The iron gates slammed shut behind them as Monkey D. Luffy and Buggy entered deeper into Impel Down.
They had reached Level 2 — Wild Beast Hell.
Roars echoed through the massive chamber as gigantic monsters prowled the prison floor. Massive cages lined the walls while prisoners cowered in fear.
Buggy shivered.
"I hate this level… I really hate this level…"
Suddenly—
A voice called out.
"Straw Hat?!"
Luffy stopped and looked around.
"Huh?"
From behind the bars stepped a man with strange wax powers.
"Don't you recognize me?!"
Luffy squinted.
"…Nope."
The man groaned in frustration.
He immediately shaped his hair into a large number "3."
Luffy's eyes widened.
"OH!"
"You're that candle guy from Baroque Works!"
The man nodded proudly.
"Yes!"
"I am Mr. 3!"
Buggy crossed his arms.
"Great. Another idiot."
Soon the three of them were moving through the corridors together.
Mr. 3 whispered to Buggy.
"We should use Straw Hat as bait."
Buggy nodded.
"Perfect plan."
They shoved Luffy forward toward a group of monstrous jail beasts.
"Go distract them!"
But the plan failed instantly.
Luffy stretched his arms.
"Gomu Gomu no… Pistol!"
BOOM!
One monster flew across the room.
Another lunged forward.
"Gomu Gomu no… Kick!"
CRASH!
The beasts were knocked out one after another.
Buggy and Mr. 3 stared in shock.
"…That wasn't supposed to happen."
Nearby prisoners began cheering.
"That clown guy saved us!"
"Follow him!"
Buggy blinked.
"…Wait what?"
More prisoners rushed toward him.
"Our savior!"
"Captain Buggy!"
Buggy's eyes sparkled.
He puffed out his chest dramatically.
"Of course!"
"I planned everything perfectly!"
"I am the great Captain Buggy!"
He began bluffing immediately.
"Yes! Follow me if you want freedom!"
The prisoners erupted in cheers.
Meanwhile—
Escaped jailers rushed through the corridors toward the control room.
They burst inside.
"WARDEN!"
Standing in the center of the room was the terrifying warden of Impel Down.
Magellan.
He looked extremely irritated.
"What is it?"
The jailer shouted.
"Straw Hat Luffy has broken into the prison!"
Magellan's eyes narrowed.
"…What?"
The jailer continued nervously.
"He's looking for Portgas D. Ace!"
Magellan stood up slowly.
His massive form towered over the room.
"Don't worry."
"I'll deal with him personally."
His eyes gleamed with anger.
"He won't reach Portgad D. Ace. That criminal is set to be transferred to Marineford."
"I'll handle that brat myself."
Then he turned to the guard.
"Contact Sengoku."
"Inform the Fleet Admiral immediately."
———————
Marine Headquarters – Fleet Admiral's Office
Inside the office at Marineford, two legendary Marines sat together.
Monkey D. Garp relaxed comfortably on the sofa, eating crackers.
Across from him, Sengoku had just received the report.
His face turned red with rage.
"DAMMIT!"
Meanwhile—
Garp burst out laughing.
"BWAHAHAHAHA!"
Sengoku slammed his fist on the desk.
"WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT THIS, GARP?!"
Garp kept laughing.
Sengoku pointed angrily.
"This is a catastrophic event that could throw all four seas into chaos!"
"That grandson of yours has caused us nothing but trouble!"
He began listing them off.
"First Enies Lobby!"
"Then the Celestial Dragons incident at Sabaody Archipelago!"
"And now—for the first time in 20 years, since that despicable Shiki—"
"That kid has ruined the reputation of the impenetrable Impel Down!"
He pointed directly at Garp.
"And to make matters worse…"
"He's the grandson of a Marine!"
"WHY IS IT YOUR GRANDSON, GARP?!"
Garp just kept laughing.
"That's impressive!"
"I'd expect no less from my grandson!"
He scratched his head.
"Still… I wonder how he escaped all those military forces."
"Maybe he flew all the way from Sabaody to Impel Down!"
Sengoku snapped.
He grabbed Garp by the collar.
"DON'T JOKE WITH ME!"
"If you weren't the Hero of the Marines, you'd be held responsible for your family's crimes!"
