Damn, finally almost to Marineford, just a few more chapters. So, recap, Danny and Bon managed to get Luffy to Iva the Miracle Worker, he almost didn't make it, but he did, and now he's back and ready to rumble! Magellan better watch out, because the inmates aren't done yet!
Chapter 5: The Eternal Hell
Warden Magellan growled as he sat at his usual throne, trying to ease the pain in his stomach. He wasn't hurt because of his diarrhea; he was hurt because of the recent battle he fought. It didn't help that his men were disorganized by the chaos.
"Damn them," he growled as he held his stomach, remembering the pain of Straw Hat Luffy's foolhardy attack. And his ears were still ringing from that unearthly scream from the prisoner Danny. "If I find them again, not even death will free them from my wrat-aaaaugh!"
PFFFFT!
"Warden Magellan!" Domino called him from the door. "It is time!"
"Just wait a sec," he growled as he took a deep breath. "Once Fire Fist Ace is gone, maybe some order will finally return."
He walked out the door, where Domino was waiting for him, getting a salute from her.
"You're late, sir," Domino reprimanded him respectfully.
"And you're strict, Domino," Magellan said with a sigh.
"Try to empty your bowels faster next time, sir," Domino suggested.
"Not possible," Magellan said, rubbing his stomach. Suddenly, his stomach started rumbling. "Oh no, not again!"
"No, sir," Domino said as she grabbed Magellan by the sleeve before he could run to his bathroom. "We have a schedule to keep, so you have to hold it."
"But I can't!" Magellan cried as he was dragged out of his office, where a group of guards were waiting for them.
"We were supposed to deliver the prisoner to the front gate at 9:00 am sharp," Domino said as they walked towards the elevator. "To be late would sully Impel Down's reputation, so hold it in, sir."
Magellan groaned in pain as they made it to the elevator, their destination, Level 6.
Level 5.5...
Everyone stared at the recovered Luffy in shock as he exhaled a puff of smoke, looking a little light headed after his yell.
"He absorbed all those calories!" one of them exclaimed as they stared at Luffy's body, which despite the cuts and bruises, seemed healthy.
"No one survives a beating like that from Magellan and lives!"
"There's no way he's human!"
"It's only been twenty hours, and he's already up!"
"It's a miracle, I tell you! A miracle!"
"A miracle?" Ivankov said with disbelief in his eyes. "No. It's far greater than that."
Soon, the Newkamas lost their shocked expressions, being replaced with awe and joy as they rushed towards him. Before Luffy could react, he was being tossed in the air, chanting his name.
"That crazy sonuva bitch did it," Danny said with a disbelieving grin.
"I'm…so happy!" Bon said as he cried tears of joy and relief as Danny patted his friend on the shoulder.
Luffy then spotted the two, causing him to grin widely.
"Bon! Danny! I'm so glad you guys are alright!" he said, still being tossed into the air.
"What! We weren't the one who was dying!" Bon exclaimed in annoyance, doing his ballerina pose as Danny chuckled. "Stop yanking my chain! You're the one who had us worried!"
Suddenly, Bon lost his annoyed expression as he fainted. Quickly, Danny caught Bon before he hit the ground and gently laid him down before falling on his butt, panting tiredly, feeling his sore throat.
"Bon!" Luffy exclaimed as he jumped off the Newkamas and landed in front of his friends with a worried expression. "What's wrong? You didn't die just now, did you? Say something!"
"It's okay, Luffy, he just passed out," Danny said before he lied on his back, sighing in relief. "Just let him rest."
"Dan Boy's right, Straw Boy," Ivankov said, walking towards them. "It's better to let the poor Candy rest."
"Yo, sup Iva," Luffy greeted.
"SHOW SOME RESPECT!" the Newkamas exclaimed in unison.
"Thanks buddy," Luffy said with a smile. "You really saved my life. And thanks for saving Bon and Danny, too."
"Well, I do my best," Ivankov said before turning to the two lying on the ground. "But it's really these two you should be thanking."
"Huh?" Luffy said as he looked at his two friends.
"Yes, I nudged you along at the right direction, and yes, my powers are certainly wonderful," Ivankov said, his eyes showing respect. "But these two are the heroes. They stood by your side all night long, struggling alongside you, sharing your pain, losing their voices and fighting the urge to fall unconscious, even spewing blood. But they stood strong, giving everything they have to help you fight for your life. Your recovery wasn't a miracle, it was the efforts of your friends."
"You guys…" Luffy said, as he remembered Danny and Bon going through Level 5 for him, fighting off the cold and the Army Wolves. He then bowed his head to them in gratitude. "Thank you. I owe you my life."
"C'mon, man, you're making me blush," Danny said with a tired grin. "Besides, what are friends for."
