After Arlong was freed from his cell, it didn't take long to reunite with Sanji, who'd been freed by other members of the stealth team.
"Hmph," Sanji said, looking Arlong up and down. "So you survived as well. And here I was thinking the guards had just thrown you into the boiling blood, out of fear you'd break out of a prison again."
"They've done things like that before, though I would've crushed those weaklings if they tried it on me," Arlong replied unflinchingly. "I'm surprised you're still alive—"
"Okay, okay, enough tough talk," Chopper said. He shoved a bottle back into Sanji's mouth. "You've got to finish your water, Sanji, we need you in tip-top condition when we get moving again!"
While Sanji drank, Arlong looked around. The group that had freed Sanji comprised Chopper and Usopp. That meant two of the Straw Hats still weren't accounted for.
"Where's the others?" Arlong asked.
"Franky and Robin are looking for the elevator shaft that we'll use to go down to Level 5," Nami explained.
"It would have been helpful if we could use the same elevator shaft throughout the prison," Brook said. "Alas, after seeing the jailers' patrol schedules, we found it was impractical. They patrol around the elevators too frequently for us to keep using the same one. To slip through the gaps in their security, we must find another shaft each time."
Usopp didn't say anything. He was currently occupied with attaching something to the underside of the stone bridge they were currently in.
And he's… ah, I remember now, Arlong thought, recalling more details of the plan. He's setting up some distractions, just in case we need them.
"I'm finished," Sanji said, wiping his mouth. "Then it's time to pick up our captain and moss-head, before they freeze to death."
"Nyoo, did someone managed to take back his swords, and mine?" Hatchan asked. "A swordsman's not much use without his swords."
Sanji looked like he was about to make a joke from that, but Chopper cut him off with, "We did. Franky was carrying them, along with some of the other bulky supplies we picked up."
They all began running again. After a few minutes, Arlong spotted something unusual up ahead: an intersection with a hand growing out of the floor, pointing towards the left.
"That's Robin's signal," Nami said. "She must be somewhere she can see us!"
Arlong looked around. It was hard to see distant objects through the heat haze of Level 4. But he managed to just about spot two silhouettes in the distance, up against the outer wall of Impel Down.
They turned left at the intersection and continued running, Robin's hand disappearing from behind them now that its purpose was served.
Following the trail of hands, Arlong's group headed for the outer wall. Sometimes, there was a Surveillance Transponder Snail lying in the path, forcing them to make brief detours. But they reached their destination in the end.
Franky and Robin were standing next to an elevator shaft. Much like Arlong and the rest, they were disguised in jailers' uniforms.
"Done already?" Franky said. "Then we can finally get out of this place. This uniform already doesn't fit my super figure, and it's even worse with all the sweat!"
Arlong wasn't about to admit it out loud, but he agreed with Franky. Had he not been freed from his cell, he might have genuinely died there.
"But the level below is extreme in the other direction," Robin warned. "Going into that hellish cold while covered in sweat would be a death sentence. We've obtained cold-weather clothes, but before putting those on, we should wipe ourselves down first."
There was a couple of boxes next to Usopp and Robin, as well as two bundles wrapped in cloth. Everyone took out towels from one box and quickly wiped their bodies. Arlong expected Sanji to try peeking at the two women during this, but he didn't. Afterwards, they all put on thick coats from the second box over their existing uniforms. Hatchan also picked up his six swords from one of the bundles.
Then, before they could overheat from staying in Level 4 any longer, they approached the elevator shaft. This was one of the smaller ones meant to be used only by staff. The elevator itself was currently on another floor, while the entrance to the shaft was covered by a grate of bars that served as a door. Even Impel Down, designed as a hell-on-earth for its prisoners, still needed basic safety measures for its staff at least.
Franky fiddled with some mechanism on the side of the door, causing it to rise upwards. The shaft was now accessible. It was rectangular in cross-section and there was a thick rope at each corner, these being used to suspend the elevator. Lastly, there was a cool breeze blowing up from below.
