The journey to Impel Down on Shun's paw bubble was both peaceful and swift, thanks to Nami's unparalleled navigation. The tranquility was broken when Shun presented Nami with an expensive-looking ring. She was ecstatic—not at the gesture of a proposal, but at the dazzling realization: He could create treasure from thin air!
With each passing minute, and especially after Robin's calm presence had joined them, Nami felt more at ease with her decision to follow Shun.
"Can you make gold, too?" Nami asked as they sped over the waves.
"Of course," Shun said. "But the energy required is immense." It wasn't a lie, though he conveniently omitted that his own energy reserves were essentially infinite.
"I see… Later, then," Nami conceded, taming her greed for the moment. A more pressing question surfaced. "So, can we really save Luffy's brother from Impel Down before the execution? If we can avoid a war, that would be ideal."
"No," Shun said, his simple answer causing both Nami and Robin to stare in confusion.
"Ace likely isn't even there anymore. He's probably been moved to a special cell, or directly to Marineford in preparation."
"Then why are we going to Impel Down?" Nami asked, exasperated.
"I need to find someone there during the chaos. Don't worry, it's all part of the plan," Shun said with an exaggerated grin. "Besides, your captain might be trying to save Ace from Impel Down instead. It's worth checking if he's making a scene."
His gaze deepened then, his expression turning serious. His true goal in this world was finally within reach. Human-God the evil bastard for once wasn't lying about his oracle 'the fool with paws will devour everything.' His paws could now repel a target's abilities, allowing him to devour them—but only if the target was severely weakened or offered no resistance. It was a simple and broken ability.
Impel Down was a fortress filled with the world's most powerful criminals, all perfectly positioned to be harvested. It was an opportunity he couldn't ignore.
Nami and Robin exchanged a glance, noting Shun's sudden intensity. They sensed a hidden agenda, but they didn't doubt his intentions toward them.
---
Meanwhile, at Tequila Wolf, a man in a peculiar hat reported to his superior. "Sir, we've secured Tequila Wolf. The guards have been neutralized. The bridge and its prisoners are under our control."
"This quickly? We didn't even need to activate our inside agents," the superior replied, stunned.
"Yes, about that…" the subordinate explained. "A new chief warden arrived, executed half the guards for insubordination, and then fled as soon as the real chaos began."
"…"
"Describe this individual. I'll report everything to the Leader immediately."
The Revolutionary Army was left utterly bewildered by the free victory they had just been handed.
---
"We're here," Shun announced, the imposing structure of Impel Down rising from the sea before them. He glanced back at his two companions. "Do you want to come inside with me?"
The answer was immediate. "No way!" Nami declared, speaking for a silently agreeing Robin.
"Suit yourselves. Wait here, then. If this bubble pops, you can assume I'm dead. Make a run for it," Shun said casually, settling the invisible bubble on a secluded patch of ground. He didn't believe his own words, but it felt right to plan for the worst.
Shun hadn't forgotten to give them food, drinks, and desserts he'd made himself—dishes that, if they only knew, were worth far more than any simple treasure.
His offhand remark starkly reminded the two women of the danger he was walking into—the most secure prison in history, on the eve of a war between the world's greatest powers.
"Shun!" they called out in unison, surprising him.
Robin stepped forward and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, while a flustered Nami pulled him into a brief, tight hug.
"…"
'Maybe I should play the vulnerable card more often,' Shun thought, a grin spreading across his face. "I'll be back soon," he promised. Then, he turned invisible and was gone.
Seeing the confidence in his smile, both women felt a flicker of reassurance about the path they had chosen.
——
Feeling confident, Shun descended upon Impel Down, his form completely invisible. The prison was even more imposing up close—a brutalist fortress of iron and seastone rising from the sea, a vertical testament to suffering.
His entry point wasn't the monstrous "Iron Gate of Justice," the colossal mouth that swallowed prisoners whole. With eighteen Marine warships encircling the prison in anticipation of war, a frontal assault was unthinkable. Instead, he found a secluded spot on the outer wall, shattered a section of the concrete with a focused blow, and slipped inside. A quick application of 'Arc of Time'—a spell he'd acquired from Hades' library—reversed the damage, leaving the wall as pristine as if nothing had happened.
