Luo Chen's Plan Hits a Snag

Luo Chen flew low through the air, his feet never touching the ground. Before long, he reached Level 1 underground.

(Level 1, Crimson Hell. The criminals imprisoned on this level had committed relatively less serious crimes, and none of them could defeat the Blue Gorillas. Outside the cells lay a vast forest-like area. The trees were "Sword Trees," their leaves as sharp as blades, while the grass was "Needle Grass," capable of piercing the human body. Driven back and forth by poisonous spiders and guards, prisoners were eventually cut open by the leaves and grass, bleeding profusely as they endured endless agony.)

As Luo Chen advanced, a burly man appeared before him.

Luo Chen froze for a moment before saying, "Magellan? That was a fast response. You came out the moment I infiltrated. Then again, this is Impel Down."

The moment Magellan spotted Luo Chen, he bellowed, "Intruder Luo Chen, surrender at once! Impel Down will be your final resting place."

"Venom Dragon." As Magellan spoke, massive amounts of blue venom surged from his body, forming a venom dragon that flew toward Luo Chen.

"What a troublesome Devil Fruit ability." Faced with Magellan's Venom-Venom Fruit power, Luo Chen had no intention of taking it head-on.

After all, getting grazed by that venom would be quite troublesome!!

Luo Chen reached out and touched the wall. "Lion Might: Earth Roll."

The Float-Float Fruit ability activated, and the entire first underground level, along with Impel Down itself, began to tremble slightly.

Five enormous lion heads formed around Luo Chen and closed in on Magellan.

Staring at the five massive lion heads before him, Magellan said in surprise, "Could this be Golden Lion's Devil Fruit ability?"

Impel Down kept records of every criminal ever imprisoned there, so Magellan recognized at once that Luo Chen possessed Golden Lion's Devil Fruit ability.

Rumble!!

Rumble!!

Rumble!!

As Luo Chen and Magellan's battle grew fiercer, all the prisoners of Crimson Hell on the first underground level suffered as a result.

Magellan also realized at this moment that Luo Chen was extremely powerful—powerful enough that even he felt he might not be able to take Luo Chen down in the end.

The main issue was that Luo Chen seemed to understand the traits of his Venom-Venom Fruit ability. He avoided its poison throughout the entire battle and attacked from a distance.

That put Magellan in a very passive position, especially since he was far slower than Luo Chen.

On top of that, Luo Chen's Observation Haki vastly surpassed Magellan's. As a result, the two appeared evenly matched!!

But in reality, Magellan was constantly being kited and attacked by Luo Chen.

Just as Luo Chen and Magellan were locked in fierce combat!!

On the Straw Hat Pirates' side, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Brook came running over as well.

Sanji puffed on his cigarette and said, "That's Luo Chen. Is he fighting someone?"

"Anyone who can fight Luo Chen must be very strong." Zoro had crossed blades with Luo Chen before, so he knew just how formidable that guy's swordsmanship was.

If someone could fight Luo Chen, that meant he was incredibly strong too. Anyone weak simply could not fight Luo Chen at all.

Luffy shouted, "Hey, Luo Chen! We're coming to help you!"

In Luffy's eyes, Luo Chen had helped them before. Now that Luo Chen was in trouble, they naturally had to lend him a hand.

Magellan frowned. "So it's the Straw Hat Pirates this time? What happened today will be a tremendous humiliation in Impel Down's history!!"

"Pirates have invaded one after another. I, Magellan, will stake my name as warden on stopping every last one of you here."

Magellan unleashed even more Venom Dragons, splitting off two to chase after the four Straw Hat Pirates.

Facing Magellan's attack, Luffy immediately activated Second Gear, Zoro assumed a Three-Sword Style stance, Sanji used Diable Jambe, and Brook drew his cane sword.

Just as both sides' attacks were about to collide, an enormous lion head blocked the way between them.

Rumble!!

"What?" Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Brook all froze, unable to understand what Luo Chen was trying to do.

Luo Chen floated in midair and said, "You four, keep moving. If you face Magellan, you'll die without question. The Venom-Venom Fruit ability is not something you can handle yet."

"Poison?" Brook responded.

Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Brook exchanged glances.

In the end, they decided to keep moving and leave this place to Luo Chen.

Luffy said, "Then we'll leave him to you, Luo Chen. Let's go."

Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Brook set off once more, heading deeper into Impel Down.

Magellan said darkly, "Luo Chen, do you think letting those four go down will allow them to damage Impel Down??"

"Once I take you down, I can go suppress them afterward. It makes no difference."

"Heh heh!" Luo Chen sneered with the corners of his mouth raised. "Magellan, where did you get the confidence that you can defeat me??"

Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Brook raced at full speed toward the second underground level.

(Level 2, Beast Hell. This level housed all kinds of savage monster beasts, including Cockatrices, Man-Faced Lions, poisonous scorpions, and more. The boss was Sphinx. The prisoners held on this floor knew they would sooner or later become food for the beasts, and they did not even have the strength left to be afraid.)

Brook asked, "Luffy, is it really okay for us to leave Luo Chen behind like this??"

"It's fine. Luo Chen is strong," Luffy replied.

Sanji nodded as well. "Our situation is dangerous too. We have no idea how many powerful enemies we'll encounter further down."

"That makes it interesting," Zoro said excitedly.

Back on Level 1 underground, in Crimson Hell, Luo Chen and Magellan's battlefield.

Luo Chen calculated inwardly that if he kept wasting time with Magellan, his plan might be delayed.

Then he would have to defeat Magellan as quickly as possible.

This development had not been part of Luo Chen's plan at all. Plans really could not keep up with change!!