Impel Down.
The moment the World Government issued its cold command, the entire situation between the Marines and the pirates instantly flipped. The pirates' winning momentum immediately dissolved into sheer despair. Those who had managed to rush out were instantly forced back into the prison.
The combat lineup was: Admiral Kizaru, Warden Magellan, and Blackbeard against Yamato, Fire Fist Ace, Warlord Jinbe, Warlord Crocodile, and Emporio Ivankov.
It looked like Yamato's side had the advantage in numbers , but when the battle reignited, the situation was completely one-sided. This was partly because Straw Hat Luffy was not counted as a high-level combatant at that time. His current opponent was proof enough of that.
"Damn it, get out of my way! I'm going to save Ace!" Luffy, whose fighting strength had been restored thanks to the antidote and Ivankov's hormones , was frantic. He launched a Gum-Gum Pistol, trying to blast the man in front of him away.
But the only response he got was the cruel laugh of Jesus Burgess, the helmsman of the Blackbeard Pirates.
"Wehahahahaha, Straw Hat Boy, you can't interrupt the Captain's fight with Fire Fist!" Burgess easily blocked Luffy's barrage of attacks using both hands.
Luffy became even more desperate. He used his Devil Fruit power to leap up, trying to bypass Burgess , but was met with an extremely dangerous projectile. It was a shot fired by Van Auger, the Blackbeard Pirates' sniper!
"Careful, Straw Hat Boy!"
Fortunately, Ivankov, who was nearby, reacted quickly, grabbing Luffy and pulling him to safety. But because of this, an explosive apple suddenly appeared right in front of him.
"Boom!!!"
A violent explosion instantly engulfed Ivankov. The one who launched this attack was the Blackbeard Pirates' doctor, Doc Q.
As the smoke cleared, the figures of Ivankov and Luffy were revealed. Luckily, Ivankov wasn't seriously hurt; his massive, fluffy hair had absorbed the force of the blast.
Luffy looked at Ivankov gratefully, asking with concern, "Are you alright, Ivan-chan!"
"I'm fine!" Despite his reassuring words, Ivankov's expression turned grim. He looked toward the other nearby battlefields. Ivankov could clearly sense that they were in serious trouble. Now, the problem wasn't saving Ace anymore; it was about whether they could even escape this prison.
"Luffy!!!" Ace, seeing Luffy and Ivankov caught in the explosion from a distance, instantly became nervous.
That moment of distraction cost him dearly.
"Ugh!!!" Marshall D. Teach appeared right beside him , punching Ace hard in the gut. Teach then grabbed Ace's neck with his left hand, which was now emitting black, sinister smoke.
"Zehahahahaha, Captain Ace, you look truly pathetic right now!" Teach sneered.
Ace coughed up blood. His eyes were filled with rage as he glared at the man he had once considered a comrade.
"Damn it, let go of Ace!"
Yamato, who had just managed to break Ace free a moment earlier, saw him fall back into Blackbeard's grasp. She rushed forward anxiously , but before she got halfway, a dazzling golden light appeared directly in front of her.
"Hey, Kaido's daughter, where are you rushing off to?" Kizaru drawled.
"Boom!!!"
A light-speed kick, representing immense speed and power, smashed into her. Even though Yamato had seen it coming and blocked with her kanabo , the force still sent her flying backward. She crashed violently into a wall, causing a loud rumble, before slowly slumping down.
"Damn... damn it..."
Yamato looked completely disheveled, her face showing signs of great exhaustion. She was considered the strongest fighter among the pirates present. She had fought Admiral Akainu previously and had been battling Warden Magellan here. Yet, neither of those fights had left her feeling as utterly powerless as she did now.
The reason was simple: against both Akainu and Magellan, Yamato's Devil Fruit ability had provided a degree of restraint or advantage. But the man in front of her was a completely different beast.
"That's too bad, Kaido's daughter. Light cannot be frozen, you see!" Kizaru remarked during the fight.
Yamato's freezing ability had absolutely no effect on Kizaru's Pika Pika no Mi (Light-Light Fruit). On the contrary, the sheer speed granted by Kizaru's Logia-type fruit meant Yamato couldn't even keep up with him. She was constantly being hit and beaten down!
"Damn it..."
But Yamato refused to surrender. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, imbued her kanabo with Conqueror's Haki, and charged at Kizaru again.
This time, Kizaru didn't simply dodge. A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.
"Kaido's daughter, your little rampage ends here!"
"Ame no Murakumo (Heavenly Cloud Sword)!!!"
A sword constructed entirely of light materialized in Kizaru's hand.
"What!"
"Boom!!!"
The glowing golden Heavenly Cloud Sword slammed against the kanabo wrapped in Yamato's Conqueror's Haki. The resulting energy shock wave blew away everything around them.
"So... so terrifying!" Perona, hiding nearby with Jewelry Bonney, saw the clash and her eyes nearly popped out in fear.
Yet, Yamato was the most shocked of all. "How... how is that possible?" Kizaru's light sword had successfully stopped her attack.
Kizaru's characteristically lazy voice answered Yamato's confusion. "Oh dear, how frightening! To master such power at your age, you truly are Kaido's bloodline. But unfortunately..."
As Kizaru spoke, a hint of genuine threat entered his gaze.
"Your Haki is still too weak, Kaido's daughter. If Kaido himself were here, we might have to let Fire Fist Ace go. But as for you, you're still nowhere near that level..."
In an instant, before Yamato could even react, and before her Observation Haki could fully register the danger, Kizaru struck.
"Laser Breakthrough!"
Kizaru extended a finger, firing golden beams of light that pierced Yamato's body. Then, he swiftly swung his Heavenly Cloud Sword, slicing Yamato away.
Seeing their strongest fighter defeated by Kizaru, everyone's pupils contracted in horror. If Yamato lost, what chance did the rest of them have...?
"Yamato!!!"
Jinbe tried to rush over to save her , but he was immediately blocked by Vice Admiral Onigumo. On the other side, Crocodile, who was locked in combat with Magellan, also wore a grim expression.
"This is going to be a problem!" he muttered.
Kizaru calmly surveyed the battlefield. Wherever his gaze fell, everyone, including the hidden Buggy and Mr. 3 who trembled in fear, felt as if they were being targeted by the God of Death himself.
Fortunately, Kizaru merely glanced around. The situation in Impel Down was now stable. He looked toward Ace, who was still captured by Blackbeard and struggling desperately.
"That's that! Magellan, the rest is up to you, is that okay? I need to take Ace to Marine Headquarters right now, or we won't make the deadline," Kizaru said.
"No problem, Admiral Kizaru. The rest of this will be handled by us here in Impel Down," Magellan confirmed.
With Yamato out of the fight, the remaining pirates posed no real threat to the Warden.
"Good!"
But just then, a rough cough broke the silence.
"Cough cough..."
Yamato, covered in blood, stumbled up from the swirling smoke. She struggled to focus on Kizaru, who was preparing to leave.
"Don't go! I... I can still fight!" she cried out.
"Ace! Let go of Ace!" Luffy started shouting, too.
However, Ivankov held him down tightly. "Calm down, Straw Hat Boy!" Ivankov understood that rushing Kizaru now would be suicide for Luffy.
Kizaru didn't respond. But Teach, standing nearby, burst into maniacal laughter at the scene. He looked down at Ace, whom he still held captive.
"Did you see that, Captain Ace?" Teach roared with savage glee. "If you had made the right choice from the beginning, none of this would be happening. Now, whether it's your Pop, your brother, or your friends, they will all be locked away in Impel Down for life because of you! And it's all because you are simply too weak, Captain Ace!"
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