In the heart of this Blazing Hell, the blazing heat was enough to melt everything in its path.
The massive boiler towered nearby, its interior consumed by raging flames that spewed endless waves of heat, twisting and warping the air around it.
The floor was covered in sheets of water, but under these extreme temperatures, the water had become boiling hot, sending up clouds of steam with sharp sizzling sounds.
Mixed within were streaks of poisonous purple liquid, surging like a violent flood and rushing straight toward the other prison blocks.
The prisoners, who had cautiously poked their heads out from behind the cell bars to take a look, were stunned speechless by the sudden terrifying sight before them.
Fear and despair were written all over their faces as their bodies trembled uncontrollably, as if they were already witnessing their own tragic fate.
Unable to escape their cells and about to be drowned by poison, this was nothing short of a catastrophe they had never asked for.
Magellan was struck head-on by Yujin's Crimson Water Dragon, his body whipping through the air like a kite with its string cut.
He crashed heavily onto the ground, slumping there in a filthy, miserable heap.
Yujin wasn't in great shape either — his body was covered in purple venom, and exhaustion tugged at every muscle.
But thanks to the antidote, the poison didn't spread.
With a burst of Water Release, the Water Mask spit out a surge of clean water that washed the venom off him, and like a patient recovering from a burning fever, Yujin slowly regained his strength and stood up once more.
Moving at incredible speed, Yujin rushed toward the prison block and began unlocking the cells one by one using the keys he'd taken from the guards he'd defeated earlier.
As each iron door swung open, a spark of hope ignited in the prisoners' eyes.
They hurried to help one another, removing shackles and freeing their companions.
In just a short span of time, half the inmates of this blazing hell had regained their freedom.
"Thank you! You're our savior!"
The prisoners cheered, and amidst the crowd, Yujin spotted some familiar faces.
His two "Skull" mentors who had taught him Observation Haki — Helan Carlson and Ugo Bennett.
And even someone he never expected to see here.
The former Marine "Iron Head," who had taught him Iron Body and Soru, imprisoned because of the Celestial Dragon incident.
All three teachers stood together, staring at him in disbelief.
Just moments ago, they had watched their cheap apprentice send the supposedly invincible Magellan of Impel Down flying like nothing.
Harlan Carlson and Ugo Bennett were still arguing loudly.
"I knew it! This boy is no ordinary person — he's my disciple!"
"It's my achievement, not yours!"
"Y-Yujin? Multiples · Infinite Yujin? I… I can't believe my own eyes!"
Ironhead rushed forward and wrapped Yujin in a big, crushing hug.
"Are you alright?"
Pirate Yujin looked at Ironhead's skull — flattened long ago by repeated blows from heavy objects.
Where was the old sparkle in his eyes?
Where was the so-called Ironhead?
This was practically a smashed iron plate for a head.
"I'm fine. And… I'm sorry. Because you taught me, you suffered all of this. The Blazing Hell is far more torturous than the Beast Hell."
Ironhead slapped Pirate Yujin hard on the back.
"What nonsense are you talking about! Teaching you is something I've never regretted. Your injustice… makes me, a former Marine, ashamed of myself. Whatever I do now, let it at least leave you a little bit of hope — a fragment of belief in justice in this world."
As Ironhead's face in front of him gradually blurred and almost turned into Iruka's, Pirate Yujin shook his head sharply.
Then he shouted at the prisoners who were still foolishly admiring their moment of freedom:
"Don't just stand there! Prisoners from the fifth and sixth levels are breaking out too! Most of the guards have been relocated! If you want this jailbreak to succeed, then free as many fighters as possible! Hurry to the third level!"
Seeing this, Ironhead also roared:
"Everyone! Follow me! I'll lead the way!"
"Kill! We have to kill our way out!! One more second in this hell and I'll lose my mind!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
But just as the crowd was about to move, a venomous dragon roared through the corridor, its fangs wide — and swallowed eight unlucky prisoners in a single gulp.
Those eight prisoners were devoured instantly, and their agonized screams burst out at once.
The poison on the dragon's body corroded them rapidly, their skin turning a disturbing shade of purple before rotting away in large patches, as if countless insects were eating them alive.
Some prisoners clawed at their own bodies in desperation, fingernails carving bloody lines across their skin, but it did nothing to ease the bone-deep pain.
Instead, their movements smeared more poison into their wounds, accelerating the spread.
Magellan stood not far away — his fury blazing like a firestorm.
His eyes looked ready to spit flame, and the muscles on his face twisted with rage.
He roared at the top of his lungs:
"All prisoners will be brought to justice! Accept your fate!"
His voice boomed like thunder, echoing through the Blazing Hell level, making even the walls tremble.
All the prisoners froze.
A moment ago, they had been shouting for freedom.
Now, their spirits collapsed, their will to resist gone.
Just as despair swallowed the room, Yujin suddenly stepped forward!
His Ghoul lineage, Curse Seal — his genetic lock — burst open fully, radiating a powerful and eerie aura.
His three-tomoe Sharingan glared fiercely as his body trembled, struggling to contain the immense power erupting inside him.
Using the last of his chakra, Yujin hurled a glowing black feather into the air.
Then he raised his head and let out a long, thunderous roar:
"Armored Lightning Feather!!"
The Lightning Feather sliced through the air, shooting straight toward Magellan.
The powerful cutting force tore forward, and even Magellan's venomous dragon made of poison looked fragile in front of it.
In just an instant, the poison dragon shattered apart.
A cold glint flashed in Magellan's eyes.
He exhaled sharply, and the purple venom around him began to boil, turning into an even more lethal crimson poison.
He swung his fist with all his strength, punching the lightning feather aside.
It brushed past the corner of his eye, leaving a long, deep scar across his face.
Magellan roared in fury, "Poison Giant Soldier — Judgment of Hell!"
The Poison Giant Soldier attacked wildly, and the burning hell-like battlefield fell into chaos and despair.
The originally noisy scene, full of hope for escape, instantly turned silent and lifeless.
Prisoners ran in every direction, and fear spread among them like a plague.
Within moments, most of the inmates had fled the area in panic.
One pirate, Yujin, failed to dodge in time and was smashed away by the Poison Giant Soldier's hammer-like strike.
He crashed down heavily, collapsing into a pool of poison inside the tunnel.
His condition was miserable.
His whole body slumped in the toxic pool, exhausted and barely able to move.
****
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