Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Impel Down
(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)
(T/N: Enjoy!!)
<><><><><><>
-Impel Down-
On Level 4, inside the Chief Warden's office, a prison guard rushed forward, sweating profusely. When he was about ten meters from the office door, he suddenly remembered something and quickly pulled out a gas mask from his uniform, securing it tightly over his face.
"Chief Warden Magellan!" the guard called out loudly.
There was no response.
After a brief pause, a deep, rumbling sound echoed from within.
"Gurgle, gurgle!"
Then, a low but unmistakably relieved moan followed.
The prison guard froze momentarily before instinctively covering the air vents of his gas mask and turning his head to the side.
Just beyond the office was a private restroom—one built exclusively for Magellan himself.
"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, gurgle—splatter!"
The unmistakable sounds of an intense bout of diarrhoea filled the air, sending a shudder down the guard's spine. His expression twisted with fear as he unconsciously took a few steps back. However, realizing the urgency of his message, he quickly stood his ground, trembling as he spoke.
"Ch-Chief Warden Magellan! I-I have an urgent report!"
"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle!"
The only reply was another long, drawn-out series of stomach-churning noises.
Then came something even worse—a noxious stench so overwhelming that the guard's face turned a sickly shade of purple beneath his mask.
"Speak. What is it?" Magellan's voice finally rang out from within the restroom.
What followed was another violent gurgling sound.
The guard nearly passed out from the sheer horror of it, his wide eyes filled with dread.
"I-it's Fleet Admiral Sengoku! He seems to be bringing an important prisoner to Impel Down! Chief Warden, they may require your personal reception!"
Magellan took a deep breath as he crouched over the toilet. Then, with a sudden effort—
"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle!"
A torrential release followed. His painful stomachache quickly subsided, and the pained expression on his face eased.
Afterwards, he stood up, fastened his belt, and stepped out of the restroom with a surprisingly light gait.
"Then let's go see for ourselves," Magellan said.
The guard waited for the towering figure to walk far ahead before daring to follow.
-Impel Down – Marine Escort Dock-
Arashi walked forward, his feet bound by heavy seastone shackles. The iron chains behind him clanked and dragged across the ground with each step, ringing with a cold, metallic echo.
His movements were heavy, his upper body bare, revealing wounds so severe they sent chills through the surrounding prison guards. Terror flickered in their eyes as they trembled at the sight of him.
"Is he a new prisoner?"
"With wounds like that… how is he even still alive?"
"Who is he? Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku personally escorted him here!"
The shock and murmurs spread among them as they took in the terrifying sight—an iron-bound figure, chains piercing his flesh, yet still standing.
Vice Warden Hannyabal stepped forward with a respectful and somewhat ingratiating smile.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you can leave the prisoner to me. The air here isn't the best, and I doubt you'd find it comfortable," Hannyabal said, trying to sound accommodating.
Hearing this, Sengoku turned his gaze toward Arashi, who was walking with his head lowered and his footsteps heavy. His brows furrowed slightly before he looked back at Hannyabal, his tone serious.
"Vice Warden Hannyabal," Sengoku said firmly.
"He is not a prisoner."
"He is Arashi, the newly appointed Marine Admiral."
Hannyabal was stunned. His gaze darted toward the man behind Sengoku, his expression quickly shifting to disbelief.
"He's Arashi?!"
"The new Admiral, Arashi?"
Of course, Hannyabal knew that name—how could he not? It was practically legendary.
Years ago, when the infamous Golden Lion, Shiki, had escaped from Impel Down, he had uttered that very name.
"But… what happened to him?" Hannyabal muttered in shock.
Anyone looking at Arashi in this state would struggle to believe he was an Admiral. Shackled in seastone cuffs, his body pierced by iron chains, his form battered and broken—he looked worse than any prisoner.
"Where's Magellan?" Sengoku asked.
"From this day forward, Admiral Arashi will be stationed here in Impel Down alongside you all. He will share responsibility in guarding this prison," Sengoku announced.
"I've brought him here personally to make sure you're all aware of this."
Hannyabal's mind raced. A Marine Admiral—once a rising legend—was now being stationed in Impel Down?
Was this a demotion? A punishment?
Had Arashi offended the wrong people?
Had he committed some unforgivable crime?
A whirlwind of thoughts stormed through his mind.
In a dimly lit office, the three men sat silently, waiting.
Eventually, Magellan arrived, slightly belated.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Magellan greeted, his deep voice steady. "For an ordinary prisoner, I doubt it would require your personal presence."
"He's not a prisoner," Sengoku sighed, repeating himself for what felt like the hundredth time.
At this moment, he understood why Arashi had chosen to keep his shackles and chains and why he had refused immediate medical treatment.
This was his way of reminding himself—no matter the time or place, he could never afford to let his guard down.
Clearly, the Five Elders' ambush had deeply affected the young Admiral.
But in a way, this was good.
Because Arashi had not fallen into despair.
Instead, he had become even more determined—ambitious and relentless.
"Admiral Arashi?!" Magellan's eyes widened in shock.
When he finally looked at the man before him, recognition flashed in his gaze.
Years ago, this very man had personally delivered Shiki, the Golden Lion, into his custody.
"Clang!"
