Susanoo's Fist!

"Is this the Second Floor?"

Looking around at the somewhat dimly lit cell, Luffy put his hat on and said, "It doesn't seem like anything special."

It looks exactly like the cells I've seen before.

"Damn it, does that matter?!"

Buggy's head flew off the ground and landed squarely on Luffy's face as he said, "You know we almost died from that fall!"

Buggy never dreamed that this kid would be so crazy; the moment they got close to the pit, he just grabbed both of them and jumped in.

Didn't this kid ever consider the possibility of falling to his death?!

If it weren't for Xi Yan catching them with his Water Release Technique, they might have died from the fall!

"Hahaha, everything's alright now." Luffy grinned, showing his teeth.

"You bastard, you better reflect on your actions!"

Luffy's attitude almost drove Buggy crazy. Does this kid really not care about other people's lives?

Or is this guy just a pig-brain, completely incapable of considering such a thing?

Thinking of this, Buggy glanced at Xi Yan with some pity.

"Um?"

"What's wrong?"

Xi Yan looked at Buggy with a puzzled expression. Why was this guy looking at him like that?

"Xi Yan, why don't you come and join me?" Buggy said.

Xi Yan:...

How did this guy have the nerve to say something like that?

His bounty is probably less than a fraction of Luffy's.

Speechless, Xi Yan chose to ignore the guy.

"Hey, Buggy, what are you doing?!" Luffy glared at Buggy and said, "You're trying to steal my crewmate?"

"Hmph, following someone like you would be exhausting."

"What did you say?!"

"Alright, you two, stop fooling around," Xi Yan said. "Hurry up and find the Great Gate to this floor, then leave here and enter the next floor."

Seeing that Xi Yan had said that, Luffy stopped what he was doing and then said, "Buggy, if you say something like that again, I'll beat you up!"

Buggy pursed his lips, but didn't say anything more.

Ultimately, he was just saying it casually; he didn't really want to recruit Xi Yan. After all... he was aware of his own influence.

Just then, the group heard footsteps, as if something was running towards them.

What was that sound?

"Someone must be coming," Xi Yan grinned. "Perfect timing to figure out what's going on on this floor..."

Xi Yan fell silent before he could finish speaking, because he realized that what had come before them was not a jailer, but a hippopotamus that looked about the size of a puppy.

"A... Hippo Cub?"

Luffy tilted his head and looked at the Little Hippo on the ground, a few question marks appearing on his face.

Why are there Hippo Cub here?

"That's really strange," Buggy said, squatting down and looking at the Little Hippo. "I heard the Second Floor is the Beast Hell, teeming with terrifying Demon Beast, but this guy..."

Could it be that all the rumors are false?

If that's the case, then they should be able to easily pass through the Second Floor and reach the third level of the prison.

Thinking this, Buggy said, "It seems there's no danger on this level, we..."

Before Buggy could finish speaking, the hippo in front of him opened its gaping maw and swallowed his upper body whole!

Buggy:!!!

Buggy, whose upper body was reduced to just a head, stared in shock at the Little Hippo below.

If I'm not mistaken, the mouth that it just opened was several times the size of its body!

What the hell is this?!

"So this is Demon Beast?" Xi Yan stroked his chin, examining the creature. "Interesting."

"Hey, why are you suddenly appreciating it?"

Buggy stared blankly at Xi Yan. Shouldn't they be running away at a time like this?

"There's nothing to be afraid of." Xi Yan walked over and patted the Little Hippo, saying, "I've got this guy under control."

"Is it under control?"

Buggy paused for a moment, then realized that the hippopotamus had indeed calmed down.

"Purge his body out."

"Roar~"

The Little Hippo opened its gaping maw and spat out Buggy's upper body.

"How did you do that?" Buggy asked in astonishment.

The opponent can actually control the Demon Beast of Beast Hell?

That's amazing!

Could this guy be a beast tamer like his subordinate Mohji?

"I have my own methods," Xi Yan said.

Seeing that Xi Yan had no intention of explaining, Buggy didn't ask any further questions.

However... since the other side can control Demon Beast, it means they can easily pass through this Second Floor of the Beast Hell!

Thinking of this, Buggy grinned.

Just then, a strange sound rang out, as if something was flying in the sky.

The next moment...

"Clang!"

The sharp slash sliced Buggy in two, scaring Buggy so much that snot came out of his nose.

"Damn it, what the hell is this?!"

"Mantis?"

Looking at the praying mantis wearing a jailer's hat, Xi Yan asked in surprise, "Is this thing also a jailer?"

To make these wild beasts obey commands... could there be a Devil Fruit User here who can control ferocious beasts?

If that's the case, wouldn't controlling the other party be equivalent to controlling the entire Second Floor?

Thinking of this, Xi Yan's eyes lit up.

"How do I know if it's a jailer?" Buggy said. "All I know is that it's extremely dangerous!"

He was easily sliced in half; his attack power was greater than that of an ordinary pirate!

"Oh no, it's coming again!"

Seeing the praying mantis charging at him, Buggy turned and ran in fright.

"Go, take it down," Xi Yan said.

"Roar!"

Upon receiving Xi Yan's order, the Little Hippo immediately opened its blood-red maw and charged towards the mantis.

"Scare!"

The mantis was startled, then spread its wings and created some distance.

"Scare?"

The praying mantis, assuming a fighting stance, looked at the Little Hippo with a puzzled expression, wondering why its own kind would suddenly attack it.

But the Little Hippo didn't give it much time to think and immediately rushed up to fight it, forcing the mantis to turn around and flee into the distance.

It's like an assassin; its body is incredibly fragile. One bite from this thing and you're dead.

"Oh~"

"So that's how it can be done!"

Watching the two ferocious beasts fight to the death, Buggy's face lit up with excitement. "Go! Take it down, Little Hippo!"

"Roar!"

"Scare!"

"Alright, stop watching." Xi Yan grabbed Buggy, who was still watching the show, and said, "This place will attract other animals sooner or later. We should leave before that happens..."

Before Xi Yan could finish speaking, the jailer's voice came over the loudspeaker from above.

"Notify!"

"Two intruders, along with a criminal, entered the Second Floor of the Beast Hell!"

"Please be on guard if you are on the Second Floor!"

"Repeat!"

"Two intruders, along with a criminal, entered the Second Floor of the Beast Hell!"

"Please be on guard if you are on the Second Floor!"

"We've been... discovered?"

Buggy looked incredulous. How had the guards discovered them?

"Tch, so we still got caught." Xi Yan spat.

"What exactly happened?"

"It's probably because we were discovered by the Image Den Den Mushi in Crimson Lotus Hell," Xi Yan said.

Either the Den Den Mushi transmitted the image to the monitoring room on the first floor before he killed Den Den Mushi.

Or perhaps there was a hidden phone that happened to capture the footage of them entering the large hole.

'It seems that breaking into this Underwater Great Prison silently is not an easy task,' Xi Yan murmured to himself.

In that case... let's keep fighting!

Right now, he just hopes that Hancock won't become suspicious because of their exposure, otherwise they could easily be arrested.

Thinking of this, Xi Yan sighed silently.

"What do we do now?" Buggy said frantically, "If Magellan catches us, we might all die!"

Although Xi Yan said he would protect him, but... if they really encounter Magellan, Who Knows if this kid will keep his promise.

After all... we're all pirates!

"So what? No one can stop me from saving Ace!" Luffy said.

"Idiot, you have no idea how terrifying Magellan is!"

"Alright, what's the point of saying this now?" Xi Yan glanced at Buggy and said, "If you're really too scared, then leave first, and we'll go by ourselves."

After speaking, Xi Yan paused for a moment, then continued:

"Of course, if you can hold out until we return, we'll take you with us as a reward for the information you provided."

"However... if you don't make it back before we get back, you can't blame us, okay?"

If Buggy really doesn't want to go down with them, he won't force him.

After all... this guy also said he didn't know how to get to the third level, so it didn't matter whether he went or not.

Buggy paused for a moment, his brain starting to work at lightning speed.

'Walk by yourself?'

If he leaves on his own, he won't have to face Magellan, but... he can't beat the jailers here!

He couldn't even defeat Broggly on the first floor, let alone the other, more powerful jailers.

With that thought in mind, Buggy gave up on his plan to escape.

Then, he gave Xi Yan an awkward smile and said, "Never mind, I'll stay with you guys."

"Then stop talking nonsense and keep up..."

Before Xi Yan could finish speaking, he sensed a gust of air rushing towards him from afar, mixed with a foul, fishy smell.

This made Xi Yan frown subconsciously, and he said, "It sounds like the breath of some kind of animal."

Then, Xi Yan looked up and saw a huge creature.

