Chapter 77

Grandline, Paradise, Impel Down

Stepping out of the elevator on the freezing level the group were greeted by silence only interrupted when their feet met the concrete as they kept on walking.

Some of the strawhats were bickering within their crew while Crocodile kept to himself, now and then eyeing Azul as if to assess a possible threat. Meanwhile Chopper was sitting on top of Azuls shoulder and repeatedly checked on Robins condition while Azul was carrying her.

Their path lead the group through the deserted prison cells coming about a frozen corpse now and then which caused some shrieking amongst the strawhats, namely from Nami.

Whenever that happened Crocodile grunted in annoyance at the volume while Zoro stuck his finger in his ear as if to check the condition of his eardrums.

After a while of walking they arrived at the stairs that lead to the upper level, the burning hell. As soon as they entered said level Choppers condition began to worsen once again making him become a wet towl once again. Still he kept on checking on Robin if only by eyecontact.

They ventured through the level, coming across the gigantic pot filled with bubbling water sending a grimace to Crocodiles face who could still remember his babtism when he first arrived in Impel Down. The strawhats truly had gotten lucky to not have to go through this initiation upon their arrival. Next to the bubbling pot a lot of various instruments and constructs laid against the walls or were simply thrown on the ground, their means clear to all eyes judging by the bloodstains that still decorated their exterior.

Shoving the disturbing sight to the back of their minds the group left the burning hell and tracked up the stairs that lead them into the starving hell which seemed to brighten Crocodiles mood after he had been freed from his seastone cuffs on the sixth level, now that he came upon a desert like environment. After basking in the athmosphere of this level he rejoined the group that had kept on walking not too keen to stay on this level either as many of the group were sweating rivers by the time they reached the stairs that lead to the second level.

On the second level the came upon the first small scenes of battle. Though surprisingly the ones that laid dead on the ground weren't only wardens and prisoners, no. Amongst them a few marines could be seen which stopped Azul in his tracks shortly after which he turned to Crocodile.

"It seems the marines have finally arrived at Impel Down which means that they possibly brought a decent amount of sh.i.p.s filled with troops along while under the command of a high ranking officer."

"Indeed..." Crocodile answered shortly, walking up to the dead marines, turning them over with his foot.

"Though those are only grunts which means the situation hasn't become too dire for the marines to do something... 'drastic'." Crocodile grunted out while pulling a cigare out of his reclaimed clothes, lighting it with a juweled lighter. Taking a deep inhale of thick smoke and exhaling it with a groan of satisfaction Crocodile returned to the group that kept watching him, the strawhats especially who hadn't been happy to see the warlord join their group.

"Listen Croco, I didn't free you out of the goodness of my heart. You were one of the few down there with a smidge of sanity while not being too weak either. In the coming battle I'll be occupying the commander of the fleet while you'll have to take on the officers below the commander. You guys will grab Robin and get the hell out of this place, you got that?" Azul said while watching Crocodile with observing eyes, noting the slightest changes in the mans face that may speak of betrayal or other backstabbing plans, though found none after which he turned around to the strawhats and adressed the last point.

"No way! I'm not letting you fight all the enemies!" Luffy yelled, earning him a smack on the back of the head from Nami.

"God damnit Luffy! Please use your brain just this time, for once in your life!" Nami yelled at Luffy who started a yelling contest with his navigator that he was the captain and was making the decisions for the crew, bringing a slight tickmark to Azuls forhead.

Not giving in to his annoyance Azul turned to Sanji instead handing Robin over to him with the knowledge that he would do literally anything to keep her safe while telling Zoro to watch Sanji's back which he acknowledged with a grunt.

Chopper meanwhile had jumped down from Azuls shoulder now that he didn't have to endure the heat anymore which brought him back into a decent condition.

As he kept on telling Sanji on how to best carry the woman to not endanger her further, making said lovecook nod rapidly in understanding, Azul walked over to Crocodile after which the two began to head out first shortly after followed by the group of strawhats.

The farther the group headed towards the first level the fiercer the battle got. Soon the arrived at the top of the stairs that revealed the first level to their eyes which painted an impressive view to them.

Letting his gaze fall on the tunnel to the surface Azul cracked his neck left and right after which he turned towards Sanji, Zoro and Chopper telling them:

"Stay close behind me." after which he rested his gaze one more time on the unconcious Robin and turned back around to face the battle that was about to commence the final confrontation that would end the revolt of Impel Down...