The alarms around Impel Down were blaring. Marines were in an uproar, preparing to enter the prison after they had just learned that Monkey D. Luffy and Ben had infiltrated the facility.

"We were already on high alert!"

"How were they able to slip through like that?"

"There are only two intruders," said a Marine Captain wearing a samurai helmet, "but if 'Fire Fist' Ace were to escape, both Impel Down and the World Government would be the laughing stock of the entire world!" He turned to his troops.

"You will now enter Impel Down and capture 'Straw Hat' Luffy and this so-called shapeshifter!" he ordered. "The reputation of Marine HQ is at stake, here!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Mmmm~! Wait just a minute!" said a feminine voice.

The Marines stood in front of the doors and saw two figures.

The first was a woman with long, unkempt, orange hair, and was dressed in a skimpy, red, devil-themed outfit which covered only the top half of her exposed breasts with laces hanging that hung down, which were also featured around her waist. She had long sleeves that sloped into stylized rips. Around her neck, she wore a scarf-like cape that is white on the outside and pale pink on the inside. In her hand was a pitchfork and upon her head was a headpiece that resembled a pair of horns. She had candle-shaped earrings and high-heeled shoes that came to a curved tip decorated with spikes. She looked like that of a dominatrix.

The other figure, who was peeking through the crack in the door…looked like a big, yellow koala with thick lips.

"Who're you?" asked the Marine Captain.

"I am Miss Sadie," said the woman. "Allowing intruders to enter and then calling in the Marines to take care of them gives Impel Down…mmmm…a black eye."

"'Miss' Sadie," a Marine soldier repeated. "So, what, you think you're cute or something or other?"

"SILENCE!" Sadie snapped. "CALL ME 'MISS SADIE', OR YOU'LL REGRET IT!"

She cracked looked like a whip on the Marine's head.

"AAAGH!" the Marine screamed as he held his whiplash.

"AAAAH~!" Sadie screamed in pleasure. "Mmmm~! I LOVE the sounds of painful screams!"

The Marine soldier growled and prepares to go at Sadie's throat, but the Captain raised an arm in front of him.

"Are you trying to tell me you don't need our help?" he questioned.

"This prison is an infernal labyrinth," said Sadie. "If you're not familiar with the layout, you won't be of any help. Just stay out here…and make sure no one gets in or out. Now, raise the drawbridge, which is the only way in or out, mmmm…seal Impel Down off, completely!"

While Sadie shouted this, the marines couldn't help but eye the giant koala-creature standing behind her.

And so, all entrances and exits were closed, thus sealing Impel Down tight, not allowing anyone else in or out.


But meanwhile, on the floor where Ace and Jimbei are being held…

"Hey, look," said one of the inmates. "It's Hannyabal."

"And the Warden, Magellan, too!" said another. "What the hell's going on?"

In front of Ace's cell stood Hannyabal.

"You have yourself a special visitor, Ace!" said Hannyabal. "Bet you can't guess who it is. Even you've never met her, Jimbei."

Ace, Jimbei, and the others prisoners looked up.

"Everyone knows her name," said Hannyabal, "but only few have ever seen her, before. The Empress of the Kuja Tribe, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

Hancock came standing behind him.

"The powerful, proud, and beautiful Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock! WHOO-HOO!"

Hannyabal fired a confetti cone, but then Magellan hit him upside the head.

"OUCH!" Hannyabal cried. "I really want to be the Warden! Err…! I mean…that really hurt!"

"What do you think you're doing?" Magellan questioned.

Jimbei seemed surprised by Hancock's appearance. Ace and another prisoner just sat, silently.

All the others prisoners, however, just went totally flustered upon seeing Hancock's beauty. "WHOO~!" One inmate whooped.

"What a woman!" cried another. "Look at that body!"

"So she's the Snake Princess of the Kuja, huh?" questioned one. "Hey, beautiful! Turn that head of yours my way!"

"Oh, Hancock~! "

"How exquisite she is~!"

"Hey, lady! Over here!"

"Come into our cell, why don't ya?"

"We won't hurt ya…much! Ha!"

"You smell like tropical flowers, cutie!"

"Take me to that Maiden Island of yours!"

"There's women there as far as the eye can see, and I hear they don't wear any underwear!"

"WHOO~! "

Ace, ignoring the craziness, just stared at Hancock, unaffected by her beauty, just like Luffy.

"Spill it," he said. "What the hell do you want?"

"I have no business with you, young Fire Fist," said Hancock. "I just wanted to see the man who is responsible for triggering this war that I'm about to participate in."

"Hmph," Ace scoffed. "So…I'm just some curiosity, huh?"

The prisoners were still making catcalls at Hancock, trying to get her attention.

"The unflappable Pirate Empress," leered Jimbei. "Why do you wish to help the World Government, and NOW of all times? Is keeping your title of Warlord THAT important to you?"

"Hey, pretty lady!"

"Look over here!"

"They're trying to have a conversation," Magellan said to the prisoners. "Now shut up!"

"You shut up, Magellan! Or should I say '24/7 Diarrhea-Man'?"

