Aaaand he's back with a new chapter to pitch. Will he make a strike out or will it fly off the field? I don't know sports, so don't judge my commentaries. Anyway, last we met, the group of Luffy, Danny and Bon Clay fought the Minotaurus and entered Level 4, the fun way. Let's hope they can survive the fires of hell.
Chapter 3: The King of Hell
In the blistering inferno in front of the stairway to Level 5 was Magellan, sitting in his special portable seat. Gathered around him were Hannyabal, Mistress Sadi, the jailors of Level 4, wearing outfits fit for torturers, with a brown mask with holes that made it shaped like a ghoul, and white outfits, holding pitchforks, and three of the four Demon Guards; a giant koala chewing on eucalyptus leaves, trying to give some to a giant rhino, who refused, while a zebra was hiding behind them, looking shy. All were wearing only pants, have runny noses and fat lips.
They ignored the prisoners forced to work on such morbid conditions, their feet blistering on the hot ground, carrying giant firewood to keep the inferno going. Some guards were delivering punishment to the prisoners, forcing them to fall into the giant pot of boiling blood.
"What the hell's going on?" one of the inmates in the cell asked as they looked at the forces gathered on the floor.
"Why are all the big shots on this floor?"
"Magellan, Hannyabal and the Demon Guards?"
"I got a bad feeling about this."
"Did you hear? The intruder managed to beat the Minotaurus," one of the guards said as they stood there, waiting.
"Seriously? That's insane!"
"They're probably down here already. Keep your guard up."
Hannyabal walked towards the Warden's special seat, which had the curtains down. He scoffed as he looked at the seat.
"A true Warden should face adversities head on instead of hiding," he said, grabbing the rope. "Get your ugly mug out here!"
"GAH!?" Magellan exclaimed as the curtains were pulled wide open, covering his eyes from the intense brightness. "Could you warn me first!? It's too bright!"
"When you inevitably pass that seat on to me, I'd appreciate it if you make it more open first," Hannyabal said as Magellan covered his eyes.
"Shut up! This seat was custom to my liking and I like it," Magellan said once his eyes got used to the brightness. "Closed, private and dark. It's a metaphor to how I feel about yo-ng!"
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"It's coming!" Magellan exclaimed as he held on his stomach, causing the guards to prepare their weapons, looking around wildly. Suddenly, Magellan closed the curtains to his seat, causing everyone to look at it.
PFFFT! PFFT! PFFT!
Everyone stared in silence as they heard the sound of a flushing toilet.
"IT'S A TOILET!?" Hannyabal exclaimed before he gestured at the seat. "THAT IS GRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSS~!"
"I can hear you!"
"Hm~," Sadi said in an impatient tone. "If I knew waiting would be so boring, I would have gone hunting, hm~!"
"Patience, Mistress Sadi," Magellan said, opening a window from the back of his seat.
"GAH!?" Hannyabal exclaimed in shock as Magellan's head pop out of the window.
"I am just about done. I want you and the Demon Guards to guard this door."
"What? Hm~!" Sadi said. "But that's so boring! Hm~!"
"Hannyabal, I want you to guard the stairway to Level 3," Magellan said.
"If they'll pull this off, all I have to do is point the blame on Magellan," Hannyabal to himself. "Then I'll be-buwah!?"
Magellan punched him from the window, stopping him from planning his downfall.
"If you catch the intruders, you can do whatever you want with them," Magellan said as he closed the window.
"Oh? Now that gets me excited. Hm~!" Sadi said, licking her lips.
"I just wanted to be Warden," Hannyabal said, rubbing his head. "I mean, what are you going to do, Warden Magellan?"
The curtains opened, with Magellan walking out of his seat, standing tall, looking intimidating, causing the guards to back away slightly in fear.
"I will personally hunt them down," he growled. "With both staircases guarded, they have no way of escaping. As for the rest of the guards, hunt them down and bring them to me, dead or alive. They have sullen our reputation far enough. This ends now...But first…"
Everyone tenses, thinking he was about to release his infamous Hydra.
He suddenly went back in his seat and closed the curtains.
