Saiyans on the Grandline
"Koby, you got her?" Garp questioned, barging into his office to where Koby and Eri were, with Eri in her clothes again.
"I did. But we had a run in with some trouble." Koby said.
"What are you talking about?"
"The man who used her in his experiments." Koby stated. "I don't know how, but he's here. On our world."
"That's impossible."
"No it's not." Eri said. "Quirks come in many different shapes and abilities. It's not impossible to believe, that there's a Quirk that allows for intergalactic travel on my world, and Overhaul used it to make his way here. He must have recruited someone like that into his organization."
"Then the only question remaining, is how he knew where to look for you." Garp said.
"He shouldn't have. Papa said, that the media would have most likely considered us dead after the explosion detonated." Eri stated.
"Then there must have been something that alerted him, or someone else working with him, to the fact you're still alive and not dead, just gone on another planet." Garp stated. "Still, we need to prepare for a fight to break out if he attacks."
"The only one who can actually fight him, is not here." Eri said.
~Impel Down~
"Damn, Hancock did a better job then I thought. Luffy's probably already down to level 2 or 3 by now." Kaen said, running down the stairs leading to level 1 of Impel Down, past the cells, looking at the burning Vivre card in his hand. "This piece of the card should be leading me to either Luffy, or Ace. Either way, we'll meet up eventually. An' since I was stronger then the guards expected, I gave them a taste of their own medicine with that boiling bath. They're probably nothing but bones in a human flesh stew at this point with how hot that water was."
Before Kaen could say, or do anything else, his ears began to ring with the sound of an alarm blaring out all throughout the prison.
"Damn it, did Luffy get caught? Or did one of the prisoners try to escape?" Kaen questioned, picking up the pace. "Damn it Luffy, where the hell are ya?"
"Kaen, down here."
Kaen looked up from the Vivre card, and saw Luffy standing in front of a set of wooden doors.
"Luffy, there you are." Kaen said, stopping at the base of the stairs. "What are you still doing here? Are you trying to get caught? I doubt Ace would be too happy about that happening you know."
"I can't get through the doors. It seems the metal is either made of Sea Prism Stone, or lined with it." Luffy said. "So I can't use my powers to open it."
"Hold on, I hear something." Kaen said, as the sound of multiple sets of footsteps reached their ears. Grabbing Luffy, Kaen flew into the air, keeping them both out of sight as the prison guards came down the same stairwell that they came through.
"Alright men, we're looking for Prisoner 8,200." The leader of the squadron said.
"What, that stupid clown?" One of the guards questioned as they reached the door, none of them aware of the duo above them.
"No one knew he had Devil Fruit powers. You got the handcuffs?" One of the guards asked as the doors opened.
"Yeah we're good. Let's move. Spread out and flank him."
Without making a sound, Kaen flew himself and Luffy through the doors before they could be shut, and landed up in the rafters.
"Cool, we made it in." Luffy said.
"Hurry." One of the guards down bellow said.
"Wonder what's up."
"Most likely they're hunting a prisoner trying to escape." Kaen said, as they jumped down to one of the pathways when the coast was clear. "From the way they were talking, it was safe to assume, none of them knew this guy has Devil Fruit abilities like you, Brook, Chopper, or Robin."
"So all of these are prison cells?" Luffy asked.
"Weirdest prison I've ever seen. Not even Tartarus Prison is this Topsy Turvy, and it's the most secured prison on earth. Probably designed this way, to keep prisoners from having an easy time escaping." Kaen stated, before the sound of someone screaming could be heard.
"What's that?"
"Sounds like a prisoner." Kaen said. "Maybe they managed to corner and capture the attempted escapee."
"Well, either way we don't have time for that. Let's get moving." Luffy said.
"Right."
Kaen took to the air, flying overhead as Luffy ran up from behind, following his lead, all the while Kaen was trying real hard to ignore the scream echoing in his ears.
"Kaen." Luffy called to him. "I know you're fighting back your nature to go and help whoever's crying out. But you have to remember where we are, and why we're here."
"I know. I keep reminding myself every time that person screams." Kaen said. "If all this stuff is what they do to their male prisoners, then I'd hate to see what they do to their female prisoners."
"Try not to think about it." Luffy stated as they took a hard left. "That's an order from your Captain."
"Have mercy on me." The voice cried out.
"Sounds like it's getting closer, and we just missed the situation." Kaen said.
"Sounds like it." Luffy agreed.
"Watch out." Kaen cried out, grabbing Luffy and flying straight ahead to avoid the falling death traps.
"Kaen." Luffy said, as spears began to protrude from the wall.
"I see them." Kaen said, bobbing and weaving out of there while, some of the spears grazed his body.
"You okay?" Luffy asked as they made it through.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't have any Senzu Beans though, so I'm a little screwed at the moment." Kaen said.
"Why'd the traps go off?" Luffy questioned.
"Hey, traps activated over there, surround the hallway." One of the guards called out from around the corner.
"We gotta book it and hide." Kaen said, grabbing Luffy and flying down the open passage.
"Halt." One of the guards ordered, spotting the two of them as Kaen flew away.
Grabbing the giant chains as he flew past them, Kaen pulled down on one side, opening a trap door just as the guards set foot on it, before lowering both himself and Luffy to the ground bellow, and dropped him on his feet.
"They're gone. That was lucky." Luffy said.