"I know I've mentioned it three times already, but did you know I've got a fear of heights!?" Usopp said.
"I'd say that many people do," Nami said. She looked at the open hatch and shuddered. "But that hasn't stopped you anymore than it's stopped me."
"Yohoho, one cannot be brave without fear," Brook said. He grabbed Usopp and Nami with his arms. "Then let us be off!"
Brook jumped down the shaft.
"Miss Robin, I am at your service," Sanji said, holding out his hands while bowing.
"Thank you for the gallant offer."
Sanji held Robin in the style of a princess—keeping a straight face, to Arlong's renewed surprise—and jumped down as well.
Chopper hopped onto Franky's shoulders, then both reindeer and cyborg took the plunge.
"Alright, boys," Arlong said. "There's no water here, but it's time for a dive!"
"""Yes, captain!"""
Arlong stepped off the edge, gripped one of the elevator's ropes and slid down. Air whistled past his ears for a few seconds. The oppressive heat disappeared, but in its place, Arlong began feeling a chill on his exposed skin.
Finally, he saw a bottom to the shaft. He bent his knees as he landed, to cushion the impact.
Shortly after, Arlong's three officers landed around him, each of them having used a different rope. None showed any signs of effort.
"That was actually kinda fun, nyoo!" Hatchan said. "You could make an attraction out of this, like some of the ones at Sabaody Park!"
"Normal people would need plenty of safety devices," Chew said. "Still, it's a nice idea, choo. Something to think of when we get back home."
"Don't say that," Kuroobi warned. "It's never a good idea to say things like that."
Arlong looked at the floor of this elevator shaft. It meant the elevator couldn't go all the way down to Level 6. Presumably, only a few extended that far down, the better to keep the level secret.
The Arlong Pirates moved forward to where the Straw Hat Pirates were. And, just like most of the Straw Hats, they began shivering.
Outside the elevator was a scenery normally limited to Winter Islands. There was snow everywhere, covering the floor in a blanket of white. There were coniferous trees growing here and there in small groves. In the distance, Arlong saw snow-covered buildings.
"H-H-How can it be this cold, when the level above is so hot!?" Usopp complained. His nose was already starting to resemble a horizontal icicle from the frost covering it.
"Maybe they're moving the heat from this level u-up there," Franky said. "Heat pumps can do that… but you'd need super advanced heat pumps, to make a temperature difference this big."
"A-A-At least, one good thing about the cold is that there's no s-snails here," Nami said, hugging herself with both arms. "That was shown in the maps we saw."
"And I thought the ocean d-depths were cold…" Arlong said. Annoyingly, even he couldn't fully stop his teeth from chattering. "We've got to keep moving, to keep warm…"
Chopper wasn't shivering like the others. He also hadn't put on an extra coat like the others, his reindeer fur being enough protection. He simply looked at the snowy landscape with a grim expression.
"Here… and all those levels above… How can they torture these people like this? Just what's the point of making them suffer?"
The others fell silent. It wasn't an easy question to answer.
"I know most of these prisoners are criminals," Chopper said. He fiddled with his hat. "But… that doesn't mean they deserve to be treated like this! It… It would be kinder to just kill them right away!"
"In Impel Down, the s-suffering is the point," Arlong said. "It's a fucked-up thing… but we don't have the power to change it."
The old Arlong would never have admitted being powerless in the face of a human institution, especially not in front of humans. But he'd now learned that pride was no substitute for strength.
"I know…" Chopper said. He sighed and then changed into his original reindeer shape. "But we can at least rescue Luffy and Zoro. Let's get them out as soon as possible!"
They split up once more: some going for Luffy, others for Zoro, and Franky and Robin to find an elevator shaft leading down to Level 6.
Arlong looked over at Nami, who was in the group with him. "You're still going with us?"
"Someone has to keep an eye on you four," Nami replied. She lazily twirled her Clima-Tact in her hands. "Since I know you the best out of everyone… that fell to me."
"Hmph. Suit yourself."
