Escape [?]

The grim silence of Level 6 shattered when heavy footsteps echoed through the dim halls. A group of guards marched forward, escorting Ace. His hands were shackled, and chains rattled with every step. Ace walked quietly, his face a mask of stoic acceptance. Magellan led the procession, his hulking figure casting an imposing shadow over the scene. Behind him, Hannyabal barked orders, ensuring everything went smoothly.

Jinbei, still locked in his cell, gritted his teeth. His fists strained against his shackles as he watched the young pirate being taken away. "Ace!" he roared, his voice trembling with frustration and fury. "You don't have to go like this! Fight back!"

Ace glanced at Jinbei but didn't respond. His expression remained unreadable, but there was a sadness in his eyes. He'd made his peace. Fighting back now wouldn't change anything—it would only hurt those he cared about.

"Silence," Magellan growled, not even sparing Jinbei a glance. "If you value your life, Warlord, stay quiet."

The guards ignored Jinbei's outburst, dragging Ace toward the elevator that would take him out of the depths of Impel Down to his fate at Marineford. The prisoners in the surrounding cells sneered and jeered.

"Good riddance, Fire Fist!"

"Enjoy the gallows, pirate scum!"

"Tell Whitebeard we said hi!"

Their taunts faded as Ace disappeared into the distance. Jinbei slumped back against the wall, his fury simmering, his helplessness palpable. For all his strength and resolve, there was nothing he could do. Nothing but hope.

In his own cell, Gaku watched through half-lidded eyes. Ace's departure left him feeling oddly hollow, though he didn't dwell on it much. Well, there goes the only interesting thing in this place,he thought. If only they'd left me a game or something. He regretted deeply, the chains around his body clinking as he shifted. He didn't truly care for Ace—it wasn't in his nature to care—but he'd appreciated the attention Ace gave him, even indirectly.

Now, Level 6 returned to its usual, suffocating silence. Gaku stared into the darkness, his thoughts drifting. I'm not meant for friends or family, he thought.  I'm just a weapon. A perfect, lonely weapon.

Hours later, the silence shattered again. Gaku's Observation Haki, sharpened unconsciously during his isolation, flared to life as he felt a group of intruders crashing into Level 6. His eyes snapped open for the first time in days.

Through the shadows, he saw them—a ragtag group led by a young pirate with a straw hat. Gaku recognized him instantly. The Straw Hat kid... His curiosity piqued.

"Ace!" the boy shouted, his voice echoing through the level. His desperation was palpable as he called for his brother. The other prisoners watched with varying degrees of amusement and disdain, their mocking laughter filling the air. Beside Luffy stood a towering, flamboyant figure with an enormous head and another man with sharp glasses.

The big-headed figure had captured a guard, holding him hostage. To Gaku's shock, the man transformed the guard into a woman with a single touch. The newly-transformed woman, now cooperative and disturbingly cheerful, pointed them toward Ace's cell. The group hurried to follow her directions, only to find Jinbei in the cell instead.

Jinbei stirred from his exhaustion and studied the intruders. His sharp gaze fell on Luffy's straw hat. "You... are you Straw Hat Luffy?" he asked.

Luffy, panting from the effort of reaching Level 6, nodded. "Yeah! Where's Ace?!"

Jinbei's expression darkened. "You just missed him. He was taken to the elevator not long ago. If you hurry, you might catch up!"

Without hesitation, Luffy bolted toward the stairs. But before they could reach them, the guards unleashed a toxic gas trap, blocking the exit and forcing the group to retreat. The man with glasses used his powers to cut through the floor, creating a barrier to stop the gas, but it also sealed their way to the stairs.

Luffy, frustrated, shouted, "How are we supposed to catch up now?!"

The big-headed man sighed, holding up the vivre card. "Ace is already at the top of the prison. By now, he's probably with the Marines on his way to Marineford. There's no catching him now."

"I don't care!" Luffy's voice cracked with frustration. "I'm not giving up! I'm going to Marineford!"

The big-headed man's voice rose. "Do you even understand what you're saying?! You'd be going up against Whitebeard's enemies—the Admirals, the Warlords, the Vice Admirals! You barely survived here, and you want to face them?!"

"If I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life!" Luffy shot back, his conviction silencing everyone.

Their tense argument was interrupted by a low chuckle echoing from a nearby cell. "Regret, huh?"

Everyone turned toward the voice, their eyes narrowing as they recognized the prisoner inside.

"Well, well, Straw Hat..." The man stepped into the dim light of his cell. "Long time no see."

Luffy's eyes widened. "CROCODILE?!"

The big-headed man, Ivankov, stepped forward, glaring at the former Warlord. "You've got some nerve, Crocodile."

Crocodile smirked. "Relax, I'm not here to fight. I've got a proposition."

"What kind of proposition?" Ivankov asked suspiciously.

"I'll help you get to Marineford," Crocodile said casually, his tone laced with arrogance. "I've got a score to settle with Whitebeard. But first, you're going to let me out of here."

Luffy's fists clenched, his mind flashing back to Alabasta and all the pain Crocodile had caused. "No way! I don't trust you!"

Ivankov raised a hand, silencing Luffy. "If you're serious about getting to Marineford, you'll need every ally you can get, even him."

Crocodile chuckled. "See? Even your friend understands. Besides, if I try anything, Ivankov can handle me. Isn't that right?"

Ivankov's eyes narrowed. "You better not test me, Crocodile. I know one of your little secrets. Don't make me use it."

Crocodile's smirk faltered for a moment before returning. "Whatever. Just let me out already."

The man with scissors reluctantly stepped forward, unlocking Crocodile's cell. As the chains fell away, Crocodile stretched, his presence as imposing as ever.

