Cheng Xiaoyu recalled his shadow army, which retreated like a tide, finally disappearing into the darkness behind him.
He stepped alone into the sixth level of Impel Down—the Infinite Hell.
Piercing alarms echoed through the empty corridors, and red warning lights flashed incessantly, bathing the entire sixth level in a bloody, slaughterhouse-like glow.
The atmosphere here was completely different from the upper levels; the air was thick with suffocating oppression and despair, as if even breathing became heavy.
Cheng Xiaoyu's appearance broke this deathly silence.
"Hey, hey, is there a new person? A pirate?" a rough voice came from deep within a cell.
"This guy doesn't look like a jailer, and with this alarm, could he be an escapee?" another voice questioned with doubt.
"No, escapees all wear our striped uniforms. This kid is wearing a black suit! So pretentious!"
"Where's Magellan, who was in charge of the escort? Is he dead?"
...
All sorts of questions and conjectures rose from the cells, like beasts lurking in the darkness, greedily eyeing Cheng Xiaoyu.
Cheng Xiaoyu was deaf to these voices; he advanced expressionlessly along the corridor, his gaze coldly sweeping over the cells on either side.
The cells held the most heinous criminals, each infamous and with blood on their hands.
If he didn't have limited time, he would have eliminated all of them.
His objective for this trip was only one—Douglas Bullet.
"Kid, you're arrogant! How dare you ignore us!" a burly pirate suddenly poked his head out of a cell and roared at Cheng Xiaoyu.
"Exactly, who do you think you are? An Admiral?" another pirate chimed in.
"Hey! Kid! Are you deaf? I'm talking to you!"
The rough pirate, seeing Cheng Xiaoyu ignore him, immediately became enraged. He slammed the iron bars, making a deafening noise.
The other pirates also joined in, their shouts, taunts, and threats intertwining into a cacophony of noise.
Cheng Xiaoyu still paid them no mind, continuing to walk forward.
"If you have the guts, let me out! I'll show you what I can do!"
"Right! You just happened to escape when Magellan had diarrhea, didn't you! Then let us out! Otherwise, you won't be able to escape alone either!"
The pirates in the cells immediately erupted, clamoring to teach Cheng Xiaoyu a lesson.
Cheng Xiaoyu finally stopped. He slowly turned around, his cold gaze sweeping over the noisy pirates, a sneer of disdain playing on his lips.
"A bunch of good-for-nothings, are you even worthy of speaking to me?" His voice was deep and cold, as if from the abyss of hell, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression.
As soon as his words fell, a powerful aura erupted from him, instantly sweeping through the entire corridor.
The pirates, who had been clamoring moments before, immediately fell silent.
Deathly silence.
Suffocating deathly silence enveloped the entire sixth level.
The previously noisy cells were now utterly silent, with only heavy breathing echoing in the air.
The heinous pirates, one by one, had now shrunk back into the depths of their cells.
Cheng Xiaoyu's Conqueror's Haki, like an invisible giant hammer, struck heavily at their hearts, making them understand the true meaning of power.
No matter where, power is the kingly way!
Only absolute power can make others shut up.
After a long while, a trembling voice broke the silence.
"Just... just now, that was the one-in-a-million Conqueror's Haki?"
As soon as this voice came out, the previously silent corridor immediately erupted.
"Conqueror's Haki? It's been a long time since I felt such a powerful Haki release..."
"That's right, that feeling, I was fortunate enough to witness it once when I first set sail, and I fainted on the spot."
"So, this kid... walked to the sixth level by himself?"
However, Cheng Xiaoyu's figure gradually blurred before their eyes, finally disappearing at the end of the corridor.
At the end of the sixth level of Infinite Hell was an isolated cell.
This cell was much larger and sturdier than the others; its walls were covered in Sea Stone, and even the main door was forged from thick Sea Stone.
Inside the cell, a tall, blond man sat cross-legged.
His hair was messy, his beard scruffy, and he wore ragged prison clothes, looking like a Golden Lion King...
His hands, feet, waist, back, and neck were all restrained by Sea Stone!
But even so, his eyes were exceptionally sharp, like a hawk's, as if they could pierce through everything.
Evidently, he was Douglas Bullet, a former member of the Roger Pirates, the man known as the "Devil Offspring."
Cheng Xiaoyu stopped in front of the cell.
"You are Douglas Bullet?" Cheng Xiaoyu's voice was cold and deep.
Bullet slowly opened his eyes, sized up Cheng Xiaoyu, and a sneer appeared on his lips:
"Kid, you have a lot of guts, to dare to break into Infinite Hell alone. Of course, a timid person couldn't possess Conqueror's Haki."
"I'm here to take your life." Cheng Xiaoyu's tone was flat, yet carried an undeniable dominance.
"Hahaha!" Bullet burst into laughter, "Just you? A wet-behind-the-ears kid, daring to speak so wildly?"
"Whether it's wild talk, you'll find out very soon." A cold glint flashed in Cheng Xiaoyu's eyes.
"Kid, do you know who I am? My strength is something a small fry like you can't imagine?" Bullet said arrogantly.
"Roger? He's already dead." Cheng Xiaoyu scoffed, "As for you, you're just a stray dog locked in a cage."
"You're asking for death!"
Bullet roared, suddenly standing up, and a powerful aura erupted from him, like a volcanic eruption, sweeping through the entire cell.
However, these heavy Sea Stones were ultimately impossible to break free from.
Bullet's face turned red, veins bulging, but he could only struggle in vain, letting out a low growl like a trapped beast.
The fury in his eyes almost gushed out as he glared fiercely at Cheng Xiaoyu, gritting his teeth: "Kid, I will kill you!"
Cheng Xiaoyu's lips curved into an amused smile, his tone tinged with mockery: "You, Douglas Bullet, once the 'Devil Offspring,' are now nothing more than an imprisoned good-for-nothing."
Bullet's rage intensified upon hearing this, yet he was helpless.
"How does it feel to be unable to unleash your strength?" Cheng Xiaoyu slowly spoke, his voice laced with temptation, "I can help you break free and get out of here."
Bullet was startled, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "Out?"
"Mm." Cheng Xiaoyu nodded, confirming his thought.
Bullet was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
Finally, he couldn't resist the longing in his heart and asked, "Speak, what are your conditions?"
A meaningful smile appeared on Cheng Xiaoyu's face:
"Very simple, you just have to die!"