Chapter 369: Roubo Luqi: What Decent Person Writes Reports Every Damn Day?!

"If you can do it, then give it a try!"

Xiang Keluo shook his hand, his posture forceful and yielding not an inch.

The only person in this world worthy of him bowing his head was Gao Wen; no one else would suffice.

Let alone the prey of this expedition!

The next instant.

The restless wind and the howling Haki collided repeatedly in the air, shaking even Impel Down!

Boom—!

Scorching Hell.

Debris fell from the ceiling, smashing toward the Chief Jailer Saldeath, who swung his trident to block it.

Yet when he felt the terrifying aura rising from below, and that monster-like power capable of shaking the entire Impel Down, his body began to tremble involuntarily.

Still, Saldeath took a deep breath, rallied himself, and led the Jailer Beasts behind him to suppress the chaos throughout Impel Down.

With the Warden Magellan heavily injured by Dark King Rayleigh and Vice-Warden Hannibal missing, the only one left in all of Impel Down capable of commanding the situation was him alone.

Countless rioting pirates had already engaged the four Jailer Beasts in fierce battle; even facing these major criminals with bounties ranging from tens of millions to over a hundred million, the Jailer Beasts held an absolute advantage on the battlefield.

After all, they were once Zoan Devil Fruit users who had developed their abilities to the point of Awakening.

Although during their Awakening process their self-awareness was devoured by the will dwelling within the fruits, turning them completely into out-of-control ferocious beasts, the formidable strength and inhuman physique of an Awakened user remained preserved!

However.

Watching the ever-growing number of prisoners gathering in the distance, Saldeath's expression became frighteningly Solemn!

Compared to the tens of thousands of prisoners, the combat strength within Impel Down was clearly insufficient.

Originally, if Magellan were here, relying on his Doku Doku no Mi abilities, he could have controlled the battlefield in an instant, but now the situation had become troublesome.

If this continued, falling would only be a matter of time...

Yet what lay before him was a nearly unsolvable dead end!

"The forces invading Impel Down are not limited to Straw Hat and Dark King Rayleigh; there is also this third party, and even... a fourth!"

"Impel Down has completely lost control!"

"Just how many prisoners have broken free from their cages is now impossible to calculate."

"The only good news at present is likely that Impel Down lies in the deep sea; the Marines stationed nearby have either been attacked and annihilated by other forces or were long ago dispatched back to Marine Headquarters to prepare for the impending war, meaning there are no ships left to depart from here."

"The worst outcome..."

"... is simply everyone perishing together!"

Thinking this, Saldeath gripped his steel fork tightly, his resolve already made: even if Impel Down was destroyed, he would absolutely not allow the prisoners here to escape!

Buru Buru—!

The sound of the Den Den Mushi suddenly rang out; Saldeath's eyes lit up as he hurriedly pulled the Den Den Mushi from his robe, and upon connecting, a low voice carrying an unmistakable air of authority transmitted:

"This is CP9's Roubo Luqi; what is the situation in Impel Down?!"

"Reinforcements from the World Government?!"

After receiving an affirmative reply, Saldeath immediately breathed a sigh of relief and briefly reported the situation inside Impel Down to Luqi:

"Currently, the situations on the third and fourth levels are under control; the trouble lies with the fifth and sixth levels, where monitoring has completely failed, and the specific circumstances are likely dire."

"After Dark King Rayleigh invaded Impel Down, he took some of the Level 6 major criminals with him; judging by their direction of travel, they appear to be heading toward Marineford."

"Among the prisoners confirmed to have been released by them are Knight of the Sea Jinbe, Crocodile Crocodile, and the Solitary Red—Redfield!"

"Monsters of the next tier are countless!"

"Report indicates that Chief Shiryu and Magellan joined forces to confront Dark King Rayleigh but were defeated and heavily injured; they are still being treated!"

"With Impel Down's remaining combat strength, even against the prisoners of Level 5, we can hold out for at most three hours!"

On the other end of the line.

Luqi nodded:

"Understood; within three hours, I will lead my team to arrive at the scene!"

"Good!"

