https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-686-The-Unassuming-World-s-Strongest/13474681/
Chapter 685: A Gamble? I Run a Casino!
Chapter 685: A Gamble? I Run a Casino!
"Abilities, huh?"
Magellan nodded at Tee's words and looked at him, saying, "I've heard about your reputation for hunting Power Holders. Follow me."
"Magellan!"
Hannibal glared at him.
"We are part of the World Government, Director Hannibal."
Magellan sighed, not elaborating further, and turned to enter the elevator.
Tee and Shiryu followed him into the elevator, ignoring Hannibal and maintaining their smiles as they descended from the entrance.
They finally emerged on the fifth floor, the freezing zone, and switched to an internal elevator, which took them to the sixth floor.
"Ha-ha-ha, it's been a while! This time, it's different from the last!"
As soon as Tee appeared on the sixth floor, he spread his arms and laughed at the prisoners in their cells before they could start heckling.
"Rejoice! You will have a second chance at life!"
The prisoners, after a brief silence, erupted into a cacophony of noise.
"It's you again!"
"Tee! Is that your name? Take me with you this time!"
"Tch! Did you already use up the ones you took last time?"
They all recognized Tee.
During the Impel Down uprising, he had personally come to the sixth floor to select people. Although he only took the strongest after they had fought each other, the rest were left unconscious or injured, and were re-imprisoned, unlike some of their 'predecessors' who had managed to escape during the chaos.
This time, encountering Tee again, some of them were naturally restless.
They wanted to leave, cursing and disbelieving Tee, or just looking for someone to vent their frustrations on. Such prisoners were plentiful.
Of course, there were also those who paid no attention to Tee, not even thinking about leaving, as the outside world no longer stirred their desires.
"Don't be in such a rush. This time, I don't need your loyalty."
Tee scanned the crowd and laughed, "I've established a Pirate Kingdom, one recognized by the World Government. I don't need your allegiance, just your willingness to join. After the battles, you will share in the spoils of the New World with me!"
"So, show me your ambition, your fighting spirit, and join my kingdom! Ha-ha-ha!"
"Hey, Blackbeard, you're not lying, right?"
"Captain Tee! Let me join! I just want to get out of here!"
"What captain? Now he's King Tee! The Pirate King recognized by the World Government, King Tee! King Blackbeard!"
The prisoners grew restless, grabbing the bars of their cells, their faces filled with fervor, shouting and stomping, creating a deafening din.
"Enough!"
Purple venom burst from Magellan's body, and the mere fumes of the poison caused the prisoners to change their expressions, retreating from the bars.
"You are still prisoners."
He glared at them, "As long as you are prisoners, I have the right to execute any troublemakers."
"Ha-ha-ha, don't worry, you all have a chance! Anyone who wants to join can come with me. I want as many of you as possible! Not just from the sixth floor, but from the entire Impel Down, it's all my recruiting ground!"
"Oh!!"
The prisoners let out even louder cheers, some even mocking Magellan.
The once formidable Magellan was now just talking, no longer willing to take action.
Tee laughed heartily, while Magellan remained silent, his clenched fists betraying his frustration.
This was different from a riot; this was about releasing all the prisoners to Tee.
However, the orders he had received were clear.
Although he had demoted himself to Deputy Director, the World Government still recognized Magellan more than Hannibal in terms of external affairs. After all, when it came to maintaining order, a powerful figure was needed.
Magellan had more information than Hannibal and felt powerless to disobey.
They read the news and listened to the newspapers. Tee had become a Pirate King, and he was even allowed to recruit from Impel Down, turning the entire prison into a source of soldiers.
Despite his doubts about why Blackbeard had received this honor, Magellan had no choice but to comply with the orders.
However, at least a few prisoners remained indifferent, which gave Magellan some relief.
These individuals may not have left before, but that didn't mean they were no longer dangerous.
"Fufufufu, joining you means becoming cannon fodder? Against Sagel? Even the sixth floor isn't enough!"
