"An unidentified intruder is causing chaos on Level 3! Why was I not informed about this earlier?!"
Inside the warden's office, Magellan clutched his stomach with one hand, his face twisted with fury.
"Well, that's because you were too busy being bewitched by Boa Hancock earlier, letting things spiral out of control. You're the one who has to take the blame for this mess! I've already reported it to Navy Headquarters—soon enough, the warden's seat will be mine, hehehe…"
Hannyabal muttered under his breath, then couldn't resist plopping himself down in Magellan's chair.
"You're saying this happened because I let it slide?"
Purple gas hissed from Magellan's mouth as he strode up to Hannyabal, picking up the Den Den Mushi on his desk and connecting to the monitoring room.
"What's the situation now?"
"Reporting, Warden! Straw Hat Luffy and his group just entered Level 3. But before them, there was a mysterious man! He already defeated every guard on that level and then—oh my god—he just jumped straight down! Warden, he's already entered Level 4!"
In the monitoring room, the jailer watching the screens almost shouted in disbelief. On the feed, Jiang Lin had stood still for a brief moment, seemingly "dazed," before transforming into a streak of golden light, appearing on the platform above. Without a moment's hesitation, he leapt straight into the boiling "cauldron" below.
"He's already on Level 4? Gather all of Impel Down's fighting strength and converge on Level 4. We'll wipe them out there in one stroke."
Magellan's eyes bulged like bronze bells. He was already stationed on Level 4, so if Jiang Lin wanted to continue downward, he would have to go through him first.
"Understood, Warden! But… Minotaurus has already reached Level 3. Should we recall him?"
The voice from the monitoring room was tense. On the screen, the towering beast—looking like an oversized, muscle-bound bull wielding a massive club—was seen entering the Level 3 ward.
"No need. Since Minotaurus has reached Level 3, let him block Straw Hat Luffy's group. Everyone else, move to Level 4!"
At Magellan's order, Impel Down erupted into action. Guards, head jailers, beast wardens, and even the deputy wardens—all began mobilizing toward Level 4.
Meanwhile, Jiang Lin, who had just leapt into Level 4 from Level 3, used the "Yata Mirror" to avoid being boiled alive in the Blood Pool and safely landed.
"That was too close… If not for the Pika Pika no Mi's ability to move midair, I'd be stewed right now."
Glancing at the bubbling, boiling blood pool beside him, Jiang Lin pulled his head back with lingering dread.
"If I remember correctly, around here should be…"
As Jiang Lin walked on, recalling what lay ahead, he soon encountered Magellan himself—who was receiving battle reports—along with Impel Down's full fighting force.
Dozens of guards, wardens, the three Jailer Beasts, chief jailers, deputy wardens… all stood arrayed before him.
When they saw Jiang Lin casually approaching, deep in thought, their expressions twisted into disbelief, as if they were staring at something impossible.
"Yo! Does any of you know where the bathroom is? I've been holding it wholly, it's pretty urgent."
Facing the entirety of Impel Down's forces, Jiang Lin showed not the slightest sign of panic. Raising a hand, he greeted Magellan and the others cheerfully before casually turning and walking toward the side.
"W-Warden… that man—he's the one!"
A jailer in front of Magellan pointed at Jiang Lin's retreating, his face pale with terror.
"Kid, you need a bathroom? I've got just the place for you!"
Magellan exhaled heavily as he stepped down from his seat.
"Is that so? Well then… thanks a lot!"
Jiang Lin smiled, turning back as golden light flared from his fingertip—firing straight at the "toilet" Magellan had just offered.
BOOM!
The explosion rocked Level 4, a thick cloud of smoke instantly obscuring Magellan and his men.
"Brat! Do you not know how rude it is to destroy something others rely on to live?"
The air grew scorching hot. Magellan's body began to liquefy, his searing toxins thickening the already suffocating atmosphere of Level 4.
"Magellan, is it? That Venom-Venom Fruit of yours—I'll be taking it."
Jiang Lin's smile was calm, yet deliberate. He wanted to provoke Magellan—because once Magellan was enraged, he would stand as Jiang Lin's sole opponent.
"All of you, guard the entrance. Leave this place to me."
Magellan's cold gaze locked onto Jiang Lin. His poison seeped outward, and the rising toxic vapors from Level 4's heat made the nearby guards panic. In an instant, they scattered in all directions, vanishing without a trace.
"Looks like… you're not exactly loved by your subordinates."
Jiang Lin chuckled lightly as he watched even Hannyabal bolting without a second glance.
"Brat… this will be the last place you ever see."
Magellan's body fully liquefied, his venom dripping onto the ground with a sharp "ssssss".
"Pika Pika no Mi (augmented by Mero Mero no Mi and Bara Bara no Mi) loaded. Duration: ten minutes. Cooldown: thirty seconds."
Facing the man infamous as a walking "bug" among Paramecia users, Jiang Lin dared not be careless. He immediately activated his strongest loadout and prepared for battle.
"Venom Dragon!"
Magellan's thick, noxious poison surged forth, coalescing into several massive serpentine dragons that lunged toward Jiang Lin.
"Bara Bara Split!"
In response, Jiang Lin's body split apart—arms, legs, torso, and head scattering independently to evade the toxic onslaught.
"Venom Shower!"
Magellan hurled globs of venom, each targeting one of Jiang Lin's separated body parts.
"Floating Laser Cannons!"
Jiang Lin's detached arms shot upward, hovering above Magellan. From his fingertips, beams of concentrated light fired down in rapid succession.
This was a technique Jiang Lin had developed after acquiring the Bara Bara no Mi. By letting his hands float freely around an enemy and combining them with the speed of the Pika Pika no Mi, he could unleash continuous laser fire from all directions—his original move: Floating Laser Cannons.
Explosions erupted around Magellan, the blasts shrouding his body in thick smoke.
"Did I get him? …No!"
Jiang Lin's pupils contracted sharply. He immediately tried to recall his floating arms—but before he could, two small violet dragons slithered out from the smoke, each snapping up one of his hands in their jaws.
"Got you, brat!"
Magellan's deep voice rumbled from within the haze. Countless venomous dragons writhed and tore through the smoke, carrying Magellan's figure forward as he emerged, step by step.