[157] The End of the Beginning

[2385 words]

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"Hmm… What is wrong with your Haki?" a boisterous man walked down behind the prisoner—Garp, eating a bag of rice crackers.

Once again, he saw the personnel, this time of Impel Down, collapse one by one. 

As Damien took more steps toward the prison, more guards fell to their knees. Though it was a bright morning, it somehow turned dark and gray for the people working at Impel Down.

The Natural Dread seeping from the pirate's boots was like a drum sending waves of throbbing headaches through the jailers.

If not for Sengoku shadowing Damien, they would have passed out by now.

"Damn, he really is a monster!"

"Shouldn't he be all devastated to come here like the other prisoners we lock up!?"

…

The guards' whispers were entirely ignored by the leading two marines as they 'escorted' Damien to the prison gates.

"Warden Ponos," Sengoku greeted the tall man wearing dark clothing.

[A/N: Pronounced "Poe-knows."]

Ponos wore a black coat draped over a black fur coat. His dark skin, white facial hair, bald head, and bright yellow eyes created quite a stern look. A few thick rings sparkled around his fingers, adding an air of distinguishment. 

Damien inspected the older gentleman, glaring at his stylish cane. Ponos stood a strong 16 feet (4.88 m), tall and lanky.

[Warden Ponos Image (in Discord)]

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"He's a little old for this job, no?" the prisoner bluntly questioned.

The frown grew deeper in the Warden's face; his grip was obviously tightened from his anger.

Garp leaned into Damien's ear and whispered, "He's been Warden since my days as a recruit. We used to call him the Fossil of Impel Down."

Damien hummed, "I can see why."

Sengoku ignored the two's chatter and spoke directly to the older man: "We'll personally escort the prisoner to his cell."

Ponos heaved an annoyed sigh and nodded, "Very well, but he must go through the baptism as every prisoner does."

"Of course."

…

The nearby jailers gawked in shock as they watched Damien accept the baptism.

Every prisoner had to participate in a ritual: a bath in a giant pot called the Hell's Hot Tub to disinfect and sterilize them. The water was usually heated to 500 degrees to inflict as much passionate damage as the jailers desired. Yet, in this case, it did the opposite.

"Rahahaha! Impel Down really has a better reception than I expected. Get all the sweat from the war off."

Garp slapped his thigh in laughter while Ponos gripped his cane to its limit.

.

While the pirate-now-prisoner was bathing, a small conversation took place by the side.

"We've been pumping the Sin Incarnate with concentrated doses of sedatives to keep him in check," Sengoku said, gesturing at the distant Damien.

Ponos nodded, stroking his beard. "Are you sure it's working? He is more energetic than what you make him to be."

The Admiral was about to reply till he saw a much more annoying scene: "Garp! Stop sharing your snacks with the prisoner!"

He waltzed ahead and pulled the chained pirate once again, dragging him to the elevator that transported prisoners to the lower levels; Impel Down was actually an underwater prison!

It was a large, submerged tower-like structure with a foundation at the bottom of the sea bed.

Due to its construction within the Calm Belt, the entire structure was constantly surrounded by gigantic Sea Kings swimming below the water. Along with these beasts, the prison was guarded by a force of Marine battleships.

Within the dark confines of the prison were various cells and torture chambers that were used for the prisoners. The cells were all made from seastone to keep those with Devil Fruit powers from escaping. 

The torture chambers were used for all sorts of brutal, unspeakable acts. Among these include continuous whipping, brutal beating to death, boiling cauldrons for burning and drowning and spiked pits used for impaling.

Even the worst of the worst prisoners were thrown into Level 5, the deepest level known to exist. Each housed all kinds of tribulations and horrors, ranging from Crimson Hell, Wild Beast Hell, Starvation Hell, Blazing Hell and finally to Freezing Hell.

Yet the Freezing Hell was not the actual final layer.

…

"We're here, Level Six."

The doors opened to unearth the monsters that were kept there.

Ponos led the way, opening the final layer of defense to enter the deepest pit of Impel Down: Eternal Hell!

Most high-ranking officers of Impel Down tended to avoid this level because of the danger these criminals pose, not just physically but also mentally. 

