In the early hours of the day of Ace's public execution, Impel Down had already been breached.
The operation was led by the Revolutionary Army's Supreme Commander, Dragon, coordinating from the inside with Ivankov, who had been hiding within Impel Down for over five years — all for the sake of rescuing Luffy.
"Dragon... The world's most dangerous criminal... Do you even realize what you're doing right now?!" roared Magellan, his expression dark and furious, as he faced off against Dragon on the third level of Impel Down.
"Sabo, go! Link up with Ivankov and the others. I'll handle things here!" Dragon ordered, completely ignoring Magellan's rage. Sabo understood immediately, bolting toward the passage behind Magellan — the route leading to Level Six, where Ivankov and his group were currently rescuing Luffy.
"Damn you!"
"Venom Hydra!"
With a furious roar, Magellan unleashed four massive venomous hydras from his back. They surged toward Sabo and the others, poisonous jaws wide open, ready to devour. But just then — a violent gale swept through, razor-sharp wind blades slicing the venomous beasts apart, giving Sabo and his team a clear path forward.
"Dragon!!" Magellan bellowed, charging straight at the Revolutionary leader.
"I'm staying with you, Dragon. You deal with Magellan — leave the rest of the grunts to me!" shouted Morley, one of the Revolutionary Army's Commanders, standing firmly behind Dragon.
"Understood." Dragon nodded, then lunged toward Magellan without hesitation.
Another wave of gigantic venom hydras hurtled toward Dragon. With a flick of his right hand, he summoned a swirling tornado, slamming it into the hydras. Poison splattered in every direction as wind and venom collided with brutal force.
"Dragon! I won't let you get away with this!" Magellan shouted, his expression utterly crazed. He knew full well the strength of the man before him — the world's most wanted criminal, the Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army. But so what?
After the massive breakout incident led by Elior, Magellan could no longer allow a single mistake in Impel Down. If the prison fell again, there was no doubt in his mind — he would commit suicide on the spot to atone for his failure.
"All we want is Luffy and Ivankov's crew. We're not freeing anyone else." Dragon's eyes narrowed. Summoning another massive tornado, he blew Magellan back. The truth was clear — Dragon's power simply outclassed Magellan's. A fair fight would take time, but if Dragon went all out, Magellan wouldn't last long.
The man who commands the wind — the Wind-Wind Fruit user — Monkey D. Dragon.
"Hypocritical Revolutionaries... You're nothing but the cancer of this world. You know damn well what kind of scum rots inside Impel Down. What about your son? Don't tell me you think he's some saint. Dragon! If you want to save your son and Ivankov... you'll have to step over my corpse first!" Magellan roared, charging recklessly.
A brutal fight erupted.
But just then... another group arrived.
"Zehahaha..."
"Didn't expect the Revolutionary Army to show up too!" A twisted laugh echoed through the blood-soaked corridors.
Blackbeard.
The infamous pirate sauntered onto the scene, his grotesque grin spreading wide as Magellan and Dragon clashed.
With the powers of the Dark-Dark Fruit, Blackbeard had become something monstrous. His ability could suppress or nullify any Devil Fruit power. No matter who he faced — even other ability users — he feared no one.
This overwhelming confidence radiated off him like poison.
"Blackbeard! Why the hell are you here?!" Magellan snarled. Even as a Shichibukai, Blackbeard disgusted him. He saw no difference between Blackbeard and any other scum rotting in the cells below.
"Zehahaha... I'm just here for a little tour! Thought I'd check out how things are going." Blackbeard sneered, strutting through the chaos as though none of it concerned him. He ignored the fight between Magellan and Dragon entirely.
"Stop right there!" Magellan bellowed. Something was deeply wrong. Wasn't Blackbeard supposed to be part of the battle at Marineford today? Why was he here?!
Even Dragon frowned. Blackbeard's sudden appearance was... unsettling. Deep down, Dragon felt it — this was no coincidence.
Magellan grew more and more agitated as Blackbeard and his crew walked deeper into the prison.
"Did you bring them here, Revolutionary?!" Magellan roared, eight venomous hydras exploding from his body. The surrounding floors hissed and steamed as poisonous gas flooded the corridors, dissolving stone and metal alike.
"I don't know." Dragon's tone was grim. And it was the truth — he had no idea Blackbeard would be here.
But one thing was crystal clear: Dragon knew exactly who Blackbeard was. After all, the entire war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marine... was because of this man. Blackbeard was the true catalyst — the very root of the bloodshed that was about to engulf the world.
"Damn... Is he here to stop Sabo and the others?" Dragon's eyes sharpened. He clenched his fists. He had to finish Magellan quickly — no more holding back.
A tornado of wind howled around him as his power surged.
Nearby, Commander Morley continued smashing through wave after wave of prison guards, leaving broken bodies in his wake.
Meanwhile, far outside Impel Down — about 20 kilometers away — a pirate ship dragged by massive Sea Kings was rapidly approaching.
Onboard...
Elior and his crew.