The look of contempt in Arthur's eyes only fueled Magellan's killing intent.
"Fire! Shoot him full of holes!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The prison guards, already on edge, pulled their triggers in unison. A storm of bullets ripped through the air toward Arthur.
"Lightning Shield!"
With a low growl, lightning flared to life around Arthur, wrapping him in a shimmering electric barrier that deflected every bullet before it could reach him.
The guards froze in disbelief.
"What the hell—he's a Devil Fruit user?!"
"That's impossible! How could a Devil Fruit user be on Level Two without Sea-Prism cuffs?"
Even Magellan's expression shifted.
"So you're a Devil Fruit user. No wonder you're so arrogant. But do you really think you can defeat me? Guards, fall back!"
The guards didn't argue. They knew better—Magellan's Venom-Venom Fruit was as deadly to allies as to enemies. When he fought seriously, you stayed out of the way if you wanted to live.
Arthur shook his head lightly.
"I know I can't beat you—yet. And I've got more important things to do, so I'll be taking my leave."
Magellan sneered. "You think you can just walk out? Let's see you dodge this—Venom Pufferfish!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Globs of venom shot from Magellan's body, expanding into dozens of grotesque pufferfish before hurtling toward Arthur.
"Heh, too slow," Arthur chuckled, arms still crossed, making no move to dodge.
The watching guards grinned as the poisonous projectiles closed in.
"Hah! He's frozen in fear!"
"Even a Logia user can't withstand the Chief Warden's poison!"
"Dead man walking—serve him right for showing off!"
"Long live the Warden!"
"Long live—"
Their cheers died abruptly.
The instant the venom touched Arthur—he moved.
Still as a mountain, swift as lightning.
For a heartbeat, no one could see what happened. His body blurred, vanishing into streaks of blue light. Within the storm of venom, flashes of electricity danced back and forth, too fast for the eye to follow.
When he reappeared in the same spot a moment later, the toxic pufferfish splattered harmlessly against the wall behind him. His body was untouched—not a single drop of venom had landed.
Hissss—
Everyone around him sucked in a breath. Eyes wide, jaws slack—they couldn't believe what they'd just witnessed.
Too fast.
It was beyond comprehension. Even Magellan's face twisted in shock.
Impossible… I couldn't track him at all!
As the Warden of Impel Down, Magellan wasn't some run-of-the-mill Devil Fruit user. He possessed Observation Haki, and yet—even that hadn't been able to sense Arthur's movements.
This youth was far beyond anything he'd imagined.
"Venom Giant!"
Magellan roared, pushing his fruit to the limit. His body expanded, surging to a ten-meter-tall colossus of pulsing, purple-red poison. The air itself burned with the venom's potency; the metal floor beneath him began to corrode and hiss.
Arthur's pupils contracted. He didn't dare underestimate this—his new powers were formidable, but he didn't yet know how well his Lightning Shield could handle that level of corrosive toxin.
He clenched his fists and drew deeply on his chakra, channeling it through his body. Lightning roared to life, bright enough to dazzle every guard in the hall.
He sprinted straight at Magellan's monstrous form.
To the guards, it looked like suicide.
"He's crazy!"
"No one can fight the Warden head-on!"
"He's just digging his own grave!"
Most of them lowered their guns, convinced it was already over.
But then—
"Strongest Spear—Break!"
"Venom Dragon!"
Their shouts collided.
Zzzzap—BOOM!
Arthur, his entire body wreathed in lightning, thrust his right arm forward. A spear of pure electricity erupted from his fist, cutting through the air like divine judgment. The arc left a burning trail that split the darkness.
The massive venom dragon Magellan had unleashed lunged to meet it—only to be split in half the instant they touched.
The spear tore through the venom dragon as if it were smoke, driving forward with unstoppable momentum. Arthur pierced clean through Magellan's giant form, lightning bursting from the impact.
When the blinding glow faded, Arthur stood behind Magellan.
The Warden's body shrank back to normal size, smoke curling from the gaping hole in his abdomen.
Fusion with the Third Raikage—truly terrifying.
Even Arthur himself was momentarily stunned by the sheer power of the attack. His Lightning Shield had withstood even Magellan's most corrosive toxins without a single burn.
"So even that kind of poison can't hurt me, huh…" he murmured, a thrill running through him. "I wonder what'll happen when I face someone using Haki."
While the guards gawked in disbelief, Arthur's excitement only grew.
"Sorry, Warden—but I'll have to excuse myself."
Without another glance, he turned and sprinted downward toward Level Six.
His strength might have skyrocketed, but even he wasn't reckless enough to stay put after causing this much chaos. If an Admiral came down here, even lightning wouldn't save him.
Best to finish the check-in first.
For a long moment, silence ruled Level Four. The guards stood frozen, the only sound the faint crackle of lightning flickering from Magellan's body.
Then someone finally found their voice.
"W–what the hell was that?!"
"Monster! He's a monster!"
"He pierced the Chief Warden—straight through his venom giant form!"
"Even that lethal poison couldn't harm him!"
All eyes turned to Magellan. His black coat hung in tatters, and his hand clutched a gaping, smoking wound in his gut. Lightning still flickered from within the hole, searing his flesh.
Hisss—
Another collective gasp rippled through the crowd. One guard's legs gave out completely, dropping him to the floor with a wet sound and a dark stain spreading beneath him.
By the time the panic settled in, Arthur had already reached the glowing check-in pillar deep on Level Six.
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host. Check-in at Impel Down Level Six successful. Reward: Roger's Three Types of Haki. Would you like to learn it now?"
Arthur's eyes widened.
"Holy crap—seriously?!"
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