"Not luck. I had a feeling that chain did something, but I wasn't expecting a trap door to be the outcome." Kaen said, flying over Luffy.
"Then how'd you know it wouldn't destroy the entire prison?" Luffy asked as he ran.
"Something like that, would normally be kept in a secured place, like the control room, or the Warden's office. No way they'd just leave it randomly lying around for an escapee to pull on." Kaen explained.
"Huh, good point." Luffy said.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey."
Kaen and Luffy both stopped as one of the prisoners called to them from his cell.
"Buddy slow down, hold on a second." The man said.
"We're kinda busy here." Kaen stated.
"Yeah, that's what it looks like, but how the hell did you get out of your cells?" The prisoner asked as a crowd began to form around him, with others from multiple cells coming to see the commotion.
"We didn't get out. We came in from the outside." Luffy said. "Bye."
"Hey hold up, there's no way that's the truth."
"It actually is the truth." Kaen said.
"You don't look like a jailer. So who are you and why the hell are you here?"
"They're not behind bars, so maybe it's true."
"You guys have some really bad attitudes." Luffy said.
"Wait a sec, do any of you know where we can find Portgas D. Ace, and Mina Ashido?" Kaen asked.
"Wait Ace, you mean him, Fire Fist Ace from the Whitebeard Pirates?" One of the prisoners asked.
"An', Ashido? The Saiyan woman brought through here a while back? The two on death row?"
"That's them, we came here to bust them out of this place." Luffy stated, making them laugh.
"Yeah, good luck with that."
"We don't get a lot of info down here, but I heard they brought him in around the same time as the Saiyan woman quite recently."
"If that is true, then they've gotta be on level five. No way you're getting down there though. You're screwed dudes. That's the floor, where they hold all the prisoners with a bounty of a hundred million or more."
"Level five huh?" Luffy pondered.
"Oh and by the way you two, while you're here do you think you can run to the Jailer's room and pick us up some keys?"
"Depends." Kaen said. "What are your crimes?"
"Come on, this has got to be destiny man, I mean come on, what else would bring us together like this?"
"Destiny?" Kaen asked, his aura flaring up like white flames around him. "The only reason we're here, is for my wife, and his brother. So don't go spouting that Destiny crap like it's some sort of good luck karma coming your way."
"Uh Kaen…" Luffy said, tapping his arm. "What are those things?"
Dousing his flames of aura, Kaen looked to where Luffy was pointing, and saw a blue haired red clown nosed prisoner, running towards them, with four monstrously big blue creatures running after him.
"I'd have to say, security beasts." Kaen said.
"The Blugori." One of the prisoners called out as they all became very scared.
"I don't like 'em." Luffy said, as Kaen stepped past him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Run away from them, hurry they're gonna kill you both." One of the prisoners stated.
"Wait, hold on check out his back." Another said. "That's the Whitebeard Jolly Roger."
"Hey you." Kaen called out to the clown, as he raised his hands spread to the sides, and pressed his wrists together as he pointed them forward. "GET DOWN."
"Wait, hold on." The clown said in a panic.
"Arctic Tremor Aftershock." Kaen cried out, sending a green and blue Ki blast in the direction of the Blugori, just as the clown split into pieces, and evaded the attack.
The Ki blast reached the Blugori, and shrunk to the size of a marble, before going off in an explosion, hitting the Blugori with a massive attack that froze them in ice, while more then one of them dropped their battle axes.
The prisoners just looked in shock, as the glacier of ice that formed, had enveloped not just the Blugori, but had also reached up past multiple levels of the floor, and stretched along the path back a fair ways away to the doors reaching the stairwell.
"He… he really is from the Whitebeard Pirates." One of the prisoners said, as the clown just looked at the glacier in shock.
"What was that?" Luffy asked stars in his eyes. "A new move?"
"Yeah, one I had been working on for a few days. Still needs a bit of tweaking with the amount I put into it, but I utilized my ice to be incorporated into the attack, as you can plainly see." Kaen explained, rotating his shoulder, as if it were a bit stiff from the recoil of the shot.
"What kind of Devil Fruit did you eat to become that strong?" The clown questioned, turning around to look at Kaen, before freezing as he saw the Jolly Roger on his back.
"I ate no such fruit." Kaen said, looking over his shoulder to the clown. "For I am a proud Saiyan Warrior."
"A… a Saiyan?" The clown questioned, before seeing who was behind him. "Straw Hat? What the hell are you doing here?"
Luffy just looked at the clown confused, as if trying to remember something, but came up with nothing.
"Do I know you?" Luffy asked, before he remembered, and said in a sardonic tone. "Oh, Buggy."
"As in the clown pirate who tried to murder you at Loguetown?" Kaen asked.
"Ah, thanks for reminding me why I hate you." Buggy said. "I see prison hasn't made you any less annoying. Speaking of, guess that King of the Pirates thing, ain't working out too well."
"We came here on our own, only dumb people like you get caught and thrown in jail." Luffy stated.
"Say what?" Buggy asked, completely shocked. "You threw yourselves in jail, and you're calling me the dumb one?"
"We're here to save his brother Ace, and my wife Mina." Kaen said, picking his ear with his pinkie. "So don't go getting the wrong idea about a rescue for you. I honestly couldn't care less if you were to rot away in your cell for all eternity."
"Anyways, what were those things chasing you?" Luffy asked.
