Jailer Chief

[Criminal: Pappas]

[Level: R4]

[Status: Incarcerated]

[Crime Index: 19]

[Capture Participation: 98%]

[Reward: Fish-Man Power (Rare) +340→375 (Level 2 Fish-Man Child)]

[Criminal: Unknown]

[Reward: Fish-Man Karate +238→238 (Level 2 Fish-Man Martial Artist)]

[Criminal: Unknown]

[Reward: Brewing +135→135 (Level 2 Brewer)]

The three Fish-Men who'd come right to him were the first to let Figo experience the rewards of nearly 100% Capture Participation. Even the weakest, an N9-level Fish-Man, had given him 135 points in one go—more than he'd ever received from a single capture before. Unfortunately, the randomly gained brewing skill wasn't much use.

The other two Fish-Men were both R-class or higher, so any of the three rewards would've been decent. He'd not only gained more Fish-Man Power, pushing it past 300 points and up to Level 2, but had also obtained the Fish-Man Karate he'd been yearning for.

This harvest of Fish-Man Power had also given Figo a clearer sense of its effects!

He held his right fist loosely before him and flexed his wrist up and down. He could clearly feel that his wrist strength had improved... After all, the Fish-Man Race possessed wrist strength ten times greater than that of ordinary humans!

This haul was a huge win!

While Figo was delighted with what he'd gained, Impel Down was in an uproar.

A Captain had easily dealt with the three Fish-Men who'd attacked Impel Down. It had almost seemed like a farce, but it had also exposed a security vulnerability in the prison.

Impel Down of this era wasn't yet the impenetrable Great Prison guarded by warships capable of a Buster Call, with the Gate of Justice cutting off the currents. Those three weak Fish-Men had taught a lesson to all the marines and jailers who thought the Calm Belt made them safe!

If Figo hadn't happened to jump into the water for a swim, and the three Fish-Men had made it into Impel Down, even releasing some prisoners from Level 1 in the chaos would've become a disgrace for the prison, recorded for all time!

The supply ship's captain, who'd been caught up in the incident, was out of luck. He accepted the Warden's questioning with a miserable expression.

And then there was Xiao, whose face looked even worse.

Looking at the three Fish-Men temporarily locked up on Level 1 of Impel Down, he wanted to give each one a slash! You're so weak—why come here to die?!

And why did you have to hand yourselves over to Figo?

Damn it, he'd earned a merit!

As expected, the commotion outside ended when a warship took Fish-Man Agai and the other two Fish-Men away.

Inside Impel Down, after some new security regulations were emphasized, Figo was commended.

"Figo, the Warden and I have both seen your performance over the past year. You've now captured the Fish-Men before they could invade, earning great merit. After conferring with the Warden, I've approved your promotion directly and submitted it to the World Government."

Vice Warden Seazer said, "Raul will be transferred back to Marine Headquarters in three days. Kinch will take over as Jailer Chief, and you'll fill the vacant Vice Jailer Chief position."

Just as he'd feared! Xiao's heart sank.

He was deeply unwilling, but didn't dare speak up to object. He could only glance repeatedly at Vice Jailer Chief Kinch, hoping Kinch would oppose Figo's quick appointment, just as he'd said he would a few days ago.

To Xiao's delight, Kinch did furrow his brow slightly, seemingly displeased with the appointment.

Just as Xiao was about to say something, Figo spoke first. "Vice Warden, is the term for Vice Jailer Chief still one year?"

Seazer paused and couldn't help frowning. "Are you hoping to leave Impel Down?" He didn't try to stop him. "The term for Vice Jailer Chief is two years. If you perform exceptionally and improve your strength rapidly during that time, you might be able to leave then and be promoted directly to Colonel at Headquarters.

"But if you leave now... even taking your recent achievement into account, Headquarters would probably only give you the rank of Lieutenant Colonel."

It was also meant as a word of advice.

Figo considered it briefly. Two years?

Xiao was overjoyed. This guy was leaving?

The others were surprised. He had such a good opportunity, and still needed to think it over? Did he not want to stay even for a single day? He didn't usually seem that way. The guy always worked so enthusiastically...

Figo took a deep breath and enunciated clearly. "Vice Warden, if I say I won't leave for the next five years, could I compete directly for the position of Jailer Chief? The actual position."

Seazer froze. ?

The usually unnoticed Second Captain: ??

Xiao: ???

Kinch's eyes widened.

What... did this guy just say?!

After a few more calls, Figo and Kinch stood facing each other in the Training Area on Level 1 of Impel Down.

The World Government had agreed in principle to Figo's request for promotion. After all, a soldier who didn't want to become a general wasn't a good soldier. But Impel Down jailers weren't desk workers. Each position required the strength to match!

As long as Figo could defeat Kinch, the position of Jailer Chief at Impel Down would be his!

Someone had leaked the news, and all the jailers knew about it. They gathered around the Training Area, whispering and worrying for Figo.

Kinch was a former Lieutenant Colonel at Marine Headquarters, a monster of a man. He often hefted the Training Area's largest stone roller, a one-ton behemoth, and swung it around with overwhelming force.

His height of 2.5 meters and immensely powerful build alone made him seem invincible!

