"Salute!!"
Boom!
Amidst the synchronized salutes of soldiers, Rowen disembarked from the Qilin and stepped onto the surface of Impel Down's first level.
Magellan had been waiting for some time. As the warden of Impel Down, his position was neither superior nor inferior to Admiral Rowen's— they operated within entirely different hierarchies. Nevertheless, Magellan held a certain degree of respect for Rowen in his heart.
"Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), it's been a while!"
Magellan greeted him warmly, even giving Rowen a brief embrace.
Hannyabal and the others twitched at the sight. To be this close to the "Poison Human" Magellan without concern must be something only a monster like Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon) could manage.
"It has been a while, Warden Magellan."
Rowen patted Magellan on the shoulder, ignoring the purple poisonous mist wafting around him, and smiled. "I'll have to trouble you again this time. By the way, let me introduce someone to you…"
"Hmm?"
Magellan looked behind Rowen curiously, stopping at the sight of a robust man with spiky white hair. "And this is…?"
"Smoker?!"
"Didn't expect you to remember me, Warden Magellan."
Still clad in his open-chested jacket and chewing on two cigars, Smoker stepped forward, saluted, and said, "The last time I came here, you were out with an upset stomach, so we didn't meet."
"Oh? So you two know each other?"
This surprised Rowen. Smoker and Magellan knowing each other was something not mentioned in their previous encounters.
"Well, sort of…"
Magellan glanced at Smoker, noting the confident and composed demeanor that was a stark contrast to his past self. With a shake of his head, he said, "This kid caused quite a few incidents back in the day. Once, I almost had to lock him up. Of course, I remember him."
Hearing this, Smoker's face stiffened, and he awkwardly replied, "Let's not bring up the past, Warden Magellan. I was young and reckless back then."
"No, trust me. What you did goes far beyond what can be excused as mere recklessness."
Smoker: "…"
Do you even know how to hold a conversation?!
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
Rowen chuckled lightly and said, "But he's not the same now. Just a few days ago, the G-11 Branch was officially completed, and Smoker, single-handedly outmaneuvering over a dozen competitors, became the new Marine Vice Admiral."
"Ah, I see. To have you personally introduce him—he's certainly come a long way!"
Magellan nodded in understanding.
A Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral represents the backbone of Marine's command structure— no exceptions!
Just like Rowen in the past: no matter his accomplishments, as long as he was still a Rear Admiral, few would take his words seriously. Attaining the rank of Vice Admiral at Headquarters signified entry into the true power core, giving one a voice in major decisions.
"As for this one, no further introduction is needed. Quinn Dante, the newly appointed Base Head of the G-10 Branch."
With that, Dante stepped forward from behind Rowen.
The Assassination Force operates in the shadows, unlike other forces. Each member's identity is strictly confidential; they are akin to ghosts— unseen and untouchable. Besides Supreme Commander Rowen, no one knows their whereabouts.
Dante had believed his path to becoming a Vice Admiral would be long and arduous. However, Rowen's plans to establish a network across the Grand Line forced him to step into the light and take on the role of G-10's new Base Head.
"Hmm? Why 'had to'?
Because it's exhausting, you asshole!
Managing multiple roles is by no means an easy task.
This sentiment wasn't lost on Magellan, who recognized the weight of such responsibilities.
It was widely known that Dante had been Rowen's trusted confidant since his graduation from the Marine recruit camp. Anyone familiar with the Azure Dragon could not overlook the famed "Marine Ghost Sword."
An Admiral leading the team, accompanied by two Vice Admirals—this configuration made it abundantly clear how seriously the Marines viewed the purpose of this mission.
Magellan's expression turned serious as he asked, "Pardon my directness, but I must ask… Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), is the situation truly that grave?"
Removing a prisoner from Level 6 was an unprecedented event in Impel Down's centuries-long history!
Every individual confined to Level 6 was meant to endure unending torment for the rest of their lives unless, like Ace, they were slated for execution.
Rowen exhaled a puff of smoke and solemnly nodded.
"Yes, it truly is."
"...Understood."
Magellan drew in a sharp breath but refrained from further questions.
As the warden, his duty was to ensure the prisoners neither escaped nor caused trouble, leaving them to suffer and repent in this infernal prison. Matters beyond that, if not disclosed by his superiors, were none of his concern.
As they advanced through the corridors, passing by Crimson Hell, countless prisoners looked at Rowen with sheer terror.
"Run… RUN!!"
"The wicked demon is back!!"
"I've been behaving! Please don't come near me!!"
Even as the sharp steel grass pierced their feet, causing blood to pool beneath them, the prisoners scrambled away as if immune to the pain.
Rowen watched the scene and let out an annoyed "Tsk," the sound soft and barely audible.
However, the moment that sound reached their ears, the prisoners froze as if someone had pressed pause.
Even with their feet impaled by the needle-sharp grass and blood flowing freely, not one dared to move a muscle.
Smoker shivered involuntarily.
He could tell Rowen hadn't done anything to these prisoners directly. Their reaction was purely driven by terror, so intense it outweighed their fear of death.
Recalling the legends of the "wicked demon" Azure Dragon from Impel Down's past, Smoker glanced upward… only to meet the ceiling.
"I'd really like to know what the Azure Dragon did to them back then… Wait, am I insane?!"
Startled by his own thoughts, Smoker shook his head and forced himself to stay calm.
Rowen turned on his heel and continued forward. Just as the prisoners sighed in relief, they heard him say,
"Magellan, this won't do. The prisoners are far too lively—I'm worried they might cause trouble someday."
Magellan: "…Got it."
Dante and Smoker: "…"
"What the hell do you mean, 'got it'?! Are you two devils?!"
After more walking, they arrived at the Warden's office in Blazing Hell. Magellan retrieved a key to unlock the elevator.
"Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), this way, please."
The surrounding wails of agony and endless screams painted a scene of pure hell—no, this was hell itself. It deeply unsettled Dante and Smoker, both first-time visitors.
Smoker couldn't help but feel immense relief that, back when he escorted prisoners here, he had handed them off to Deputy Warden Hannyabal at the entrance and immediately left. Otherwise, he would have been haunted by nightmares.
As if reading his thoughts, Hannyabal suddenly leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, "See those torture devices over there? Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon) designed those back when he temporarily took over as Warden. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? How can one person be so… ingenious?"
"Simple and effective, yet capable of inflicting unbearable pain—why didn't we think of that?"
Smoker: "…"
As the elevator doors closed, all the noise and stench of hell were left behind.
But the elevator's descent, as if delving deeper into the abyss, brought a different kind of oppressive atmosphere.
Fortunately, the elevator moved quickly. Soon, with a faint tremor, they reached the bottommost level.
Smoker and Dante swallowed nervously, their eyes fixed on the slowly opening iron doors.
Was this it?
The fabled and nonexistent Level 6!
(Chapter End)
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