"Sea monkeys, blue gorillas they're called, or Blugori for short." Buggy explained.
"That better be the last of them. We don't have the time to mess around." Kaen said.
"Why did you two come in here anyway?"
"Weren't you listening? We came here to rescue his brother, Portgas D. Ace, and my wife, Mina Ashido." Kaen stated, before something in his pocket began to go off. "Hold on a sec." He said, pulling out his Scouter Glasses, and putting them on. "This is Kaen."
"Kaen. It's Hancock." Boa said. "I'm back in my room on the ship, so it's safe for me to talk to you right now."
"I knew it was a good idea to give you one of the spare Scouters I had on me. What's up?" Kaen asked. "Are Ace and Mina okay?"
"They're both a little beaten up, but otherwise alive. However…" Hancock paused, taking in a deep breath in preparation to tell him what she'd learned. "Mina is pregnant."
That news caused Kaen to stiffen his back, and for his eyes to widen, as he wasn't expecting that sort of news to reach his ear.
"I didn't want to tell you, but I thought you might want to know, so that the urgency of the situation is more dyer then we thought." Hancock said.
"Understood." Kaen said, gripping his fist tight. "Thanks for letting me know." He turned off, and put away his Scouter Shades after that, his fist remaining clenched.
"Kaen, what's wrong? What did Hancock tell you?" Luffy asked.
"She met with Mina and Ace." Kaen said. "She says they're alive, just a little banged up."
"That's great. We still have a chance to save them." Luffy said.
"Not quite." Kaen said, turning to look at him, revealing his eyes were a golden ember, with the red shadow trim. "The mission has changed. We're not just saving their lives."
"What do you mean?" Luffy asked.
"We're also saving the life of my child, that Mina carries within her." Kaen said.
"You mean…?" Luffy began. "No, the Marines wouldn't… they couldn't condone the death of an unborn child, would they?"
"Okay, I might be a bloodthirsty pirate, but even I think executing a baby yet to be born is crossing a line." Buggy stated. "An' the Marines call us monsters?"
"We gotta get there now." Luffy said. "Kaen, can't you just blast through the floors?"
"I can't. I don't know the building's structural design so I might end up killing all of us instead of rescuing Mina and Ace, if I were to do that." Kaen said. "Not to mention, given how big this place is, it'd take more power then I currently have to do so."
"Alright, it's back to Plan-A then." Luffy said.
"Buggy, I'll make you a deal." Kaen said. "If you lead us to Level5, I won't stop you from escaping."
Buggy just looked at Kaen, before sighing.
"I was once part of Rogers crew, and during that time I only met one other Saiyan with an attitude and heart like yours." Buggy stated. "Fine, you've got yourself a deal. However, I think that Level6 is where Ace and Ashido are most likely being held, not Level5. But the most I can take you is Level4, I've never been beyond that level myself."
"That sounds fair enough." Kaen said.
"However, I want something else in exchange as well." Buggy said, before pointing at Luffy and the armlet he was wearing. "I want that armlet."
"No way, it's a gift from Nami." Luffy stated. "Wait hold on, did you say you'd lead the way to Ace and Mina in exchange for it?"
"That right. An' with that Armlet I'll finally be able to find Captain John's legendary lost treasure." Buggy said, before he slapped his mouth shut.
"So it's a treasure map huh?" Kaen asked as Luffy held it out to him.
"Might wanna take it now, in case I forget later."
"Very well."
"Wait… you're just giving it to me, just like that?" Buggy asked.
"Yeah, a treasure hunt is cool and all, but Ace and Mina are far more important then a treasure hunt." Luffy stated.
"But… if I take it now, then what's to stop me from just ditching you two and leaving you behind while I escape?" Buggy asked.
"Me." Kaen said. "I can track your Ki, and make you regret it in an instant, if you decide to betray us."
"Fair enough." Buggy said, taking the armlet.
"Alright, now lead the way." Kaen stated.
"I know of a shortcut that we can take. It's dangerous, but if you're able to fly like Yamoshi, then we might have a shot." Buggy said.
"Where would we be heading?" Kaen asked.
"Follow me." Buggy stated, as they began running through the corridors.
~Marineford~
Sengoku sat at his desk, looking through his paperwork while he hosted two guests within his office. He wasn't too interested in why they were here, but he couldn't deny the offer they made him as they sipped at their tea and munched on their snacks. It was another few minutes of silence, before a knocking at the door came in.
"Yes?" Sengoku asked, before the door slid open.
"It's me sir." Garp said.
"Come in." Sengoku stated, as the man stepped in with Eri coming in close behind with Koby and Helmeppo escorting them.
"What did you want to talk to me about sir?" Garp asked.
"I wanted to talk to you about the upcoming battle, and I wanted to introduce you to a couple of new allies of ours." Sengoku said. "Garp, I'd like for you to meet Kai Chisaki, and Celeron."
Garp turned to where Garp direction him, and there sat Chisaki, along with a beast like creature with a large muscle bound body, tar black skin, and red marking on his arms and torso. Two large, bone horns emerging from the top of his head and went along the length of his hair. Long white spikes protrude from his shoulders, elbows, back, and knees. (Basically a Nomu version of Omega Shenron.)
"Greetings." Overhaul said. "It's nice to meet you, I hope Eri hasn't been causing you too much trouble."
Garp just gave Overhaul a look of annoyance, but knew he had to keep his emotions in check.
