Having replenished her energy, Hera nodded in satisfaction, her gaze shifting toward a female figure who was still resisting the shadows.
Isn't this Catarina Devon, the future Captain of the Blackbeard Pirates' sixth ship, who ate the Zoan-type Dog-Dog Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type: Nine-Tailed Fox? Since they've met, it must be fate.
'Forging Sky' appeared in Hera's hand, and a 'Lions Bullet' was fired from 'Forging Sky', entering the shadows.
Suppressed by Sea Stone gloves, Catarina Devon was dodging the shadows of the City of Devouring Time: "Muruhu-hu, what a troublesome ability. Are the Marines nowadays all this irritable?"
Suppressed as she was, she didn't notice the approaching danger. A white bullet shattered space, emerging from the shadows to pierce through her head, and her corpse sank into the City of Devouring Time.
Seeing this, Magellan hurriedly stopped Hera: "Vice Admiral Hera, the prisoners here serve special purposes. This is enough; if you kill any more, it will be hard for us to report back."
Feeling the power of time within her body, Hera stopped the slaughter in the City of Devouring Time. She suddenly remembered Garp was still by her side and she needed to maintain the image of a good child.
"Fine, for Magellan's sake, I'll let you all off the hook."
Amidst the commotion, no one noticed that at the moment the 'Lions Bullet' was fired, three gunshots rang out simultaneously. Ace and Jinbe's injuries were gradually healed, and their physical strength was restored.
Before leaving, Hera said to Ace: "In a few days, I'll come back to take you to Marineford. Get ready and enjoy your final moments."
Aside from Hera, only Garp perceived this. The old man sighed, his clenched fists finally relaxing. He followed Hera out, pretending he hadn't noticed.
Feeling his injuries heal, Jinbe marveled: "This ability... is it Hera? Why would she heal us?"
Ace didn't know what expression to make toward Hera. He just kept his head down, only looking up after she had left, his eyes filled with tears.
Within Hera's shadow, he saw a patch of darkness transform into a Straw Hat. Sensing the commotion above, he thought: "Is it Luffy? Run! Don't come to save me."
After picking up Garp, Hera sensed that a stronger Luffy was almost at the fourth floor and hurriedly said: "Alright, no need to see us out. We'll leave on our own."
'saikū' sliced through space. She grabbed Garp, who wanted to ask something, and returned directly to the argo.
Under the shocked gazes of Magellan and Hannybal, Hera pulled Garp and left the place.
Afterward, Hera deactivated her ability. The moment the spatial portal vanished, the City of Devouring Time was retracted, and Garp sensed the commotion caused by Luffy.
But since they were already back on the argo, Garp could only look at Hera helplessly, hoping for an explanation.
Seeing her plan exposed, Hera pulled Garp and made him sit down.
Hera said: "I ran into Luffy at the Sabaody Archipelago. He insisted on coming here to save Ace. I didn't have much of a choice, so I had to bring him along."
Hearing Hera's words, Garp was furious: "This is absolute nonsense! No matter what, he shouldn't break into Impel Down. It's full of the most heinous criminals; we absolutely cannot let them escape."
Hera said: "Don't worry, we'll stand guard right here. We'll beat up whoever tries to come out. I'm still a little short on energy anyway."
Garp's transponder snail rang, and Sengoku's furious voice came through: "Garp! It's your grandson again. He's broken into Impel Down! Where are you right now?"
Garp held the transponder snail a bit further away: "Don't be so angry. I've already left that place. They said they didn't need our help."
Sengoku gritted his teeth in frustration: "That fellow Kuma—didn't he say he'd scattered the Straw Hat crew? How did he show up again?"
He then asked: "Where is Hera? Where did that girl go? Does Luffy reaching Impel Down have anything to do with her?"
Seeing the heat turning toward her, Hera used 'saikū' to slash open the space in front of her. Leaving behind the words, "I'll go help them," she departed.
Sengoku slapped his forehead, feeling a massive headache coming on. He didn't know what he was thinking, actually sending Hera to the Sabaody Archipelago to intercept Luffy and then to Impel Down to see Ace.
Seeing his old friend like this, Garp's previously heavy mood lightened considerably.
Seeing he couldn't get anything out of him, Sengoku hung up the transponder snail and began to question his own intelligence: "Maybe I should just retire."
Hera arrived directly at the entrance of the first floor and saw the rioting prisoners.
The City of Devouring Time expanded at Hera's thought. The rioting prisoners were dragged into the darkness one after another, while the Prison Guards received the protection of the shadows.
Feeling her power steadily increasing, Hera squinted her eyes in comfort. She didn't forget to tell the guards: "Don't worry, with me here, this lot won't be escaping."
The riot triggered by Luffy had thrown almost the entire first floor into chaos, but with Hera's arrival, the scene of disorder quickly came to an end.
The guards watched as the prisoners continuously sank into the darkness; this eerie scene even made sweat break out on their foreheads.
Hera walked slowly toward the second floor. Gradually, the Crimson Hell floor fell into a long-absent silence.
Hera walked slowly with an expression of enjoyment. Shadows swayed beside her, their crimson eyes scanning the surroundings. Only after finding no more prisoners did she nod in satisfaction.
This silent slaughter even caused a sense of unease among the guards who were accustomed to cruel punishments. One guard muttered unconsciously: "What... what does she think life is?"
As the last prisoner, mouth covered, entered the City of Devouring Time, the first floor of this grand prison was, for the first time since its construction, devoid of the painful wails of inmates.
Hearing the guard's words, Hera was somewhat dissatisfied: "I'm the gentlest Marine there is. I've helped reduce their workload, and yet they don't even thank me."
Then, still unsatisfied, Hera stepped toward the Beast Hell of the second floor.
At the entrance of the fourth floor, Magellan, having returned from the sixth floor, sat in the Warden's office, waiting for the arrival of the Straw Hat boy.
The Jailer Beasts were gathered behind him, and Chief Guard Little Sadi also stood beside him. Hannybal looked at the seated Magellan and said:
"Warden, once you hand over the position of Warden to me, I'm going to remodel this chair to be more open."
Magellan said: "Shut up. I want to stay in an enclosed space. When facing you, I want to keep my heart enclosed as well."
A bored Little Sadi said: "So slow. If I'd known, I would have gone to the third floor to find him myself."
Magellan said: "Don't be in such a hurry, Little Sadi."
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