Chapter 97: Follow Me, Walder!

Ice Hell was a frozen wasteland of snow and frost. Prisoners on this level were forced to endure the biting cold, with savage wolves prowling the forest and tundra.

A double dose of torment—nature and beasts.

This was hell in its truest form.

Ironically, life in Infinite Hell was, in many ways, better than that in the first five levels. There, at least, prisoners could eat and rest in relative silence. But the upper levels? Constant threats, constant pain.

"Save us!!"

"Let us out! We'll escape with you!"

"Do you know who I am?! You'll benefit from letting me out!!"

As prisoners screamed and begged, the hardened pirates from Level Six looked down on them with disdain. They had been through far worse—and they knew it.

"Release them all. Use them as cannon fodder. We'll push through to the Fourth Floor before the jailers can react," Asa ordered coldly.

The cold of Ice Hell was so extreme that even Den Den Mushi couldn't survive in it. That meant the control room was completely unaware of what was happening here—for now.

But the guards would catch on soon.

Asa's real intent was simple: sacrifice the others to buy himself recovery time.

**"Hahaha, finally free..."

"Damn Navy..."**

The number of prisoners on this floor was far greater than on the sixth. When the cages burst open, they swarmed out like locusts.

A tide of bodies surged toward the Fourth Level—Scorching Hell.

GRRRRRRRRRRR!!

Lakes of flame and pools of bubbling blood seared the floor. The inferno roared, and the heat was unbearable.

But the rumbling sound wasn't coming from the lava...

"Prisoners must accept the price of their crimes—

Poison Cloud!!"

A thick, rolling mist of purple venom surged from Magellan's body. A few unfortunate pirates near him immediately collapsed, coughing blood as the gas melted their lungs.

The poisonous miasma spread quickly.

"Damned criminals... I'll lock you all away in complete darkness. If possible—close your hearts along with your eyes."

Magellan's face twisted with fury, venom dripping from his demon-like body. When it hit the burning ground, it hissed—"chiiiii!!"

"Kill him! If we take him down, we can all escape!!" Asa shouted from behind the crowd—but quietly slid away, distancing himself from Bundy Walder and using his electromagnetic abilities to distort light—turning invisible as he silently ascended toward the Third Floor.

"KILL!!"

The panicked prisoners charged at Magellan.

Some of the smarter ones, however, turned and ran for their lives.

"Poison Dragon!!"

Two serpents of purple toxin formed around Magellan, slamming into the crowd like twin tidal waves. Dozens were consumed.

On the Third Floor—"Hungry Hell."

Asa and Walder advanced silently through the dim corridor, still hidden by electromagnetic camouflage.

"The Thunder Fruit... can make you invisible? How is that even possible?" Walder asked, stunned.

Devil Fruits rarely overlapped in power. To replicate the ability of another Fruit was unheard of.

"That's because you're ignorant," Asa said plainly, striding forward with confidence.

"Devil Fruit potential is determined by talent. Your Momo Momo no Mi is one of the most powerful Paramecia... but your usage is crude."

The Multiply-Multiply Fruit could increase the size, speed, and power of anything the user touched—by up to 100 times. Even its user's movement speed could be enhanced. The destructive potential was terrifying.

But its flaw? It could only affect the user or physical objects, not others.

"Talent? Are you saying I lack talent?" Walder snapped, bristling.

That was human nature—no one liked being called lacking.

"Not talent," Asa replied. "Knowledge. You've been stuck in your own head, never exploring deeper potential."

His tone was calm, but intentional.

Asa wasn't just teasing. He was planting a seed.

He wanted to recruit Walder—and the best way to win someone over was to give them purpose again.

"Have you heard of Awakening? When a Devil Fruit evolves beyond its limits, it starts affecting the world around it."

"If your Momo Fruit awakened... it could shatter its current limits. Not only could you exceed the hundredfold increase—you could enhance other people's powers as well."

"Imagine that... imagine you amplifying my lightning by a hundredfold. What would happen then?"

To Asa, Walder's ability was the ultimate support fruit.

His own lightning could already level islands.

With Walder's awakened fruit? He could destroy the world.

Even Mariejois, perched atop the Red Line, could be vaporized by a hundredfold Heaven's Judgment.

No Navy. No Celestial Dragon. No "King of the World."

Only ashes.

Sure, the strain of amplifying such devastating energy might kill Walder on the spot—but what if he could learn to scale voltage instead?

There was no better offensive Devil Fruit in the world than the Momo Momo no Mi.

Had Walder not already eaten it, Asa would've taken it by force. He even considered killing him to reclaim the fruit and wait for it to respawn.

But... that was too risky.

There was no telling where the fruit would appear next—or if it would take years to reemerge.

Better to recruit the man than roll the dice.

"Awakening... boosting other people's powers...?" Walder's eyes gleamed.

He looked at Asa with a newfound fire.

"Bah la la la... Asa, are you trying to make me follow you?"

Walder might call himself old, but he was only in his forties. Six years in ice had paused his aging.

He still had plenty left in the tank.

"That's right, Walder."

Asa stopped walking. His voice was clear and steady. He turned and extended a hand.

"Your abilities and mine complement each other perfectly. Not even Whitebeard could stand against us."

It was mostly flattery—if he ever did battle Whitebeard, Asa would never allow interference. His pride demanded a one-on-one.

If anyone dared interrupt, they'd be killed without hesitation.

"Follow me, Walder. I can see your ambition has faded, but the madness in your eyes hasn't died. You're looking for a place to unleash it."

"Follow me, and I promise you won't lack battles, blood, or chaos. And soon enough..."

"...you'll face the World Government again."

Asa's voice was calm.

But his invitation... was deadly serious.

(End Of Chapter)

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