Chapter 141

As I scanned through each cell, I finally felt a familiar aura. However, the vitality of the person seemed almost completely depleted. My heart sank, and I rushed through the darkness towards the cell.

There, in the dim light, lay a figure that was almost unrecognizable. Senor Pink, once known for his gentlemanly stature and indomitable spirit, was now a shadow of his former self. His once robust frame had withered away to nothing but skin and bones. His gaunt face was barely more than a skull covered with a thin layer of skin, and his eyes, which had always sparkled with mischief and determination, were now sunken and lifeless.

Senor's body was chained to the ground, with heavy seastone shackles binding his wrists and ankles, rendering him utterly helpless. The vibrant, colorful suits he once wore were now tattered rags clinging to his emaciated frame. He looked as if he hadn't eaten in weeks, and his skin had a pallor that hinted at the brink of death.

He didn't even notice my approach. His head hung low, his chin resting against his chest, and his breathing was shallow and labored. It seemed as though every ounce of his vitality had been drained from him, leaving him in a state of near-death. The sight was heart-wrenching. I ripped the cell door that was lined with seastone like it was nothing under the shocked eyes of many prisoners.

"Senor," I called softly, my voice breaking. But there was no response. He remained motionless, a pitiful figure lost in the darkness of eternal hell. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I knelt beside him, gently touching his shoulder.

"Senor, it's me," I whispered, hoping to reach through the fog of his suffering. His eyes flickered slightly, but there was no recognition, no spark of life. The man who had once fought with such vigor and pride was now reduced to a fragile, broken shell.

I clenched my fists, rage and sorrow mixing within me. This was the price he had paid for his loyalty, for standing by our family. And I swore then and there that those responsible would pay dearly. But for now, I had to save him. I had to restore the vitality that had been so cruelly stolen from him.

"Hold on, Senor," I murmured, my voice trembling. "I'm here to get you out of this hell."

"Mansherry, see if you can restore his condition," I addressed the princess seated on my shoulder.

"Ross, I will need a massive amount of vitality to heal him. He is almost at death's door," little Mansherry said urgently.

Just then, my Observation Haki picked up a powerful signature entering Level 6. I turned to Leo, "Leo, stay by Mansherry's side and protect them both. I will be back soon."

Leaving Mansherry and Leo inside the cell, I stepped out. I had already detected where Diamante was, but first, I needed to deal with whoever had entered Level 6. As I turned around, my gaze fell on the prisoner who had threatened my family earlier. My eyes narrowed in anger.

I walked towards his cell and ripped the door apart.

"Hehehe, brat, have you finally come to your senses?" he chuckled. Before he could react, I grabbed him by the neck and poured massive amounts of lightning into him, knocking him out cold. I made sure to control my lightning so as not to kill him. I ripped the seastone chains that pinned him to the ground and dragged his unconscious form towards Senor's cell. After severing his tendons from all his limbs, I tossed him into Senor's cell.

"Mansherry, drain this one for now. I will get you all the vitality you need to heal them both."

Mansherry hesitated at first because she understood the gravity of my command—draining the unconscious pirate's vitality was as good as a death sentence for him. But then she realized she was not the naive princess she once was. After joining the Donquixote family, she had come to understand many harsh realities. Resolving herself, she nodded and began draining the vitality from the unconscious pirate.

Seeing that Mansherry had started healing Senor, I turned my attention towards the incoming threat.

The Chief Warden of Impel Down walked through the dimly lit corridors of Level 6. Unlike most days, the prisoners seemed to be riled up.

"Hehe, it seems like your unbreakable fortress has finally been breached. I wonder how long you guys will hold on," one of the pirates cackled loudly as the Warden walked past his cell.

"Tap... tap... tap..." The Chief Warden froze as he heard steady footsteps approaching him from the interior of Level 6. He already knew the level was breached, having seen the corpses of the dead guards along the way.

The Warden's eyes narrowed as he prepared for the impending confrontation. His imposing figure cast long shadows in the flickering torchlight, and the air seemed to thicken with tension. The prisoners, sensing the impending clash, grew silent, their earlier bravado replaced with anticipation.

