Chapter 8: Original
Crimson Hell!
Warcraft Hell!
Starvation Hell!
Blazing Hell!
In a remarkably short time, Whitebeard and Joz had penetrated the fourth-floor underground prison and reached the fifth floor, known as Freezing Hell.
Though they encountered a few jailers along the way, Joz easily dealt with them.
Their actions naturally drew the attention of all the prisoners.
"It's Whitebeard!"
The prisoners on the fifth floor were filled with terror.
No one had expected that one of the Four Emperors, Whitebeard, would make an appearance in Impel Down.
Once everyone realized what was happening, chaos erupted among the prisoners.
"Damn Whitebeard! How dare you come to Impel Down! Let me out, I want revenge for my crew!"
"Whitebeard, just release me, and I'll gladly join the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"Please, take me with you!"
The prisoners shouted, pleaded, and cursed.
They all understood the significance of the name Whitebeard.
If Whitebeard chose to set them free, escaping this hellish prison was within their reach.
Clang~
Whitebeard struck the handle of his knife forcefully against the ground.
His commanding gaze swept over all the prisoners in Level 5, and a deep laughter escaped his lips.
"Goo la la la~"
"Do you... want to get out?"
His words hung in the air, and the prison fell into a stunned silence.
The wide-eyed prisoners in their cells couldn't believe what they were hearing.
Even though they had yelled at Whitebeard to set them free, they knew that such a thing was impossible.
After all, many of them were imprisoned here because of Whitebeard's actions, some even sent here by the man himself.
But now, Whitebeard was asking them...
"Do you want to get out?"
"Whitebeard, as long as you let me out, all our past grudges are forgotten. From now on, I'll be loyal to you as my captain!"
A prisoner named Eliot Baker shouted with excitement, slamming into the prison railing.
Eliot Baker was a notorious pirate with a bounty of 200 million Berries. Seven years ago, he had foolishly targeted the Whitebeard Pirates, aiming to defeat Whitebeard and take his place among the Four Emperors. He was defeated, his crew was annihilated, and he was captured by the Marines. The hatred ran deep between him and the Whitebeard Pirates.
But that was all in the past. After enduring the extreme cold of Impel Down and nearing death, thoughts of revenge against Whitebeard had long been erased from his mind. Now, he was willing to do anything, even be Whitebeard's loyal follower if it meant escaping the prison.
"Yes!"
"We'll pay any price as long as you let us out!"
"Whitebeard, please, set us free!"
The other prisoners shouted excitedly. Faced with the prospect of endless torture, even the most rebellious pirates had been broken, and all they wanted now was to escape this accursed pit.
"Then compete!"
"LV5 Hell has only ten openings. Before I leave, I will take ten people with me!"
"As for who leaves, that's for you to decide!"
Whitebeard spoke slowly.
Before the prisoners could react, he led Joz to the sixth floor.
"It's up to us to decide?"
Many prisoners caught on and understood the implications of his words.
Those who desperately wanted to live had a gleam of red in their eyes and didn't hesitate to eliminate anyone in their way.
Before long, the screams of horror echoed through Freezing Hell as the prisoners fought for their chance at freedom.
....
Impel Down, Sixth Floor!
Eternal Hell!
The prisoners confined to this level were all either exceptionally powerful or extraordinarily ruthless individuals. Pirates with bounties in the hundreds of millions were commonplace here.
Following Magellan's orders, Hannyabal swiftly took the elevator to this floor. He wasted no time opening the cell and entering.
Inside the cell, two figures were bound with specially crafted Seastone chains, designed to negate the abilities of Devil Fruit users, leaving them helpless.
One of the prisoners was Ace, known as Fire Fist, and he was the primary target of Whitebeard's rescue mission.
"Release Fire Fist Ace!"
Hannyabal ordered with a stern expression.
The two jailers accompanying him promptly complied, unfastening the chains, helping the naked Ace to his feet, and hurrying him away.
"Brother Ace!"
The enormous Jinbei opened his eyes and watched as Ace was taken away, concern evident in his gaze.
"Warden Magellan didn't come, but Deputy Warden Hannyabal is taking the kid away in such a rush. It's rather intriguing, isn't it?"
A deep chuckle echoed in the cell.
Jinbei turned to see Shichibukai Crocodile, formerly known as Sand Crocodile, leaning against the wall with a sardonic grin.
"Crocodile, what are you getting at?"
Jinbei inquired.
"Don't you get it?"
Crocodile sneered, "That kid is Whitebeard's son and holds great importance for the Marines. If he were heading to Marineford, Magellan would personally oversee the transfer."
"But here we are, with only Hannyabal showing up, and in such a hurry."
"Do you find this situation reasonable?"
As he spoke, Jinbei's eyes widened in realization.
After pondering for a moment, he asked in a grave tone, "Are you suggesting that something has transpired in Impel Down? Something possibly related to the Ace brothers, prompting Hannyabal to move Ace ahead of schedule?"
Logically, Ace's transfer would coincide with the scheduled execution date, which was not far off. However, the fact that Ace was being moved prematurely indicated a shift within Impel Down, compelling the warden to take action.
"Humph!"
"We just don't know what's going on!"
Crocodile sneered.
....
Jinbei inwardly sighed. While they could speculate that something had occurred outside, they were powerless to contribute, left only to await further developments.
But neither of them anticipated what would happen next.
Just minutes after Ace's departure, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the prison, shattering the silence of Eternal Hell. Simultaneously, a towering figure stealthily approached.
Before long, this imposing figure came into view, standing before all the prisoners.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone