One Piece: Hashirama Template

Emerging from the pocket dimension, Link and Teach found themselves before another prison cell.

This cell was unique. Inside, a single prisoner was held in a state of suspended animation, frozen solid in a massive block of ice.

At the sight of this prisoner, Teach's pupils constricted slightly, his wariness of Link's intelligence growing even deeper.

Laffitte had once theorized that Link's target might be Douglas Bullet, or perhaps the Devil Fruit of some legendary pirate lost to history.

But the reality was far more shocking. Link not only knew about the Mythical Zoan, Nine-Tailed Fox fruit, but he also knew that this man before them… was still alive!

Byrnndi World. The "World Destroyer." User of the Paramecia-type More-More Fruit.

Though his bounty was a mere 200 million Beri, he was a legend from thirty years ago—a man so dangerous that the World Government had been forced to ally with pirates just to capture him.

If not for the dead weight of his own crew holding him back, he was a walking strategic weapon, a force of nature that could be called a mini-Pluton.

And the More-More Fruit was, without a doubt, one of the most top-tier abilities within the Paramecia class.

Thirty years had passed, but the World Destroyer hadn't died.

Then again, that made sense. Neither the Marines nor the World Government would ever allow a man like him to simply die. Freezing him was the perfect way to delay the inevitable.

After all, if Byrnndi World died, the More-More Fruit would be reborn somewhere in the world. Who knew what kind of monster would get their hands on it next?

This Devil Fruit was also a perfect match for Teach.

To be precise, much like the Op-Op Fruit, the More-More Fruit's power scaled directly with the user's physical stamina. Byrnndi World possessed an abnormal physiology, and so did Teach.

This was the second Devil Fruit that had truly tempted Teach.

Unfortunately, just like the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he could only look, not touch.

With Nami's assistance, Link and Teach once again stepped into the pocket dimension, taking the frozen prisoner with them.

The remaining inmates of Infinite Hell had watched them take Caterina Devon, who never returned. Now, they watched them take another legendary figure. A chilling, ominous premonition began to creep into their hearts.

The frenzied, chaotic atmosphere of Infinite Hell suddenly fell silent.

Observing this from a distance, Laffitte and the others on the outside revealed satisfied smiles.

Worthy of the monsters of Infinite Hell, they thought. They catch on quick.

A few moments later, the shimmering portal reappeared, and Link and Teach stepped back out.

Sensing the tense air of the prison level, Link smiled. "Teach, Magellan is blocking the entrance up there now. Allow me to sift out the strongest candidates in these cells for you."

Before Teach could even respond, Link clapped his hands together.

BOOM—!

A torrent of blue energy erupted from his body, and a terrifying shockwave swept through the entirety of Infinite Hell. Every powerhouse capable of using Observation Haki felt a vast, ocean-like energy radiating from Link.

They were certain of one thing: this was absolutely not Haki!

What in the world is this power?!

RUMBLE…!

Just as those prisoners were experiencing the same awe and confusion Doflamingo once had, the entire level of Infinite Hell began to shake violently.

The intense tremors traveled all the way to the upper floors, causing Magellan, who had just ordered the elevator shut down and the entrance sealed, to feel a deep sense of unease. He wasn't the only one; the remaining prisoners and the Blackbeard Pirates felt it too.

Suddenly, countless wooden branches erupted from the stone floor, smashing through cell after cell. They coiled around the physically drained prisoners like massive pythons, siphoning away what little energy they had left.

However, a select few prisoners remained untouched by the branches.

Each one of them was a former titan who had once ruled the seas, a legendary figure whose name had been lost to history.

After binding the vast majority of the inmates, Link raised his palm, his fingers spread open.

Then, he clenched his hand into a tight fist.

In that instant, within the senses of Teach and the other masters of Observation Haki, more than half of the life signatures in Infinite Hell simply… vanished.

[Ding…!]

A storm of system notifications exploded in Link's mind.

Lowering his hand, Link used his Wood Style to create a key, handing it to the stunned Teach. He chuckled softly, "Teach, our cooperation ends here. I wish you good luck."

Watching Link's back as he walked towards the portal, Teach felt a strange sensation. It was as if Link had changed once again, becoming even more profound, even more unfathomable than before.

Clutching the key, Teach didn't ask Link to help him escape.

He understood Link's unspoken message: a stealthy infiltration could never compare to the sheer charisma and power of fighting your way out.

Although he didn't know why Impel Down's response had been so slow, allowing him to reach Level 6 so smoothly, Teach knew he hadn't yet demonstrated his own overwhelming strength to these legendary convicts.

Now was his chance. He would recruit those willing to follow him, reveal his grand gamble and his deepest secrets, and paint them a picture of a glorious future. He would convince them to help him seize the ultimate prize: Old Man Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit.

Deep in his heart, Teach refused to be indebted to Link.

Otherwise, even if he attained power at the pinnacle of the world, he would forever lose the upper hand in their future encounters, always standing one step below Link.

That was not what Teach wanted.

Life is a grand gamble. The worst that can happen is death!

At that moment, the aura of a true conqueror once again emanated from Teach.

After returning to his pocket dimension, Link turned to a figure who had undergone a massive transformation. "So, Karina?" he smiled. "Are you satisfied with your new power?"

"Yes, yes!" Karina nodded enthusiastically, her voice filled with excitement. "This ability is absolutely incredible! The moment I ate the fruit, I felt like I could take on an army all by myself!"

The Karina standing before him now looked nothing like her former self.

Her waist-length purple hair had become a cascade of silvery-white. Unlike human hair, it had the texture of fine, divine fur, much like Yamato's Mythical Zoan form. Her already beautiful face had become even more exquisite, her features perfectly refined. Her blue eyes had transformed into striking golden, slitted pupils, with elegant red markings gracing the corners like eyeshadow. It gave her an aura that was both pure and dangerously alluring.

If charm could be quantified, and women like Robin were already near a perfect score, Karina's current allure had somehow surpassed them.

Her hands and feet had shifted into delicate yet sharp fox claws, and nine majestic golden tails swayed gently behind her.

This wasn't her normal state, but her Human-Beast form. Yet, unlike most Zoan transformations, her face hadn't become animalistic; it had only grown more beautiful.

This Devil Fruit, the Mythical Zoan, Model: Nine-Tailed Fox, truly had an exceptionally high compatibility with Karina. It suited her far more than the Op-Op Fruit or the More-More Fruit ever could.

Link reached out and gently patted her head. Then, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he looked towards Nami and the other girls and smiled.

"Let's go. I've obtained everything I planned for. Now, it's time for you to follow me… as we ascend to the world's grandest stage!"

(End of Chapter)

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