Chapter 350: Two Unexpected Guests in Impel Down

"Warden Magellan, Buggy the Clown's movement trajectory was initially toward the first-level exit, but for some unknown reason, he suddenly changed course and went deeper into the lower levels..."

Deputy Warden Domino reported to Magellan:

"Vice Warden Hannyabal has already gone after him, but we also sent word to Chief Jailer Shiryu. However... Shiryu is currently, uh, 'patrolling the prisoners' and hasn't responded."

With Magellan no longer afflicted by constant trips to the toilet, his control over Impel Down had significantly strengthened.

In the original story, Shiryu was imprisoned on Level 6—'Eternal Hell'—due to his repeated and unrepentant acts of prisoner slaughter. But now, under Magellan's strong deterrence, Shiryu didn't dare to ignore his warnings any further.

That being said, Shiryu was on the verge of going mad from restraint.

"That bastard Shiryu, he's at it again!"

Magellan snorted coldly, but for now, there were more pressing matters at hand:

"Hannyabal should have no problem handling Buggy. He's just a small fry with a measly 15-million-beri bounty."

"Weren't Marco and the others just taken away? What's with that new battleship coming through the Gates of Justice?"

"Yes, the Gates of Justice were opened for the transport of Marco and his group to Marine Headquarters. However, we just confirmed with Marine HQ that the warship that passed through had no authorized departure clearance!"

Domino looked concerned. With the storm brewing at Marineford, any anomalies couldn't be taken lightly.

"No clearance... that means it's headed straight for Impel Down!"

Magellan's expression darkened. Admiral Wright had already warned him in advance about Blackbeard's potential movements.

Although Magellan seriously questioned Blackbeard's intelligence, as the absolute authority in Impel Down, he didn't consider Blackbeard a real threat.

As a Warlord of the Sea, if Blackbeard could provide a reasonable explanation, Magellan would avoid unnecessary conflict.

But if he had truly lost his mind and dared to challenge the authority of Impel Down's Warden—

Then, with concrete evidence of his treason, both Blackbeard and his entire crew would be marching toward their own graves!

Did these fools really think that a Magellan no longer plagued by stomach issues would be easy to exploit?!

...

Impel Down, Level 5—Freezing Hell.

Due to the extreme cold, no Den Den Mushi were installed in this level. However, the forests were teeming with vicious beasts—military wolves.

Buggy the Clown, who was last reported to be on Level 2, had somehow appeared here.

"F-F-F-F-Freezing! I'm gonna die out here!"

Dressed in nothing but a thin prison uniform, Buggy's iconic red nose was practically glowing from the cold. A trickle of snot dripped down—only to freeze instantly into an icicle.

"Waaaah! Why the hell did I have to run into you guys?!"

"Who... who even are you people?! Aaaaah!"

Buggy was currently missing his lower half, with only his upper body being held up by an iron-like grip on his collar. His legs?

Well, they were securely bound and being carried by a burly fish-man clad in a thick overcoat, still kicking frantically in protest.

Accompanying them was a bright-eyed, charming young woman with orange hair and—

Well, a giant.

But not just any giant—one that was, frankly, an assault on the eyes.

A wide, pancake-like face, multiple layers of chins, sausage-like lips, and two long mustaches hanging from his upper lip. He wore pink, frilly goggles.

And as if that wasn't enough—

His upper body was bare aside from oversized gloves, while his lower body was clad in... a tiny checkered skirt. His hairy, thick legs were squeezed into knee-high socks.

The giant carried a massive backpack, holding an enormous trident while glancing around nostalgically:

"Fuhahaha~ Oh, how nostalgic~ Freezing Hell hasn't changed a bit after all these years~"

"Eh~? Buggy-kun, why are you looking at me like that~?"

The giant cupped his own face, his expression turning a disturbing shade of red:

"Oh my, don't stare at me like that~ It's embarrassing~"

"PFFFFT—"

Buggy felt himself slipping into unconsciousness from the sheer mental and physical trauma.

"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?!"

The young woman—Revolutionary Army's Fish-Man Karate Deputy Instructor, Koala—covered her mouth, giggling:

"Captain Morley, even a well-traveled man like Buggy-sama must not have encountered many giants before?"

"Koala-chan~ Giants may be rare, but Buggy-kun was a crew member of the Pirate King! Surely, he must have seen one before~"

The giant, Morley—West Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army—tilted his head:

"Buggy-kun must just be admiring me~"

"I AM NOT! SHUT UP, YOU'RE IMAGINING THINGS!"

Buggy was on the verge of tears.

"As expected of a former crew member of the Pirate King. Buggy-sama managed to escape from Impel Down's prison—truly admirable."

The Fish-Man Karate Instructor, Hack, quickly cut in, unwilling to let the conversation spiral further into madness:

"Sabo-kun, if it weren't for Buggy-sama 'volunteering' to distract Warden Magellan, we would have been exposed."

"I DIDN'T VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING, DAMN IT!"

"No need to be modest, Buggy-sama. I heard you had ties to my younger brother, and now you've helped us so much. I'm truly grateful."

Wearing a gentleman's suit and top hat while carrying a steel pipe, Sabo smiled warmly. Beside him, Koala giggled as she noticed his grip on Buggy's collar tighten ever so slightly.

The moment Sabo spotted Buggy in Impel Down, he grabbed him immediately—

Like hell he was letting this guy escape! This was the same man who almost sliced his little brother in half back in Loguetown. Now that they had run into him, he wasn't going anywhere!

Impel Down's guards may have carelessly locked Buggy away as a minor criminal on Level 1, but the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff would not overlook him!

"Well then, Buggy-sama, you can keep the military wolves company for a bit~ I'm sure you'll be just fine!"

Sabo made a throwing motion as Buggy let out a terrified shriek:

"Nooooooo!"

WHOOSH—

Buggy's upper half soared into the distance, vanishing from sight.

"What about the lower half?"

Hack pointed at Buggy's still-wriggling legs.

"Just leave it. It can't run anywhere without eyes."

Sabo waved a hand dismissively:

"We're almost there—Level 5.5 of Impel Down!"

"Fuhahaha~ I worked hard digging out this place back then~"

"The 'Nonexistent Path'..."

"Hah! We avoided every surveillance system along the way. I bet Ivankov will be thrilled to see us!"

Sabo adjusted his hat:

"Morley, it's time."

"Got it, Sabo-kun~"

"I push—"

With a stab of his trident, Morley effortlessly opened a path through the permafrost. The group disappeared into the tunnel as the entrance closed seamlessly behind them, leaving no trace.

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