if he could never surpass Shirogai, chasing him was enough.
Compared to Shirogai, Bullet felt human again.
World Destroyer willingly followed Shirogai.
He was naive, loyal, and stubborn.
As long as Shirogai helped him find his brother, he would leave the past behind.
A future promised under open skies and endless travel.
That future sounded… good.
…
Shirogai's gaze suddenly shifted.
A flicker of red caught his attention inside the cabin.
"How about it?"
He stepped inside, smiling faintly.
"Interested in joining us?"
Whoosh.
A red figure descended behind him.
"Is Straw Hat Luffy the anchor of your humanity?"
An aged voice echoed.
Red Earl Redfield stepped forward, his gaze steady.
"Shirogai Yamikuro. Is that why you haven't gone mad?"
"Redfield san."
Shirogai turned calmly.
"You already saw everything through Luffy's heart."
"I did," Redfield replied. "And it is meaningless."
"Not everything needs meaning."
Shirogai sighed softly.
"I was destined to become strong. But strength alone leads to madness."
The world shattered.
Memory frames appeared.
Luffy. Zoro. Nami. Sanji. Robin. Usopp. Chopper.
Laughter. Fighting. Teaching. Meals. Dreams.
"Because they exist," Shirogai's voice echoed, "I remain human."
Seven emotions bound to seven companions.
Joy. Anger. Sorrow. Fear. Love. Desire. Innocence.
Redfield fell silent.
"…So that's it."
_____
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