Level 6, the Eternal Hell.
Unlike the Level 4 Blazing Hell and the Level 5 Freezing Hell, there's no freezing or burning fire here.
It's super quiet, and because some nasty pirates with bad attitudes made this place their home, not many guards come around.
But today, three unexpected visitors have somehow found their way into this place where even the guards are scared to go.
Boom——!
Boom——! !
The quick footsteps echoed loudly in this silent prison.
"Who's there? Is it Magellan or that scaredy-cat Hannyabal? Hahahaha!"
A playful voice suddenly filled the air.
"Hannyabal got so freaked out by our Conqueror's Haki last time that he nearly dropped to his knees right then and there. I bet he won't be rushing back to this level anytime soon, huh?"
"That guy, I was right next to him last time, and his legs were shaking so much it was unbearable. Tsk, tsk, tsk..."
A bunch of pirates jeered, expressing their disdain for Hannyabal.
"Hey, hey, hey! Are we celebrating too soon? If that creepy Shiryu of the Rain shows up, we won't have any good fruits to munch on."
An inappropriate voice suddenly broke in.
"——"
The lively prison suddenly hushed.
Among the so-called three monsters of Impel Down, Hannyabal is the one they dislike the most, and Magellan is the one they fear the least.
And here comes Shiryu of the Rain.
This guy plays by different rules than Magellan, and he seems more like a pirate than these pirates themselves.
They clash often, and some have already faced injuries from their encounters.
"If he decides to make a move, I'll take a chunk of his flesh even if it costs me my life!"
Soon, a determined voice echoed.
"Hahahaha! Cook, you, the one who screamed the loudest last time, right? Why the bravado now!"
One of the pirates taunted without a care for the other's dignity.
Clearly, he doesn't fear this so-called cannibal at all.
Even if the other had a slightly higher bounty before getting in,
Now, everyone's a prisoner, and there's no telling who's scared of whom.
After all, the real question is if anyone's getting out at all.
"Hahahaha! Cook, if you had that kind of guts, you'd have taken your own life ages ago, sparing yourself this endless solitude."
"Do you still dream of getting out?"
The other pirates chuckled in agreement.
No joke, apart from the Shiki over a decade ago, they hadn't heard of anyone making it out of this eerie place.
"Huh? You all better hush for a moment; those guys do not seem to be the Impel Down jailers!"
As the footsteps neared, the pirates who had been gossiping and goofing off finally spotted the approaching figures.
A fish-man and two humans with strikingly different heights.
Looking at their attire and demeanor, it's clear they're not from around here.
More like... a bunch of pirates?
"What the heck?! Are these folks intruders?!"
After a brief moment of shock, the pirates suddenly erupted in shouts.
"I know those two! Fighters from the Roger Pirates, the fishman Sunbell!"
Some "veterans" who got caught before the Great Pirate Era began shouted out, recognizing Donquuino and Sunbell, the two crew members from One Piece.
Buzz buzz—! !
As soon as they spoke up, the pirates in the cells on both sides immediately turned their gaze to the three figures strolling down the corridor, and the clamorous chatter continued to reach the ears of the three.
These folks are actually part of the One Piece crew! !
"Hey! You lot, that Roger guy tricked us into hitting the seas. As the One Piece crew, shouldn't you set us free?"
"Considering we're all pirates, let me out, quick!!"
"I'll spill the beans on where I stashed my previous treasures, just get me out!!"
"....."
Sensing a glimmer of hope for escape, the pirates yelled frantically at the three, as if a pot had just boiled over.
There are moral hostages, aggressive threats, and those pleading desperately.
"Beckman, what do you think..."
Sunbell cast a careful look at the pirates surrounding them and asked in a hushed tone.
Rayleigh had briefed him before they arrived that Beckman would be the one calling the shots.
Though they were somewhat skeptical, they had to respect Rayleigh's wishes.
Even with thoughts swirling in his mind, no definite decisions were made.
"For now, put everything else aside. Our main goal is to free Shanks. These guys..."
Beckman has no interest in pausing. Dealing with these losers is just not worth his time.
"You scoundrel! If I get out, you're dead first!"
"Such a cocky newcomer. I'm Orge-Cook, haven't you heard of me?"
Click——! !
Beckman suddenly halted, surveyed the area casually, and spoke in a cold tone:
"The moment you became a pirate ,you should be ready to face death at any moment!!"
--Silence
There was a hush.
Boom--! ! !
Then followed a surge of furious curses.
"You, a newcomer from who-knows-where, have the guts to try and school me?!"
"I got schooled by a young buck today, hahahaha!!"
Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!
Disregarding the insults trailing behind him, Beckman kept moving deeper along the designated path.
"Hahaha! Are you the first Shichibukai caught by the Marines?"
"Indeed, being a Shichibukai and all isn't just something the Marines detest; even us pirates ain't too fond of it. Luckily, I turned them down when they asked!"
Soon, the chained Shanks came into view for the three.
Despite looking somewhat sheepish, he remained seated on the ground, casually chatting with his 'neighbors,' seemingly oblivious to Crocodile's increasingly sour expression.
"Boss!!"
Beckman couldn't help but interject, observing Shanks, who still carried an air of social arrogance.
"Eh?! That voice sounds familiar."
Shanks instinctively turned his head but kept up his conversation with Crocodile.
"Hold on a sec..."
"Beckman!! And Sunbell, Donquino?! What brings you guys here?"
On the other side of Eternal Hell, Hannyabal and several jailers lay knocked out, courtesy of Beckman, tossed into a corner.
The keys of several individuals were confiscated, and their shackles were cleverly turned against them. It appeared that only Hannyabal managed to keep his wits about him, thoroughly duping Beckman and the others.
If you paid attention, you'd notice a steady flow of scarlet blood oozing from Hannyabal's mouth, and he appeared to be muttering:
"It truly... hurts, but we mustn't allow these folks to set free the prisoners on the sixth floor."
This guy—
He actually bit his tongue! ! !
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Read 35 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari