Impel Down had been completely restored, with all traces of the terrible attack from over ten days ago thoroughly patched up. It was as if nothing had ever happened. The sea was calm, and the waves around the prison were peaceful.
With the exception of Warden Magellan, who was still covered in wounds, most of the remaining prison guards had been replaced.
After Shiryu regained consciousness, he was furious over the loss of his sword and killed dozens of prisoners, for which he was ultimately thrown back into a cell on the sixth level.
With the start of military mobilization, a relatively quiet period began at Impel Down, because everyone's attention had shifted to the imminent war.
As for Ace, he was originally supposed to be sent to Impel Down first; however, after Ryuma's attack, Sengoku decided to take no chances and bet everything on the Marineford headquarters, keeping Ace under his personal supervision until the day of the execution.
"Hmph," Magellan sighed, his stomach rumbling. Lately, he kept asking himself whether he was really as strong as he thought he was. Maybe, if he hadn't had diarrhea that day, his enemy wouldn't have knocked him down with a single blow?
That creature was truly terrifying. But what was most frightening wasn't his strength, but his overwhelming presence and utter recklessness in battle. The mere thought of it sent shivers down your spine. How can someone so bizarre exist in this world? His attack was suicidal—completely senseless!
In reality, Magellan had completely misunderstood everything.
Ryuma was a powerful samurai from Wano. He wielded a destructive power capable of killing a dragon. After his death, Ryuma was known as a great swordsman who was never defeated in his lifetime. This was the man who slew a dragon with a single stroke and freed Wano from pirates
He is a formidable man, capable of standing alone against the pirates of the entire world.
The Sword God, Shimotsuki Ryuma!
So, yes, Magellan had been knocked down with a single blow—but in truth, it was an incredibly powerful strike.
A sword swing, a flying slash, a blow strong enough to fell a dragon...
In short, the true power was in that cutting wave.
"Director!" a guard burst in with an urgent report. "Ahem... there's a Shichibukai here!"
"What?!" Magellan raised an eyebrow slightly and got to his feet.
The Shichibukai are reinforcements for the World Government and Marine Patrol. At this stage of the war, it's no surprise that a Shichibukai would come to Impel Down. Still, without a pass, it would be difficult for anyone to get in, considering the tricky currents, the need to go through the Gates of Justice, and to descend all the way down.
"Who is it?" Magellan asked.
"Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach!" the guard replied, his face pale.
"Blackbeard?" Magellan felt his right eye start to twitch.
Without saying a word, he quickly left his office, planning to get a look at this new Shichibukai.
Out in the spacious corridor, as the prison gates swung open, light rushed in along with a gust of wind from outside.
"I've never seen what it looks like in here before," Teach remarked, glancing around as if taking in the sights...
The prison guards, stunned by the guest's behavior and presence, backed away one after another.
Magellan, leading the team of guards, eyed the man with a suspicious gaze, struck by his remarkable aura.
"That's him, all right—he looks exactly like the photo on his wanted poster. Still, there's something different about him. Where is all that power coming from? Standing in front of him, I feel small and foolish... And this Blackbeard crew—why is Demon Sheriff Lafitte standing there with his eyes closed? And why is Champion Jesus Burgess, who's such a huge man, acting like some graceful lady? Why does God of Death Doc Q look so strangely familiar, and why is he carrying a sword instead of a scythe? And most of all—Supersonic Van Augur... isn't this guy supposed to be their sniper? Why did he swap out his usual shooting glasses for gold frames, and what's going on with his rifle?"
These people really are the members of Blackbeard's crew, and yet Magellan felt an odd, inexplicable sensation about them. He'd never met them in person before, but somehow, they all seemed off.
For instance, Burgess—a powerful guy with massive arms and strong legs—pulled a white silk handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the dust from his face His movements were indescribable. Then he pulled out a notebook to jot something down and finally spoke in the calmest, most reasonable tone:
"Director Magellan, if you don't mind, could you give me a full tour of this place?"
Is this guy... really that pirate? What kind of strange pirates have descended into the depths of Impel Down..?
...
Half a day later, an alarm blared at The Watch's headquarters in Marineford.
"Sengoku speaking!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku answered the call from Impel Down.
"Admiral Sengoku, we've been attacked by Blackbeard—" Before he could finish, there was a loud explosion on the other end, and Sengoku's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
The previous incident with Ryuma had left a particularly deep mark on his memory.
Now Blackbeard?
Isn't he already a Shichibukai? Why would this man suddenly attack Impel Down?
By the time the Watch charged in, the pirates were already heading for the cells. It's worth noting that, in the end, a strong body is valuable, and Ezekiel had no intention of leaving Magellan behind. That's why he survived.