-ooo-
After about two minutes of travel, white-furred wolves burst out from the snow all around Arlong's group.
"GRRAAAAORR!"
These were no ordinary wolves. Their eyes were so bloodshot as to appear fully red, and their tongues lolled from between open jaws. They charged Arlong's group with the ferocity of berserkers.
So this is the infamous Wolf Unit! Arlong thought. They say even the beasts of Level 2 used to be prey to them!
Three of the wolves leaped at Arlong, no doubt seeing him as the biggest pile of meat around.
"OUT OF OUR WAY!"
Arlong seized one wolf by the leg, then used it as a club to smash the other two out of the air.
"BEGONE!"
Kuroobi thrust one of his palms forward with incredible speed, emitting a shockwave that blasted away two wolves.
"NYOOOO!"
Hatchan swung his swords around in a ferocious storm of steel. Every wolf that got close was cut to pieces.
"TAKE THIS!"
Chew spat out three projectiles in quick succession. To Arlong's surprise, these projectiles were entire icicles, each of which impaled a wolf.
The Straw Hats were fighting too. Arlong saw flashes of lightning from where Nami was, and he could only see blurs of motion where Brook was. And while he didn't trust them in the usual sense, nor they him, he trusted them to hold their own in a fight.
After a few moments, the battle was over. A few wolves tried to rise up again, but these were put down easily enough.
"That wasn't too difficult," Kuroobi said, dusting off his hands.
"Still, we didn't even notice the Wolf Unit there," Nami said worriedly. "It's not like the beasts up on Level 2, we managed to sneak past all of those…"
"And even if the battle was easy, it may have drawn unwanted attention," Brook advised. "Especially if we need to fight any more wolves on this level. We should cover up the bodies with snow, then press on."
Arlong's group began the work of hiding the evidence of this battle.
"Chew, that was a new trick," Arlong commented, as he kicked a snowdrift over some dead wolves.
"Yeah, it's an additive I invented with recently, choo," Chew said. "I put some snow in my mouth, mixed in the additive and spat it out, and the snow hardened into ice right after it left my mouth. It'd work with mud as well, choo. By making my shots more solid, they hit harder."
That made Arlong wonder what he could do to improve his fighting style. He was starting to get the hang of Armament Haki now, though Observation Haki was proving more difficult. He could reinforce his own body with Haki… but he'd once wielded a sword, and he'd heard of swordsmen reinforcing their blades with Haki as well.
Haven't been able to get a proper sword yet, it's not easy finding one that fits my hand and can withstand my strength… And back when we were on Fish-Man Island, I didn't think I needed it. But now we're here, and we could all use whatever advantages we can get. I'll keep an eye out for anything that might work.
Once they were done covering the dead wolves, they moved on. It took another ten minutes, and another battle with the Wolf Unit, before they found their target.
Luffy was being kept in a solitary cell. He was sitting on the floor with eyes closed and arms folded. Frost had gathered on his hair and clothes.
"Luffy!" Nami called out.
"Captain Luffy!" Brook called out.
Those slip-ups were dangerous when they were currently disguised as jailers. Still, Arlong couldn't blame them. Luffy looked as if he'd frozen to death already, even if all present knew he wouldn't die so easily.
The two Straw Hats hurried to unlock the door, while the Arlong Pirates kept watch for any further enemies.
Arlong heard Luffy mutter, "G-Guys…?"
"Come on, get this hot soup into you…"
Soon enough, Arlong saw Luffy walk out of the cell, now wearing a warm coat and with his signature straw hat back on his head.
The fish-man and the human, both captains of their respective crew, looked at each other for a few seconds.
"…Thanks for helping get me out," Luffy said.
"It was just part of the mission," Arlong said dismissively.
"Still, my gramps always told me to thank people who helped me," Luffy said. He looked away. "Alright. Let's get Ace and your captain out."
