Impel Down, Maritime First Level.
The ordinary wardens and marines had already evacuated the Maritime First Level, leaving the vast space eerily empty with only a few figures remaining.
Domino and Sadie, accompanied by four Warden Beasts, hurriedly made their way from the Infinite Hell of Level Six up to the Maritime First Level.
Beside them stood another towering figure—Shiryu of the Rain, who had just been released from confinement.
Although they hadn't managed to free Shiryu during the earlier battle before Admiral Kizaru arrived to intervene, with the Warden Director and Chief Warden's fates uncertain, Domino and Sadie ultimately decided to release him for the sake of additional strength.
"Kizaru…"
Shiryu stood on the Maritime First Level, tilting his head to gaze at the sky, his right hand gripping the hilt of his Famous Sword [Thunder Rain] tightly.
"Golden Lion II…"
The memory of being coldly ignored by Golden Lion II in the Infinite Hell earlier surged a wave of fury in Shiryu's chest, making him itch to draw his blade and cut someone down.
Just then, a clamor of noise mixed with cheers echoed from behind.
"Warden Director!"
"Chief Warden!"
"You're alright!"
Domino and Sadie immediately turned toward the sound, spotting the stern-faced Magellan and Hannyabal approaching from the rear.
"Warden Director! Are you unharmed?"
Domino and Sadie rushed forward with the Warden Beasts, their voices a mix of shock and relief.
"Chief Warden, you're not dead?"
Hannyabal nearly choked on his anger at the words.
Was that any way to talk?
Why the respectful tone for the Warden Director but this attitude toward the Chief Warden?
One day, I'll become Warden Director!
Before Hannyabal could voice his ambitions, Magellan swiftly took control of the situation.
"Domino, Sadie, I heard about what you two did earlier. You acted well."
Magellan spoke gravely, his eyes flickering toward Shiryu of the Rain, who stood apart from the group.
"Including the emergency release of Shiryu… That was also the right call."
Just moments earlier.
Hannyabal, tightly bound by the Iron Serpent, had struggled relentlessly until he finally managed to rouse Magellan.
Upon waking, Magellan had immediately rushed to the Maritime First Level, forgoing any further investigation into the mysterious "Level Five Point Five passageway."
Now, seeing that none of his subordinates had suffered serious harm, Magellan let out a sigh of relief.
"That's Admiral Kizaru and Golden Lion II up there."
In his haste to ascend, Magellan hadn't checked on the state of the Infinite Hell.
"What's the situation down there?"
"Admiral Kizaru was incredibly fast. He arrived in time to stop Golden Lion II from wreaking havoc in the Infinite Hell," Domino reported promptly.
"Golden Lion II had released Patrick Redfield, the Lone Red, but the two clashed and ended up fighting each other.
"Aside from the Lone Red, no other prisoners should have escaped their cells."
No… An entire "Hell" level's worth of prisoners might have already broken free…
"Shiryu and I can handle things here."
Magellan withdrew his gaze from Shiryu of the Rain and turned to address Hannyabal and the others.
"Hannyabal! You, Domino, and Sadie—take the four Warden Beasts and head to the Extreme Cold Hell, the place we just left.
"If what Golden Lion II said earlier wasn't a lie, then Level Five Point Five and the secret passage… Hmph! For Impel Down to have such a massive security flaw is a grave dereliction of duty!"
"Huh? So this is your failure?"
Hannyabal's eyes lit up at those words.
"Does that mean you'll be demoted? Then I can become the Warden Director—"
BAM!
Magellan raised a fist the size of a clay pot and slammed it down on Hannyabal's head.
"Don't spout nonsense at a time like this, you idiot subordinate!"
Magellan retracted his fist and urged impatiently.
"Hurry up and move! We still know nothing about Level Five Point Five.
"If we can capture all the prisoners there… we might still redeem ourselves!"
Hannyabal clutched his head and left with Domino, Sadie, and the four Warden Beasts.