Just as the prisoners were celebrating, a wild laugh cut through the noise, startling everyone into silence.
Some prisoners were about to shout, but quickly realized the name 'Sagel' and took a step back in fear.
Sagel!
Worldslider!
"Hehehehe, of course not without conditions. If you want freedom, you have to pay the price! Can't you guys even bear this much?!"
Tee laughed carelessly and walked over to a cell, peering inside.
The cell was quite large, a solitary confinement room. There were several newspapers scattered around, and inside lay a single person. His waist and limbs were bound by chains, and he wore a pair of sunglasses, his mouth stretched into a wide grin.
"It's been a while, Doflamingo."
Tee extended his hand, his voice dripping with allure:
"Sagel has taken over your Donquixote, and it's thriving now. Are you really willing to give it up? Join us. Once we defeat Sagel, the New World will be ours. We can even propose a new Seven Warlords at the next meeting, not only bringing you back to your former glory but making you even stronger!"
Inside the cell was Doflamingo.
The sixth level of Impel Down had a hierarchy among its inmates.
The weaker ones were housed together, while the stronger ones had their own cells.
Not only were they separated by rank, but those in solitary confinement could make requests to Impel Down.
Food and information, among other minor things, could be provided to them, as long as their prison uniforms and living conditions remained unchanged.
For those who didn't resist but also didn't cooperate, yet held high status and formidable power, this was the only way to manage them.
Intimidation and punishment were ineffective against such individuals.
Especially for Doflamingo, who had been given special treatment from above.
The scattered newspapers were his requests.
Listening to Tee, Doflamingo's grin widened, "Defeat Sagel? If it were that easy, you wouldn't be the king, hahaha!"
He lifted his head, staring straight at Tee, "Listen up, Tee! I've seen Sagel. He's the most ambitious and the strongest man on the seas, surpassing even the Four Emperors! The so-called Emperors of the Seas are no match for him! No matter how many you send, the sixth level isn't absolute. Everyone here is a failure!"
No matter what, anyone who ended up in Impel Down was a failure in some way.
Even Sagel, when he first entered Impel Down, did so because of a failure. No excuses could change that; failure was failure.
"A bunch of losers trying to take down a man who has defeated three Emperors of the Seas and destroyed your stronghold, the last remaining Emperor of the Seas. Hahaha, it will be quite entertaining!"
"Hehe, my good partner is strong, I know that. But it's precisely because he's strong that it's worth killing him."
Tee's outstretched hand turned into a dark, smoky mass, "Don't you want to come out, Doflamingo? Wouldn't it be more interesting if you won?"
"If I wanted out, I could call Sagel. I'm not like you, Blackbeard."
Doflamingo laughed loudly, "I've never betrayed Sagel!"
His laughter shook his body, the chains clinking.
"It's getting more and more interesting! The Rebel Army, causing chaos in the name of ideals! The pirates, returning to the seas driven by desire! The World Government, with one of the Five Elders replaced! And the Marines, unable to control world security! Hahaha, the world!"
Doflamingo stretched out his hand, laughing aloud, "You've hit rock bottom. Even the Knights of God have started to move. What else will you send? Can that thing really be revealed to the world? Or is that weapon even less effective than Sagel? Hahaha!"
"Ah, you know a lot, Doflamingo."
The black smoke around Tee's hand dissipated, and he glanced at Doflamingo before continuing deeper into the facility.
Shiryu followed, asking, "Tee, if he refuses, what about his ability?"
"His ability is useless. Finding a new user won't help. That kind of power can't restrain that guy."
Tee sneered, "Sometimes, the strongest ability isn't the best. Suitability is key, and you know that best, Shiryu. The sixth level has the most Power Holders. I need to find the one who can best counter that guy. If one isn't enough, then I'll take several! With these once-feared individuals, we'll give it our all!"
A gamble!
Still a gamble.
Tee knew exactly how strong Sagel was, having faced the destruction Sagel could unleash.