Luffy looked at Danny before giving a returning grin. Suddenly, Inazuma walked in, carrying Luffy's clothes, as well as his wine glass.
"Here, I got you some clean clothes, and we managed to get the poison off your hat," he said as he gave them to Luffy. "But you need to lie down. You'll need several days of rest before you can move."
"I don't have time for that!" Luffy exclaimed as he put on the yellow vest, the accessory on his arm, and his straw hat on. "Thanks for healing me and all, but I gotta go! Can you look after my friends, please?"
Not waiting for a reply, he quickly stood up, but just after running two steps, he faltered, struggling to remain upright before falling to the ground.
"Luffy, you okay?" Danny said as he stood up and walked towards Luffy. "Don't push yourself, or you might blow your spleen or something."
"Hey, easy there!" a Newkama said in a worried tone as Luffy panted. "Like Mr. Inazuma said, you need rest."
"I don't have time to rest," Luffy grunted before his eyes widened. He quickly grabbed something from his hat. On his palm was a small piece of torn paper that seemed to be moving down. "Looks like the paper is still pointing down."
"Um…what is that, and how is it moving?" Danny asked with a confused expression.
"It's a Vivre Card," Ivankov replied as he walked towards the duo. "It's made from the hair or nails of a person and it shows their location and life force."
"So…it's not a good sign that it's so small," Danny commented.
"By the way, where are we?" Luffy asked, realizing that he has no idea what floor he is.
"We're in Level 5.5," a Newkama answered politely. "Between Levels 5 and 6."
"Level 6? I thought there were only five levels," Luffy commented before putting the paper back in the red cloth of his hat. "Anyway, can you take me to Ace."
"So, I'm guessing that no matter what we say, you'll still go after your brother," Ivankov said with a hint of respect. "Well, it's your life, after all, so I won't stop you. Do whatever you want."
"What about you, Ivankov?" Danny asked. "Are you gonna get out of here, too?"
"Yeah. Bon was just saying how he wanted to get your ass outta here," Luffy added. "If you're gonna leave, can you take me to Ace's first?"
"DON'T TALK ABOUT HIS ASS!" the Newkamas exclaimed.
"Seriously, how are you guys doing that," Danny muttered, getting tired and curious on how they scream in unison.
"Wait, Bon Boy sought me out to rescue yours truly? How cute and such a sweet gesture," Ivankov said with a chuckle. "But it's not yet my time to break out."
"What do you mean?" Danny asked, curious on why someone is willing to stay here.
"I know what's going on with the world outside," Ivankov said as he crossed his arms with a knowing smirk. "I can feel the balance of power shifting rapidly and big changes are going to come crashing down, with the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates at the center of it all, but he has yet to make a move."
"Who's he?" Danny asked, causing Ivankov to smirk.
"I'm referring to, of course, my dearest friend, the leader of all the Revolutionaries in the world," he said dramatically. "You may know him as Dragon!"
"Oh, you mean my dad?" Luffy commented offhandedly.
"That's right," Ivankov said dramatically. "Once your father finally makes a move, that is when I'll make my grand escape. Think of that as my grand comeback. If I go now, I'll only end up in a sea of wanted lists."
After his dramatic speech, Ivankov then processed what Luffy just said before his eyes widened comically.
"D-D-D-D-D-Dad!?" he exclaimed in shock.
"DRAGON'S YOUR DAD!?" the Newkamas exclaimed in shock.
"What!?" in his shock, Ivankov jumped off the ground and slammed onto the rocky wall, his tongue and eyes popping out from his face. "He's your dear papa…And I never knew…My goodness!"
"Hey," Danny whispered to Luffy, who was looking around them in confusion. "Who's Dragon?"
"He's my Dad," Luffy whispered back. "He's the leader of the Revolutionary Army or something, so he's wanted by the World Government."
"Sounds like a cool guy," Danny said, having no love for the government that protected the Celestial Dragons.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Ivankov exclaimed, recovering from his shock. "Dragon doesn't have a kid! That's just crazy talk!"
"Oh, I wasn't supposed to say that," Luffy said before shrugging it off. "Meh, not like Grandpa was worried about it when he told me back in Water 7. Besides, I've never even seen my dad before."
"What!?" Ivankov exclaimed in shock. "But this makes so much sense! This boy doesn't look like a liar, and the vitality he showed, not to mention the waves he made ever since he stepped foot into the Pirate World has shock everyone to its core. An extraordinary son from an extraordinary father!"
"Please tell me, where are you from?" Ivankov asked, wanting to be sure.
"Hm? I'm from the East Blue," Luffy replied, confused on why that was important.
Ivankov gasped as he remembered a small conversation he had with Dragon from the past.
