Chapter 23: The Terror of Impel Down
The moment Edward Teach finished speaking, a whirlwind seemed to rise out of nowhere within the Newkama Paradise. Faint dark-red arcs of electricity flickered through the void, and an invisible force of deterrence spread across the entire scene.
Even the newkama standing at the very edge of the crowd felt an inexplicable pressure weighing down on them, an oppressive force that made it hard to breathe.
"Conqueror's Haki?!"
Ivankov, who stood closest to Edward Teach, was the first to bear the full brunt of the overwhelming presence.
Despite his many life-and-death experiences, a few beads of cold sweat trickled down the Okama King's forehead.
'Such terrifying ambition!'
For a long time, Ivankov was speechless, staring at Edward Teach with a mix of astonishment and shock.
"I'm afraid only Whitebeard's son could possess such an aura!"
From this moment on, all doubts in Ivankov's mind regarding Edward Teach's identity vanished.
He was absolutely convinced—this man was Whitebeard III!
Emotionally speaking, Ivankov couldn't help but admire the audacity of Teach's plan.
"Carefully select the most powerful subordinates from the most terrifying depths of Infinite Hell!"
A strategy so daring that most people wouldn't even dare to entertain it in their wildest dreams—yet Edward Teach had declared it so openly, with unwavering conviction!
However, from a rational standpoint, Ivankov found it difficult to be optimistic about Teach's future.
Infinite Hell…
What kind of place was that?
The prisoners locked away in that abyss were monsters so terrifying that the World Government had deliberately erased them from history to keep the world safe.
Every single one of those criminals was a walking catastrophe, a living legend of unparalleled cruelty and strength.
Could Edward Teach truly recruit subordinates from such a hellish domain?
Ivankov had no answer.
But at this moment, he did not voice any doubts or objections. Instead, he calmly asked,
"Teach, what exactly do you need me to do?"
If Edward Teach wanted Ivankov's help with this "Infinite Hell Recruitment Plan", perhaps by assisting in the aftermath or helping him and his future subordinates escape from Impel Down unnoticed…
Then Ivankov might be able to grit his teeth and agree.
A little-known fact—
The Newkama Paradise was connected to all the hidden passages within Impel Down, from the first level of Crimson Hell all the way down to the fifth level of Freezing Hell.
Each of these five layers contained special secret passageways leading directly to the Newkama Paradise, completely unknown to the prison's jailers.
With these passages, Ivankov could ensure that Edward Teach and his group moved freely through the first five levels without detection.
Edward Teach seemed momentarily dazed but quickly refocused after hearing Ivankov's question.
"Didn't I just say it?"
Teach grinned and took a bold step forward.
"My goal is Infinite Hell!"
Then, with unwavering determination, he extended his hand of friendship toward Ivankov once more.
"Ivankov, we are friends!
"And if we can't go through fire and water together, then what kind of friends are we?
"Okama King, you will go to hell with me, won't you?"
Ivankov had never considered whether he would literally go to hell after death.
But when Edward Teach made this invitation…
To Ivankov, it sounded like a direct summons from hell itself!
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
He had originally wanted to find a way to repay Edward Teach for saving Inazuma's life.
But how had things developed into…
Him throwing his life away for Edward Teach instead?!
"M-Me? You? Friends? That… ahahaha…"
Ivankov nervously wiped the sweat from his forehead, forced a laugh, and vaguely asked,
"Teach, if you enter Infinite Hell, how do you plan to recruit those… monsters?"
"What would I do? Gurarara…"
Edward Teach burst into hearty laughter, his deep voice reverberating through the cavern.
"I will unchain every last prisoner in Infinite Hell!"
"I will orchestrate the greatest deathmatch in history!"
"And only those who survive the carnage… will be worthy of becoming my subordinates!"
In the original storyline, a guy named "Teach" had indeed once done something similar.
But that man was 'Blackbeard' Teach.
But this man is 'Whitebeard' Teach's plan.
No—more accurately, this was Storm's plan.
Everything that Storm had said to Ivankov before this moment was true.
He wanted to enter Infinite Hell.
He wanted to form the most terrifying pirate crew in history.
He wanted to surpass Whitebeard, crush all competition, and become the strongest pirate in the world.
He wanted to recruit the most elite and powerful criminals the world had ever known.
But…
Who said that the most powerful criminals only existed in Infinite Hell?
Look at this "Edward Teach."
Wasn't he also lawless and arrogant?
To put it bluntly—
Storm was not Blackbeard.
