…
"Venom Demon: Judgement of Hell..."
'So it's that move, huh?'
Rokuya muttered grimly.
In the narrow confines of this deep-sea prison, the threat level of this technique multiplied exponentially.
Magellan's Venom Demon — unlike his usual purple venom — was made of specially refined, crimson poison. It took the form of a huge, skeletal giant.
Anything it touched would become infected and corrode. That rot would spread until nothing remained.
For a human, even a brief encounter with it would mean certain death.
And in this tight corridor, dodging was nearly impossible.
Which is exactly what happened next.
With the colossal toxic giant looming behind him, Magellan advanced like a walking catastrophe.
The 20-metre-tall demon smashed its giant fists down repeatedly towards Rokuya's position.
Rokuya could only keep dodging.
He couldn't gain the upper hand — at least not yet.
He hadn't awakened Haki yet, and Magellan's own blood was toxic, making close combat a nightmare.
In this space, Magellan's powers were at their peak.
So what was the smart move?
Run.
This wasn't about pride; it was a jailbreak.
Rokuya just needed to escape.
Once he left this cursed prison, he would consider it a victory.
But more than Magellan, there was something else he feared...
Reinforcements.
If the World Government or Marine Headquarters found out and sent support...
Then escape would become impossible.
It was unclear whether Magellan had reported the situation, but it didn't matter.
Rokuya had no time to wait.
He had to get out.
"Don't even think about it!"
With me guarding this prison...'
No one escapes!"
Magellan shouted, instantly reading Rokuya's intentions.
'And don't think being in the air will save you either!'
'Poison Cloud!'
The crimson skeletal demon behind him opened its mouth and spewed out blood-red smoke rings.
Within moments, the upper half of the corridor was engulfed in a thick, toxic mist.
There was no escape above.
Below, the floor was already soaked in corrosive poison.
Now, the air was poisonous, too.
It was truly a deathtrap.
There was nowhere left to run.
The sky was sealed.
The ground was poisonous, too.
For most people, this would mean defeat.
Even Rokuya had to admit that Magellan lived up to his title as Warden of Hell.
When the crimson mist made contact with his body, it began to corrode instantly.
Not as violently as liquid poison, but still dangerous.
"I can't drag this out any longer..."
Rokuya narrowed his eyes.
He focused on the exit gate, the path to Level 1.
Without hesitating, he charged.
—he charged.
He charged straight through the storm of venom.
"Hmph!"
This ends now!"
"Rokuya!"
"Face judgement from hell itself!"
Magellan bellowed, commanding the Venom Demon to strike again.
The enormous skeletal fist swung down.
Just as Magellan believed he had landed a direct hit—
Rokuya moved.
'Yeah... It's time to end this.'
At the last moment, as the toxic fist crashed down—
— Rokuya's body split into a swarm of blood bats.
The fist hit nothing but air.
The crimson bats fluttered and twisted through the poisonous waves, weaving through every gap in the attack.
Where was the real Rokuya?
No one could tell.
The swarm shot straight towards the gate behind Magellan's demon.
"Damn it!"
Magellan's face darkened.
He knew he wouldn't be able to stop them all in time.
But he had to try.
"Venom Pufferfish!"
Magellan unleashed a new technique: his body bulged as he spat out hundreds of venomous orbs, like a pufferfish.
The poisonous balls exploded, attempting to kill and incapacitate as many bats as possible.
But there were too many.
Magellan continued to attack, summoning his three massive poison dragons and sending them roaring towards the doorway with their fanged maws wide open.
The dragons tore through the bats, swallowing dozens at a time.
But more kept coming.
"Venom Flood!"
Magellan roared again.
The giant venom demon slowly turned towards the exit.
It opened its mouth wide and unleashed a deluge of red poison from within, like a waterfall.
The entire doorway — the path to freedom — was drenched in the deadly liquid.
Anyone who touched it would be paralysed and die instantly.
Even brushing against it would mean certain death.
"You won't escape!"
ROKUYA!'
Magellan shouted with full confidence.