Flashback…
"Dragon," Ivankov said as he let the wind move his large, curly hair. He was talking to a rough-looking man with a tattoo on his face, his black eyes staring at the direction of the wind, his long, spikey, black hair flowing with it.
"Hm?" Dragon said.
"Whenever the wind is blowing, you'd face the same direction every time," Ivankov commented. "You always face south."
"Really? I didn't notice," Dragon commented, turning his head to look at his comrade. "You always notice the strangest things."
"Animals are said to have a honing instinct towards their home, maybe it's similar to that," Ivankov commented with a big smile. "Is that where you're from?"
Dragon didn't comment as he turned back to look at the distance.
"Do you have any family there?" Ivankov asked. "Perhaps a lover? Maybe even a child?"
"Don't put your nose into my business," Dragon grunted.
"Hmhmhm, as you wish," Ivankov said with a chuckle.
Flashback End…
"Oh no," Ivankov thought as sweat drip from the side of his temple. "This is bad. If Straw Boy really is Dragon's son, this could be a disaster!"
"Inazuma!" Ivankov ordered, becoming serious. "Check to see when they'll be taking Ace Boy away!"
"Right away," Inazuma said with a curtsy before walking away.
"There isn't much time," Ivankov said thoughtfully. "The Vivre Card is pointing down, which means they haven't taken him away yet. Once that info is ready, give it to me immediately. I'll be heading to Level 6 with Straw Boy right now."
"Really!?" Luffy exclaimed in an excited tone.
"Why the sudden change, Ivankov?" Danny asked, confused.
"The reason I'm here is because I'm one of the commanding officers of the Revolutionary Army, as well as one of Dragon's dear friends!" Ivankov exclaimed, getting into their faces, especially at Luffy. "If anyone else finds out that you are his son, everyone will be gunning after you, so keep that tidbit a secret, understand!?"
"Yeah, I'm just figuring that out," Luffy said, pushing himself off of Ivankov's big nose.
"So, you're helping us because Luffy's dad is your friend?" Danny said, nodding a little. "Okay, I can see that."
"I was too careless!" Ivankov thought. "If Straw Boy really is Dragon's son, so is Ace Boy! Is this why the Government wants to kill him? But that's insane! They can't hope to battle both Whitebeard and Dragon at the same time! What in the world are they planning!?"
"Listen up, my Candies!" Ivankov exclaimed, getting their attention. "Get ready, because we're going to move fast to rescue Ace Boy before his execution, and then we're going to break out of Impel Down! Is that understood!?"
"Break out? Now!?"
"That's too soon!?"
"I don't think I'm ready!"
They were all worried, murmuring amongst themselves at the sudden plan. Danny couldn't blame them, since they've been living in a small space of paradise in Hell, and they were suddenly ordered to leave, which means execution if caught by Magellan. They all stopped when Ivankov stomped his heels, making a loud clacking sound.
"A crossroad in life comes without warning," Ivankov said. "If you're prepared to fight, then you're prepared to die! Get ready for action and wait for our return!"
They all stared at him before Inazuma raised his glass of wine as the Newkamas cheered, all looking ready to rumble.
"Yeah!"
"I'll follow you to the ends of the world, Queen Iva!"
"This is a new beginning for Newkama Land!"
"Let's tear Impel Down a new one!"
"Hey, Ivankov," Danny said, getting his attention. "Is there anyway we can send a message to Levels 1 and 2?"
"Well, there are paths leading there, so we could send a few there," Ivankov commented. "Why?"
"Because I promised a few people that I'll be sending a signal," Danny said with a smirk as he made an ice key. "And we're gonna need a lot of help."
"Alright! I'll send a few of my boys there right away!" Ivankov said, needing all the advantages he could grab.
"Rest easy, Bon," Luffy said as he patted Bon, who was being tended. He then stood up with a determined expression. "Alright, let's go!"
Suddenly, Luffy fell to the ground, shocking everyone. Ivankov quickly went towards him and grabbed his wrist, checking his pulse. He then gasped as tears appeared in his eyes.
"My Lord…" he said, as everyone looked at him in horror. "His pulse…it's…it's…"
"What is it!?"
"Did he die!?"
"What happened!?"
"TELL US!"
"It's…just fine," he replied nonchalant.
"THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" they all exclaimed in anger and annoyance.
"Seriously, do you guys practice screaming together," Danny muttered, annoyed at both Ivankov and the Newkamas' synchronize screaming. "What happened?"
"The treatment he went through to cure Magellan's poison was too taxing for him," Ivankov explained as he lifted Luffy up by the arm. "It's only natural that he's an itsy bit poop."
He then lifted his hand, causing his claws to extend.
"What are you doing?" Danny asked.
"Just giving him a kick start," Ivankov replied before jabbing the claws to Luffy's side, making Danny winced in pain. "Emporio Energy Hormones!"