He had no interest in recruiting the bottom-feeding scum of Infinite Hell.
And he was certainly not some Sun God Nika, freeing prisoners out of some noble sense of justice.
Storm had one goal and one goal only—
To claim trophies from the legendary warriors locked away in Infinite Hell!
That was the true reason why he had volunteered to come to Impel Down.
The trophy system was his weapon, and Impel Down was his hunting ground.
He hadn't come here to work as a jailer for the World Government like some obedient dog.
No.
He had come to prey upon the strongest criminals this hell had to offer.
Now, with his rewards consumed, Storm's overall strength had reached five stars.
His Clay-Clay Fruit had even awakened, pushing him far beyond his previous limits.
At this point, even four-star trophies were beginning to lose their value to him.
In other words—
Impel Down was no longer a viable 'training ground' for him!
The only thing left to do was to harvest the strongest trophies in Infinite Hell.
Then, escape Impel Down and set sail toward the boundless seas beyond!
A real man does not linger in the shadows of others for long.
Today, by sheer chance, he had encountered Inazuma, which had led him to Ivankov and the hidden sanctuary of the Newkama Paradise.
And so—
Storm had decided to use them to further his own goals.
Now, all that remained was Ivankov's answer.
Would the Okama King help him seize the greatest trophies in history?
Even for someone as seasoned as Ivankov, he couldn't help but be shaken.
To unleash every last monster in Infinite Hell...
To let them fight to the death...
And to select the most terrifying criminal alive as his subordinate…
However...
"Teach, Infinite Hell is not the same as Freezing Hell."
Ivankov spoke with a rare seriousness, his exaggerated expressions subdued.
"The Infinite Hell is guarded by an incredibly strong force, and there are surveillance Den Den Mushi everywhere.
"Without an order from Director Magellan, even the jailers cannot enter or exit at will."
"And if there is even the slightest trouble in Infinite Hell, the monitoring room will receive the news immediately."
"When that happens, the entire force of Impel Down will be quickly mobilized!"
"You will face the true terror of this prison!"
"Especially the director of Impel Down—Magellan!"
Ivankov was no inexperienced newcomer to the sea.
As the commander of the Grand Line Army of the Revolutionary Army, he had long understood the terrifying power wielded by those who stood at the peak of this world.
Whitebeard. "Red-Haired" Shanks. Kaido. Big Mom.
Just hearing these names was enough to strike fear into ordinary people.
Many on the ocean had never even heard of Magellan.
But Ivankov, who had spent years imprisoned within Impel Down, knew exactly how formidable that "Poison Human" was.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say—within Impel Down, Magellan's strength was comparable to the highest combat power of the World Government!
Ivankov wanted no part in facing such a monster.
"Gurarara..."
Edward Teach let out a low chuckle.
Then, without warning, he stood up and walked toward the exit of Newkama Land.
"Wait a moment. Allow me to introduce you to a new friend."
No one dared to block Whitebeard III's path.
Even Ivankov made no move.
He simply remained seated, watching as Edward Teach turned and left.
Moments later—
Edward Teach returned to Newkama Land.
And beside his towering, burly frame, another figure stood.
Tall and unyielding with a presence exuding an overwhelming aura.
Ivankov's eyes widened in shock.
"Storm!?"
He leaped from his chair, instantly taking a defensive stance.
"Why are you here?!"
Newkama Land had always existed outside the surveillance system of Impel Down.
Not a single staff member of the prison knew about the "5.5th Floor."
Yet now, this man stood before him.
The terrifying head jailer who had only recently entered the prison.
The same man who had brutally crushed Shiryu!
How could Ivankov not be horrified?
"Teach!?" His voice was sharp with disbelief. "Why are you just standing there?!"
"Calm down, Ivankov."
Edward Teach's voice was deep and steady.
"Storm is my partner."
Ivankov's breath hitched.
For a moment—just a brief moment—he felt something was different about Teach.
Gone was the reckless arrogance.
A shadow of something more composed had taken its place.
But he had no time to dwell on that.
Because one thing was crystal clear—
Teach's words were wrong.
"Storm... are you actually Teach's partner?"
A dangerous smile spread across Storm's face.
"No," he said, voice filled with absolute certainty.
"You're mistaken, Queen of the Kamabakka Kingdom."
His eyes gleamed with an almost mad confidence.
"I am not the partner of Whitebeard III."
His voice dropped lower, but the weight of his words echoed through the room.
"I'm the captain of Whitebeard III!"