"So there's even a woman here, hahaha… I'm Shark Hunter Jick! Hurry up and get me out of here—and then hand that woman over to me…"
"I've got treasure out on the seas. Let me out and it's all yours…"
"Kid, if you free me, I'll protect you. Otherwise, I'll kill you where you stand…"
"Hahaha… someone actually made it in here? Did Magellan fail to stop you?"
"Interesting… I've got a 700 million bounty on my head. Let me out and I'll do you a few favors…"
"… …"
The cells erupted in loud shouts, mixed with foul curses.
Uchiha Izumi frowned.
"Naruto-sama… aren't these guys' minds a little… off?"
She felt like half of them were lunatics.
"Normal," Naruto replied evenly. "They've always been lawless pirates. Being locked away down here without daylight has only twisted their minds further."
In truth, while a small number of Impel Down's inmates had been falsely accused, the vast majority were guilty of heinous crimes.
And those in the Sixth Layer, Infinite Hell—were the worst of the worst.
The anime had never shown the full reality, choosing not to alienate viewers with the full depravity, instead leaning toward pirates' 'positive' sides.
But really—how many pirates are truly kind?
"These people aren't good by any measure… but the Marines and the World Government have their own path of cruelty too…" Naruto shook his head slightly.
He raised his right hand—and behind him, four golden chains materialized from thin air, snaking forward like dragons through the cells.
"What's that!?"
One of the earlier foul-mouthed inmates stared in curiosity—until a chain suddenly lunged toward him.
"What—!!!"
His face went pale. He tried to back away, but there was nowhere to go.
Pchi!
A wet tearing sound rang out.
He looked down with difficulty—at the golden chain protruding from his chest, piercing his heart. Blood gushed from the wound.
Thud.
He collapsed.
Shhhk—Shhhk—Shhhk…
The golden chains darted rapidly through the other cells. The sound of flesh being pierced came again and again, mingled with screams of agony.
In just a few seconds, over a hundred inmates lay dead in pools of blood.
When the screams stopped, Infinite Hell was eerily silent.
Countless prisoners stared at the blond youth in terror, swallowing hard—none daring to make a sound.
Even as prisoners, they were considered valuable to the Marines. Never before had a mass slaughter like this occurred.
And yet, this intruder had just cut down a hundred of the sea's most infamous pirates in moments.
"No wonder… No wonder they call you the Demon Child Uzumaki Naruto—the one who invaded the Holy Land, slaughtered over a hundred Celestial Dragons, and fought all three Marine Admirals…"
The deep voice came from one cell.
The other prisoners' eyes widened as they turned to look at Naruto in shock.
"He invaded Mary Geoise!?"
"Killed over a hundred World Nobles!?"
"And fought the three monsters of Marine Headquarters?"
"Impossible! Even the great Pirate Admiral Golden Lion never reached that level…"
The entire Infinite Hell erupted into noise once more.
Many of them had been locked away for years, decades—even longer—knowing nothing of the current seas.
And yet those three feats were unthinkable, even in the previous era.
Now, when they looked again at the blond youth, a flicker of respect joined the fear in their eyes.
"As expected… in the pirate world, it's still survival of the fittest…" Naruto's gaze swept over the cells before settling on the one who had spoken first. He smiled.
"Crocodile… with an introduction that detailed, are you trying to get me to let you out?"
Inside the cell sat Crocodile—dressed in a prison uniform, a cigar still in his mouth, the same man once defeated by Luffy.
He took a deep drag on his cigar before speaking.
"Of course. The Whitebeard Pirates have been provoked—they're about to launch war on Marine Headquarters. How could I miss that?"
His eyes gleamed with fervor as he spoke.
Naruto didn't care about his motives. He simply nodded.
"Fine. But there's one condition—you get a seal placed on you first."
Crocodile frowned.
"A seal?"
"Yeah. Once it's in place, your life is in my hands—one thought, and you're gone."
"…Fine."
Crocodile nodded without surprise or distaste. On the seas, such arrangements weren't uncommon. And he didn't believe Uzumaki Naruto could truly control him—better to agree and get his freedom first.
"Guren," Naruto called.
Guren stepped forward, using her Crystal Shield ability to create a crystalline key.
At the same time, Naruto—through the bars—placed a simplified seal on Crocodile.
With a crack, the cell door swung open.
Crocodile stepped out, cigar in place, exhaling a plume of smoke.
"Freedom… at long last."
But in the same instant, his hand snapped up—transforming into sand, forming a massive sand blade aimed straight at Naruto's neck.
Naruto only gave him a glance—he didn't even bother triggering the seal's control.
"Fire Fist!!!"
Flames roared from Naruto's punch, the heat so intense it fused the sand to glass, slamming directly into Crocodile's body and hurling him away.
Bam!!
He crashed into the seastone railing, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.
"As expected of the Demon Child… your power's frightening."
"Don't test me," Naruto said flatly, turning to address the rest of the prisoners.
"I sparred with Whitebeard for a few days. While I can't yet match him in raw strength, I'm more than enough to deal with you."
Crocodile's pupils shrank. He had no doubt Naruto was telling the truth—just sparring with Whitebeard…
The other inmates, hearing this and seeing the display, grew feverish with excitement. They rushed to the bars, shouting:
"Demon Child! Let me out too—I'll be your subordinate!"
"Yeah! Give me a chance!"
"I'm stronger than that sand crocodile—making me your man would be the right choice!"
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 500 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]