Luffy's mouth opened in a silent scream as Ivankov poured the hormones into his system. After a few pumps, he rectracted his hand and dropped Luffy to the ground. They all stared at him for a second before he stood up, looking energized.
"RAAAAAAGH!" he exclaimed loudly.
"What did you do to him? Pump some coffee into him?" Danny asked as he looked at Luffy.
"I just gave him a few shots of adrenaline," Ivankov said. "I gave him enough for him to move for a full day. BTDubs, you'll feel the side effects in a few days, but by that point, let's hope it won't matter."
"…You mind giving me a shot, too?" Danny asked, causing Ivankov to look at him. "I want to go with you guys."
"Oh? You sure?" Ivankov commented.
"Yeah, I said I'll help him get to his brother, and I mean it," Danny said with a determined expression. "That, and I want to see what Level 6 looks like."
"Very well then," Ivankov said before he moved and jabbed Danny's side, surprising him. He winced and grunted as he felt the claws pierce his skin. "Emporio Energy Hormones!"
Danny could feel the hormones pour into him, and slowly, he could feel his exhaustion disappear. He started feeling energized.
"Woah!" he exclaimed as Ivankov pulled his claws out. "I feel good! Do you feel good, because I feel good!"
"Iva, I got the info," Inazuma said, pocketing a Transponder Snail.
"Then let's not dilly-dally," Ivankov said as he started moving. "Let's go!"
"Raaah!" Luffy exclaimed, eyes glowing with energy and determination.
"We'll be waiting for you guys!" the Newkamas exclaimed as the group ran off.
Soon, the four of them were back in Level 5, the Frozen Hell. Ignoring the cold, they quickly rushed towards the door, except for Luffy, who started running around the place.
"It's a good thing there are no guards in this floor," Ivankov commented as they ran through the icy-cold floor.
"Don't really blame them, I mean this place is cold, feels like paradise to me, though," Danny commented.
"Woah! I have so much energy!" he exclaimed as he ran left to right, even outpacing them.
"Don't use it all in one go!" Danny exclaimed, having calmed his high a little.
Suddenly, a pack of Army Wolves were in front of them, looking hungry. The prisoners heard the wolves and looked from their cells, spotting Luffy's group.
"Hey, who are those weirdoes?" one of them commented.
"Wait a minute…Ivankov!?" one of them exclaimed, recognizing Ivankov. "He disappeared years ago! Where the hell did he come from!?"
The wolves growled in hunger as they spotted Luffy and the others. They rushed towards them, intending to eat them.
"Outta my way!" Luffy exclaimed as he punched the ones that jumped at him. "We've got no time for you!"
"Move it, fleabags!" Danny exclaimed as he made a hammer from ice and swatted a few wolves away. Inazuma calmly kicked a few wolves that were in front of him, sipping from his glass of wine.
"Death Wink!" Ivankov exclaimed, releasing a shockwave that sent the rest of the wolves flying. They then rushed to the door. "Inazuma!"
"On it," Inazuma said as he moved ahead of them and reached the door. A second later, he managed to undo the locks, opening the door for them. "Once we're out there, there's nothing stopping them from seeing us."
"Who cares? Let them come!" Luffy exclaimed as they ran out the door and down the stairs, not seeing a snail attached on the wall, looking at them.
In the security room, the guards jumped when they heard the alarms blaring. One of them looked at the scream and pointed at them.
"Look, some prisoners escaped!" he exclaimed, causing all the guards to gather and look at the screens.
"Impossible!" one of the guards exclaimed, eyes widening behind his shades. "The guy with the big head! That's Emporio Ivankov, Queen of the Queers!"
"What? But he went missing years ago!"
"Running next to him is Straw Hat Luffy and the prisoner, Danny!"
"I thought Warden Magellan took care of them! How are they alive!?"
"The fourth prisoner is Inazuma, another Revolutionary!"
"Where the hell did they came from!?"
"What's going on here?" the guards stopped when they saw Hannyabal come in, wearing a new Anubis-style headgear and pants. He narrowed his eyes as he saw that it was Straw Hat and Danny. "So, these prisoners are still alive? No matter. Activate the stairway traps and alert all available officers to come to the sixth floor. You have your orders, no go!"
"Y-yessir!" the guards exclaimed as they did what he said. One of them looked at Hannyabal suspiciously.
"Vice-Warden Hannyabal was never this serious…is he the imposter?"
"Since Warden Magellan is occupied with something else, I can't really blame him for this, so the blame will fall on me," Hannyabal muttered, causing the guard to sigh in relief.
Back in the staircase, Luffy and his group kept running down before they saw a group of guards coming their way. With a roar, Luffy leaped towards them and delivered a devastating kick that sent them all tumbling. Danny threw the ice hammer he was holding, which exploded, stabbing the guards with shards of ice.
