"Never thought you could actually fly," Luffy remarked in amazement from behind Buggy.
After emerging from underground, the man had taken to the skies, effortlessly carrying both of them!
"You really thought I was just bluffing?" Buggy snorted. "A measly Crimson Hell is nothing to the great Buggy-sama! Yohohoho!"
He burst into laughter, clearly pleased with himself.
"Keep it down," Meiser said irritably. "Or have you forgotten we're in enemy territory?"
"Relax, we're moving through the forest. No one outside will notice us here," Buggy assured him.
He'd deliberately chosen this route to avoid detection by the prison guards.
"Fair enough," Meiser conceded.
At least so far, they hadn't encountered any guards or other prisoners.
Just then, Meiser spotted the last thing he wanted to see—a Visual Den Den Mushi!
Perched on the trunk of a Sword Tree to their right, the snail was staring intently in their direction. At Buggy's speed, there was no way they could evade its surveillance.
Even if I use the Sharingan to control it, the footage would still be transmitted to the other side, Meiser thought.
He wasn't sure if the Mangekyō Sharingan would work through a surveillance feed.
After a brief hesitation, Meiser abandoned the idea and instead drew his Grass Sword.
"Gale Slash!"
Whoosh!
A terrifying azure slash tore through the air, reaching the Visual Den Den Mushi in an instant—slicing both the snail and the tree clean in half.
Clang! Crash!
The bisected Den Den Mushi and the severed tree trunk tumbled to the ground together.
"Wha—?!" Buggy gaped at the fallen branches. "Why'd you suddenly attack?!"
Weren't they supposed to be sneaking in? What was this reckless move about? Did this idiot want them to get caught?
Luffy also stared at Meiser in shock, clearly not expecting such abrupt violence.
"There was a Visual Den Den Mushi over there," Meiser explained, pointing at the spot.
"So you were just cutting down a snail?"
"Yep."
"I see..." Buggy nodded, then frowned. "Didn't expect the Marines to be this thorough, placing surveillance even in a place like this."
He'd assumed such devices were only in cells and such. But no—even this deadly forest had them.
"With so many pirates here, you can never be too careful."
After scanning their surroundings, Meiser added, "Buggy, speed up. I'll handle any more Visual Den Den Mushi we encounter."
He wasn't sure if this would fully evade Marine surveillance, but... they had no better options right now.
"Got it," Buggy agreed.
Even without being told, he would escape this place at the fastest speed possible.
After all... once the Visual Den Den Mushi here were taken out, the Marines would be alerted!
Glancing at the pirates still running nearby, Buggy thought to himself: 'Thank goodness I didn't expose myself as a Devil Fruit Ability User, otherwise my fate would be no better than theirs.'
At this thought, Buggy felt immensely grateful for his own cleverness!
With this in mind, Buggy quickly left the area.
"Hey, did you guys just see something flash past from the forest?" a pirate in the distance called out.
"You must be seeing things."
"Stop messing around, hurry up and run! If those spiders bite you, you're dead!"
"Right!"
Snapping back to reality, the pirates endured the pain of being pierced by Needle Grass as they staggered step by step into the distance. Unlike the suffering pirates, the jailers in their specially-made uniforms wore gleeful smiles.
"Run faster, pirates!"
"Ahahahaha~ If you stop, I'll kill you~"
"Kill them!"
"No... don't kill me!"
"Everyone, run!"
"Ahhh!!!"
Listening to the pirates' screams, the jailers laughed even more heartily.
"Hahaha!"
"These guys are having quite the fun time."
A man standing by the surveillance room window chuckled as he watched his colleagues chasing the pirates below.
"Stop slacking off," a colleague behind him said. "Get back to monitoring the screens. If we make any mistakes, we're all in trouble."
If because of their negligence, some prisoners managed to escape their cells... they'd be strung up and whipped by Vice Warden Sadi.
That woman wouldn't go easy on them—she'd really lay into them.
As if recalling the woman's sadistic demeanor, he involuntarily shuddered.
"Alright, alright," the man said helplessly. "I'll just—"
But before he could finish, he noticed two of his colleagues looking disturbed.
"What's wrong with you guys?"
The bearded man ignored him, turning instead to the long-faced man beside him. "Hey... I didn't imagine that just now, did I?"
"You didn't. I saw it too," the long-faced man said. "It was only for an instant, but I definitely saw it!"
"What are you talking about?"