PFFFT!
"YOU'RE TAKING A DUMP AGAIN!?"
Meanwhile, Luffy, Danny and Bon kept screaming as the rock they were standing on was falling towards the boiling blood below.
"Anyone do something!"
"What can we do in this situation!?"
"Can't you fly!?"
"I told you it's hard!"
"Spin! Spin! Spin!"
"Stop spinning!"
The trio kept screaming as they plummet. Suddenly, the rock they were standing on suddenly shifted on one side, causing it to roll. They ran to avoid falling off, causing the rock to move to the side. As they nearly reached the pot, the rock hit a platform, causing the rock to break upon impact. Danny and Luffy fell towards the floor, roughly landing on their feet.
"Ow! Hot!" Luffy exclaimed as he started hoping from one foot to another. "Hot! Hot! Hot!"
"Damn! It's like standing on a stove! Even breathing hurts!" Danny exclaimed, also hoping from one foot to another. "Hm? Where's Bon?"
"Bon?" Luffy asked, looking around and saw that one of them was missing. "Oh no, Bon! You think he fell inside the pot!?"
"I don't think so," Danny commented. "If he did fall in, we would have heard a scream."
"AAAAAAAAAGH!"
"Yeah, like that, only less deep," Danny commented. They both looked down and saw a handful of prisoners being boiled alive in the pot of blood, screaming before they sank, joining the blood. "Woah…That's gotta hurt."
"Hm?" Luffy suddenly stopped as he turned to one direction, sniffing the air, before he smiled widely. "I know which way! Follow me!"
He suddenly ran to that direction, shocking Danny before he followed after him.
"Hey! Where are you going!?" Danny called out, slowly catching up to him.
"I smell food in this direction!" Luffy replied, using his nose to lead the way.
"How the hell can you smell food in this place!?" Danny exclaimed, not being able to forget the smell of boiling blood soon.
With no other options, Danny followed Luffy's lead, hopefully to a cooler place where they can rehydrate themselves.
"There they are!"
Both Luffy and Danny looked ahead and saw the jailors running towards them, weapons ready.
"It's Straw Hat Luffy and the prisoner Danny! Capture them!"
"Damn, there's a bunch of them!" Luffy said, panting slightly. "All this heat is beating me down…but I'll get my energy back once I have some food in me."
"Then let's hurry and beat them up!" Danny said, also feeling a little hungry.
"Give me a boost!" Luffy exclaimed. Danny nodded and cupped his hands together. Luffy jumped towards Danny, landing on his hands, letting Danny pushed him upward, where he started spinning around wildly, confusing the guards.
"Gum-Gum Fireworks!" he exclaimed as he released a flurry of punches and kicks, knocking a lot of the guards out, and sending a few unlucky ones out the ground they were standing on, sending them falling towards the boiling blood.
Danny charged straight at the guards, jumping towards them with a kick before sending out punches that knocked them out.
"Damn, can't fight so well in this place," Danny panted as he ducked a pitchfork, grabbed it, and hurled the guard to the ground before using the pitchfork to attack, stabbing and slicing them.
"Damn, there's more coming!" Luffy exclaimed, noticing more guards coming.
"Yeah…that's weird," Danny said with narrowed eyes. "They shouldn't be able to respond this fast, or this many…unless they already know we're here! We need to hurry to Level 5!"
"What? But the food!" Luffy complained as he punched a few guards.
"You won't be thinking about food if you're dead!" Danny exclaimed as he took out a group of guards with the pitchfork. "We were too careless and got caught in their ambush! Since I heard that there's a guest, I thought we have time, but there's a chance he's here, waiting for us!"
"Who?" Luffy asked, noticing how nervous Danny looks.
"The ruler of Impel Down, Warden Magellan," he replied, remembering the monster that released a large douse of poison on the people who rioted when he first arrived. "He's a Poison Man who ate the Venom-Venom Fruit, so one touch from him, and you're as good as dead."
"Alright, then let's hurry," Luffy said seriously before he started running. "To the kitchen!"
"Weren't you listening!?"