"Is this the guy?"

"What... what the hell is this?!"

Luffy stared in shock at the drooling creature high above.

"Damn it, the rumors were true! There really are Demon Beast on the Second Floor!" Buggy exclaimed in shock.

Xi Yan, however, curiously examined the creature and remarked, "Why does this thing look a bit like a snake?"

"No, it looks like... a chicken?"

"Snake Chicken?"

"Chicken Snake?"

What is this thing?

"Roar!"

The beast roared as it looked at the three motionless 'desserts'.

"Never mind what it is, run!"

"Escape?"

"You've already been discovered, why are you trying to escape?"

As the enormous creature drew ever closer, Xi Yan grinned and said, "Big guy, you're not good enough to eat us!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a pale golden light appeared on Xi Yan's body, followed by a pale golden skull that appeared on Xi Yan body and protected him firmly.

"What... what is that?!" Buggy stared at Xi Yan in shock and said, "A golden skeleton?"

Is this guy Devil Fruit User?

What exactly is this ability?

"So... so handsome!!"

Luffy stared excitedly at the skeleton on Xi Yan's body, his eyes shining, and exclaimed, "Hey, Xi Yan, what's this?!"

"Ah, this ability is called Susanoo," Xi Yan said without turning his head. "It's an ability I've only recently mastered."

Then, Xi Yan manipulated the skeletal skeleton to raise its arm, aiming it at the approaching gigantic beast, and said, "Taste the Susanoo's Fist!!"

The next moment, Xi Yan jumped up, arrived in front of the ferocious beast, and slammed his fist into its head.

"Bump!!"

"Click~"

An incredibly heavy, pale golden fist slammed into the opponent's head, shattering his skull!

Affected by this power, the opponent's massive body was sent flying, smashing through a distant wall.

"Whoosh~"

"Boom!"

"Ah!!"

The moment the wall was smashed through, a scream came from inside, clearly indicating that the person had been hit head-on by the ferocious beast and knocked unconscious.

"Wow, this guy was that strong!" Bajixiyan said. "He defeated this guy with just one punch?"

"Hahaha, Xi Yan is incredibly strong!" Luffy laughed as he spoke.

His partner is extremely powerful; taking down this monster won't be a problem for them.

Buggy nodded subconsciously, then, as if remembering something, his eyes lit up and he rushed towards Xi Yan.

Then, under Xi Yan's puzzled gaze, he placed his hand on Susanoo.

Xi Yan:???

What are you doing?

Xi Yan frowned as he looked at Buggy, not understanding what the guy meant.

"Is this some kind of ability related to gold?" Buggy asked excitedly. "Can we take it?"

If we could take it off, that kid's Golden Skeleton would be incredibly valuable!

Xi Yan:...

A speechless Xi Yan muttered, "Are you crazy?!"

"You want me to gouge them out... or I'll gouge out my own eyes and give them to you, okay?!"

"What would I do with your eyes?" Buggy shook his head. "I'm only interested in gold."

Other people's eyeballs can't be sold for money, so they're of no use to him. That's why he doesn't want them.

"Hey, you've actually picked one."

Xi Yan was so angry he laughed. Wasn't this kid a little too shameless?

After casually tossing the other party aside, Xi Yan said, "This isn't gold; it's just a manifestation of energy."

After saying this, Xi Yan released Susanoo.

"Ah?"

"It's not gold!"

Upon hearing this, Buggy, who was lying on the ground, immediately showed a disappointed expression and said, "Then forget it."

He initially thought it was made of gold, but it turns out it's just energy?

Forget it then, this thing can't be taken away at all, and there's no way to turn it into money.

"So what if it's gold? Can you take it with you?" Xi Yan said irritably.

"Haha, you're right."

Buggy, having regained his composure, scratched his head awkwardly.

Just as the other party said, even if he were given such a large amount of gold, he wouldn't be able to take it away right now.

After all... we're inside Underwater Great Prison right now!

"Alright, enough talk, let's go," Xi Yan said. "If you want gold, go back to the sea and look for it."

"Profound!"

Buggy grinned and said, "After we return to the high seas this time, I'm going to become the Treasure King!"

Of course, it would be even better if one could build their own faction.

In that case... he also has a chance to outdo that Shanks!

Thinking of this, a strange light flashed in Buggy's eyes.

Clearly, due to the provocation of Xi Yan's words, Buggy's mindset underwent some changes.