Deep in the tunnel on Level 1.
Roy stopped and looked back at the man in a floral red outfit who had been following him.
The man stiffened and instinctively took half a step back, undisguised wariness in his eyes.
"Heh. So the little rats hiding in the shadows really did tip off you sewer dwellers."
Roy's gaze fell on his cloudlike, fluffy hair, and the man's identity came to mind.
Even though he had just fought Kuzan and suffered serious injuries, not just anyone could make him wary.
Still, recalling his clash with Kuzan, he felt a lingering trace of fear.
Ultimately, he was not the real Ryomen Sukuna. Even with Sukuna's abilities, he still fell far short of him.
Against someone as powerful as Kuzan, he had truly been at a disadvantage.
His slashes had been countered.
His Haki was weaker than his opponent's.
His stamina and cursed energy had also been heavily depleted.
Fortunately, he had escaped using the Ten Shadows Technique in the end.
"Y-you... who exactly are you?"
Roy's stare sent a chill down the floral-clad man's back, and his voice grew strained.
"You're with the Revolutionary Army, aren't you?"
Roy did not answer. Instead, he said pointedly, "Level 5.5 of Impel Down. Newkama Paradise. One of Emporio Ivankov's men."
"Am I right?"
At those words, Inazuma's expression changed drastically.
"Y-you... how do you know Commander Emporio Ivankov's secrets?!"
He instinctively activated his Scissors-Scissors Fruit ability, turning his arms into a pair of enormous scissors aimed at Roy.
This man not only knew Commander Emporio Ivankov, but also knew Level 5.5 existed.
It was simply inconceivable.
After all, Level 5.5 was a hidden space secretly built a hundred years ago by a Giant Corps Commander, one that even Impel Down had never discovered.
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that I know everything about you."
Roy glanced at the gleaming scissors, his voice frighteningly calm:
"Since you made it here, I assume you've already seen me fight Magellan and Kuzan."
"So, pointing your Devil Fruit ability at me now-do you think being injured means I'm yours to toy with?"
He slowly turned his head, his bloodthirsty gaze settling on Inazuma.
"I'll give you one more chance to reconsider."
Inazuma went rigid.
At that instant, he felt as though something utterly terrifying had fixed its sights on him.
If he dared move so much as an inch, he would die.
This was a powerful fighter who had defeated Magellan and then escaped Kuzan unscathed.
His own meager strength was nowhere near enough.
But he did not beg for mercy. Instead, he forced himself to speak:
"Y-you can't kill me. I'm the only one here who knows the way to Newkama Paradise."
"If you kill me, you'll never find that place!"
Roy watched him silently for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.
"Not bad. You've got some backbone."
He withdrew his killing intent and turned to walk farther down the tunnel.
Normally, faced with a threat, he would have killed them on the spot.
But right now, it was better not to cause trouble.
"Lead the way."
"I won't kill you, but I'll put your life on my tab for now!"
Thump, thump!
A white rabbit slipped quietly out of the darkness and hopped ahead to lead the way.
When he had released Rabbit Escape, he had had another objective besides disrupting the surveillance signals and sending Bullet a message.
Finding Newkama Paradise as a hiding place in case his escape failed.
Now, it seemed that contingency had been prepared just in time.
Inazuma looked at Roy's back, then at the strange rabbit, and finally gritted his teeth and followed.
But the shock in his eyes remained impossible to hide.
This man had actually planned his retreat from the very beginning.
What a terrifying mind.
Meanwhile, inside Newkama Paradise on Level 5.5.
Emporio Ivankov had already gathered a group of newkamas.
But now, none of their usual merriment remained, only silence.
Who could have imagined that a breakout would occur in the previously rather peaceful Impel Down?
And they had actually learned of the breakout almost as quickly as Impel Down's jailers.
That was because, years earlier, Emporio Ivankov had found a Projection Den Den Mushi connected to every surveillance area in Impel Down.
Whatever the jailers could see, they could see as well.
Thus, they had learned of Roy's escape attempt as soon as it began.
Only later, when Roy's Rabbit Escape sacrificed their lives to disrupt the signal, had they lost all footage of Impel Down.
Afterward, Emporio Ivankov had sent Inazuma, Newkama Paradise's second-in-command, to investigate the battle on Level 1.
Yet even now, no word had come from Level 1.
"Has the battle on Level 1 ended or not?"
"Did that boy escape, or did he fail? We have absolutely no idea!"
"What's more, even Inazuma, who went to Level 1 to gather information, has gone silent. Could something really have happened?"
Emporio Ivankov paced back and forth, his expression growing increasingly grave.
The other newkamas grew even quieter.
Here in Newkama Paradise, Emporio Ivankov was the authority, their true queen.
She was normally gentle, but whenever serious matters arose, she became extremely stern.
After waiting another hour with no sign of Inazuma's return, Emporio Ivankov finally made up his mind.
"Something must have gone wrong with the breakout on Level 1. Otherwise, Inazuma couldn't possibly still be away."
"If there's still no response in a few more minutes, I'll take the tunnel to Level 1 and investigate myself!"
Hearing this, the other newkamas could no longer sit still and hurriedly spoke up.
"Queen, how could we let you personally do something so dangerous? If anyone should go, it's us!"
"That's right! Just let your subjects go. You don't need to take the risk!"
Emporio Ivankov shook his head. "No."
"Impel Down has just experienced a breakout. Whether that fellow succeeded or not, security will only grow tighter."
"Although you know Newkama Kenpo, this trip is too dangerous. I should go myself."
Hearing this, the newkamas fell silent, their expressions conflicted.
Their queen's words were harsh, but true.
After a breakout, Impel Down would only become more vigilant.
If they went rashly with their level of strength, they would very likely be discovered, and might even expose the existence of Level 5.5.
If things truly reached that point, they would all be finished.
Another hour passed.
Inazuma still had not appeared.
This finally prompted Emporio Ivankov to set out.
But just then, a sound suddenly came from the familiar tunnel entrance.
Everyone immediately perked up.
"Wonderful! It must be Inazuma! Her Majesty won't have to take the risk."
"That's Lord Inazuma for you. I knew just gathering some information wouldn't be dangerous."
Even Emporio Ivankov breathed a sigh of relief. "That Inazuma really had me worried. It looks like this queen will have to give him a proper scolding."
Coo, coo!
A rabbit appeared at the entrance.
Emporio Ivankov and the others froze.
Wait, what was a rabbit doing here?
But a moment later, the rabbit actually vanished on the spot right before their eyes.
That left them even more bewildered.
Before you continue