The Great Deep-Sea Prison—Impel Down, also known as Impelton.
This fortress, hidden beneath the sea, has never seen sunlight. It is one of the "Three Gates of Justice," alongside Naval Headquarters—Marineford and the island that never sleeps, Enies Lobby.
Today was a significant day for Impel Down. The old warden had retired, and the new warden was officially assuming command of this impregnable prison.
The new warden was none other than the Paramecia Devil Fruit user, Magellan, who had consumed the Poison-Poison Fruit. Despite his limited fame in the wider world, Magellan was highly regarded within the World Government's ranks. Previously serving as the vice warden, he had rarely left the confines of Impel Down.
However, his name carried weight within the system. Even Sengoku had praised Magellan multiple times, lauding him as capable, responsible, and possessing immense potential. Sengoku had even gone as far as to say that Magellan's strength was on par with the Admirals of Naval Headquarters.
And the praise was not unwarranted. Magellan's abilities were terrifyingly powerful. Within the enclosed confines of Impel Down, his poisonous powers could kill everyone in the prison within moments if unleashed at full force.
Magellan now sat in the director's office, surrounded by several colleagues. Most wore gas masks, while others had donned full protective suits. The reason for this was simple, Magellan's Poison-Poison Fruit abilities were oppressive. The air he exhaled was toxic, his sweat was poisonous, and even his bodily functions emitted lethal toxins. It was an unavoidable side effect of his powers.
"Hannyabal, starting today, you'll officially be the deputy warden," Magellan announced, seated at his desk.
"I'm the warden now?!" Hannyabal exclaimed, clearly misinterpreting Magellan's words.
"Deputy warden! I'm the warden!" Magellan snapped, glaring at him in irritation.
At that moment, the office's Den Den Mushi rang, and a guard's voice came through.
"Director Magellan, Chief Warden Shiryu has killed two more prisoners!"
Magellan's expression darkened immediately. "Shiryu is becoming more and more out of control…" he muttered grimly.
But just as he was about to address the matter, his stomach churned painfully. His face twisted in discomfort, and he groaned, "I'll deal with him… after this."
Pushing past Hannyabal and the others, Magellan dashed out of the office, headed straight for the restroom.
"I swear, that bastard has diarrhea all day long," Hannyabal grumbled, clutching his gas mask. Despite wearing it, he still felt like the toxic gas lingering from Magellan's sudden fart was affecting him.
---
Impel Down was officially said to have only five levels. However, very few people knew about its true secret—a hidden sixth floor, known as "Eternal Hell."
This level housed the most heinous criminals, individuals so dangerous or notorious that the World Government had effectively erased their existence. While not all of them were immensely powerful, those who posed a severe threat to the world were invariably locked up here.
Within the Eternal Hell, the atmosphere was grim, but even here, some prisoners found ways to pass the time, often by mocking each other.
"So, has the sea become Whitebeard's playground now?" sneered Shiki, the Golden Lion, as he leaned casually against the wall of his cell. His gaze was fixed on the massive figure in the cage opposite him. "Figures. All you trash got yourselves caught and tossed in here."
The enormous figure sitting across from him was none other than Charlotte Linlin. Her already ferocious face twisted into a more sinister snarl.
"Shut your mouth, Shiki! You think you're so great? Didn't you end up here before me? Look at you, with that stupid rudder stuck in your head. Trying to play the big rooster now, huh?" Linlin shot back venomously.
The cells surrounding Linlin's held other infamous figures as well. To her right was Douglas Bullet, while to her left was the legendary Red Count, Redfield.
"Don't compare me to you," Shiki retorted sharply. "I almost took down Roger, but the World Government took advantage of the aftermath to lock me up. You? You got taken out in your own damn territory. What a joke! Don't even try to associate yourself with me or Rocks."
"If I ever get the chance, I'll make sure to turn you into a dead lion!" Linlin growled, her voice dripping with malice.
Meanwhile, the Red Count sat quietly in his cell, maintaining his noble demeanor. His aristocratic air seemed out of place in the grim surroundings of Eternal Hell. Ignoring the bickering between Shiki and Linlin, he turned his gaze toward Bullet, who sat silently in his cage.
"You're not exercising today?" Redfield asked casually.
Douglas Bullet, known for his relentless training even in captivity, smirked. "Listening to these two idiots argue is entertainment enough. Taking a break for once."
Redfield chuckled softly. "True. Things do get lively whenever someone new ends up here."
Their conversation drifted into a mocking camaraderie, each man indulging in his own brand of bitterness toward their situation. At some point, the topic shifted to a certain individual: Donquixote Claudius.
"That guy's just a lucky bastard," Shiki sneered dismissively. "I almost killed him myself."
Redfield's expression darkened slightly. "He's a cunning one. Ruthless, too."
"I haven't seen much of him," Bullet remarked, frowning slightly. "But he doesn't seem all that impressive."
Only Linlin sneered in response.
"Who are you to talk about impressive, Bullet?" Shiki spat, irritated.
"You think you're still on the sea?" Linlin countered coldly. "Do you want to fight? I could crush you with one hand, you pathetic mutt!"
The tension between Linlin and Shiki escalated quickly, their voices rising as old grievances from their time in the Rocks Pirates resurfaced. It was no secret that the Rocks crew was infamous not only for their strength but also for their constant infighting. Clearly, those rivalries hadn't faded over time.
Suddenly, a mocking voice interrupted them.
"Meow ha ha ha! You're all quite the characters, aren't you?"
The voice came from a distant cell. The figure within laughed derisively before continuing, "What's the point of all this bickering? Do you think you're still out there, free to do as you please? Don't forget, this is Impel Down. No one's ever escaped from here. Maybe you should focus on what kind of dreams you'll have tonight instead!"
Linlin and Shiki fell silent, their expressions darkening as the weight of reality set in. Indeed, this was Impel Down—escape was nothing more than a fantasy.
"Hmph. That's because I wasn't here before," Bullet muttered coldly.
But even he offered no follow-up, and the Eternal Hell soon returned to its usual, oppressive quiet.
---
Back in Mariejois, Claudius received a call from the Five Elders.
"The Ope-Ope Fruit?" Claudius murmured, holding the Den Den Mushi to his ear while stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"This fruit is far more important than you realize. If you underestimate it, you'll regret it when you face its wielder again," came the voice of the Nusjuro.
"Understood. This time, the Ope-Ope Fruit will be brokered by Doflamingo, acting as the intermediary through CP-X. The buyer is us—World Government. Marine forces will handle the transaction. Five billion berries have been allocated for this acquisition. It is of utmost importance that this deal goes smoothly. You must cooperate fully with Marine and ensure that Doflamingo doesn't mess this up," the Bald Elder explained firmly.
Claudius nodded. "I'll make sure Doflamingo stays in line. But if something else happens, don't expect me to take the blame."
"As long as Doflamingo does his part, there won't be any problems," the Bald Elder assured him confidently.
Claudius chuckled but said nothing more. After a few polite exchanges, he ended the call.
Setting the receiver down, Claudius smirked faintly and muttered, "Let's hope so. After all, the Rosinante you planted doesn't exactly inspire confidence as a 'teammate.'"