The Great Deep-Sea Prison—Impel Down, also known as Impelton.

  This fortress, hiddeh the sea, has never seen sunlight. It is one of the "Three Gates of Justice," alongside Naval Headquarters—Marineford and the isnd that never sleeps, Enies Lobby.

  Today was a signifit day for Impel Down. The old warden had retired, and the new warden was officially assuming and of this impregnable prison.

  The new warden was her than the Paramecia Devil Fruit user, Mageln, who had ed the Poison-Poison Fruit. Despite his limited fame in the wider world, Mageln was highly regarded within the Wover's ranks. Previously serving as the vice warden, he had rarely left the fines of Impel Down.

  However, his name carried weight within the system. Even Sengoku had praised Mageln multiple times, uding him as capable, responsible, and possessing immeential. Sengoku had even gone as far as to say that Mageln's strength was on par with the Admirals of Naval Headquarters.

  And the praise was not unwarranted. Mageln's abilities were terrifyingly powerful. Within the enclosed fines of Impel Down, his poisonous powers could kill everyone in the prison within moments if unleashed at full force.

  Mageln now sat in the director's office, surrounded by several colleagues. Most was masks, while others had donned full protective suits. The reason for this was simple, Mageln's Poison-Poison Fruit abilities were oppressive. The air he exhaled was toxic, his sweat oisonous, and even his bodily funs emitted lethal toxins. It was an unavoidable side effect of his powers.

  "Hannyabal, starting today, you'll officially be the deputy warden," Mageln announced, seated at his desk.

  "I'm the warden now?!" Hannyabal excimed, clearly misinterpreting Mageln's words.

  "Deputy warden! I'm the warden!" Mageln snapped, gring at him in irritation.

  At that moment, the office's Den Den Mushi rang, and a guard's voice came through.

  "Direageln, Chief Warden Shiryu has killed two more prisoners!"

  Mageln's expression darkened immediately. "Shiryu is being more and more out of trol…" he muttered grimly.

  But just as he was about to address the matter, his stomach ed painfully. His face twisted in disfort, and he groaned, "I'll deal with him… after this."

  Pushing past Hannyabal and the others, Mageln dashed out of the office, headed straight for the restroom.

  "I swear, that bastard has diarrhea all day long," Hannyabal grumbled, clutg his gas mask. Despite wearing it, he still felt like the toxic gas lingering from Mageln's sudden fart was affeg him.

  ---

  Impel Down was officially said to have only five levels. However, very few people knew about its true secret—a hidden sixth floor, known as "Eternal Hell."

  This level housed the most heinous criminals, individuals so dangerous or notorious that the Wover had effectively erased their existence. While not all of them were immensely powerful, those who posed a severe threat to the world were invariably locked up here.

  Withiernal Hell, the atmosphere was grim, but even here, some prisoners found ways to pass the time, often by mog each other.

  "So, has the sea bee Whitebeard's pyground now?" sneered Shiki, the Golden Lion, as he leaned casually against the wall of his cell. His gaze was fixed on the massive figure in the cage opposite him. "Figures. All you trash got yourselves caught and tossed in here."

  The enormous figure sitting across from him was her than Charlotte Linlin. Her already ferocious face twisted into a more sinister snarl.

  "Shut your mouth, Shiki! You think you're so great? Didn't you end up here before me? Look at you, with that stupid rudder stu your head. Trying to py the big rooster now, huh?" Linlin shot back venomously.

  The cells surrounding Linlin's held other infamous figures as well. Tht was Dougs Bullet, while to her left was the legendary Red t, Redfield.

  "Don't pare me to you," Shiki retorted sharply. "I almost took der, but the Woverook advantage of the aftermath to lock me up. You? You got taken out in your own damory. What a joke! Don't even try to associate yourself with me or Rocks."

  "If I ever get the ce, I'll make sure to turn you into a dead lion!" Linlin growled, her voice dripping with malice.

  Meanwhile, the Red t sat quietly in his cell, maintaining his noble demeanor. His aristocratic air seemed out of p the grim surroundings of Eternal Hell. Ign the bickeriween Shiki and Linliurned his gaze toward Bullet, who sat silently in his cage.

  "You're not exerg today?" Redfield asked casually.

  Dougs Bullet, known for his releraining even in captivity, smirked. "Listening to these two idiots argue is eai enough. Taking a break for once."

  Redfield chuckled softly. "True. Things do get lively whenever someone new ends up here."

  Their versation drifted into a mog camaraderie, each man indulging in his own brand of bitteroward their situation. At some point, the topic shifted to a certain individual: Donquixote Cudius.

  "That guy's just a lucky bastard," Shiki sneered dismissively. "I almost killed him myself."

  Redfield's expression darkened slightly. "He's a ing one. Ruthless, too."

  "I haven't seen much of him," Bullet remarked, frowning slightly. "But he doesn't seem all that impressive."

  Only Linlin sneered in response.

  "Who are you to talk about impressive, Bullet?" Shiki spat, irritated.

  "You think you're still on the sea?" Linlin tered coldly. "Do you want to fight? I could crush you with one hand, you pathetic mutt!"

  The tensioween Linlin and Shiki escated quickly, their voices rising as old grievances from their time in the Rocks Pirates resurfaced. It was that the Rocks crew was infamous not only for their strength but also for their stant infighting. Clearly, those rivalries hadn't faded over time.

  Suddenly, a mog voiterrupted them.

  "Meow ha ha ha! You're all quite the characters, aren't you?"

  The voice came from a distant cell. The figure within ughed derisively before tinuing, "What's the point of all this bickering? Do you think you're still out there, free to do as you please? Don't fet, this is Impel Down. No one's ever escaped from here. Maybe you should focus on what kind of dreams you'll have tonight instead!"

  Linlin and Shiki fell silent, their expressions darkening as the weight of reality set in. Ihis was Impel Down—escape was nothing more than a fantasy.

  "Hmph. That's because I wasn't here before," Bullet muttered coldly.

  But even he offered no follow-up, and the Eternal Hell soouro its usual, oppressive quiet.

  ---

  Ba Mariejois, Cudius received a call from the Five Elders.

  "The Ope-Ope Fruit?" Cudius murmured, holding the Den Den Mushi to his ear while stroking his thoughtfully.

  "This fruit is far more important than you realize. If you uimate it, you'll regret it when you face its wielder again," came the voice of the Nusjuro.

  "Uood. This time, the Ope-Ope Fruit will be brokered by Dofmingo, ag as the intermediary through CP-X. The buyer is us—Wover. Marine forces will hahe transa. Five billion berries have been allocated for this acquisition. It is of utmost importahat this deal goes smoothly. You must cooperate fully with Marine and ehat Dofmingo doesn't mess this up," the Bald Elder expined firmly.

  Cudius nodded. "I'll make sure Dofmingo stays in line. But if something else happens, don't expect me to take the bme."

  "As long as Dofmingo does his part, there won't be any problems," the Bald Elder assured him fidently.

  Cudius chuckled but said nothing more. After a few polite exges, he ehe call.

  Setting the receiver down, Cudius smirked faintly and muttered, "Let's hope so. After all, the Rosinante you pnted doesly inspire fidence as a 'teammate.'"