Chapter 279: Panic Spreads, That Man Is Here!
Warden's Office.
"If that woman wasn't lying, then in a few days, she'll be leaving this prison," Magellan, who had been stone-faced moments before, sighed heavily, his face filled with guilt. He could hardly bring himself to look at Vice Admiral Vulture. "As the warden, the most I can do is make her suffer as much as possible while she's here. But once the official order from the Celestial Dragons arrives, I'll have no choice but to release her. You should move your daughter to a safer place as soon as you get back…"
"I know, I know…" Vulture leaned weakly against the wall, a tragic smile on his face.
Justice… justice. What a joke.
He had joined the Marines in his youth, fought and bled for twenty years to protect the people and uphold the justice he believed in. But in the end, he couldn't even get justice for his murdered wife and children. The most laughable part was that when he arrested her in Sabaody, he had the chance to kill her on the spot. But at the last moment, reason had triumphed over rage. He had chosen to follow the rules, to bring her back to the base and put her on trial. By doing so, he could also ensure the Door-Door Fruit was locked away in Impel Down, contributing to the world's stability.
But who could have known it would end like this…
Vice Admiral Vulture sank to the floor, holding his head in his hands, silent tears streaming down his face.
"…"
Magellan stood with his arms crossed, saying nothing. He had to maintain the prison's order, even when that order seemed so absurd. He wanted to say something, but he wasn't the type to offer comfort, and the words died in his throat. Silence filled the office, broken only by the ticking of the wall clock.
Just then—
BOOM!!!
The entire office shook violently. Dust rained down from the ceiling. Both Magellan and Vulture's expressions changed.
"What's happening?!" Magellan shot to his feet. The vibration hadn't come from above; it felt like all the walls were shaking! There was no mistake—the entire underwater prison was trembling!
"R-reporting, Warden!" a guard burst in, flustered. "The surveillance Den Den Mushi shows a huge crack in the ceiling of Level 1, the Crimson Hell! It… it looks like someone is invading Impel Down from above!"
"What!" Magellan's pupils shrank. "Who is it?!"
The seas surrounding Impel Down.
A figure was walking on air, crossing the Calm Belt at an astonishing speed.
THWACK!
The figure suddenly stopped. "Finally here." Shane stood with his hands in his pockets, his black coat flapping behind him. He looked down at the mirror-like sea, his gaze fixed on the huge, circular wall. Outside the wall, several Marine warships were docked, seemingly having just completed a prisoner transfer. In the very center of the enclosure stood three towering stone structures.
"Even the part above the water is this imposing?" This was the first time Shane had seen the legendary Impel Down, and he couldn't help but study it with interest. Speaking of which, ever since he entered the Grand Line, Marine Headquarters and the World Government had been trying their best to capture him and throw him in here. Unfortunately for them, they had never succeeded. Now, times had changed, and he was paying them a visit of his own accord. He wondered what those high-and-mighty old geezers would think when the news got out.
"Well then…" A grin spread across Shane's face. He slowly pulled his right hand from his pocket, opened his palm, and then clenched his fist, wrapping it in an incredibly dense Haki. He aimed downwards. "Let's start with a little greeting."
BOOM!
A terrifying blast of power descended from the sky like a raging dragon, slamming into the center of Impel Down!
CRACK!
Black-and-red lightning spread out in all directions, illuminating the entire sea as if it were the apocalypse. The violent wave of Conqueror's Haki sent massive waves crashing, violently rocking the nearby warships. And the ground… the ceiling of Level 1, despite being dozens of meters thick, crumbled like tofu, a huge hole punched clean through it!
Sunlight, blazing sunlight, shone into the Crimson Hell for the first time.
"Intruder! We have an intruder!!!"
"Dammit, the surveillance Den Den Mushi on the first floor seem to have been knocked out! The monitors are all static!"
"Quick! Assemble for support! And send someone to Level 4 to inform the Warden immediately!"
The piercing sound of alarms echoed through the underwater prison, accompanied by the hurried footsteps of the guards. Many prisoners were jolted awake, rushing to the bars of their cells, craning their necks to see what was happening. But the midday sun was too bright, and their eyes, long accustomed to the darkness, could only make out a dark figure descending slowly amidst the falling debris.
"Who is it?!"