"She hasn't. We had a bit of a mishap this morning with her disappearing act, but she's been well behaved otherwise." Garp said.
"Chisaki is Eri's actual father." Sengoku said. "Apparently Kaen, the Saiyan who Eri calls her father, kidnapped her during one of the child's runaway sessions, and infected her with Stockholm Syndrome, and made her think Chisaki was the villain."
"He is." Eri said, poking her head out from behind Garp. "Papa saved me from Overhaul. I am Eri Yagi now."
"The scars on her arms suggest some sort of medical blade was used on her to cause them." Koby said.
"Eri is a bit of an accident prone child. I'm a licensed medical physician, and she liked to get into my medical equipment kit." Overhaul stated.
"Alright, say we believe you about that. We still have a few things we'd like to know." Helmeppo said. "For instance, how did you know which world Eri was on, and how did you get here?"
"I figured you'd ask that." Celeron said. "I'm sure you're familiar with my brother by now, Kaen Yagi, the Saiyan of the Straw Hats?"
"He's my papa." Eri stated.
"We're familiar with him. He killed three of the Celestial Dragons on Sabaody Archipelago." Garp said. "I'm surprised someone as strong as him, would even follow the orders of someone like my grandson."
"My little brother's never been picky about who he gets his orders from." Celeron stated. "In fact, he once took orders from a villain who went by the name of his Quirk All-for-One."
"We're familiar to some extent, thanks to Eri telling us about Quirks, and how your brother and sister got their Quirks. Are you telling us it was the other way around?" Sengoku asked.
"That is exactly what we're saying." Overhaul stated. "But we're getting off topic."
"True." Celeron agreed. "Now, while I myself have a multitude of Quirks, I'm a Saiyan as well, and tricked the same Villain into giving me a copy of his Quirk. I, like the rest of my family had thought Kaen, Eri, and Ashido had perished in an explosion that had destroyed part of our home. However, about little over a week ago, I felt his power, and I felt it surge with a fiery passion. I make a living as being Chisaki's assistant, removing patients Quirks for their own safety until their procedures and operations are over. So the moment I told him about this phenomenon, we cleared our schedules, and took my flying fortress, a remnant of my home world, to this planet where Kaen's energy had spiked from."
"Little over a week ago… that was when he killed the Celestial Dragons." Garp said.
"That was when one of them shot me." Eri exclaimed.
"Mmm, well my little brother has always been fond of children and being a hero to them." Celeron said putting his tea down. "Unfortunately, he suffers from Dual Identity Disorder, so it's hard to tell who's in control at most times."
"Well what caused the D.I.D?" Koby asked.
"He devoured one of his siblings in the womb." Celeron said. "Not only did it cause Chimerism to develop in his body, but his mind played host to two souls, and Pinach was still alive, just as a remnant of himself, and as a piece of Kaen, with the ability to take over at any moment."
'He's not aware that Papa and Uncle Pinach are no longer like that. This could play in my favor.' Eri thought.
"So what brings you here today? Surely you're not here to take Eri back right away, are you?" Garp inquired.
"Sengoku was kind enough to arrange for an agreement to be made between the three of us." Overhaul stated. "Celeron and I are both powerful assets to your team, but as you've now heard both sides to the story of Eri's change in guardianship, he's wanting some proof to my dedication to her reformation and return to my care."
"In exchange for Eri, he has to prove himself by fighting alongside us when Whitebeard attacks. When he and Celeron have proven themselves as allies to justice, custody will be returned to him, then and only then when the war has ended and he's proven himself to be a dedicated father." Sengoku stated.
"What I'll get in return for this, is a chance to bring Kaen and Mina home, and have them face our world's judicial system to pay for their crimes, while reforming them to be able to live in society, the right way." Celeron stated.
"Hmm…" Garp was skeptical about these two. He had a talent for weeding out liars and deceivers among his ranks, and these two were practically made of deception and lies. The only truths he could find, were when they spoke about Celeron feeling Kaen's power, and bringing Overhaul on a flying fortress.
"I've arranged for them to stay at the local inn on Marineford. Unfortunately I can't spare any Marines to guide them there as we are preparing for a war." Sengoku said.
"I understand. Celeron and I can find our own way." Overhaul stated as they got up from the couch. "I'm eagerly awaiting the day when I can be reunited with Eri."
"We'll depart now." Celeron said, leaving with Overhaul.
With the duo gone, Garp turned to Helmeppo and Koby, motioning his head to tail those two, but to keep their distance, to which the duo acknowledged and left without a sound.
"What's your take on them?" Sengoku asked as Eri sat on the couch.
"I don't trust those two." Garp said. "The only truth I could tell they spoke, was how they got here, and how they found out Eri's still alive."
"Agreed." Sengoku said. "It's clear that they are underestimating us. But we have to be weary of them as well. Chisaki's power is like nothing I've ever seen before. He can deconstruct and reconstruct anything he touches with his hands."
"He can't if he doesn't know the composition of what he wants to destroy first." Eri said.
"So his power has limits." Sengoku acknowledged. "An' Celeron doesn't want to reform Kaen and Mina. He wants them for himself to do unspeakable things to."
"Try not to mention those things in front of Eri." Garp said.
"Is there something else you need?" Sengoku asked.
"I need your book on Zoan Type Devil Fruits." Garp stated. "Seem Eri had one in her bag, and used it to escape earlier."