The chains rattled as Arashi slowly lifted his head.
A faint, weary smile tugged at his lips—but it was filled with bitterness.
-Impel Down, Level 4 – Warden's Office-
Magellan, the warden of Impel Down, stood still for a moment before nodding.
"With Admiral Arashi joining us, Impel Down will be more impenetrable than ever."
Seeing that the pleasantries were exchanged, Sengoku wasted no time in leaving. His workload had skyrocketed with his new role as Fleet Admiral and the situation surrounding Arashi. It was an exhausting time for him.
Only three people remained in the stone-walled office: Magellan, Hannyabal, and Arashi.
Hannyabal, covering his mouth and nose, instinctively distanced himself from Magellan. He seemed uneasy, and after about a minute or two, he quickly found an excuse to leave.
"There isn't much work to do here on a daily basis," Magellan said in a deep voice. "Admiral Arashi, you may choose a location that suits you as your office and temporary residence."
His expression remained stern and serious, showing no signs of humour. Arashi frowned slightly. The warden's toxic gas was beginning to affect him.
"Level 2," Arashi responded.
Magellan was taken aback. "Level 2?"
"Yes, Level 2," Arashi confirmed. "Find me a place in the Beast Hell to use as my office."
"That area is overrun with jailer beasts. Even for the prison guards, it's a highly dangerous zone," Magellan warned.
Level 2 of Impel Down, also known as Beast Hell, was home not only to prisoners but also to monstrous creatures—former Zoan-type Devil Fruit users who had failed their awakenings, lost their humanity and transformed into mindless beasts. These creatures possessed incredible endurance, rapid regeneration, and strength far beyond ordinary humans, making them extremely difficult to deal with.
"For me, it's the most suitable place," Arashi said faintly.
Magellan was puzzled but didn't question him further. "I will make the arrangements."
After exchanging a few more words, their conversation reached an impasse. With nothing left to discuss, Magellan departed, leaving Arashi to be escorted to Level 2 by the guards.
As they reached the entrance to Beast Hell, the leading guard hesitated.
"Beyond this point, powerful jailer beasts roam freely. It's extremely dangerous!" the guard warned. "Admiral Arashi, you may select an unoccupied area to establish your office."
He trembled as he glanced at the massive shadows looming ahead, fear evident in his voice.
Arashi remained unfazed, gazing at the wide corridor ahead. He nodded. "You may leave."
"Thank you, Admiral Arashi!" The guard let out a sigh of relief before turning and fleeing.
Arashi chuckled softly and turned his gaze forward.
The damp, dimly lit corridor was built from massive stone blocks, with torches burning along the walls at long intervals. Evidently, the torches were not replaced often, as vast areas were shrouded in total darkness. Within that darkness, massive and ominous silhouettes flickered.
"So this will be my new home, huh?" he murmured.
As he stepped forward, the shadows ahead stirred.
In an instant, a colossal, grotesque head emerged into the light. Blood-red eyes glared down at him, and bursts of white mist escaped its nostrils.
"A perfect place to sharpen my strength," Arashi said.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford
"What?!"
"Admiral Arashi was sent to Impel Down?!"
"You've got to be kidding! How is that even possible?"
"And it happened so suddenly?"
"Did he commit some crime?"
"That's impossible! A man as righteous as him would never break the law!"
"This must be a mistake by Marine HQ!"
When the news reached headquarters, it sent shockwaves through the ranks. Officers were left in disbelief, and soon, a flood of Marines stormed toward the Fleet Admiral's office, demanding an explanation.
A powerful and upright Marine admiral who embodied justice was suddenly assigned to the dark, filthy depths of Impel Down.
Sengoku sat at his desk, his face weary, his bloodshot eyes betraying his exhaustion. This entire situation had been frustrating, and his patience was wearing thin.
He had made all the necessary preparations to implement his vision of justice, but this unexpected incident threw everything into chaos.
Ultimately, he had no choice but to address the gathered officers.
"Admiral Arashi has been assigned to oversee the security of Impel Down. This is a standard reassignment," Sengoku explained. "He has not committed any crimes, so there is no need for speculation."
But even with his words, the officers remained unsatisfied.
In particular, five vice admirals—Maynard, Stainless, Doberman, Yamakaji, and Momonga—were on the verge of causing an uproar in his office.
Finally, Sengoku reached his limit. With a furious roar, he slammed his fist down, shattering a solid wooden desk into splinters.
Only then did the vice admirals back down and leave.
Once the corridor had fallen silent, Sengoku collapsed into his chair, gazing at the mess before him. He let out a deep sigh.
"What a mess…"
-West Blue – G-1 Marine Base-
In the vast skies above the G-1 base, several Marine warships hovered in a tense standoff against a small, unidentified fleet.
Standing at the bow of the Marine flagship, Douglas Bullet's gaze was fixed on the nine shadowy figures aboard the opposing vessel. His expression was grim.
Moments later, the figures turned away, disappearing into the ship's interior.
Shortly after, the mysterious fleet changed course and began to depart.
"Who… were they?" Bullet exhaled sharply. "That pressure they gave off… it was unreal."
An ominous feeling settled in his chest.
Something big was coming.
If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 10 advanced Chapters for you guys.
patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:COI NOVEL TIER