By comparison, Figo was strong too, but that depended on who he was standing next to. Before Kinch, he looked downright tiny. Few thought he stood a chance.

Or rather, those who believed in him were few and far between.

Among them was Seazer, who would serve as referee.

And Figo's opponent, Kinch himself!

At the center of the arena, Kinch spoke in a muffled voice. "I've wanted to test your strength for a long time, Figo.

"Anyone with eyes can see you're different. Your appetite keeps growing, you've never made a mistake escorting ferocious pirates from Level 4, and now you've defeated and captured three Fish-Men underwater—even if they were only fit to be locked up on Levels 2 and 3!

"Only fools would ignore all the things that set you apart, cling to their own assumptions, and think they could compete with you for the Vice Jailer Chief position!"

Hidden among the jailers, Xiao had been gloating at the thought of Figo making a fool of himself. Now he blinked, confused.

Jailer Chief... was he talking about me?

"Even without what happened today, you would've won a fair competition against the other two Captains!"

Kinch continued, "But beating those two doesn't mean you're capable of keeping the criminals on Level 4 in line. If you're not up to the job, I'd rather have another officer transferred here from Marine Headquarters to work with me. I never expected you to have the courage to challenge me. If you're not a fool too, then it proves I underestimated you!"

He clenched his fists, making them crack. His dense muscles bulged, and he radiated an oppressive aura like a giant. "But if you think you can really beat me, you're dead wrong!"

The jailers murmured among themselves.

Figo's expression was solemn, but he remained calm.

He hadn't planned to hold back, and he couldn't have even if he'd wanted to.

Physical prowess included strength, speed, resistance to blows, and more. Over the past year, Figo's physical prowess had increased tenfold, and his strength nearly fourfold—far short of the "soaring to the heavens" he'd expected after first arriving in this world.

He could casually throw a punch with a ton of force, and his power surged several times higher when he charged, but he still couldn't "shatter the void." He was only about on par with Kinch, a Marine Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel known for his strength.

But physical prowess wasn't all he'd improved!

Figo drew his jailer's saber and said to Kinch, "Vice Jailer Chief, pardon me."

Using a sword? Kinch narrowed his eyes. "Come on!"

Seazer declared the match underway.

Figo immediately charged forward with his saber.

He kicked off the ground and burst into incredible speed, lowering his center of gravity as he shot toward Kinch like an arrow. The jailers drew a chorus of sharp breaths, and Xiao's face suddenly went pale.

So fast? Was I... really a fool?

Clang!

Amid the clash of metal, Figo's saber swept down like a crescent moon and struck Kinch's arm with a heavy slash!

But it didn't cut him.

"What? How could..."

"Could that be?!"

The jailers stirred again.

A metallic sheen had spread over Kinch's thick arm, leaving it incredibly hard. He gave a low chuckle. "Fifteen years ago, Vice Admiral Doug created and codified the Six Powers. I was lucky enough to be among the first marines to learn them! This is the Six Powers technique, Iron Body! You can't even cut my skin!"

"So it really is the legendary Iron Body..."

"He can take a sword strike with his bare body?"

The jailers' cries of surprise left Figo feeling a little strange. In this era... was Iron Body still considered something rare?

This technique... seemed pretty ordinary, didn't it?

Kinch's other fist clenched and shot toward Figo's face with a rush of wind.

Figo raised his saber to block and took several short steps back. After a dozen or so steps, his foot abruptly stamped down. He not only shed Kinch's force but also used it to shoot back at him even faster.

At the same time, his saber traced two silver streaks through the air. "One Sword Style Secret Art—Cross Return!"

A crossed X-shaped slash flew from his blade and streaked toward Kinch's chest! Kinch's laughter stopped at once, and his pupils widened slightly. He roared, "Iron Body!"

Clang!

Another metallic clang rang out.

Figo sheathed his saber and apologized to Kinch again. "Pardon me, Vice Jailer Chief."

Pfft! Two streams of blood burst from Kinch's body. He swayed, then dropped heavily onto his backside, looking bewildered... H-how could this be?

How could Iron Body be cut through?

The fight, which everyone had expected to last a while, ended abruptly. The match everyone thought Figo would lose was over after only two swings of his blade. The actual fight had lasted less time than Kinch's explanation!

The jailers sucked in a collective breath, raising the temperature of the surrounding air by two degrees. The legendary Iron Body had actually been broken by Captain Figo?

Uh, Captain Figo won? Hooray!

Flying Slash? No, it didn't quite count as one yet. Seazer was also taken aback. He gave Figo an appreciative look and announced, "The winner! Figo!"

Swordsmanship: 1369

Level 3, Iron-Cutting Swordsman!

Rather than be a brute who relied on strength, Figo wanted to become a graceful swordsman. Over the past year, he'd focused more on swordsmanship than physical training, both when choosing the abilities of R-class criminals and in his daily practice. Fish-Man Power's boost to his wrist strength had also added a little extra power to that slash.

That slash, honed over a year, let Figo skip a level and take over as Jailer Chief three days later!

It also left Xiao utterly desperate. He hauled a warship away from Impel Down overnight and transferred out!