"There are three people in Crimson Hell!" the long-faced man declared.
As he spoke, he pulled out a stack of Wanted Posters and began sifting through them.
Soon, he produced the bounties for Meiser, Luffy, and Buggy the Clown.
"These two men!" the long-faced man said. "The ones with Buggy the Clown—it's these two!!"
"What did you say?"
The other jailers stared at the posters in his hands, their pupils contracting in shock.
"Straw Hat Boy·Luffy, Bounty: 420,000,000 Berries."
"Blood-Eyed Ninja·Meiser, Bounty: 400,000,000 Berries!"
"Why are these two monsters in Impel Down?!"
The jailers' faces were filled with panic, completely unable to comprehend why such figures would appear in Impel Down.
"I heard the Straw Hat Pirates just caused havoc in Sabaody Archipelago not long ago... and even killed three Celestial Dragons."
"I'm aware of that incident too. Admiral Kizaru even captured hundreds of pirates in anger over it."
"So... even Admiral Kizaru couldn't eliminate them?"
As if realizing something, their faces instantly turned pale.
The Straw Hat Pirates possessed strength capable of rivaling Marine Admirals, and now the two strongest among them... had appeared at Impel Down?!
What should they do?
At that moment, a man observing from the window suddenly exclaimed, "They jumped down the sinkhole!"
"Quick, notify the other floors!" the long-faced man ordered. "Inform them that Straw Hat Boy, the Blood-Eyed Ninja, and Buggy the Clown have entered the second level—Beast Hell!"
"Also, contact Warden Magellan and Marine Headquarters to report the situation!"
With two such powerful individuals appearing in Impel Down, anything could happen.
If they were to release the prisoners... the consequences would be unthinkable.
Perhaps imagining the worst, the long-faced man's face turned green.
"Understood!"
"Ahh, what a relief~"
Magellan emerged from the restroom with a relaxed expression.
The feeling of release was truly wonderful!
"So this is that Magellan?" Hancock frowned slightly as she watched the warden clutching his stomach exit the restroom.
"Don't judge the warden by appearances—his strength is formidable," Domino explained.
Though the man suffered ten hours of diarrhea daily, he was extremely reliable when it mattered.
"Formidable, huh..."
Recalling Domino's earlier description of Magellan, Hancock felt uneasy.
"Poison Man..."
So this was the strongest man in Impel Down. She could only hope Meiser wouldn't encounter him.
"You've worked hard, Warden!"
"Aah~"
Magellan waved dismissively at two nearby guards before addressing Hancock's group. "You must be our guests. I'm Magellan, warden of Impel Down."
He then covered his eyes, complaining, "So... so bright in here!"
"Damn it, I want to be locked in a darker room!"
"Better yet, I'd like to seal away my heart too!"
Hancock: "..."
Hancock stared at Magellan speechlessly. Something about him seemed... off.
First the deputy warden, now the warden itself—did the Marines have no competent personnel left?
"Foolish warden, what nonsense are you spouting?!" Hannyabal scolded. "Vice Admiral Momonga and Royal Seven Warlord Boa Hancock are watching you!"
"Warden Magellan, Fleet Admiral Sengoku must have briefed you," Momonga said.
"Ah... yes, he did." Magellan scratched his head. "My apologies—some stomach troubles delayed me today."
"Probably that poison soup I had for breakfast."
"Then stop eating poison?!" Hannyabal retorted.
"As the Poison Man, of course I love poison," Magellan replied. "There's an old saying—fight poison with poison~"
"But you got diarrhea!"
Magellan: ...
"You're still as venomous as ever, Hannyabal."
"Cut the nonsense and hand over the warden's position already."
"Ah!"
"I misspoke just now! We simply wish to see Fire Fist Ace as soon as possible!"
"That 'misspeaking' of yours was downright cruel, Hannyabal." Magellan clutched his chest dramatically. "How did I end up with such a heartless subordinate?"
With that, Magellan exhaled sharply toward Hannyabal, releasing a thick cloud of purple smoke.
The other guards paled at the sight, immediately donning gas masks.
"Vice Admiral Momonga, Lady Hancock, please put on your gas masks."
Hancock and Momonga frowned but complied, watching as the purple haze drifted toward Hannyabal.
The sight sent Hannyabal scrambling away in terror.
Then, baring his shark-like teeth, he roared, "You bastard, Magellan! Are you trying to kill me?!"
"Ahahaha!"