One of the guards noticed Luffy and Danny easily beating his fellow guards, so he went towards the trigger sticking to the wall.
"See how you like this!" he exclaimed as he activated the trap. Spears suddenly shot out from the walls and floors, causing them to dodge it.
"What a bothersome little trap! Yeehaw!" Ivankov exclaimed as he jumped towards the spear, spinning as Luffy and Danny moved to the side to avoid him. "Death Wink!"
With a wink, Ivankov easily destroyed the traps and took care of the rest of the guards. He then landed firmly on the ground, hands raised.
"Perfect landing! Yeehaw!" he exclaimed as Luffy and Danny ran past him as Inazuma stopped beside him.
"Stop fooling around, Iva!" Luffy called out to Ivankov. "We gotta save Ace!"
"Oh, right!" Ivankov said before he then grabbed a fallen guard, smirking at him. "We're gonna need your help, little candy."
"W-wha?" the guard said in terror before he was carried away by Ivankov. "Help!"
The group then ran down another set of stairs before they finally reached the lowest level of Impel Down. The smell of blood wafted through the air, the floors covered with faded traces of blood, rusty chains hung on the ceiling, and various cages covered by heavy metal adorned the room. Danny felt a shiver as he stared at the final level of Hell, feeling the malice from the beaten prisoners behind the bars.
"So, this is Level 6," he commented, hiding the cold feeling. "Quaint."
"We finally made it, where only the most legendary criminals have been held," Ivankov said, still carrying the guard. "The Eternal Hell."
Luffy looked around the place, panting heavily as he tried to find his brother. "ACE! WHERE ARE YOU!? IT'S YOUR BROTHER! I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU! CAN YOU HEAR ME!? ACE!"
His loud voice echoed through the floor, but there was no answer.
"The direct approach is a no-no," Ivankov said before he looked at the guard he was holding, who was looking very scared. "That's where you come in, sweetie. Mind telling us where he is?"
"No way!" the guard exclaimed defiantly, despite how scared her look.
"Aw, whatever shall I do?" Ivankov said before he dropped the guard on the floor, making him groan in pain. "We need to be more open with each other and with ourselvesl."
"W-what are you doing!?" The guard asked as started looking terrified as Ivankov walked towards him, extending his claws.
"Emporio Female Hormones!" he exclaimed as he shoved his claws in the man's sides.
The man screamed as Ivankov pumped the hormones into him. Suddenly, he felt his body change; his form became feminine and slender, his face delicate, his hair longer, and the hair from his body receding. Soon, the guard blinked as he became a wide-eyed girl.
"W-what…happened?" she said in disbelief.
"Woah! He turned into a girl!" Luffy exclaimed in shock.
"Oh yeah, you didn't know," Danny said, forgetting that Luffy was unconscious when he watched Inazuma turn into a woman the first time they met. "To be honest, it kinda looks painful."
"I wonder where it goes…" Luffy commented.
"Let's not think about it," Danny said with a deadpanned tone.
"Is this…me?" the guard said in disbelief as she stared at her new body.
"It's the you you were always afraid to be. Look," Ivankov said as he pulled out a compact mirror and handed it to the guard, who looked at her surprised reflection.
"I'm…I'm beautiful," she whispered in shock as she slowly took the mirror.
"You've been reborn, my dear," Ivankov said. "You are no longer a jailor, you're a Newkama now! Yeehaw!"
"This…This is wrong…" the guard said, but soon, the feeling of freedom rushed through her veins as she let her hand go through her new hair. "But…It feels so good…My goodness! What have I been doing all of these years? Thank you! I don't know how I could ever repay you, Iva!"
"It's nothing, don't mention it," Ivankov said smugly. "Ah! But there is one teensy weensy little favor you could do for me."
"Anything! Just name it!" the guard replied eagerly.
"Where's Ace!?" Luffy demanded.
"Down that way!" the guard replied before she led him through the floor, passing by the caged walls. The prisoners saw them, but didn't really pay much attention to them, choosing to sit in their cells, some having blank looks on their faces.
Suddenly, Danny felt a terrible cold feeling behind him. He looked at one of the cages and saw him. A tanned man as tall and wide as Magellan, a long face, square chin, and cold eyes, wearing a royal blue Head Jailor uniform, sitting on the stone seats, his hands cuffed. He grinned viciously as he saw Danny, making Danny glare back before continuing his way.
"Hm? You okay, Dan Boy?" Ivankov asked.
"Yeah, just saw Shiryu, just wished he didn't see me," Danny said. "The sooner we leave this level, the better."
"Ace!" Luffy exclaimed as he kept running.
