One Piece: Curse of Immortality

Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Monster in Impel Down



(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)

(T/N: Enjoy!!)

<><><><><><>

Boom! 

A deafening sound echoed through the dark corridors of Impel Down's Level 2, the Beast Hell. Two massive shadows were sent flying in opposite directions. 

Arashi's shackled feet scraped against the ground, leaving a long trail. His breathing was slightly heavy, but his eyes burned with excitement. 

With his body suppressed by Seastone and injuries weighing him down, he could barely exert even a fraction of his full strength. 

Yet, even under these extreme conditions, he could feel himself growing stronger. His body was adapting at an accelerated rate to the harsh circumstances.

"Interesting… This is truly interesting!" Arashi let out a wild laugh before dashing forward. He leaped high into the air in just a few breaths, diving straight at the ferocious beast before him. 

"Headbutt!" His hardened forehead crashed against the beast's skull, sending its eyes rolling in circles. 

Five to six seconds later, with a loud thud, the beast collapsed. Arashi landed on its head, but as he steadied himself, a fierce gust of wind brushed against his back. 

Another shadow lunged at him from behind. His feet pushed off with explosive force, sending him soaring into the air. 

The chains piercing through his back stretched taut, rattling violently. Suddenly, Arashi spun midair, whipping his chains outward.

"Crack!" The thick metal chain slammed against the beast's face, causing it to let out a pained howl as red welts formed on its cheek. 

"Roar!" The searing pain only made the beast more furious as it bellowed toward the ceiling. 

"Huff!" Arashi slid back a few steps, landing on the ground and exhaling a long breath. 

"To suppress my body to its weakest state and still fight so fiercely…This is exhilarating! Every second, I teeter on the edge of life and death!"

Muttering to himself, he raised his head, watching the snarling beast bear its fangs. 

Suddenly, he spun around and sprinted into the shadows. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished. 

The beast and the prisoners watching from their cells were left in stunned silence. 

"Roar!"

It took the beast two or three seconds to react before it let out an enraged howl and charged forward. 

But by then, Arashi was nowhere to be seen. As the furious beast stormed past, he silently pushed open the gate of an empty cell and stepped inside.

"Such intense, high-frequency combat has pushed my body beyond its limits." 

"I need to rest and recover." 

He muttered under his breath before slipping into the depths of Beast Hell. 

Finding a secluded, dilapidated spot, he concealed himself, closed his eyes, and rested. 

Ten days later, he awakened. 

After assessing his condition, Arashi stepped into Beast Hell and resumed his battle against the jailer beasts. 

This relentless war continued for nearly a month, leaving countless prisoners both shocked and baffled.

"He's unafraid of the beasts, so why doesn't he escape?" 

"This guy is a monster! Not just in strength, but in mind!" 

"It's like he's purposely seeking out the jailer beasts to fight."

"…" 

Whispers and speculations filled Beast Hell, but no one could answer their questions. 

Arashi was completely immersed in this grueling training, unable to pull himself away. He even lost track of time. 

He could only sense that the Seastone's suppressive effect on his body gradually weakened. 

His physical strength was increasing. The improvement was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was undeniably real. 

"Through this training, my awareness of my surroundings has also heightened. Is this the ability to deeply perceive the world?"

"Observation Haki?" 

As he paused to reflect, Arashi closed his eyes, deliberately honing his newfound sensitivity. 

With his arms severed, his feet bound by shackles, and his Devil Fruit powers sealed by Seastone, he had reached the weakest point of his life. 

Yet, in this restrained state, his senses had never been sharper. It was like a blindfolded man whose vision was removed, forcing his hearing and perception to become more acute. 

Time flew by, and soon, an entire year had passed. Impel Down remained unchanged, as if his presence had never made an impact. 

Even Magellan had nearly forgotten about him. 

The guards had not seen him for a long time, and when imprisoning new convicts, they only placed them near the entrance of Beast Hell, avoiding its deeper regions. 

Meanwhile, Arashi had spent all his time in the depths of the floor. This was where the most powerful and numerous jailer beasts resided. 

Even after an entire year, he still had yet to encounter many. 

Maintaining a monotonous yet relentless cycle of training, he even minimized his meals, causing his body to grow thinner. 

Meanwhile, the outside world had undergone significant changes. 

The World Government officially implemented the Warlord system, and the first pirate invited to join was Boa Hancock, the recently famed captain of the Kuja Pirates. 

With the emergence of the first Warlord, the chaotic era had reached a boiling point.

Time passed quietly. 

Arashi's black hair had grown longer, draping messily over his shoulders. 

The chains piercing his back had become a part of him, and the shackles on his feet barely hindered his movements.

In fact, under these extreme conditions, he had learned to move with even greater precision. 

True warriors never complain about their environment. The harsher the conditions, the faster they adapt and grow stronger. 

