The Riot Begins! Magellan Blocks the Way!

No matter how strong World had been back then, after spending more than twenty years as a popsicle, his body had weakened to the extreme, and the damage was most likely irreversible.

No wonder Luffy, who had only just mastered Armament Haki Hardening, had taken him down with a single Fire Fist Pistol in the original story.

Still, it didn't matter whether his body was weak. The More-More Fruit's power alone was enough for Naito to abandon Weevil's body and choose him.

Even if he could use only part of it, that was enough.

Naito looked around at the bewildered prisoners. "Let's go. It's time to break out."

The prisoners stared blankly.

Wait, who was he?

Only Redfield looked at Naito in astonishment. "No, you're not World. Are you that brat? Are you some kind of ghost that can possess people?"

What kind of power was this?

"..."

The prisoners' jaws dropped, and they stared at Naito in disbelief.

Naito simply said, "Would you like to experience that feeling again?"

"We wouldn't dare, sir!"

The prisoners shuddered and hurriedly lowered their heads.

Had he switched bodies?

Just what kind of monster was this mysterious man?

Naito turned back and gave Redfield and Bullet one last look. "I look forward to seeing you again."

"Interesting."

Redfield only smiled.

Had someone so interesting appeared on the seas?

Bullet frowned as well, but ultimately said nothing.

He only wanted to grow stronger, until he surpassed Roger.

His horizons were still too narrow, it had to be said. Roger had already fallen behind the times.

There was an elevator on the sixth level of Impel Down that led to the floors above. Better yet, it hadn't been sealed off. Perhaps Impel Down had been peaceful for so long after Golden Lion that the guards had grown a little lax about security.

Naito casually pulled the lever to call the elevator down, then boarded it with everyone else.

Unfortunately, the elevator only went as high as the fourth level.

If he remembered correctly, the warden's office was on the fourth level, and there was also an elevator there that went directly to the first floor above the sea.

Was this transfer arrangement also meant to prevent prisoners on the sixth level from taking the elevator straight up above the sea?

In any case, the mechanism clanked, and the elevator slowly started upward.

Behind Naito, excitement spread across the prisoners' faces.

Freedom was already close at hand.

Hm?

As the elevator rose, Naito sensed numerous presences inside the wall ahead.

That had to be the space dug out by Morley, the Revolutionary Army's politically correct giant. By now, the Okama King should have taken it over.

He might as well plant a hidden piece here. It would make things more convenient when he returned.

With that thought, he activated the Dream-Dream Fruit's power, pulling someone who was sleeping straight into the dream world.

While part of his consciousness dealt with the lucky fellow in the dream world, Naito calmly looked back. "Introduce yourselves."

The prisoners instantly stood at attention. "Yes, sir!"

They hurried to introduce themselves.

There were thirteen of them, but Naito only remembered two of their names.

One was named Salt. He was short and stout, and had been a pirate before his capture, with a bounty of 430 million Beli. He was a user of the Paramecia-type Speed-Speed Fruit, whose utterly straightforward power let him move very fast. He called himself a swordsman.

The other was Anthony, a tall, muscular middle-aged man with an upright face. He had once been a general of a government Affiliated Nation and had been arrested for plotting to overthrow that country. He was a user of the Zoan-type Bear-Bear Fruit, Ancient Zoan, Model: Cave Bear.

Those two were the strongest of all the prisoners, their presences considerably stronger than Naito's own.

Although a person's presence wasn't an absolute measure of strength, those two had to be fighters on the level of the Flying Six, at the very least.

Without Naito taking control, even World would have had a hard time being stronger than them.

Among the remaining eleven were two more Devil Fruit users. One had the Paramecia-type Salt-Salt Fruit, which let him create and control salt. The other had the Paramecia-type Shield-Shield Fruit, which let him transform any part of his body into a shield with astonishing defensive power.

The rest were people Naito couldn't be bothered to pay much attention to. The only thing worth mentioning was that one of the nine was a woman.

Soon, the elevator stopped, and a piercing wind came howling in.

This was the fifth level below the sea, Freezing Hell.

