One Piece:The Fruit of Evolution

"Ahem!"

As the two continued to chat, Kong, seated behind the desk, cleared his throat twice. The office instantly fell silent, and all eyes turned towards him.

Kong cleared his throat again before addressing the purpose of summoning the Marine officers.

"You should already know the general situation. The director of Impel Down is dead."

"I encountered Redfield while escorting prisoners. Of course, the World Government has strictly forbidden this matter from being disclosed."

Kong didn't go into much detail, but no one present was naive. 

The head of Impel Down had been killed by a pirate, and if word got out, it would be a huge embarrassment for the World Government, especially since Impel Down is one of the three major institutions under their control.

Redfield, known as "Aloof Red" was a pirate who could single-handedly rival the likes of Whitebeard and Roger. His name was well-known to Ron. After all, there were few left on the seas whose strength he actually cared about.

But why had Kong summoned them all for this?

"There are two reasons I called you here today," Kong continued. "The World Government has ordered Redfield be captured at all costs. Secondly, we need Marines to be deployed to guard Impel Down."

Impel Down is where Marine holds its most dangerous criminals. Without a strong enough force to maintain order, chaos is almost guaranteed. Should the vicious prisoners on Level Six escape, it would send the entire sea into turmoil. 

Many of the pirates held in Impel Down had been captured by Marine, and if they broke out, the first target they'd strike would be Marine and the World Government. For the stability of both, Impel Down must not be compromised.

At the mention of being sent to guard Impel Down, many of the senior Marine officers exchanged uneasy glances. It was a thankless job. Impel Down was a dark, grim place filled with criminals, and guarding it was hardly better than being a prisoner oneself. None of the older Vice Admirals, who were nearing retirement, wanted to be stationed there. After all their years of service, who could blame them for wanting to spend their remaining time in peace rather than in a hellish place like Impel Down?

Sakazuki observed the Marine officers and couldn't hide the disdain on his face. He thought to himself that the Marines had indeed rotted to their core.

"Marshal Kong, I'll go," Sakazuki volunteered.

Kong gave him a glance and shook his head slightly. One Sakazuki alone wasn't enough for this mission. The World Government had ordered that at least three Vice Admiral-level forces be deployed.

As for the Admiral-level forces? Zephyr had retired from frontline duty and now only trained Marines. Garp was pursuing Roger and had no time for Impel Down. Meanwhile, an Admiral was needed to guard headquarters in case of emergencies. Kong himself certainly couldn't go to Impel Down.

"Count me in," Ron said as he stepped forward with his sword in hand. While others might consider guarding Impel Down a grueling task, Ron saw it differently. With so many powerful prisoners confined there, even some at the Admiral level, he saw an opportunity. If he could find a way to kill a few of those strong enough, his own power would increase exponentially. What might take him years to achieve could now be done in mere months. He could also use their corpses to fuel his undead warship, which would allow him to cultivate a group of top Vice Admirals or even quasi-Admirals. It was a win-win situation for him—both strengthening himself and boosting his fleet's power.

Kong looked at Ron with satisfaction. This kind of proactive, self-sacrificing subordinate was exactly what he needed. Giving up a bright future and wasting valuable years in a hellhole like Impel Down showed true dedication. Ron's actions embodied the spirit of Marine—a loyal servant.

"Tsuru Vice Admiral, you're a veteran Marine. You'll go as well," Kong said, seeing that the other Marines had no intention of volunteering. While Ron and Sakazuki were strong enough to suppress the prisoners, Tsuru Vice Admiral's tactical expertise would help minimize any potential problems. With the three of them stationed there, even an Admiral-level attacker wouldn't be able to overpower them before reinforcements from headquarters arrived.

After the meeting, the warships dispersed, returning to their respective sea areas. The Vice Admiral-level officers were responsible for maintaining order across various Marine fortresses, and the longer they stayed gathered at Marineford, the more likely unrest would break out elsewhere.

Ron, Sakazuki, and Tsuru Vice Admiral returned to their respective fortresses to assemble their warships. Tens of thousands of dangerous criminals were held in Impel Down, and the three of them alone couldn't handle everything. They needed their fleets to help manage the situation. Besides, their fleets were their assets—leaving them in the hands of other Marines at the fortress wasn't an option.

Dozens of warships set out from the fortress, sailing towards Impel Down. Standing on the bow, Ron's thoughts wandered. Though Tsuru Vice Admiral had the most experience, and Sakazuki was incredibly strong, neither could surpass him. As a result, the role of acting director naturally fell to Ron. While he theoretically had control over all the jailers and forces in Impel Down, he couldn't act recklessly. He couldn't simply start killing prisoners at will—not only would the jailers object, but Tsuru would certainly intervene as well. Impel Down had strict rules, and prisoners had their own punishments. Without explicit orders from the World Government, executing them en masse would lead to serious consequences.

A few days later, the fleets reached the waters outside Impel Down. Hundreds of warships and tens of thousands of elite Marines docked near the infamous prison. The great drawbridge lowered, and the Warden of Impel Down came out to greet them.

"I am Warden Magellan of Impel Down. Thank you, Marines, for your support!"

Ron looked at Magellan, noticing how young and inexperienced he appeared. He lacked the imposing presence and full beard he would grow in the future when he became the director. Despite his inexperience, Magellan was a Paramecia user with the Poison Fruit and had the strength of a Rear Admiral, which explained how he became the Warden.

"I'm Ron, the new interim director. Let's go inside and talk," Ron said curtly.

The group entered Impel Down, where Magellan and the other wardens briefed them on the current situation.

"The situation is not good. Both the director and deputy director positions are vacant, and somehow the prisoners have caught wind of this. There have been frequent riots lately, and the entire prison is on edge," Magellan explained with a weary expression.

The first five floors were manageable, but the prisoners in Level Six, the Eternal Hell, were the real concern. If they began to stir, it would be a disaster.

I hope your like the chapter 😊.