New Marineford.
Marshal's Office.
Sakazuki stood by the window, looking down at the island dotted with lights.
*Swish—*
The office door was pulled open.
Carole walked in.
Sakazuki turned his head slightly to look at Carole:
"Is it handled?"
Carole chuckled:
"Ah—"
"Almost."
He walked over and stood beside Sakazuki:
"Take your time accepting it."
His gaze swept through the window towards the brightly lit room on the top floor of the hospital.
Sakazuki nodded:
"Start preparing."
Looking at the island, so peaceful and serene in the dead of night:
"This war should end..."
-----------
Deep night.
Impel Down.
The world's number one prison, located in the Calm Belt of the first half of the Grand Line, with exceptionally tight security.
Not only did it possess all sorts of monstrous jailers and countless Den Den Mushi monitors, but the surrounding deep sea also teemed with countless sea kings. It was known as an "impenetrable fortress."
At this moment, all the jailers in the great prison were in motion.
According to the roster, they were taking the prisoners with Devil Fruit abilities, one by one, to the warden's office.
As for some of the more powerful prisoners below, Warden Magellan himself was escorting them here.
*Bang—*
*Bang—*
*Bang—*
The sound of flesh bursting echoed.
With each sound, the jailers guarding outside couldn't help but tremble.
Then, headless corpses were thrown out.
Not a single ability-user prisoner who was escorted into the warden's office came out alive.
The jailers waiting outside were all sweating profusely, filled with dread, but they dared not delay.
In pairs, they carried away the corpses of the prisoners, clearing a path for those being escorted in.
Prisoners of different types, different races, their heads blown off, their blood mixed together. A careless step would sink into sticky gore.
The already eerie undersea prison became even more terrifying, like a haunted house...
As more and more ability-user prisoners met their deaths.
The number of prisoners being escorted also dwindled.
Ability-users were finite. Aside from those who had disappeared, basically all those on the roster had been brought over.
When Magellan brought the last ability-user prisoner from the sixth level of the prison into the warden's office, he informed him and then stood outside the door, waiting quietly.
*Bang—*
The familiar sound of flesh bursting.
But the corpse was not immediately thrown out.
Magellan outside the door suddenly frowned. It seemed there was an extra presence in the warden's office, but it flickered and vanished.
It felt like an illusion...
A moment later.
Barrett walked out, carrying a headless corpse.
*Thump—*
He casually tossed it onto the ground:
"Are they all gone, Warden Magellan?"
Barrett's body was spotless, without a drop of blood. Only the viscous blood on his boots indicated what had transpired here.
Looking at Barrett, who remained unfazed, Magellan said sternly:
"They are all gone."
"Except for the missing prisoners."
"Everyone on the roster has been escorted here."
Barrett nodded and said:
"In that case."
"Prepare for evacuation."
"Gather everyone and announce Admiral Sakazuki's order."
Magellan nodded and said:
"Yes."
He then instructed everyone to gather at the entrance of the great prison and led Barrett over.
Although Magellan was the warden of the entire undersea great prison, Barrett's rank was Admiral, and his strength was considered second only to Sakazuki.
With his rank and strength both superior, Magellan did not object to anything Barrett did, even though Barrett's slaughter made him feel a vague sense of unease.
Furthermore, it was with Sakazuki's permission and command...
Outside Impel Down.
The once empty, vast platform was now packed with dense formations of jailers and monstrous jailers.
This sudden event, coupled with what Barrett had just done, left these jailers uneasy, wondering what would happen next.
At the gate.
All the jailers parted to make a path for Magellan and Barrett.
Barrett stood in the center, scanned the crowd, and said:
"I now announce the order from Marine Headquarters Admiral Sakazuki."
"Impel Down Deputy Warden, Hannyabal."
"Will temporarily serve as acting warden, leading all personnel of Impel Down to the Red Line's Reverse Mountain to take up temporary guard duty."
Hannyabal, who looked like a pharaoh, was stunned, overwhelmed by the immense surprise:
"Ward... Warden!!!
He couldn't help but scream, immediately caught up in his own fantasies.
Barrett frowned slightly.
Magellan also had a headache, this idiot...
Seeing Hannyabal lost in his daydreams, Magellan punched him.
*Bang!*
"Snap out of it!"
"Idiot!!!"
Hannyabal, jolted back to reality, was about to retort.
*Boom—!!!*
Thunder rumbled in the sky. Everyone present seemed to see the phantom of a blue-skinned, crimson-eyed devil, occupying the entire sky.
Staring down at them intently...
Watching as the phantom of the blue devil opened its monstrous maw.
"Impel Down Warden, Magellan."
"After completing the assigned mission, you will proceed to the New World battlefield to await orders."
The moment Barrett's voice rang out, the phantom of the blue devil, with its blood-red maw as if to devour them, suddenly vanished, as if it had all been an illusion.
But at this moment, everyone was silent, not having recovered.
Only Magellan was filled with unease, a few drops of cold sweat on his forehead. Such strength...
Even he could not resist...
Barrett scanned the crowd:
"Everyone, pack your belongings and board the ships to evacuate."
Then his gaze fixed on Magellan:
"Bring the prisoner roster and all the keys, and go to the first level of the prison first."
Saying this, he walked inwards.
Magellan's voice came from behind:
"Yes."
He then summoned a few soldiers to bring all the rosters and keys.
He himself followed Barrett's steps, but before leaving, he still smacked Hannyabal awake:
"Quickly go organize the evacuation."
After that, he didn't bother with him anymore and followed Barrett, leading him to the first level of hell.
All the jailers were transferred out, not a single one left, leaving only him and Barrett behind.
He vaguely guessed what Sakazuki's order was.
If his guess was true.
It would be truly chilling...
-----------
Impel Down, Third Level.
Barrett walked leisurely, while Magellan beside him had transformed into his poison form, with poisonous dragons shooting out from his arms, directly flooding into the various cells.
Magellan's guess had come true.
The task assigned by Sakazuki was to kill every single prisoner in the undersea great prison...
Kill them all...
While shocked, he also felt a chill as he sensed Barrett's condition.
He himself could not fully immunize himself against the power of the Doku Doku no Mi, otherwise, he wouldn't have had diarrhea after every meal.
But Barrett was completely unaffected, walking along with ease. What a powerful physique...
This was also the reason why he couldn't refuse this mission...
He truly couldn't win.
Wherever they passed, the prisoners in all the cells were covered by Magellan's poison.
Excruciating pain and corrosive torment gnawed at their bodies.
Magellan's poison also took time to take effect, and they would endure prolonged suffering before dying in despair.
The wails of pain and curses echoed through the vast prison, cursing this group...
Behind them.
A few soldiers followed, carrying chests, all wearing anti-poison gear, swallowing nervously, their killing too brutal, they had never seen such a scene.
Nor had they seen so many dead people.
The first and second levels had already been cleared, and the third level was nearing its end...
The rosters in the chests were constantly discarded.
These rosters, which recorded the prisoners' crimes and information, were now useless.
Because those discarded had already died, and the rate at which rosters were discarded couldn't keep up with Magellan's killing speed.
Time slowly ticked by...
-----------
Outside the great prison, the sky was gradually brightening, the sun rising over the horizon.
But in the deepest part of the great prison, those who had cleared the above five levels were unaware...
Of course, no one would care about that.
Because they had reached the entrance to the sixth level.
Behind this door lay countless pirates with bounties over a hundred million, as well as criminals whose heinous deeds had to be erased from history.
Barrett stretched his neck, a sinister grin on his lips as he looked at the door to the most heavily guarded prison:
"All the keys to the cells and prisoners inside..."
"Bring them to me..."