Former CP0 Chief

The next day.

On the Fourth Layer of Impel Down, after breakfast, Rosen, Zefa, Borsalino, and Shiryu set out once more.

As for Domino, she did not accompany them this time. Instead, she remained in Burning Hell to prepare lunch for Rosen and the others.

Elsewhere.

Infinite Hell was still as dark as ever, but after what happened yesterday, Impel Down's Sixth Layer, which had once been as stagnant as a dead pool, was now unusually lively.

The prisoners, who rarely spoke to one another, were all whispering among themselves.

Clearly.

Byrnndi World's death had touched a nerve.

"Do you think those Marines will come again today?"

"They definitely will. Just look at that old bastard Zefa. He's determined to use us as sparring partners for his student."

"What sparring partners? That's putting it nicely. We're just livestock—no, not even livestock. We're nothing more than disposable training materials."

"We're prisoners of the Sixth Layer. Back when we were outside, which one of us wasn't a major figure who shook the seas? How could the World Government let them do whatever they wanted?"

"Who cares? If they come again, no matter who they choose this time, we have to make that Marine called Rosen and that old bastard Zefa pay."

"Not bad. They need to understand whose territory Infinite Hell is."

One after another, they spoke.

Before long.

These lawless prisoners reached a consensus.

First, they wanted to vent their anger. After all, every pirate imprisoned in the Sixth Layer had once been an unruly and untamed figure.

None of them could tolerate what Zefa and the others were doing.

Second, it was for their own safety.

They wanted Zefa to understand that if he dared use Sixth Layer prisoners as training materials, then he had to be prepared to suffer the pain of losing a student.

Suddenly, a sound of footsteps came from the entrance to Infinite Hell.

The entire prison floor fell silent in an instant.

The prisoners in every cell stopped talking. Only their pairs of vicious, cruel eyes exchanged silent and venomous messages through their stares.

"You're much quieter than yesterday."

"You pieces of trash."

After stepping into Infinite Hell, Zefa swept his gaze across the area like a lion inspecting his territory.

What surprised him slightly was that these prisoners, who were usually arrogant beyond measure, now avoided his gaze one by one. Not a single one met his eyes.

As for that.

Zefa did not think much of it. He simply believed that Bondy Wald's death yesterday had been like a blow to the head, serving as an example to frighten the Sixth Layer prisoners.

They had become much more obedient because they did not want him to set his sights on them and turn them into the next World Destroyer.

"Have they been imprisoned for so long that the bloodlust and brutality in their bones have been worn away?"

Seeing this, Borsalino could not help thinking.

Only Shiryu, after taking in the Sixth Layer prisoners' reactions, had a glint flash through his eyes. He seemed to realize something, and the corners of his mouth slowly spread apart into a meaningful, fierce grin.

Unlike Zefa and Borsalino.

As the Chief Guard of Impel Down, coupled with his bloodthirsty nature, Shiryu would occasionally come to Infinite Hell to amuse himself with these prisoners. He knew better than anyone what the prisoners on this floor were truly like.

Endless imprisonment beneath a sunless sky.

It could indeed reduce the former tyrants of the sea into remnants of a bygone era, but it would never wear away these pirates' ferocity.

That violence, more savage than a Sea King's, had long taken root in the bones of every prisoner in Infinite Hell.

Unless death came to deliver them salvation, it could never be erased.

"Now this is interesting."

"At the very least, it's far more interesting than yesterday."

"If he's still at yesterday's level, today will probably be his last day in Impel Down."

Shiryu glanced at Rosen, who seemed completely unaware, and the fierce grin on his face deepened.

To him, this was merely a mission. As long as the prisoners did not escape, that was enough.

Whether Rosen killed the prisoners or the prisoners killed Rosen made no fundamental difference.

It Is Precisely because of this.

Even though he had immediately noticed that the prisoners of Infinite Hell might be plotting something, Shiryu had no intention of warning anyone. Instead, he simply watched to see how things would unfold.

"Teacher Zefa."

"Who's up today?"

Rosen looked at Zefa.

Yesterday afternoon, after creating Shinsō by hand, he had not continued pondering new abilities. Instead, he sorted through the abilities he already possessed, then did the same as Borsalino.

Read the newspaper.

Drink tea.

Trim his nails.

Eat well.

Sleep well.

Combat practice in the morning, training at noon, creating techniques in the afternoon. Of course, the rest of the time was for relaxing and resting.

It was all about balancing work and rest.

After taking in Rosen's somewhat lazy behavior, Zefa, who had always been strict with his students, unexpectedly showed no dissatisfaction at all. Nor did he think Rosen was being too indolent.

He knew very well that this was how his student grew.

Beneath Rosen's seemingly lazy exterior, his Three Colors of Haki, Physical Techniques, and Paramecia Ability were improving every minute and every second at an unimaginable pace.

It was no exaggeration to say.

Today's Rosen was practically a different person from yesterday's Rosen.

Zefa understood all of this perfectly.

As the Marines' foremost teacher, he knew that all he needed to do was provide Rosen with conveniences for his growth and occasionally offer suitable suggestions for reference.

As for anything else, there was no need for him to interfere.

"Gebol."

Zefa took out the list he had carefully kept and fixed his gaze on the second name.

"Senior, have you heard of this name?"

Rosen asked Borsalino.

Over the past few days, whenever he had free time, he would look through old newspapers to learn about things that had once happened on the Grand Line. Otherwise, he would listen to Zefa and Borsalino talk about great pirates who had never appeared in the original story, or about unknown events.

Yet whether it was the original story or the information he had recently learned, there was not a single pirate or incident connected to the name Gebol.

"No."

Borsalino shook his head.

"A relic from the Rocks era?"

Rosen was somewhat surprised.

Even Borsalino had never heard of him. The name Gebol truly had to be ancient.

"Not quite that ancient, but not far off."

"You haven't heard of him because, before he was imprisoned in Infinite Hell, he wasn't a pirate. He was CP0's chief."

Zefa's words were shocking.

"CP0, and its chief at that."

"The Celestial Dragons were actually willing to throw their most loyal hyena into Impel Down?"

Hearing this, Rosen showed a trace of surprise.

From the way Rob Lucci, after becoming CP0's chief, dared to put on an overbearing attitude before Sakazuki, one could see just how much favor and grace these so-called strongest shields enjoyed from the Celestial Dragons.

Otherwise, Rob Lucci would not have been arrogant enough to laugh at the Four Emperors and look down on fleet admirals.

Of course, he only dared put on that act before Sakazuki and Monkey D. Luffy. If it had been Sengoku or Teacher Kai, just try asking him to act arrogant.

Either he would be sent flying with a slap, or carried away after one blow from a club.