"I can't see a thing! Tsk, so arrogant, attacking this place all by himself!"
"Hey! Whoever it is, they must be a pirate, right?! We're pirates too! Let us out!"
A cacophony of shouts rose up, but Shane remained calm, ignoring the prisoners' pleas. Were there innocent people in Impel Down? Of course. But the number was so small, in the grand scheme of things, that it was negligible. Why would he release these scumbags to wreak havoc on the seas? Just because they were also enemies of the World Government? What a joke.
He landed steadily, his powerful Observation Haki spreading out instantly, mapping the general layout of the next level in his mind. Perfect landing. It's empty below, no cells. Then there was no need to waste time looking for the stairs. He would just go down this way.
Shane lifted his right foot and then slammed it down!
BOOM!
The entire Crimson Hell shook again. Amidst the roar, Shane lifted his foot, revealing a massive, dark hole below.
"Hey, where are you going?!"
"Let us out before you go down! Please!" the surrounding prisoners yelled, their voices growing more desperate.
Shane paid them no mind, flashing through the hole and dropping directly into Level 2, the Wild Beast Hell. The light here was even dimmer. The air was thick with the smell of blood and the stench of wild animals.
Hmm? Vicious beasts—basilisks, manticores, scorpions, and more—were lying in wait at the stairwells and in the corridors. They were all awake now, staring at the uninvited guest, baring their teeth as they closed in. The boss of this level was a particularly large Sphinx.
"Noodles! Ramen! Dan Dan Noodles!" the Sphinx roared strangely, opening its massive maw and lunging at Shane. The other beasts followed their boss's lead, and for a moment, the entire second level was filled with terrifying roars.
Shane had no intention of fighting. He didn't even move. He simply lifted his head slightly and shot a cold glare at the bizarre collection of beasts.
"Get lost." The two simple words were imbued with an unparalleled pressure.
VWOOM!
An invisible, terrifying aura radiated out from him! All the lunging beasts froze in mid-air and then fell to the ground like puppets with their strings cut, foaming at themouth and unconscious. The Sphinx, who took the brunt of it, slammed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. It wasn't knocked out, but when it looked up at Shane again, its eyes were filled with terror. It cowered in a corner, trembling, not daring to get any closer.
Shane ignored it and continued downwards.
Level 3, the Starvation Hell!
And down again!
Level 4, the Blazing Hell!
On this level, amidst the searing heat, Shane finally stopped and looked around. His memory of Impel Down was hazy, but he vaguely remembered that Magellan's office was on this floor. No movement at all. Spreading his Observation Haki, Shane raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. And I don't sense Magellan's presence on this level either. Was his memory wrong? Or was Magellan…
"Why hasn't the Warden shown up yet? Did he have to go to the bathroom again?!" Squeak. A large door across the way was pushed open, and Hannyabal burst in, looking annoyed. "The enemy has already reached the second floor! Warden! Warden! That's strange, where is he… But if this keeps up, the Warden will be fired for dereliction of duty, and then I'll be the new Warden! Heheheha—Hmm?!"
At that moment, his eyes met Shane's.
"Hello," Shane said politely, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the ridiculously dressed, pharaoh-like man. "If I remember correctly, you're the Vice-Warden of this prison, right? Since I can't find Magellan, asking you should be the same. Hey, can you tell me where a woman is being held?"
There was no response.
"…"
Hannyabal's breathing stopped. The moment he saw Shane's face, his eyes went wide, his mouth fell open, and the double-headed glaive in his hand clattered to the floor.
"Y-you're…" He instinctively took two steps back, his lips trembling, his face instantly draining of all color. "Th-the intruder is you?! The Yonko of the New World, the World's Strongest Swordsman, Shane!!!"
Are you kidding me! This guy is one of the true titans at the pinnacle of the seas! Even a Marine Admiral would have to treat him with extreme caution! And now, I'm standing in his way, all by myself?!
Me, one-on-one with Shane? I don't stand a chance…
His hands, his legs, his feet… they were all shaking! Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Hannyabal instinctively wanted to retreat, but not far behind him were the stairs leading to Level 5, the Freezing Hell—and below that was Level 6. The prisoners there were all the most heinous criminals, the ones who should have been erased from history. If he let this monster get down there and release them… the thought was unimaginable. The civilians of the world would be plunged into a disaster of epic proportions!
