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Immediately, some of the recently incarcerated criminals recounted Ian's feats, and shock spread across their faces. He was so young, barely twenty, yet even seasoned pirates were just beginning their careers at that age. He had already achieved so much.
"Vice Admiral Ian.... His aura alone… scared off those beasts!"
Deputy Warden Domino, who had been standing beside Ian, ready to draw her weapon, and Magellan, who had ceased his venomous attack, both sighed in relief. "Let's proceed to the next level," Domino said.
Beneath Level 3, the Starvation Hell, lay Level 4, the Blazing Hell.
Level 3 resembled a vast desert, the air thick with dry, scorching heat. The pirates imprisoned here received no food or water. Though they were hardened criminals with high bounties and superhuman resilience, most were barely clinging to life.
They didn't linger on this level. It was a desolate wasteland, offering little of interest. They quickly descended to Level 4, pausing only briefly for Ian to absorb the lingering souls.
Level 4 housed the heart of Impel Down, including Warden Magellan's office. At its center was a massive cauldron, filled with a boiling pool of blood.
Every prisoner brought to Impel Down was first subjected to a "disinfection" process on this level before being assigned to their respective cells. Whether by design or coincidence, they encountered Deputy Warden Hannyabal shortly after arriving.
"Vice Admiral Ian! Welcome to my prison… ah, I accidentally revealed my ambitions. Welcome to Level 4 of Impel Down, the Blazing Hell!"
If Warden Magellan resembled a Devil, Hannyabal resembled a sphinx. Ian couldn't determine his race. Since arriving in this world, he had encountered countless bizarre and unusual creatures, and his reaction to strange appearances had become muted. He no longer felt the urge to laugh or express surprise.
The intense heat of Level 4 had no effect on Ian. Even the boiling blood pool posed no threat. His 55% fusion rate with the Ulquiorra template had granted him Hierro far surpassing ordinary human resilience.
He was perhaps only surpassed by the likes of Kaido and Garp, individuals whose durability bordered on the mythical. They could likely survive being thrown into a volcano.
After a brief tour, Domino returned wearing a heavy coat, bringing similar garments for Ian, Tashigi, and the small dog, Holy. "Level 5 is the Freezing Hell. The temperature is extremely low. Will you require a coat?"
"No, thank you," Ian replied with a polite smile.
"Level 5 also houses a pack of vicious wolves. Please be careful." Domino wasn't surprised by his refusal. Instead, she looked at him with increased admiration. Hannyabal also refused to wear a coat on Level 5.
However, Hannyabal did it to show off in front of the new recruits, while Ian genuinely didn't need one. He had fought and defeated, or at least stalemated, four Warlords and two legendary figures.
Even Rayleigh, at over seventy years old, could swim through the Calm Belt and Slay Sea Kings.
Ian was confident in his ability to withstand the cold. Magellan excused himself, returning to his office to oversee the prison's operations. Even if Ian ventured into the dreaded Level 6, as long as the prisoners remained shackled, none could harm him. Magellan had no reason to worry.
The three of them reached the entrance to Level 5, the Freezing Hell, and stepped inside.
"It's certainly cold here…" Ian noted the sudden shift from scorching heat to extreme cold. While the temperature posed no threat to him, it might offer a unique opportunity for physical training.
However, for him, physical training was of limited value. His power stemmed from absorbing souls. Hierro, High-Speed Regeneration, Sonido – these were merely supplementary abilities granted by the Ulquiorra template.
Physical training would only enhance his control and mastery of these abilities.
Impel Down was a massive structure, its lower levels expanding in size, forming an inverted tower beneath the sea. Its outer walls were constructed from layers of reinforced steel and Seastone, separated by a shock-absorbing layer. Even a Sea King would struggle to breach its defenses.
Of course, the interior couldn't be made of Seastone, as it would negate the powers of Devil Fruit users like Magellan. Therefore, the ceilings and floors were relatively vulnerable.
"Brrr…" Even with their coats, Domino and Tashigi shivered. Their physical resilience was far inferior to Ian's.
"This level houses pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million berries," Domino explained, her voice trembling slightly. "They're violent, ruthless criminals, left here to freeze to death."
They rode on Holy, who had grown slightly larger, enjoying the relative comfort atop the large white dog as they explored the Freezing Hell. Ian walked alongside them, unaffected by the extreme cold, his pace matching Holy's even at full speed.
"Pirates with bounties over 100 million? Now those are formidable opponents." Ian smirked. He wouldn't encounter any pirates he had personally captured on this level.
He showed no mercy to his enemies. They became fuel for his template system, their souls contributing to his growing power. Life imprisonment was too lenient a punishment for their crimes.
The only exceptions were Doflamingo, Shiki, whom he had recently captured.
This level was dangerous. The wolves here were even more ferocious than the beasts on Level 2, capable of tearing them apart and devouring them whole. Therefore, guards rarely ventured down here.
Due to the extreme cold, even Den Den Mushi surveillance was impossible. After a brief exploration, they descended to Level 6, the Eternal Hell. Access to this level was usually restricted due to the extreme danger posed by its inhabitants.
However, as a Vice Admiral with an impressive record of accomplishments, Ian's request to enter had been readily approved. After all, who could harm him?
Level 6 housed the most infamous criminals in the world, some even capable of challenging Marine Admirals.