Luffy didn't get a few feet away before he noticed something fall, causing him to jump away before it hit him. Landing on the ground with a splat was a blob of purple goo, evaporating on the floor.
"Woah, I thought it was a spear," Luffy said before he noticed a few more blobs falling. "Ew! What is this stuff? Is it jelly or poop?"
"Shit," Danny said as more blobs fell to the ground, recognizing them. "Luffy! Get back!"
"Wha-?" Luffy said before something big landed in front of him, causing a cloud of dust to erupt. Once the dust cleared, Luffy saw a silhouette of a devil.
"It's time to end this tomfoolery once and for all, boys," Magellan declared once the dust cleared, glaring angrily at Luffy and Danny.
"Who are you?" Luffy demanded, glaring at the enemy.
"This is bad," Danny said with a glare.
"I've got you now, you criminal scum!" Magellan declared as he glared at the two criminals who made a mockery of his prison.
Meanwhile, Bon Clay was on the other side of Level 4, looking for his friends. After the rock they were falling on crashed, he was somehow sent flying halfway in the room.
"Where are those boys?" Bon exclaimed as he kept skipping through the floor. "I hope they didn't fall over to the boiling blood. No, I shouldn't think that! Our friendship is so strong that it will protect them!"
Suddenly, he stopped as he noticed Hannyabal and a group of guards blocking the staircase to Level 3.
"Damn, must have taken a wrong turn," he muttered, quickly hiding in a corner. He was about to leave when he noticed one of the guards running towards Hannyabal.
"Vice Warden! I have received word that Warden Magellan has caught up with Straw Hat and the prisoner!"
Bon's eyes widened as he heard that. He had hoped that they wouldn't encounter the king of hell in here, but it appears their hopes were broken.
"Oh no!" Bon thought in a panic tone. "If those two fought Magellan, then they're as good as dead! I need to rescue them! But…if I do that, all of us will die! I have to endure and find a way to help them!"
As he thought of a plan, he looked at the group, seeing the Vice Warden. Eyes widening, he quickly charged at the group.
"Ballet Kenpo: Degenerate Swan Dance Recital!"
Surprised, the guards couldn't react fast enough as Bon released a fury of kicks that sent them flying. Only Hannyabal was unaffected, blocking the kicks with his pitchfork.
"Oh, looks like one of them is finally here," he commented, looking at Bon.
"It's Bentham, aka Bon Clay!" one of the guards who didn't get hit exclaimed.
"We can't let him through!" one of them exclaimed, ready to charge at him.
"Wait!" Hannyabal commanded, stopping the guards. "Guards, stand down."
"…WHAT!?" the guards exclaimed, falling on their heads before coming back up. "Vice Warden, why?"
"That's right, I'm the Vice Warden and I'm in charge here," Hannyabal commented, picking his ear before blowing away the piece of wax. "Yes, here's my chance. It seems fortune has finally favored me. On top of Straw Hat's invasion, if this one manages to escape, I'm sure the officials wouldn't tolerate this kind of magnitude of incompetence. And since he's the one in charge, he'll blame Warden Magellan for this whole fiasco, which would demote him and then make me the Warden! Alright, you're free to go through. I won't even look. Now guards, make room for our special guest."
"Vice Warden!" the guards exclaimed in shock.
"Come now, you're being rude to our guest!" Hannyabal said, causing the guards to reluctantly make a path for Bon, straight to the door to Level 3.
"…I appreciate the gesture," Bon said as he took a fighting stance. "But I can't, for in order to help my friends, I need you to be unconscious! So, Swan Arabesque!"
He delivered a strong kick that sent all the guards flying. The kick kept flying towards Hannyabal, who blocked with his pitchfork, clicking his teeth in irritation. He pushed Bon away before he started thrusting his pitchfork.
"Take this and that and this and that!" Hannyabal exclaimed, intending of skewering the Okama.
"Un! Do! Trois! Un! Dos! Trois!" Bon chanted as he swiftly and elegantly dodged the pitchfork.
"Stand still!" Hannyabal exclaimed as he swiped at Bon, causing him to jump over his head. "I admit, you're quick on your feet, but you'll see that I am quite persistent."