"No… I can't!" Hannyabal roared. He bent down, snatched his fallen glaive, and gripped it tightly. "I can't! I… I'm the man who will be the Warden of Impel Down! How can I let pirates like you run rampant in here!" This prison will be mine one day! The position of Warden is within my grasp! I won't let anyone take it from me, not even a big shot like him!
"Blood Sucker!" Hannyabal roared, swinging his double-headed glaive. It spun at high speed, and with a whoosh, it burst into flames, creating a fiery tornado that swept towards Shane.
However—
Shane simply raised his right hand, palm open. The raging fire tornado froze in mid-air, as if caught in the grip of an invisible hand. He had long since mastered the advanced application of Haki, to an almost perfect degree.
"Honestly… anyone can play with fire these days," he sighed, glancing at Hannyabal. "You recognized me, you're so scared your legs are shaking, and yet you still dare to stand in my way?" An old, fuzzy memory of this man sharpened in his mind. This unreliable guy has his admirable moments.
"Your courage is commendable," he said, extinguishing the flames with a casual clench of his fist. He then flicked a finger, sending a finger pistol shot that easily pierced Hannyabal's thigh. Watching him cry out and fall to the ground, Shane said calmly, "But don't be foolish. I haven't killed a single guard since I got here, and I have no intention of releasing any prisoners. You've done your duty. Don't resist needlessly. Just tell me where that woman is being held."
"Really?" Hannyabal was stunned, but he quickly shook his head firmly. "It seems some of the rumors about you are true… but don't say such meaningless things! I am a guardian of this prison! How could I cooperate with someone like you!"
"Well said. You've earned my respect, Hannyabal," a cold, stern voice came from behind.
Hannyabal turned, his face lighting up. Magellan's tall figure was striding down the corridor. With two horns on his head and black, demon-like wings, he was surrounded by a purple, poisonous liquid, exuding the suffocating pressure of a demon emerging from the gates of hell.
"Warden!" Hannyabal was on the verge of tears. "Thank you for the compliment! Where have you been… sniffle, anyway, you're finally here!"
Magellan didn't respond to Hannyabal immediately. His gaze was locked on Shane, a grave look in his eyes. "I set out the moment I heard, but by the time I reached the first level, the intruder had already broken through the first three. That speed was already unsettling. But even so, I underestimated the situation. I never would have imagined it would be you, the greatest legend of our time… 'Yonko' Shane."
"I was trying to save time, so some destruction was unavoidable," Shane smiled. "I've heard a lot about you, Warden Magellan."
"My reputation is nothing compared to yours," Magellan narrowed his eyes. "You didn't linger on the first three levels and came straight to Level 4. You were looking for me, weren't you? Tell me, what do you want?"
"Warden," Hannyabal clutched his thigh, speaking cautiously. "He… he doesn't seem to be looking for you. He's looking for that woman, the one we just processed today, the one in the north section of Lev—oops, I almost let it slip!"
You already let it slip, you idiot! Magellan's face darkened. Wait… that woman?! He suddenly remembered what she had boasted about just a few hours ago—that she had fled the New World after angering a Yonko and was trying to gain the protection of the Celestial Dragons… So it was this one she angered! Then couldn't he use this opportunity to turn a blind eye and get rid of her before the Celestial Dragons sent someone… No! Absolutely not! What are you thinking, Magellan?! That would be a desecration of your duty as Warden!
"That's not an option," Magellan closed his eyes and then opened them again, his composure instantly restored. "This is Impel Down, Shane. Even if you are a Yonko, this is not a place you can come and go as you please! And I will certainly not hand a prisoner over to a pirate like you!"
"Figured as much," Shane shook his head with a regretful sigh. "So, from the looks of it, you're not going to let me pass until I've beaten you down, are you?"
"What do you think? Don't underestimate me. Let me remind you, the reason Impel Down has a reputation for being impregnable is because of me!" Magellan's face was emotionless. He spread his arms, and the poisonous mist surrounding him instantly coalesced into three massive, purple dragons!
"Hydra!"
So what if he's an Emperor of the Sea? In a place like this prison, with my Venom-Venom Fruit, my power is close to that of a Marine Admiral! A Yonko? In my hands, even he will be in for a tough fight!
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