"Ha! You tell him, Buzz!"

"Hey! Snake Princess! Don't you think all those pretty ladies on that island of yours hungry for men?"

"Hey! Hurry up and retire, already, Warden!" Hannyabal called.

"Vice-Warden…" Domino said.

"So you're Jimbei," said Hancock. "You don't have to snap at me, you know." She then turned to one of the cells. "And you jabbering fools!"

"Yes!" said one drooling inmate. "She's finally looking over here! "

"If you insist on saying those harassing things," Hancock continued before she made a mixed expression of cuteness and fear, "you'll…scare me."

That was enough to send the prisoners into a frenzy, except Suchigoro, who kept his calm demeanor.

"I LOVE IT~!"

"GIVE HER HERE, DIARRHEA MAN!"

"WHOOOOO~!"

"Humph," Momonga grunted. "What vulgar swine. They make me sick!"

"Such out-of-control vermin," said Hannyabal. "Your reputation is ruined, Warden. What a failure you are."

"SHE'S SO IRRESISTIBLE~! " Magellan exclaimed in the same love-struck state.

"You're no better than they are, Diarrhea Man!" Hannyabal snapped.

"However," Magellan said, suddenly snapping out of it as a strange, "I cannot allow such disrespectful behavior."

Suddenly, A strange, purple substance started to seep from the Warden's body.

"GIVE HANCOCK TO ME~!"

"NO, ME! ME!"

Hannyabal turned to Magellan, desperately, "Wait, Warden!" he said. "Don't! You'll endanger us, as well!"

Magellan didn't listen. Instead, three streams of purple liquid came gushing off of him.

"Know your place," said Magellan as the streams of venom had transformed into a huge, three-headed dragon.

The prisoners gasped, finally realizing the danger they were in.

"Oh, no!" said one. "It's…the Hydra!"

"I'll show you who's in charge of this prison!" Magellan declared.

"No, wait, you bastard!" one of the prisoners cried. "We were just kidding!"

But it was too late.

One of the Hydra's heads attacked the cell, and it hit one of the inmates, coating him in lethal poison.

"Uh…AAAAGGH!" he screamed.

"That's it," said another inmate. "You're dead meat, pal."

"No! Someone! Gimme the antidote! Please!"

"Don't any one of you rats forget," Magellan began, "that I have the power and the authority to execute the whole lot of you…right here and now!"

The prisoners just stared at the Warden, not speaking a word, but they were indeed fearful, for they were reminded just how serious a threat he could be to their lives, thanks to his Devil Fruit powers.

"Now then, Hancock," said Magellan. "Please, take your time with 'Fire Fist' Ace."

"No need," said Hancock. "My business is finished, here."

"Wait!" Ace called to the Warlord. "Are you sure?"

"I've no reason to lie," Hancock replied. A small smirk played on her lips. "Oh, and by the way…he was afraid you'd get angry with him if he came here."

With that, Hancock and her escorts began to leave.

"What did she say to him?" asked Magellan.

"I don't know," said Hannyabal. "I was too busy trying to escape from you, Warden!"

Back in Ace and Jimbei's cell, the latter turned to the former and asked, "Ace…what did she tell you? I couldn't hear her!"

Ace swallowed the lump in his throat and answered, "She said…my little brother, Luffy, and some guy who can somehow transform into different monsters…are here!"

"What?" Jimbei questioned. "You mean the boy in the Straw Hat you always talk about? How foolhardy he must be!"


Meanwhile, in Level 3, the Starvation Hell, Luffy was seen running up a flight of stairs with Terraspin tailing behind.

"What's going on?" Luffy asked. "Since when did we start going upstairs? We were trying to go down!"

'Buggy was right,' Terraspin thought. 'This place IS like a maze!'

Luffy's stomach roared. "I'm starving."

Unbeknownst to the duo, a Transponder Snail that was slithering up the wall was watching them.

"Now entering Sector C."

"Target sighted."

Up ahead, a group of guards had been anticipating Luffy and Ben to come up the stairs and aimed their rifles at opened fire, but Luffy was were swift enough to dodge the shots while the bullets bounced off Terraspin's nearly impenetrable shell. However, when they looked back, they saw that they were nets behind them.

"Crap," Luffy cursed. "It's probably those sea prism stone nets, again! Ben! Let's go!"

Terraspin nodded before he followed after Luffy, both dodging the nets as they were fired, but as they were running, A giant paw pinned both of them down.

"AGH!" Luffy gagged. He looked up and saw that it was the Sphinx. "Oh, no! The lion!"

"Oh, that's just GREAT!" said Terraspin. "How can things get any worse?"

"GRAAAAAAARRR!" The Sphinx roared, prepared to eat both Luffy and Terraspin whole.

"Wait just a minute, you vile beast!"

Luffy and Terraspin looked upon hearing a familiar gruff voice. They looked up, and they see… Roronoa Zoro, dressed in a prisoner's uniform, poised like a ballet dancer. "I'm here to save you, Luffy!" he said.