Saldeath responded with a single word, the Den Den Mushi in his hand was hung up, and flames of hope ignited once more in his eyes!

"Hold on!"

"Hold on for three hours!"

"CP organization reinforcements will arrive; by then, even if Impel Down cannot be held, we will still have a chance to retreat!"

"Keep holding on!"

"And we will live!"

Saldeath's voice rang out across Impel Down's fifth level; countless guards struggling to hold their ground erupted with astonishing power at this moment, fearing not even the pirates surging toward them like a tide!

They withstood the enemy's offensive and even subtly pushed the front line forward!

Hold on!

If you hold on, you will live!

This had become the sole will sustaining them to continue fighting!

The sea currents churned, propelling the CP organization's warship straight down to charge toward Impel Down.

Luqi stood on the deck, shoulder to shoulder with Kaku, gazing faintly at the distant sea.

More than two years had passed; he had grown a short beard, his entire frame had become a size more robust, and an invisible aura radiated from his body.

Even Kaku, standing beside him, was stirred to break out in goosebumps, unable to help but feel secretly astonished:

"Just how much stronger have you become, you bastard?"

Two years ago, after they returned to the CP organization, they were assigned to different missions.

Roubo Luqi rose steadily through the ranks; after Spandam was removed from office due to an incident involving Mary Geoise, Luqi smoothly assumed the position of CP9 commander.

Nowadays, rumors quietly circulate within the CP organization that the higher-ups above have taken a liking to Luqi's talents and already intend to promote him to CP0; they merely lack an opportunity.

This mission to rescue Impel Down might precisely be the opportunity prepared for Luqi.

CP0 constitutes the true upper echelon of the CP organization, bypassing the World Government layer to take orders directly from the Celestial Dragons, thus earning the title "Shield of the Celestial Dragons."

As for everything Luqi experienced aboard Gao Wen's ship, and why Gao Wen would go to such lengths for Luqi, they tacitly agreed not to ask.

Some matters are one thing when understood in the heart, but quite another when spoken aloud.

In any case, whether it was him, Blueno, or Jabra, between the World Government and Luqi, they would undoubtedly choose the latter.

Moreover, within these past two years, Luqi's combat power has skyrocketed like a rocket; even the strongest high-tier fighters within CP0 would, in all likelihood, no longer be Luqi's match.

"Me?"

Luqi shook his head:

"I still have a very long way to go."

He lowered his head to gaze at the Number Three Coin in his hand, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Over the past two years, Luqi had grown tremendously.

His mastery of the two types of Haki had advanced to a higher level, his Devil Fruit ability had awakened, and according to the grading rules proposed by Gao Wen, he had already stepped into the realm of Golden Limit.

It was just that within these two years, the changes within Gao Wen's crew had been even more colossal.

With the newcomer Beville joining the crew, and the three monsters Zoro, Sanji, and Law finally realizing their talents, if he were to return to Gao Wen's ship, could he still hold onto the Number Three Coin?

On this point, even Luqi himself lacked the confidence to achieve it.

Hearing this, Kaku's mouth twitched slightly; he couldn't help but roll his eyes:

"If even you still have a very long way to go, then just how far behind must we be?"

"That's enough out of you, you bastard!"

Having said that, Kaku strode into the ship's cabin with his head down, fearing that staying one more second with that bastard would make him so angry he'd spit blood.

Yet upon entering the cabin, he couldn't help but lean against the doorway.

Looking through the porthole at Luqi on the deck, his eyes carried a trace of envy he could not quite hide.

Even though the relationship between Luqi and Gao Wen had never been explicitly stated, nor was there any evidence—with Luqi even explaining it was merely mission execution, and that as a tool of the World Government he should possess no emotions—the changes in his comrade ultimately could not deceive Kaku.

Since that incident two years ago, this man who had once been cold and aloof had acquired some measure of human warmth that he ought not to possess.

This contradicted the CP organization's teachings, but ironically, it was precisely this bit of human warmth that allowed Luqi to rise rapidly within the CP organization, even nearing promotion to its upper echelons.

"Comrades, and... another way of living?"