Training with an Impel Down Prisoner

Even though it was a standard uniform, it could indeed save your life at certain times.

From that point on, Wood deliberately avoided Shiryu of the Rain, avoiding any one-on-one contact.

It wasn't out of fear, but because Wood didn't want to clash with him prematurely and ruin the goodwill he'd painstakingly built in Impel Down.

Although Shiryu of the Rain was said to be comparable to the strongest warden, Magellan, one had to remember that this wasn't twenty years later.

From Wood's first encounter with Shiryu of the Rain, although the man felt very strong, he was by no means dangerous.

In terms of swordsmanship, the opponent was undoubtedly at the level of a "Swordsman" or even higher, slightly stronger than Wood.

But if he were to go all out, Wood felt he could hold his own against the current Shiryu of the Rain, a fifty-fifty chance.

As for Magellan, the current Wood had no chance of winning.

There was no other reason than the man's "Doku Doku no Mi" ability being quite unsolvable. Wood hadn't learned "Busoshoku Haki" yet, and facing a Paramecia comparable to a Logia fruit was basically a dead end.

Wood knew the Chief Jailer Saldeath from before. As for the Jailer Sadi, it was during one of his trips to Impel Down to retrieve an executed prisoner that he was mistaken for an escaped convict by the Jailer Beast Minotaurus.

While the Jailer Beasts were strong, their intelligence was clearly lacking. Minotaurus, unable to understand Wood's explanations, promptly swung its mace at him.

To prevent the soon-to-be-executed pirate from dying prematurely and causing him undue blame, Wood naturally chose to resist at that time. And with his bare hands, he directly beat Minotaurus into submission!

Sadi, hearing the commotion, arrived with the other three Jailer Beasts. Although a fight ensued, Wood also got to know Sadi through the incident.

And over the next six months, due to his efforts to cater to her preferences, Sadi had come to regard him as one of her like-minded friends.

In these past six months, he had become a regular at Impel Down. Even the Jailer Beasts and Prison Guards there saw him as a familiar face.

Even with their limited intelligence, they had come to see him as one of their own within Impel Down.

As for the Marine detachment stationed at Impel Down, although Wood still held his Marine rank, they had practically forgotten about him.

Saldeath, as the Chief Jailer, commanded various Jailers like Blugori and Sphinx, wielding significant authority in Levels 1 and 2.

Sadi, as the Jailer Chief, held authority equivalent to a Warden, controlling the prisoners in Levels 3 and 4.

Wood's intention in befriending Chief Jailer Saldeath and Jailer Chief Sadi was not pure from the start.

Rather than spending his time doing clerical work in a small cubicle, Wood worried that his body would deteriorate over time, possibly even leading to a decline in his strength.

The reason he claimed to enjoy the atmosphere of Impel Down was that the prisoners confined there were not just mere inmates to Wood; they were excellent sparring partners!

Don't forget, anyone capable of being imprisoned in Impel Down was somewhat of a figure. Even those with bounties of only a few million Beli weren't worthy of being here.

Furthermore, Impel Down gathered criminals from all over the world. Among them were not only martial artists and Swordsmen, but also Devil Fruit users, and even Fish-Man Karate masters.

Thanks to the two previous life simulations and two years of training at the Marine Academy, Wood's own strength had improved rapidly.

However, rapid improvement in strength also had its drawbacks.

That is, compared to his rapidly increasing strength, his actual combat experience was extremely limited.

Strictly speaking, apart from the time he encountered the "Iron Arm Pirates," Wood had never truly experienced a life-or-death crisis.

Excessive growth in strength without commensurate combat experience and mindset was not a good thing.

It was like trying to hold water in a plastic bag. The water in the bag might be no less than that in an iron bucket, but it was extremely unstable. Any external force would cause the water in the plastic bag to spill out instantly.

Wood's surging strength was like the water in that plastic bag, and he now wanted to pour all that water into a sturdy iron bucket!

Initially, Saldeath, who was humorous but extremely serious in his work, refused Wood's request to fight prisoners.

Instead, Sadi agreed readily, and she personally attended every fight Wood had.

It wasn't for show; Sadi saw Wood as a kindred spirit who also enjoyed hearing people's pained moans... no, a like-minded friend.

In Sadi's view, whether the prisoners in Level 3 and 4 were beaten by the Jailer Beasts or by Wood made little difference.

Moreover, after being beaten so often, the prisoners in Level 3 and 4 now instinctively cowered at the sight of the four Jailer Beasts, having no thought of resistance, which Sadi found rather boring.

In comparison, Wood was still a new face to the prisoners of Impel Down. And how strong could a mere extra, who didn't even deserve a Marine cloak, be?

Toiling away in the prison every day, and occasionally being pinned to the ground by the massive Jailer Beasts, the prisoners of Impel Down felt they needed an outlet.

And since there were no women, they could only vent their excess anger and emotions through fighting.

Wood had defeated the Jailer Beast Minotaurus, so dealing with the prisoners of Impel Down Levels 3-4 was naturally not a problem.

But they couldn't withstand the sheer number of criminals imprisoned here, and Wood always fought while wearing extremely heavy Weights.

The prisoners of Level 4 were generally those with bounties close to a hundred million. In a one-on-one fight, they might not be Wood's match, but with their large numbers, they could gang up on him in a relay battle.

Compared to the Wild Boars in the back hills of the Marine Academy, even with shackles on their feet, the prisoners of Level 4 were far more troublesome.

Unlike unintelligent beasts, the prisoners here were not only cruel and cold-hearted but also despicable and cunning, knowing how to use flanking maneuvers and sneak attacks.

So, when Wood went in to spar with these prisoners in the first few times, he was almost beaten to death every single time.

Sadi had originally wanted to hear the prisoners' moans, but instead, she ended up hearing Wood's screams.

However, while being beaten, Wood also accumulated a large amount of combat experience. His opponents included martial artists, Swordsmen, Karate masters, and more. In just half a year, Wood felt his improvement was even greater than when he was at the Marine Academy!