"Zoro?" Luffy said, smiling. "Don't tell me they threw you in here, too!"

"Wait, you mean the guy who became the first mate on your crew you told me about?" Terraspin said as he turned back to normal in a flash of green light.

"Just kidding!" "Zoro" said, before he jumped at the Sphinx and He threw powerful kick to the Sphinx's jaw, one that would rival Sanji's. The kick was so strong, it freed Luffy and Ben from his grasp.

Luffy looked up to his savior, and that's when he realized…

"That's not Zoro," he said.

It was revealed that the man was none other than Bon Clay!

"Ta-DAH~!" Bon Clay cried, tears streaming from his eyes. "It's me, Straw Boy!"

"Bon!" Luffy cried, a joyful smile on his face. "I'm a little disappointed when I realized it wasn't Zoro, but…YOU'RE ALIVE!"

Ben didn't seem to understand, at first, but then he realized that he had heard about this Bon Clay through Luffy's stories and remembered that he was an old friend. As strange as it was, the Omnitrix wielder decided not to worry about it. If he was a friend of Luffy, then he was okay in his book.

"Out of our way, you rats!" Bon Clay snapped at the guards. "What do you think you're doing to my friend?"

He kicked the guards away.

Saldeath, who was also there, turned to see the Sphinx, seemingly staggering to his paws.

"That's right, Sphinx!" said Saldeath. "Fight back till you can't anymore!"

Upon taking a closer look, it was revealed that Luffy, Ben, and Bon Clay had beaten the Sphinx into submission. The huge beast was now lying down on the floor, a huge mess of lumps on his head and his face all bloodied.

"DAAAAAAAAAHH!" Saldeath screamed. "SPHIIIIIIIIIIINNX!"

"That should do it!" said Luffy.

"Let's hope he's really down for the count this time," said Ben.

"That's right, Straw Boy!" Bon Clay said, doing a pirouette. "The best way to make a simple-minded brute like this understand where it's place is to clobber it! It's the Law of the Wild! WAHAHAHA!"

"Another escapee?" Saldeath thought. "I don't understand it! Are they recruiting as they go?"

Luffy and Bon Clay embraced each other in a tearful, joyous reunion.

"Oh, Bon!" Luffy said. "I thought you were a goner when you gave yourself up back there in Alabasta!"

"Of course not!" Bon Clay said. "We swans never die! Right?"

'Uh...Swan?' Ben thought, raising an eyebrow.

Just to recap, Bon Clay's Devil Fruit is the Clone-Clone Devil Fruit. It gives him the power to mimic others just by touching their faces with their right hand. If he touches his own face with his left hand, he turns back into himself.

"Blugori!" Saldeath demanded as he put his pitchfork to his mouth like a flute, again. "Don't let them get away!"

"UHOOO!" The Blugori roared.

"By the way, Straw Boy," said Bon Clay. "I heard you and your friend Ben want to go all the way down to Level 5, am I right?"

"Yeah!" Luffy replied. "You wouldn't know how to get there, would ya?"

"Of course!" said Bon Clay as he got into a fighting stance. "Let's go together! There's someone Level 5 that I want to see, too!"

"You do?" Luffy asked, also poised to fight.

"Well, here we go," said Ben.

Three escapees are now loose in Impel Down, supposed accomplices of the "Straw Hat" Luffy and the shapeshifter.

Pirate Captain Buggy the Clown, inmate #E8200.

Former Baroque Works Agent, Galdino, A.K.A "Mr. 3", inmate #D0464.

Former Baroque Works Agent, Bentham, A.K.A "Mr. 2 Bon Clay", inmate #C9915.

Luffy, Ben, and Bon Clay are currently in level 3, the Starvation Hell, Sector N, heading down to Level 4. The whereabouts of Buggy and Mr. 3 are currently unknown. There was also a riot going on in Level 2, which Saldeath and the Blugori had gone to suppress since the Blugori were no match for Luffy, Ben, and Bon Clay.

The prisoners, who had tapped into communications via Black Transponder Snail. While some were making a joke about the events that were going on, others were certain that Luffy, Ben, Bon Clay, Buggy, and Mr. 3 were certainly goners.

In Magellan's office on Level 4, he had finished communications with the guards and were now giving Sadie, Hannyabal, and three other shadowy figures their orders.

"The guests have left, yes?" Sadie asked. "In that case, we're all set for the hunt! Mmmmm…what would you like us to, Warden?"

"Ah, Miss Sadie," said Magellan. "Is there anyone on Level 3?"

"Just, mmmmmm…the Minotaurus," Sadie replied.

"But we can't corner them on Level 3," said Magellan. "There are too many possible escape routes. Let Saldeath take care of the riot on Level 2. Deploy all forces to Level 4! If they somehow managed to escape the Minotaurus and drop into the Inferno Hell…then I shall execute them, myself! That should teach them not to underestimate Impel Down!"

Hannyabal swallowed the lump in his throat in fear.


Meanwhile, in Level 3, Luffy, Ben, and Bon Clay were still trying to make their way to Level 4. However, they had soon ran into a problem.