"I see." Sengoku said, pulling the book from his desk and handing it to Garp. "You're needing her to identify the fruit she ate, correct? That should be simple enough."
"Alright Eri, look through this book, and try to identify the Devil Fruit you ate." Garp said, opening the book for her.
Taking the book, Eri was hesitant about looking through it, but seeing as Garp and Sengoku just defended her, and bought time for her to figure out a way to escape from Marineford and get away from Overhaul, she figured this was the least she could do.
"Let's see." Eri said, flipping through the pages.
The longer she looked, the more concerned Garp grew about how deep she was going into the book. If it had been a normal Zoan Type, then there wouldn't be an issue, but if it had been an ancient, or even an extremely rare Mythical Zoan Type, then there might be a problem on their hands. His fears were confirmed when she reached the mythical section of the book, and since the list only comprised the space of two pages side by side, Eri was able to identify it easily.
"This one." Eri said, pointing at the image of the grapes she ate.
"Which one?" Garp asked looking down, before his eyes widened in shock. "No, why'd it have to be that one?"
"What Devil Fruit did she eat Garp?" Sengoku asked.
"She ate the Tora-Tora Fruit." Garp stated.
"THE WHAT?" Sengoku questioned.
"The Tiger-Tiger Fruit?" Eri asked.
"It's not that simple kiddo." Garp sighed. "The Tora-Tora Fruit, is a rare and extremely valuable Mythical Zoan Type Devil Fruit. Its power isn't even fully recorded."
"According to what we do know, it utilizes the power of all five elemental tigers from mythology, allowing for the one who ate the fruit to harness that power through the flow and motion of martial arts." Sengoku said. "Each element has a specific fighting style connected to it. But that martial art, varies on the person who ate the fruit, and it's hard to tell which element you'll be able to control first, even more so how to tell which element you're in control of at the moment. Each user of the Tora-Tora Fruit had a different tell. For some, their hair changed to match the color representing the element they switched to, for others it was their teeth, their nose, even their tongue."
"Where did you even find that Devil Fruit?" Garp asked.
"On Thriller Bark." Eri said. "A skeleton was holding the chest tightly when I tripped over it. I had hurt my ankle, but kept the fruit."
"This complicates things a whole lot more." Sengoku said. "Once I alert the higher ups about this new development, they'll want to do something about this right away."
"Hold on, I've seen the box the Devil Fruit was in. There's no way it could fit in something the size of a fanny pack." Garp said.
"My bag is made of leather, and my Aunt Athena figured out how to infuse a Quirk into leather, so long as it's actual leather made from animal hide." Eri said. "She made my bag with a Quirk that allows for it to be bigger on the inside then it looks."
"You're being awfully cooperative all of a sudden." Garp stated.
"Don't get used to it. I'm only cooperating as a thank you to Koby for saving me from Overhaul earlier." Eri exclaimed.
"Overhaul?" Sengoku asked.
"It's the name of Chisaki's Quirk." Eri stated. "He took after the villain who Celeron has the Quirk of and started going by the name of his."
"That's troubling." Sengoku said getting up. "But this changes nothing. The execution of Fire Fist Ace, and the Saiyan woman, shall proceed as planned."
"You won't win." Eri stated.
"Excuse me?" Sengoku asked.
"You won't win." Eri repeated.
"An' what makes you so sure?" The Fleet Admiral inquired.
"Because my Papa, is the son of All Might, the #1Hero of our home world, and he carries the same pride and strength as Grandpa All Might." Eri said. "An' like my Grandpa, my Papa won't quit, until he's saved the day."
~Impel Down~
"Damn it Luffy, what the hell were you thinking, just jumping like that?" Kaen questioned, as he lowered Buggy and Luffy to the ground on the second level of the prison.
"What? Buggy said that hole lead straight to Level2, and that it was the fastest way." Luffy said, dusting himself off.
"Well you're lucky I caught you. Who knows what kinds of things you'd probably have landed on after just jumping like that?" Kaen questioned, planting his own feet on the ground.
"You wanna rescue Mina and Ace don't ya?" Luffy asked.
"Yeah, but I don't want you to die in the process." Kaen stated.
"Would you two keep it down?" Buggy questioned. "We're on the second level, and this level is known as the Wild Beast Hell. This level is guarded by beasts fiercer then the Blugori, and far stronger too."
"Then we should keep ourselves alert and stay focused." Kaen said.
"Now which corridor do we take?" Luffy asked, looking around not even trying to keep his voice down.
"Luffy, did you not just hear what Buggy… and he's already running off." Kaen groaned, before he and Buggy gave chase to him.
Following Luffy's lead, Kaen and Buggy both knew he'd end up leading them to their doom at this rate, but didn't really have much of a choice until they reached a dead end.
"This place is creepy." Luffy said looking around. "So about those wild beasts you mentioned. Is that one of them there?"
"You're kidding me, it found us already?" Buggy questioned, as he and Kaen turned around to the dark corridor Luffy was pointing down.
Through the darkness, there came a low growling, putting Buggy and Kaen on their guards, before they looked confused, as it was just a hippo the size of a Siberian Husky.
"Looks like a hippo to me." Luffy said.
"Yeah it does." Buggy said. "Never seen him around here before."
"He's a lot smaller then a regular hippo." Luffy added.
