South Calm Belt · Impel Down Grand Prison.
On Level Four, inside Magellan's Director's Office, Magellan was signing a document.
"Count the numbers as quickly as possible and send them all to the transport ship. I already discussed it with G-5 Base Commander, Vice Admiral Ortoren last time. We can increase the transfer frequency appropriately moving forward..." Magellan tossed the document to Hannibal, who was standing before his desk.
Hannibal was just about to speak when the gas-mask-wearing Den Den Mushi on Magellan's desk suddenly rang.
This startled Hannibal. As far as he knew, the Director was a total shut-in with zero social life, whose greatest daily joy was relieving pressure on the toilet. In all these years, if he remembered correctly, this was the first time anyone had ever called the Director's private Den Den Mushi.
Magellan was just as surprised. He kept this personal line on his desk mostly as decoration; it hadn't been used for anything meaningful in a very, very long time.
After a brief moment of surprise, Magellan raised an eyebrow.
"It's Vice Admiral Ortoren. Looks like headquarters' covert operation is about to begin."
Without any delay, Magellan answered the Den Den Mushi. Listening to the voice on the other end, he replied seriously, "Starting immediately? Understood. Everything will proceed exactly according to the plan I submitted, correct? Alright, we'll coordinate on our side."
After hanging up, Magellan turned to Hannibal.
"The plan we discussed last time is starting. Go open the passage near the food storage area. Have the surrounding guards disperse. Once trouble breaks out on Level Six, put up a symbolic resistance, then guide them to escape through Level Six."
"Yes, Director!" Hannibal replied with barely contained excitement.
Magellan gave him a strange look.
"Why are you so excited?"
"When all this is over, as the Director, you'll definitely be held accountable—maybe even demoted! And that means I'll become Director!" Hannibal declared, trembling with anticipation.
But the moment he said it, he realized he'd spoken aloud. He froze, staring at Magellan awkwardly, completely at a loss for words.
Magellan took a deep breath. He'd long known Hannibal had his eyes on the Director's seat, but he didn't bother getting upset. He simply waved him off.
"Go do your job."
...
Meanwhile, deep beneath the sea, Fisher Tiger and Rayleigh stood at the fourth-level depth of Impel Down, staring at the massive sealed passage door ahead. A single exchange of glances was enough for both to see how impatient the other had become.
Tiger simply wanted things resolved quickly so he could head to Mary Geoise and set it aflame.
Rayleigh, on the other hand—if this damn door didn't open soon, he was going to drown!!!
He was honestly seconds away from drawing his sword.
Just then, the sealed passage door finally opened. Seawater surged inside instantly. Seeing this, Rayleigh and Tiger didn't hesitate—they dove straight in.
The moment they entered, the door slammed shut again, cutting off the outside sea. In this state, they felt as though they'd been dumped into a giant fish tank. Then the floor beneath them opened, draining all the seawater from the enclosed chamber.
Only then did Rayleigh suck in a deep breath.
"Finally inside. Looks like Ortoren really did make the arrangements properly..."
He pushed open the large door ahead. The dim corridor beyond was completely empty—not a single guard or jailer in sight, totally unlike Impel Down's usual ironclad security. But Rayleigh wasn't surprised. If he'd opened the door and found Magellan waiting to blast him with a Poison Dragon, that would've been the real nightmare.
This only confirmed it—there was a collaborator on the inside.
Running a hand through his damp hair, Tiger looked around curiously.
"The Deep Sea Grand Prison... I never expected we'd enter like this. Mr. Rayleigh, let's begin."
Rayleigh had already taken out a sealed waterproof pouch from his coat. Opening it, he pulled out a map of Impel Down. After studying it, he said:
"Over here. Follow me."
The two of them moved quickly, weaving through empty corridors until they reached an elevator. They stepped inside and pressed the button for Level Six—Eternal Hell.
Meanwhile, in the surveillance room, Magellan watched Rayleigh and Tiger step into the elevator, a hint of confusion rising in his chest. Why was the Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh, here? And even more baffling—was he part of the plan?
