Chapter 82: 82: Monsters of Impel Down
"Ahem… you've done well. How's Warden Magellan?"
Kizaru cleared his throat, wisely choosing to hold back any unnecessary remarks.
He'd rather not risk a situation where a Vice Admiral candidate drew her sword on a Marine Admiral.
Sengoku already had enough headaches—no need to add this to the list.
"Warden Magellan has just stabilized. He's out of immediate danger."
Domino felt a weight lift off her shoulders. If Admiral Kizaru was asking about Magellan's condition, then the higher-ups likely weren't planning to blame the Warden for the prison break.
She had often complained about Magellan's chronic stomach issues and how they tarnished Impel Down's reputation.
But when it mattered most, she still respected him.
"That's good. We should check on him first, don't you think?"
Kizaru turned to Gion as he spoke.
Tracking down the escaped prisoners could wait.
First, they needed a proper assessment of who had escaped.
"Please follow me!"
Domino quickly led Kizaru and Vice Admiral Gion into the elevator, descending to Level 4—Blazing Hell.
Though the prison guards had already done a rough cleanup, the traces of battle still made it clear just how intense the fight had been.
"Is that…?"
The moment Gion stepped out of the elevator, her gaze landed on a heap of bones. The remains were still coated with a strange, black-purple substance that continued to corrode the bone from within.
"That's what's left of the prisoners killed by Warden Magellan's poison," Domino explained with a brief glance.
Being poisoned by Magellan didn't just mean dying. Unless someone had an inhumanly strong constitution, their body would continue to melt away after death, leaving behind only a pile of bones.
"That's some terrifying poison…"
Gion couldn't help but admire Magellan's abilities.
She had underestimated him, even if only slightly.
To develop the Venom-Venom Fruit to this extent… even she wasn't confident she could defeat Magellan in a direct fight.
"Admiral Kizaru, we only have one unused gas mask left…"
After speaking with the doctor attending to Magellan, Domino returned with a single, unopened gas mask.
She didn't mind sharing masks with her fellow guards, but there was no way she would offer Kizaru and Gion a used one.
"Give it to Gion. I don't need it."
Kizaru waved his hand dismissively.
He and Magellan had known each other for years.
Before he joined the Dimensional Chat Group, Kizaru wouldn't have taken such a risk. But ever since obtaining his Stand ability, his body had continuously strengthened itself under sunlight.
At this point, even he wasn't sure how much his physique had improved.
Magellan's poison?
Even if Magellan were fully conscious and went all out, Kizaru wouldn't mind taking a bath in it.
"Eh?! Admiral Kizaru—!"
Before Domino could stop him, Kizaru had already opened the office door and stepped inside.
Lying on the hospital bed, Magellan looked beyond miserable.
Even Kizaru, who had expected the worst, couldn't help but click his tongue.
"Dragon really did a number on him…"
He inspected Magellan's injuries and frowned, muttering under his breath.
"Warden Magellan is in horrible shape…"
Gion, now wearing the gas mask, entered the room as well. She hadn't wanted to wear it, but Domino had insisted.
"Hm. Guess this guy got lucky. These are my last reserves…"
Kizaru reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cloth pouch.
Opening it, he sprinkled tiny white flowers over Magellan's body.
Then, something miraculous happened.
The flowers melted into his wounds upon contact, and his injuries rapidly began to heal.
In just a few moments, wounds that had been pouring blood just moments ago were completely closed.
And then—
Magellan's eyes slowly opened.
"…Am I dead?"
His voice was hoarse and dazed, his mind still clouded.
"You're close, but not quite there yet," Kizaru remarked, patting Magellan's chest.
Instinctively, Magellan braced himself for pain—only to realize that he felt nothing.
"Huh? My injuries are gone? Kizaru—Admiral Kizaru?!"
Finally regaining clarity, Magellan leapt off the hospital bed, staring at his body in disbelief.
He remembered how Dragon's wind blades had torn his arms apart, how Lindbergh's bombs had shredded his chest.
His uniform was still in tatters, yet beneath it, his flesh was completely unscathed.
Snapping out of his shock, he immediately saluted.
"No need for that. Didn't we used to drink together?"
Kizaru clapped Magellan on the shoulder.
Standing at only three meters tall, it was a bit of a stretch to reach the nearly five-meter-tall Magellan.
Luckily, Magellan was still slightly hunched over from surprise, or things might've gotten awkward.
"That was years ago. But… why are you here, Admiral?"
Magellan's expression turned nostalgic.
After graduating from the Naval Academy, he had been assigned to Impel Down due to his Venom-Venom Fruit.
And for nearly thirty years, he had remained here.
Back then, it had been Kizaru himself who escorted him to Impel Down.
Now, after causing such a massive disaster, it was again Kizaru who had come to clean up the mess.
"You already know why. But don't worry too much—Fleet Admiral Sengoku isn't that angry."
Kizaru reassured him, waving it off as if it wasn't a big deal.
"After all, the Revolutionary Army is very bad, and Dragon is 'the most dangerous criminal in the world.' Losing to him isn't exactly shameful."
Standing behind him, Gion's expression twitched slightly.
That was… not exactly the truth.
In reality, Sengoku was absolutely furious.
He was so angry that his lungs were practically exploding.
But the problem was—there was no one else to replace Magellan.
Gion and Tokikake were strong enough to take over Impel Down, but as Admiral candidates, they had more important responsibilities.
They couldn't afford to be stationed in a prison for thirty years like Magellan had been.
Firing Magellan was easy.
Finding a replacement?
Now that was impossible.
"Even so, I cannot shirk my responsibility… Admiral Kizaru, I wish to resign from my position as Warden and have Hannyabal take my place!"
