The next day dawned bright and clear.
The Gates of Justice opened slowly, the waves churning violently in their wake. A massive Marine battleship passed through the gates, heading towards its destination: Impel Down.
On the ship's deck, a middle-aged man in a yellow-striped suit and sunglasses stood ramrod straight at the bow. His drooping eyelids and eyebrows, combined with the way he constantly worked his jaw, gave him an incredibly sleazy appearance as he stared out at the distant sea.
Beside him stood another middle-aged man, his skull unusually high, sporting a long beard. His eyes were narrowed, as if he were smiling. "What brings you here, Admiral Kizaru?" he asked.
"Hmm... Just happened to be around, so I thought I'd tag along," Kizaru replied slowly, twisting his brow. "Scary, isn't it? It's Fire Fist Ace, you know. Being on the same ship as him is pretty dangerous, Strawberry." Kizaru, the sleazy-looking man, continued to speak in his languid drawl while buffing his nails.
Strawberry said nothing, his already narrowed eyes tightening further. His grip on the hilt of the longsword at his waist unconsciously tightened.
The battleship sailed on in silence, the journey uneventful.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a massive structure appeared on the horizon.
"Report! We are one thousand meters from Impel Down!"
"Is that so?" Strawberry turned around, his beard fluttering, a stern expression on his face. He addressed the Marines below: "All hands, prepare yourselves! Remain vigilant! Bring out the prisoner, Portgas D. Ace! Prepare for the transfer!"
"Sir!" The battleship quickly sprang to life.
"Whoosh!" Just then, a piercing beam of light appeared. Strawberry turned his head to see the sleazy man who'd been standing at the bow transform into a streak of golden light, shooting towards the massive structure in the distance.
"Hey, hey! Admiral Kizaru! Please stay with us... Don't act on your own, damn it!" A drop of cold sweat trickled down Strawberry's face, his normally squinted eyes widening slightly.
"Hmph..." However, Kizaru paid him no mind. Within a few breaths, the light flashed, and countless photons coalesced into a human form, landing on the ground.
"Who's there!?"
"Is it an enemy attack?!"
On the platform above the sea at Impel Down, two guards nervously raised their guns.
"Nyehehehe... That's no enemy." Suddenly, a hand pressed down on the barrel of one of the guards' guns, a low voice whispering in his ear.
Wilder and Magellan had appeared on the platform seemingly out of nowhere, standing shoulder to shoulder, watching the figure that had descended from the flash of light.
"Yo-yo... Please excuse my unannounced arrival, Warden Magellan, and... Chief Guard First, is it?" The golden light subsided, revealing Kizaru. He worked his jaw, looking at Magellan and Wilder, speaking in his characteristic slow drawl.
"Admiral Kizaru," Magellan acknowledged with a nod, his voice steady.
"Nyehehehe... Admiral Kizaru," Wilder chuckled lowly, suppressing the tremor in his eyes.
Neither Wilder nor Magellan had expected Kizaru to appear at this time, but it was ultimately inconsequential. Their task was simply to receive the prisoner, Fire Fist Ace; it didn't matter who delivered him.
The battleship slowly approached, finally docking and coming to a stop. Two lines of soldiers poured out of the ship, quickly forming two neat rows.
Strawberry disembarked, glancing at Kizaru, the corner of his mouth twitching almost imperceptibly. He then turned to Magellan and Wilder, who were standing close by.
"Then, I'll leave it to you two. From this moment forward, the prisoner, Portgas D. Ace, is officially transferred to Impel Down, under the custody of Warden Magellan and Chief Guard First." After speaking these words with utmost seriousness, Strawberry took a small step back and stood at attention.
On the battleship, two Marines with guns walked in front, followed by three figures. Two more Marines flanked the middle figure: a black-haired man with his head slightly bowed. He was shirtless, revealing a Whitebeard skull tattoo on his back. The two Marines held his arms, which were bound by Seastone handcuffs. He kept his head down, his expression blank.
Everyone watched in silence as the four Marines, two in front and two behind, escorted the prisoner towards the large gate leading into Impel Down.
Wilder and Magellan stood at the entrance, their gazes sharp and unwavering, maintaining their serious demeanor.
"Prisoner Portgas D. Ace, has been delivered!" Finally, the five men stopped before Wilder and Magellan, and one of the Marines announced loudly.
"Understood," Magellan and Wilder said in unison. Then, the large gates behind them slowly opened. Two guards and two jailers emerged, taking custody of Ace from the Marines.
"What's your name?!" Magellan stepped forward, looking down at the black-haired man and speaking loudly.
"Ace," Ace replied, lifting his head and flashing a bright smile.
"Full name," Magellan continued, his face stern.
"Whitebeard Pirates Second Division Commander, Fire Fist Ace." A smile played on his defiant face, his voice filled with pride.
"Seriously, not cooperating at all!" Magellan's stern face drew closer, staring at him intently for a long moment, then he raised his hand.
A jailer beside him produced a document, and at the same time, one of the Marines also produced a document. They signed and exchanged them.
"Prisoner Portgas D. Ace has been received by Impel Down," Magellan stated, turning to nod at Kizaru and Strawberry.
"Take him away!" He turned back, and the two guards and jailers escorted Ace towards the gate, with Magellan and Wilder following behind.
"Warden Magellan, let's have a cup of tea in your office later," Kizaru's voice called from behind.
Magellan was momentarily taken aback, but then nodded. "Alright."
Wilder's eyes flickered, and he lowered his head, remaining silent.
He quickened his pace slightly, walking parallel to Ace, and glanced sideways at this legendary figure.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile always seemed to play on Ace's lightly freckled face, showing no sign of worry or anxiety about the impending prison life.
Perhaps sensing Wilder's gaze, Ace looked up at him.
Wilder responded with a smile, then looked away and continued walking.
Wilder had no particular feelings about Fire Fist Ace. As long as everything followed its destined course, that was all that mattered. Regardless, Ace was a pivotal figure, and it was best to avoid getting involved with him if possible. Otherwise... what was that effect called?
Wilder had no desire to flap his wings at the most unnecessary time and place. That would be foolish, and he never did anything foolish.
...
"Clang!" The heavy door of the Level Six cell in Eternal Hell slammed shut, imprisoning Fire Fist Ace.
Wilder stood alone outside the cell, unmoving for a long time. He didn't know what Admiral Kizaru and Magellan had discussed in the office, but he suspected it had something to do with that matter, the World Government's or Marine Headquarters' decision, the event that would soon ignite the entire world!
If that was the case, a heads-up was understandable... After all, the man would be taken away again soon.
"Nyehehehe... It's almost time," he murmured, turning and walking away.
Time flew by, and ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
Outside, the news of Fire Fist Ace's capture continued to spread, and the situation was escalating. And just as the world's attention was focused on this matter...
A piece of news was released from Marine Headquarters, instantly sending shockwaves throughout the world.
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