On the Maritime First Level, Magellan and Shiryu stood in separate positions, like the twin guardian deities of Impel Down.
Neither of them could influence the battle raging in the skies. All they could do now was protect the prison from the aftermath of the clash between powerhouses.
Time passed minute by minute.
The battle above showed no signs of stopping.
Domino, who had just been dispatched earlier, was the first to return.
"Warden Director!"
Her breathing was slightly ragged, but she wasted no time delivering her report.
"There are signs of prisoners living in Level Five Point Five, but none are present. They may have already… successfully escaped.
"Additionally, there are numerous passages in Level Five Point Five. Chief Warden Hannyabal has already mobilized a group of wardens to inspect them. Results should come soon."
Hearing this, Magellan clenched his fists tightly.
In the past, whether it was Golden Lion Shiki or Vongola Storm, their escapes had been solo endeavors.
But today, an entire level of prisoners had escaped right under his nose as Warden Director!
"This is all my fault…"
Magellan muttered in a low voice.
"I'll submit a request to the government to commit seppuku as atonement—"
"...Please don't say such things, Warden Director."
Domino adjusted her glasses weakly.
"I truly can't imagine Hannyabal-sama becoming the Warden Director."
Had Domino said something like "The government wouldn't allow it" or "This defeat wasn't your fault," Magellan's heavy heart wouldn't have lightened in the slightest.
But what she said was… Hannyabal would replace him as Warden Director.
"That idiot subordinate!"
Magellan sighed, shaking his head at the thought of Hannyabal.
"He does have the qualifications to succeed me as Warden Director of Impel Down—even more so than… Shiryu.
"But the current situation is too chaotic. If only Hannyabal weren't so weak…
"First Storm—I mean, White Dragon, and now Golden Lion II… Impel Down is no longer the 'impenetrable fortress' it once was…"
Domino wanted to say: As long as Magellan was here, no one could breach Impel Down.
But the reality was, even Magellan couldn't properly protect this underwater prison now...
"Domino, quickly assess the damage within the prison and contact the government and the Marines."
Magellan glanced at the battle raging in the sky, then turned his gaze to the restless Sea Kings stirring in the ocean.
Neither the sky nor the sea was his "primary battlefield."
It was utterly absurd that neither of Impel Down's "Twin Pillars" could intervene in this life-or-death crisis for the prison.
Clutching his suddenly aching stomach, Magellan's forehead beaded with thick, purple droplets of poison.
"Dammit!"
...
Meanwhile, at the edge of the Calm Belt, on a nameless island far from the triangular currents.
One of the secret passages to Impel Down, originally created by Mori using his Push-Push Fruit abilities, had its exit on this very island.
Ivankov, the Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom, along with a group of other okama, emerged onto the island.
"Sunshine, sandy beaches, and okama!"
"Freedom! We're finally free!"
"Long live Iva-sama! Long live the Queen of Okama!"
The former Impel Down prisoners, now transformed into okama, sprinted across the beach, reveling in their hard-won freedom.
Ivankov stood with hands on hips, briefly observing her ecstatic subordinates before turning her attention to the secret passage's exit.
The last figure emerged—Inazuma, a high-ranking Revolutionary Army officer and user of the Snip-Snip Fruit.
His arms transformed into enormous scissors, their blades plunging deep into the ground, carving a profound fissure across the earth.
"Iva-sama, I've followed your instructions and used my ability to alter this secret passage."
Still maintaining his ability's activation stance, Inazuma's forehead glistened with sweat, clearly drained from the effort.
"Should we really destroy it?"
"Better to. Even if we don't, Impel Down will."
Ivankov crossed her arms, speaking decisively.
"Besides, they might trace us through this passage."
Inazuma nodded silently, immediately activating his Snip-Snip Fruit ability again. The tunnel entrance behind him collapsed instantly.
A deep rumbling echoed from the surrounding seabed as massive bubbles surged to the surface.
