Creed put the documents back in place, then left the room with Ain and Falkor.
Hannibal's office was right across the hall. He hadn't closed the door, so when he saw Creed coming out, he quickly stood up and poked his head out.
"Director, do you feel that the prisoners here are too strong? That being director is too stressful? Are you planning to return to Marine Headquarters?"
"Hurry back, then I can be the director. No! I accidentally said what I was thinking again!" Hannibal quickly covered his mouth.
Ain couldn't be bothered with the chatterbox and led Creed downward.
Creed's office was located on LV4. Stepping out, the outside was already the scorching heat of Blazing Hell.
The moment he walked through the door, a wave of heat hit him like he had stepped into a giant steamer.
In the corridor outside the gate, a row of humanoid cows were patrolling, holding massive spiked clubs. Aside from them, there was also a humanoid mole and koala, all scattered about.
When people passed by, they let out low growls and moved forward, each step shaking the ground.
"Brat!" a scolding voice rang out.
Creed turned to see a tall, fiery-dressed woman approaching, clad in a red leather outfit with twin ponytails and flashing eyes.
"Greetings, Director. I am Sadi, the Chief Guard of LV4–LV5." She saluted.
The Crocodile incident had spread like wildfire some time ago. Even within the prison, she had heard of it. The instigator of that incident was none other than this young boy before her.
And not long ago, he had destroyed the infamous Marine Hunters pirate crew. Their captain and cadres were now undergoing torture and baptism.
Crack!!
Her whip lashed through the air, making the humanoid beasts flinch.
"This is the new director. Come forward."
The four beast guards nodded like pecking chickens.
Creed examined them. He had read about them earlier in Impel Down's records.
They were the Jailer Beasts, responsible for patrolling LV4 and LV5. Strong, sadistic, they delighted in chasing prisoners. If prisoners disobeyed, their spiked clubs would rain down like a storm.
Each one had eaten a Zoan-type Devil Fruit. But they weren't human—they were modified beasts.
For instance, the cow had been a normal cow, but after eating the Cow-Cow Fruit, Model: Bovine, it became what it was now. The rhino had eaten the Rhino-Rhino Fruit.
Because they were originally animals, they were cold-blooded and lacked high intelligence.
But there was one advantage—their bodies matched their Zoan Fruits perfectly. All of them had awakened their fruits. Their defense was enhanced several times over, fearless of damage.
Under Sadi's lead, Creed toured all of LV4.
Here, the environment was brutal. Many prisoners were emaciated, half-dead from the heat and steam.
From time to time, new prisoners caused trouble, but they were swiftly beaten half to death by the Jailer Beasts.
It was nothing but despair.
All Devil Fruit users wore seastone shackles on their ankles. Those without fruits were shackled at the hands.
But these criminals deserved no pity. Whose hands among them were not soaked in the blood of innocents?
After finishing the tour of Blazing Hell, Creed arrived at the massive elevator, more than 40 meters in length and width.
They descended to LV5—Freezing Hell.
As brutal as the floor above.
The moment he stepped out, snow and ice filled his vision. The freezing wind bit into his bones, making him shiver.
He could even see prisoners frozen into ice statues, though they were rare.
Those locked here were infamous pirates of the seas.
The area was massive, and many prisoners huddled together for warmth in the snow.
Along one side of Freezing Hell ran a long corridor built into the wall, looping the prison.
Creed stepped inside.
Cells lined both sides, each containing monsters. Releasing them could trigger chaos, so they were locked here.
As he entered, some cells erupted in beastly roars, screaming:
"Marine! Let us out! Let us out!!"
"Quiet!" Sadi barked.
"Roar!"
The cow beast growled, opening a cell door and walking inside with its club.
Moments later, screams echoed through the corridor, chillingly clear.
Then silence. The prisoner made no more sound.
The cow emerged, flicking blood from its club.
That scene silenced the corridor. None dared breathe loudly.
At last, after the tour of LV5, they returned to the elevator.
"Director, are we going back to LV4?" Sadi asked.
But at that moment, she saw Creed take out a metal key.
Her eyes widened.
"D–Director… you… you're going to LV6?" she stammered.
"Yes." Creed inserted the key into a small hole by the panel and turned it.
Clack clack clack—
The elevator, which had stopped at the bottom, began descending again.
Whoosh!
Before long, it arrived at the lowest floor.
The doors opened.
Silence. Absolute silence, so still you could hear a pin drop.
The air was heavy, filled with murderous intent, suffocating.
Before them stretched a long corridor built from stone. Flames flickered on the walls, casting eerie shadows.
Sadi swallowed hard.
As the chief guard of LV4–LV5, she was among Impel Down's core. Of course she knew LV6 existed.
But she had no qualification to enter. She didn't dare.
Once, she had followed Magellan here to deliver food. She waited outside the gate, and even then, the aura alone had nearly crushed her.
"You two wait here." Creed told Sadi and Ain.
Then—tap, tap, tap—
His footsteps echoed through the silent corridor.
At its end stood a massive gate.
Behind it lay the prisoners of LV6.
Bang!!
Creed shoved the gate open.
Darkness engulfed his sight. A pitch-black void, even light seemed swallowed. The torches of the corridor could not reach inside.
The air was suffocating, as if ancient beasts lurked within.
The moment he stepped in—
Boom!!
Several terrifying auras exploded forth. A violent surge of wind blasted out, the pressure alone making the air unbearably heavy.
(End of Chapter)
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