POP! POP!
Luffy tilted his head and cracked his knuckles.
"I didn't need to," He said casually. "They know better."
One of the pirates on the front line suddenly fell to his knees.
"PLEASE!! I'LL CONFESS TO EVERYTHING!! JUST DON'T PUT ME WITH HIM AGAIN!!"
Another dropped right after, holding his head and shaking.
"He punched straight through a cannon! A CANNON, man! That's not human! I give up! I give up!!"
The guards nearby looked shocked. Hannyabal was speechless.
Domino raised her eyebrows behind her glasses. "...So the rumors were true."
Even Sadi, who was enjoying the drama, bit her lip at the display of submission. "Mmm… such fear~ I love it."
Luffy walked ahead, the clink of his boots matching the subtle hum of tension in the air. His coat flapped behind him, Vice Admiral's insignia shining in the sun.
"You can cuff them now," He said, glancing at the guards. "They're not gonna run."
"Understood, sir!" The Marines snapped into action.
As the prisoners were guided inside, one by one, Hina leaned over to Luffy's side.
"You could've at least let one of them try to escape," She whispered. "Would've been fun to watch."
Luffy chuckled. "Nah… I didn't want to break the dock."
Kuina walked beside him, arms crossed as she looked at the tower. "So... this is where they rot for the rest of their lives?"
Luffy nodded. "The lucky ones, yeah."
Zoro, yawning, followed behind them. "Hope we get a mission soon. I'm itching for a real fight."
Domino stepped forward again.
"The prisoners will be processed by Level. I assume you've logged their bounty values?"
Hina handed over the papers. "All logged, categorized, and evaluated. Most of them will go between Levels 1 and 3. A few might get the privilege of Level 4."
Domino flipped through the documents and nodded.
"Efficient. As always."
With the formalities nearly complete, Sadi leaned in once more, this time to Luffy.
"So… no visit downstairs? Just handing them off and leaving?"
Luffy turned, smirking.
"Tempting," He said, "but no. If I go down there, I might end up punching someone I'm not supposed to."
Sadi giggled wickedly. "Now I really want you to come~"
Hina quickly grabbed Luffy's arm and dragged him away. "We're done here."
Domino smirked. "Safe travels, Vice Admiral."
As the Marines began boarding their ship again, Luffy turned and gave one last look at the looming fortress of Impel Down. That ominous shadow stretching over the ocean… a cage for monsters.
He sighed. "Place still stinks."
Then, without another word, he hopped up onto the deck of the ship, landing lightly with a thud, his coat fluttering behind him.
"Let's go," He said. "Next stop—freedom."
The ship pulled away, anchor raised, sails opening once more.
The crashing waves echoed like drums across the hull of the Marine warship as Luffy leaned against the railing, his eyes staring out toward the hellish silhouette disappearing into the horizon.
He thought about his first time when he had been to Impel Down. Back then, Luffy was only a Rear Admiral. But even then, his presence had an undeniable weight.
"Vice Admiral my ass," He muttered to himself in the present, remembering. "Even when I was Rear Admiral, I was doing the impossible."
The younger Luffy back then had just finished delivering over two dozen pirates, each with a bounty of over 100 million, dragged in chains like trophies. He'd caught them during one of his early Grand Line hunts.
Most of them bore bruises and broken spirits—not from being beaten, but from the sheer aura he carried.
They knew resistance was meaningless.
As the gates of Impel Down slowly creaked open with thunderous groans, a burst of cold, metal-scented wind greeted the arriving Marines. It was like stepping into another world—a silent realm where pain and screams soaked into the very stones.
Back then, standing at the entrance to greet him were two figures—Sadi and Domino.
"Fufufu~ So you're that Luffy, hmm? The Divine Fist~?"
Luffy didn't miss the playful lick of her lips as she approached. He simply smiled and tipped his cap back, looking up at the looming structure.
"I want to see Level 6," He said bluntly.
