In this underwater maximum-security prison, the top-tier criminal powerhouses were subjected to a brutal rule: fed just enough to survive.
This approach served three purposes. First, long-term starvation drastically reduced their strength, making it impossible for them to stir up trouble. Second, prolonged hunger would steadily degrade all physical functions. Third, forcing prisoners to constantly endure such torment was a punishment in itself.
For a man like Shiki, the restrictions were even tighter. Combined with the suppression from Seastone shackles, he wasn't allowed to recover even a sliver of power. Otherwise, a single swing of his hand wasn't something the average prison guard could withstand.
After all, techniques like Shigan could be mastered instinctively once someone reached a certain level of physical prowess.
But no one ever expected it. Something that hadn't occurred in hundreds of years was now about to be accomplished by him, shocking the world.
A fierce glint flashed in Shiki's eyes as he crawled toward the prison bars. Compared to when he first arrived, he looked completely different—emaciated to the bone.
Two full years of starvation had left him too weak to stand, and it took several minutes just to cross a three-meter distance.
Staring at the half-bowl of rice before him, a twisted smile crept across his face.
Not a single grain was left as he devoured everything clean. Then, he crawled back to the corner and gently lifted a piece of tattered cloth. Beneath it was a small stash of rice he'd secretly collected over the past six months.
Finally, it was enough.
With his only remaining hand, he scooped up the dirt-stained, slightly spoiled rice. Expressionless, he chewed it down bite by bite.
When he was done, another sinister grin appeared on his lips.
'Delicious.'
Shiki quietly laid down, waiting for midnight...
* * *
Midnight. Level 6 of Impel Down.
Inside his cell, Shiki opened his eyes. Sensing the faint return of strength, he sat up and raised a finger. At the tip, a faint sword aura flickered.
"It's been a long time..."
He chuckled and looked down at his legs. Then he picked up a small stone and placed it in his mouth.
Shing!
Crunch!
A sword light flashed and the stone in his mouth shattered.
His fingertips scraped the ground, drawing blood as his whole body trembled and sweat poured down.
But that smile on his face didn't fade; in fact, it became more maniacal.
Because his strength... was surging back.
"Shihahahahaha! Exhilarating! So exhilarating!! Ahhhh!"
A low, guttural roar echoed as Shiki slowly started to float off the ground. Blood dripped from his severed legs, and he braced himself on the ground with his lone arm.
Clatter... clatter...
Fragments of rock on the floor began to break and swirl. Eventually, they formed a stone sword.
He reached out and gripped the hilt, spinning it once in a graceful arc.
"Lion: Valley Slash."
BOOOOM!
* * *
WEEEOOO—WEEEOOO—WEEEOOO—
Ear-piercing alarms blared throughout the entire underwater prison.
Warden's Office.
The warden looked at Magellan. "What happened, Magellan? Why is the alarm sounding?"
A young Magellan stood at attention, cold sweat pouring down his face.
"Reporting, Warden! Shiki has escaped! But he should still be somewhere inside the prison."
The warden shot to his feet. "What did you say?! What about the Seastone shackles? Were they removed?"
Magellan, still sweating, answered, "No... the Seastone shackles weren't removed. He… he cut off his own legs!"
* * *
With the news of Shiki's escape all of Impel Down sprang into motion.
"Move, move, move! Find him no matter what!"
"If that high-level criminal escapes, we're finished!"
"The myth of the underwater prison will be shattered!"
"We can't let it be destroyed by our own hands!"
"Hurry!"
* * *
Impel Down, Level 6.
Shiki had just killed several guards. Now, he kept shoving food into his mouth nonstop. As his body gradually regained its former size, the shrill alarm blared louder and louder in the background.
After swallowing the last bite, he let out a long breath.
"My strength's back."
He casually grabbed a cigar from the table, lit it, and took a drag.
"Cough… cough… what kind of garbage is this?"
His brow furrowed, but he still kept the cigar between his lips.
Floating forward, shards of rock swirled around him, smashing the surveillance Den Den Mushi one after another.
Suddenly, his Observation Haki picked up on a slightly stronger presence: some bug running straight toward him.
Shiki stopped and flew up to perch on the crossbeam of the corridor, sitting there and puffing on his cigar while blood dripped steadily from above.
Drip... drip...
A moment later, a young Hannyabal arrived, panting.
Feeling something off, he turned around and discovered the blood pooling on the ground. Sweat immediately appeared on his back.
Fwooo!
The sound of an exhale echoed through the corridor as smoke floated out from Shiki's mouth.
Then came his sinister voice:
"Do you know where my sword is? It's a famed blade. Kogarashi."
Hannyabal shouted nervously, "Pro-promotions... I want a promotion! Ah! No, wait! You're Shiki!!!"
Shiki glanced down and took another drag of his cigar.
"So it's an idiot, but whatever, I'm leaving anyway. I don't need my legs anymore. You can have them. Thanks for the hospitality these past two years."
He stared viciously at Hannyabal, face twisted in a feral grin.
"Lion's Threat: Earth Bind."
BOOM!
* * *
"Hydra!"
"Lion's Threat: Imperial Earth Bind!!!"
Six enormous lion heads formed out of stone, roaring fiercely as they faced off against Magellan's three-headed poison dragon.
Shiki scoffed. "Brat, I don't have time to play with you. Hurry up and tell me, where the hell is my sword?"
A bead of sweat ran down Magellan's forehead and he replied, "I'll never let you move forward another step."
Irritated, Shiki's eyes narrowed. He swung his right arm and the six gigantic stone lion heads rushed toward Magellan, cloaked in black Haki. Simultaneously—
"Lion's Threat: Scattering Valley!"
A storm of sword slashes, each hundreds of meters long, ripped through the floors and ceilings of Impel Down.
One of them burst out of the top of the prison and a single ray of sunlight broke in.
Watching Magellan desperately struggle to control the poison dragon entangled with the stone lions, Shiki muttered:
"Die."
The ground rumbled and churned violently as waves of rock surged forward like stacked walls, crashing toward Magellan.
Swish!
Shiki shot into the sky.
* * *
Calm Belt, a cliffside on a remote island.
Shiki had brought three swords here, two of which were random famed blades he'd picked up. Without hesitation, he thrust them into the stumps of his severed legs.
"AAAHHHHHHH!!!"
With a loud scream, he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.
Through gritted teeth, he tore his clothes into strips and used them to tie the swords tightly to his legs.
Using the blades to support himself, he staggered to his feet. Searing pain exploded through his nerves, but Shiki's grin only grew more wild.
"SHIHAHAHAHA!!! Excellent! I've got legs now!!!"
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