The flame-tinged slash flashed across the air.
For a moment, time itself seemed to freeze.
The pirates' mocking grins, their curses and jeers—all stayed rigidly on their faces.
A cold wind swept through the corridor.
It blew away the heat.
And with it—
blew the pirates themselves to dust.
Their bodies crumbled like centuries-old weathered rock, dissolving into the silver-white world with a single breath of wind.
"What terrifying swordsmanship… enough to make one tremble."
Naiozu inhaled sharply, half in awe, half in fear.
"I didn't get many keys. The rest is up to you."
Jin tossed a handful of keys casually into Naiozu's arms.
"And remember—
I was never here."
"Of course, Chief Jailer! You're the embodiment of blazing fire—why would you ever descend into Frozen Hell to suffer?"
Naiozu clutched the keys excitedly, striding deeper into the snow.
"And so, the one who frees every prisoner…
will be me—Naiozu, King of Frozen Hell!"
Watching him disappear, Jin muttered blankly,
"Running that fast… afraid I'd kill you, are you?"
"Well, you're not wrong.
People who know too much rarely live long.
Once they deal with the riots above…
and Frozen Hell sinks into chaos…
you'll have outlived your usefulness."
"But first… I need to get back."
His footsteps were heavy, deliberate—seemingly slow, yet in moments he reached the exit.
The door to Blazing Hell opened.
Jin had barely walked a few steps when he spotted four figures waiting not far away—
Longinus among them.
Yarvis's expression was complicated.
"Jin… tell me. Why?"
Magellan was far less restrained.
"Jin, you bastard! What did you do in Frozen Hell?!"
Jin's cold gaze swept across them—
and finally rested on Longinus.
"So you already know.
I don't understand how things ended up like this…
but I assume I lost to you, didn't I?
Marine Hero—Major Longinus."
"Even without me, your plot would never have succeeded.
Justice always triumphs over evil."
Longinus spoke righteously—
though inwardly he wondered,
In the original timeline, did he also betray Impel Down because his crimes were exposed?
Will he escape here too?
If he can flee from Yarvis—who is Admiral-level—and three equal-strength fighters… then perhaps I need to reassess his potential.
"What is justice?"
Jin's voice rumbled behind the mask.
"Justice is the will of the strong."
"Utter nonsense!"
Magellan roared.
"You're no different from the pirates you slaughter!"
"How childish."
Jin snorted, then turned to the man leaning against a wall, watching with amusement.
"Shiryu. I know you have no interest in the Director's position. But let me warn you—
when Magellan becomes Director, your 'good days' will be over."
"…Is that so? Then we'll deal with it when the time comes."
Shiryu bit down on his cigar, unfazed.
Then Yarvis, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"Jin… if you're willing to admit your wrongs and accept punishment, I can consider giving you a chance to start over."
"Director, you can't be serious!"
Magellan shouted, stunned.
Yarvis raised a hand to quiet him.
"Some pirates dying is no real loss.
Your true crime is betraying your comrades.
If you can apologize to Magell—"
"No need."
Jin cut him off coldly.
"Even in death, I will never bow to the weak."
"Y–You… who are you calling weak?!"
"Who else?
The waste of flesh who'll one day drown in his own poison while sitting on the toilet."
"Y–YOU—!"
Magellan nearly choked on his own fury.
"…Then there is nothing left to discuss."
Yarvis straightened, all emotion leaving his face.
His aura surged like a tidal wave.
"Perhaps I will lose in combat…" Jin said calmly,
"…but when it comes to speed, the result is far less certain."
He stomped down, shattering the floor—
plunging straight into the depths of Frozen Hell.
At the same time—
dozens of keys shot from his hands in perfect arcs, flying toward Blazing Hell's locked cells.
"He wants to use the prisoners' riot to split our forces."
Longinus's Observation Haki had never left Jin.
The moment Jin raised his hand, Longinus foresaw his intent.
I could intercept every key… but that would break the 'image' of my Observation mastery. Blocking some is enough.
He reacted a split-second slower, intercepting only a portion.
The rest scattered into cells across the level.
"Damn! I was a step too slow!"
Longinus exclaimed, sounding frustrated.
"It's my negligence…"
Yarvis muttered in self-blame.
Magellan stared at the gaping hole in the ground.
"He didn't flee upward—he went deeper!
He must intend to release the Level 5 and even Level 6 prisoners!
We need to stop him NOW!"
Without hesitation, Magellan leapt into the pit.
Yarvis hesitated—
because the surrounding cells were beginning to echo with crazed pirate laughter.
"Director Yarvis, securing Infinite Hell is the top priority."
Longinus spoke at the perfect moment.
"Leave this level to me."
"Believe me—these pirates are no threat."
Yarvis inhaled deeply—
then nodded.
"…Fine. I'll leave it to you.
Shiryu—let's go."
With a heavy stomp, Yarvis widened the hole to fit his massive frame, grabbed Shiryu, and dropped into the abyss.
As their silhouettes vanished, Longinus exhaled softly.
"Perfect.
Everything is unfolding exactly as I wished."
His gaze swept across Blazing Hell.
"Time to get moving.
After all—some things can only be learned… from the dead."
Soon after, several guards rushed in.
"Warden! There are too many pirates! We can't hold them back!"
"Take the jailer beasts and guard the main gate.
Kill anyone who tries to escape."
"W–What? Warden, you can't handle all these pirates alone! It's too dangerous—we should stay and help—!"
"The ones in danger… are the pirates."
Longinus's calm composure steadied their panic.
"And if you stay here, you'll only distract me."
"If you truly wish to help—
then hold the gate to Starvation Hell, and destroy the lift controls."
The guards froze.
Destroying the lift…
Risking being trapped below…
The only explanation was—
He intended to sacrifice himself to buy them time.
Tears welled in their eyes.
"We understand!
We won't let your sacrifice be in vain!"
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