Domino raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms beneath her chest. "That's not permitted. Not without express orders."
Luffy's grin widened. "Tch. I figured. Alright then…"
He had pulled out a mini transponder snail from his coat, tapping it playfully before holding it to his ear.
"Oi, gramps~"
A few seconds passed… and then Garp's booming, irritated voice came through the line.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT, BRAT?! I'm napping!!"
"Let me see Level 6."
"WHAT?! Why?! Are you trying to die?!"
"I'll owe you a rice cracker."
"…Make it a box of rice crackers."
"Done."
Click!
The line went dead.
Domino blinked. "…Was that—"
"Yeah," Luffy answered casually. "Now, can we go?"
Domino's expression twitched. Sadi burst into a laugh, practically clapping her hands.
"Fufufu~ You're bold! I like that in a man~!"
She leaned in close—too close. Luffy could feel the heat of her breath on his ear, the scent of leather and perfume curling around him.
"If you're scared… I could hold your hand," she teased, dragging a nail down his chest.
Luffy smirked. "You'd be the one needing protection, Sadi-chan."
Domino adjusted her glasses. "He's got Garp's nerve. Great…"
Despite the discomfort, she gave the nod. "Fine. We'll escort you down."
----
The descent into Impel Down wasn't something one forgot.
Each floor dropped deeper into the ocean's crust, and with it, the weight of the air changed. The torches lining the walls flickered dimly, casting long shadows across the stone corridors. Screams echoed faintly from lower levels, making the hair on the backs of Marines' necks rise.
They passed Level 1 – Crimson Hell, where blood-stained fields and razor-sharp trees tore prisoners endlessly.
Then Level 2 – Beast Hell, where monstrous creatures roamed in cages of bone and steel.
Level 3 – Starvation Hell came next, where the very air was suffocating, and the smell of rot clung to every breath.
Level by level, they descended. Domino walked ahead, Sadi beside Luffy. She was very close the entire time, occasionally bumping into him accidentally.
"You know, most men tremble just standing here," Sadi whispered. "But you... you look excited."
Luffy didn't deny it. "It's fun. Seeing what kind of monsters the world hides."
At last, they reached the gate to Level 6 – Eternal Hell.
With a loud KRRRRRRR the gates began to open.
Darkness spilled out like smoke.
And then, silence.
Inside, figures sat in the shadows.
Some bound, some meditating, some simply… waiting.
But the air—Luffy still remembered it. It was thick with killing intent.
Luffy remembered some of the famous figures resting inside the large cages.
Douglas Bullet, the so-called "Demon Heir."
He glanced over once, and a low growl rumbled from his throat.
Red the Earl, the vampire-like swordsman who once dueled Roger, Whitebeard, and Golden Lion.
And there was World Destroyer Byrnndi World frozen inside an ice sculpture.
Each one of them radiated a presence that could shatter the will of normal men.
Luffy stood still, unflinching. He stared each of them down in turn.
"Heh… so this is what the bottom of the world looks like," He whispered.
Sadi tilted her head. "Still not afraid?"
Luffy turned and looked her in the eye.
"Fear these guys? Nah, Grandpa seems scarier than these guys. I really want to have a go with them."
Domino, watching from behind, actually smiled faintly. "...He really is Garp's grandson."
Sadi's grin widened. "Fufufu~ That's exactly what I wanted to hear, Divine Fist~"
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
📢 Author's Note 📢
If you're enjoying this story and want more chapters right now, I invite you to check out my Patreon. There you'll find:
✅ Daily updates – never miss a day of new content
✅ Advanced chapters – read far ahead of public releases
✅ Exclusive perks & extras – only available to patrons
Your support not only gives you early access but also helps me dedicate more time to writing and expanding this story. Every reader who joins makes a huge difference.
👉 Dive into more chapters today: patreon.com/Myth_Valley
Let's keep the adventure alive! 🔥📚✨