Chapter 197

His chest bore numerous scars, all left by legendary figures of the highest caliber.

These scars were the glory of a man who was a pirate!

He was the user of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, possessing the power to destroy the world, Bai Huzi Edward Newgate!

Bai Huzi first glanced at Ace on the execution platform, then turned to look at Navy Admiral Sengoku, baring his teeth in a grin and saying:

"It's been decades, Sengoku."

"How is my dear son doing over there?"

Facing a hundred thousand marine soldiers, the top-tier combat power of the seas, Bai Huzi remained utterly at ease, chatting and laughing.

This spirit of a Sea Emperor made people feel a deep, heart-felt fear and submission.

……

……

At the very same moment the Navy and the Bai Huzi Pirates began their formal clash.

Blackbeard, who had secretly slipped away from Marineford, was heading to Impel Down with an excited mood.

Blackbeard could not help but be excited.

The plan he had schemed on Bai Huzi's ship for decades was finally beginning to be implemented.

Kill Sachi to seize the Dark-Dark Fruit, find powerful companions, capture a pirate with a bounty over a hundred million, and trade with the Navy for a Warlord position.

Then, do his utmost to provoke a war between the Navy and Bai Huzi, while using his identity as a Warlord to sneak into Impel Down and subdue those terrifying fellows in the Sixth Floor, the Infinite Hell!

Finally, return to the battlefield and use the special ability of the Dark-Dark Fruit to seize Bai Huzi's Tremor-Tremor Fruit!

This was Blackbeard's comprehensive plan, schemed over for decades.

Blackbeard felt that Heaven itself was helping him; his plan was progressing far too smoothly.

Because Blackbeard had not expected earlier that the former captain, Fire Fist Ace, would be foolish enough to come looking for him single-handedly.

Ace was Bai Huzi's most favored son, the biological son of the Pirate King Luo Jie.

Such an identity meant that, without any need for Blackbeard to stir things up, the Bai Huzi Pirates would inevitably clash in a great war with the Navy. (bjcj)

And indeed, the facts proved just that.

The scale of the war was far greater than Blackbeard had planned, simply Shi Shi level.

This was truly too perfect!

Blackbeard's belly nearly burst from laughter.

With the Whitebeard Pirates about to erupt in a Summit War against the Navy, the Navy certainly would have no strength left to manage Impel Down.

And given Old Man Bai Huzi's terrible physical condition, it was highly likely he would die.

Zehahaha!

In this way, invading Impel Down would be effortless, and seizing the ability of Bai Huzi's Tremor-Tremor Fruit would be effortless too!

Is there anything in the world more perfect than this?

Therefore, Blackbeard was too happy, too excited.

So much so that on his journey to Impel Down, the corners of his mouth remained stretched wide, not even fearing his face muscles from cramping.

The sea route from Marineford to Impel Down was not smooth sailing.

There were whirlpool currents and the Zhengyizhi Sect blocking the way.

This was precisely why Blackbeard wanted to become a Warlord.

Blackbeard lied, claiming he was sent by the World Government to Impel Down, and tricked the Zhengyizhi Sect into opening.

The marine soldier guarding the Zhengyizhi Sect, when demanding the government's orders from Blackbeard, was killed by Blackbeard with a single raised hand.

Blackbeard laughed arrogantly:

"What government orders? What right does the World Government have to order me!"

"The era of Bai Huzi is ending soon; the future is the era of me, Blackbeard! Do you understand, zehahaha!"

With an incredibly jubilant mood, Blackbeard arrived at Impel Down without any obstruction.

Then.

The smile on his face froze stiff.

His eyeballs popped out as far as marbles.

"Eh?? Wh-what is going on, why has Impel Down turned into this?!"

Blackbeard was completely stunned.

Impel Down, hailed as having walls of copper and iron, was now in a complete mess, reduced to ruins.

Among the ruins lay countless corpses of jailers and criminals, the blood they shed having dyed the surrounding seas red.

Slap!

Blackbeard slapped himself.

Am I not dreaming, damn it?

"It hurts, it hurts!"

Blackbeard, possessing double the sensation of pain, immediately cried out in agony.

But compared to the pain in his face, his heart hurt even more.

The scene before his eyes was not a dream, but reality!

Someone had invaded Impel Down before him, Blackbeard!

Damn it, which damn turtle bastard is it? Could it be that they, damn it, are aiming to subdue the criminals of Impel Down just like me!!

Blackbeard's mood instantly plummeted from heaven to hell.

The muscles on his face twitched repeatedly.

Champion Bajes comforted him:

"Captain, what does it matter if someone beat us to it? Just kill him too!"

But Blackbeard's mood remained terrible.

Because he faintly sensed terrifying battle fluctuations erupting on several floors below Impel Down.

He also faintly detected a familiar, formidable aura.

Blackbeard swallowed hard and prayed inwardly:

Please don't be that man, please don't be that man!

Then he charged straight toward several floors below Impel Down.

He quickly passed through the second and third floors, arriving at the Fourth Floor.

The moment he saw the man standing at the entrance of the Fourth Floor, hands in his pockets, looking bored, Blackbeard's face twisted into an expression close to tears.

Fuck, it's really you, Five Emperors Luo Xing!

Last time in Alabasta too—you were clearly there first, so why the hell do you always ruin my plans?!

"Oh? If it isn't little Blackie."

Luo Xing, standing at the entrance, seemed to just notice Blackbeard's appearance, and grinned with a flash of white teeth:

"Didn't expect to see you again so soon—what a coincidence!"

170. Rain Shili defected, making Blackbeard serve as Luo Xing's stepping stone!

Blackbeard felt like cursing his mother.

How old are you, anyway, calling me "little Blackie"?

And I don't want any damn connection with you—I never wanted to run into you again!

Though furious, Blackbeard, older as he was, was still vastly inferior to Luo Xing in global fame, status, and bounty.

And in the World of Pirates—strength reigns supreme.

Luo Xing looking down on Blackbeard was perfectly fine.

Blackbeard knew this well.

If he could endure for decades aboard Whitebeard's ship, he was clearly an extremely patient man.

Therefore,

Blackbeard forcibly suppressed his anger and hatred, forcing a grim smile:

"Five Emperors Luo Xing, what a coincidence—you've come to Impel Down too. I thought you'd returned to the New World after your rampage in Sabaody."

Luo Xing would not miss that Blackbeard was smiling on the surface but cursing inside.

Luo Xing didn't hide it at all—he curled his lips into a mocking smirk:

"The war between Whitebeard's crew and the Marines at Marineford is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. Wouldn't it be a waste not to put on a grand performance before the whole world right now?"