"What the hell?" Luffy asked. "What is that thing? Did you see it move? So fast!"

"What is this thing supposed to be?" Ben remarked.

The thing that Ben was referring to was revealed to be some sort of minotaur…a dumb-looking minotaur with beady, cutesy eyes, big, thick lips, and a runny nose. Its body pattern was that of a Holstein cow. He wore red-and-white striped pants with a crescent moon belt buckle. In its hand was a spiked club.

"Oh, no," said Bon Clay. "It's Minotaurus!"

"Mino-what's-it?" Luffy questioned.

"Minotaurus!" Bon Clay repeated. "One of the Jailer Beasts of Impel Down! These guys are cold-blooded monsters that treat human beings like trash!"

"Monsters?" Luffy repeated. "So, are they like Devil Fruit users are something?"

Ben quickly transformed into Goop in case the Minotaurus tried anything.

Suddenly, the Minotaurus seemed to move so fast, that he couldn't be seen, then He slammed his spiked club into Bon Clay's head. He was thrown right into a wall!

"BON!" Luffy cried.

'Whoa, that thing is faster than it looks!' Goop thought before he looked up and saw, to his horror, that the Minotaurus was now right behind him. Before he could react quick enough, Minotaurus slammed his club into Goop, splattering him into a wall as well.

"BEN, NO!" Luffy cried.

Minotaurus then swung his club down at Luffy, who managed to roll out of the way. However, Minotaurus proved to be too quick for Luffy, for before he knew it, He swung his club into Luffy's head, and because it was spiked, it could deal a lot more damage.

"AAAAAAAGGH!" Luffy screamed as he held his face in pain and rolled around on the floor until he hit a wall. He was in so much agony, he didn't notice that Minotaurus was about to attack, again. Just when it seemed like Luffy was about to get smashed again…

"LOOK OUT, STRAW BOY!"

Bon Clay laid a powerful kick to the beast's head, giving Luffy a chance to run away. However, before Bon Clay himself could escape, Minotaurus pinned him to the floor by his neck.

"Bon!" Luffy cried. "No!"

"AGH!" Bon Clay gagged as mouth started foaming. "I…I'm gonna die…!"

Luffy attempted to help Bon Clay, but he was still recovering from his injury, when suddenly, A green flash of light sounded out before a yellow blur raced passed Luffy and the Minotaurus was hit with an intense shockwave by one of Armodrillo's jackhammer arms, sending it flying across the room.

"Ben!" Luffy cried.

Armodrillo walked up to Luffy and in another flash of green light, reverted back to normal.

"Thanks, buddy," he said.

"Don't mention it," Ben nodded, 'But something tells me he won't stay down for long.'

"Bon!" Luffy called. "You okay?"

Bon shuddered as he came to his feet.

"For a moment there, I really thought I was done for," said Bon Clay. "I saw a field of queens before me eyes! What happened?"

"Ben turned into some yellow armored guy and knocked out the cow with some kind of shockwave," said Luffy. "It was really weird. I bet he's still alive, though, but I don't know how long it'll take for it to wake up."

"Oh, this is just terrible," said Bon Clay. "Look at me! My makeup is ruined! I need cosmetics! And new ballet slippers, and new clothes, and new weapons…as well as booze, and tears, and the Oh-Come-My-Way."

"We need to go down further," said Luffy, who had his tongue lulling out of his mouth and a hand to his stomach, "but I'm really hungry, and thirsty, too."

Ben wiped some sweat off his brow. He had forgotten about the intense heat, and it was starting to get to him, again.

"Don't fret, Straw Boy and Ben Boy!" said Bon Clay. "It's really easy to get down to Level 4 from here! INSANELY easy!"

"Really?" Luffy asked. "Wait, you're not pulling my arm, are ya?"

It's pulling your LEG, Luffy," Ben pointed out.

"Indeed!" Bon Clay answered. "Just try climbing up that wall over there!"

Luffy looked to the wall beside him and jumped up to it. The moment he did, though, His palms began to burn.

"YOW!" Luffy cried. "Bon, we can't climb this wall! It's hotter than a boiling pot! We can't even touch it!"

"How very observant of you," said Bon Clay.

As the three reached a hole in the wall that acted like some sort of window, they saw that there was smoker billowing through it.

"Ah!" Luffy yelped as he hopped about. "Hot! Hot! Hot!"

"Take a look down there," Bon Clay inquired.

Luffy and Ben looked down and saw a huge tower of smoke with a fan in the ceiling. Whatever was down there, they couldn't see through the smoke.

"What the hell is this?" Luffy questioned. "The heat and smoke are crazy!"

"So, Bon is it?" Ben said. "Why would you show us this?"

"Because, Ben Boy," said Bon Clay, "right down there is where you want to go! Level 4, the Inferno Hell!"

"Oh, man," said Luffy. "The heat coming from below is too hot, even for me! Ugh…!"

"Like you said," Bon Clay explained, "Level 4 is like a giant cooking pot. Below this, all you'll find is the Boiling Pool of Blood, a huge sea of flames! Jump down, if you want, but if you pick a bad place to land, odds are you'll be ending up with more then just burns. You'll be taking your entire life in your hands!"

