With the power of the Dark Dark Fruit clearing obstacles ahead, the Blackbeard Pirates advanced swiftly through the underground passage. Before long, they reached the end of the corridor.
A solid stone wall stood before them.
For a moment, confusion spread among the crew. No one had expected the left path to lead to a dead end.
"Did we choose the wrong path?" Baby 5 asked, staring at the wall. "Should we have taken the right one?"
Burgess scratched his head, visibly disappointed. "If this is a dead end, then let us go back and try the other route."
Blackbeard, however, showed no sign of frustration. He studied the wall carefully, then burst into laughter.
"Zehahahahaha! Do not jump to conclusions. There might be a hidden mechanism."
nodded slightly. "Search carefully. If this place was built with such elaborate traps, it is unlikely to end with nothing but a plain wall."
The crew spread out and began examining the stone surface, pressing and knocking against different sections.
"I found something!" Diamante suddenly called out. "This stone feels different."
Everyone gathered around as Diamante pressed and twisted the suspicious stone.
A thunderous boom echoed through the corridor.
A massive stone gate dropped from above, sealing the path they had come from.
"What?" Several crew members reacted in shock. They had expected an exit, not a trap.
"Why are you panicking?" Shiryu snapped coldly. "It is only a stone door."
"That is right," Baby 5 said confidently. Her arm transformed into a cannon. "I will blow it open."
Boom.
The first shot blasted a large hole through the stone gate. Two more cannon blasts followed, reducing the door to rubble.
"There," Baby 5 said, lowering her arm with satisfaction. "We can leave anytime."
"Wait," Shiryu interrupted calmly.
He exhaled a stream of smoke and analyzed the situation. "If this were truly a dead end, the trap would not be so easily broken. Anyone who reaches this point must possess strength. That stone door was too simple. There is more here."
Blackbeard understood immediately. "So you believe there is another mechanism."
"I am certain we have not seen everything," Shiryu replied.
The crew resumed their search.
Moments later, Shiryu discovered another concealed switch embedded within the wall.
"Here."
He twisted it.
A hidden seam split open in the stone, revealing a secret doorway. The Blackbeard Pirates exchanged excited looks and entered without hesitation. Once the last of them passed through, the door shut behind them with a heavy rumble.
Darkness swallowed the corridor.
Baby 5 quickly generated a flame to light their surroundings. The flickering light revealed a long, narrow passage stretching deeper underground.
Excitement replaced their earlier frustration. The scale of the mechanisms suggested something significant lay ahead.
After walking for nearly ten minutes, they reached a towering metal gate nearly ten meters high. Its surface was solid steel, thick and imposing.
Blackbeard's grin grew wider.
"Zehahahahaha! Now this feels worthy of treasure."
His anticipation peaked. Whatever lay behind such a door could not be ordinary.
"I will destroy it," Baby 5 declared. Her arm shifted back into cannon form and fired directly at the metal gate.
The explosion echoed violently, smoke filling the corridor.
When the smoke cleared, the gate remained intact.
A faint clicking sound followed.
Shiryu's expression changed instantly as he looked up.
The ceiling panels flipped open, revealing rows upon rows of gun barrels.
"Take cover!" Shiryu shouted.
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets poured down like a storm. The crew immediately activated Armament Haki to defend themselves.
In mere seconds, tens of thousands of bullets rained onto the corridor, raising clouds of dust and fragments of stone.
The barrage continued relentlessly before finally ceasing.
When the mechanism stopped, Blackbeard withdrew the darkness he had used to shield portions of the attack. Even so, aside from him, nearly everyone bore wounds.
Shiryu had taken two bullets despite his defense.
Diamante and Trebol, due to their larger frames, had suffered even more hits. Blood stained their clothes as they struggled to remain standing.
"Treat them immediately," Shiryu ordered sharply.
Blackbeard's face darkened. He had come seeking treasure, not casualties among his crew. His eyes fixed on the massive metal gate ahead.
If he failed to claim what lay beyond it, the loss would be unacceptable.
"Allow me," Shiryu said calmly, drawing his sword Raiu. The cursed blade gleamed faintly under the torchlight.
"Prepare your darkness to defend us again."
Blackbeard nodded.
Shiryu stepped forward and swung with full force.
The blade sliced cleanly through the metal gate, splitting it into two halves with a deafening crash.
As expected, mechanical gears began turning once more.
This time, Blackbeard was ready.
He extended his hand and unleashed the power of the Dark Dark Fruit, forming a vast canopy of darkness above them. The bullets fired from the ceiling were swallowed into the void before they could strike.
"Move!" Blackbeard commanded.