Several Sea Kings poked their heads above the calm waters, finding no trace of enemies before eventually retreating.
"Even at the edge of the Calm Belt, there are so many Sea Kings... how ridiculous..."
Ivankov wiped her brow, feigning terror.
"Good thing we've escaped the Calm Belt! Shaba~!"
Drenched in sweat, Inazuma had expended tremendous energy continuously using his ability and now lacked the energy to speak.
"Inazuma... you should rest for now."
Originally planning to move together, Ivankov reconsidered upon seeing her exhausted subordinate.
"The rest of you—cut trees and build rafts! We're leaving the Calm Belt!"
The okama responded enthusiastically.
"Yes, Iva-sama!"
While the transvestites were enthusiastically chopping trees and building rafts, Ivankov took out a Den Den Mushi stolen from Impel Down and dialed a number he had always kept in mind.
"Moshi moshi... Dragon, I've escaped from hell!"
Grand Line, Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Baltigo Island.
"Ivankov?!"
The leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon, answered the Den Den Mushi and heard the voice of his long-lost comrade.
"How did you leave Impel Down? Still, you've worked hard..."
"I originally planned to stay hidden in Impel Down for a few more years, but today I met a 'good man.'"
Ivankov wasn't sure how to describe Golden Lion II, so he settled on calling him a "good man."
"He defeated Magellan and Hannyabal, breached Impel Down, then stormed into New Kama Land, saying he wanted to rescue me. Under the circumstances, I had no choice but to escape early..."
Impel Down was breached?
A cold sweat broke out on Dragon's forehead.
"What exactly happened? And who is this 'good man'?"
"Lion BOY, his name is 'Lion.'"
Ivankov glanced in the direction of Impel Down.
"He's Teach's friend. Since I helped Teach before, he came to rescue me..."
"Teach?"
Dragon's forehead grew even sweatier. There was only one man named "Teach" known across the seas now.
"Whitebeard Jr., Edward Teach?"
"Exactly!"
Ivankov placed his hands on his hips, speaking with a hint of pride.
"Whitebeard Jr., Teach—he's a man I approve of! As for Lion, he's great too. If I had to say, calling him 'Golden Lion II' wouldn't be wrong at all."
Golden Lion II?
Dragon's back was now drenched in cold sweat.
Meanwhile, Ivankov remained oblivious to the "Sweat King's" reaction.
"Dragon, I've escaped from Impel Down now, but I don't know how Lion is doing. Has the Revolutionary Army gathered any related intel?"
"Nothing concrete yet, but someone spotted Kizaru leaving Marine Headquarters."
Dragon picked up a confidential report beside him and relayed it to Ivankov.
"If your intel is accurate, Kizaru is likely heading to Impel Down..."
"Kizaru?!"
Ivankov was shocked.
"The Admiral is already making a move this quickly?"
"That's Impel Down."
Dragon tried to remain as calm as possible.
"The government and the Marines won't just sit back and do nothing."
"Lion BOY..."
A bad feeling crept into Ivankov's heart.
He had never fought Golden Lion II and didn't know his true strength. But Kizaru was one of the World Government's top combatants!
Would Lion end up sacrificing himself after rescuing him?
Ivankov suddenly turned his head toward the exit of the secret passage they had just emerged from.
Damn it!
Inazuma had acted too quickly.
The secret passage that could infiltrate Impel Down had already been completely destroyed!
"Ah! It hurts!"
Ivankov clutched his neck, strained from the sudden movement, with one hand and his heart with the other.
"My neck hurts, and my heart aches too! Lion BOY—"
Baltigo Island.
Dragon wasn't sure what the Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom was up to again.
He was simply trying his best to analyze the current situation.
"Impel Down being breached by pirates—this incident will surely deal a massive blow to the World Government's prestige."
Gripping the Den Den Mushi, Dragon conceived a strategy.
"I need to contact those who'd be interested in this news and spread its influence far and wide!
"Someone! Deliver this intelligence to the World Economic Journal!"