Although puzzled, Magellan had no intention of interfering recklessly. After seeing them press the button for Level Six, he spoke softly.
"Proceed to the next phase. Give Shiki the signal."
Hannibal immediately nodded and slammed his hand down on the alarm button. In an instant, Impel Down erupted with blaring sirens!
Countless guards were thrown into chaos. What was happening? There had been no notice of a drill. Could someone truly be attempting a breakout!?
No one dared delay. Every guard rushed to their assigned stations exactly as they had in past rehearsal drills.
But why did Magellan arrange for Ortoren's people to enter from Level Four?
First, Level Four provided a convenient access point.
Second, beyond that point, there were almost no guards left.
Magellan had already cleared out most of the guards on Level Four, leaving only trusted personnel involved in the operation. Level Five—the Freezing Hell—had no guards to begin with. It was a space left to rot on its own. Level Six had only a handful of guard beasts roaming about. If Rayleigh and his group couldn't handle those, they had no business attempting a breakout.
Thus, the current situation was simple:
The upper three levels of Impel Down were heavily fortified, every guard armed and ready for battle, waiting for an enemy to emerge.
The lower three levels were practically unguarded, practically begging for someone to break in and free prisoners.
The blaring alarms were heard not only by guards but by prisoners across every floor.
On Level Six, the Eternal Hell, Shiki lay in one of the cells, his wrists, ankles, and neck all bound by Seastone shackles. He lay numb on the cold, damp floor, eyes dull and lifeless.
Even with the alarm sounding, he didn't stir—his body was here, but his soul seemed gone.
But then, the faintest sound reached his ears…
The elevator for this floor was descending!?
A spark lit in Shiki's eyes instantly. Someone was entering Level Six?
Whoever it was, Shiki felt it was an opportunity worth seizing. If he could get out of this cell… if he could free himself from the Seastone shackles… then leaving Impel Down wouldn't just be possible—he could uproot the entire prison and drag it along with him if he wanted.
Chaotic footsteps approached rapidly, and Shiki's excitement rose. Why did it feel like they were heading straight for him?
In this entire section of Level Six… wasn't he the only prisoner?
That thought made him shout excitedly toward the bars.
"Who's there!? Is it Reingal? I knew you'd never abandon me… I'm here!!!"
Reingal was, in Shiki's mind, his most loyal subordinate. Perhaps he'd come to rescue him!
"You old bastard, so you really are here!" a voice called from the darkness.
Shiki recognized the sound, but couldn't immediately place where he'd heard it before.
As he struggled to remember, two figures emerged from the shadows. One was a tall fish-man he didn't recognize. But the other—he could never forget him.
"Rayleigh!?" Shiki stared in shock, utterly clueless as to what was happening.
Could it be… the one most loyal to me was actually you!?
That can't be right!
Rayleigh's lips curled into a bright grin.
"Long time no see, Shiki. Surprised to see me in a dump like this? Didn't expect that, did you?"
Shiki frowned, suspicion flashing in his eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
"Is that even a question? To get you out of here!" Rayleigh replied instantly.
"Rescue me? I don't recall our relationship ever being that close…" Shiki said, wary.
"Of course, I'll need you to do a small favor afterward. Enough talking—this is Impel Down, not a place for catching up. Give me a straight answer: are you coming out or not? If you think this is a nice spot to retire and don't want to move anymore, then I won't waste my breath. I'll leave right now!" Rayleigh said impatiently.
Shiki's mind was full of questions, but he wouldn't let this chance slip by. There might be some scheme involved, but if Rayleigh had come to rescue him, it meant he needed him for something—and that was enough. If things weren't too troublesome afterward, he could repay the favor. If they turned out to be too much… Shiki wasn't exactly a saint. Reneging wouldn't bother him one bit.
They wouldn't rescue me just to kill me, right?
That would be insane.
Logically speaking, nothing could be worse than Impel Down anyway.
So Shiki finally spoke.
"I don't know what you want me to do, but I agree. Now get me out of here!"
...
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