"Damn you! How dare you laugh at me?!"
"Have you no sympathy for your subordinates?!"
Unfortunately, Hannyabal's protests only made Magellan laugh harder.
Hannyabal: ...
This damn warden!
"How insolent!" Hancock kicked Magellan to the ground, striking a pose of utter disdain. "Do you intend to poison me as well?!"
"So... so beautiful!!!"
Far from angered, Magellan only grew more exhilarated after being knocked down.
"Hey!"
"Enough of this nonsense!!!" Momonga's veins bulged as he glared at them through gritted teeth. "We're on a tight schedule!"
What the hell is the meaning of this absurd farce?!
"Ahaha, fine, I'll take you there now." Magellan climbed to his feet. "Fire Fist Ace is held in an extremely dangerous area—only I can escort you safely."
The prisoners in Impel Down's sixth level were all vicious criminals. Even restrained by Seastone Handcuffs, they could still attack outsiders.
Thus... only the warden, capable of suppressing them all, could accompany visitors to the sixth floor.
"Then hurry up," Momonga snapped.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi on the desk began ringing.
"Buro buro buro~"
"Buro buro buro~"
"Buro buro buro~"
"Click~"
"Warden's office speaking~"
"Bastard, why are you answering my line?!"
Magellan exhaled another puff of purple smoke at Hannyabal, who had picked up his private Den Den Mushi.
"Guh—" Hannyabal collapsed instantly after inhaling the poison.
"Damn it... I will become warden..."
Momonga: ...
Is his obsession with the position that intense?
"Quick, prepare an antidote for the deputy warden!" Domino ordered.
"Right!"
Magellan paid no mind to the man he'd poisoned—it wasn't lethal, after all. Even without the antidote, he'd just be bedridden for a few days.
Then, Magellan picked up the Den Den Mushi.
"Magellan speaking."
"Warden Magellan, there's an intruder in Impel Down!"
"What did you say?!" Magellan exclaimed in shock. "Someone actually dared to invade my Impel Down?"
Who could be so reckless as to come here seeking death?
Domino also showed a look of astonishment, clearly not expecting intruders to appear here.
This was Impel Down, after all!
"Intruders?"
Vice Admiral Momonga glanced sideways at Hancock standing beside him, thinking to himself, 'Could this be related to this woman?'
No, she had been on the warship the entire time, and they had searched her thoroughly before entering Impel Down. There was no way she could have brought enemies inside.
So... it must be a coincidence.
Hancock paid no attention to Momonga's gaze but frowned as she thought, 'Could Meiser and the others have been exposed?'
If that was the case... they might end up facing this Magellan.
"No, I need to find a way to stall this guy for a while!"
With that in mind, Hancock walked toward Magellan.
"Damn it! Whoever invaded Impel Down must face the harshest punishment!" Magellan growled. "Bring me the surveillance feed. I'll—"
Before he could finish, Hancock stepped in front of him.
"Warden, may this humble one request to see Fire Fist Ace as soon as possible?"
Magellan: !!!
The moment he laid eyes on the breathtakingly beautiful Hancock, his pupils instantly turned into hearts.
"Of course, of course! Let's go right now!"
"Hey!"
Hannyabal, who had just recovered thanks to the antidote, stared at Magellan in disbelief. "But there's an intruder in Impel Down! Aren't you concerned at all?"
"Or... are you planning to take responsibility and finally hand your position over to me?"
As if struck by a sudden realization, Hannyabal grew excited.
Unfortunately, Magellan completely ignored him.
"Please follow me, Boa Hancock~" Magellan said. "I'll take you to Fire Fist Ace as quickly as possible!"
It wouldn't take long to reach the underground level from here, so it wouldn't waste much time.
Hannyabal: ...
This damn bastard!
"Warden, are you really not worried?" Domino asked.
"Domino, don't underestimate our Impel Down," Magellan replied, glancing at her. "No matter who invades this place, death is all that awaits them!"
With that, Magellan strode off without another word.
Domino paused for a moment, then nodded. "You're right."
Impel Down wasn't just guarded by ordinary jailers—it housed all kinds of formidable beings. Even pirates with bounties exceeding a hundred million would meet their end here.
With that thought, Domino relaxed and followed Boa Hancock out.
However, just before leaving, Hancock glanced back at the disconnected Den Den Mushi on the table, a faint smile flashing in her eyes.
"Meiser..."
This humble one... can still help you.
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