Soon, they finally reached the end of the floor, stopping in front of a big cage. Luffy looked inside the cave, but he didn't see his brother. His eyes lingered at the center of the cage, the chains hanging uselessly, blood still fresh on the walls and floor.
On the side of the cage, Jinbei was simply sitting there with his eyes close, when Luffy's shouts got his attention. His eyes widened when he spotted the straw hat hanging on his neck.
"A straw hat?" he thought in shock as he remembered what Ace told him earlier. "Then it's him! It must be. I can't believe someone actually broke into Impel Down, let alone reach the deepest level!"
"He's not here!" Luffy exclaimed as he stared at the spot where his brother was earlier.
"Are you sure this is the right cell!?" Ivankov exclaimed to the frightened guard.
"Yes! I swear that he was here earlier!" the guard cried.
"Guess we were too late," Danny growled out.
Luffy suddenly noticed Jinbei looking at him, so he turned his attention to him.
"You, you're Straw Hat, aren't you?" Jinbei asked.
"Yeah," Luffy replied with a nod from his head.
"You're a moment late!" Jinbei said in a hurried tone. "He was here, but they took him to the elevator for the prison transfer. You can still reach him if you hurry!"
"Thanks, but who are you?" Luffy asked, confused as he stared at the Fishman.
Meanwhile, Ivankov stared at Jinbei with wide eyes full of disbelief. "My goodness…it's him!"
"Luffy! Quick!" Danny exclaimed, getting their attention. "If Ace is still in prison, we can still get him!"
Luffy nodded at him before turning to Jinbei. "Thanks, whoever you are."
The group then rushed to the elevator as fast as they can. Jinbei watched them left before he returned to closing his eyes, contemplating on what he just witnessed.
"Who is this boy…"
The group rushed towards the elevator, where they saw it was being used.
"They took the elevator to get to the upper floors!" Inazuma exclaimed as Ivankov went to the controls. "Thankfully, they left the gate open."
"It seems the operation systems is locked!" Ivankov said as he tried to turn the vault, but saw that it was stuck.
"Is that true, or are you joking?" Danny asked.
"Would I be joking in a time like this!?" Ivankov exclaimed indignantly.
"Yes," Luffy, Danny, and Inazuma said in unison, making Ivankov depressed.
"Do you have the keys for this thing?" Danny asked the guard, who sadly shook her head.
"I don't have that kind of access," she replied.
"We'll just have to climb up, there's no other way!" Luffy exclaimed as he was about to grab the big chains that lifts the elevator.
Suddenly, the elevator, which was full of spikes at the bottom, started falling. Danny quickly grabbed Luffy and pulled him away as the floor crashed, creating a big cloud of dust.
"Oh man! That was close!" Luffy exclaimed in shock as Ivankov ran towards the entrance, looking down to see the elevator was useless.
"I see, they don't want to make things convenient for us," he said in annoyance as he walked away. "We'll just have to find another way. They're watching us…"
"Let's go back to the stairs," Danny said.
"Right," Ivankov agreed before they started running back to where they entered. Luffy punched the ground in frustration before following after them.
When they reached the staircase, they were about to climb up, when a thick cage suddenly fell around it, blocking the way.
"Oh, come on!" Danny exclaimed in annoyance.
"They blocked the staircase!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Stand back," Danny said as he touched the bars to make them intangible. His arms glowed, but it was too weak. He suddenly let go, panting as he rubbed his chest.
"You okay?" Luffy asked as Danny got his breathing together.
"Yeah," Danny said as he looked at his hands. "I guess I'm a little exhausted to use that power."
"I'm over the limit already?" he thought as the pain slowly stopped. "Feels like I can't use my Ghost powers for a while. I'll have to rely on my Devil Fruit for the time being."
"We'll just have to destroy them," Ivankov suggested.
"Fine by me," Luffy said as he about to start punching, when green gas expelled from the ceiling, making them jump back in surprise.
"That's an awful lot of gas," Inazuma commented as he covered his mouth with his arm.
"Let's hope this isn't from Magellan's ass," Danny commented warily.
"Poison gas again?" a prisoner commented in exasperation. "Hey! I don't know who you guys are, but if you wanna die, leave us out of it!"
"Shut up!" Ivankov exclaimed in annoyance. "No one cares about you!"
"I don't care if it's poison!" Luffy exclaimed as he ran towards the cage.
"Wait!" Ivankov exclaimed as he tried to stop Luffy. Suddenly, Luffy fell to the ground, snoring.
"Well, there you have it," Inazuma said nonchalant. "Sleeping gas."
"The boy didn't even give it a second thought!" Ivankov exclaimed in shocked annoyance. "At least try and stay alive!"
"You're telling that to the guy who broke into Impel Down and fought Magellan barehanded?" Danny commented in a deadpanned tone. Suddenly, the guard next to them fell asleep, lightly snoring.