He turned to face his enemy, only to gasp in shock as his eyes widened.
"Hey there, big boy~," a female voice said in a sultry voice.
Back with Luffy and Danny, the two stared at the imposing figure of Magellan. The rest of the guards all panicked as they quickly ran away as fast as they can, carrying their fallen comrades to safety.
"Warden, please wait!"
"We're still here! Don't fight yet!"
"Hey, move it or you're gonna die!"
"It's truly quite hot down here," Magellan commented as he sweated poison.
"You suck!" Luffy complained, glaring at Magellan. "I was about to make it to that awesome smelling food over there! I'm hot! I'm mad! And I'm hungry! Get the hell outta my way!"
"Food is your concern?" Magellan commented as he looked at the intruder. "Very well, then I shall make it where you don't have to worry about eating again!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Luffy asked as Danny sweated, and this time, it wasn't from the heat.
"Luffy, we need to move!" Danny exclaimed, eying Magellan carefully. "That's Magellan! We can't fight him!"
"So…you're Magellan," Luffy said as he looked at the Warden.
"Indeed, I am," Magellan said, glaring at him. "You're a bit out of your element, Straw Hat. Even for a rookie, I expected more from a pirate with a bounty of 30 million, especially one who has caused the World Government so much trouble. Speaking of trouble, I can't imagine how you managed to worm your way through security, yet here you are. Rest assured; you will suffer for tarnishing my reputation."
Luffy didn't look frightened, he just glared at Magellan as he panted from the heat.
"I also know why you're here, by the way," Magellan added. "You're here to rescue your brother, Portgas D. Ace, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. An ambitious endeavor, if not foolish. Though struggle all you like, both your fates were sealed the moment you step foot here. You've had quite the little rampage, but it ends here. And one more thing; I will find out how you got in here. I will make you spill every juicy detail to me."
"…I'll die before I tell you," Luffy declared in a determined tone.
"Heh! You criminals always spout that sort of nonsense before your interrogation," Magellan said, snorting a bit. "But listen Straw Hat; once you've faced the torment I have in store for you, you will be begging me for the mercy of death."
"Luffy! Stop standing there and move!" Danny exclaimed. "Forget about the food and let's make a run for it to Level 5!"
"I'm afraid that won't help you," Magellan said. "I already have the Demon Guards stationed at the staircase to Level 5 with their commanding officer."
"What!?" Danny exclaimed.
"All exits have been blocked, there is nowhere to run and no way to escape," Magellan declared. "This will be your grave!"
"Well…at least I had a good, short run," Danny joked, trying to hide his panic through witty comebacks. "You know, before it all went to hell and got dragged into this place. So…you wanna die first or should I go first?"
"No one's dying!" Luffy exclaimed angrily. "I'm going to save my brother, and you can't stop me!"
"Enough talk then," Magellan said as his whole body transformed into poison. "Hydra!"
From his back, a dragon head made of poison flew out of his body, flying around the area.
"What the heck is that!?" Luffy exclaimed in shock. "A poison monster!?"
It flew towards the two, who quickly jumped away as it smashed to the ground, splattering around. Luffy landed a few feet away, glaring at it.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!"
"Wait!"
Luffy threw a punch aimed directly at the poison monster, only for Danny to block it with his arms crossed. Startled, Luffy pulled back his arm, which Danny grabbed. The two collided, almost stumbling to the ground.
"What the hell, Danny!?"
"That's my line, idiot!" Danny exclaimed, grabbing Luffy by the ears and pulling them, stretching them. "Are these things for decorations or what!? I told you not to touch him!"
"Let go!"
Magellan watched as the two criminals were arguing as Danny pulled Luffy's ears and Luffy pulling Danny's cheeks.
"Hydra!"
Luffy and Danny turned and saw a poison monster flying towards them. The two started running away as it chased them. In front of them were the guards still trying to stand. Acting quickly, Danny grabbed one by the shirt and threw it towards the Hydra.
"Wait! No!" the guard cried as the monster devoured him. When it dissipated, the prisoner screamed in agony as his fellow guards gathered around him. "It hurts! The antidote! Give me the antidote!"