-ooo-
They all reunited at the elevator shaft that would take them down to Level 6. This time, however, there was already an elevator there on the current level. Arlong's group couldn't ride any of the elevators in the conventional way, since that would cause movement of the attached ropes and pulleys, announcing to the Impel Down staff that someone was using the elevator without permission.
"If we can't ride it down normally…" Zoro said, looking at the wooden floor of the elevator. He gripped the hilts of his three swords. "We'll just have to cut a hole to go down."
"Wait, you imbecile," Sanji said. "If any of the jailers pass by later, they'd see the hole and also raise the alarm."
"Just leave this to me!" Franky said, stepping forward with a saw and other tools in hand.
Franky knelt down on the elevator and… Arlong wasn't sure what he did next. Despite watching Franky from start to finish, he just saw a blur of movement and sawdust. But five seconds later, there was a large trapdoor in the floor of the elevator, big enough for even the largest person here to fit with room to spare.
"W-What!?" Arlong exclaimed.
"This'll do the trick!" Franky said. He was currently holding the trapdoor open, but he closed it and then it became indistinguishable with the rest of the floor. "Now, as long as we close it after using it, nobody'll notice a thing!"
None of the other Straw Hats looked surprised by this feat of engineering. Arlong exchanged shocked glances with his own officers.
Well, this is the same one who apparently rebuilt himself, while on the verge of death…
There was no time to waste. Franky opened the trapdoor again. Then, either individually or in small groups, they all dropped through.
When Arlong landed on the bottom of the shaft, he immediately froze on the spot. Those who'd arrived before him were already doing the same.
The upper floors of Impel Down all had their tortures:
Level 1 was filled with razor-sharp flora, cutting the prisoners so frequently that they stained the plants crimson with their blood.
Level 2 was a menagerie with all kinds of savage beasts, devouring the prisoners who tried to escape or who drew the ire of the jailers.
Level 3 was a barren desert, forcing the prisoners to beg for even the smallest scraps of food and water.
Level 4 was a furnace, one whose prisoners were routinely dunked in boiling blood to remind them of their place.
Level 5 was an antarctic snowscape filled with its own brand of savage beasts.
And Level 6…
Here on Level 6, Arlong saw no environmental hazards, no torture instruments of any kind. Through the bars of the elevator shaft, he only saw grey stone walls, and cells of iron bars with people chained inside. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary prison.
But Arlong saw the prisoners themselves… and they were seeing him as well.
"Eeep!"
"W-What's with these guys…"
Usopp fell to his knees, and Chopper looked about to do the same. Nobody else blamed them.
"Oh?" said one Level 6 prisoner, now sitting up. "You're not the weaklings who run this place…"
"How'd you get down here?" said another, grinning with curiosity.
The prisoners on other levels had been worn down by constant torture. Even when the occasional one had seen Arlong's group, they hadn't cared enough to say a word, thinking of them as just another group of jailers.
The ones here were looking at Arlong's group with the eyes of sharks who'd spotted a helpless school of mackerel. Even though they were literally behind bars, unable to hurt him at all, Arlong was rooted to the spot with sheer terror.
The hell…!? This is as bad as when I ran into that vice-admiral back on Foolshout!
Arlong knew that Jinbe was on this floor. He even knew the exact location of Jinbe's cell, thanks to the maps the stealth team had stolen a peek at. And one of his current companions was carrying a set of skeleton keys. All he had to do was get through the bars of the elevator shaft—by force if needed—go to Jinbe's cell, unlock it and then unlock Jinbe's shackles.
But he couldn't even take the first step. Being restrained hand and foot wouldn't have immobilised him nearly as effectively as the gazes of the true monsters here.
And then—
"Franky. Open this up, or I'll knock it down myself."
Those words from Luffy shocked everyone else back into action. Franky hurried to the door and soon caused it to rise up. Then everyone stepped out from the elevator shaft.
Now that they were more exposed, they received even more attention from the prisoners. Ordinary people might have suffered fatal heart attacks if they were exposed to this. Even the two experienced pirate crews shuddered as they walked.