"Keep your distance." Kaen said. "On my planet, hippos are the apex predators of Africa. They're Omnivores and will eat anything they can get their jaws on."
"Right, like I'm gonna believe this little guy can…"
Buggy stopped when the hippo charged at him, but Kaen pulled the clown back, and caught the hippo by its jaws, keeping its mouth from shutting.
"What did I just say?" Kaen questioned, before throwing the hippo into the air, still gripping its jaws and slamming it down on the ground, knocking it out. "Come on, the other beasts probably heard that, so we gotta move fast. Lead the way Buggy."
"Right." The clown said, before taking charge as he lead the way. "We'll keep going down this corridor, and when we make it to a T-intersection we'll take a left."
Following Buggy through the corridors, Kaen was the only one able to sense if anything was coming, so he took the rear to watch their six. He couldn't help feeling that something was gonna happen soon, and his hunch was correct, as he heard the buzzing of wings, accompanied with the intent to kill, before quickly turning around, his forearms and hands turning to stone and steel, blocking the blades that were attached to their attacker.
"Kaen." Luffy called to him as he and Buggy stopped and turned back to the Saiyan.
"What the hell is that thing?" Buggy asked. "Some kind of monster bug?"
"It's a Sickle Mantis." Kaen said, pushing the blades of the insect away, and jumping back. "Luffy, you and I encountered these on Shiki's archipelago, remember?"
"Oh yeah. Those things were a lot bigger though." Luffy said.
"Wait, Shiki as in the Golden Lion Shiki?" Buggy asked.
"Long story, don't ask." Kaen said, grabbing one of the blades with his hand, and hitting the mantis with a Ki blast through the chest. "Looks like one of them survived, and it evolved to where its forearms are made of steel."
"I don't know. From what I saw on the archipelago, none of Shiki's beasts evolved to naturally have metal limbs." Luffy said, looking over the body. "Looks like it might have been an operation. I see some scarring on the limbs where the blades are connected."
"The Marines might have taken some of the surviving beasts and employed them here on Level2 of Impel Down." Kaen said.
"Just what was that crazy bastard planning on doing with beasts like this anyway?" Buggy asked.
"Destroy the East Blue. The birth place of the only man, who took him down, and got him locked up here." Kaen stated.
"You're kidding. I get holding a grudge but come one. Roger's been dead for twenty years." Buggy said.
"When you can't take revenge directly at the person who wronged you because they're already dead, destroying their home is the next best thing." Kaen stated.
"That makes sense, I guess." Buggy stated.
"In a way, it was his downfall that we ran into him." Luffy said. "An' Kaen gained a new form from the experience. One I haven't yet seen him take again."
"Come on, let's keep moving. Lead the way Buggy." Kaen said.
"Right. This way."
~Overhaul and Celeron~
"Damn it. Acting like my goodie-two-shoes brother is so damn embarrassing, and humiliating." Celeron declared, trying to keep himself from destroying something in their hotel room.
Overhaul and Celeron had been put up in a suit in a hotel room normally reserved for high ranking nobles or even Celestial Dragons, who came through Marineford. Currently it served as their base of operations until they got what they wanted.
"I know how you feel. But if we're to get Eri back, and force your sister to return Rewind to her so I can continue using her for my plans, then we need to play nice and get things rolling, and by helping them in this war against this Whitebeard person, we will do just that." Overhaul stated.
"Screw your plans. I just wanna kill Pinach for humiliating me, and prove once and for all that I'm better then him as the Super Saiyan, before turning his bitch into a breeder for my breeder harem meant for restoring the Saiyan race to its former glory." Celeron declared.
"We both have something to gain here, is the point I'm trying to make." Overhaul stated. "But we won't gain anything, if we just act on our own blindly."
"Says the one who did just that this morning by cornering the child he's trying to kidnap." Celeron tsked.
As the duo continued arguing, neither of them were aware of the green transponder snail hidden in one of the potted plants, allowing for Koby and Helmeppo to listen in on their conversation, as they were hiding in the security room of the hotel.
"We have to report this to Vice Admiral Garp, and Fleet Admiral Sengoku right away." Koby said, recording the conversation from the black transponder snail in front of them.
"Not like there's much they could do about it. We're talking about a Saiyan monster and another worldly being with the power to destroy anything just by touching it." Helmeppo stated.
~Mina~
"Hey, you doing any better Mina?" Ace asked.
"I don't know why you're asking, since you're gonna be executed, just like me." Mina said, her hands on her stomach.
"Yeah, but you're the one who's pregnant." Ace stated. "So naturally I'm more concerned with how you're doing."
"There might be some good news though." Jinbe said. "I've been hearing some commotion from the guards, so it sounds like Kaen and Luffy might get here in time to free you both."
"They're gonna free you too Jinbe." Ace said.
"No, they shouldn't trouble themselves with me. I am a Warlord of the Sea after all." Jinbe said. "Or, I might have been."
"Yeah, refusing to fight Whitebeard, might have lost you that title." Mina chuckled.
~Impel Down~
"Damn it, the rumors were true. This thing's gonna eat us whole." Buggy stated as he and Luffy were running away from the wild 5foot tall Cockatrice, while Kaen was busy distracting it.
"Run you two, and be careful." Kaen stated, keeping his eyes closed. "If you look into its eyes, you'll turn to stone, and unlike with Hancock's power, you will die if that happens."
"Right." Luffy said. "But what about you?"