"Sir Magellan! Please don't attack so aggressively!"
"Then don't get in my way, damn fools!"
"S-s-sorry, sir!"
"Woah!" Luffy exclaimed as he saw what happened to the guard. "What happened!?"
"That's Magellan's poison," Danny explained as they kept running. "It's a paralyzing neurotoxin! Get hit by that, and you'll be screaming your lungs off before you die!"
"Scary!"
"Run all you want, there is no escape!" Magellan exclaimed as he created two more Hydras, chasing after them.
Seeing the Hydras catching up, Luffy quickly stretched his arm above the flames, grabbing on to a platform, ignoring the burning touch. He pulled himself off the ground, swing to the platform, catching fire on his clothes.
"Ow! Forgot it's really hot!" Luffy said as he turned to look at the Hydras, one of the head gone by slamming on to a wall. "Alright! One of the heads is gone!"
"Luffy!?" Danny exclaimed before he jumped to the side to avoid a Hydra that was after him. "Shit!"
"How clever, you have your brother's cunning after all," Magellan said as he started chewing something. "But that won't help you."
"Oh crap, here it comes!" one of the guards watching from a safe distance exclaimed, grabbing some masks.
"Chloroform Ball!" Magellan exclaimed as he spat out a blob of poison from his mouth. Once it reached close enough to Luffy, the ball exploded into tear gas. Luffy jumped away from the platform, avoiding the explosion, jumping on a higher platform.
"That was close!" Luffy exclaimed before he started coughing, sneezing and tearing.
"Put your gas masks on!" one of the guards exclaimed. "Stay clear! The Warden is in the middle of a battle!"
"Whab's habening to me? Achoo!" Luffy exclaimed as he cried and sneezed. "I can't fib like bis! Achoo!"
The Hydras got closer to Luffy, who couldn't move from the stinging pain. Suddenly, they stopped just near him.
"Woah! The Hydra stopped moving," Luffy commented, blinking the tears out.
"Venom Road!" Magellan exclaimed, using the Hydra to swim towards Luffy. "Try as you might, you won't escape me!"
He pulled out the horns from his head, using them as weapons. Luffy, still distracted from the pain, just stood there, trying to see as Magellan aimed the horns at him.
Suddenly, a pitchfork was thrown at Magellan, causing him to use his horns to deflect it. He turned his head and saw Danny jumping towards them, wearing a mask he stole from the guards. On his hand was another mask on his back were two pitchforks. Below, a couple of guards were beaten while two were coughing and sneezing.
"Catch!" Danny exclaimed, throwing a mask to Luffy, who caught. "If we're gonna die horribly, at least you can see it now."
"Thanks," Luffy said, putting on the mask. "I can see now!"
"That won't change anything," Magellan said, glaring at the two. "Struggle all you like, it's all meaningless!"
He charged at them, thrusting the horns that was covered with poison. The two quickly jumped away, the horns piercing the wall. They saw the wall melted from the horns.
"Woah! The wall melted!" Luffy exclaimed in shock.
"Like this place isn't hot enough already," Danny commented, grabbing a pitchfork from his back.
Magellan fell of the wall and turned to face the two, both glaring defiantly at him through the gas masks they stole.
"Venom Blowfish!" Magellan exclaimed as he blew blobs of poison towards them. The two dodged by either dodging or duck, with Danny sometimes swatting them with his pitchfork.
"Damn! Not touching him is so annoying!" Luffy exclaimed after dodging another blob of acid.
"There's always running, but I doubt he'll let us," Danny said ducking a blob.
"You fools can dance around all you want, all you're doing is delaying the inevitable," Magellan said as he kept spitting blobs.
"Then how about this!"
Danny threw the pitchfork towards Magellan, who moved his head to dodge. Suddenly, Danny was jumping in front of him, grabbing the other pitchfork, aiming it at Magellan's face. He thrust it, intending on stabbing the Warden on the face. Magellan caught the weapon before it could hit him, holding it to keep Danny in the air.
