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The most important thing for Akira is to be able to communicate with Magellan and build a solid relationship along the way.
After all, Magellan is also the director of Impel Down.
In the feudal bureaucracy of the World Government, it's no exaggeration to say that the position of director can decide the fate of thousands.
Just as Akira holds an emperor-like position in the Marines, Magellan has similar authority in Impel Down.
In Impel Down, as long as Magellan gives an order, almost no one can defy it.
No matter what Akira plans to do in the future, he won't be able to avoid encountering obstacles from Magellan.
That's why it's important to foster a good relationship with him.
In the past, due to time constraints and his duties as a Marine Fleet Admiral, Akira didn't have much freedom. With his heavy responsibilities, he had to rely on Sakazuki to establish a good relationship with Magellan.
But now that the Great Pirate Era has ended, Akira has more time, and he can personally strengthen his bond with his colleagues.
The last and most important point is this!
Fighting side by side with Magellan and then capturing all the pirates to send back to Impel Down will definitely be more effective than capturing them alone.
There are three situations where friendships between men tend to deepen: the battlefield (fighting together), splitting spoils together, and sharing the rough times.
No need to elaborate on these three scenarios.
If Akira captures the pirates by himself, even Magellan and everyone in Impel Down would understand that catching notorious pirates like Shiki in a short time is no easy task.
But they really have no clue.
So, while there might be some gratitude, it's hard to gauge how much.
But with Magellan, it's different.
Think about it!
In the future, when Magellan talks about the arrest, whether actively or passively, he's bound to describe it to his subordinates.
And when men boast about their accomplishments, they often exaggerate.
The credibility of a difficult arrest, certified by the director himself, carries more weight than if Akira had said it himself.
At that point, even the wardens and jailers who have never met Akira would likely feel genuinely grateful towards him.
"Fleet Admiral Akira, do you know how far it is?"
Magellan's voice called out from not far away.
Akira glanced at the vivre card in his hand, shook his head, and said, "I don't know, but don't worry, they can't get far."
Though the vivre card points in the right direction, it doesn't give an exact distance.
Still, Akira wasn't too concerned.
Shiki had only just broken out of prison this morning. Even with the full use of his Float-Float Fruit abilities, there's no way he could have floated too far.
You have to understand, the speed of the Paw-Paw Fruit's ability is no joke.
From Akira's knowledge, of all the Devil Fruit abilities that have appeared in the world, none surpass its speed and endurance in terms of movement.
Magellan stopped talking after hearing Akira's reply.
He closed his eyes tightly, trying to suppress the trembling of his body.
But despite his effort, his trembling toes gave away his true feelings.
"Are you… afraid of heights?"
The two weren't far apart, so Akira quickly noticed Magellan's discomfort.
Akira raised the corners of his mouth slightly, holding back a smile as he asked.
"This… this is my first time flying in the air. I'm just not used to it," Magellan replied stiffly. As a strong man, he felt embarrassed to admit his fear of heights.
But at that moment, the once clear sky suddenly darkened.
Countless dark clouds gathered, and lightning crackled through the air.
A strong wind picked up out of nowhere, howling around them.
The weather on the Grand Line was known for its unpredictability, and Akira had long gotten used to it.
But for Magellan, who had spent most of his time in the depths of Impel Down, this was a different experience.
"F-Fleet Admiral Akira, do you, do you feel…"
"Ah… is this… is the bubble shaking?"
Magellan's body was completely stiff, too scared to move, and his trembling voice was filled with panic.
Akira:
'You're the director of Impel Down, don't scare yourself.'
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New World.
In a certain part of the sea.
A pirate ship with a burned flag floated slowly in mid-air.
The sound of a lively banquet—filled with singing and dancing—echoed through the sky from the deck.
"Ho ho ho… This is the taste of freedom. I've missed it dearly."
"Locked away in the barren hell of Impel Down, I never dreamed I'd actually escape one day."
"Boss Shiki, I have to say, to repay you for giving us a second chance at life, we'll help you become the new Pirate King!"
"From now on, you are our captain, the one to lead us."
Several powerful, rough-looking pirates raised their large mugs of alcohol, swearing their allegiance to Shiki, who sat on the captain's throne.
Shiki smiled as he watched the scene, raising his own drink.
These were men he had carefully selected from Eternal Hell, the most dangerous criminals.
To be honest, if it had only been Magellan guarding Impel Down without Akira's presence, Shiki wouldn't have taken the escape lightly.
So, after Shiki cut off his legs, he didn't choose to escape right away. Instead, he began recruiting crew members from within Impel Down.
Only those willing to follow him after their release were set free.
Shiki wasn't the type to show kindness by helping other powerful inmates who would likely resist his rule and become obstacles to his world domination.
After easily breaking out of the prison, they encountered an unlucky pirate ship along the way.
Without hesitation, Shiki discarded the small bit of debris he had been floating on and seized the ship.
The captain of the unlucky crew was killed on the spot, while the rest were spared to serve Shiki and his crew.
Now, Shiki's plan was to head for the New World to continue expanding his territory, replenishing the manpower and forces he lost during the Battle of Edd War.
However, as Shiki looked at his new crew, something crossed his mind, and he slammed the barrel he was holding onto the deck in anger.
"Rayleigh and Scopper Gaban… those two bastards! If it weren't for Roger's sake, I wouldn't have let them off so easily!"
Seeing their newly appointed captain suddenly fly into a rage, the lively atmosphere on the deck quieted down.
The seasoned pirates immediately understood the source of Shiki's anger.
"Boss Shiki, don't let it bother you. I don't think Dark King Rayleigh is that impressive anymore."
"You're right. A forced alliance doesn't work. Back in Eternal Hell, I could tell he didn't want to be a pirate anymore. Having someone like that on the crew would only slow us down."
"Once the Pirate King died, they lost their spirit."
"Governor, if you're still upset, how about we go back and mess with them a bit?"
"I'm in! We can't just repay a life-saving favor by owing them one."
"Exactly, we could even make them tell us the location of Raftel. It'd be a great way to settle the score using the treasure Roger left behind."
Hearing his crew's suggestions, a sharp gleam flashed in Shiki's eyes.