"Oh great," the prisoner said in annoyance. "I said leave us out of it!"
"So, they're hoping to stop us without a fight?" Inazuma commented as they backed away from the gas. "How cowardly."
"But you gotta admit, it's smart," Danny said as he covered his mouth.
Soon, the gas started putting everyone nearby to sleep. Watching in the safety of the security room, Hannyabal nodded in satisfaction as he saw that his plan was working.
"Good, the trap was a success. And there's no way they can get out of Level 6, right?" Hannyabal asked on of the guards.
"That's correct, sir," the guard replied.
"Excellent," Hannyabal said before he pulled out a party popper and cheered. "That means I can keep my job! Now, all I have to do is to blame this on Magellan, and then I'll become warden, hehehe…"
"Um…Sir, Warden Magellan is on the transponder, and he just heard you," the guard said.
"Come on, man!" Hannyabal exclaimed. At Level 1, Magellan placed the mic on the Transponder Snail Domino was holding and looked at the restrained Ace.
"Well, it looks like Straw Hat reached Level 6, but he just missed us," he said, making Ace look at Magellan in shock. "Too bad for you."
"Luffy!?" Ace exclaimed as he stared at Magellan in disbelief.
"He's now trapped in Level 6, and it's being flooded with sleeping gas, so there's no escape for him," Magellan said. "Apparently, the Freezing Hell wasn't a good punishment for him. But now, he can use your vacant cell and have a taste of the torment we only share to our most heinous criminals."
Ace turned to look at the elevator, a worried expression on his face as he thought about his brother.
"No one told you to stop," a guard exclaimed. "Keep walking!"
Ace looked at the elevator one last time before turned around, lowered his head and started walking. Suddenly, he tackled the nearby guard and grabbed his weapon before kicking him away. The guards surrounded him, but he used the weapon to push them back, slashing and stabbing them with the pitchfork. Magellan looked annoyed as he walked towards Ace. He swung at Magellan, but he easily caught the weapon and pried it of off Ace's hands. Ace stumbled back a bit before glaring at Magellan. He then made a run for it to the elevator, but Magellan caught him by the back of his head and slammed him to the ground, stopping him.
"I assure you, resistance in futile," Magellan said as he kept a firm hold on Ace.
"No!" Ace exclaimed as he struggled to get free. "Luffy!"
"Your brother's a pirate," Magellan said harshly. "His fate was sealed the moment he foolishly entered this prison. He won't be receiving any mercy from us."
"Damn it, Luffy!" Ace thought. "I was hoping Hancock was lying to me!"
"But this troubles me," Magellan thought as he lifted Ace up his feet and forced him to keep walking. "No matter how strong he is, he shouldn't have recovered from my poison, and so quickly! How did you do it, Straw Hat? How did you survive!?"
Back in Level 6, the gas was slowly filled out about half of the floor. The nearby prisoners started falling to sleep because of the gas.
"Okay, this is going far enough," Danny said as he was about to use his Devil Fruit powers, but Ivankov stopped him.
"Don't worry, Dan Boy," Ivankov said as he turned to look at Inazuma. "Inazuma got this."
Danny looked at Inazuma and saw his hands turn into giant scissors. Inazuma then started cutting the stone ground like it was paper before flipping them on the caged staircase, blocking the gas. Soon, the gas dissipated, clearing the room full of snores.
"A Devil Fruit?" Danny asked in surprise as they walked towards Inazuma, whose hands returned to normal as he took a sip from his glass. "How is that not empty yet?"
"Inazuma ate the Snip-Snip Fruit, so now he's a Scissor Man," Ivankov explained. "He can manipulate whatever he cuts as though it was made with paper."
"Huh…You don't have a thing for hair, right?" Danny asked jokingly, causing the two Newkama to look at him in confusion. "Right, you guys don't know Edward Scissorhands."
"Who?" Ivankov asked curiously.
"Not important," Danny said before he crouched next to the snoring Luffy, slapping his head. "Hey, buddy! Wake up! We're on a schedule, remember?"
"I'm…Awa…zzz," Luffy mumbled snoring as he tried to stand up.
"Don't fall asleep!" Ivankov exclaimed before started swaying. "You're gonna…make me…sleep…I NEVER SLEEP!" he declared dramatically with a big grin.
"Stop doing that!" Luffy exclaimed, fully awake.
"Good morning," Inazuma said.
"We gotta keep going up, Crab Guy!" Luffy exclaimed. "Thanks for stopping the gas and all, but now we can't go up the stairs to get to Ace!"
"This is the only way to stop the gas from filling up the room," Inazuma explained as he swirled his wine in the glass. "You can't save anyone if you're unconscious."