"Well…shit," Danny said before Magellan punched Danny with a fist covered in poison, hitting his chest and sending him flying off the platform.
"Danny!" Luffy exclaimed as he saw Danny fall into the flames, screaming. "You bastard!"
"Don't worry, you'll join him soon enough," Magellan declared. "Hydra!"
Luffy quickly jumped off the platform to dodge the poisonous monster, using his arm to grab the rails, pulling him safely to solid ground. He fell on his knees, exhausted. Magellan soon followed him, using his Venom Road to get in front of him.
"I suggest you put an end to this nonsense and just submit," Magellan said, seeing Luffy on his knees.
"…I am gonna rescue my brother," Luffy said as he slowly got up, holding on his knees with one fist planted on the ground. "And we'll escape from here together. I won't die without seeing him."
Suddenly, his legs started pumping his blood, causing his skin to turn red and steam flying out of his body.
"And I'm not gonna let you execute him, you hear me!"
"Hm? What's that smoke?" Magellan asked, noting that the smoke wasn't coming from the flames around them, but from Luffy's body. "I don't have time for your tricks!"
"I'm not getting anywhere. I can't win without touching you," Luffy said as he looked at his hands. "I'll make a sacrifice…You can take my arms, but I won't lose!"
"Take your arms? You prefer I tear you apart piece by piece!?" Magellan exclaimed as he threw a punch towards Luffy, who suddenly threw his arms back, stretching them as far as he can.
"Gum-Gum Jet Bazooka!"
Luffy slammed both his fists into Magellan's stomach, who was shocked by the sudden attack. The force of the attack could be felt across the floor as it traveled through the surrounding waters. Magellan fell on all fours, small blobs of acid spilling from his mouth, which was open in pain.
Luffy retracted his arms back, glaring at the Warden before he felt the incredible pain in his arms. He looked at his limbs, seeing that they were covered in poison.
"AAAAAARRRGH!"
Luffy fell on his knees, gritting his teeth as he endured the pain he felt through his arms. Despite the pain, he glared at Magellan, who glared back at him.
"It would seem you have brought me to my knees, boy," Magellan growled as he stood back up. "Even a cornered rabbit will fight with teeth and claw. But now your arms are covered in enough poison to affect your entire body."
Luffy didn't reply, he just kneeled there, panting as he glared defyingly at Magellan, who didn't look impressed by his bluff.
"You're feeling the pain," Magellan said, causing Luffy to wince slightly. "I know you are."
"Shut up!" Luffy exclaimed as he forced himself up, steam rapidly flowing out of his body.
"Give up already," Magellan said with a sigh, already getting irritated by his stubbornness.
"Gum-Gum Twin Jet Pistol!" Luffy exclaimed as he suddenly jumped towards Magellan and threw two punches at his stomach, causing him to slide a few feet away.
Magellan winced as he glared at Luffy before his cheeks puffed up.
"Venom Blowfish!"
He spat out blobs of poison, but Luffy quickly dodged, running around Magellan. Magellan spun around, barely keeping track of Luffy as he kept spitting blobs, missing him by an inch.
Luffy suddenly appeared behind Magellan, fist aimed at the ready.
"Gum-Gum Jet Pistol!"
"Hydra!"
Luffy threw out a punch, but it was blocked by Magellan's Hydra, which splattered upon impact. Droplets of poison covered Luffy, getting some on his thighs, shoulders and chest. He winced as he looked at Magellan, noticing that all the punches he did was being repaired by Magellan's acid.
"Damn, not even a scratch," Luffy groaned as he kept panting, gritting as his body riddled with pain. Magellan was suddenly in front of Luffy. He quickly jumped away as Magellan's hand was buried on the ground where Luffy was. "That was close!"
Suddenly, Luffy realized that the mask was off his face. He looked and saw that Magellan smashed it to pieces.
"Damn it," Luffy said, now that he was vulnerable to Magellan's gas.
Suddenly, Luffy noticed that everything was getting foggy and hearing a sound similar to a gas leak, while seeing a cloud forming into a jellyfish. Eyes wide, he slowly looked at Magellan, noticing that the gas was coming from his mouth.