Another year passed, bringing the calendar to 1512.

By now, he had fully assimilated into Beast Hell.

Not only had he formed a peculiar camaraderie with the jailer beasts, but he had also built strong relationships with the prisoners. 

When he was tired, he would casually step into a random cell, ignoring the terrified expressions of its inhabitants, and sleep. 

The prisoners, bewildered yet resigned, would even offer him food as a sign of goodwill. 

Once rested, he would leave the cell and resume his battles. This further fueled the inmate's confusion about his identity.

"He… even has the keys to the cells?!" A fellow prisoner possessing keys to Impel Down's cells—it was an absurd notion. Yet, the prison remained undisturbed. 

....

Meanwhile, beyond its walls, on the island of Foolshout—

"Boss Tiger!!" "Hurry! Brother Tiger is seriously injured!" 

"He's losing too much blood! He needs a transfusion!" 

Arlong, Jinbe, and the other Fish-Men trembled as they surrounded Fisher Tiger, who lay gravely wounded. 

They had just completed their mission of escorting the former slave Koala back to her home, only to be ambushed by Marines after being betrayed by the island's residents.

Fisher Tiger, leader of the Sun Pirates, had suffered fatal injuries in the battle and was now barely clinging to life. 

"This is a Marine ship! Only human blood is available!" A Fish-Man rushed over with a bundle of blood packs. 

"Quick! Give him a transfusion!" Jinbe shouted. 

The crew's doctor immediately moved to begin the procedure, but Fisher Tiger, who had been unconscious, suddenly opened his eyes and gripped the doctor's arm.

"I… I still can't let go!" A complicated expression washed over Fisher Tiger's face as he sighed. 

"I was once a slave!" His words sent shockwaves through Arlong, Jinbe, and the rest of the crew.

"I've always preached equality, yet deep inside, I can never truly accept it!" Grief overtook his face.

"Brother Tiger!" Arlong wept bitterly, clutching his captain's hand. "But only human blood can save you!" 

Jinbe, too, was silently crying. "I can never love humans!" Fisher Tiger closed his eyes. He had already made his decision. 

He would leave this world just as he was. Perhaps, for him, this was fate.

As the sea breeze blew, he could feel the wind brushing against his broken body. 

The memories of his life flashed before his eyes. "Let me go… this is my end."

"True reconciliation can only come by not passing my hatred for humans onto the next generation."

Fisher Tiger thought to himself as he felt his life slipping away, his consciousness fading fast. 

The images before his eyes flashed more and more rapidly. 

Suddenly, a figure appeared before him—a man with a cropped black haircut, clad in a white Marine uniform, a sword at his waist, and a "Justice" cape billowing behind him. 

He stood there, gazing down at him in silence.

"Vice Admiral Arashi!" Fisher Tiger was taken aback.

"Is this all there is, Fisher Tiger? It seems you still don't understand the true meaning of equality!"

"If even you can't achieve equality, then tell me—who among the Fish-Men can? Who in this world can?"

The voice grew louder, echoing like thunder in his mind, sending jolts of energy through Fisher Tiger's head. 

His eyes snapped open, and he suddenly grasped the arm of the ship's doctor, who had been about to leave in despair.

"Transfuse the blood! Give me a transfusion!"

The ship's doctor turned back in shock. Just a moment ago, Fisher Tiger had been at death's door—how had he suddenly opened his eyes again?

"I just remembered... there's something important I still need to do!" 

Fisher Tiger said hoarsely. His body was on the brink of collapse, death looming over him, yet his spirit burned fiercely.

"Quick, save the captain!" Arlong shouted in excitement. The entire Sun Pirates crew erupted into cheers.

As human blood flowed into their captain's body, the Fish-Men finally breathed a sigh of relief. He could still be saved! 

There was still hope! Fisher Tiger felt strength gradually returning to his limbs and exhaled deeply.

"No matter what doubts I have, no matter how much I wish to leave this world behind... I must see him one last time!"

Fifteen minutes later, his injuries had stabilized for the time being. But just as the crew began to relax, another crisis arose.

"A Marine Admiral is here!!"

The sudden announcement made Jinbe's face change dramatically.

Fisher Tiger slowly stood up, his expression calm as he issued his final order as captain.

"Everyone, take the lifeboats from the Marine ship and leave immediately! I will hold off the enemy!"

Arlong tried to protest, but one look from Fisher Tiger silenced him.

The crew hurriedly evacuated while Fisher Tiger steered the Marine warship toward the approaching enemy without hesitation while still receiving his transfusion.

"So... staying alive does have its uses after all!"

Fisher Tiger thought to himself, watching the enemy ship grow closer, a faint smile appearing on his face.

He didn't notice the tense yet determined figure hiding in the ship's cabin behind him.