"I'm used to fighting with my eyes closed due to needing to keep my sights away from the full moon. I'll be fine." Kaen said, hitting it with another Ki blast.
"Can't you just freeze that stupid thing like you did with the Blugori on Level1?" Buggy questioned.
"Do you know how much Ki I need to pull that off?" Kaen asked. "Not to mention the strain it puts on my body?"
"Just asking, no need to bite my head off." Buggy stated. "But I've never heard of a Basilisk being able to turn people to stone from looking in its eyes. I thought that's what its venom did."
"That's because this isn't a Basilisk. It's a Cockatrice, but you'd be right about what Basilisk venom can do." Kaen said. "Basilisks are much larger and breathe fire, and they don't look anything like chickens, they're actually giant snake monsters, and they're a helluva lot bigger then this." He explained, before he was smacked away by a wing.
"Good to know." Buggy said, as Kaen went flying and landed in their path.
"You know what, that tears it." Kaen growled, getting to his feet, his eyes overshadowed. "I'm done playing games."
As the Cockatrice charged at them, Kaen raised his head, showing the golden amber eyes, and red shadow trim, shocking Buggy as he and Luffy ran past him, before the Saiyan raised his hand and grabbed the monster's beak, and with a tight grip kept it sealed.
"I don't have time to waste on the likes of monsters." He stated, as his body began to turn to stone, starting at the feet. Building up a Ki blast in his hand, Kaen just growled in anger, before he threw the Ki blast into the monster's eye, destroying half its sight and using his strength, twisted the monsters neck, and broke it, before throwing the monsters body into a wall, and breaking through it, revealing the room on the other side being the jailers room. "I have a family to save."
"I… don't know what to say anymore." Buggy said.
"So cool." Luffy said.
As Kaen stepped up, Buggy noticed the stone of his feet disappearing, while the shadow trim and golden ember irises remained.
"Hey Saiyan, how are you undoing the petrification that thing did to you?" Buggy asked.
"The name's Kaen, and I'm not. If you kill the Cockatrice before its petrification can finish, then the petrification you've suffered will come undone, so long as your entire body hasn't been petrified already."
"That's crazy." Buggy said, before the other prisoners began speaking up.
"The God of Salvation has descended into Hell."
"Yes, you beat the Basilisk, the monster is down."
The praises continued on, as the prisoners cries of salvation became louder and louder, praising Kaen for saving them from a fate worse then death.
"They did hear me explain it wasn't a Basilisk right?" Kaen asked.
"Who cares?"
"Come on, we gotta get going." Luffy stated.
"Don't be in such a rush." Buggy said.
"We're supposed to be saving Ace and Mina." Luffy exclaimed.
"What are you plotting Buggy?" Kaen asked.
"I was just thinking, we might be able to use some of these guys to our advantage." Buggy said, picking up a ring of keys and spinning it around on his finger. "Hey boys, is this what you're looking for?" He asked, getting a rise out of the prisoners.
"Give it to me, give it to me."
"Get us out of here."
"Hmm? Now is that any way to ask someone for a favor?"
"We're sorry, we're begging you." The prisoners all said as they bowed. "That was inexcusable, we apologize."
"What the hell are you doing?" Kaen asked.
"PLEASE SIR." All the prisoners shouted.
"Alright, you got it. One set of keys coming right up." Buggy said. "Compliments of Captain Buggy, accept it with gratitude."
"Buggy, this wasn't part of the plan." Kaen said.
"So what? The plan's just getting better and better." Buggy stated, as he used his Devil Fruit powers to unlock each of the cell doors.
After all doors were opened, Buggy dropped the keys, allowing for the prisoners to grab them and undo their shackles.
"Now I ask you, what the name of the glorious man who gave you your sweet freedom?" Buggy asked.
"It's Captain Buggy." One of the prisoners said. "An' we're in your debt forever."
"Anybody talking bad about Buggy's gonna answer to us."
"That's me, and don't you scum ever forget it." Buggy said. "Now, unlock the other cells set everyone free."
"YES SIR." All the escaped prisoners cheered.
"That's enough Buggy." Kaen said, grabbing him by the back of the shirt. "It's time to go, and you're not leaving until you finish your end of the deal."
"Okay to be honest with you I lied. I don't actually know the way to Level3."
"What?" Kaen questioned, holding Buggy up to his face.
"What do you expect me to remember every little detail of every level?"
"I expect you to keep your word when making a deal with a Saiyan." Kaen stated, taking the armlet back from Buggy. "I'm taking this back."
"Hey that's mine." Buggy complained.
"Hey guys." Luffy said, getting their attention. "Why did the prisoners go back into their cells?"
"They're probably scared of the Wild Beasts." Kaen said. "But now we've got our own problems. Like how the hell are we gonna get to Level3 when our guide doesn't actually know the way?"
"I couldn't help but overhear you. If you're having trouble on this floor, I can help."
Kaen, Buggy, and Luffy turned to who had spoken, and saw a lengthy man with infinity shaped glasses, and his hair styled to look like the number 3.
"Is that so? Who are you?" Buggy asked.
"Long time no see Straw Hat Luffy. You helped me out, without noticing." The man said. "How fortunate, I am a man who always pays back his debts."
"Do I know you?" Luffy asked, hurting Mr.3's feelings.
"Hold on, weird glasses, hair styled like a 3… You're Mr.3 from Baroque Works, aren't you?" Kaen asked.
