"The escapee, Wilder?"
"The Okama King, Ivankov. Nyehehehe…"
In the passageway, separated by several dozen meters, the two faced each other.
Fishnet stockings, hairy legs, large lips, a massive face… Ivankov looked at the corpses beside Wilder, his eyes filled with a dangerous light.
The two were of similar height, but compared to Ivankov, Wilder appeared somewhat slighter.
The atmosphere was tense. Wilder wore a smile, while Ivankov's face was grim.
"So, I didn't intentionally kill them. I don't know if you'll believe me." Wilder's smile faded, and he spoke, breaking the silence. He'd always shown a degree of respect towards the strong. Avoiding a conflict without compromising his interests was preferable, though he wasn't afraid of one if it became necessary.
Ivankov took a deep breath, his eyes widening, staring directly at Wilder. "I didn't expect you to have been hiding in Impel Down all this time. If you want to become a Newkama, I'd welcome you with open arms. So… did you come to me to become a Newkama?"
"No, I came to make a friend." Wilder, seeming to ignore the underlying meaning of Ivankov's words, grinned.
"Hee-haw!" Ivankov's eyes widened, as if he'd heard a terrible joke. The calm on his face transformed into undisguised killing intent!
"I can't be friends with someone who just waltzes in and starts killing people, hee-haw! If that's all you have to say, then prepare to die, hee-haw!"
Ivankov's eyes blazed with murderous intent, his entire face seemingly shrouded in a black shadow.
"Nyehehehe… If you want a reason… Alright, I want to make a deal with you."
"Boom!" Ivankov pressed down with both feet, then launched himself forward. His massive, dark face rushed towards Wilder!
"Then, prepare to die! Hee-haw!"
"You're not even going to listen to what I have to say? How troublesome, nyehahaha!" Wilder laughed, looking up.
Seeing Ivankov bearing down on him, his fist about to connect, Wilder's smile vanished. "Then allow me to say one more thing."
Looking up at the fist descending from above, Wilder grinned, his voice low. "Fire Fist Ace… has been captured."
"Boom!" The attack, moments away from smashing into Wilder's face, abruptly changed direction, slamming into the ground and causing the entire passageway to crack.
"What did you say!? Say that again!" Ivankov raised his head, his pupils flickering and constricting.
"Fire Fist Ace has been captured." A calm voice repeated the statement from Wilder's lips.
"Ace… Fire Fist Ace has been captured!" Ivankov's eyes instantly filled with blood, widening in shock and disbelief. The news struck him like a meteor, leaving his head buzzing.
From this single piece of information, Ivankov instantly considered countless implications, advantages and disadvantages, finally coalescing into a single word: chaos!
The world was about to change!
Ivankov's eyes held a flicker of shock. He regained his composure, looking at Wilder, his voice low. "That's shocking news indeed. But what does it have to do with me, or rather, with this 'deal' you mentioned?"
"Of course it does, nyehehehe… Fire Fist Ace's capture will throw the world into turmoil. This is a year of change. The Whitebeard Pirates, the other Emperors, the World Government, Marine Headquarters, even… the Revolutionary Army, will all be affected by this upheaval, rising or falling." Wilder said, his smile growing. He glanced at Ivankov, his voice dropping slightly:
"So, aren't you going to go out? Revolutionary Army officer, Ivankov."
The calm words struck Ivankov like thunder. His eyes widened.
This guy… who the hell is he!?
"Your deal is to get me out? And then? What are your demands?" Suppressing the turmoil within him, Ivankov directly skipped over the topic of the Revolutionary Army, his sharp gaze fixed on Wilder as he questioned him.
"I have no demands. As I said from the beginning, I came to make a friend with Ivankov. Like… a really good friend. Drinking together, sharing stories we both know… Nyehehehe… It sounds wonderful, doesn't it?" Wilder's mouth stretched into an exaggerated grin, and as he finished speaking, a glint flashed in his eyes.
"Nyehehehe… Regardless, I consider Ivankov a friend. For example, we might be meeting again very soon, perhaps even sharing the same ship…"
"What do you mean!?" Ivankov was particularly concerned about Wilder's last words.
"There's no hidden meaning. We're friends. Friends bring gifts, Ivankov. Think about it." Wilder patted Ivankov on the shoulder, walking past him, leaving behind a meaningful smile.
Ivankov stood in place, watching Wilder's retreating figure, pondering every word he'd spoken. He was deeply unsettled.
His expression fluctuated, shifting between anger and contemplation, before he finally turned and left. As for the corpses on the ground, someone would take care of them. Grunts were never high on the priority list of those in power.
...…
Leaving Level 5.5, Newkama Land, Wilder reverted to his "First" persona and returned directly to his office in the Blazing Hell.
The passageway to Level 5 had long been established. After obtaining his new identity, Wilder had, except in special circumstances, largely stopped using the tunnels to travel between levels.
Even so, Wilder had no intention of abandoning those tunnels. On the contrary, they were a crucial part of his plan, essential to his successful escape from Impel Down. If everything went smoothly, he might escape without ever needing them. But if something went wrong, those tunnels were his last resort, his final escape route.
The tunnel to Level 6 had also been completed about a year ago. However, unlike the other levels, Wilder hadn't created a vast swamp lake on Level 6. He'd only dug a tunnel large enough to accommodate something approximately ten meters in diameter.
"Nyehehehe…" As he thought, Wilder recalled his meeting with Ivankov.
The deal had been an idea he'd had from the start, a natural decision made with a long-term perspective. Whether it succeeded or not wouldn't have a significant impact on him, at least… not for now.
He'd made his intentions clear. The meaning of "friendship" was understood by Ivankov. It meant forming an alliance, or more accurately, a partnership. You provide me with information, I provide you with information, just like friends, drinking together, sharing stories they both know…
"Knock-knock-knock!" The sound of knocking interrupted Wilder's thoughts, followed by Claire's gentle, sweet voice from outside the door.
"First-sama, the pirate Portgas D. Ace will be delivered to Impel Down tomorrow. The Warden has asked me to inform you that you will be accompanying him to the surface level tomorrow to receive the prisoner."
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