As the two ships neared each other, Fisher Tiger finally saw the man standing at the bow.

"Marine Admiral... Aokiji!"

A voice of shock sounded from behind him. Fisher Tiger's expression changed as he quickly turned around, only to see Arlong hiding in the cabin.

"Arlong!"

"I told you to retreat with Jinbe and the others!"

Seeing his captain's anger, Arlong flinched, but then he clenched his fists and shouted,

"Captain Tiger! I, Arlong, am a Fish-Man who values loyalty! How could I abandon you and leave you behind?"

Fisher Tiger's eyes softened at those words. He sighed and walked over, placing a firm hand on Arlong's shoulder.

"Foolish!"

But in the end, his voice was tinged with anger. Arlong shrank back, not daring to argue. In Fish-Man District, no one he respected and admired more than the man standing before him.

The Marine warship quickly arrived.

"Fisher Tiger. What a coincidence," Aokiji said lazily.

With his arrival, a wave of cold air swept across the sea and the two ships.

Arlong shivered as he watched a layer of white frost rapidly form on the deck. Within two breaths, his body felt stiff. 

Looking down, his eyes widened in horror. His legs up to his waist had already been frozen solid. Before he even realized it, he had lost all ability to move.

A Marine Admiral... was such a terrifying existence? "Admiral Aokiji! Before you capture me, I have a question!" Fisher Tiger shouted.

Arlong turned toward his captain, seeing that he was also covered in ice, his body half-frozen.

"Oh? Go ahead and ask, but I can't guarantee I'll answer," Aokiji replied indifferently. "I heard he was promoted to Admiral last year."

Fisher Tiger crossed his arms, showing no fear.

"Arashi?" Aokiji's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the Fish-Man before him.

"Admiral Arashi has done me a great kindness! Before I'm thrown into a prison cell, I wish to see him and personally thank him one last time!"

Fisher Tiger's voice rang loud and clear.

"That guy does have connections everywhere, huh," Aokiji muttered. Then, his gaze fell on the two frozen Fish-Men before him.

"I'll take you to see him."

As his voice faded, the ice around the two Fish-Men solidified completely, encasing them like statues.

To the world and the Marines, Fisher Tiger was both a high-level threat and a remarkable man.

Even Aokiji, a Marine Admiral, harbored a deep respect for him.

But upon hearing that he was connected to Arashi, Aokiji couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise. His sharp gaze landed on the two frozen Fish-Men.

"Impel Down... is not a pleasant place."

....

That same year, in the East Blue, Shanks lost his left arm while saving Luffy and entrusted the boy with his straw hat.

Fish-Men were officially banned from attending a World Government meeting.

At a golden fruit auction held by Donquixote, a man with ash-green hair shouted about freedom and equality as he stole the coveted treasure.

That man would later be known worldwide as the Golden Emperor. One month after Fisher Tiger's capture at Impel Down—

Clang!

The sound of chains rattling echoed through the dark, lightless corridor.

"This... is the world's most secure prison, Impel Down?!"

Arlong trembled, his voice shaking as he stared into the oppressive darkness ahead.

"That's right. Now, move along," Aokiji replied indifferently.

Fisher Tiger's face remained expressionless as he silently followed the guards. After a brief handover, Aokiji turned and left.

"Fisher Tiger? You're quite the big shot! But according to Admiral Aokiji's orders, you'll be sent to the Beast Hell!"

"As for this guy, you'll stay in the Crimson Hell!" the prison guard said with a grin.

Fisher Tiger silently took note of the name "Beast Hell." His heart was heavy with regret. Impel Down—the world's most secure prison. 

Once inside, there was no hope of ever leaving. That meant he could no longer hope to see Arashi again. 

Since Aokiji captured him, he had never seen him, and now, he had ended up here.

Moments later, Fisher Tiger and Arlong were separated. 

He watched as Arlong was escorted to the first level—Crimson Hell—while he was taken further down to the second level, a vast but ominous space filled with an unsettling atmosphere.

"This is Beast Hell!" the prison guard announced.

After cautiously leading him through the hallway, the guard shoved him into a cell, locked the door, and sprinted away.

"A new guy?"

"A Fish-Man, huh?"

The prisoners inside barely spared him a glance before losing interest. Fisher Tiger sat cross-legged in silence, momentarily lost in thought. 

But he had no regrets—by holding off, Aokiji, Jinbe, and the others had secured their freedom.

As long as they remained in the world, the Sun Pirates would continue to exist, and the ideals of equality and freedom would never fade.

"I wonder if I'll ever see Vice Admiral Arashi again," he sighed.

Time flew by. A year passed.

The World Government invited Jinbe, captain of the Sun Pirates, to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea. 

Jinbe agreed on the condition that Fisher Tiger and Arlong be released. 

However, the World Government only freed Arlong, ignoring Fisher Tiger's release.

