The elevator doors of Level 6: Eternal Hell hissed open with a metallic groan, revealing a vast chamber drowned in suffocating darkness.
Magellan stepped forward, a grotesque, three-headed serpent of bubbling, noxious poison towered from his back, the heads snarling silently. Purple sludge dripped onto the ancient stone floor, hissing on impact, filling the air with a pungent chemical sting.
His walked slowly as he scanned the darkness. But more than sight, Magellan also relied on his Observation Haki. He unleashed it like a wave, sweeping through the maze of cells in search of familiar presences. Level 6 was home to only the most dangerous pirates, the most feared criminals. Their auras were heavy, monstrous even in dormancy.
But as his Haki brushed over the row of cells on the east side, Magellan's gaze snapped sharply to one direction.
Something was missing.
He took a step forward, then another, the realization spreading through him like a cold poison of its own.
Portgas D. Ace... gone.
The fire-wielding pirate, second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates was no longer here. Nor was Jinbe, the knight of the sea, once a Warlord, who had chosen to be imprisoned for his ideals. And the next cell over? Empty. Crocodile, the sand-manipulating former Warlord—also vanished.
Magellan approached the cells, his expression darkening. The heavy Sea-Prism Stone locks had been undone and lay on the ground beside the doors, opened cleanly. No key was left behind.
So... someone bypassed the locks. Not forced open. Not melted. Some sort of ability, Magellan thought grimly. A Devil Fruit power, perhaps?
His sharp eyes scanned the floor and spotted the next clue—grains of sand. A fresh trail. The residue was subtle but unmistakable. He followed the faint path, noticing how it led upward, tracing toward the high ceiling of the vast chamber.
Then he saw it.
A plug. A large circular patch of densely packed sand, wedged into the ceiling—an artificial seal. Someone had created an opening above, then closed it behind them. A hidden passage? No... this was no built-in tunnel. This was an improvised escape, hastily but effectively executed.
"They're heading up," Magellan muttered, his voice low and furious. "Into the structural shaft between levels."
He didn't hesitate.
Turning swiftly, the toxic Hydra heads swayed behind him, leaving a sizzling trail. He slammed a button on the wall, activating the Den Den Mushi transmitter linked to all security networks across the prison.
"This is Chief Warden Magellan!" he barked. "Alert all guard units and Jailer Beasts. Three high-level prisoners—Portgas D. Ace, Jinbe, and Crocodile—are escaping. They're moving upward through the central structure. I repeat: they are ascending toward Level 5 and above!"
The moment he finished, he leapt back into the elevator. Poison clung to the walls as the doors sealed shut, and Magellan's glare hardened.
"Level 4—Blazing Hell," he commanded.
The elevator shot upward, vibrating from the strain of its speed. Magellan's strategy had already formed in his mind. He knew Level 5—Freezing Hell—was a brutal terrain. The icy cold would slow anyone who wasn't adapted to it. Their pace would falter. That gave him time.
But he wouldn't wait for them on Level 5.
No. He would make his stand at the junction between Level 5 and Level 4—the narrow stairwell that served as the only path forward. A choke point. There, he would wait, like a viper in the dark.
Once they crossed into the heat of Level 4, his domain, he would flood the corridors with venom.
They wouldn't escape. Not past him. That's because he would drown them in his poison if he had to.
...
Inside Level 5.5 of Impel Down—Newkama Land.
The lively underground paradise had transformed into a fortress. Stone slabs now sealed off nearly every passage, walling in the once-vibrant chamber with layered defense. The only remaining access point was the mysterious tunnel leading deeper toward the sea bed. The air was filled with the smell of dust and stone.
Inazuma wiped sweat from his brow and slapped the final slab into place with a grunt. "Done," he announced, stepping back to admire his work. "This should hold off any pursuers for a while."
Ivankov stood beside Zino, eyes narrowed, arms crossed. The flamboyant revolutionary had lost none of his theatrical flair, but right now, there was only seriousness in his expression.
"Zino-boy," Ivankov said, voice low, "our lives—everyone's lives—are depending on this crazy plan of yours. Are you absolutely sure this tunnel leads out of Impel Down?"
Zino stood still, one hand resting lightly on the icy wall of the tunnel. "Yes. I'm almost one hundred percent sure."
"Almost?" Ivankov raised an eyebrow.
Zino gave a faint smile. "Look, I know it's risky. But this tunnel... I believe it can lead us out of this Impel Down."
Zino know a giant named Morley who escaped from Impel Down long before anyone else did. He has the ability to mold the earth like clay. The whole Level 5.5 was created by him. So, he assumed that the guy must've used this blocked tunnel to escape.
"Besides," Zino said. "Inazuma can clear the blocked parts, and I'll reinforce any weak walls using my ice ability."
Ivankov blinked. "Wait, ice?"
Zino nodded again, raising a hand. Frost briefly spread across his palm and then vanished. "I can control and shape ice freely."
Ivankov let out a breath, half-surprised, half-impressed. "You're full of surprises, aren't you, Zino-boy? No wonder Ace-boy trusted you."
Without another word, Inazuma stepped forward and unsheathed his giant scissor-blades. With practiced precision, he sliced through the blockage. A downward-spiraling staircase was now visible.
However, the stairs only went for a few meters before they were blocked with another wall. Inazuma worked through it—cutting blockage, descending the stairs, and again cutting blockage. The process continued as he descended.
"Let's move," Zino said.