"He's brought shame to the Navy countless times!"
"Do you know how much work that causes for me?!"
Then Sengoku suddenly grabbed Garp's crackers from the table.
"…Hey!"
Sengoku angrily started eating them.
"Consider this compensation!"
Garp stared.
"…You thief."
————————
The iron stairs spiraled downward as the escapees rushed deeper into Impel Down.
Soon the air grew hotter and drier.
They had reached Level 3 — Starvation Hell.
The ground was cracked and barren, with prisoners collapsed from hunger inside their cages. A scorching desert wind blew through the corridors.
Running through the wasteland were Monkey D. Luffy, Buggy, and Mr. 3.
Suddenly—
A group of monstrous jail beasts burst out from behind a gate.
"ROOOAAARRR!"
Luffy stopped.
"I'll handle them!"
Buggy and Mr. 3 didn't argue.
"Good luck Straw Hat!"
They immediately ran the other direction.
Moments later—
The monsters charged.
"Gomu Gomu no—!"
But the beasts knocked Luffy away and dragged him down another corridor.
"HEY!"
Luffy vanished from sight.
Buggy and Mr. 3 froze.
"…Uh oh."
Buggy scratched his head.
"Well… we lost the idiot."
Mr. 3 adjusted his glasses.
"That's… inconvenient."
As they continued down the corridor, they suddenly heard something strange.
Tap… tap… spin…
Buggy blinked.
"…What the hell?"
Inside one of the cells—
A prisoner was performing a graceful ballet dance, spinning elegantly on one leg.
Buggy stared in disbelief.
"Who the hell is that idiot?"
Mr. 3 groaned.
"…Oh."
"It's him."
Buggy looked confused.
"You know this guy?"
Mr. 3 sighed.
"I'd rather not set him free…"
"But we might need his strength."
Buggy crossed his arms.
"Who is he anyway?"
Mr. 3 pointed at the dancing prisoner.
"That man is Bon Clay."
"Also known as Mr. 2 from Baroque Works."
Inside the cell—
The dancer suddenly noticed them.
He gasped dramatically.
"MR. 3?!"
Buggy covered his ears.
"Why is he shouting like that?!"
Mr. 3 reluctantly pulled out a wax key.
"Fine…"
"Let's get him out."
The lock melted open.
The cell door creaked.
CLICK.
The prisoner leaped out immediately.
"FREEDOM!!"
He struck a dramatic pose.
"I am the dazzling swan of the seas!"
"Bon Clay!"
Buggy stared blankly.
"…We are so dead."
————————
Elsewhere in Impel Down, deep within Level 3 – Starvation Hell, the scorching heat beat down on the cracked ground.
Luffy struggled on the ground.
A massive jail beast had pinned him beneath its claws.
"GRAAAWR!"
Luffy pushed against it.
"Get off me!"
The monster raised its claw, ready to strike—
Suddenly—
A figure leapt past Luffy in a blur.
"SWAN KICK!"
BAM!
The beast was kicked violently across the corridor.
Luffy blinked.
Standing in front of him was a familiar swordsman wearing a prisoner uniform.
Three swords at his waist.
Luffy's eyes lit up.
"Zoro?!"
The swordsman struck a dramatic pose.
Then suddenly—
His face shifted.
The appearance melted away.
The green hair vanished.
The swords disappeared.
Revealing the real person beneath.
It was Bon Clay.
Luffy tilted his head.
"…Huh."
"I guess that's not Zoro."
"But you sound kinda familiar."
Bon Clay spun dramatically.
"Been a while, Straw Boy!"
"Did you miss me, old pal?!"
Luffy's eyes widened.
"BON?!"
He grinned.
"I'd rather have Zoro…"
"But I'm glad you're okay after everything that happened!"
Before Bon Clay could respond—
Luffy suddenly grabbed him in a huge hug.
"BONNN!"
They hugged comically while spinning in circles.
"I thought for sure you guys were dead!"
"You really bailed us out last time!"
"Man, am I happy to see you!"
Bon Clay laughed loudly.
"Oh stop pulling my tail!"
He struck a flamboyant pose.
"You know swans never die!"
Then he winked dramatically.
"Because a swan… always returns for its friends!"