More time passed.

Fisher Tiger remained in Impel Down, enduring prison life's dull, repetitive routine. 

Over the years, he gradually adapted to the dark and endless confinement. 

He saw the demonic guards patrolling Beast Hell's corridors and often heard prisoners whispering about the rumored "monster" of the level.

Curious about Arashi's whereabouts, he asked around, but only older inmates had anything to say.

"Arashi?"

"You mean that young Marine who's been rising through the ranks? I heard he's Garp's disciple?"

Hearing this, Fisher Tiger was speechless. He realized that prisoners in Impel Down had a completely different sense of time from the outside world.

Another year passed.

The year was now 1514 in the Sea Circle Calendar. 

Donquixote Doflamingo had joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea and seized control of Dressrosa, making global headlines.

Fisher Tiger still had not seen the so-called "monster" of Beast Hell.

By 1515, the world had settled into a new balance, with the Seven Warlords firmly established and new rulers emerging in the New World.

Inside Impel Down, everything remained as lifeless as ever. Fisher Tiger had lost track of time. 

His days were numb and mechanical, his sense of purpose fading. He no longer knew how long he had been imprisoned nor whether he would ever leave.

Some of his fellow prisoners had gone insane, while others had long since turned to skeletons, slumped against the walls, their empty eye sockets staring into nothingness.

"One day, I'll probably die like this too," he muttered, his eyes dimming. Suddenly, distant screams and shouts echoed through the hallway.

"It's coming!"

"The monster is back!"

"It's been quiet for so long, but he's finally on a rampage again!"

"Yeah! Go, monster! Crush those demonic guards!"

"Monster! Monster! Monster!"

The once-deadly silent Beast Hell was now filled with feverish excitement. 

Prisoners scrambled to the front of their cells, pressing their faces against the bars, eagerly staring down the dark corridor.

"What's down there?"

"What is this 'monster'?"

Fisher Tiger, also intrigued, moved to the front of his cell, curious.

"Haha! What's down there?"

"More demonic guards—stronger, crazier ones!"

"And the monster!!"

A scrawny prisoner with a wild grin let out a cackling laugh, his eyes gleaming with madness.

"You'll see him soon enough!"

"Monster!!"

The prisoners shrieked like lunatics.

Fisher Tiger understood their excitement. The mind could easily crumble into madness in a place where darkness was eternal and time was meaningless.

"BOOM!"

A deafening crash echoed from the depths of the corridor, shaking the very ground and rattling the cells.

"ROAAAR!!"

A beastly roar followed, and a gust of wind rushed through the hallway. A massive shadow charged forward, barreling through the corridor.

As it reached Fisher Tiger's cell, it crashed onto the ground with a loud thud, rolling over a hundred meters before stopping.

"The monster is here!"

Prisoners howled in excitement, their cheers reaching a frenzy.

A figure dashed forward, dragging chains so tightly that they stretched to their limit, clanking as they strained against his movement.

"It's him! That's the monster of Impel Down!"

The prisoners roared his name.

Fisher Tiger's eyes narrowed as he looked at the so-called "monster."

The figure was tall but emaciated—nothing but skin and bones. Heavy SeaStone shackles bound his feet, and thick chains pierced through his back. 

His tattered clothing barely clung to his body, making him look more like a crazed vagrant than a fearsome warrior.

His long black hair fell messily over his face, hiding his expression from view.

"A… monster?"

Fisher Tiger was stunned. He had imagined some terrifying beast, but this—this was just a broken man.

"ROAR!!"

A thunderous roar erupted behind him.

A massive, hundred-meter-long crocodile-headed demonic guard lunged, its jaws wide open, ready to snap down on the so-called monster.

"Heh…"

The figure smirked.

"You're not the one I'm looking for."

Despite the incoming attack, he didn't move an inch. But just as the beast's fangs were about to sink into his head, his entire body suddenly tensed.

"Iron Body!"

A visible ripple spread thirty meters outward from his body.

CRACK!

The sound of teeth shattering echoed through the corridor.

The crocodile-like beast let out a pained whimper as its broken fangs fell to the ground.

Then, in one swift motion, the "monster" leaped into the air, bringing both feet together and stomping down viciously onto the beast's skull.

"BOOM!"

The ground cracked and collapsed, and the beast let out a muffled whimper before losing consciousness.

Fisher Tiger sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide in shock. This man had just taken down a massive demonic guard beast with ease.

And that move… Was that the Rokushiki technique?

A Marine?!

As Fisher Tiger questioned his thoughts, the "monster" suddenly turned his head and looked directly at him.

A grin spread across his face.

"Fisher Tiger… so you're still alive."

Fisher Tiger froze.

(T/N: This Arc is so chaotic. The author wants to use time skip but still put content in each year.)

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


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.