Scrub, scrub, scrub!

The brush scraped against the toilet bowl as Magellan diligently scrubbed, the cleaner foaming up into thick bubbles. Watching the strange-looking giant work so earnestly, the bald prison guard named Malte couldn't help but ask curiously,

"You're a real odd one, you know that? With such powerful abilities, why would you willingly come to a godforsaken place like this undersea prison?"

Leaning lazily against the wall, he kept a safe distance from Magellan, slightly lifting the visor of his gas mask to light a cigarette. Taking a slow drag, he muttered under his breath,

"With your powers, even if you spent eight hours a day on the toilet, it wouldn't matter."

Still scrubbing, Magellan sighed gloomily.

"I'm nothing but a burden. People as unfortunate as me are meant to live forever in the shadows."

Malte scratched his head in confusion.

"But that doesn't make sense. Didn't you say you graduated from the Marine Academy?"

"I heard graduates from Marine Headquarters' academy are all carefully cultivated elites. Logically speaking, there's no way Headquarters would assign someone like you to Impel Down."

Magellan didn't reply. He simply sighed again, long and weary.

Seeing him like that, Malte shrugged, deciding not to pry further. He changed the subject instead.

"Oh right, I heard they brought in a new chief warden from Headquarters today."

As if remembering something, he leaned closer and lowered his voice mysteriously.

"You know, that guy's super secretive. Always wears a mask—no one's ever seen his face. But I caught a glimpse of him from afar, and just the aura he gave off... it was so terrifying, I could barely breathe."

A trace of awe flickered in his eyes as he spoke.

Hearing his tone, Magellan grew curious.

"What happened to our previous warden?"

"You mean old Will? Word is, he hit the lottery jackpot and quit on the spot to live it up."

Malte's tone turned sour as he grumbled,

"Lucky bastard... Guys like us would have to work a hundred years to make that kind of money."

Magellan shook his head, his expression solemn.

"We became Marines not for the money."

"Maybe not you," Malte scoffed, shrugging dismissively.

"For me, it's just a job. The pay's lousy, and I'm not about to risk my life for it. Besides, I heard Headquarters is running out of funds. If that's true, I should probably start looking for another gig."

Magellan fell silent.

He wanted to argue, but couldn't find the words. Everyone had their own reasons for joining the Marines—or their own idea of justice. Some carried noble convictions in their hearts, while most just saw it as a job.

"Hey! Magellan! The new chief warden's calling for you!"

A voice suddenly echoed from the far end of the corridor.

A uniformed guard waved toward him from a distance, keeping as far away as possible even with his gas mask on, moving like he was avoiding a ghost.

The new warden wants me?

Magellan froze, puzzled.

"You didn't offend anyone, did you? Though I guess that shouldn't be possible... the new warden shouldn't even know who you are," Malte said, frowning.

"Still, you'd better be careful. Judging from past experience, the wardens they assign here are never quite right in the head."

He tapped his own temple meaningfully, lowering his voice.

"You haven't forgotten old Will, have you?"

Magellan's mouth twitched.

Old Will—the last warden—had been a sadistic man who loved torturing prisoners and worshiped money like a god.

"I understand."

With a restless heart, Magellan removed his gloves and left the guards' lounge on the first basement level, heading toward the warden's office.

The undersea prison, Impel Down, was built within the Calm Belt, where countless Sea Kings roamed, forming a natural barrier. Except for Marine warships, no pirate vessel could possibly cross the Calm Belt to reach it.

The prison itself was a colossal, tower-like structure submerged beneath the sea. Apart from the first-floor platform above the surface, every other level lay below the waterline. Coupled with the Marine warships stationed around it, its defenses were so formidable that Impel Down was known across the world as the "Iron Fortress."

It was, without question, the "World's Greatest Prison."

Magellan still vividly remembered his first day reporting to duty. His superior had introduced Impel Down with pride, and within ten minutes, had repeated the same phrase five times:

"No prisoner has ever successfully escaped from Impel Down."

Magellan's assigned area covered the first basement level, "Crimson Lotus Hell," and the second basement level, "Beast Hell."

The prisoners confined on the first level, "Crimson Lotus Hell," were those whose crimes were the least severe in the entire prison. Their strength was also pitifully limited—most of them couldn't even stand against the Blue Gorilla guards patrolling the area.

Outside the cells stretched a vast, forest-like expanse. The trees there grew into grotesque shapes, their leaves as sharp as blades—earning them the name "Sword Trees." The grass underfoot was no less deadly: needle-sharp "Needle Grass" that could easily pierce human flesh.

At specific times, the inmates would be "released" from their cells and forced to run endlessly through that deadly forest, all while being hunted by poisonous spiders and guards—tormented in a never-ending cycle of pain.

But the moment Magellan's figure appeared, the venomous spiders, guards, and even the fleeing prisoners all froze in terror and scrambled to hide behind the sword trees.

Magellan walked by with a calm expression, though inwardly, he sighed.

Beyond the first level of "Crimson Lotus Hell," a long staircase led down to the second basement level—"Beast Hell."

That layer teemed with ferocious beasts and venomous serpents. When their leader, the massive Sphinx, spotted Magellan, its body trembled violently before it bolted into the corner and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Next came the third basement level—"Hunger Hell." Here, prisoners endured brutal starvation and dehydration. Most lay half-dead in their cells, unmoving, some reduced to shriveled, mummy-like husks.

Magellan walked past several rows of cells until he stopped before an office door.

He hesitated briefly, then raised his hand and knocked.

"Warden, this is Guard Magellan… reporting for duty."

"Come in."

A deep voice resonated from within.

For some reason, Magellan found the voice oddly familiar.

Without thinking much of it, he pushed the door open and stepped inside—

Only to freeze in shock, his eyes widening to their limits.

"Daren-san!?"

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.