———————
The escapees finally descended into Impel Down's Level 4 — Blazing Hell.
The air burned like a furnace.
Rivers of boiling blood flowed beneath iron walkways, and giant cauldrons bubbled with molten liquid.
Running across one of the metal bridges were Monkey D. Luffy, Buggy, Mr. 3, and Bon Clay.
Suddenly—
A group of jailers surrounded them.
"INTRUDERS!"
Buggy immediately panicked.
"RETREAT!"
He grabbed Mr. 3 and dove behind a large iron crate.
"We were never here!"
Mr. 3 nodded nervously.
Meanwhile—
Luffy stood alone in the center of the corridor.
More jailers rushed toward him.
Bon Clay hid behind a pillar, watching nervously.
Straw Boy…
What should I do…?
Then—
A massive shadow appeared at the end of the corridor.
The jailers immediately stepped aside.
"WARDEN!"
Walking forward slowly was the terrifying warden of Impel Down.
Magellan.
His poisonous aura filled the air.
Bon Clay froze.
This is bad…
Hidden in the shadows, Bon remembered their earlier conversation.
——————-
Earlier
Bon Clay had asked while running through the prison corridors. "Straw Boy, what are you even doing here?!"
Luffy answered without hesitation. "I'm here to save my brother, Ace."
Bon blinked. "Your brother?"
Then Luffy asked, "How about you, Bon-chan?"
"What do you want to do once we get out of here?"
Bon Clay twirled dramatically.
"I want to join someone named Emporio Ivankov!"
"I want to join his kingdom!"
"The Newkama Kingdom!"
Luffy grinned.
"That sounds interesting!"
Bon nodded proudly.
"I also heard Ivankov is a member of the Revolutionary Army."
"He was captured and imprisoned somewhere in this prison."
"I plan to set him free!"
Luffy nodded happily.
"Okay!"
————————
Back to Level 4
The corridor was filled with unconscious jailers.
Luffy stood breathing heavily.
He slowly dropped to one knee.
He had already defeated dozens of guards.
Magellan watched calmly.
"…Don't you want to give up now?"
Luffy looked up.
"No way."
"I'm gonna save Ace."
"We're getting out of here!"
"I'm not gonna let Ace get executed!"
Steam suddenly began rising from Luffy's body.
"Gear Second!"
His body turned red as steam burst from his skin.
Luffy clenched his fists.
"I don't want to lose to you just because you're poisonous…"
"But seeing the situation…"
"I'd rather touch you and sacrifice my arms!"
Magellan frowned.
"…I don't want your arms."
Luffy launched forward.
"Gomu Gomu no… Jet Bazooka!"
At the moment of impact—
His fists suddenly turned black.
Magellan's eyes widened.
"…Haki?!"
BOOOOM!
Magellan was blasted backward across the bridge.
He slammed into a wall.
For a brief moment—
Silence.
But Luffy suddenly screamed.
"AAAAAGH!!"
His hands returned to normal.
The poison had already begun spreading through his body.
He collapsed to the ground in agony.
Magellan slowly stood up.
"You managed to use Haki…"
"That makes you even more dangerous."
He raised his arm.
"You will die today."
"Hydra."
Nine enormous poison dragons erupted from Magellan's body.
They lunged toward Luffy.
Luffy tried to fight back—
But the poison overwhelmed him.
Within seconds he collapsed.
His body was covered in deadly venom.
He lay motionless on the ground.
Magellan looked down at him.
"This is your punishment."
"You will suffer for 24 hours…"
"…and then you will die."
He turned away.
As he walked off he spoke to the vice-warden.
"Hannyabal."
"Take care of the brat."
A man wearing the vice-warden uniform bowed.
"Yes, sir!"
Magellan left.
But what he didn't know—
Was that the "vice-warden" standing there was actually Bon Clay in disguise.
The moment Magellan disappeared—
Bon Clay rushed to Luffy's side.
He then stopped suddenly.
Luffy's entire body was covered in deadly poison from Magellan.
Bon Clay clenched his fists.
"I can't touch him…!"
His eyes darted around desperately.
Then he spotted something nearby—
A small prison transport sled used by the jailers to move prisoners across the scorching floor of Impel Down's Level 4.
"Perfect!"
