The air was thick with the aroma of rich, savory food.
To ensure the highest standards of logistics and nutrition, Sanji had unceremoniously taken full control of the prison's kitchen. Under his command, dish after dish was prepared and brought out, each perfectly balanced between flavor and nutritional value.
"Eat as much as you can."
"You need to be full if you want the strength for special training."
"Yes, Head Chef Sanji."
The marines of the G-3 Branch devoured their meals, scraping their metal trays until they rang. Every one of them knew that an unprecedented and brutal trial was about to begin.
Renn Hawk cut into a thick slice of roasted Sea King meat, seated with Magellan and Hannyabal to either side of him.
"Rear Admiral Hawk!"
Hannyabal puffed out his stomach and waved his hands animatedly as he explained, "Impel Down is divided into six levels, each holding criminals of different threat levels. From the Crimson Hell on Level One to the Eternal Hell at the very bottom, we..."
Hawk listened patiently, nodding occasionally. Beside him, Magellan quietly used special utensils to move food to his mouth.
His mind, however, still echoed with the weight of a phone call from several days earlier. The voice on the other end had been heavier than ever before.
"Magellan, listen carefully."
"Rear Admiral Renn Hawk will lead the G-3 Branch in a two month live-combat exercise inside Impel Down."
Magellan had frowned on the spot. "Impel Down is not a training ground."
"I know."
The Fleet Admiral's voice carried an unshakable authority. "But under my authority as Fleet Admiral, I grant Rear Admiral Hawk the right to execute any prisoner inside Impel Down on the spot."
"Execution... even Level Six, the Eternal Hell...?"
"Including."
Magellan had been shaken to his core.
Impel Down, together with Marine Headquarters and Enies Lobby, formed the three major pillars of the World Government. Officially they were equal and independent.
But everyone knew the truth.
Enies Lobby was the playground of CP.
And this deep sea prison was, in essence, the Marine's backyard.
It was protected by a Marine fleet.
Most of those imprisoned here were pirates captured by the Marines.
In strict terms, Impel Down was the Marines' cage.
But now, the Fleet Admiral was handing the key to that cage to a young rear admiral.
Magellan had instinctively wanted to refuse.
But the Fleet Admiral's final words had cracked through him like thunder.
"Magellan, the era has changed."
"The Marines are changing."
"Hawk represents the future of the Marines. His soldiers represent what justice is meant to look like."
"You know as well as I do that even as Fleet Admiral, I cannot fully command those three... each with his own agenda."
"But..."
"Hawk carries something."
"Four Buster Call Authorities."
Magellan's pupils had shrunk to pinpoints.
Four Buster Calls.
One granted by Admiral Akainu.
One granted by Admiral Aokiji.
One granted by Admiral Kizaru.
And one granted by the Fleet Admiral himself.
This was not authorization.
This was the highest ranks of the entire Marine structure placing absolute trust and responsibility upon one man.
Magellan had glanced at Hannyabal, who had been chattering nonstop.
Ever since learning of Hawk's achievements, the man he once assumed to be his successor had changed completely.
He was still ambitious, still dreaming of replacing Magellan, but...
He was no longer lazy or cutting corners.
He worked overtime.
He reorganized years of neglected prisoner records.
He studied defensive weaknesses of the prison.
He attempted dieting and exercise, though he inevitably rebounded even larger.
His desk was buried in reports from Marine Headquarters detailing Hawk's exploits.
In his eyes, there was something new.
A light Magellan had never seen before.
A light called belief.
So this was the power of an idol.
For the first time, Magellan felt something stir inside him.
Perhaps the future truly did belong to these young and driven men.
With that thought, his final hesitation dissolved.
His chair scraped against the floor as Magellan slowly stood. He straightened the collar on his chest and saluted Hawk.
"Rear Admiral Hawk."
"Hannyabal is in your care."
His voice carried across the cafeteria.
Then Magellan lowered his hand and gently patted Hannyabal on the shoulder.
"Hannyabal."
"Ah? Yes! I am here!"
Hannyabal jolted back to reality and stood upright.
"My stomach is acting up again."
"So for the next two months, you will temporarily act as Chief Warden."
"All operations of Impel Down are under your authority."
"You must fully assist Rear Admiral Hawk."
"I need to rest and recuperate."
With that, Magellan hurried toward the restroom, holding his stomach, leaving only a resolute silhouette behind.
Hannyabal's mind completely froze.
Me?
This happiness came far too suddenly.
Hawk rose slowly and returned the salute toward Magellan's departing back. The man known as the strongest within the prison had acknowledged what was about to unfold in his own way.
This world-renowned prison had now fully opened its gates to him and to the G-3 Branch.
Hawk turned, sweeping his eyes across the Marines rising with him.
"Everyone finished eating?"
"Finished!"
Thousands of Marines answered with a thunderous roar.
Their eyes burned with hunger for strength.
"Good. Then..."
"Today, we will sweep through Level One. The Crimson Hell."
The moment his words fell, the atmosphere in the cafeteria shifted from heated to lethal.
Hawk straightened his uniform and stepped toward the still-overwhelmed Hannyabal.
"Chief Warden Hannyabal, are you ready?"
Hannyabal snapped fully awake, instinctively bracing his posture.
"Yes! I am ready, Rear Admiral Hawk!"
He drew in a deep breath.
"Pass down my orders."
"Open every cell door on Level One. The Crimson Hell."
Deep inside Impel Down, heavy metallic grinding echoed through the depths.
Screeching, dragging, splitting metal.
One by one, massive prison gates opened.
Countless eyes, feral and starved from years in darkness, stared out toward the first glimmer of light.
They could smell freedom.
Hawk's cold voice fell like a verdict of death.
Zoro and Sanji shot forward first, their bodies turning into streaks of motion as they plunged into the blood-red inferno of the Crimson Hell.
Behind them, thousands of G-3 Marines surged forward, killing intent surging like a tidal wave.
"Roar!"
"Marines? Did you come here to die?"
A pirate burst from his cell, roaring.
His head flew into the air.
[Soldier under the host has slain a prisoner from the Crimson Hell.]
[Received 500 Justice Points.]
[Slain...]
[Received...]
[Ding.]