Chapter 151: The LV6 Melee (Seeking Subscriptions, Recommendation Votes, and Monthly Tickets!)

Buffon did not answer Garp, instead hurling a massive fireball, generated by the Explosion-Explosion Fruit, directly toward them.

Taking advantage of the chaos manufactured by Buffon, Absalom turned invisible once again. After retrieving the cell keys from Inazuma, he resumed the task of releasing Level 6 prisoners. Meanwhile, the rest of the group surged toward the entrance of Level 5.

Byrnn Welt, who had previously fought alongside them against the snow-horse, caught up as well. Rushing to Buffon's side, he said earnestly, "Buffon, take me with you! I want to join your crew!"

Hearing this, Buffon pondered the request inwardly.

Bandy World, captain of the World Pirates, was known as the Destroyer of the World. He was a man who, alongside Roger and Whitebeard, once struck fear into the hearts of the World Government and the Marines. Later, he was cornered by the Marines after being forced to attack a Celestial Dragon ship. Just as the battle was reaching a stalemate, he was double-crossed by Cipher Pol, the World Government's intelligence agency. This betrayal caused his own crew to turn against him and attack, leading him to believe that even the officers he trusted most had betrayed him. Ultimately, he was defeated by a combined force of Marines, pirates, and the World Government, and cast into Impel Down.

He was one of the rare pirates who did not needlessly terrorize civilians; had he been a truly heinous fiend, Buffon would not have considered him for even a second.

With this in mind, Buffon posed a question: "Do you still trust your comrades now?"

Without a moment of hesitation, World replied, "I had given up on trusting anyone, but your actions today have made me decide to trust once more."

Buffon continued, "My hostility toward the World Government has already reached a point of no return. Are you certain you want to come with us?"

World answered with unshakeable resolve, "Before I was captured, my goal was to overthrow the World Government. Since we share a common enemy, let us destroy everything that stands in our way together."

Buffon nodded and said seriously, "Very well! Use your ability to destroy the elevator first!"

Moriah had already resolved to follow Buffon's lead unconditionally from this point onward, harbouring not a single doubt about his decisions—especially not when a powerhouse of this caliber was joining their ranks.

Receiving the order without further ado, World casually picked up an axe and unleashed his "Momo 100-Times Cut," magnifying the axe's size a hundredfold while boosting the speed of his slash by the exact same margin. He swung it fiercely toward the elevator.

The attack came so abruptly that the Marines had no time to react, and the elevator was utterly destroyed in an instant. Furthermore, the other newly freed pirates began to launch their counterattacks.

This was precisely the scenario Garp and the others dreaded most!

If Buffon managed to escape using this opportunity, let alone taking several Level 6 prisoners with him, this entire operation would be deemed an absolute and utter failure.

Among the liberated pirates, the most headache-inducing of all was Douglas Bullet. Imprisoned in Impel Down for over twenty years, he had spent the last two decades quietly honing his strength within the Level 6 confines while maintaining a state of extreme mental concentration.

His previous ambition had been to surpass Roger. During his incarceration, he had constantly pondered how to achieve that goal, eventually resolving to become the strongest Pirate King in the world—surpassing Roger by slaying every single powerhouse, including the Four Emperors and Marine Admirals. Only through such slaughter could he prove his supremacy over Roger.

Previously, the Marines had launched a Buster Call against him, deploying both Garp and Sengoku. Although Bullet engaged the Marines in a legendary battle, fatigue gradually accumulated. Just as his stamina was nearly exhausted by the relentless onslaught of the Buster Call, the very pirates he had previously defeated launched a surprise assault, ultimately leading to his defeat and imprisonment in Impel Down.

Now that he had broken free and his old enemies were right before his eyes, a monumental clash was inevitable.

Garp unclasped the sea-stone handcuffs from Aokiji's wrists, issued a brief instruction, and charged forward with his fists raised to engage Bullet in combat.

Magellan was now consumed by a towering rage. In all his years ruling over Impel Down, such a catastrophic situation had never once occurred. The venom surging across his body flared up violently once more, and his giant venomous specter materialized behind him, lunging to attack the escaped prisoners.

Meanwhile, Aokiji and Donquixote's former associate—now Marine candidate—Chaton teamed up and gave chase toward the Level 5 exit.

Bullet utilized the powers of the Fusion-Fusion Fruit, fusing the objects he touched with his own body to enter a miniaturized "Bullet" state as he clashed with Garp.

After all, Garp was advancing in age, and his physical condition had inevitably declined, whereas Bullet, who had spent years cultivating his strength in Level 6, was currently at the absolute peak of his prime.

After exchanging several blows, Garp showed faint signs of falling behind.

Yet at that very moment, a swirling vortex of sand whipped up across the battlefield, and Crocodile materialized!

He first turned the ground beneath into sand before unleashing a Desert Spada toward Bullet, speaking with his trademark detachment, "Bullet, the score we failed to settle back then, let us finish it all today!"

Discarded by Buffon in Level 6, Donquixote Doflamingo struggled painfully to his feet. Surveying the chaotic depths of Level 6, a profound sense of vexation churned within him.

Everything had originally gone according to his meticulous plans, but he had never anticipated that Buffon's strength would be so monstrously out of proportion, completely derailing all his deployments.

At that moment, a man with a buzz cut, sunglasses, and a checkered overcoat appeared. Amidst the chaos, he used a key to unlock the sea-stone cuffs from Doflamingo's wrists, then murmured in a low voice, "Young Master, I am late!"