The silence of Level 6 was shattered as I finally came face to face with the Chief Warden. His expression was a mixture of surprise and unbridled rage. He knew that the teen standing in front of him was the first ever to breach the walls of Impel Down and step into Level 6.

"So, you're the one causing all this chaos," the Warden said, his voice deep and menacing.

"And you're the one who was tormenting my family all this time," I replied, my voice cold and hollow. The rage burning through me had already reached a tipping point. "You shouldn't have done that, you know."

The tension in the air was palpable as we stood facing each other, two forces of nature on the brink of collision.

"Hahaha, brat! Just because you stepped into Impel Down, do you think you can walk out of here safely? Surrender now, and maybe I'll show you some mercy," he bellowed, his voice echoing through the grim corridors.

I unsheathed Shusui and casually swung it, severing the dark roots that were trying to reach me. The Warden was simply trying to distract me with his words.

"So, you are a Logia fruit user—the Mori Mori no Mi, I presume. So you were the one who drained the vitality of everyone present here?" I questioned, to which the Warden chuckled.

"So what, brat? These are all the scum of this world. Becoming my snack is their blessing. And just because you have a billion belly bounty, don't think you'll be any better. Once I capture you, I'll drain every ounce of your vitality and leave just enough to keep you alive. Hahahaha," he bellowed.

"Lightning Dragon!" The entire surroundings ominously lit up with black lightning as a massive lightning dragon formed. I knew talking to him would only waste time, and I was determined to kill him. Consequences be damned. I was angry—angry beyond my threshold, and he needed to pay for what he did. If I were to walk out of Impel Down today, it would only be after claiming his head.

"Bokarin!" The Warden bellowed as his body transformed into a massive, towering wood golem, his bark stiffening, making it less susceptible to lightning attacks. But he underestimated the power of my Logia fruit. My attack broke through his defense, but he expertly deflected it by launching a second attack.

"Jukai Kōtan!" He slammed his arms into the floor, and massive roots sprouted, trying to entangle me. With my Observation Haki, this was a joke. I noticed that the seastone walls were restricting his devil fruit powers. The Chief Warden was definitely an Admiral-level powerhouse.

"Ittoryu Iai: Dragon's Roar!" I unleashed Shusui, and a circular burst of sword slashes severed through the rapidly sprouting roots and trees. The warden immediately put up a defense in his golem form.

"Busoshoku Koka!!"

"Boom!" With a deafening clash, he was sent skidding across the floor for several meters. If not for his roots holding on, he would have been sent flying. However, my attack didn't stop there. The rest of the circular slash, other than where the Warden defended it, rammed into the surrounding cell walls. Despite being made of seastone, the walls showed visible damage. Many prisoners inside their cells watched with mad glints in their eyes.

Suddenly, a chant started, as if riling up the two fighters to go all out. "Fight! ...Fight... Fight... FIGHT!!!" they chorused, almost all of them detecting the seastone walls being damaged.

"You bastard! What do you think you are doing?" The Warden bellowed in anger, shocked to see the seastone-infused walls with small cracks.

"What does it look like? The place that tormented my family should not exist. And wouldn't it be fun to see all these prisoners, whom the World Government erased from history, back in the sea? I wonder how the World Government would react once the entirety of Impel Down's Level 6 prisoners were released back to the world."

The warden's face contorted in rage, veins bulging on his forehead. His composure shattered as the reality of the situation set in. The prison, the symbol of the World Government's absolute control, was on the verge of collapse. The chants of the prisoners grew louder, their fervor escalating as they sensed the impending chaos.

"You won't get away with this!" The Warden roared, his voice filled with desperation and fury.

"We'll see about that," I replied, my resolve unshaken. The tension in the air was palpable, the stage set for a battle that would determine the fate of Impel Down and its countless prisoners.

The Warden roared, his massive form rushing forward, completely clad in Armament Haki. His monstrous claws, shaped from roots, swung toward me with terrifying speed and force. The air around him crackled with the sheer power of his attack, but I was ready.