"What was that sound?" a guard shouted. "Go check it out, it sounded like breaking stone!" another yelled.
They rushed to the location, but found nothing amiss. Deciding to report the anomaly, they contacted their superior, Vice Warden Hannyabal.
"A breaking sound with no cause? Then it's fine! Don't bother me with such trivialities! I'm busy devising a strategy to become the next Warden! Ah! My ambition slipped out!" Hannyabal snapped before cutting the call. The guards merely sighed; his outbursts were a familiar routine.
With the coast clear, Shun's invisible form moved unimpeded. He shadowed patrols, descending through the nightmarish levels. The air was thick with agonized screams—pleas for help, cries of injustice. 'Is this what hell on earth sounds like?' he wondered, pressing onward until he reached the absolute silence of Level 6: The Eternal Hell.
This was where the World Government buried its most dangerous secrets. While he knew Ace was still here, a fact that surprised him, Shun feigned ignorance. Saving the fire-wielder now would prevent the war, and Shun needed that chaos. 'I'll save you from becoming a donut later,' he mentally promised, turning his attention to his true target: Brynndi World.
But before he could act, a voice, dry and ancient, cut through the silence, speaking to the empty air.
"You... carry an ill intent towards everyone here."
It was Patrick Redfield, the "Red Count." A legend rumored to have once rivaled Whitebeard and Roger, now just a withered old man. Yet, his Observation Haki was sharp enough to perceive Shun's presence, even through his invisibility. That was a skill Shun couldn't ignore.
Without a word, Shun phased into Redfield's cell. There was no conversation. He placed a paw on the old man's head and activated his power, repelling a lifetime of combat experience and mastery of all three types of Haki. In that silent, swift motion, the legend of the Red Count was hollowed out.
Shun continued his work, moving like a ghost to his other targets. From Brynndi World, he took the potential of his powerful Devil Fruit. From Douglas Bullet, he absorbed his immense fighting spirit. He took everything that would benefit him, leaving the men alive but utterly drained. Their deaths would cause an alert and potentially disrupt the very chaos he was counting on.
"As expected, an ability this powerful doesn't come without a cost," Shun muttered to himself, his chest heaving. The magic power drain was immense. He had only targeted three people, but they were among the strongest in this world.
Without the Fairy Heart, digesting even one of their powers would have taken years, forcing him to expend half his magic day by day. Now, he could process all three at once. The cost nearly drained half of his total reserves, but the Fairy Heart regenerated every time it was depleted. It was all thanks to the blessing from Mavis—his mother. A wave of emotion washed over him.
Now that I think about it, he reflected, Mavis always says everyone in the guild is family. But she gave me Fairy Glitter, the Fairy Heart, and even shielded me from Makarov's scolding. Isn't her nepotism a little too strong? A wry smile touched his lips. Well, I suppose I'll just have to make it up to her by feeding her more often.
With a sigh, Shun decided to end his shopping in Impel Down for the day. There simply wasn't any more time.
Back in the depths of Level 6, a nervous murmur broke the silence. "H-hey! What was that?!" "How should I know? Two of the quietest prisoners started screaming, and then just… went completely silent." Fear was palpable among the infamous inmates. Only Crocodile, Jinbei, and Ace remained outwardly unshaken. Even the members of Blackbeard's future crew were visibly unsettled. However, the strange incident didn't repeat, and it was clear that both Bullet and Redfield were still alive.
Shun walked back to where he had left his companions. The only real challenge of this trip had been finding Brynndi World, who was encased in ice. But Shun was a man who had once melted an Iced Shell; this was an effortless task.
---
"It's been five hours. I hope he's okay," Nami murmured, staring at the foreboding structure in the distance.
Robin nodded calmly. "He is a cunning man. I'm sure he is."
Suddenly, an arm wrapped around Robin from behind. She let out a short, startled gasp as Shun materialized, a chuckle in his voice. "So I'm a cunning man in your eyes?" he teased.
Seeing Nami's wide-eyed look, he quickly released Robin and coughed. "My business here is done. Ace wasn't there, just as I thought. Now, all that's left is to wait for the war to begin."
With that, the paw bubble lifted off, carrying the three of them high into the sky, leaving the hell of Impel Down behind.