"Hey, Bon," said Luffy. "Didn't you say there was someone you wanted to see down there? Who is it? Are you even willing to risk your life for this guy?"

"Oh, yes, Straw Boy," Bon Clay answered. "People call him…'The Miracle Worker'. He was arrested on trumped-up charges. They call him 'Iva'. He's the Queen of the Kamabakka Kingdom, the Pink Paradise of the Grand Line! The queens of the world look up to him as the world's greatest drag queen!"

'This guy sounds like a real weirdo among other things that I don't want to think about,' Ben thought.

"I want to meet him!" Bon Clay declared. "If possible, I want to break him out of here!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Luffy, Ben, and Bon Clay looked up when they heard two familiar screams. They were revealed to belong Buggy and Mr. 3...and not too far behind them…was Minotaurus!

Soon enough, Ben, Luffy and Bon Clay were also running away from the Jailer Beast.

'Aw man,' Ben cursed in thought,'That thing is tougher than I thought!'

"WHY DID YOU TWO LEAD HIM HERE TO US?" Bon Clay shouted. "I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE TRYING TO ESCAPE!"

"I knew it!" Luffy said, smiling. "I knew you guys wanted to come with me!"

"HELL NO!" Buggy shouted. "I TOLD YOU FIVE TIMES, ALREADY, I'M NOT LETTING YOU DRAG ME DOWN TO HELL! WE WERE HIDING WHEN THAT MONSTER CAME CHARGING AT US! I DON'T KNOW HOW IN THE HELL IT FOUND US!"

"I've had enough of this," said Mr. 3, who was weakened from the heat. "I'd much rather be in jail!"

"Dammit all!" Buggy cursed. "The Minotaurus is gonna kill us all at this rate! I'll show you something special!" He turned to Luffy. "Hey, Straw Hat! Do you remember the time I devastated that town with my special Buggy Ball?"

"Uh," Luffy hummed. "Nope."

Buggy seemed to frown upon hearing that answer.

"The Buggy Ball is a very powerful cannonball!" Buggy said. "It's sort of my…trademark weapon."

"You must have a lot of confidence in this 'Buggy Ball' if you had put your name in it," Mr. 3 commented.

"Forgive me if somehow doubt that," Ben retorted.

"That's right!" Buggy exclaimed. "I made one small enough to conceal on my body while maintaining its destructive abilities! It's my newest weapon! I call it…'The Muggy Ball'!"

"It's not named after you, anymore!" cried Mr. 3.

Buggy suddenly came to a stop, "Chew on this!" he shouted as something was fired out of the toe of his shoe. It was tiny, about the size of a grape, and it was sent flying into Minotaurus's face.

"SPECIAL MUGGY BALL!"

The Muggy Ball created an enormous explosion once it hit Minotaurus.

"Whoa!" Luffy exclaimed. "That was…AWESOME!"

"Wonderful!" Bon Clay added.

However, it appeared that it was not enough to defeat Minotaurus, for he was still standing.

"How could he still be conscious?" Buggy questioned in disbelief.

"Leave this to me, Straw Boy!" Bon Clay declared before he jumped at Minotaurus.

"Hey, Three!" Luffy called to Mr. 3. "Can't you use your Wax-Wax powers or something?"

"No!" Mr. 3 answered. "Anything I make will melt in three seconds!"

"That's long enough for me!" Luffy said while Bon Clay did several flips in the air, "Fly! Fly! I'm flying through the sky~!" he sang. "Oh-Come-My-Way Karate…Winter Wonderland…JETE!"

He landed another powerful kick on Minotaurus's crown. While Minotaurus held his head in pain, he was unaware of the group's strategy.

"Here we go, Straw Hat!" Mr. 3 exclaimed. "Candle LOCK!" Mr. 3 covered Luffy's right arm with wax.

"Okay!" Luffy said as he threw his arm back and twisted it around while still holding Blizzard. "GUUUUUM…GUUUUUUM…"

Minotaurus showed that he wasn't ready to give up, just yet, for he raised up his spike club. It was too late for him to make a counter attack, though.

"HAMMER RIFLE!" Luffy's spinning fist, combined with Mr. 3's Candle Lock, landed a very powerful blow to Minotaurus's jaw. The wax melted away as Minotaurus was sent flying away.

"YES!" Buggy and Mr. 3 cheered.

"WE DID IT!" Bon Clay chimed. "WE DEFEATED THE JAILER BEAST!"

"Okay, you guys!" said Luffy. "Let's keep this up and get to Level 4!"


Down in Ace and Jimbei's cell, the latter could hear Ace muttering something to himself.

"Whatever you do…" Ace whispered, "…please…don't come here…Luffy!"


"This Level 4! Starting with Warden Magellan, all forces have now gathered on…the Inferno Hell!"

Outside, in the rear passage of Impel Down, Hancock and Momonga were being taken to their battleship on a little boat that was being steered by one of the staff of Impel Down.

