CHAPTER 229
Just as he was about to speak, he was startled to find that the seawater had been completely repelled from their surroundings, not even approaching them.
Only then did he feel a sense of relief, though it was mixed with astonishment. At the same time, his admiration for Caesar grew even deeper.
After all, for Devil Fruit users, even touching seawater was a terrifying prospect—let alone diving into the ocean. Yet, Caesar remained completely unfazed, descending rapidly as if the sea held no power over him.
Despite being a Devil Fruit user, he showed no fear of seawater. Without this inherent weakness, his advantage became all the more apparent.
This raised a paradoxical question:
In a world covered by vast oceans, those who gain extraordinary powers through Devil Fruits are simultaneously cursed with an inability to swim.
But Caesar… He was an anomaly.
In Impel Down
Since Byrnndi World was deemed highly dangerous, he was imprisoned on Level 6—the lowest and most secure level of the undersea prison.
Rumors whispered of a secret floor beneath even Level 6, where even more dangerous criminals were held. However, these claims had never been confirmed and were largely considered myth.
Ignoring the crushing water pressure, Caesar took Kyle straight into the depths of the sea. The immense force would have crushed ordinary men, but his Psychic Shield protected them effortlessly.
Using Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), he sensed their proximity to the outer wall of Impel Down.
"Be careful. Open an Air Door here," he instructed.
"Let's go in, take a look, and find our target."
Caesar had already planned for every possible scenario. To avoid early detection and resistance, their first step was to strip the prison of its strongest assets.
On Level 6 of Impel Down, the prisoners were the worst of the worst—criminals the world never wanted to see free again.
To keep them in check, the prison added special weakening agents to their meals. Even then, they were only fed once every ten days or so.
Byrnndi World, the World Destroyer, was treated even worse.
He wasn't given food at all—he had been frozen in a cryogenic state, locked away from the world.
Inside his different dimension, Caesar observed Level 6 and easily located World.
Without a sound, an Air Door opened inside World's frozen cell, and a second portal materialized on the ice.
Then, he was gone.
The conditions in Impel Down had always been brutal, and Level 6 was the worst of them all.
Eternal darkness. Damp, suffocating air. Cells filled either with corpses or monsters guilty of atrocities beyond imagination.
Yet, because Caesar's actions were so silent, and the prisoners were already desensitized to suffering, no one noticed.
Inside a Different Space
As World was brought in, signs of life returned to him.
Despite years of confinement, his sheer willpower allowed him to resist the aftereffects of cryogenic sleep.
But Caesar had no interest in conversing.
Without hesitation, he transported World into a Seastone-sealed chamber.
No matter how powerful he had once been, against Caesar's psychic abilities, he had no chance.
With a flicker of power, Caesar crushed World's heart and brain, ending his life in an instant.
Moments later, Caesar retrieved a Devil Fruit from the corpse and took World's lifeless body.
Then, with the Air Door, he vanished once more.
---
Magellan's Wrath – More Casualties and Another Devil Fruit
Impel Down, Level 4
Despite his young age, Magellan had already risen to the position of Deputy Warden of the infamous undersea prison, thanks to the overwhelming power of his Doku Doku no Mi (Venom-Venom Fruit).
At this moment, however, he was dealing with his usual daily struggle—violent diarrhea caused by his own poison.
A jailer, wearing a gas mask, hurriedly approached from outside the restroom.
"Deputy Warden!"
From inside the stall, Magellan growled, "What is it? Can't you see I'm busy!?"
"My apologies, Deputy Warden! But… several prisoners have died under mysterious circumstances!"
Magellan groaned. "Tch. Can't this wait? People die in prison all the time!"
"The Warden has ordered you to investigate immediately!"
Outside the stall, the gray-uniformed jailer stood rigid, unwilling to breathe too deeply in Magellan's poisonous aura.
Hearing the urgency, Magellan sighed. It wasn't unusual for prisoners to die in Impel Down—after all, this was no ordinary jail.
Each level had its own brand of hellish torment, and starvation was a daily reality.
However, if many had died at once… that was different.
"Do we have a list of the dead?" Magellan asked.
"Yes, sir!"
The jailer quickly handed him a paper detailing the deceased prisoners.
Glancing over the list, Magellan's brows furrowed.
Something felt off.
He scanned the list again, this time paying closer attention.
His eyes widened in shock.
Every single dead prisoner was a Devil Fruit user.
A terrible realization struck him.
Someone is specifically targeting Devil Fruit users.
But why?
Hunting Devil Fruits was unheard of.
As far as the world knew, a Devil Fruit's power only respawned in a random location after its user died. No one was aware that it could be directly extracted from a corpse.
And yet…
"Has anyone died on Level 6?" Magellan suddenly asked, his tone sharp.
The jailer hesitated.
"This… I don't know, sir! We don't have clearance to enter Level 6 without orders!"
Magellan's expression darkened.
"Then let's go check. Now."
A sense of foreboding filled him as he descended toward the lowest level.
He had recognized several names on the list—prisoners with dangerous Devil Fruits.
If this mysterious killer had struck Level 6 as well…
It could mean disaster.
The elevator descended into the abyss.
As the iron doors slid open, Magellan's Kenbunshoku Haki flared outward, scanning the entire level in an instant.
His face immediately twisted into a scowl.
Six or seven prisoners were missing.
Not just dead. Gone.
"This is bad," he muttered.
An Unprecedented Threat
His mind raced.
Who would do this? And why?
Stealing Devil Fruits? That was insane—no one even knew such a thing was possible!
Even the World Government didn't have that technology!
Unless…
A terrible thought struck Magellan.
What if someone had figured out a way to harvest Devil Fruits?
If that knowledge spread, chaos would erupt across the world.
His grip tightened.
This was no ordinary prison break.
It was something far more dangerous.
And Magellan had no idea who was behind it.B
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