But at the same time, Sagel, or rather Worldslider, had become synonymous with everything in the New World.
It didn't matter if he traded power with that person in the World Government. Winning was the only way to ensure a future. Otherwise, there would be no future, and the question of cost would be irrelevant.
After all, his goal has always been to establish a Pirate Kingdom and thereby gain control over the entire world.
Now, he has reached his goal, but the path to world domination is blocked by the biggest obstacle in history.
He has to take a gamble!
If he succeeds, he will be the King of Pirates, ruling over the seas without needing the One Piece. Once he discovers the secrets of the One Piece, he can conquer the world and become an unparalleled existence!
Now, with everything at his disposal from Impel Down, he must take this gamble. Otherwise, once he enters the Marine headquarters in the New World, it will be his end!
"Follow me! Those who are not afraid and want to challenge the strongest Pirate in the world, come with me! Defeat him, and everything in the New World will be under our rule!"
"Any island you want as your territory is yours. Any island will be yours, and you will legally and permanently rule over your territory. The Marines will no longer harass us, and we will be the greatest Pirate force, unbeatable by anyone! Ha, ha, hahahaha!"
"Oh!!"
The sixth level erupted in thunderous cheers.
Doflamingo's smile grew wider. He raised his head, his gaze meeting Magellan's, who stood motionless but clenched his fists. From Magellan's eyes, he saw intense anger.
...
Ohara, the Palace.
Lily, having received the latest intelligence, immediately reported to Sagel.
"Changes have occurred at Impel Down."
Lily's brows furrowed, her expression serious.
"Hmm?"
Sagel was looking out the window at the bustling city. It was already night, and the streets were lit with neon lights, bustling with people. The scene was lively and vibrant.
He enjoyed this view.
The more vibrant the city, the more he felt above it all.
This was his creation, and whenever he saw it, his insatiable desire would be momentarily satisfied.
"Do we still have people inside Impel Down? Who sent them in? Lucci?" Sagel asked, puzzled.
He wasn't very involved in the operations of his agents. He focused on internal and external affairs, and the Demon Race, who were responsible for eliminating World Government members. As long as he got results, he didn't care how they did it.
In short, certain information should be available before he encountered a problem. If he faced an issue without any intelligence, it meant the intelligence work was inadequate.
But he didn't expect them to be so resourceful, even sending people into Impel Down.
"No, the information from Impel Down—"
Lily continued, "—came from Doflamingo. He called Magellan, who then relayed the message to us. The informant is him."
"Doflamingo?"
Sagel paused, then smiled. "So, he's finally tired of being idle and wants to come out, huh?"
"Not yet, but I think it doesn't matter whether he comes out or not, because Impel Down is empty."
Lily explained, "Doflamingo reported that Tee personally arrived at Impel Down and took everyone out."
Sagel was stunned. "Everyone?"
"Yes, almost ninety percent. Only about ten percent of the prisoners remain in Impel Down. The rest were taken by Tee. Sagel, I believe they intend to engage us in a major battle."
Lily pondered, "Especially in the sixth level, where some particularly troublesome individuals, including several Power Holders, are held. Tee might be using this method to confront us. However, I see a flaw. The prisoners won't follow him out of loyalty, and this won't last long. If we hold off for a while and avoid this period, the prisoners will likely set sail on their own, and then we can—"
Strategically, Lily's thinking was sound. The chaotic nature of pirates meant that loyalty from being rescued wouldn't last long. Buggy, for example, had only managed to retain a third of the prisoners he freed from Impel Down, with the rest going their own way.
For Tee to leave ten percent of the prisoners behind was already impressive.
All they needed was to buy some time.
But before she could finish, Lily saw Sagel's sinister smile.
"Avoid him?"
Sagel clenched his fist. "Want to take a gamble? That's easy. I might not be lucky, but I'm the house, and the house never loses! I'll go all in! When he arrives, I'll sink the entire Marine headquarters along with it!"
(End of Chapter)
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