The Chief Warden of Impel Down also has the authority to execute prisoners kept here on the spot if they begin acting up and may do so at their own discretion.

"Bwahahaha! So many familiar faces!" Garp cackled from the side. His heroic aura was a bright star in a dark sky.

Bang!

Dozens of rotten humans slammed onto their cells, their eyes stinging from the light of the opened doors.

The level was true to its name, Eternal Hell. No natural light source, just cold, decrepit darkness.

Hundreds of cells of various sizes were randomly placed around. A stench of vile scum swamped around, leaving a bad taste in one's mouth.

"Garp, let me eat your liver!"

"Sengoku, you annoying golden dog! Just wait till I get my hands on you!"

"Fresh meat that needs two Vice Admirals to drag him in, not bad, Kulalalala!"

Being a place of darkness and disconnection from reality, they did not have accurate knowledge of the outside world.

.

Damien felt dozens of eyes fall onto him. They looked at him with anger, curiosity, greed, and even lust. 

Mainly put, they saw him as prey.

The Sin Incarnate was about to 'humble' them, but someone else seemed to have done it for him. 

"You worthless scum," a stern voice boomed. "Who gave you the privilege to run your mouths around not only your Warden but even an Admiral and the Marine Hero!?"

Ponos stood tall at the core of the level. His cane slammed the floor, its encrusted gems shining brightly. A black field spread out from the butt of the cane, forming a circle that covered every cell.

Emotionless words escaped the Warden's mouth:

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"Agony."

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A red wave burst from the gems, bouncing around the cell and being amplified from the circle.

"Auuughhh!"

"Eugggh!"

"Guuuh!"

Miserable cries of pain and suffering overtook the previous chaos.

The eyes of the prisoners turned bloodshot as they fell to the ground, writhing in excruciating pain. They felt their bones twisting and turning, their heart crumpling up like paper, and their nerves being ground at with a saw.

"S-Stop, you crazy old man!"

"Euughh! M-Make it stop!"

Their veins turned molten-hot while the feeling of ants crawling under their skin overwhelmed their mental faculties. 

…

Their wails continued for two minutes straight before they could finally regain semblance of reality.

Ponos scoffed, gently lifting his cane, halting their agony.

Garp leaned into Damien's ear and whispered, "Pain-Pain Fruit."

"Great for controlling a wide array of prisoners," Damien assessed. He scanned the scorched prisoners, nodding, "No wonder you want to keep him as the Warden."

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Sengoku walked ahead, directing his transport as well. Soon enough, they reached a cell. It was away from the others, located in a dark and cold corner.

"It's a little dull, but it'll do."

Garp nodded at Damien's words, inspecting the decrepit barred box.

Sengoku didn't even want to speak up anymore, so he went ahead and entered the final bits of security.

*Clatter* *Clank*

Damien watched as Sengoku secured ten giant chains around his neck, chest, hip and legs, each connecting to a rusty old anchor on the ground and back wall.

"The cage already turns off my powers. This is a bit much…" Damien murmured, feeling his body weighed down by the chains that were at least ten tonnes.

"It's protocol, and your epithet as 'The Undying' has left some higher officials more paranoid than anything," Sengoku explained, standing by the door. "And I'm sure the Celestial Dragons are demanding your execution from the safe walls of Mariejois, so don't get too comfortable."

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Garp turned to the reticent Ponos and gave him a hearty smack on the back. "Old man Ponos, make sure you get him weekly newspaper updates."

The Warden staggered slightly from the shove, his weathered face wrinkled with annoyance. "That would be a luxury."

Ponos sighed when he saw no response from Sengoku and relented, "Very well."

Finally, the esteemed Warden glared at his new prisoner and briefly explained his perpetual stay at Eternal Hell: "You'll get one serving of food once a month. You can find your own water source."

The Seastone door clanked shut with a thud, gracing the pirate with the perpetual darkness of the depressing cell.

Ponos then walked away, holding the door open to guide the marines out. Garp and Sengoku took one last look at Damien and took their leave.

*Creak* Bang!

