Upon witnessing the miserable state of the Blackbeard Pirates, the surviving inmates in the prison cells were trembling in fear, their backs drenched in cold sweat.
Don't be fooled by the seemingly harmless appearance of the young man whom Bullet and the others called "Captain". Not only was he terrifyingly powerful, but he also killed without batting an eye.
Just recently, he had frozen several prisoners in their cells to death—without a shred of hesitation.
Ignoring the fearful gazes from the prisoners, Elior spread his Observation Haki throughout the entirety of Impel Down's Level 6. Soon, within the range of his Haki, he locked onto his two targets.
Naturally, they weren't scum like Catarina Devon or Sanjuan Wolf.
Elior was well aware that he wasn't exactly a good person himself, but there was no need to recruit vile trash like them. Let them rot and die here in Impel Down.
Besides, after today, there would never be another major prison break here again.
Elior had two goals in coming to Impel Down. One: finish off Blackbeard. Two: recruit Red the Aloof, Patrick Redfield, and the World Destroyer, Byrnndi World.
Both were legendary pirates from the old era. Redfield was a monstrous force of nature, the only man rumored to have ever defeated Kong — the Supreme Commander of the World Government. In his prime, he stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Roger and Whitebeard. As for World, the man was a powerhouse who had consumed the More-More Fruit, but was betrayed by his own crew and imprisoned here for over thirty years after offending the Celestial Dragons.
Elior quickly shattered the iron gate of one particular cell. Inside was an old man, frail and gaunt, shackled to the wall with sea prism cuffs, head lowered. To the unknowing eye, he might've looked dead.
"Patrick Redfield... Damn, I almost forgot about this guy" Bullet muttered.
"A beast in his day" He added. "But judging by his current state... can he even bring out a tenth of his strength?"
Shiryu lit a cigarette.
"Red was already locked up before I ever set foot in this place. Back then, the warden constantly reminded us — keep this bastard under watch. As for the World Destroyer... he's been frozen solid this whole time."
Elior walked forward casually.
"Old man... wanna get out of here?"
Redfield was probably in his nineties by now. In the original timeline, it was after he obtained the Mythical Zoan, Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire, that he restored his youth and returned to his peak.
The old man slowly lifted his head. His eyes sharpened the moment they landed on Elior.
"Indeed... I wish to leave this place. But if you're expecting me to owe you something in return..."
His voice was dry and hoarse from years of disuse.
"Then forget it."
Despite the skeletal face and withered body, the fire in his eyes remained piercing, sending chills down anyone's spine.
Elior couldn't help but admire the man.
"As expected of a true monster... Even after decades in prison, he hasn't become a hollow shell like the others."
"Kong is still alive. Garp is still standing at the top. Don't tell me... you've given up on revenge, Red the Aloof?"
Redfield fell silent at those words.
Elior pressed on.
"A Mythical Zoan awaits you. Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire. With it, you'll regain your youth. You'll return... to your prime."
At the same time, Elior shattered the sea prism shackles holding Redfield captive.
"Freedom isn't something every prisoner here deserves."
Elior's gaze was cold as he continued,
"I have a place—Paradise Island. You might know it by its old name: Hachinosu. The former base of the Rocks Pirates. Back in your day... I'm sure Rocks D. Xebec was anything but an obscure name."
Convincing someone like Redfield to join wasn't going to be easy. He was the kind of man who never cared for camaraderie or crews. His pride was absolute — an embodiment of solitude.
But Elior still held out hope.
After all, it was him who broke the man out. Pirates from the old era valued debts of gratitude far more than the scum of today. In the original timeline, Redfield escaped amidst Blackbeard's chaos. But this time, it was Elior who set him free.
Ten minutes later, Elior shattered another frozen cell, releasing the Byrnndi World. Despite his old appearance, Elior could still feel it—the immense, suffocating power radiating from him.
The old man stepped forward, flexing his arms as if testing whether the strength was still there.
"Kid... who the hell are you?"
World locked eyes with Elior, and an unsettling sense of dread crept into him. This brat... radiated overwhelming strength. The sheer pressure shocked him.
Elior grinned.
"I'm the guy who killed three Celestial Dragons... and plans to kill a few more."
World's eyes widened.
"You... killed Celestial Dragons?"
His voice trembled. After all, it was for offending the Celestial Dragons that he had ended up rotting in this hellhole. There was no one he despised more.
"Kid, are you screwing with me?"
World asked, half-suspicious.
Shiryu chuckled.
"Check the newspapers when we're out. It's front-page news."
World blinked.
"No way... You're serious?"
Elior smirked. "The real question is... can you still fight?"
"Fight?"
World clenched his fists, feeling the power circulating through his body. Moments ago, he had shattered through the ice encasing him.
"Tch... Might need a little warm-up... but yeah. I can still fight."
"Good. Then let's head to Marineford"
Elior declared with a devilish grin.
"Today's the day the Whitebeard Pirates go to war with the Marines."
"The Whitebeard Pirates... versus the Marines!?" World was shaken. Even back in the old era, Whitebeard was one of the strongest men alive. Now... he was at war with the entire Marine?
After some hesitation, World grinned. "Fuck it. I'm in."
At that moment, Redfield stepped out of his cell as well.
"I'll come. There's someone I'd like to see... Kong. Is he still the Fleet Admiral?"
"No" Elior replied with a grin. "He's the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government now."
When Elior entered Impel Down, there were eight of them. Now, there were ten.
Two more monsters had joined his crew — Red the Aloof and the World Destroyer.
Despite their decades in prison, Elior could still feel it—they were still monsters.
Top-tier legends of the old era. Just like how Rayleigh, even after twenty years of retirement, could still trade blows with an admiral like Kizaru.
Never underestimate the old era.
Back then, there weren't just small-time rookie fights, or some emperors keeping the balance of the seas.
That era... was pure chaos.
"You bastards..."
Standing in their way, covered in blood and barely holding himself upright, was Magellan. Behind him stood Sadi, Domino, and the remaining high-ranking officers and guards.
But when their eyes landed on World and Redfield, even the bravest among them trembled.
They were terrified.
Elior had just broken out the worst criminals in Impel Down's history.
Magellan gritted his teeth, blood dripping from his lips.
"Even if it costs me my life... I won't let you pass!"
Sadi and the others were visibly shaking.
The sheer pressure radiating from Elior's group was unbearable. A suffocating aura of apex predators.
Monsters. Legends.
Even though there were only ten of them.
Sadi had contacted Marine HQ earlier... but the response was grim. The Marines couldn't spare a single soldier.
Whitebeard's fleet was expected to arrive at any moment to rescue Ace. All forces were tied down.
Even the higher-ups knew—stopping this group... would take every admiral, every vice admiral, and every force the World Government had.
Which meant... it was impossible.
Elior chuckled coldly, stepping forward.
"Well, Magellan... let me ask you something."
"What's more important?"
"Your life... or your duty?"