One by one, the group filed into the newly opened tunnel: Ace, Jinbe, Crocodile, Ivankov, and dozens of Newkama followers—all moving in silence. The only sounds were Inazuma's working on unblocking the way and the sounds of footsteps.
At first, the tunnel spiraled steadily downward, the walls carved roughly but wide enough to fit even a massive body. The deeper they went, the cooler the air became, until frost began to form along the edges where Zino reinforced crumbling stone. Soon, they reached a point where the tunnel flattened out completely.
Now it ran horizontally—just under the sea.
Here, the tunnel opened up into a much larger path. The walls were smooth, wide, and curved, clearly dug with the intent of accommodating a massive figure. The air was damp, and the sound of distant water flowing could be heard faintly through the rock.
Jinbe paused to run his hand along the tunnel wall. "This truly runs beneath the sea bed. It's an incredible work. To think something like this existed here all along…"
"This is unbelievable." Crocodile muttered. "A perfect escape route lying under the noses of the marines, and no one ever knew."
"How did you even know this existed?" Jinbe asked, glancing at Zino.
"I didn't, not for sure," Zino admitted. "But I knew someone had escaped without being noticed. So when Ivankov mentioned the blocked tunnel heading downward from Level 5.5, I took a guess—and it turned out to be right."
Ivankov raised an eyebrow. "Then do you know where this tunnel ends?"
Zino shook his head. "No. But I believe it'll eventually surface somewhere away from the gates. Maybe even outside the Calm Belt."
"Well," Ace said, "at this point, any road away from this prison is better than none."
The group continued their journey in silence, walking through the hidden tunnel beneath the sea.
...
Level 4 – Impel Down
Magellan stood silently at the narrow intersection connecting Level 4 to Level 5—the critical chokepoint between "Blazing Hell" and "Freezing Hell." Behind him, rivers of boiling blood bubbled and steamed, filling the oppressive heat of the blazing chamber.
The air shimmered with heatwaves, and the floor beneath him radiated suffocating warmth. In front of him, a steep, stone stairwell led downward into the icy abyss of Level 5, where frost and death awaited.
This corridor—no wider than a hallway—was the only passage between the two levels. And he was the wall that stood before it.
Magellan had chosen this place carefully. The escapees—Ace, Jinbe, and Crocodile—had no other way to ascend. His strategy was as simple as it was effective: wait here, block their path, and crush them with overwhelming force once they emerged. No prisoner had ever escaped through this route once he took his position here.
The bitter cold of Level 5 would slow them. The frigid air and icy terrain would sap their strength. By the time they reached the stairwell, they would be exhausted, weakened, and vulnerable. That was when he would strike.
His monstrous Hydra form loomed in the flickering heat, three heads dripping with corrosive venom, hissing softly in anticipation. His Haki was active, stretching out like a radar, ready to sense even the faintest threat.
But nothing came.
Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes became an hour. Still, the stairwell remained empty. Not a single step echoed from below. Not a breath of movement. No sign of Ace, Jinbe, or Crocodile.
Magellan's sharp brows furrowed. "Where are they…?"
He hadn't miscalculated. Their cells were empty. The trail led upward. They should be climbing through Level 5 by now.
Feeling unsettled, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi and activated it. "Level 5 guard station, report."
A guard's voice came through the receiver. "This is Level 5. No disturbances to report. All sectors are calm. We've seen no signs of movement or attempted escape."
Magellan's frown deepened. "No signs? Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes, sir," the guard confirmed. "We've scanned all passageways. No activity. No prisoners have crossed into Level 5 since your last order."
Magellan's jaw clenched. "Then where the hell are they hiding?"
His eyes drifted toward the dark stairwell again. A nagging suspicion crept in. Had they tricked him? Taken another route? But that should be impossible. Every official path upward was sealed, guarded, and under his surveillance.
Could they have gone into hiding somewhere in the freezing depths of Level 5? Or had they plunged downward again, back toward Level 6, attempting to find an alternative passage?
His thoughts raced. He turned, intending to head toward the central elevator, planning to descend and check the levels personally. Just then, he paused, his Haki reaching out across the prison's atmosphere.
What if they were waiting for him to leave the vital chokepoint of Level 4, hoping to use his absence to ascend upward? In that case, those three escapees—Ace, Jinbe, and Crocodile—and their mysterious rescuer might very well make it out of Impel Down.
Without him standing guard here, the remaining chief guards, the fodder units, and even the Jailer Beasts would be easily defeated. He knew their powers well. Ace and Crocodile were Logia users. They could easily bypass the guards and most physical defenses with sheer intangibility. The thought of them escaping into the outside world was a failure he could not accept.
Knowing this, Magellan didn't dare to move from his position at the staircase.
"Let's ask someone to go and check." he muttered.
He then reached for his Den Den Mushi. This time he dialed the internal line for the Deputy Warden.
"Hello! This is me, Chief Warden Hanyabal speaking! Who am I—?"
"This is Magellan," he interrupted curtly.
There was a brief pause, followed by a nervous laugh. "Ahhh! Chief Warden Magellan! My sincerest apologies for not recognizing your magnificent voice right away!"
"Cut the theatrics," Magellan snapped. "Go to Level 6. I need you to check the cells again. Confirm whether anyone else is missing."
"Understood, Chief!" Hanyabal shouted, straightening up on the other end. "I will go immediately!"
Magellan cut the call without another word. He paced a step forward, staring once again into the quiet void of the stairwell. A growing frustration churned inside him.
Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.
If they weren't in Level 5, and they weren't coming up, then… where would they be?