Bon Clay quickly dragged the sled over.
Using a metal hook, he carefully rolled Luffy's poisoned body onto it without touching him.
"Hang in there, Straw Boy!"
He grabbed the rope attached to the sled.
Then he began pulling it through the burning corridors.
Luffy's body trembled weakly as the poison spread.
Bon Clay's face filled with determination.
Tears streamed down his face.
"Straw Boy…"
"We gotta move now!"
"I need to get you to someone who can cure that poison!"
He gritted his teeth and pulled harder.
"I'm not leaving you behind!"
"You're gonna save your brother!"
Then Bon Clay ran deeper into the prison.
—————-
Hours later…
The freezing winds of Impel Down's Level 5 — Frozen Hell howled through the endless snowfield.
The temperature was so low that prisoners often froze to death within hours.
Across the icy ground—
Bon Clay struggled forward, dragging a prison sled behind him.
On the sled lay the nearly lifeless body of Monkey D. Luffy, still covered in the lingering effects of Magellan's poison.
Bon Clay shivered violently.
The cold cut through his bones.
"…Damn this place…"
He looked back at Luffy.
Without hesitation, Bon Clay removed his own top and gently covered Luffy with it to protect him from the freezing wind.
"You're already dying from poison…"
"You can't freeze too…"
Bon grabbed the sled rope again and kept walking.
Step.
Step.
Step.
His body trembled from exhaustion.
Eventually he stopped at a nearby prison cell.
Inside sat a skeletal prisoner.
Bon called out desperately.
"Oi!"
"Do you know someone named Emporio Ivankov?!"
The prisoner laughed weakly.
"Ivankov…?"
"He probably died years ago…"
"We don't know where he is."
Bon Clay's face fell.
"…I see."
He pulled the sled again and kept searching.
But as he crossed the frozen wasteland—
A group of glowing eyes appeared in the snow.
A pack of massive white wolves slowly surrounded them.
Their fangs bared.
"Grrrr…"
One wolf lunged straight for Luffy.
Bon jumped in front of the sled.
"I WON'T LET YOU!"
The wolf bit into Bon's arm.
"AAAGH!"
Another clawed his back.
Blood stained the snow.
But Bon refused to move.
"I won't let you touch my friend!"
The wolves kept attacking.
Biting.
Scratching.
Overwhelming him.
Bon fell to one knee.
Another wolf leapt forward—
Its jaws aimed at Bon's throat.
Suddenly—
A hand shot forward.
CRUNCH!
Someone bit the wolf's ear.
The beast yelped and jumped back.
Bon blinked.
Standing weakly beside him—
Still covered in poison—
Was Luffy.
"…Straw… Boy?"
Luffy's eyes burned with anger.
"What are you doing… to Bon-chan…?"
The wolves growled again.
Luffy turned toward them.
Then he shouted.
"GET AWAY FROM BON-CHAN!"
Suddenly—
A massive wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded from his body.
BOOOOOM!
The shockwave rippled across the snowfield.
Every wolf instantly collapsed unconscious.
Silence filled the frozen wasteland.
Bon Clay stared in disbelief.
"…What… was that…?"
Then he panicked.
"Straw Boy!"
"Don't exert yourself!"
"You're already half dead!"
Luffy swayed weakly.
"…Bon… chan…"
Then he collapsed face-first into the snow.
Bon reached toward him.
"STRAW BOY—!"
But before he could finish—
His exhausted body finally gave out.
Bon Clay collapsed beside the sled.
Both men lay unconscious in the snow.
Moments later—
Footsteps approached.
A voice echoed across the frozen wasteland.
"Oh my…"
"Well now."
"Look at what we have here!"
A tall figure stepped into view.
He looked down at the two nearly dead prisoners.
"Some poor souls who were almost killed…"
"Yeeehaw!"
Then his eyes narrowed.
"But that aura earlier…"
"No doubt about it."
"That was Conqueror's Haki."
He pointed dramatically at Luffy.
"To think it radiated from you, Straw Hat boy!"
The man laughed flamboyantly.
It was Emporio Ivankov.
Standing beside him was another revolutionary.
Inazuma.
Ivankov smiled widely.
"Well now…"
"Let's see if you can survive this hell."