Chapter 47: The Art of the Deal
Steady?
The word echoed in Sakazuki's and Magellan's minds, clashing violently with their self-images. Sakazuki, the embodiment of radical, unforgiving justice. Magellan, the poisonous demon warden whose very presence was a torture. They were many things—feared, ruthless, efficient—but steady? It was an adjective never applied to them, usually by their critics.
Yet, coming from this chaotic, terrifyingly powerful young man, it somehow fit. Compared to Levi's brand of instantaneous, overwhelming, and casually brutal resolution, their adherence to protocol and political maneuvering did seem cautious. Even Sengoku's assessment of Levi as "easy-going" now felt like a cosmic joke.
Levi's logic, however, was chillingly simple. Blackbeard was a variable that had shown hostile interest. Ergo, remove the variable. The fact that he was a Warlord was a bureaucratic detail, an inconvenience easily buried under the cover of a prison riot.
Before Magellan or Sakazuki could formulate a diplomatic objection, Levi acted.
He didn't move his body. A massive, boot-shaped construct of solidified black Reiatsu materialized directly above Marshall D. Teach's head and stamped down.
"NO! I'VE DONE NOTHING!" Blackbeard shrieked, all pretense of cool cunning evaporating in the face of imminent, meaningless death. His grand design, his decades of patience, were about to be crushed by a boot made of spirit. It was an insult to his ambition. His body erupted in a defensive cloud of inky darkness—the Yami Yami no Mi's power, seeking to swallow the attack.
CRUNCH-POP!
The dark cloud shattered under the spiritual stamp. Blackbeard was driven to his knees, a spray of blood erupting from his mouth as internal injuries flared. The sheer, concentrated weight of the attack was staggering.
"Huh. Durable," Levi noted with clinical interest, already forming another spiritual construct.
"He's actually doing it…" Gion muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. The mountain of post-incident reports, diplomatic complaints, and internal inquiries she envisioned just grew exponentially.
"DAMN YOU, FOURTH ADMIRAL!" Blackbeard roared, spitting blood. His eyes darted to Sakazuki and Magellan, his last hope. "ARE YOU JUST GOING TO WATCH?! WE HAVE A PACT! IF I DIE HERE, WHAT WILL THE OTHER WARLORDS THINK? WILL THE WORLD GOVERNMENT BELIEVE YOUR LIES ABOUT 'RIOTERS'?!"
He was playing his last card—appealing to their pragmatism and fear of political fallout.
Shiryu of the Rain remained a silent statue, his eyes calculating. If Blackbeard fell here, their nascent alliance died with him. He would deny everything.
Sakazuki's magma-coated fist shot upward, intercepting Levi's second descending "foot" with a blast of searing heat and force. "Enough!" he barked, his voice a rumbling command. "Killing him now is strategically unsound. The war with Whitebeard is imminent. The other Warlords may refuse the summons if they see us execute one of their own on a pretext. It creates unnecessary complications. And explaining it to the Five Elders would be… troublesome."
Levi paused, the Reiatsu construct dissipating. He looked at Sakazuki, then at the wheezing, terrified Blackbeard. He understood Sakazuki's calculus. The Red Dog wasn't protecting Blackbeard out of mercy; he was protecting the smooth execution of a larger plan and his own standing with the powers that be. Sakazuki's ambition stretched beyond Admiral.
"Fine," Levi said, the aggression draining from his posture. "But leaving him free to wander is also a risk. We don't need a potential knife in our back during the war. He stays here. In a cell. Until the matter is settled."
He presented it as a compromise, a logical security measure.
Sakazuki considered it. Imprisoning a Warlord was a major incident, but not as irreversible as killing one. It could be spun as "protective custody" or "holding for questioning regarding the riot." It showed decisive action while leaving room for the World Government to intervene. More importantly, it placated the immediate, terrifying threat of Levi's wrath.
"…Agreed," Sakazuki said after a tense moment.
Magellan gave a slow, heavy nod. "Containment is within my purview. Given the circumstances, it is a prudent measure."
Blackbeard stared, his mind reeling. That's it? They're just going to lock me up?!
The realization dawned on Sakazuki a second later. He planned this. Levi's initial murderous impulse was either genuine or a masterful bluff. The real goal wasn't necessarily Blackbeard's death—it was his neutralization. By demanding the extreme, he made the severe seem reasonable. He'd manipulated the situation to have a dangerous, scheming variable removed from the board with their collective approval.
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I'M INNOCENT!" Blackbeard bellowed, but his protests were the desperate cries of a man already caught in the trap. Fighting back now would give them the justification they needed to use lethal force. He was checkmated.
"As for you, Shiryu of the Rain…" Levi's gaze shifted to the former Head Jailer, his eyes narrowing. The man had been part of the suspicious meeting. He was another loose end, but a more complicated one—a former employee, not an outsider.
The question hung in the toxic air. What was to be done with the disgraced swordmaster who had been conspiring with a Warlord in the heart of Impel Down?
(End of Chapter)
✨If you're enjoying this story, consider supporting me on Patreon —
Patreon.com/TofuChan
💕Patreon members get early access to chapters, bonus content, and voting power on future ideas.💕
Every bit of support helps me write more and faster. Thank you so much for reading! 🥰
Bonus Chapter For Every 100 Power Stones
Lets hit the goal of 150 Patreon Members now for 5 Extra Chapters 💕
We are at 144 members right now.
Donate me Stoness!!!