"About time," he muttered.

Jinbei, who had been silent until now, slammed his fists against the bars of his cell. "Straw Hat! Please, let me out too! I can help you save Ace!"

Luffy looked at him uncertainly. "Who are you?"

Crocodile interjected with a mocking laugh. "That's Jinbei, former Warlord of the Sea. A fish-man with principles."

Jinbei ignored Crocodile's jab, his voice heavy with sincerity. "I owe Ace a debt I can never repay. Please, Straw Hat, let me join you. I'll do everything in my power to help."

Luffy's gaze lingered on Jinbei's determined eyes before he nodded. "Alright. You're coming too."

The man with scissors hesitated but, at Ivankov's nod, cut through Jinbei's restraints. Jinbei stood, his imposing figure now free.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of chains clinking from a nearby cell. All eyes turned toward the noise. Even Jinbei, who had been locked next to the cell for weeks, looked surprised—he'd never seen the prisoner inside.

In the dim light, they saw the figure bound by thick, cruel chains. Wires and tubes ran from his body, keeping him alive just enough to endure his torment. His grey, tangled hair covered his face, and his scarred body looked barely human.

The flamboyant man gasped. "That's... the Reaper! The bounty hunter! What's he doing in such a state?"

Luffy's eyes widened as recognition dawned. "You're the guy who helped us escape from Kizaru!"

Gaku slowly raised his head, his boring eyes staring at Luffy.

Luffy turned to the glasses-wearing man. "Let him out! He helped me before!"

Despite objections, the flamboyant man eventually agreed. Using scissors formed from his hands, he carefully released Gaku from his chains.

As Inazuma cut through Gaku's bindings, the heavy chains fell to the ground with a metallic clang. Gaku collapsed onto his knees, his body frail and emaciated. His limbs were unnaturally thin, his skin pale, and his shoulders sagged under the weight of exhaustion. Tubes that had siphoned his energy for months trailed off limply, and faint scars crisscrossed his body where the restraints had bitten into his flesh.

Luffy stepped closer, concern etched on his face. "You look weaker than before... What happened to you?"

Gaku lifted his head, meeting Luffy's gaze with half-lidded eyes. "They kept me alive... but barely. Guess they wanted me just in case." His voice was hoarse, each word sounding like a struggle.

Crocodile crossed his arms, his sharp eyes narrowing in skepticism. "This is the guy who supposedly saved you from an Admiral? Doesn't look like much now."

Luffy turned, glaring at Crocodile. "He's strong! I wouldn't have made it out if it wasn't for him."

Ivankov stepped forward, his gaze filled with a mix of curiosity and concern as he studied Gaku's battered form. "But why? Why chain him like this? Even Jinbei and Crocodile weren't treated this harshly. What made him deserve this?"

Gaku's lips curled into a weak smirk. "Maybe because I'm a little too good at what I do. Or maybe they just wanted to make sure I'd never get up again. Doesn't matter now, does it?"

Luffy crouched next to him. "You saved me before. I'm going to Marineford to save my brother. Are you coming with us?"

Gaku chuckled softly, his voice still strained. "Marineford, huh? Sounds chaotic. Could be fun." He shifted unsteadily to his feet, wobbling like a newborn foal. "But first..."

Before Luffy could respond, Gaku's posture straightened. His once-frail limbs began to bulk up, his muscles filling out. His hunched form grew taller, his skin gaining color and vitality. The transformation was so sudden that it took the group aback.

Ivankov's eyes widened. "What did you just do?!"

Gaku rolled his shoulders, flexing his arms as if testing his restored strength. "The Six Powers. One of my techniques lets me reshape my body. Guess I just... remembered how it used to feel."

Crocodile raised an eyebrow, his skepticism fading slightly. "Interesting. But does your strength match the theatrics?"

Before anyone could respond, a squad of guards burst into the corridor, weapons drawn and ready to engage.

"Prisoners on the loose! Don't let them escape!" one shouted.

The group tensed, but before anyone could react, Gaku moved.

To them, it was a blur. To Gaku, it was something else entirely. The guards' movements were sluggish, almost as if they were underwater. He could see every twitch, hear their panicked breaths, and sense their fear long before they even acted. Without thinking, he moved between them, precise and efficient.

The guards fell one by one, each taken down by a single strike. Gaku's movements were fluid, like a predator stalking through prey, and by the time the others registered what had happened, the corridor was eerily silent.

Luffy stared, wide-eyed. "You're... faster than before."

Ivankov folded his arms, watching Gaku carefully. "Faster isn't the word. You didn't just move—you anticipated everything."

Gaku tilted his head, frowning slightly as he stared at his hands. "Everything feels... different. Slower. I could hear their heartbeats, their breathing... I could feel them moving before they even did."

"You don't even realize what's happening, do you?" Ivankov said, his expression contemplative. "You've been training your Observation Haki without even knowing it. That's why the world feels slow to you now. Your senses have grown sharper while you were in isolation."

Gaku blinked, as if the concept had only just occurred to him. "Haki, huh? Never really thought about it. But yeah... everything feels clearer. It's like I can sense things from far away now, too."

Crocodile smirked faintly. "Looks like you're still dangerous after all. Maybe you're worth keeping around."

Gaku shrugged, stepping over the unconscious guards. "Dangerous, huh? I just know how to get things done. Now..." He turned toward Luffy, his expression unreadable. "You said Marineford, right? Fine. I'll help you. But once this is over, I want my console back."

Luffy grinned, his confidence bolstered. "Deal! Let's go!"

The group regrouped, their path set. Though Gaku seemed calm, he couldn't shake the strange feeling of power coursing through him. Everything was different now— but one thing was certain, he liked the feeling.