Having made up his mind, Creed returned to his warden's office and retrieved the LV6 elevator key. Turning around, he headed out.
"Warden, are you going to LV6 again?" At the doorway, Sadi saw the key in Creed's hand.
"Mm."
Rocks, Roger, Whitebeard—these men had all once been prisoners of LV6.
"Of course, but those guys are all locked away in LV6 by the Marines."
"Who knows? Maybe they just wanted a place to retire."
"The only reason the Marines could suppress them wasn't because the Marines were stronger, but because their freedom was taken away." Creed thought silently.
Magellan's eyes widened when he saw the key in Creed's hand. He hadn't expected Creed to actually hold the LV6 key.
"Warden, this is…" Magellan asked.
Creed ignored him and walked straight to the elevator. Magellan had no choice but to follow.
The lift began to descend and soon reached LV6 Infinite Hell. Passing through the oppressive corridor, they pushed open the gate and entered the LV6 prison once again.
The atmosphere was as heavy as ever. The lights in the cells flickered dimly.
Seeing Creed, the World Destroyer Bundy World's face twisted with rage, as if he had seen his mortal enemy. But remembering that day's torment, a trace of fear flickered in his eyes.
To have his head transplanted onto the body of a lowly fish—that was the greatest humiliation imaginable.
That torment, being bitten endlessly by countless vicious fish, still made his scalp tingle whenever he thought about it.
The other prisoners of LV6 also looked at Creed with dread. This man's methods were unlike Magellan's. His were too bizarre. Magellan wouldn't take them out, but this man could casually sever a head and carry it outside.
And that severed head grafted onto a base animal's body… for them, it was the ultimate punishment.
Each of them had once been overlords, rulers in their own seas. Yet now their heads had been fixed onto beasts and gnawed by fish. It was worse than death, a disgrace beyond imagination.
"Want to go out and play?" Creed smiled at Shiryu of the Rain.
Shiryu's eyes trembled, but he didn't respond. His head was still in Creed's hands, and he didn't want to leave under such conditions.
"No." He refused flatly.
"I'm the warden. I decide." Creed stepped forward, staring at him.
Shiryu's heart tightened. Suddenly, he saw Creed's eyes turn blood-red, a sinister scarlet light shining within, a strange rune spinning slowly in his pupils.
"Tsukuyomi!!"
In that instant, Shiryu felt his consciousness blur. Nothing around him changed. But when he came back to his senses, the cell door was open, and the seastone shackles on his body were gone.
What… what happened?
He had only blanked out for a moment. He hadn't seen Creed open the door. Yet the chains were gone, the door wide open.
Though confused, he realized he was free!
A grim smile twisted across his face. "You actually let me out."
Shiryu lunged forward, planning to snatch the keys from Creed. If he could get those keys and release the other LV6 prisoners, Impel Down's iron walls would be nothing but paper.
"Ahhhh!!!"
But halfway through his charge, he collapsed heavily to the ground. His face went pale, his mouth opened wide in agony, and a scream tore out as he clutched desperately at his chest.
His heart—it felt like it was about to explode. As if invisible hands were crushing it mercilessly.
"Ahhhh!!!"
The pain surged over him like a tide. His heart was going to burst.
"You… what did you do to me?!"
He glared at Creed, body curled on the ground like a boiled shrimp.
"Oh? Nothing much. Just thought your heart looked fun." Creed tossed something lightly in his hand.
Shiryu's pupils shrank violently. In Creed's palm was a heart, encased in a transparent, jelly-like cube.
Panicking, Shiryu looked at his own chest—there, a neat square hole gaped open.
That… that was his heart?!
He stared at Creed in horror. How had he done this without him noticing?
The prisoners in the other cells swallowed hard at the sight.
W-what a terrifying ability…
Bundy World's face went ashen, memories of his own torment resurfacing.
"Hey, follow me." Creed said casually. Then he turned toward Redfield, who was soaking in seawater, and called, "Redfield, you've been locked away for more than twenty years. Interested in stretching your legs?"
Redfield opened his eyes and smiled. "Is there a fool to play with?"
"There is."
"Then if you can carry my head out of here, of course I'll go."
"Very well."
Creed's palm lifted, forming a small whirling vortex.
"ROOM!"
A transparent barrier spread outward.
Creed slowly pulled out the key, unlocking the chains.
Redfield stayed calm, not resisting at all.
With a swift motion, Creed's hand flicked—
Squelch!
A heart trembled as it emerged, wrapped in that same jelly-like cube.
Shiryu's eyes went wide. So that was how his heart had been removed… but why hadn't he felt anything?
Suddenly, he remembered Creed's Devil Fruit ability. A chill ran through him. This man's power was too terrifying.
Creed opened Redfield's cell and unlocked the seastone chains binding him.
Redfield burst up from the water.
Creed finally saw clearly—the pool he had been submerged in was over ten meters deep. They had thrown him in with chains like a discarded anchor.
No wonder.
"Mm, after soaking in seawater for so long, it feels strange to come out." Redfield twisted his neck. Heavy seastone shackles still clung to his ankles, seastone cuffs still bound his hands.
The World Government's caution toward him was obvious.
"Thank you." He turned toward Creed.
"You're welcome. Let's go."
The other prisoners shouted from their cells as they saw Shiryu and Redfield released.
"Hey! Take my heart out too! I want to go!"
Creed turned his head, expression flat. "If you don't mind, I can take your heads out instead. You'll get to swim in the water all you want."
Silence fell instantly.
…
(End of Chapter)
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