Kapitel 90: Shiryu
A/N: If you want to see more chapters and support my work, go to my Patre@n to see more chapters ahead.
You can see more chapters ahead of everyone on my Patre@n:
WWW.patre@n.com/RK98
------------------------------
Brontes addressed the group of Marine soldiers standing behind him: "I need to have a talk with Chief Warden Magellan. You all can head back now."
"Understood, sir!" They responded in unison.
Following their orders, the soldiers made their way back to the fourth level. Meanwhile, Magellan guided Brontes to the sixth level, known as Infinite Hell.
Infinite Hell was notorious for housing the most dangerous and powerful pirates, each with the potential to unleash havoc in the New World.
This place held legendary names like Patrick Redfield, Byrnndi World, Douglas Bullet, and Avalo Pizarro, among others.
These were once the most feared figures across the seas, including the formidable old-timers from the eras of Roger and Rocks, as well as the leaders of the most formidable pirate crews recently captured by the Marines.
It was an undeniable fact that the pirates locked away here were once the most influential figures in the New World.
Should they manage to escape, they would undoubtedly plunge the outside world into even greater turmoil.
The number of prisoners contained within Impel Down had soared into the thousands, with new inmates arriving every day and executions being a regular occurrence due to the prison's limited capacity.
Not every pirate here would live to see their end; Impel Down had a routine of executing some of them.
The one person who had the ultimate say over life and death in Impel Down was Chief Warden Magellan. He was the sole authority when it came to deciding which prisoners would be executed.
"Ahh!"
However, as Brontes stepped into the sixth level, he sensed something was off. The agonizing screams of the prisoners were deafening.
"Damn you! Take off these handcuffs and shackles, then call it a fair fight!"
"You won't even give us a weapon, you coward!"
"It's no surprise you only made it to Head Jailer of Impel Down after all these years, while that worthless Hannyabal got promoted to Vice-Warden. You let him climb over you, Shiryu."
"Release these handcuffs, I swear I'll kill you!"
"You're a sick maniac!"
The angry shouts of the prisoners grew louder, causing Brontes to scowl, while Magellan, trailing behind him, looked furious.
"He's at it again, that bastard!" Magellan muttered, his breath laced with poison, and a subtle but deadly intent began to radiate from him.
"Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!!"
The chilling sound of a sword slicing through flesh filled the air, and suddenly, the prisoners' screams and shouts ceased, bringing a scary silence to the area.
A cell door swung open, and a man in a beret stepped out, casually cleaning his sword with his white cloak.
"Huh, that was hardly satisfying." He said, exhaling a cloud of cigar smoke, his voice filled with dissatisfaction and a chilling indifference.
"Shiryu!"
Magellan had appeared behind him in an instant.
"What do you want, Magellan?" Shiryu asked, his tone nonchalant, as if Magellan's sudden appearance was of no surprise to him.
"Since when do you have the authority to execute prisoners?" Magellan asked angrily, his body emitting a purple haze as he stared intently at Shiryu.
"I'm not executing them; I'm simply engaging in duels. You've seen it yourself, I'm not torturing them. I'm giving them a chance. They're always yelling about wanting to kill me, so I'm just giving them the opportunity." Shiryu explained in a cold voice, failing to see Magellan's point.
"Magellan is here." One of the pirates shouted.
Even though the prisoners on the sixth level loathed Shiryu for his cruel nature, they feared Magellan even more. He was the only one in Impel Down with the authority to carry out executions.
Almost every prisoner who entered Impel Down, except for those rare few like Shiki the Golden Lion who managed to escape, would meet their end there eventually.
"How dare you break the rules of Impel Down by killing prisoners?! Have you forgotten that in this prison, I am the only one who can execute these criminals?" Magellan's voice was cold and filled with anger.
Shiryu remained silent, bowing his head slightly. He knew he was no real match for Magellan, so he chose to keep quiet.
In his mind, Magellan wouldn't punish him severely for just killing some criminals—it wasn't a big deal to him.
"Hmph! Return to the fourth level and guard it. You are forbidden from entering the sixth level from now on. If I find out you've killed another prisoner, you're aware of the consequences." Magellan warned sternly, his gaze fixed on Shiryu.
"Fine." Shiryu muttered, clearly upset by Magellan's command, but he complied and sheathed his sword as he walked past him.
