There was no time to think.
A stream of information flooded into his mind.
He was, admittedly, a little disappointed.
The Chop-Chop Fruit? Buggy the red-nose's Devil Fruit ability?
Buggy: Don't call me Red-Nose!
But on second thought—was this fruit really weak?
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit was also a Paramecia.
Who said the Chop-Chop Fruit couldn't be used externally?
With that in mind, Leno decided to test it. He had already eaten it—why not try?
However—
When he swallowed the Devil Fruit, the pirates in Eternal Hell noticed.
"Zehahaha! Brat, where'd you get a Devil Fruit?" Shiki the Golden Lion was the first to shout.
(Explanation: He was defeated by Luffy before Luffy even had Haki.)
"Idiot!" Douglas Bullet roared. "You'd be more comfortable without a fruit. Eat one, and Seastone suppresses you—you've got even less chance of escape!"
"A desperate act born of despair," Redfield commented coolly.
The others chimed in with mockery, calling him a fool.
Leno ignored them entirely.
He focused his mind and barked at the Seastone chains binding his arm: "Chop-Chop!"
The ability activated!
The indestructible Seastone shackles—capable of suppressing all Devil Fruit users—
began to disintegrate from within under an invisible force, instantly breaking into dozens of fragments!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Dozens of Seastone restraints fell from his body in succession,
hitting the ground with crisp, ringing echoes.
Each sound of chains striking the floor
was like an invisible slap across the faces of those pirates who had mocked him moments before!
In an instant—
Eternal Hell fell into deathly silence.
This wasn't right!
How could someone who had eaten a Devil Fruit destroy Seastone?!
Golden Lion's laughter stopped abruptly.
Bullet's eyes widened.
Redfield straightened in his seat.
Even the others—some who had yet to join Blackbeard in the future—
sat upright in shock, gripping the iron bars, staring at Leno with eyes wide in disbelief.
Leno flexed his newly freed limbs.
As lightness returned to his body, ecstasy surged in his heart.
Whether Buggy's fruit could affect external objects, he didn't know—but his could.
And that meant this fruit's potential far surpassed even the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
Whatever the Tremor-Tremor could do, this could as well.
And what the Tremor-Tremor couldn't do—like immunity to slashing attacks—this could!
Even if the attack was coated in Armament Haki.
Armament Haki allowed one to touch Logia users—it didn't nullify Devil Fruit abilities.
During the Paramount War, Mihawk's black blade had slashed straight through Buggy without doing a thing.
Unfortunately, he didn't have long to think before the prisoners interrupted him.
"Brat! Let me out!"
Bullet was the first to roar, his voice threatening. "Or when I get out, I'll tear you apart first!"
"Zehahaha… little brat, take me with you! I'll give you half my treasure and half my fleet!" Shiki tempted.
"If you seek partners or strength, I can lend you my assistance."
Redfield's voice sounded again, carrying a faint plea.
He was too old. If he didn't leave soon, he would die here of old age.
Threats, temptations, pleas… the cellblock filled with noise.
Leno looked at them coldly.
Release them?
It wasn't impossible. He wasn't Navy anymore.
He couldn't protect civilians anyway.
When Luffy released prisoners from Impel Down, no one condemned him. He was still a hot-blooded pirate.
You say Luffy did it to save his brother?
Sorry.
Leno would be doing it to save himself.
Escaped criminals would conveniently draw the Navy's attention for him.
He needed time to understand the statues in his mind.
The Paramount War was approaching. There was no time to waste here.
But letting them go for free felt unpleasant.
So he swept his gaze around, toward the voices echoing from each cell.
In a cold voice, he asked:
"If I release you… what do I get?"
The fiercest criminals of Eternal Hell fell silent.
What could they offer him?
Even they weren't sure.
But drawing big promises out of thin air? That was easy.
"Brat! Let me out and I'll give you seventy percent of my treasure!"
"Join forces with me—the New World will be ours!"
"My old subordinates can serve you!"
The voices rose again, each raising their stakes.
Every one of them wanted the same thing—to leave Impel Down.
As for honoring their promises afterward?
Please. Going back on one's word was practically a pirate's required course.
They were pirates. What credit did they have?
Fortunately, Leno already knew their nature. He never intended to trust them fully.
He had his own plan.
While his rate of growth in strength wasn't monstrous, and his talent might not rival certain prodigies—
perhaps due to transmigration, his learning ability had always been terrifying.
He already had Garp's foundation in physical combat and Armament Haki.
What he lacked was top-tier Conqueror's Haki and Observation Haki experience.
And the men before him were the best teachers imaginable—perhaps even comparable to Kaido.
The Lone Red's Observation Haki was naturally top-tier, self-awakened and of immense quality.
His other Haki weren't weak either—otherwise how could he once stand equal with Roger, Whitebeard, and Golden Lion?
Douglas Bullet's Conqueror's Haki was also extremely powerful.
As for Shiki the Golden Lion—though his legs were crippled and he could no longer fully display all three types of Haki—
his experience remained. And his swordsmanship was that of a supreme great swordsman.
In the face of Leno's terrifying learning ability…
Afraid of biting off more than he could chew?
Didn't exist.
So he stated his condition.
"Teach me your signature skills—"
Before he could finish, they burst into laughter.
"Brat, are you dreaming?"
"Teaching you properly would take years. We'd be dead here long before that!"
"…"
Hearing their mockery, Leno's expression remained cold.
"Shut the hell up!"
"If you want to leave, listen until I'm done!"
"Whether I can learn is none of your concern. You just teach with full effort. In exchange, I grant you freedom."
"I'm not stupid—I can tell whether you're holding back. Garp was my teacher once."
For a moment, they fell silent.
They weighed the costs and benefits.
But it didn't take long to reach a conclusion.
Signature techniques were valuable—
but freedom was worth more.
"Zehahaha… good brat! I like your guts. I'll teach you swordsmanship and Haki application!" Golden Lion agreed first.
Once one agreed, the others followed.
"Observation Haki… I can instruct you," Redfield said calmly.
"Hmph. I'll teach you the technique of Conqueror's Haki infusion. Lucky brat!" Bullet roared.
As for the rest—
Stand back.
What class were they, compared to these three monsters?
Soon after, while the Den Den Mushi remained unconscious from the Haki shockwaves, Leno stepped out of his cell.
He began learning Haki experience from the very peak of the seas.
As for whether Magellan might suddenly arrive? Impossible.
In Eternal Hell, clashes of Conqueror's Haki were commonplace.
Surveillance Den Den Mushi fainting was routine.
Besides, Leno had been Navy—venting their frustrations on him was normal.
And so—
no one noticed.
At first, the three taught him with barely concealed disdain and perfunctory effort.
Golden Lion clicked his tongue. "Brat, Haki doesn't flow like that—"
Bullet snorted. "Conqueror's infusion? With your amount? Train another ten years!"
Redfield said flatly, "Hearing the voice of all things? You haven't even mastered basic Observation—"
However—
After just one day of teaching,
their attitudes shifted from disdain to astonishment.