Even though the standard issue uniform seemed insignificant, there were times when it could indeed save your life.
From that moment on, Wood made it a point to avoid Shiryu of the Rain, ensuring that he never crossed paths with him alone.
It wasn't out of fear, but rather because Wood didn't want to provoke a conflict too soon, which could ruin the hard-earned goodwill he had built at Impel Down.
Shiryu might have a reputation for being able to go toe-to-toe with the strongest warden, Magellan, but it was important to remember that this was not twenty years in the future.
When Wood first encountered Shiryu, while the man did seem formidable, he didn't come across as outright dangerous.
In terms of swordsmanship, Shiryu was undoubtedly at the level of a "swordmaster," if not higher, and was slightly stronger than Wood.
However, if it came down to a life-or-death battle, Wood believed he could hold his own against the current Shiryu.
As for Magellan, Wood knew he stood no chance against him at this stage.
Magellan's "Doku Doku no Mi" (Venom-Venom Fruit) was incredibly tricky to deal with, especially since Wood hadn't yet mastered Armament Haki. Faced with a Paramecia fruit as potent as this one, Wood had no viable strategy.
Wood had gotten to know Saldeath, the head jailer, because of a previous encounter. As for Sadie, the Chief Warden, their acquaintance began when Wood entered Impel Down to retrieve a prisoner scheduled for execution.
During that visit, the guard beast Minotaurus mistook Wood for an escaping prisoner.
Although Minotaurus had considerable strength, its intelligence was sorely lacking. Failing to understand Wood's explanations, Minotaurus responded by swinging a spiked club at him.
To prevent the condemned pirate from dying prematurely and causing unnecessary trouble, Wood had no choice but to fight back. Barehanded, he managed to knock Minotaurus out cold!
Soon after, Sadie arrived with the other three guard beasts, and although a fight broke out, it also led to Wood befriending Sadie.
Over the next six months, Wood's efforts to curry favor bore fruit, and Sadie began to see him as a like-minded companion.
By now, Wood was a regular at Impel Down, known to both the jailer beasts and the guard beasts, who had come to see him as one of their own.
Meanwhile, the Navy detachment stationed at Impel Down had all but forgotten about Wood, even though he technically remained part of their ranks.
Saldeath, as the head jailer, had significant authority over Levels 1 and 2, overseeing various jailer beasts like the Blugori and Sphinx.
Sadie, the Chief Warden, held equal power to the Warden and was in charge of the prisoners in Levels 3 and 4.
Wood's initial intention in befriending Saldeath and Sadie wasn't entirely pure. Rather than spending his days bored out of his mind in a small office, Wood feared that over time, his body would weaken, and his strength would regress.
One of the reasons Wood said he liked the atmosphere at Impel Down was because, to him, the prisoners there weren't just criminals—they were perfect sparring partners!
Don't forget, the people imprisoned at Impel Down were not ordinary individuals. Even those with bounties under a few million berries didn't make it into this prison.
Impel Down housed criminals from all over the world, including martial artists, swordsmen, Devil Fruit users, and even Fishman karate experts.
Thanks to his previous life simulations and the two years of rigorous training at the Navy Academy, Wood's strength had grown rapidly.
But this rapid increase in power came with a downside: he had little to no actual combat experience.
Aside from his encounter with the Iron Arm Pirates, Wood hadn't truly faced a life-or-death situation.
Gaining power too quickly without the corresponding battle experience and mental fortitude was not a good thing.
It was like trying to store water in a plastic bag. The bag might hold just as much water as a metal bucket, but it's far less sturdy. The slightest pressure could cause the bag to burst, spilling all the water.
Wood's rapidly increasing power was like the water in the plastic bag, and he needed to transfer it into a secure metal bucket.
When Wood first requested to spar with the prisoners, Saldeath, despite his humorous personality, initially refused.
However, Sadie quickly agreed, and every time Wood fought, she made sure to be there in person.
It wasn't because she wanted to support him, but rather because she saw Wood as someone who, like her, enjoyed hearing the sounds of others in pain. In her eyes, they were kindred spirits.
To Sadie, there was no difference between a Level 3 or 4 prisoner getting beaten up by a guard beast or getting beaten up by Wood.
Besides, after being beaten so many times, the prisoners in Levels 3 and 4 had become so terrified of the guard beasts that they had given up on resisting, which had started to bore Sadie.
By comparison, Wood was still a new face to the prisoners. How strong could a rookie who didn't even qualify for a Navy cloak be?
Having to do hard labor every day, and occasionally getting beaten up by the massive guard beasts, the prisoners at Impel Down needed an outlet for their pent-up rage and frustration.
And since there were no women around, fighting was the only way to let off steam.
Given that Wood had defeated Minotaurus, handling the prisoners in Levels 3 and 4 wasn't much of a challenge for him.
But there were a lot of them, and Wood always fought while wearing heavy weights, which made things more difficult.
Level 4 prisoners usually had bounties close to a billion berries. In a one-on-one fight, they were no match for Wood, but their numbers allowed them to overwhelm him with sheer volume and wear him down through attrition.
Compared to the wild boars behind the Navy Academy, the prisoners in Level 4 were much more difficult to deal with. Even with shackles on their feet, they were ruthless, cunning, and skilled in dirty tactics.
In fact, during his first few attempts to use them as sparring partners, Wood was beaten nearly to death every time.
Sadie had expected to hear the prisoners' groans, but instead, she ended up listening to Wood's pained cries.
However, despite the beatings, Wood gained a wealth of combat experience. His opponents included martial artists, swordmasters, and karate experts. In just six months, Wood felt that his progress had far surpassed what he had achieved at the Navy Academy!