"Cough—"
From the sky, Redfield spat out a mouthful of purple poison.
Magellan, whose strength rivaled that of a Marine Admiral, used the cramped space of Level 4 to his advantage.
His giant venomous construct and the spreading poison cloud quickly filled the scorching hell with toxins.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Shiryu escaped.
Even so, Magellan fought two enemies alone and still managed to seriously injure Redfield.
Three antidote needles were stabbed into Redfield's neck.
The elderly and weakening pirate was already at the end of his strength.
"Cough… cough…"
Feeling the antidote in his body struggling against the poison eating away at him, Redfield sighed softly.
"If only there were a way in this world… to make someone young again…"
A memory flashed through Yujin's mind.
The aged Redfield had once sought the Mythical Zoan–Vampire Form Bat Bat Fruit, a Devil Fruit capable of absorbing others' lifespan, all to restore his youth and regain his peak power.
Wasn't that exactly the plot from the movie?
But that fruit wasn't part of Yujin's objectives, so there was no need to compete over it.
"If I were still in my younger years… this poison cough… I would—"
"Enough. No more talking." Yujin swung his kagune wings.
Right before him stood the gate of Impel Down.
This was the door Yujin had spent seven long years trying to see again.
Finally… finally—
"Rooaaar!!"
A terrifying roar echoed from behind him.
"Don't even think about escaping!!!"
In the dim passageway, a massive and horrifying figure was rapidly closing in on Yujin.
It was a terrifying giant formed entirely from Magellan's poison.
Dozens of meters tall, its enormous body shook the ground slightly with each thundering step.
Its skull-like red face looked like a demon crawling out from the abyss of hell.
In its hollow eye sockets flickered a sinister ghostly light.
From its gaping mouth dripped foul, red venom—each drop corroding deep pits into the floor, sending up choking black smoke.
The poison giant was unbelievably fast.
In the blink of an eye, it had already caught up to the airborne Yujin.
Sensing danger at his back, Yujin dove low, trying to evade the giant's attack.
But the rain-like spray of venom still splattered across his body.
A burning pain seared across his skin.
The poison felt almost alive as it crawled rapidly over him, attempting to dissolve his flesh.
Yet the massive gate of Impel Down—his symbol of hope—was now right in front of him.
A determined light flashed in Yujin's eyes.
Gritting his teeth, he flew toward the door with everything he had.
There was only one thought in his mind:
Break through!
However, Magellan seemed to have predicted his intentions.
Just as Yujin was about to reach the gate, a massive ball of venom shot out like a cannonball from the poison giant's hand.
It flew straight toward the entrance.
The moment the venom touched the massive gate, it spread out at frightening speed, coating the entire surface in a thick, disgusting layer—like a glob of nauseating phlegm sealing a spotless window shut.
It completely cut off Yujin's escape route, trapping him like a mosquito caught in a closed room.
"Don't even think about running! Stay in Eternal Hell forever!"
At the doorway, Ivankov and Inazuma—who had been waiting to receive Yujin—were stunned.
Ivankov shouted in alarm, "You lover boy! Hold on! Hold on!"
But her voice struggled to pass through the sticky poison. Yujin only heard fragmented sounds.
Inazuma tried to use her ability to cut through the thick metal gate of Impel Down.
But slicing open a gate several meters thick would take far too much time and strength.
In her impatience, Inazuma accidentally brushed against the venom.
She gasped in pain, quickly pulling out an antidote and injecting herself before the poison could overwhelm her.
Yujin stared at the gate sealed by venom, a wave of despair rising within him.
But that despair was quickly replaced by the fire burning in his eyes.
This was the final stretch. If he could just hold on a little longer—just survive this—then what awaited him would be the endless sea… the bright blue sky… limitless possibilities.
I… cannot fall here.
A sharp determination flashed in Yujin's eyes, and the Earth Grudge Fear masks on his body suddenly stirred.
Two mask creatures burst out from Yujin's body, forming into strange, agile beasts woven from black, vein-like threads.
The pair darted forward, rushing straight toward the venom-covered gate.
As soon as they reached it, they activated Wind Release and Water Release techniques.
The blue Wind Release mask drew in a deep breath, then blasted out a powerful gale that howled toward the thick layer of venom, trying to blow it away.
The green Water Release mask unleashed a continuous torrent of water, hammering against the venom in an attempt to thin it out and wash it off.
However… Magellan's red venom was far too sticky—like unyielding glue that clung stubbornly to the gate.
Even with all their might, the two creatures only managed to create a tiny hole in the poisonous layer. But before they could make it larger, fresh venom from above dripped down, threatening to fill the hole again.
Seeing this, Yujin grew desperate.
He looked down at the dying Redfield in his arms, and suddenly—an idea struck him.
Without hesitation, he tightened his grip on the heavily wounded Redfield, used all his strength, and hurled him straight toward the small opening they had just created.
Redfield shot through the hole like a fired arrow. But the space around the opening was narrow, and his body inevitably rubbed hard against the venom-covered edges.
The foul-smelling red venom clung to his clothes and skin like thick glue. His cloak was instantly soaked through, the once-elegant black fabric now stained and ruined.
His face wasn't spared either. Strands of hair, wet with venom, stuck to his cheeks. His skin was dotted with patches of venom, and his hands—scraped and struggling—were coated in it, trembling from the pain.
Even so, relying on sheer willpower and strength, Redfield endured the burning agony and forced himself through the venomous hole.
His figure tumbled out of Impel Down, landing heavily on the ground outside.
Ivankov, Inazuma, and the others rushed over immediately.
Without hesitation, Ivankov pulled out an antidote from her coat, crouched down, and injected it into Redfield's body.
As the antidote slowly flowed into his body, Redfield's face — previously pale from poison — gradually regained a hint of color.
His condition finally looked a little better.
But at that moment, Redfield, who was always known for his calm and deep composure, actually had his eyes turn slightly red.
This reaction was unexpected.
After all, he had possessed the ability to read the hearts of others since childhood.
He had long seen the darkness and ugliness of the world.
His heart had already been tempered into steel.
Yet in this moment, he was genuinely moved by Yujin's selfless act.
Hearing the fierce battle continuing inside the main gate, Redfield rushed toward the sea and leapt straight into the water.
****
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