A massive Marine warship glided steadily along the coast of Marineford, its sails full of wind and its decks alive with tension.
Ashveil lay stretched out across the planks, the faint curve of a smile on his lips. His eyes were half-lidded, yet his mind was anything but idle. Soon, he would step foot inside the depths of Impel Down's Sixth Floor. That was where his true path would begin.
If he could make use of Impel Down's power, the Whitebeard Pirates' losses could be reduced. But there was something else lurking in the back of his mind—forces hidden behind the Marines themselves.
The Cipher Pol agencies, the Gorosei, the brilliance of Vegapunk's technology, and above them all… that ancient monster, Imu.
Even as a transmigrator, he could not predict the scope of their power. If Marine Headquarters itself were ever destroyed, who could say if those hidden giants would finally move?
With sunlight falling perfectly across his face, Ashveil allowed himself to drift into sleep. To those watching, aided by the ability of his Appearance Fruit, he looked like nothing more than an unconscious prisoner worn down from battle.
Vice Admiral Yamakaji stood nearby, cigar clamped between his teeth, his sharp gaze resting on the young man. He had to admit, Ashveil's performance earlier had shocked him to the core.
This youth had stormed Marineford alone. His Conqueror's Haki had flattened twenty thousand Marine elites in a single instant. And even then, it had taken the combined might of the Three Admirals just to subdue him.
Rare. Too rare. To show such strength and fearlessness at such a young age—this man could already stand alongside the Four Emperors.
The memory alone made Yamakaji's brow dampen with sweat.
"Oi, you two," he barked to the Marines standing watch, "add more Sea Stone shackles. If this monster finds a chance to move, we'll all be sleeping at the bottom of the sea!"
The soldiers paled at the thought but obeyed immediately, layering Ashveil's arms and legs with clinking restraints.
The journey from Marineford to Impel Down was swift, carried by the powerful ocean currents. Before long, the looming silhouette of the prison fortress came into view. At first it was only a black speck on the horizon, but its ominous form quickly grew clearer.
At the docks, waiting in person, stood Chief Warden Magellan and several high-ranking officers. Among them was the round-bellied Hannibal, already looking restless at the sight of the incoming ship.
When the warship finally moored, Ashveil stirred. His eyes opened, calm yet sharp, and he allowed his gaze to sweep across the fortress. Even without entering, he could sense the suffocating aura that hung over Impel Down like a shroud. This place truly deserved its reputation as an impregnable hell.
Vice Admiral Yamakaji disembarked first, saluting Magellan and Hannibal before letting out a low breath of smoke.
"This one… his strength is beyond ordinary," Yamakaji muttered, voice heavy with caution.
Magellan pressed a hand to his stomach, enduring the constant sting of his own poison. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Ashveil.
"So young," he murmured. "And yet Sengoku himself ordered me to escort him into Level Six of Impel Down."
Yamakaji's response was grim. "You don't know. This kid used his Conqueror's Haki to knock out twenty thousand Marines at Marineford. It took the Two Admirals and One Vice Admiral to bring him down."
"What?!" Magellan's face hardened. Sengoku had not mentioned that. He had only repeated one thing—that this prisoner must be sealed personally in the depths of Level Six.
Now the meaning was clear.
Beside them, Hannibal's jaw dropped. "That's impossible! Someone this young… with power like that… in Level Six, even among legends, he could stand at the top!"
Ashveil chuckled inwardly, though his expression remained unreadable. They hadn't even seen his full strength yet. When the time came, they would learn the truth.
Magellan shoved Hannibal aside and strode forward, his heavy steps echoing against the stone. "I understand. I'll escort him personally. He goes straight to Level Six."
With Magellan leading, Ashveil in the center, and Yamakaji watching closely from behind, the group descended into the fortress.
It was Yamakaji's first time inside Impel Down. His sharp eyes scanned every corner, wary of the strange atmosphere that permeated the prison.
Magellan, perhaps out of pride, began explaining. "This is Level One—the Crimson Hell. All prisoners must undergo a baptism before confinement."
"Baptism?" Yamakaji raised an eyebrow.
"Boiling water at one hundred degrees. To cleanse and disinfect the incoming criminals."
Ashveil was shoved forward into the steaming pool. The water hissed and bubbled, but he only gave a faint laugh. For him, this heat was no more than a lukewarm bath.
Once the baptism was done, they proceeded deeper into Crimson Hell.
The forest stretched out in eerie silence, its trees bristling with razor-sharp leaves, the grasses hardened into needles that pierced flesh. Venomous spiders and cruel guards drove prisoners endlessly through this living nightmare.
Yamakaji frowned, cigar smoldering between his teeth. Even as a battle-hardened Marine, the sight unsettled him. These were criminals with minor offenses, and yet their punishment was this unrelenting torment.
Ashveil's gaze lingered on the bloodstained earth. His expression gave nothing away, but deep within, his thoughts were clear.
This was only the beginning.
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