Ian maintained his Observation Haki as they descended, detecting the hidden Level 5.5, the Newkama Land created by Emporio Ivankov. However, he wasn't interested in interfering with their paradise.
Ivankov and his followers were not inherently evil. They even shared a common goal with Dragon: the overthrow of the World Government. After absorbing the souls on Levels 5 and 5.5, his fusion rate had reached 58%. His Soul Absorption could now cover two levels of Impel Down simultaneously.
He decided against exploring Level 6 further. While the criminals there were undoubtedly more dangerous, they were also isolated and fewer in number. Deaths were rare.
He sensed that he was only 2% away from achieving Ulquiorra's second Resurrección. If Kaido hadn't arrived, he might have considered eliminating Doflamingo. But now, he couldn't risk harming the prisoners. It would be a waste to let so many powerful pirates and Devil Fruit users escape.
...
Meanwhile, outside Impel Down, in the Calm Belt, the currents stirred, and a massive shadow churned beneath the waves. The clear sky darkened ominously.
"What's happening?" The Marines on the warships surrounding Impel Down cried out in alarm.
"Look! There's something in the sky!" A Marine in the crow's nest shouted. All eyes turned upwards, following his pointed finger.
They could just make out a massive, serpentine figure coiling in the sky. Then, a colossal, azure dragon descended from the heavens, wreathed in clouds and flames.
Shock and awe rippled through the ranks, spreading like wildfire throughout Impel Down, reaching even Level 1.
"That… that… and that man… it can't be…"
"That's…"
"The King of the Beasts… Kaido!"
The terrified screams of thousands of Marines echoed across the sea and sky, disturbing the tranquility of the Calm Belt. Waves crashed against the warships surrounding Impel Down, cascading over the decks like waterfalls.
Lightning crackled around the dragon's form.
"If this is a nightmare… please let me wake up…" The Marines on the warships trembled in fear.
The oppressive aura of a Yonko was unlike anything they had ever experienced. Before such power, even their warships and the impenetrable walls of Impel Down seemed insignificant, toys to be crushed and discarded.
"Warden Magellan! The enemy is… Emperor Kaido! He's here!" The communications officer on Level 1, his voice strained with terror, relayed the horrifying news to Magellan on Level 4. A heavy silence descended upon the prison.
"Hello? This is Magellan. What's the situation?" Magellan's voice boomed through the Den Den Mushi.
"W-Warden Magellan! The enemy… the enemy has appeared…" A guard on Level 1 stammered, his voice filled with terror. "Th-that's… a dragon! That man… he… he…"
Screams echoed through the Den Den Mushi, a chorus of disbelief and fear. "Calm yourself! Who is the enemy?" Magellan demanded.
"Reporting, Warden Magellan! It's Kaido, one of the Four Emperors! He's descended upon Impel Down!" The guard's voice was barely audible above the cacophony of terrified shouts.
On Level 4, a deathly silence filled Warden Magellan's office.
Magellan, Sadi, Hannyabal, and the other high-ranking officials gathered around the Den Den Mushi, their faces pale with shock.
No one spoke. The only sound was the crackling static of the Transponder Snail, relaying the horrifying image from Level 1.
They watched in stunned silence as the azure dragon soared through the sky, its immense form casting a long shadow over the prison. An icy dread gripped their hearts, a chilling premonition of impending doom.
"Why… why is he here?" Hannyabal finally broke the silence, his voice barely a whisper, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The most fearsome of the Four Emperors had come to Impel Down. What could he possibly want? Whatever his purpose, the outcome would be catastrophic. The prison might be destroyed, unleashing its dangerous inmates upon the world, causing unprecedented chaos. Kaido had always targeted Marine Headquarters. Why Impel Down?
Terror consumed him, rendering him speechless.
"Kaido, one of the Four Emperors…" Sadi, clad in her pink leather outfit, her usually playful demeanor replaced by a mask of fear.
"Warden Magellan, what should we do?" Sadi's voice was laced with panic. Magellan took a deep breath, his expression hardening with resolve. "Everyone, prepare to engage the enemy!"
"Contact Marine Headquarters and request Admiral reinforcements. Inform Vice Admiral Ian and ask him to assist. Together, we might be able to hold him off until help arrives. We must protect Impel Down!"
A flurry of footsteps echoed through the office as the prison officials sprang into action, the alarm blaring throughout the prison.
On Level 1, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
Before the Emperor of the Sea, the guards and Marines stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the monstrous dragon, their hearts filled with a mixture of terror and awe.
They trembled uncontrollably, their carefully constructed facades of bravery crumbling before the embodiment of power and destruction.
Clank, clank, clank… The sound of chains grinding against metal echoed from the central elevator shaft as it ascended rapidly. Within minutes, the elevator arrived on Level 1, disgorging Warden Magellan and his entourage. But at that very moment, they witnessed a horrifying sight.
The azure dragon raised its head towards the sky, inhaling deeply, drawing in the swirling clouds and crackling lightning. Then, it lowered its gaze upon the terrified Marines and guards, its massive eyes filled with an ancient, primal power.
Its jaws opened wide, unleashing a torrent of fiery breath that spanned several kilometers. The air shimmered and distorted as the intense heat vaporized the moisture in the atmosphere. The blast struck the center of Impel Down with the force of a meteor, tearing through the floors and ceilings, creating a gaping hole that exposed Level 6 below.
The Dragon's roar echoed through the prison, a terrifying testament to its overwhelming power.
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