One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 294: Restlessness in Impel Down!

Beneath the deep sea, Prometheus rode the ocean currents, heading toward Fish-Man Island.

At the railing, Nia and Robin leaned forward, admiring the deep-sea scenery together. While Nia was simply enjoying the view, Robin was carefully observing the bizarre deep-sea fish.

From time to time, she would exclaim in surprise, then sigh and murmur things like "Kawaii~", leaving Nia occasionally glancing at her with a puzzled expression.

Not far from them, Claudius lounged in a sun chair, a newspaper in hand, scanning its contents with interest.

> "The second division captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, a position that has remained vacant for many years, has now been assumed by the previously unknown Marshall D. Teach."

> "According to the World Economy News Paper, Teach has been a veteran member of the Whitebeard Pirates, having joined Edward Newgate over twenty, nearly thirty years ago, earning the trust of the legendary pirate himself."

> "Teach, also known as 'Blackbeard,' previously had no bounty. However, as soon as he assumed the role of second division captain, Marine Headquarters promptly issued a bounty of 200 million berries on him."

> "In terms of bounty growth rate, Teach has skyrocketed from zero to 200 million in an instant. Yet, considering his years at sea, it has taken him nearly three decades to reach this point."

> "Currently, the extent of Marshall D. Teach's true strength remains unknown. However, based on our investigations, this once low-profile man possesses formidable power. The scar over the left eye of Red-Haired Shanks was left by Teach himself."

> "Not long ago, Teach clashed with Shanks once again on the island of Versailles. The battle also saw the involvement of Thunder God Enel, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."

> "The final outcome of the battle remains unclear. However, given that Teach has successfully claimed the position of the Whitebeard Pirates' second division captain, one conclusion can be drawn, he is a man who can retreat safely even after facing both Red-Haired Shanks and Thunder God Enel."

> "It is rumored that Marshall D. Teach possesses a Logia-type Devil Fruit—the Dark-Dark Fruit. While its full capabilities remain a mystery, Logia-type fruits are known for their immense power. Perhaps we can look forward to Teach's potential in this regard?"

> "With Teach filling the long-vacant role of division captain, Whitebeard's forces are now more unified and stronger than ever, reinforcing the belief that 'This is the Era of Whitebeard.'"

> "We eagerly anticipate Teach's future exploits, perhaps he will one day become a legend in his own right?"

The rest of the article contained follow-up speculations, various deductions, and even some trivial gossip about Teach such as rumors of him paying for information.

It was clear that the World Economy News Paper held Teach in very high regard.

"That damn bird-man Morgans... he always loves to stir up chaos." Claudius smirked.

That guy had a habit of hyping up people without hesitation.

First, he hyped Teach.

Then, in the future, he'd hype up another so-called "Fifth Emperor"—Luffy.

That nonsense made Kaido bash Luffy's head in.

Impel Down followed a dual-leadership system, governed by both the Chief Warden and the Vice Warden.

The Chief Warden, of course, was Magellan.

The Vice Warden? Shiryu.

Together, they formed the infamous Twin Walls of Impel Down, ensuring the prison's absolute security.

However, while they worked together, their relationship was far from good.

Magellan was a strict, upright man, while Shiryu was cruel and merciless.

The two despised each other.

Magellan believed Shiryu's methods were too excessive.

Shiryu believed prisoners had no rights, killing a few now and then would simply reduce the prison's food costs.

Though technically second in command, Shiryu still ranked below Magellan. Only if something happened to Magellan would Shiryu gain full control over Impel Down. Otherwise, he was merely an assistant.

And in terms of strength, Magellan was undeniably stronger. Shiryu's swordsmanship was powerful, but Magellan's Venom-Venom Fruit abilities were overwhelming. The few times they had clashed, Shiryu had always been the one to lose.

Lately, Shiryu could feel Magellan's patience wearing thin.

If things continued like this, sooner or later, Magellan would lock him up as a prisoner.

Shiryu tried to suppress his bloodthirsty urges, but for how long?

Gazing at the oppressive darkness of Impel Down, Shiryu felt a growing restlessness.

Even though he held a high position, wasn't this prison just another kind of cage?

"My sword is already hungry and thirsty." Shiryu exhaled a plume of smoke, whispering to himself.

His eyes then drifted toward a fresh newspaper on the desk.

With little entertainment in Impel Down, reading the news was one of his few pastimes.

Casually flipping it open, his gaze sharpened.

"Blackbeard... Marshall D. Teach?"