#122 - Chapter 122: Convincing others to stop fighting
The pirates were each in their dilapidated cells,
like a diverse audience watching a play from the stands.
Their gazes pierced through the sturdy prison bars,
landing on the farce unfolding not far away.
Surrounding the corroded walls and secure cells,
they scrutinized the scene with great interest,
a hint of mockery on their faces, as if observing a comical performance.
They occasionally burst into laughter, freely ridiculing the warden who had instilled fear in them.
They didn't believe that the warden, who reveled in killing, could truly escape this cage.
Their eyes were filled only with the excitement of finding amusement.
"Hahahaha! Watching their serious faces is a joy in itself."
"It's laughable; the good show they're putting on is more enjoyable than all the booze I plundered."
"A rat who can only stay in the dark wants to peek at the light?"
"That's the best joke I've heard all year."
They weren't just casting curious glances at the Marines.
It was also a mockery of Shiryu's overestimation of himself.
The pirates lay sprawled out lazily, enjoying this unexpected entertainment. Who could resist such a vivid farce?
"......"
Shiryu stood in the shadows of the prison, his eyes sharp like those of a captivating falcon.
Listening to the arrogant jeers of the pirates, a contemptuous sneer crept onto his lips.
His eyes swept over the dirty iron bars and the faces filled with mockery and anger,
as if scrutinizing a group of ignorant insects.
All the noise was nothing more than irrelevant background noise to him.
His eyes only lingered briefly.
That glance undoubtedly conveyed his disdainful attitude.
The actions and opinions of others had no impact on him.
Shiryu's neck tilted slightly, firm and aloof.
In his heart, the weight and value of this decision far outweighed the pirates' boisterous clamor.
Their opinions were worthless to him; he had already transcended this situation.
"I never regret the decisions I make."
"I have hope of escaping this place."
"I have a chance to leave this place that I dislike."
"What about you?"
"You can only wait here to die."
"I don't know why you can laugh."
"Are you perhaps happy that I can leave here?"
"......"
In that instant, silence enveloped the dim cells.
The pirates' uproar was interrupted by Shiryu's leisurely taunt.
Suddenly, like a lit powder keg, the pirates' anger erupted in an instant.
Their faces flushed red with anger, the flames in their eyes almost leaping out.
A burly pirate stood up with a roar, his hands gripping the sea-stone bars, his voice hoarse and full of sarcasm:
"You're nothing but a dog of the World Government. You think you can leave here?"
"Don't dream about it."
Immediately afterward, a gaunt pirate picked up the thread, his mocking laughter piercing through the prison, sharp and grating:
"We still have a chance to leave this place when our prison term is up."
"A guy like you, who should go to hell, will stay in this place forever!"
"I only need to stay in this place for 30 years."
"But you need to stay here for the rest of your life."
Inside and outside the iron windows, the sound of pirates banging against the prison echoed like coins being tossed, clanging throughout the area.
They vied to voice their sarcastic remarks about Shiryu.
Each person's face was adorned with a provocative smile.
Although trapped in a narrow space, their curses were still loud.
Shiryu leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching this boiling rabble, his expression unchanged.
He knew that for this group of lawless pirates, the deepest contempt was silence.
Jin quietly stood at the entrance to the sixth level.
His hands were folded across his chest, his face always maintaining a cold expression.
The pirates' taunts erupted in his ears, failing to stir a ripple in his heart.
His gaze pierced through the clamor, locking onto Shiryu.
He coughed lightly.
This small action had a remarkable power, and the surrounding noise diminished as a result.
"Congratulations, Shiryu. You can escape this confinement."
His words were concise, but they made Shiryu ecstatic.
The corners of his mouth curved into a confident arc, his tone full of deep allure:
"Shiryu, if you follow me, you definitely won't regret it."
"......"
The pirates in the prison exchanged glances, at a loss.
The slap in the face came so quickly that they were caught off guard.
This promise dropped a boulder into the cells, stirring up a series of ripples.
"I'm much stronger than Shiryu!"
"Please take me out! I'm willing to pay any price!"
"What Shiryu can do, I can do too, and what he can't do, I can still do!"
The entire prison became fervent at this moment.
Everyone was trying hard to sell themselves, unwilling to stay in this place forever.
They ignored Magellan's venom.
That viscous purple liquid crawled firmly on the walls.
But compared to freedom, these venoms were just insignificant obstacles.
Suddenly, the surrounding noise seemed to be absorbed by an invisible force, appearing so insignificant.
When Jin opened his eyes.
His pupils seemed to be filled with raging lightning, and the overwhelming aura that erupted from the depths of his body silently swept through every corner of the sixth level like a tide.
Haoshoku Haki was like a silent decree issued by an uncrowned king, instantly enveloping the entire space.
Those pirates who had just been clamoring to shout out their advantages were all forced to kneel on the cold ground by this invisible aura.
"This is Haoshoku Haki?"
"Besides Sengoku, another Marine has awakened this power?"
"Has another monster appeared in the Marines?"
"......"
The previously arrogant and unruly faces now only had shock and fear left.
Among them were strong men with sturdy bodies, and outstanding intellectuals.
They were truly fierce people on the sea, but in the face of this Haoshoku Haki's majesty, they all seemed so vulnerable.
The lights in the prison seemed to flicker because of this power.
Projected onto the faces of the prisoners revealing expressions of submission, it created dramatic light and shadows.
Even Magellan, who was always cold and ruthless, couldn't help but show a hint of seriousness in his eyes after feeling the aura on Jin's body.
"This kind of aura, has it finally appeared in the Marines again?"
Jin stood still, his figure as stable and towering as a mountain.
His aura extended to the surroundings, and then quietly returned.
The entire sixth level was silent because of his existence, the pirates who were still noisy just now.
Were also suppressed by his Haoshoku Haki at this moment.
Looking at the sixth level that had instantly quieted down, Jin smiled:
"Haoshoku Haki is still useful after all..."
...
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