"Who?" Luffy inquired.
"The Wax man who tried to seal you away on that tropical island Nami got sick from? He tried turning you all into wax statues with his Devil Fruit powers!" Kaen reminded. "Nami told us the story of how you met Vivi, and all your adventures with her. An' she spared no detail about the opponents you faced each time. If I remember correctly, she said your partner ate the Kilo-Kilo Fruit, right?"
"That's right." Mr.3 said.
"Oh, I remember you now." Luffy said. "Zoro tried cutting off his own legs because of how trapped he was in your wax."
"That was his own stupidity at work." Mr.3 stated.
"Enough talking, do you know the way down to Level3 at least? I'd prefer if you could take us down farther then that, but if you can't, just say so and we'll accept your help getting to Level3." Kaen said.
"Oh I know the way down to Level5." Mr.3 said. "An' to repay my debt to you, I'll show you the way."
"Just know, if you choose to betray us, I'll break you in half." Kaen said.
"I'll keep that in mind." Mr.3 stated.
"Quick question, do you know if the floor we're on is a weight bearing one?" Kaen inquired.
"No, I don't believe it is. Why?" Mr.3 asked.
"Just what I wanted to hear." Kaen smiled, his fist lighting up with Ki and the power of his One-for-All. "Get ready, we're gonna take a shortcut."
"Hold on tight." Luffy smirked, before Kaen punched the floor, causing the stone beneath their feet to fall apart, as it created a giant hole.
"WHAT THE HELL?" Buggy shouted as they all fell, right before Kaen caught the three of them. "What was that?"
"Knowing that the floor wasn't load bearing, I was able to enhance my punch with both my Ki and my Quirk, creating a shortcut for us to go through to get to Level3. But it's gonna have to be all downhill from here, as I'm sure neither of you knows if the floor on the next level is load bearing or not." Kaen explained.
"We could have just taken the stairs. Now the Guardian Beast protecting the stairs to Level3 will catch us for sure." Mr.3 stated as Kaen dropped them all to the ground.
"What do they even call Level3 anyway?" Luffy asked.
"The Starvation Hell." Buggy stated.
"They starve the prisoners down there?" Kaen questioned just barely a foot off the ground.
"That's right." Buggy said. "It's one of the worst ways you can torture someone."
"Wait a second, how are you flying?"
"I'm a Saiyan you idiot." Kaen said planting his feet down firmly, before crouching down and knocking on the ground. "Now hold on. I might have an idea I can try."
"What are you doing?" Luffy asked.
"If I can find a weak point in the ground, I can repeat the method we used for getting down here." Kaen said. "Mr.3, what does this Guardian Beast for the stairs to Level3 look like anyway?"
"It looks like a lion with a feathery mane, and a human face." Mr.3 stated. "He also says different types of food, which echoes down to Level3 to make the torment the prisoners on the third floor suffer, even harsher."
"Ah, so a sphinx. Guess it's not the type to ask you riddles or questions then." Kaen said. "We don't gotta worry about it."
"Why not?"
"Look at where all the ruble from the previous floor landed."
The trio turned to look at the direction Kaen pointed to, and all their mouths went wide in shock, when they saw a pile of ruble, having buried the top half of a purple furred lion beast with a feathery mane, and there was blood coming and pooling out from the cracks, as the lower half of the body twitched and barely moved.
"How the hell did that happen?" Mr.3 questioned.
"I'd say a sharp piece of ruble pierced its skull and brain, and was driven in deeper when the rest landed on top." Kaen stated, knocking on a different area of the ground. "Here we go."
"Wait, wait, wait hold on." Mr.3 said, grabbing onto Buggy, before Kaen repeated the punch, sending them all falling down, but once again, the Saiyan grabbed them all.
"That was fun." Luffy smiled, before they were all hit with a sudden wave of heat that came out of nowhere. "Oh man, why's it so hot all of a sudden?"
"This is how they make it worse for prisoners on level3. They crank the heat up to unbearable levels due to the Blazing Hell on the floor bellow cooking the ground, and they don't even feed the prisoners anything." Buggy said. "Now let go of me so I can break free, you can at least give me that much."
"I ain't giving you shit." Kaen said, dropping Buggy on the ground. "What's all this sand?"
"Are we in the desert?" Luffy asked wiping the sweat from his brow. "Is that why they keep the heat so high and have all this sand on Level3, to make it feel like a desert? It's hot, and why's it so quiet?"
"So which way to the stairs to Level4?" Kaen asked.
"Haven't a clue." Mr.3 said, not looking so good. "I know the general direction they might be located in, but beyond that I have no idea."
"I can see a cluster of structures off in the distance that way." Kaen said. "That's probably where the prisoners are being kept."
"Well come on let's go. One of them should know where the stairs to Level4 are." Luffy stated.
"We might even be able to find shelter from the heat." Buggy said.
"I don't think that's possible, not the shelter at least." Kaen said. "If the heat's this strong because of the level bellow, then it's safe to assume we're not gonna be getting out of here without suffering from some minor heat stroke."
"Also, this isn't sand we're standing on." Mr.3 stated. "It may look like it, but in fact, it's actually the cremated remains of human bones ground to dust."
"That's bad, and inhumane." Kaen said, before his ears picked up on something.
"What's the matter?" Luffy asked.
"I have a feeling, that we're not alone."