No one questioned him; everyone simply stared in disbelief, including Tsuru herself.
She hadn't expected Garp to lie about such a matter—but for now, the priority was to deal with the aftermath of Sengoku and the others.
After tending to the injured, the Marine warship slowly departed from the port, heading back toward Marineford.
They had gathered their finest this time, yet returned in complete defeat.
Throughout the journey, silence hung heavy in the air, a cloud of humiliation and grief blanketing every heart on board.
The shame itself wasn't the worst part—it was the loss.
Though Vice Admirals had been saved by Akainu, many elite Marines stationed outside the Sabaody Archipelago had perished there forever.
Sengoku and Akainu lay unconscious, Aokiji had only just regained consciousness, and Kizaru was once again heading to the New World to suppress the rampaging pirates.
Now, everything fell upon the weary shoulders of Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Back on the Sabaody Archipelago, after the Marines' retreat, Kaito stood proudly on the ground.
He crouched down and pressed his palm against the earth.
A deep hum echoed as invisible ripples expanded outward in all directions.
Wherever they passed, the frost melted away and life returned to the island.
The air warmed, color seeped back into the surroundings, and spring seemed to return to the battered land.
Kaito's expression didn't change.
He wasn't a bloodthirsty maniac—these Marines were simply following orders.
Letting them live meant they could continue hunting pirates and protecting civilians.
With that thought, his figure blurred and vanished from the spot.
Across the endless blue sea, a colossal structure loomed from the waves—its shadow cast like a fortress of despair.
Beneath its iron surface, monstrous Sea Kings glided silently through the depths.
It was Impel Down, the greatest prison in history—home to the most dangerous criminals to ever roam the seas.
Since its creation, no one had ever escaped—except for Golden Lion Shiki, who had severed his own legs to break free, aided by his Float-Float Fruit.
A faint ripple appeared in the air, and Kaito stepped out calmly.
His gaze swept across the massive structure before a small smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
In the next instant, his figure blurred, and he stood before the iron gates of Impel Down.
"Who goes there?!"
Two guards raised their weapons, eyes filled with alarm.
Kaito ignored them.
A flicker of motion—and both guards collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Suddenly, a shrill red alarm echoed throughout the prison.
The corridors trembled with the sound of rushing footsteps and shouted orders.
From the crowd emerged a tall woman with wavy blonde hair, her tight brown uniform hugging her athletic frame—Domino, the head jailer.
"Who are you?! What are you doing here?" she shouted, her voice firm despite the tension.
"I'm here to find someone," Kaito replied indifferently.
"Send whoever's in charge to see me."
As he spoke, a wave of immense pressure burst from his body.
The very air trembled under the weight of his Conqueror's Haki.
The guards around him felt as though they were adrift on a raging ocean, crushed under the force of an invisible mountain.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
One by one, the guards collapsed to their knees, drenched in sweat, gasping desperately for air.
Only Domino remained standing—her legs trembling, yet her eyes filled with defiance.
Kaito's gaze softened slightly.
"Go get Magellan. I'm not interested in you," he said coldly.
Then, without waiting for her response, he strode toward the inner gate.
"Tell him to come quickly," his voice echoed behind him. "Otherwise, I'll go down there myself."
With that, his silhouette vanished into the depths of the prison.
Impel Down was divided into six levels, each reserved for criminals according to their bounties and crimes.
Level One: Crimson Hell
Level Two: Beast Hell
Level Three: Starvation Hell
Level Four: Blazing Hell
Level Five: Frozen Hell
Level Six: Eternal Hell
Among them, Blazing Hell, the fourth level, served as the office of Chief Warden Magellan.
Between the fifth and sixth floors lay a secret level—Level 5.5, known as "Newkama Land," created by the Revolutionary Army commander, Emporio Ivankov.
As Kaito walked across the burning fields of Crimson Hell, the sharp, bladed grass and pools of blood vaporized beneath his steps.
He was deep in thought, considering which powerful figures still resided within Impel Down's depths.
Only two came to mind.
One was Douglas Bullet, the demonic heir of the Roger Pirates, a man who had once fought against the entire world alone.
The other was Redfield, the "Red Count," whose strength once rivaled Roger and Whitebeard themselves.
Those two alone were worth his attention.
The rest could rot in their cells.
Meanwhile, within Blazing Hell, the Warden's Office…
Inside a dark chamber filled with the stench of venom, Magellan—his wings black and body covered in a thick coat—sat on the toilet, listening grimly to Domino's report through the Den Den Mushi.
"I understand," he replied solemnly. "Let him come. I'll deal with him on the Blazing Floor myself."
"Understood!" Domino's voice crackled through the line before it went silent.
Magellan stood, grimacing. "Tch… another reckless fool who doesn't know fear."
Finishing his business, he flushed, grabbed a roll of paper, and disappeared in a burst of violet poison gas.
Just outside the office, Hannyabal—his rotund figure blocking the corridor—jumped in surprise.
"Director! I heard an intruder broke into Impel Down! Why aren't we sending a squad to capture him?!"
"You came at the right time, Hannyabal," Magellan said coolly. "You stay here. I'll handle the intruder myself."
Before Hannyabal could protest, Magellan's body dissolved into a torrent of purple mist, vanishing down the corridor.
On the third floor, known as Starvation Hell, the air was suffocating.
The heat from the Blazing Floor below made it unbearable, and prisoners here were emaciated, barely clinging to life.
As Kaito stepped in, his sharp eyes scanned the near-dead figures scattered across the ground.
Then, the air trembled.
A massive figure emerged before him, blocking the light like a mountain.
His presence was suffocating, his purple aura thick with venom.
"Boy," the man growled, his tone commanding. "Are you the one who dared trespass into Impel Down?"
Kaito's eyes met his.