Facing the spy he had planted deep within the Marines, Doflamingo did not fly into a rage. Instead, he said grimly, "Pursue them. Even if we fail to capture that Buffon, we cannot let Moriah escape. If we lose even this bargaining chip, we will have no leverage left in our hands."

With those words, the two men rose and prepared to give chase.

However, right then, Doflamingo noticed something amiss with the leg injury Buffon had supposedly healed.

Taking a couple of steps, he let out a roar imbued with abyssal fury, "Buffon, you wretched scum! I swear I will make you experience a fate worse than death!"

He then activated his Sky Walk to pursue the fleeing group toward Level 5, though his pace lacked its former agility. After all, with five centimeters of his shin bone neatly excised by Buffon, he was now an unadulterated cripple!

...

After plunging into Level 5, Buffon's group ran while discussing countermeasures.

Absalom, who had lagged behind during his impromptu rescue mission, finally caught up. He reported to Buffon, "I didn't manage to release everyone, but I believe it's enough to keep them tied down."

Hearing this, Buffon began calculating in his mind.

As long as those heavy hitters were delayed, the remaining prison guards were entirely negligible. Provided no high-ranking Marine powerhouses were guarding the surface waters, they wouldn't even need the thousand-year dragon to show up; they could simply hijack a marine battleship and sail away.

Just then, a sudden wall of ice materialized to block the group's path. Aokiji, Chaton, and Vergo emerged in hot pursuit.

The sight of Vergo sent a wave of unease through Buffon. Why was this fellow abandoning his post at G5 and running all the way down here?

Furthermore, Vergo's true identity was Doflamingo's highest-ranking executive!

Since he had shown up, Buffon had no way of knowing whether it was part of Doflamingo's long-laid scheme or merely a coincidence.

If it were a mere coincidence, it would be manageable, but if it had been plotted in advance, extreme caution was warranted.

Buffon called out to World beside him, "Chaton is yours!"

World nodded, picked up an axe at random, and charged forward. Meanwhile, before Buffon could even react, Baggio hurled himself straight at Vergo!

As for Buffon, he squared off against Aokiji!

This was their third encounter. The first time, Buffon had been nothing more than a nameless nobody in Aokiji's eyes.

The second time, Buffon had leveraged the environmental advantage of mermaid strength in the sea to thoroughly infuriate both Aokiji and Kizaru.

Yet this third time, down in the freezing hell of Level 5, they were essentially fighting on Aokiji's home turf.

Buffon knew this direct confrontation would not be easily resolved.

Just as Buffon prepared to strike, Aokiji spoke first, "I want to thank you regarding Saul and Robin!"

"You are a Marine, and I am a pirate—there is no need for pleasantries!" Buffon was in no rush to attack. The overall balance of forces still favored his side slightly; though he didn't know exactly who Absalom had released on Level 6, the commotion suggested Garp and Magellan couldn't break away to pursue them anytime soon. As for the snow-horse, Buffon had never feared it to begin with.

"This is out of my own personal gratitude! What the World Government did back then..."

Hearing this, Buffon cut him off directly, "If you want to express gratitude, show me something tangible. If you can't let us pass, save your breath."

"Marine justice shifts according to one's stance—just like how you murdered a Celestial Dragon and raised havoc at Enies Lobby..."

Buffon genuinely had no desire to listen further and hurled a fireball to interrupt Aokiji's words.

After using an ice shield to deflect the blast, Aokiji pressed on, "Do not struggle in vain. Even if you manage to escape to the first level, others are waiting there to guard it. If you and Moriah willingly stay behind, I give you my word that I will spare your comrades on Long Ring Long Land."

This declaration gave Buffon a momentary pause.

One of the primary reasons he had chosen Long Ring Long Land as their headquarters was its sparse population, making it difficult for the Marines to detect them during the early stages.

Yet judging by Aokiji's words, the Marines had already found out—though whether Aokiji had officially reported it remained uncertain.

None of that mattered, however. Taking Moriah and returning to the island themselves was the only foolproof way to protect it; any promises from outsiders were nothing more than empty checks.

Especially when made by a Marine!

Buffon raised his left leg high and unleashed his "Goalkeeper Special: Long-Range Clearance," kicking a dark crescent slash wave straight toward Aokiji.

At the same time, his body followed right behind the shockwave, charging fiercely at the former admiral.

Against a Logia-class powerhouse like Aokiji who had mastered Observation Haki, ranged attacks served little purpose beyond mere distraction. Only by utilizing Armament Haki to capture the opponent's true physical form could one land an effective blow. Moreover, this was the frigid hell of Level 5—a veritable home court for Aokiji, where everything around them could be weaponized against him!

Unlike other environments where temperature fluctuations telegraphed his attacks, Aokiji's ice-属性 strikes could seamlessly blend into the local climate and terrain for flawless concealment.

Therefore, Buffon did not pin his hopes of victory on any single Devil Fruit ability!

Aokiji clearly saw through Buffon's intent and knew that Buffon possessed Armament Haki, so he had no intention of letting Buffon close the distance easily.

Gathering intense cold into his right arm, Aokiji unleashed his "Partisan," launching a massive ice bird straight at Buffon.

While the two engaged in combat and the other three intercepted the pursuers, the rest of the group remained far from idle.

Inazuma and Moriah teamed up to demolish the ice walls blocking their path, while Belo Betty used the power of the Cheer-Cheer Fruit to buff the trio.

As for Bon Clay, he broke away from the main force to act on his own initiative.