But we all came here with a reason, Arlong thought as he focused on putting one foot in front of the other. That was enough for us to make us come all the way here, to the very bottom of hell. We can't back out now.
…Thanks for the reminder, Straw Hat.
One of the prisoners, a longarm woman showing multiple scars, banged on the bars of her cell. "Hey! Don't ignore us! We never get anythin' interesting down here, it's enough to make you die of boredom!"
Another prisoner, this one a mink man, laughed uproariously. "Well, the jailers needed some way to make us suffer, after all! God knows they're too shrimpy to do it themselves!"
"You managed to sneak in here, didn't you?" said a serene-looking mermaid. It was rare for mermaids to end up in prison, but if she was down here, she probably had a higher body count than Arlong did. "Who did you come here for?"
"Just keep moving," Arlong said to his companions. "Don't stop." Don't look at them.
They proceeded between rows of cells, drawing more and more attention along the way. Unfortunately, they couldn't just take the shortest route to their destination, as they still needed to take detours to avoid the Surveillance Transponder Snails. Fortunately, there weren't too many of those—it seemed even the jailers didn't want to peer too closely into this pit of darkness.
"Oh, such pretty faces!" muttered a human woman with a distinctly long nose. She leered at Nami and Robin. "Why don't you come closer, teach me your secrets? I must know how you get your skin so smooth…"
"They'd go to waste with you, you'd just take off their heads!" said a human man in a nearby cell, this one obese and with a dopey-looking grin. "Why don't you two come over here instead? Maybe you don't like how I look, but trust me when I say I got plenty of experience with the ladies!"
Sanji furiously interposed himself between the two female Straw Hats and the prisoners who'd said these words. Before anything else could happen, a tremor ran through the floor.
"W-What was that!?" Usopp clamoured. "An earthquake!? A seaquake!?"
"You here to break someone out?"
Those sonorous words came from a giant with bushy hair who sat in a proportionately large cell. Even sitting down, he was at least seven or eight times taller than Arlong. And he was currently looking at them with an intrigued gaze.
Arlong had rarely seen giants before. He'd seen none at all on the upper floors of Impel Down. Due to their natural strength, enough to slay Sea Kings without needing much training, giant criminals always achieved high bounties.
"Break me out too," the giant said—commanded, rather. "With me on your side, you'd have an easy time gettin' out."
That caused other prisoners to start shouting their requests for freedom as well. The shouts echoed off the stone walls, creating a frightful cacophony.
Surveillance Transponder Snails can't pick up sound, but at this rate, we'll be found anyway! The jailers'll see the prisoners here acting up.
Arlong was tempted to kill one or two of the prisoners to make the rest quiet down. He quickly pushed down that temptation.
Even chained up, these monsters could kill me if I got anywhere close… and even if I used a gun or other ranged attack, I doubt they'd care if I killed a few. They might even find it hilarious, with how bored they are down here…
With no other options, Arlong's group quickened their pace. They weren't far from their destination now.
"Oy, are the little brats scared now?"
"Run along now, before any of us eats you up!"
Just a bit further… Arlong thought desperately. Just a bit further, and then we'll be out of here!
By the end of it, Arlong and the others were outright running. All thoughts of dignity had abandoned their minds.
Then they rounded a corner and saw the cell. The cell with a human and a fish-man inside. Arlong recognised the former only from newspapers, but he'd known the latter ever since they were both brats just trying to survive.
"Ar… long..?" Jinbe murmured. His face was covered in dried blood and currently twisted in shock. "How… How are you here?"
"Luffy!?" Portgas D. Ace gasped. He was a young man only a few years older than his foster brother, and he was also bloodied. "No! You dumbass, why would you come here!?"
Luffy ran up to the cell and started blabbering to Ace. Tears and snot were involved.
Arlong paid them no attention as he approached the cell himself. He then did something he would never dare with any other Level 6 prisoner: he reached between the bars and grabbed Jinbe by the beard .
"I came to pull you out of the Sea King's jaws, you honourable idiot," Arlong said.