"So," asked Momonga, "how much long until his execution?"

"Twenty-nine hours," said the one piloting the boat, "It's set for three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. If everything goes as planned, then that'll be the end of it. Portgas D. Ace will be escorted out of the prison, tomorrow morning."

Hancock, however, didn't seem to be paying any attention. She just looked up at the wall surrounding Impel Down.

'Luffy, she thought. Yours and Ben's safety are my only concerns.'


Momonga and Hancock arrived at the battleship, where they heard some rather upsetting news. Apparently, "Red-Haired" Shanks had been involved in some minor clashes that have been going on in the New World…against Kaido, another one of the Four Emperors. Kaido was trying to take advantage of the current situation to take out Whitebeard, but Shanks got in his way, at least that's what they believe down at HQ. Now, everyone is on high alert. In spite of his worry, Momonga decided to leave it alone, for now, for Whitebeard and Ace were their top priority. After all, who could possibly stop a battle between two of the Four Emperors?

"There's no way that the big confrontation with Whitebeard can be avoided!" Momonga declared. "Even the whole world can feel it! Hurry, on to Marineford!"

"Yes, sir!"


Meanwhile, in Level 3, Luffy, Ben, Bon Clay, Buggy, and Mr. 3 were discussing Luffy's plan while Minotaurus lay defeated.

"Inferno Hell is just below us, and yet you still wanna go down?" Buggy shouted.

"We are NOT going down to Level 4!" exclaimed Mr. 3.

"Why not?" Luffy asked.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

"Listen, Straw Hat," said Mr. 3. "We're trying to break out of the prison! Out!"

"Yeah, so we gotta go up! UP! Understand?" Buggy said as he pointed upwards.

"Hey big nose, no one said you had to stay here," Ben remarked.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!" Buggy yelled, questioningly.

"Just ignore them, Straw Boy," said Bon Clay. "Those two are nothing but big, gutless dorks."

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING A BIG-NOSED DORK?" Buggy snapped.

"WHAT?" Bon Clay yelled. "How in the world did you get THAT out of what I said? Fine, then! I'll just twirl!"

"Oh, hey!" Luffy said. "Check it out! The ceiling's getting higher!"

'No...it's not,' Ben noticed.

"You're right," said Mr. 3. "But wait…what's that rumbling sound? What is this? Some sort of trick?"

"Wait!" Bon Clay said. "The ceiling's not rising! We're falling!"

They all screamed, except Ben, who had transformed into Snare-Oh.

"My Muggy Ball worked too well!" Buggy cried. "It broke right through the floor!"

"No way!" Luffy said. "It was my punch that did it!"

"You're wrong!" Bon Clay added. "It was the power of my kick!"

"No, it was my..." Mr. 3 started, but then trailed off. "Oh, never mind."

"THAT'S IT?"

'Doofus,' Snare-Oh thought as he broke his body apart to create a pile of bandages.

"WE'RE ALL GONNA BURN~!" the four of them screamed as they fell further and further down…towards Level 4, the Inferno Hell.


"No, wait! Stop! Please!"

"Don't do this! We'll die!"

"Save your breath! You'll get what you deserve! Just how many innocent lives did you take before you got here?"

"… … …"

"Do it."

"No! No, please!"

A huge, shadowy beast then throws a group of prisoners down into a boiling vat…of blood. The prisoners swam up, screaming at the top of their lungs in agony.

"Help!"

"Get us outta here!"

"Please!"

"Bring more firewood! Hurry it up!"

This was Level 4, the Inferno Hell, which really deserves the name. The whole place had a sea of flames sitting under a huge of vat of boiling blood. The heat here was unbearable, which was the guards were wearing special suits to protect themselves from the heat. It is also right above where Ace is said to be held.

"Hey! One of the prisoners is trying to escape!"

A prisoner was running along the stone bridge above the Boiling Pool of Blood, pushing his fellow inmates out of his way, even though his hands were still cuffed.

"Outta my way! Move!" he shouted. "I'm burning up! My guts feel like they're on fire! This place is worse than death, itself! I can't stand it anymore! GET OUTTA MY WAY!"

He pushed another prisoner out of his way, "AGH!" he cried.

"I said OUTTA MY WAY! Do you wanna get thrown into the fire?"

The prisoner slammed his fist into the back of another…only this one wouldn't stand for it. The inmate turned to his attacker, and, using the large piece of timber that he was holding…He struck the prisoner off the bridge!

"AAAAAAAH!" he screamed.

"Hey!" shouted a guard. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't assault your fellow inmates!"

The prisoner was revealed to Former Baroque Assassin, Daz Bones, also known as Mr. 1, the one Zoro defeated back in Alabasta. Mr. 1 licked the blood that was trickling down his temple before he continued to carry the firewood. Due to wearing sea prism stone cuffs, he would have to deal with using that and his own fists for weapons…for now, at least.

Inside the cells, the inmates were getting worried about something.

"What in the hell are Magellan and Hannyabal doing down in Level 4?"

"The Jailer Beasts are here, too."

"This is getting scary. What's going on, here?"

