As soon as Shin Kawa finished speaking, he launched a powerful kick at a cell door.
BOOM!
The steel door splintered under the force of his attack.
Immediately, the prisoners inside rushed out, scrambling for the fallen guards to snatch the keys dangling from their belts. Within minutes, every cell on the first floor had been thrown open.
From the monitoring room, guards bolted toward the warden's office on the fourth floor to report the chaos.
The freed prisoners gathered around Shin Kawa, their eyes filled with hope. They knew all too well—none of them could escape this place on their own. This man was their only chance.
"Brothers!" Shin Kawa shouted, standing atop the arena stage. "If we don't take out the gunmen guarding the city below, we won't escape at all. Are you willing to fight with me?"
"Yes! Kill them!"
For the first time in years, the prisoners roared with excitement. Oppressed and starved of hope, they now had a spark to resist rather than die quietly.
Under Shin Kawa's command, the prisoners surged toward the second basement floor: Beast Hell, home to monstrous guardians like cockatrices, man-faced lions, and venomous scorpions. At the center of it all lurked Sphinx, the top enforcer of this floor—a grotesque lion-faced monster with a terrifying gaze.
Sphinx was lounging lazily when Shin Kawa's forces arrived.
"Cut these jailer beasts to pieces!" someone yelled as the prisoners raised the firearms scavenged from Red Lotus Hell.
Shells erupted in a storm of gunfire, tearing through the lesser jailer beasts one by one. The prisoners' morale skyrocketed—they charged forward with renewed vigor.
But Sphinx, awakened by the commotion, let out a roar that shook the chamber and charged the crowd. Its massive jaws bit down, killing several prisoners instantly. Bullets bounced harmlessly off its thick, impenetrable hide—it was clear why Sphinx had been assigned to suppress this floor.
Without hesitation, Shin Kawa vaulted over the crowd, stepping across heads like a phantom, rushing toward Sphinx.
He gritted his teeth and muttered, "First Gate—Open!"
The Eight Gates of Dunjia—a legendary technique—unlocked. His body surged with energy, achieving 100% of his physical potential at the cost of immense stamina.
"Beautiful Lotus Blossom!" he shouted.
Sphinx, now aware of Shin Kawa, lunged with its gaping maw to swallow him whole.
"You want to eat me? Watch this!" Shin Kawa yelled.
A precise kick struck the beast squarely on the chin.
Sphinx never anticipated this move—it was sent flying, its body soaring before Shin Kawa teleported above, clasped it, and slammed it into the floor with brutal force.
BOOM!
The impact cracked the stone beneath, leaving a small sinkhole. Sphinx lay unconscious, brain stunned by the blow.
Ding! "Congratulations, host. Enemy defeated. Reputation +3,000."
This was less than Saludes, but still a sizable reward. The remaining jailer beasts hesitated, some fleeing in panic.
The prisoners, inspired by Shin Kawa's display, surged forward with unstoppable momentum. Any fleeing beasts from the third floor of Hunger Hell were intercepted by reinforcements rushing upward.
From the shadows emerged a striking figure: Little Satie. Blonde, curly hair partially obscuring her eyes, white candle-shaped earrings, and a tight pink leather jacket. Commander of the fourth-floor jailer beasts and warden of Advance City's prison, her presence radiated authority.
She pointed her trident at the retreating beasts. "Who dares to take another step back? Kill without mercy!"
The larger jailer beasts immediately advanced. Even though they feared Shin Kawa, the warden's cruelty terrified them more. The minor beasts, trapped between obedience and instinct, had no choice but to confront the charging prisoners.
Blows rained down. Three, four strikes later, the smaller jailer beasts lay defeated. One by one, they fell.
The prisoner forces pressed forward, meeting the jailer reinforcements in the middle of Beast Hell.
But all eyes were drawn upward—Shin Kawa and Little Satie were on a collision course. Even with his overwhelming strength, Shin Kawa recognized the gap between him and the warden. Every prisoner instinctively paused, knowing they were witnessing the next level of threat.
The battle had only just begun.