"Kak! Kak! Kak!"
Piercing cold emanated from Jiang Lin's body, freezing every incoming cannonball and the entire sea surface. The sheer force of his attack left all the Marine soldiers so stunned that they completely forgot to fire.
"Ace! I'll ask you again—do you want to soar freely over this vast sea, like that seagull in the sky?"
Jiang Lin's voice pierced through the warships, through Impel Down, and even through the frozen sea, echoing across every corner of the prison.
"I… I…"
Ace, looking at the surrounding Marine warships and Admiral Aokiji not far away, finally lowered his gaze.
"I will stick to my choice. Jiang Lin, please take care of Luffy. Thank you!"
Ace ultimately chose a path shrouded in darkness. He knew hope was right beside him, but he could not allow Jiang Lin to fall into irreversible danger for his sake.
"I understand! Leave Luffy to me!"
Jiang Lin finally chose not to take Ace away. With cold eyes, he surveyed Aokiji and the imposing warships surrounding him, then slowly walked toward the entrance of Impel Down.
"Attack!"
On board the warships, Marines loaded their cannons to fire again, but at that moment, Aokiji intervened.
"Stop! Returning Ace is enough!"
Aokiji's authoritative gaze sent a shiver through all the Marines, who immediately ceased their attacks.
"Admiral Kuzan, will you return with us?"
Vice Admiral Onigumo asked after his subordinates escorted Ace onto the ship.
"I'll return on my own. You should depart quickly!"
Aokiji waved his hands slightly in response and, without another glance, walked toward the gates of Impel Down. Jiang Lin moved at the same time. Neither looked at the other again, but both silently recognized the other as a rival in their hearts.
Because the battle at Marineford was inevitable.
Inside Impel Down, once Ace was sent away, Magellan immediately began suppressing internal chaos. Under his command, a large number of guards and prison beasts streamed toward Level 6.
However, when the guards reached Level 6, the place was already empty.
Luffy and his crew had long since left Level 6 via a spiral passage, moving up to Level 5.5.
"Luffy, I'm coming to find you now!"
Jiang Lin returned to the interior of Impel Down and descended layer by layer from the top. Any enemy he encountered along the way was frozen or petrified by his abilities. Gradually, the entire prison fell silent from the top down.
"Deputy Warden, Pirate D has crossed the top level and is heading for Level 1. We… we are no match for him!"
In the monitoring room, guards trembled as the alarms blared, their eyes glued to the hellish surveillance screens. They reported every sight to Hanbanny, who coordinated operations inside the prison.
"Currently… riots have broken out on Levels 4 and 2. On Level 4, many prisoners missing due to the 'Ghost Sleeve' incident have reappeared. On Level 2, because of actions by Buggy and Galdino, all prisoners have escaped their cells again."
Information from inside Impel Down streamed continuously to Hanbanny via Den Den Mushi.
The flood of battle reports left Hanbanny, stationed in the Level 4 and 3 passageways, stunned. Magellan had not yet reached the scene, making him the highest decision-maker inside Impel Down—but now he had no idea how to handle the situation.
"Crescent Dune!"
"Rubber… Rain!"
"Karasuma Tile Fist!"
On Level 4, Luffy and his crew used overwhelming force to smash through Impel Down's defenses.
Meanwhile, on Level 1, the former prison floors were completely covered in snow and ice. Everything in Jiang Lin's path—cells, walls, floors, guards, even pirates—was frozen solid.
Anything attempting to stop Jiang Lin was encased in ice.
Amid the chaos, a Marine warship suddenly intruded into Impel Down. After docking, five individuals violently destroyed the gates and, ignoring all obstacles, marched toward the prison with overwhelming authority.
"Don't be so polite! We're the World Government!"
Facing the guards' resistance, a deep voice rang out at the entrance. Blackbeard, accompanied by four subordinates, landed in Impel Down with absolute dominance.
"Report! All marines aboard Blackbeard's ship have been annihilated!"
Once the Marines confirmed the situation aboard Blackbeard's vessel, commanding officers immediately issued orders to stop him.
"Stop!"
Receiving the order, numerous Marines raised their rifles and shouted at Blackbeard to halt.
"Release!"
Facing their resistance, Blackbeard laughed loudly and activated his ability.
A dense black mist emanated from him, releasing everything and everyone he had absorbed during the landing.
Marines aiming at Blackbeard's crew were instantly thrown into chaos by the objects and personnel descending from above.
"An intruder! It's a Shichibukai—the Marshal D. Teach!"
The desperate announcement echoed through Impel Down. The already chaotic prison became even more unpredictable with Blackbeard's arrival.
Reports from the top-level guards left Hanbanny in complete panic. He gave no instructions, and soon endless darkness engulfed the entrance to Level 1.
"Hanbanny, can you hear me?"
While Hanbanny was at a loss, Magellan's voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
"Mag… Magellan? Where are you now?!"
Grasping at a lifeline, Hanbanny excitedly grabbed the Den Den Mushi from a guard.
"I'm on Level 2, just finished dealing with these idiots causing the riot!"
Magellan's voice reported that he had sealed all Level 2 passages with poison.
"Poison?"
Jiang Lin, having descended from Level 1, reached the Level 2 corridor. In front of him, a giant mass of pale purple liquid, sticky like chewing gum, completely sealed the door.
Ignoring the obstacle, Jiang Lin strode through the toxic liquid. Beyond it, all Level 2 prisoners were covered in the poison.
"Has Magellan already dealt with this place?"
Jiang Lin paused briefly, then ignored the prisoners entirely, moving forward. Toxic liquid splashed at his feet, but he seemed completely unaffected, stepping over the prisoners as he proceeded toward the lower entrance.
"Shiryu, Blackbeard's yours!"
As chaos engulfed Impel Down, in Level 6, a prisoner wearing a white cloak marked with a large character for "prison" was released by Magellan.
"Kill… without hesitation!"
A flash of blood stained the serene atmosphere of Level 6. Rain Shiryu drew his blade and killed all the guards who had come to escort him out.
On Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, nearly every floor of Impel Down simultaneously faced unexpected incidents.