In the passage connecting Level 3 and Level 4, there were guards everywhere, wearing fireproof coats and such.

"Jeez, it's so hot down here!"

"Then make sure you zip up your coat. It's the only thing that'll keep out the heat."

"If Straw Hat Luffy, the shapeshifter, and those other three do come down, the only way they can get here is through this door. Any word yet? Did Minotaurus get them?"

In the middle of it all, Magellan was sitting in a box of some sort with Hannyabal standing beside him.

"Warden," Hannyabal began, "when I take your place, I want a more open chair."

"Quiet," Magellan said. "I like enclosed spaces, and I want to shut you out, too."

"If I'd known we're going to have wait this long," Sadie began, "I would've, mmmm, gone straight to Level 3."

"Be patient Miss Sadie," said Magellan.

"Oh, it's not me," said Sadie. "It's them."

Behind Sadie, there were three other huge creatures.

The first one looked like a bipedal zebra in pants. He has a runny nose and large lips, just like Minotaurus. He also has long, curly, elegant, purple hair. He also had a pair of bored-looking eyes. In his hands was a spike-ball mace.

He is Minozebra, one of the Jailer Beasts, who is described as being very shy.

The second one looked like a big yellow koala in pants. He has cutesy eyes, just like Minotaurus, as well as large lips and a runny nose. On his hands were two spiked knuckles. Tied to his belt is a bag full of eucalyptus leaves, which he is currently munching on.

He is Minokoala, another Jailer Beast, who is described as having a feisty nature.

The third, and last, was a large, blue, bipedal rhino in overalls. Just like Minokoala and Minotaurus, he has cutesy eyes, large lips, and, of course, a runny nose. In his hands were not one, but two spiked clubs.

He is Minorhinoceros, the fourth, and last, Jailer Beast, who has a quiet nature.

"They're thirsty for blood," Sadie began, eerily, "and they don't have one shred of patience, at all."

"Reporting, sir!" said a guard. "Straw Hat Luffy and his ally are currently inside the well-hole tower of Level 3! We've been unable to obtain any video of them."

"It would save us a lot of trouble if they both fell all the way down into the bubbling Pool of Blood," Magellan said. "Aside from , Straw Hat and his comrades all have Devil Fruit powers. If they fell in there, they'd sink like stones."

Suddenly a guard came from behind the box Magellan was sitting in.

"Warden Magellan, sir! I have news to report! Straw Hat Luffy and White Wolf are already on Level 4!"

"WHAT?" Magellan shouted, looking through a door in the side of the box. "How can that be?"

"They must've fallen through the well-hole," said the guard.

"But the Pool of Blood is directly below it! How could they survive?"

"This is only a hunch, but maybe the rubble they fell served as a foothold and helped them get out before they could fall completely in!"

"And what's more…" said another guard.

"What else is there?" Magellan questioned as he poked his head out through a back window.

"I don't want this chair," Hannyabal murmured.

"Minotaurus fell with them! He's out cold!"

"What?" Sadie questioned. "How in the hell could Minotaurus been defeated?"

"Calm down!" Magellan ordered. "There only two ways stairways that can be used without security clearance. We're going to split into three groups. Hannyabal, you go and guard the stairway to Level 3, here. Miss Sadie, you take the Jailer Beasts and guard the one that leads to Level 5."

"Guard?" Sadie repeated. "Mmmm~, no way! I want to assault! I want assail! If I can't do that, then I have no reason to live, Warden!"

"If they do come my way, I'll let them escape, and then Magellan will take the fall," Hannyabal whispered.

"Are you not pleased with your orders?" Magellan asked.

He sighed, letting out some poisonous gas that choked Hannyabal, Sadie, and Minokoala.

"AH!" Sadie cried. "Don't sigh, mmmm~! Please, stop!"

"What did I do?" Hannyabal questioned.

"Capture them," said Magellan. "After that, you can do whatever with them."

"Ooh, wonderful~!" said Sadie. "I'd love that, mmmm~, very much!"

"As for the rest of you jailers, capture them dead or alive!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes! Mmmm~, but I'd prefer if they were at least a little alive."


Meanwhile, near the Pool of Blood, Luffy, Snare-Oh, Bon Clay, Buggy, and Mr. 3 had indeed escaped death thanks to the Thep Khufan's pile of bandages cushioning their fall, but were now standing on the hot stone floor above it and were jumping about, except for Bon Clay, who was joyously spinning around.

"Hot, hot, hot, hot!" Buggy cried. "What kind of a passageway is this? This heat's unbearable!"

"The air's so hot," Mr. 3 commented. "It's practically cooking my lungs!"

"We gotta…get outta here!" Luffy panted. "Which way do we go, now?"

"Jeez it's so hot. Feels like I'm sitting in an oven," Snare-Oh said as he turned back to normal.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Bon Clay laughed. "You four are all a bunch of wusses! You know the old saying: 'Clear your thoughts of all mundane thoughts and you will find the strength to put on women's clothes!'"

"Okay, where did THAT come from?" Ben questioned.

