"This is the Grand Elevator. With it, we can move freely across all six levels.
Our destination is Level Four—Scorching Hell!"
Magellan introduced enthusiastically.
He had always been friendly toward Marines, and with Longinus deliberately easing the distance between them, the two quickly grew familiar.
It didn't take long for the elevator to descend and rumble open on Level Four.
The moment the doors parted, a wave of blistering heat surged outward.
The choking smell of sulfur burned its way into the lungs—
an environment harsh enough to suffocate ordinary people in minutes.
Yet Longinus and Magellan showed not a flicker of discomfort,
as if this infernal heat meant nothing to them.
"Scorching Hell… If a riot were to happen here, it truly would be the perfect place to erase bodies without a trace."
Longinus scanned the surroundings calmly, silently assessing.
Magellan stole a glance and sighed inwardly:
"As expected of Headquarters' rising star… he doesn't even need an acclimation period."
A nearby guard saluted.
"Deputy Warden Magellan, the Chief Guard and the Warden are already waiting inside."
"Oh? Jin and Warden Elvis have arrived already?"
Magellan turned. "Major Longinus, let's head over."
"Chief Guard… Jin?"
Longinus' mind turned sharply, though his expression remained mild.
"It's no trouble at all, Deputy Warden."
The Warden's office was not far from the elevator.
Inside sat a monster of a man—
Longinus estimated that standing upright, he must be at least eight meters tall.
Beside him stood the Chief Guard, shrouded entirely in shadow beneath a mask,
a katana strapped at his waist.
"Magellan. You're too slow."
The masked man—Jin—spoke coldly.
"We ran into Shiliew on the way. That delayed us a moment," Magellan explained.
"Is that so? Better than what I originally imagined.
If I found out you kept us waiting because you had diarrhea again…
I wouldn't let you off so easily."
"Diarrhea? Do you want to experience the agony of poison firsthand?"
Magellan shot back without hesitation.
"Poison? A toy for the weak."
"Enough.
Both of you—shut it."
Warden Elvis roared.
Unlike the useless Hannibal, this Warden was the real deal.
One low shout from him forced both men into silence.
Seeing them fall back in line, Elvis finally addressed the matter:
"You met Shiliew. Fine.
But why didn't you bring him?
And where is Hannibal?"
Magellan sighed.
"Shiliew refused to come.
As for Hannibal… after hearing rumors of his possible demotion, he went catatonic.
No matter how I called him, he wouldn't respond."
"Two idiots."
Elvis cursed.
Normally he could tolerate their antics—
but behaving this shamefully in front of a Marine delegate?
That made him look incompetent.
Still, the situation was what it was.
He swallowed his anger and turned to Longinus.
"You're Major Longinus, sent by Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
"Warden Elvis, Marine Major Longinus reporting."
"You traveled far and arrived only to witness this farce.
My apologies.
Magellan will arrange your quarters.
Tomorrow, once everyone is gathered, we'll discuss matters properly."
"Yes, sir."
After Longinus and Magellan left, Jin finally spoke:
"Headquarters is halfhearted as always—sending just a major?
What next?
We babysit him so he doesn't die?"
But Elvis slowly shook his massive head.
"That's only because you know nothing about him.
Ten years ago, the Marines had three monsters—
and this generation has produced three more.
A swordsman, a Mythical Zoan user…"
Jin's eyes narrowed behind the mask.
"Mythical Zoan?"
As an Ancient Zoan user himself, he understood well what such words meant.
"…and above them both stands Longinus."
"I see… so I truly underestimated him."
Jin's eyes gleamed faintly—
dangerously.
"This one is no ordinary recruit.
Even among the powerhouses of Headquarters, he has earned the title:
'Monster among monsters.'
Sengoku values him highly.
Sending him here may be part of preparing the path for his future promotion."
Elvis' insight was sharp—
sharp enough to be the reason he built Impel Down's legendary reputation of "iron walls."
"I'm looking forward to it," Jin murmured.
"To how this Marine monster intends to solve our current mess."
He left without another word.
"You're going to torture the prisoners again?" Elvis asked tiredly.
"Of course not.
I merely want them to critique my interrogation techniques.
It's part of my job as Chief Guard."
"Rein yourself in.
I don't care, but Marines are full of moral purists.
If you cross the wrong one, I'll be the one dealing with the headache."
"…I'll try.
Try to make their screams a bit less miserable."
As they walked, Longinus asked calmly:
"Deputy Warden, you and that Chief Guard Jin seem… not to get along."
"That man is a torture fanatic."
Magellan rubbed his temples.
"He doesn't interrogate for information—
he tortures because he enjoys it.
I stopped him a few times when he went too far.
You've seen the result."
"Even you can't stop him… So he must be extremely strong?"
Longinus asked indirectly.
"Very.
Just like Shiliew—vile temperament, but unquestionably powerful.
He ate an Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit."
"An Ancient Zoan? That's rare.
May I ask which model?
I've always been curious about these."
Magellan hesitated only briefly.
"You're a Marine, and one trusted by Sengoku.
No reason to hide it.
Jin consumed the Zoan, Ancient Model—Ryu Ryu no Mi, Pteranodon Form.
A creature that once ruled the skies."
"A Pteranodon…
That's certainly enviable."
Longinus spoke lightly, though his thoughts churned.
So it really is him—
the future "Conflagration" King, top All-Star of the Beasts Pirates.
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