"Go. Free as many prisoners as you can."

That was what Naito told them.

There was no doubt about Magellan's strength, especially in an enclosed space like the prison. Excluding Naito himself, everyone here together might not be able to get past him. After all, the only one who could really fight, Weevil, wasn't right in the head.

Not to mention there was also Shiryu.

A little more chaos wouldn't hurt.

Besides, the prisoners on the fifth level at least had some strength.

"Yes, sir!"

The prisoners quickly got to work.

Naito looked up. The fifth level alone wasn't enough. The fourth level should descend into chaos too.

Now then, Magellan, are you ready?

A short while later, in the control room on the first floor above the sea.

"Hm? What's going on? Why have we lost the signals from the Den Den Mushi on the sixth level?!"

"Something's wrong! Notify the duty room and the warden, now! We have a situation!"

Chapter 9: The Riot Begins! Magellan Blocks the Way!

On the fourth level of Impel Down below the sea, Blazing Hell.

This was the office of Magellan, the warden.

At the moment, Magellan was fast asleep on his soft bed.

Because of the Venom-Venom Fruit's side effects, he had to spend ten hours a day on the toilet with diarrhea, and from the time left over, he also had to set aside four hours to handle official business.

He didn't have much time to rest, but even so, Magellan made sure to get a full eight hours of sleep every day. He cherished his sleeping time.

Today, however, his sweet dreams were shattered by a sudden, shrill ringing.

"Hm?"

Frowning in displeasure, Magellan sat up in bed. After staring blankly for two seconds, he reached for the Den Den Mushi on the bedside table.

Because his entire body was poisonous, Magellan's Den Den Mushi also wore a specially made gas mask.

He answered the call. "What is it?"

"Warden! Something seems to have happened on the sixth level!"

The first words from the Den Den Mushi drove away every trace of Magellan's sleepiness.

"We've lost the signals from all the Den Den Mushi on the sixth level!"

"What?"

Later, on the fifth level, Freezing Hell.

Naito calmly watched the dozens of prisoners before him, all shivering from the cold. There were men and women, young and old.

There weren't many prisoners on this level either-or rather, there weren't many living prisoners. Ice sculptures, on the other hand, were quite common. Even World, an old popsicle himself, felt the bone-piercing cold.

"Will you freeze to death here, or break out with us?"

Naito asked casually, "What's your choice?"

The prisoners didn't hesitate. Every eye shone with fervor. "Please, let us follow you! Benefactor!!"

"Benefactor?"

Naito's lips twitched. "Then let's go."

Once they reached the fourth level, a fight would probably be unavoidable.

The dozens of people just managed to squeeze into the spacious elevator, and with a rumble, they continued upward.

But when the elevator stopped on the fourth level, the heavy steel doors didn't open.

"Sir, it seems they've noticed us."

A bloodthirsty smile spread across Salt's fleshy face.

"We expected as much."

Naito said calmly, "Prepare to fight."

"Gladly! Open up!"

Anthony, the burly general who had stolen a country, leaped up, coated his right arm in black Armament Haki, and slammed his fist into the steel doors.

His punch left a massive dent in the sturdy doors, then blasted them clean out of their frame with a tremendous crash.

"After you, sir."

As expected of a former official, he certainly knew how to conduct himself. Anthony stepped aside and bowed, letting Naito go first.

Naito stepped out of the elevator into a scene dominated by dark shades. The scorching heat that struck him immediately made World's body break into a sweat.

Along with the heat came the chaotic sounds of battle.

Not far away, several guards were fighting several prisoners in prison uniforms.

"Hm?"

Why is the fourth level in chaos too? Salt stared in astonishment at Naito's back. "Sir, was this your doing as well?"

"Come on. Let's find the elevator to the upper level."

Naito led the way forward.

Earlier, when he had sent the prisoners to free the inmates on the fifth level, he had sent part of his consciousness into Buckingham. After freeing her, he had told her to release the prisoners on the fourth level.

"I'll clear the way for you!"

The incredibly fast Salt became a blur, shooting into the battlefield ahead in an instant.