"Although, this place is a little hotter than Level 3, don't you think?" asked Bon Clay. "Yes, now that I think about it, it is a bit hot in here. I feel like I'm burning up just a bit." He stopped spinning and then started to scream. "IT'S WAY TOO HOT IN HERE!"

"YOU'RE JUST MAKING IT WORSE!" Luffy, Buggy, and Mr. 3 exclaimed, angrily.

Suddenly, Luffy looked to his right, and his nose twitched. Without warning, he suddenly ran off in that direction with Ben following close behind.

"This way!" he called. "Follow me!"

"Wait!" Buggy called. "Where are you going, Straw Hat?"

"IT'S TOO HOT IN HERE!" Bon Clay shouted.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Mr. 3 snapped.

"Wait a second," said Bon Clay. "If Straw Hat and Ben are going straight to the right, which means they're going to…THE KITCHEN!" He runs after him. "AND I'M STARVING!"

"Ooh!" Buggy chirped. "Good idea! I hope there's booze there, too!"

"No, Buggy, wait!" Mr. 3 said as he grabbed the clown pirate.

Meanwhile, Luffy and Ben were still running to the kitchen. This heat was quite strong, but Luffy's stomach proved to be stronger.

"It's HOT!" Luffy cried. "Hot, hot, HOT!" He sniffed the air. "Oh, man, but it smells so good!"

Up ahead, a group of guards were waiting for Luffy.

"Here they come! Straw Hat Luffy and the shapeshifter!"

"Get them!" The guards charged at the two Straw Hat Pirates, and Luffy was forced to brake to a stop.

"Ah, man! There's so many of them!" he said while panting. "Boy, this floor is a hell of a lot than Level 3."

In another flash of green light, Four Arms appeared as he rushed the guards knocking them around with little effort. Luffy looked at his transforming companion, then back at the remaining guards who started to surround him.

"What am I gonna do?" he questioned to himself. "If I wasn't so hungry, I'd send these bastards flying with a Gum-Gum Gatling, but my hands are full!"

Just then, Luffy seemed to get an idea.

"Maybe," he began, "…I won't have to punch these guys!"

The guards let out battle cries, holding their pitchforks in the air, preparing to apprehend both Luffy and Four Arms.

"Give it up!"

"There's nowhere for you to escape to!"

"Prepare yourselves!"

Luffy smirked before he jumped up into the air, above the guards.

"All right!" he said. "Chew on this! Gum-Gum…"

He started to kick and stretch his legs down at the guards in rapid-fire succession.

"STAMP GATLING!" Luffy began to pummel the guards with his furious feet, defeating every last one of them and sending them flying down into the flames below.

Four Arms couldn't help but smirk, proudly.

"There you go," he said as Luffy landed on the floor.

"C'mon, Ben," said Luffy. "Let's get going!"

Four Arms nodded before Luffy continued to run.


Back with Buggy and Mr. 3...

"Hey, come on, partner!" Buggy said. "What are you waiting for? You've gotta be starved, too, right?"

"Take a good look, you fool!" Mr. 3 retorted. "There are lots of guards, running around here, and they're well-organized! Level 4 is supposed to be filled with screams of agony, but nobody is feeding the fire and the inmates aren't attempting to escape! And look how many guards are moving around in formations! Something's definitely up, here!"

"So, what're you suggesting?" asked Buggy.

"We must check the exits, at once," Mr. 3 answered. "It looks like they were waiting for us! Right now, we're like rats in a trap!"

"But why in the hell would those damn guards be waiting for us down here?" Buggy questioned. "They're after Straw Hat and Ben, aren't they? We're only innocent pawns in all this!"

"Either way," Mr. 3 started, "they know we're on the loose. The thing I'm most afraid of…"

"Yeah?" Buggy questioned.

"The thing I'm most afraid," Mr. 3 continued, "is that in order to restore order, they've called in Impel Down's All-Star Team! The three Jailer Beasts are a given…but if the Warden, Magellan, is here, then that's it! Game over!"


Meanwhile, Luffy was still running to the kitchen, but his instincts told him to jump back, and quick, and that's what he did. Some weird, goopy, purple substance fell from the ceiling in front of Luffy.

"Whew!" Luffy sighed. "That startled me! I thought that was gonna be a spear or a sword or something! Wait, what the hell is that stuff? Jelly crap?"

"Something tells me that's not likely," Four Arms stated.

Suddenly, Bon Clay was heard gasping, "Straw Boy! Ben Boy!" he cried. "Above you! Watch out!"

Luffy and Four Arms looked up, and then jumped back when a huge shadow fell from the ceiling and dropped in front of Luffy and Ben. It was none other than Magellan!

"AAAAAAAAH!" Bon Clay screamed. "IT'S HIM! MAGELLAN!"

"Great, whose this guy supposed to be?" questioned Four Arms.

"Who the hell are you?" Luffy questioned.

"You…bastard criminal scumbags!" Magellan hissed.


AN: Next chapter is Ben and Luffy versus Magellan. So stayed tuned as the next chapter will come out sooner than you think.