"I'll save Ace whether I'm unconscious or not! I'm not gonna let him die, you understand!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Easy there, Luffy," Danny said as he stared at the closed staircase. "With the elevator and staircases being unavailable, they trapped us like rats in here."
"But I saw you go through the bars in Level 1!" Luffy exclaimed to Danny. "Can't you do that again?"
"Not for a while," Danny said as he looked at his hand, which glowed a little before dying.
"Sorry, kiddo," Ivankov said regrettably before looking up and spotting the Transponder Snail. "But this is all I can do."
He winked, releasing a small shockwave that hit the transponder, causing it to fall to the ground.
"With this, those jerks won't be able to monitor us," Ivankov said as he looked around the prison cell. "We gave it our best, but I'm sure Ace Boy is already at the top floor. Even if we did get out of Level 6, we have a whole menagerie of obstacles in our way, and the Marine's envoy is quick to move. Check out your Vivre Card."
Luffy pulled out the scrap of paper and saw that it was moving forward, making Luffy grit his teeth.
Outside Impel Down…
Magellan and his entourage walked through the docks, greeting the Vice Admiral that came to pick up Ace.
"You're right on time," the Vice-Admiral said as he pocketed a watch. "Very good."
"Impel Down is hereby changing custody of the criminal, Portgas D. Ace, to the Marine forces present today," Magellan said as he stepped aside to reveal Ace, who was looking at Impel Down. He realized how Luffy found him, and he regretted giving him his Vivre Card.
"Luffy…" Ace said before he was roughly pushed by the Vice-Admiral.
"Keep walking, Fire Fist," he said he led Ace to his battleship, the Marines now having custody of him.
Level 6…
"They already got Ace Boy aboard a Marine Warship," Ivankov said before he started pacing. "All I can do now is to use everything I have to make sure you get out of Impel Down safely. I'm sorry to say but Ace Boy's ship is literally sailing away. If it makes you feel any better, just put your fate in Whitebeard's hands, I assure you, the old man would use every power he has to save your brother."
Luffy stared at the Vivre Card before he clenched his fist in determination.
"I'm going," Luffy said as he lifted his head. "I'm going to Marineford."
Ivankov looked at Luffy with wide eyes, shocked at his declarations, before he became angry.
"Don't be ridiculous!" he exclaimed. "The greatest war between two of the world's greatest forces is happening at Marineford! Do you have any idea how powerful Whitebeard is! What about the Vice-Admirals, Admiral, and the Warlords on the Marine's side, you remember them! Not to mention you were at death's door after the fight with Magellan! Do you have that many lives to spare!?"
Luffy turned to look at Ivankov, who grew unnerved by Luffy's eyes, which didn't hold any fear at all.
"What is it!?" Ivankov exclaimed, wanting Luffy to stop staring at him.
"If I give up now, I'll regret it!" Luffy said and Ivankov suddenly backed away in shock, as he saw the image of Luffy's father in him.
"Those eyes," Ivankov thought. "Those are the same eyes his father has, unflinching at the face of danger!"
"You can do as you like, but how do you propose we get off this floor?" Inazuma asked, getting between the two.
"Scissorhands is right," Danny said. "I doubt the guards are gonna give us time to come up with a plan to get out of here."
Suddenly, a cold, dark laugh echoed across the floor, causing the group to look around in confusion. They all looked at a nearby cell, where they saw someone sitting on the stone seats, slowly standing up and walking towards the light.
He had an unhealthy shade of gray skin, his black hair messy yet still silky, cold, black eyes, a massive scar across his nose, gold earrings on his ears, and a large, golden hook on his left hand, wearing the black and white prisoner garb, looking beaten up, yet smiling coldly at the group, especially at Luffy.
"If you want out that bad, then set me free," the man suggested. "I'll make a hole in the ceiling, and you'll be free to go. Sound good?"
Luffy's eyes widened as he saw the man's familiar face as painful memories flashed through his mind; the desert battle in Alabasta where he was impaled and dried from his bodily fluids, the tears of anguish from one of his friends as she begged her countrymen to listen to her, the deadly poison flowing through his veins as he used his blood-soaked fists to pummel the man in front of him.
"No way…They have him down here too!?" Luffy said in shock as he stared at the man. "Crocodile!?"
"It's been a while, Straw Hat," Crocodile said with a smirk. "Did you miss me?"
Ending it here! It's a little short compared to last chapter, but this seemed like a good spot to end it. Really loved Crocodile's re-intro in Impel Down, and didn't want to ruin that moment. Anyway, as you can guess, Danny has an injury that prevents him from using his powers all the time. How he got it, where'd he get it, I'll explain in some backstory. For now, just fav and review as you wait for the next chapter.
Next chapter, the great break out! See you later!