"No! Not food!
Edward Teach clenched his right fist, swung it sharply, and declared with absolute conviction:
"Ivankov—
The moment I laid eyes on you, I understood."
"You're the same kind of person as me!"
"You abandoned your old identity and slipped into Impel Down… all to build this Newkama Paradise, didn't you?!"
"…Eh?"
Ivankov blinked twice.
Teach's words sounded wildly wrong…
But from his point of view… it wasn't completely off, either.
Before his imprisonment, Ivankov had been the legitimate Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom.
And the reason he infiltrated Impel Down and hid within Newkama Paradise…
Was to secretly recruit prisoners, growing the Revolutionary Army's forces from within.
When the revolution outside finally began,
Ivankov planned to lead the entire Newkama Paradise back to the surface.
Seen from that angle—
Teach's misunderstanding wasn't wrong at all.
"…Yes. Probably. Maybe. Something like that."
Ivankov gave a vague reply—then asked:
"And you, Teach? What exactly are you after?"
"I couldn't care less about these small-fry."
Teach spread his arms wide, embracing the darkness around him, proudly displaying his "ambition."
"My target is Level Six—Infinite Hell!"
"I will choose the most elite… the most monstrous crew from among the world's worst criminals!"
"I will build the most terrifying pirate crew in history!"
"I will defeat Whitebeard and become the strongest pirate alive!"
"The relics of the old era have reached the end of their time!"
"My new era holds no ship that can carry them!"
The moment his declaration ended—
A sudden gust swept through Newkama Paradise.
Faint, blood-red sparks crackled in the air.
An invisible force pressed down upon everyone present.
Even the Newkama standing at the very edges of the cavern felt their hearts tighten from the oppressive pressure.
—C… Conqueror's Haki!?
Ivankov, being the closest, was hit first and hardest.
Even as a veteran who'd weathered countless storms, beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
Such overwhelming will… such reckless ambition!
Ivankov stared at Teach, utterly stunned.
Only Whitebeard's own son could possibly have this kind of presence!
From this moment—
Any doubt Ivankov held about "Edward Teach's" identity vanished.
He was absolutely convinced:
This man was truly "Whitebeard III."
Emotionally, Ivankov admired Teach's insane plan.
"To select subordinates from the monsters of Infinite Hell!"
A plan so outrageous ordinary people couldn't even conceive it.
But rationally…
Ivankov had zero confidence in Teach's chances of survival.
Infinite Hell wasn't a place mortals should tread.
The prisoners there were criminals so vile that the World Government had erased them from history.
Every last one of them was a figure who would be legendary if released to the outside world.
Recruiting them?
Could Teach truly manage that?
Ivankov had no answer.
But he didn't voice any criticism—only calmly asked:
"Teach, what exactly do you need me to do?"
If Teach wanted help executing this insane recruitment scheme—
Such as cleanup support, assisting escape plans, navigating Impel Down's internal tunnels—
Ivankov could grit his teeth and accept.
After all…
Newkama Paradise was connected to secret passageways throughout nearly all floors of Impel Down.
From Level 1—Crimson Hell—
To Level 5—Freezing Hell—
Every floor had hidden tunnels leading directly to Newkama Paradise.
Even Impel Down's staff didn't know these routes existed.
Ivankov could help someone move through the first five levels undetected.
Teach seemed momentarily distracted.
But when he heard Ivankov's words, he quickly refocused.
"I told you already, didn't I?"
"My target…
Is Infinite Hell!"
"Ivankov—come with me!"
Teach extended his hand again.
"We're friends!"
"If friends can't charge into fire and death together—what kind of friends are they?!"
"Queen of the Newkama…
You'll go to hell with me, right?"
Ivankov stiffened.
He had intended to repay Teach for saving Inazuma…
So why did this suddenly become a situation where he had to sacrifice his life?!
"Haha… Teach… friend… ahahaha…"
Ivankov wiped the sweat from his forehead, laughed dryly, and asked carefully:
"Teach… If you really make it into Infinite Hell… how exactly do you plan to recruit those monsters?"
"How will I do it? Gu-la-la-la…"
Teach threw his head back and laughed. His booming voice echoed through the cavern.
"I'll remove every set of chains in Infinite Hell!"
"I'll unleash a slaughter the world has never seen!"
"And the ones who crawl out alive—
Those survivors will be worthy to serve under me!"
In the real timeline—
Someone had done exactly this.
But that man was Blackbeard Teach, not "Whitebeard Teach."
And as for the "Whitebeard Teach" standing here now…
His so-called recruitment plan?
Utter nonsense.
Everything Teach—no, Ian—had said earlier to Ivankov had been true.
He really wanted to reach Infinite Hell.
He really wanted to form the most terrifying pirate crew.
He really wanted to surpass Whitebeard and become the strongest.
He really did want to select the greatest monsters alive as his subordinates.
But—
Who said the world's strongest monsters were only found in Infinite Hell?
Look at this "Edward Teach"—
Was he not already outrageous enough?
Honestly…
Ian wasn't Blackbeard.
He had zero interest in recruiting the living trash of Infinite Hell.
He also wasn't Nika.
He had no intention of releasing hordes of criminals into the world for personal gain.
Ian's goal had always been one thing—
The Treasure Chests carried by the legendary monsters imprisoned in Infinite Hell.
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