As Shiryu moved by, he noticed Brontes, who was standing behind Magellan, wearing a Marine uniform and observing him with a curious eye.
Shiryu's expression turned serious, and a spark of recognition lit up in his eyes.
"You must be Shiryu of the Rain." Brontes said looking at Shiryu.
"Hahah! What a surprise! I didn't expect someone of your position to be here." Shiryu responded with a sneer.
"Your reputation is well-known here. But since this is Impel Down, I won't say much. Just remember, Chief Warden Magellan is the highest authority here. If you were to disobey me in such a blatant manner... well, I think you're more suited for the outside world. I'll see if I can arrange for your transfer." Brontes suggested.
"No need, I'm fond of the atmosphere here." Shiryu refused immediately.
"To be frank, you seem to only know how to bully these prisoners who are bound by handcuffs and leg irons. Quite disappointing." Brontes said, shaking his head.
"Are you belittling me?" Shiryu glared at Brontes with hostility.
"Belittling you? Hahaha!" Brontes's laughter filled the sixth level, drawing Magellan's attention, as well as the curious gazes of the prisoners who were eavesdropping on the exchange, though they were still unaware of Brontes's true identity.
"What's so funny?" Shiryu demanded, his eyes blazing with anger.
"I'm laughing at the idea of looking down on you. Why would I respect you? In my eyes, you're a nobody." Brontes replied, his face showing clear disdain.
"You Bastard!" In a flash, Shiryu drew his sword and lunged at Brontes.
"Shiryu!" Magellan's expression turned to one of alarm, wanting to step in but he realized it was too late.
"Iai Slash: Red Dragon!"
Shiryu executed a swift sword draw and aimed a slash at Brontes. A crimson arc of light flashed as the blade hurtled down towards Brontes's head.
"Tang!"
The sword halted in mid-air, mere inches from Brontes's face.
Brontes's finger, coated in the hardened black sheen of Armament Haki, stopped Shiryu's sword effortlessly.
"T-This..." Magellan's eyes were wide with disbelief, struggling to comprehend the scene before him.
He was intimately aware of Shiryu's formidable strength; next to himself, Shiryu was the most powerful in Impel Down. Yet now, with just a single finger—Brontes had halted Shiryu's full-powered Iai Slash.
"As I said, you are nobody in my eyes," Brontes spoke with a calm that contrasted the tension in the air.
Shiryu slowly lifted his head, his eyes reflecting shock and a dawning realization of his own insignificance.
He had known Brontes was strong enough to block his attack, but the ease with which he did so, using only a finger, was beyond Shiryu's expectations.
It was then that Shiryu truly grasped the gap between their strengths. Brontes's earlier dismissal of him as 'nobody' was now painfully clear; in Brontes's presence, he was indeed a nonentity.
"Fleet-Admiral Ragnarok!" Magellan couldn't help but exclaim, his voice tinged with astonishment.
"Magellan, he attacked me first," Brontes said, his chuckle light but his eyes sharp with an unspoken warning.
Despite the smile on Brontes's face, Magellan understood the underlying message: it would be unwise to interfere.
Magellan looked at Shiryu, recognizing the futility of the situation. He felt it might be beneficial for Brontes to give Shiryu a lesson, but he hoped Brontes would exercise some measure of control.
Shiryu, sensing his own vulnerability, leaped backward, his gaze never leaving Brontes, a profound stillness settling in his chest.
"ZliZli!"
Brontes's fist crackled with the energy of lightning. He advanced, and Shiryu stood motionless, as if turned to stone, watching Brontes draw near.
Though Magellan and Shiryu were of similar stature, both towering over Brontes, the Fleet-Admiral's presence was colossal, overshadowing them as if he were a titan.
"Do you see the gap now?" Brontes asked calmly, his eyes piercing as he looked up at Shiryu.
Shiryu remained silent, his focus unbroken on Brontes, and then he lifted his long sword once more.
"Shiryu, you damn fool!" Magellan's voice thundered as he saw Shiryu daring to raise his weapon again, his anger erupting.
"Boom! Rumble"
The ground itself seemed to roar, jolting every prisoner on the sixth level awake, their eyes turning towards the source of the commotion.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Dozens of pirates craned their necks towards the entrance of the prison, but the dim light thwarted their efforts to discern the unfolding drama.
"Rumble!!"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein