Suka is now locked up in a high-security prison called "Jigoku no Ana," which translates to "Hellhole." This prison is known for housing society's greatest threats and the worst criminals, a place where hope and freedom are completely nonexistent. The thick walls and ultra-advanced security systems make any attempt at escape impossible, and those locked up there are condemned to an eternal hell.
The walls of Jigoku no Ana are made of an indestructible synthetic metal, reinforcing the impression of an inescapable place. Each inmate is isolated in a single cell, where solitude becomes mental torture. Each cell is constantly monitored by two heavily armed robots, ready to react to the slightest threat. The inmates are subjected to a long-term "execution system", where some die slowly from food deprivation, others from lack of oxygen, turning each day into an inexorable torture.
Every inmate in Jigoku no Ana wears a metal bracelet attached to their wrist, a device that constantly monitors their vital signs and location. The prison imposes a strict routine, similar to that of regular prisons, but with an added cruelty: every day, inmates are subjected to two hours of whipping, an inevitable torture from which no one escapes. This brutal practice is an integral part of life in this hellish prison, breaking the bodies and minds of those locked up there.
Suka begins to regain consciousness, his eyes slowly opening to adjust to the darkness of his cell. The smell of cold metal and despair fills the air. He quickly realizes that he is incarcerated. At that moment, the small window of his cell suddenly opens, letting in a thin ray of light. A guard hands him a tray containing a half-filled bowl of rice, a dry biscuit, and a tiny sip of water.
Guard, indifferently: "Here is your meal. Enjoy it, it will be your only real food for the day."
Suka stares at the tray, his thoughts still muddled by the reality of his situation. The meagerness of the meal hits him, a cruel reminder of where he is now.
Suka, his voice hoarse: "How long have I been here now?"
The guard, emotionless: "You've been here for two weeks now, unconscious."
Suka struggles to his feet, every movement a reminder of his weakness. He drags himself to the small mirror in the cell and, as he looks at himself, is shocked by what he sees. His face is hollow, his cheeks sunken, and his skin is so thin that only his bones seem visible. He has trouble recognizing the man he once was.
Suka, in a last ditch effort to regain some semblance of his strength, attempts to trigger his alchemy. But no sooner has he begun than the bracelet around his wrist suddenly activates. A searing pain courses through him as a strange liquid is injected into his body. He collapses to the ground, his body shaking with spasms, unable to use his powers. Every attempt to resist or defend himself now seems futile, the bracelet leaving no chance.
The cell door opens abruptly, breaking the oppressive silence that reigned. Suka, still weakened and tortured by the pain of the liquid, looks up with difficulty. Oswald enters the room, followed closely by Griselda. Their presence imposes an overwhelming aura, each step echoing ominously on the metal floor.
Oswald, with a cold smile, approaches Suka, while Griselda watches in silence, her piercing eyes fixed on the emaciated inmate.
Oswald lets out an amused laugh.
Oswald: "I have to admit that your resistance is impressive. But let's be honest, here, no one survives long without losing something... or everything."
Suka, still standing despite the pain that eats away at him, fixes Oswald with a determined look.
Suka: "You didn't come here for tea So, what do you really want?"
Griselda, slowly approaching Suka, her sadistic smile widening, whispers almost mockingly.
Griselda: "Oh, you're perceptive, that's what I like about you. Maybe you should already be honored that we take the time to visit you... but, indeed, there is a reason. A much more delicious reason."
Suka grits his teeth, his determination visible despite his weakened body.
Suka: "You can torture me all you want, but I won't tell you anything. My friends will stay out of your reach."
Oswald smiles slightly, eyeing Suka with a mixture of respect and contempt.
Oswald: "Unwavering to the end, huh? Impressive, Your loyalty will lead to your downfall."
Griselda steps closer, her sadistic smile still present.
Griselda: "Why sacrifice yourself for them, little one? You're not the dragon, you're just another man. And believe me, they won't come to save you. Your time is running out, so why not spare your miserable life by collaborating with us?"
Suka: "I am loyal to my companions, I will never betray them. Go fuck yourself."
Griselda: " you're not the dragon, are you? He's a true leader, powerful and dangerous. But you? Barely an obstacle. There's nothing remarkable about you."
Suka: "The dragon is a friend, no need to compare us. He'll come with reinforcements."
Griselda (getting closer, creating a shadow claw): "Your friend? (Laughing) He abandoned you. He could have saved you, but why do you think he did it?"
Griselda: (whispering in Suka's ear) Because you're extremely weak
Griselda (slightly piercing Suka's skin): "There's nothing more pitiful than someone weak being abandoned. Maybe you were never that important to him."
Oswald (approaching, holding Suka by the throat and lifting him up): "Listen, you little vermin. Erasing you from existence would be disconcertingly easy, but if you are still alive, it is because we need information. Choose: do you want to live or defend these wretches and leave so shamefully?"
Suka (grabbing Oswald's hand): "As for the dragon, I know absolutely nothing. But for the rest, I will tell you nothing."
Oswald (throwing Suka violently against the cell wall and drawing his sword): "I'll finish him off now."
Griselda (intervening): "It would be a shame to waste a talent like him. Why not include him in the 'Armageddon' project?"
Oswald (with a resigned tone): "If he can be of any use, fine."
Griselda (with a sadistic smile): "Don't worry, I'll make him talk and then include him in the project. We have an asset to bring them down, why not use it?"
(Griselda approaches Suka with a malicious expression.)
Griselda: "So, the man with the sword didn't hurt you?" (She sinks her long black claw into Suka's left shoulder, causing a cry of immense pain.)
Griselda (continuing with cruel coldness): "From now on, you are condemned."
(Griselda and Oswald leave the cell, leaving Suka in unbearable pain.)
A few hours later, whipping time begins. The exhausted and anxious inmates are led to a large room where each waits their turn with palpable tension. Suka, along with two other inmates, are called forward. Tied to the posts, they endure the blows of the electric whips. Each impact causes flashes of pain, leaving the inmates screaming under the effects of the shocks.
From a raised platform, Oswald and Griselda observe the scene with a cruel smile. They watch the spectacle with sadistic pleasure, finding unhealthy satisfaction in the suffering of others.
One of the other two inmates, in a fit of despair, spits on the executioner. Before the impact can even register, Griselda appears before him with implacable coldness. "Too bad, you've spoiled my fun. Now I'll have to end it, my handsome."
She deploys her shadow power, enveloping the inmate in a terrifying darkness. The shadow tightens, causing a devastating internal explosion. The pieces of organs spill out in bloody shards, transforming the room into a macabre carnage. Blood splatters the walls and floor.
Griselda, with a satisfied smile, licks the blood and declares enthusiastically, "Now that's what you call going off in a fireworks display." The other inmates, terrified by the brutality of the scene, are forced to applaud under threat of a similar fate.
After Griselda leaves, the remaining inmates are whipped until they pass out, each waiting their turn in palpable anguish.
A few hours later, Suka wakes up in his cell, weakened and sore. The desperate cries of the other inmates echo through the walls, mixed with their pleas: "Where are you taking me? Let me go, damn it!" The ever-present despair and pain further accentuate his sense of helplessness and isolation.
Soon after, Suka falls asleep, but his sleep is restless. He is haunted by nightmares of Merphis' betrayal and his team betrayed, devastated and slaughtered. These horrific visions abruptly awaken him, plunging him into a cold, dark cell.
Looking around, Suka murmurs sadly, "Maybe this is how I will end my journey, it's sad but it is so." He crouches against himself, trying to warm himself in the icy shadow of his cell.