I met his onslaught with Shusui, the legendary black blade gleaming ominously in the dim light. "Busoshoku: Koka!" I called, coating the blade in Armament Haki. Our clash sent shockwaves throughout Level 6, the force of our combined power causing the very ground beneath us to tremble.

"Sekai no Mori no Ken!" The Warden bellowed, roots and vines erupting from the ground and walls, forming a gigantic sword. He swung it with both hands, aiming to crush me. With my Observation Haki and future sight, I saw the trajectory of his attack and leaped into the air, flipping gracefully to avoid the strike.

"Rairyuu no Ikari!" I summoned a dragon made of black lightning, directing it towards the Warden Using my flying sword slash,. The dragon roared, its form crackling with immense energy, and it charged at him with blinding speed. The Warden countered, enveloping his wooden sword in a thick layer of Armament Haki and slicing through the lightning dragon. The resulting explosion of energy sent debris flying in all directions.

I landed, already in motion for my next attack. "Raijin's Wrath!" I shouted, sending bolts of black lightning from my forward sword thrust. The bolts twisted and turned in mid-air, homing in on the Warden. He braced himself, crossing his arms and creating a shield of hardened roots. The lightning bolts struck the shield, creating a dazzling display of sparks and electricity, but the Warden remained unfazed.

"Jukai Kotan: Mori no Mamoru!" He roared, roots wrapping around his body to form a colossal wooden armor. He charged again, each step causing the ground to shake. I knew this was a battle of endurance and strength, and I needed to keep up the pressure.

"Raikouken!" I called, Shusui now crackling with black lightning. I met his charge head-on, our weapons clashing with a deafening boom. Each strike of Shusui against his wooden claws and massive wodden sword sent out arcs of black lightning, illuminating the dark chamber with bursts of light. Our movements were a blur, each of us dodging, parrying, and countering with incredible speed and precision.

The Warden's Observation Haki was formidable, allowing him to anticipate my moves, but my future sight gave me the edge. "Dragon's Fang!" I struck with Shusui, a precise, haki-infused slash that shattered the roots protecting his chest. He staggered back, but quickly recovered, vines snaking out to repair the damage.

"Tenchi Kaijin!" The warden slammed his fists into the ground, causing massive roots to erupt around me. I leaped into the air, avoiding the roots, and countered with "Raimei Hakkei!" I unleashed a massive wave of black lightning, obliterating the roots and striking the Warden directly. He roared in pain, but his armor absorbed most of the impact.

I could see the tension setting in on him, doubt creeping into his mind as I kept pushing him back. His movements, though still powerful, were beginning to slow. "Ittoryu Iai: Heaven's Song!" I formed blades of black lightning around my body and slashed at him with rapid, precise strikes. Each strike tore through his wooden armor, sending splinters flying.

"Busoshoku: Koka!" He roared again, reinforcing his armor with Armament Haki, but I was relentless. "Ryu no Ibuki!" I unleashed a dragon's breath of black lightning, a concentrated beam of pressurized black lightning that pierced through his defenses and struck him in the chest. He was sent flying back, crashing into the wall with a thunderous impact.

"You're strong, Warden," I said, advancing toward him. "But fate has mandated that you will perish by my hands." I raised Shusui, ready to deliver the final blow.

"Not yet!" he bellowed, forcing himself to stand. "Mori no Shinsei!" He summoned all his peak strength, not holding back in the slightest. With the initial exchange itself, he knew that he was outmatched, and if he wanted to walk out of this alive, he needed to go all out, with roots and vines wrapping around him, forming a gigantic tree golem. He towered over me, a monstrous form of wood and haki.

I narrowed my eyes. "Ittoryu Iai: Yamiyo Kiri!" I sheathed Shusui and then drew it in a flash, a single, powerful slash that cut through the air, The entire level succumbed to darkness as what little light seemed to be consumed by the slash. The slash was so fast and precise that the warden didn't have time to react. The attack cleaved through his massive golem form, splitting it in two.

The Warden staggered, his golem form crumbling around him. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he fell to his knees, reverting back to his human form. "How...?" he gasped, looking up at me with wide eyes.

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