Newkama Land

In Impel Down, there was a legend called "Ghost Sleeve."

Every so often, a prisoner who could not move would suddenly vanish from his cell without a sound. That was the legend of Ghost Sleeve.

But behind that legend lay a paradise none of Impel Down's administrators could have imagined.

Level 5.5, Newkama Land. Its master, Emporio Ivankov, was the one pulling the strings behind the legend.

"Huff... huff..."

Jiang Lin trudged into the underground passage, breathing hard. He needed somewhere warm and safe to rest, and the passage leading to Level 5.5 was just such a place.

As the sound of the blizzard faded, Jiang Lin's eyelids slowly drooped.

"Did you hear? Ivankov brought two people here. One of them was called Straw Hat... Right! Straw Hat Luffy!"

"That Luffy was hit by Magellan's mixed poison on Level 5. He's on the verge of death."

The faint conversation woke Jiang Lin as he recovered his strength.

"Luffy? Didn't he make it to Level 5? How did Magellan still manage to stop him?"

Jiang Lin drew a deep breath and sprang to his feet. After that brief rest, his strength had fully returned.

"Hey... Are you a guard or a prisoner? How did you get in here?"

The two people discussing Luffy immediately turned wary when they saw Jiang Lin emerge from a side passage.

"Take me to Luffy!"

Jiang Lin wasted no words. His eyes narrowed sharply, frightening the two into hurrying ahead to lead the way.

"Newkama Land, hee-haw!"

A woman's piercing "song" rang out from the noisy stage. When Jiang Lin followed the two "women" into the room, everyone turned to look at him at once.

"So you're that mysterious man? You look terrifying... Not!"

As the music stopped, Emporio Ivankov swiveled his enormous hips and turned toward him.

"Ivankov, queen of the Kamabakka Kingdom and an officer of the Revolutionary Army. Where's Luffy? How is he?"

Jiang Lin had no interest in Ivankov's abilities. All he cared about was Luffy's condition.

"Luffy's receiving treatment. What's your relationship with him?"

Microphone in hand, Ivankov resumed his performance onstage. His grating singing drew waves of cheers from the crowd.

"Lord Ivankov!"

Applause and shouts filled the entire room.

Whoosh!

A streak of yellow light flashed, and Jiang Lin appeared onstage in an instant. Pale yellow light gathered at his fingertips as he aimed them at Ivankov, who was singing his heart out.

"Look, my time and patience are limited. I know you may have saved Luffy, but that doesn't give you the right to make me sick with this performance!"

Jiang Lin was grateful that Ivankov had saved Luffy, but he truly could not stand that exuberant performance. That was why he had stepped in so forcefully to stop it.

"Luffy's receiving treatment. If you want to see him, I'll take you there."

With that, Ivankov jumped off the stage and headed for the door.

Ivankov led Jiang Lin through a maze of passages to a room secured with thick iron chains.

"Straw Hat! Hang in there! Hang in there!"

As Jiang Lin approached, he spotted Bon Clay outside the door, arms and legs spread wide as he cheered Luffy on with all his might.

"Uh... Carry on!"

Jiang Lin passed Bon Clay and came to the door.

From inside, Luffy's anguished screams rang out from time to time.

"He's undergoing—"

"I know!" Jiang Lin raised a hand to cut Ivankov off, then turned his back to the door and shouted, "Luffy! Hang in there!"

That one cheer carried everything Jiang Lin felt. He knew the real battle was only beginning. Level 6 of Impel Down was where Ace was truly being held, alongside a host of the most vicious criminals.

"Sorry, Luffy! I have to go on ahead!"

Jiang Lin knew staying would do nothing to help Luffy. All he could do now was carry Luffy's resolve with him to Level 6.

"Jiang Lin, wait! We'll go together! We're partners!"

A heavy blow struck the other side of the door. At that weak but resolute voice, Jiang Lin slowly stopped in his tracks.

"Luffy!"

Bon Clay was so overcome at hearing Luffy's voice that he fainted on the spot.

"Luffy!"

Jiang Lin watched the figure slowly emerge from the room. His eyes stung with tears, but he forced them back.

"Come on. We'll go to Level 6 together!"

Jiang Lin stepped forward and put an arm around Luffy's shoulders, ready to leave with him.

"Jiang Lin, wait a second. Hey, lady, do you have anything to eat?"

Luffy rubbed his stomach, now little more than skin and bones, and grinned sheepishly.

"Ahh... I'm alive again!"

Luffy emerged from the dining hall with a satisfied shout. Behind him, bones and food scraps were piled nearly higher than he was.

"Hey, lady... Please look after Bon Clay. Jiang Lin and I are going to Level 5 to save Ace!"

Once Luffy had eaten his fill and recovered, he left the unconscious Bon Clay in Ivankov's care.

"Jiang Lin... Let's go..."

Luffy had barely taken two steps out of the room when he collapsed again from exhaustion.

"Emporio Tension Hormone!"

With Ivankov's help, Luffy finally regained consciousness. But what Ivankov had done made Jiang Lin frown slightly.

Forget it. Given the circumstances, this might be the best option.

Jiang Lin set out from Level 5.5 with Luffy, Ivankov, and the others. At last, they reached Level 6 of Impel Down.

Meanwhile, Magellan, his treatment complete, gathered all of Impel Down's strongest fighters and took the elevator down to Level 6.

In the center of the rapidly descending elevator stood a man covered head to toe in ice. He stared straight ahead, cold-faced and silent, lowering the temperature inside by several degrees. He was Admiral Aokiji, the man Jiang Lin had spent so long searching for.