Chapter Twenty-Five: The Promise to the King of the Coastal Seas! Journey to Impel Down! [Second Update]

Within the iron cage of Seastone, Shu Mingyuan deliberately feigned weakness. A group of marines rushed over at the news, and when they saw the utterly devastated street, they were all left speechless. Instantly, every gun and cannon was aimed at the man trapped within the cage, ready to fire at any moment!

“Keep a close eye on him. Cuff him with Seastone handcuffs. This man is the most wanted villain of the East Sea, Monkey D. Shu Mingyuan, with a bounty of 50 million berries. He’s extremely dangerous—it took me a great deal of effort to bring him down, so don’t let him escape!” Smoker spoke with two cigars clenched between his teeth. His words left the other marines even more stunned. If even Smoker, who had been transferred from headquarters, had such a hard time capturing him, this man must be even more dangerous than the rumors said.

Smoker exhaled a thick plume of smoke, though he knew in his heart that it was something of a fluke. If his opponent had mastered Haki, capturing him would have been an utter fantasy.

“Captain Smoker!” Tashigi came running over, her cheeks flushed. “Sorry I’m late. I ran into Roronoa Zoro, but he still managed to get away.”

“Ah, Tashigi, you’re here. Put the Seastone handcuffs on him. Be careful—this man is very dangerous.”

“Yes, Captain!” Tashigi took a pair of Seastone handcuffs and approached the man. Only now, with her severe myopia, did she finally see his face clearly.

“Captain, reporting! There’s only one person here. I didn’t find the East Sea’s most wanted villain you mentioned!” Tashigi declared solemnly.

“Idiot, this man is the one!” Smoker was speechless. With such a hopelessly naive subordinate, he hardly knew what to do.

“But…,” Tashigi hesitated, staring at the man she’d only met once at the bar. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t match his image to that of the notorious villain in her mind.

“Hey, woman, didn’t I already tell you I’m the infamous Shu Mingyuan? You still haven’t figured it out? You really are hopelessly dense,” Shu Mingyuan mocked.

“Shut up! Who knows why you look nothing like the villain from the rumors!” Tashigi snapped.

A twitch appeared on Shu Mingyuan’s face. So, in this woman’s mind, a villain had to look fierce and monstrous?

“Captain Smoker, the Straw Hats have already left Loguetown. Should we pursue them?” a marine asked.

“Ah, the East Sea’s greatest villain is already in custody. We’ll let the Straw Hats go for now. All marines are to rest today. Tomorrow, we’ll transfer all these pirates to the great undersea prison!”

Shu Mingyuan was shackled with Seastone and escorted away by a group of marines, temporarily imprisoned in Loguetown’s jail along with Buggy the Clown’s crew. Although Shu Mingyuan wore Seastone cuffs, he didn’t feel his abilities were sealed at all—in other words, Seastone was completely ineffective on his ninjutsu! But since his goal was to reach Impel Down, he decided to wait for now.

Inside the prison.

“Hey, brat, how did you end up getting caught by the White Hunter, Smoker?” Buggy asked.

Shu Mingyuan glanced at Buggy, mockery clear in his voice. “You think I’m like you? I got caught on purpose. There’s something I need to do in the prison. Otherwise, do you think Smoker could have taken me down?”

“Heh, anyone can talk big, kid! If my abilities weren’t sealed, I’d teach you a lesson,” Buggy snorted.

“Heh, so your powers are sealed—does that mean you can’t break yourself apart right now?” Shu Mingyuan grinned, a smile Buggy would later describe as demonic, as he strode toward him.

“Hey, kid, what do you want?”

“While your powers are nullified, I’ll take the chance to beat you up for fun. After all, it’s not every day you get to rough up a Yonko’s friend and a former crewmate of the Pirate King!” Shu Mingyuan cackled, stomping Buggy again and again, the prison soon filled with Buggy’s pig-like wails.

After a long while—

“Kid, once Lord Buggy gets his powers back, you’ll regret this!” Buggy threatened through his tears.

“Interesting, you want me to regret this?” Shu Mingyuan replied, stomping him a few more times.

Buggy, sobbing, pleaded, “Stop, kid, I was wrong! It hurts! Please, stop!”

Hearing Buggy admit defeat, Shu Mingyuan finally relented with a sly chuckle.

“Buggy, I know your true strength is far greater than you let on. I don’t know what you’re hiding, but how about we make a deal? Teach me how to train in Haki, and I’ll break you out. Otherwise, once we’re thrown into that so-called impenetrable fortress, Impel Down, tomorrow, neither of us will ever get out.” Shu Mingyuan squatted before Buggy, proposing the offer.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about—Haki? Never heard of it.” Buggy refused.

“Well, then, I guess Impel Down it is,” Shu Mingyuan sighed. Still, even without Buggy, he intended to pay the infamous prison a visit.

The White Hunter, Smoker, had captured a great number of pirates in Loguetown, including none other than the East Sea’s most notorious terror, Shu Mingyuan. His reputation in Loguetown soared to new heights—unmatched and unchallenged.

At the Loguetown port, a navy warship was docked as marines loaded supplies aboard. This ship would soon transport Shu Mingyuan and the other captured criminals to the infamous undersea prison, Impel Down. Located in the Calm Belt, the first half of the Grand Line, Impel Down was surrounded by the dens of giant Sea Kings. For ordinary ships, reaching Impel Down was nearly impossible; only navy vessels with Seastone-lined hulls could safely travel through the Calm Belt.

A host of criminals and pirates captured yesterday were escorted onto the warship, all bound for the great undersea prison—Impel Down.

As Shu Mingyuan was led aboard, he suddenly let out a sharp whistle. From the depths, the colossal form of the Lord of the Coast burst forth. Its massive, serpentine neck rose from the water, and its blood-red eyes fixed upon the warship. Its gaping maw was wide enough to swallow the entire vessel in a single bite.

“Oh no, it’s a Sea King!”

“Isn’t that the Sea King tamed by the Ghost Hunter with a 50 million berry bounty? Is it here to rescue its master?”

“Is it planning to attack the ship? With that power, it could capsize us with ease!”

Other than Smoker, all the marines trembled in terror beneath the Sea King’s overwhelming presence, fearing it might suddenly attack and sink the warship right there in the harbor.

“Hey, big guy!” Shu Mingyuan called out in a booming voice, addressing the great beast.

“Head for the Calm Belt near Impel Down and wait for me to break out! We Sea Kings of the East Sea are no cowards. I know you can do it—don’t let me down!”

The Lord of the Coast threw back its head and roared, its blood-red gaze lingering on Shu Mingyuan one last time before it plunged beneath the waves and vanished, leaving the marines to exchange bewildered glances, as if caught in a waking dream.

“This terrifying man… Even as he’s about to be locked away, all he’s thinking about is how to break out!”