"Venom Cloud!"
Luffy started coughing uncontrollably, unable to breath. Desperate, he started punching the jellyfish, which did nothing.
"It's pointless," Magellan said as he watched Luffy struggle. "That fog is a part of me, so it lives and breathes.
Luffy's vision started blurring as he struggled to remain standing. Acting quickly, his entire body suddenly swelled up as he jumped into the air.
"Gum-Gum Balloon!" he exclaimed before he released a strong gust of air from his mouth, blowing the fog away.
"I told you, it's pointless," Magellan said as Luffy landed back, taking a deep breath, unaware that the fog returned. He started choking as he stopped moving, paralyzed. "Your limbs have stopped moving, have they. In time, my poison will take everything from you."
Luffy, unable to hold on, fell face first to the hot ground. The purple fog slowly dispersed as Magellan walked towards the fallen pirate. When Luffy didn't moved, he turned around and started walking, certain of his victory.
"A…Ace…"
Magellan suddenly stopped as he heard Luffy's weak voice, followed by struggling grunts as Luffy forced himself back on his feet.
"You just don't know when to quit," he said, turning to face Luffy. "Does rescuing your brother really means that much to you?"
Luffy suddenly slammed his head on the hard ground, trying to fight the pain of the poison. He kept slamming until his head was clear, standing up to glare at Magellan before charging at him.
"The sooner you stop this nonsense, the sooner I end your suffering," Magellan said, giving Luffy a chance to surrender.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy exclaimed, ignoring his offer, and throwing a weak, rubber punch towards Magellan, who just moved his head and grabbed his arm before slamming Luffy to the ground, so hard that he coughed up blood.
Gasping for air, Luffy slowly stood back up, facing Magellan, who was starting to look annoyed.
"This is pointless. Hopeless. You have no right," he said. "Your brother is a notorious criminal who will face his execution rightfully so. And you are an intruder who has waged open war against the World Government. You've wronged this world, so you must pay with your life! The law demands Ace's death at Marineford, so it shall have it! Don't mistake your misguided attempt to save your brother as Justice!"
"Shut up! Second Gear!" Luffy exclaimed as he crouched down, slamming his fist to the ground as he pumped his legs, turning his skin red and steam pouring out of him.
"…Hydra," Magellan said as his body was covered in poison, followed by three poisonous, reptilian monsters erupting from his back.
With a roar, Luffy jumped towards Magellan, causing the hydras to charge towards him.
"Give me back my brother!" Luffy exclaimed as he headed straight towards the monsters, with one of its jaws opening.
Meanwhile, Danny panted as he stood up, surrounded by the guards who tried to capture him. His shirt was thrown away due to the poison covering it, revealing his muscles body, as well as the ugly scar on his chest. He looked up to where Luffy was before he fell. He grabbed a pitchfork and used it to vault himself towards a platform.
"Man, this is damn troublesome," he complained as he kept repeating the process to get himself back up faster. "Why am I even helping this lunatic? I don't know him, nor do I know his brother…"
He didn't know why. He was content to living in his cell as the head honcho, in a world where the strong and smart survives. He should have just pushed him to the boiling blood and run back to his cell.
…But he couldn't do that. Not to that guy. Because he was the first person he met in this world who wasn't cruel. Someone who was loyal enough to enter this hell to save his brother. It reminded him back when he was back home.
"Hold on, Luffy," he said as he vaulted up until he finally reached the floor. He started running towards the direction to where Luffy and Magellan were, ready to help him.
Suddenly, he saw some figures in front of him, causing him to pick up the pace. When he was close enough, he stopped, and his eyes were wide with shock.
Magellan was standing above the downed form of Straw Hat Luffy, who was covered head to toe with poison.
"Luffy!"
"Hm?" Magellan looked up and saw Danny. "So, you managed to survive. Impressive. But that only means you will suffer by my hands, just like Straw Hat."
"A…Ace…"
"Bastard…" Danny growled before he charged, pitchfork in hand.
"Venom Blowfish."