Magellan spoke with deep conviction, recalling how he had hesitated when Dragon took hostages, while Hannyabal had remained resolute, urging him to act despite being a hostage himself.
As for Magellan himself, even though Kizaru claimed that Sengoku wasn't too angry, the fall of Impel Down was an unforgivable failure. Someone had to take responsibility.
He was already prepared to take his own life to atone.
But before that, he wanted to ensure a smooth transition for the next Warden.
"Hah? You're the Warden—you do whatever makes you happy. But have you thought this through?"
Kizaru's casual tone didn't mask the sharpness of his words.
"Hannyabal doesn't have the strength to handle the Warden's duties. Especially now that the Revolutionary Army has set a precedent. If others try to imitate them, what do you expect Hannyabal to do?"
Magellan had clearly entered a self-destructive mindset. His sense of responsibility was so overwhelming that he was willing to die to make up for his failure.
If no one talked sense into him, they'd probably hear about his suicide within the day.
And that would truly make Sengoku blow a blood vessel.
Where on earth would the Marines find another workhorse like Magellan?
"Eh? This…"
Magellan hesitated.
He had been willing to give his life to take responsibility.
But if what Kizaru said was true… what would happen to Impel Down after his death?
Hannyabal had the courage and conviction to be Warden—but lacked the strength to handle the position.
"So, just focus on healing—ah, wait, your wounds are already healed. Then just focus on living! Don't waste my Healing Dandelions. That was my last batch!"
Kizaru smacked Magellan's chest before walking off, leaving him alone to reconsider his plans.
Magellan stood there, frowning deeply.
Just as he was lost in thought—
"Admiral Kizaru! The prisoners on Level Six are staging a mass breakout—! Warden Magellan?!"
Domino burst into the office, still wearing her gas mask, panic evident in her voice.
But mid-sentence, she froze.
The man who should have been on death's door was now standing perfectly fine before her.
Magellan's towering frame radiated an overwhelming sense of security, just as it always had.
"Those damned bastards!"
Magellan's fury erupted, his rage nearly tangible.
He had just suffered the pain of watching prisoners escape, sacrificing many of his men in the process—
And now, these scum wanted to do it again?!
"Your injuries just healed. Let me handle it."
Kizaru casually pressed a hand against Magellan's chest.
With just a light push, Magellan found himself unable to move forward.
Meanwhile, deep in Level Six—
Chief Guard Shiryu stood in his uniform, a cigar clenched between his teeth, watching as the prisoners freed more of their kind.
A lifeless guard lay at his feet—the very man who had released Shiryu in the first place, swayed by his persuasion.
But he had never imagined that Shiryu's first action would be to kill his former subordinate.
One by one, towering figures emerged from the depths of Eternal Hell.
The air itself seemed to grow heavier beneath the pressure of these monsters.
—Crescent Moon Hunter, Catarina Devon, bounty: 360 million berries.
—Heavy Drinker, Vasco Shot, bounty: 250 million berries.
—Corrupt King, Avaro Pizarro, bounty: 430 million berries.
—Byrnndy World, bounty: 500 million berries.
—Patrick Ledfield, bounty: 2.63 billion berries.
—Demon's Heir, Douglas Bullet…
…
At a glance, their bounties might not seem that high.
But considering that these were legends from decades past, one could only imagine the true terror they embodied.
Even the Revolutionary Army, with Dragon at the helm, couldn't guarantee full control over these monsters. That alone spoke volumes about their true power.
Several among them were so terrifying that even Shiryu didn't dare provoke them.
If not for the necessity of ensuring a successful escape from Impel Down, he might not have freed them at all.
"I never expected the infamous Red Count to be locked away in Impel Down..."
Avaro Pizarro, narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with malice.
There were always those in this sea who delighted in stirring up trouble, even when it didn't benefit them.
Pizarro was precisely that kind of man.
With just a seemingly casual remark, he successfully drew the attention of the surrounding criminals—some gazing with curiosity, others with barely concealed hostility.
"Spare me your foolish schemes. Such petty tricks are laughable at best."
Ledfield responded with undisguised contempt, not even bothering to spare Pizarro a glance.
Born with an exceptionally powerful Observation Haki, Ledfield's abilities had only grown stronger with age, allowing him to effortlessly perceive the thoughts of others.
But having seen the depths of human ugliness for so long, he had grown disgusted by it—developing an extreme aversion to people, cultivating his proud and solitary nature.
It was precisely because of this that he had always sailed alone, earning him titles such as "The Solitary Red" and "The Lone Led".
Even so, his sheer strength was undeniable.
Once, he had stood as an equal alongside Whitebeard and Roger, ranking among the strongest pirates of his era.
"So, you're the 'Solitary Red'… The man who stood alongside Roger… Killing you would be another step forward on my path to surpassing him."
A deep, resonant voice echoed from the shadows.
A figure—massive beyond belief—stepped forward.
Instantly, those who had been watching with amusement found their expressions shifting.
Recognition flashed in their eyes—followed swiftly by unease.
The Demon's Heir—Douglas Bullet.
A monster who had once walked among the Roger Pirates.
To understand his power, one only needed to know a simple fact—
When he had once stood alone against a Buster Call, both Sengoku and Garp had deemed it necessary to join the fight.
In the end, it had taken a former enemy—a pirate who had previously been defeated by Bullet—to take advantage of his exhaustion and land the final blow, ending the battle.
If these two monsters clashed here—
Hardly anyone in this room would survive.
Realizing this, the prisoners instinctively began backing away, creating as much distance as possible between them and the looming catastrophe.
But just as the tension peaked—
"Shut the hell up! If you bastards keep yapping, I'll blow you all to hell!"
A third figure emerged from the darkness.
°°°
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