"Holy Land..."
As Magellan and the jailer soldiers heard Kaku speak these words, a look of shock appeared on their faces.
Even in Impel Down, located in the Calm Belt, they had heard rumors about the recent widespread major event.
They had initially believed it to be just a rumor.
In this world, who truly dared to provoke the World Government?
To their surprise, at this very moment, Kaku revealed that the rumor was true, and it would happen in just a few days.
Kaku pondered for a moment and said solemnly to Magellan, "What will happen to the Marines in the future? What will happen to the world in the future? It all rests on him. At this critical juncture, Sengoku has decided not to join any side. Even though we are outwardly a subordinate organization of the World Government, if true change is possible, Sengoku wishes for that change."
"This is the heartfelt desire of Sengoku, myself, the Admirals, and countless Marines."
After giving Kaku a deep look, Magellan considered and then nodded, "I understand."
While stubborn, he was not foolish. It would not be a wise decision to try and stop Ginsei when it was clearly impossible.
Moreover, the Marines had made their choice, and he should also make his.
Clearly, Magellan chose to stand with the Marines, not the World Government.
This world had suffered under the World Government for a long time. Although the World Government was an indispensable institution for maintaining world peace, it was also the biggest corrupt organization in the world.
The Celestial Dragons it fostered, even in the most overlooked corners of the world, could inspire fear in people's hearts.
These false gods under special privilege were at the pinnacle of world power, yet they were also the world's malignant tumor. For someone to challenge them, even as a member of the World Government, they were still respected.
"Are you done talking?"
At the prison gate, the young man withdrew his gaze from the spire of Impel Down, glanced at Shiliew of Rain and Hannyabal, and then his eyes fell directly on Magellan and Kaku.
"Hahaha!! I'd like to see who this old friend you speak of is!"
Kaku laughed heartily, patted Magellan's shoulder, and gestured for him to open the gate.
Magellan remained silent, walked to the prison gate, took out his key, paused, and then opened it.
"Hannyabal, you can lead the way. Magellan, you can wait here!"
Knowing Magellan's discomfort, Kaku did not ask him to follow but instead pointed to Hannyabal, who was behind Magellan, to lead the way.
"I..."
Hannyabal pointed at himself and shook his head, "No."
Despite his usual perfunctory and opportunistic attitude towards work, when an emergency situation arose within the prison, he would bravely face formidable enemies in any predicament, displaying pride and self-respect in his duties.
How could he possibly lead pirates to retrieve another ordinary person?
With his right hand in his pocket and his left hand holding a wine gourd, Kong Tai tilted his head and looked at Hannyabal, a hint of amusement appearing in his azure eyes.
This man, though ambitious, was also very upright. Furthermore, Kong Tai knew that he cared deeply for ordinary citizens and hated pirates not because of their threat to the World Government, but because of the danger they posed to defenseless civilians.
Kong Tai still remembered the scene where this man stood in front of the gate, blocking Luffy and the others from escaping.
Therefore, Kong Tai harbored a degree of goodwill towards him.
"No need to go in, I'll call him out."
As an awkward silence fell at the prison gate, Kong Tai spoke.
"Call him out???"
Upon hearing Kong Tai's words, everyone at the prison gate looked on with curiosity.
"Yes! Call him out."
As he nodded, Kong Tai withdrew his right hand from his pocket, raised it, and with a finger held upright, his white finger, as if an invincible blade, gently sliced through the air in front of him.
*Riiip~*
"See, just like this."
"This..."
Magellan and the others were instantly stunned as they watched the space before Kong Tai split open like cloth under the youth's finger.
Kuzan and Kizaru, on the other hand, looked up sharply, their eyes fixed on Kong Tai.
"Is this the strength you possess now?"
"To be able to achieve this extent."
Kaku was different. He stared at Kong Tai's finger, the light in his eyes completely ignited at this moment, and an aura of fighting spirit involuntarily emanated from him.
As this fighting spirit appeared, several long, purplish-red lightning bolts materialized out of thin air, and a powerful Conqueror's Haki radiated outward from him, engulfing the surroundings.
"Conqueror's Haki..."
Kaku's Conqueror's Haki jolted Magellan and the others back to reality from the rift in space that Kong Tai had torn open. Everyone then turned to Kaku with expressions of shock.
No one had expected there to be a second wielder of Conqueror's Haki in the Marines.
"What?"
Kong Tai raised his eyes and looked at Kaku, a smile on his lips. "Old man, are you itching for a fight... want to have one here with me?"
*Hoo~*
Taking a deep breath, Kaku suppressed the surge of excitement in his heart and instantly reined in his aura.
"No, I'm not your match at this moment."
Although he desired to battle Kong Tai, as strong opponents were hard to find, especially those who surpassed him, he also knew that this was not the time for a fight. With the scale of their potential battle, they might destroy Impel Down if they fought with their full power.
If they held back, it would be meaningless to him, just like in the Sabaody Archipelago.
He glanced at the old man again, and Kong Tai shook his head with amusement.
"An old man whose passion never dies."
Ever since he learned that Kong Tai's Conqueror's Haki could exert pressure upon the seas, the old man's gaze towards him had completely changed. Kong Tai had experienced this kind of gaze before, from Kuina, from Zoro, from many who sought to surpass him.
However, up to this day, none of those who looked at him with such a gaze had truly managed to surpass him.
They were only pulled further and further away by him, watching his receding back from afar, forever unable to catch up.
Turning his head, Kong Tai waved his hand forward. A chaotic void portal, instantly becoming clear like purified murky water, appeared before them.
"Ivankov!"
Besides the original six levels, Impel Down actually had a level 5.5. Kong Tai had no intention of hiding this from Magellan and the others. Criminals deserved punishment. Although there were many innocent people in Impel Down, compared to the vast number of pirates, these innocents were few.
The world would change in the future, and this prison would also change.
This was a reform that the future ruling powers and the Marines would discuss, and it was outside his scope of consideration.
Kong Tai not directly entering Impel Down was already the greatest respect he could show Magellan and the others.
"Ivankov?"
Upon hearing Kong Tai's call, Kaku and the others finally knew who Kong Tai's old friend was.
The infamous Emporio Ivankov, the Okama King, was a legendary figure!
Moreover, this fellow was a high-ranking executive of the Revolutionary Army.
What puzzled Magellan and the others was, hadn't Ivankov disappeared after being imprisoned in Impel Down?