Danny jumped to dodge the blobs of poison, getting as close as possible to Magellan. As he got closer, he didn't see the blob of poison on the ground, which suddenly exploded when he got close to it.
"Gah!" he exclaimed as he was met with a face full of tear gas. He couldn't react when Magellan was in front of him, striking him in the gut with enough force to make him cough blood, sending him skidding across the ground.
"You prisoners really do enjoy suffering," Magellan said as he walked towards the gasping Danny. "First Straw Hat refuses to stand down, choosing to drown in poison, and you, choosing to fight a losing battle."
"Well, I guess we're just stubborn dumbasses," Danny said with a chuckle. "He's a dumbass for breaking in Impel Down. And I'm a dumbass for helping him…but it sure beats living with a Celestial Dragon."
"What?" Magellan said before he noticed the mark on Danny's right shoulder that suddenly appeared, like it was hidden before.
The branding mark of the Celestial Dragon.
"Wait, that mark and on the shoulder…" his eyes widened as Danny looked up at him. "You're the missing murderer!"
"Yes, I am," Danny said as he felt a familiar flow of energy in his body, causing him to smirk. "And guess what? I'm done hiding."
In a flash of light, Danny's appearance changed, his black hair turning snowy white, his blue eyes turning neon green, his pale skin turning tanned. Surprised, Magellan was blasted off his feet by a green blast from Danny's hands, sending him flying across the floor, sending him smashing on the wall.
"Damn! That feels good!" Danny exclaimed with a grin, enjoying the familiar feeling.
"Hydra!" three monsters made of poison flew towards Danny, who just took a deep breath and unleashed his most powerful attack.
"AAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!"
The entire building of Impel Down shook as an unnatural scream echoed through all the levels, terrifying the prisoners, guards and even the beasts. The hydras tried to push forward, trying to reach Danny, but soon they flew back towards Magellan, who was pushed to the wall by the attack.
Danny soon ended the attack, letting Magellan fall to the ground, barely conscious. Danny suddenly winced as he held his gut, changing back to normal. He looked and saw that it was wounded and covered in poison.
"Well, damn," he said as he felt the poison coursing through his system. "Just when I going all out…"
He managed to stand up and walked towards Luffy, grabbing him and hefting him over his shoulders, not caring that the poison was touching him.
"Okay, let's go to Level 5," he said as he started walking. He managed to make it pass the bridge they were standing on before losing his balance. "Ow…"
Magellan groaned as he fought to stay conscious. Whatever attack the prisoner use, it was unnatural and powerful, never felt an attack like that before. Suddenly, he felt someone slap his face.
"Hey. Hey. Hey. Wake up. Hey."
"Knock it off!" Magellan exclaimed, grabbing the one who was slapping him.
"Ack! Warden! You're chocking me!" Hannyabal exclaimed, slapping the hand that was holding his neck.
"Hannyabal? What are you doing here!?" Magellan exclaimed, releasing Hannyabal, who was coughing and gasping.
"Me and my guards were beaten by the prisoner, Bon Clay," Hannyabal said. "Then I woke up when I heard a scary sound."
Magellan stood up and looked at the bridge, seeing Luffy and Danny on the ground, barely moving. Both of them walked towards the fallen prisoners, Magellan glaring at them.
"Do you want me to take them to Level 5?" Hannyabal asked, looking at Magellan.
"Go ahead," Magellan growled and walked away as a few guards, who recovered from the Ghostly Wail, joined Hannyabal to grab the two prisoners. The Warden walked away, holding his stomach. "I have business to take care of."
"Well, let's grab them and take them to Level 5," Hannyabal said as the guards grabbed some boxes to put the prisoners on, not wanting to touch them.
"Yessir," the guards said as they dragged the two to Level 5, Hannyabal following behind them.
Their stop, Level 5.
Damn. Danny finally used his powers, but still wasn't enough to win. Poisoned and captured, what will they do to get free? Will they rescue Ace and get out of Impel Down? And what did Danny do before coming to Impel Down? Well, I know the answer, I just think asking questions gives this author notes purpose.
Oh well, next chapter, The Frozen Hell. Later.