The door to Level Six slammed shut, forcing some dust to fall from the ceiling.

"..."

*Drip* *Drop*

A few water droplets fell every few seconds, creating the only natural sound in this place.

Damien breathed in the stench, narrowing his eyes.

"These walls are like an echo chamber; I bet those droplets are to drive prisoners insane after a few months of hearing it." A smirk appeared on his face, "Rahahaha! Pretty creative."

Then it dawned on him, "Wait, If God Valley happened on the 1st of February, then today marks 15 days since then… which makes it my birthday."

"Rahaha! Happy twentieth birthday to me!"

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[An Island in the New World]

The successful capture and incarceration of the notorious pirate, Damien the Undying, was a true festival for the world.

They burst into a celebration, breaking out booze and drinks to enjoy the peace. After decades of living under the tyranny of the Three Overlords of the Seas and then to the Rocks Pirates, these people could finally feel the serenity they longed for.

Naturally, this news also reached the ears of certain pirates, even those residing in remote islands.

One such place was a relatively small island with some ruins of an old town at the shore. However, its inhabitants live in another town hidden in the valley of the mountains, which can only be entered through a waterfall.

.

A towering man with glorious blond hair and a striking white mustache sat at a broken log, blankly staring at the bright sun.

"Thank you for your help," a calm voice came from the side.

The much larger pirate glanced down at the dark-skinned man and shrugged.

"Never mind that." He then picked up a rolled-up bundle of news and waved it around, "Did you read it?"

Indra nodded, his voice unchanged, "The Commander was captured and sent to Impel Down."

Whitebeard, naturally the towering pirate, tapped the rolled-up news onto the palm of his other hand, deep in thought.

"I have difficulty believing it was not within his calculations."

Indra's words left Whitebeard speechless. "Gurararara! Damien really found a good first mate."

The titan then looked at the swordsman from top to bottom, seeing not even a hint of his prior injuries. "Activating your Figures pieced you back together."

The veteran Newgate sighed in memory of a distant past, "When I heard a Zenora came under Damien, I couldn't help but remember Mors from decades ago. The Bloodspawn's rise to power damned your Polemos Island."

Hearing the man's words left Indra silent. The swordsman glanced at the tribal marks running over his right arm, seeing the faint red spots along them.

"Our greatest strength is also our greatest weakness." The Warborn's dark pupils were tinged with a hue of blood as he met Whitebeard's gaze: "There's a reason why Mors turned into the monster he was."

Newgate crossed his arms, frowning. 

Ultimately, he shrugged, "You'll figure something out, just like Damien. Here, give this to him. Tell him to meet me when he's free," Whitebeard took out a blank piece of translucent paper.

Indra pocketed the Vivre Card, looking at the pirate with questioning eyes, "What will you do now that you're free from the Rocks Pirates' chains."

"Gurarara! You always cut to the point."

Whitebeard smirked to himself, looking around his Sphinx Island. Breathing in such luscious air was what he missed the most during his time at Hachinosu.

"I don't really care about conquering the seas," he absently said. "I just want to raise some good kids in a safe place. Don't you think that's what this world is missing the most? A family."

Indra couldn't help but feel a deep contrast between Whitebeard's words and the violent, unforgiving world they lived in. How could a man, who towered above all with strength capable of splitting islands, dream of something so peaceful—so ordinary? 

Whitebeard's simple wish seemed impossible to reconcile with the cruel reality of the Grand Line, where ambition, power, and bloodshed ruled the seas. Yet, here he was, one of the most feared men alive, longing for nothing more than a place to call home, surrounded by those he cared for.

Indra's outlook on Newgate had always been a little unique. The thought of having a good childhood spurned some dark memories buried deep down.

Polemos Island. The Zenora. A failed experiment. Fire and ash. Extermination.

"It does sound nice," he breathed out, feeling the sun's warmth over his marked body.

Newgate grinned. It wasn't often that his simple dream was met with such thoughtfulness.

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Unfortunately, it was never easy to realize even the simplest of dreams.

Whitebeard clenched his fists, wondering how much violence would come in the future: "With the Rocks Pirates destroyed, the World Government will surely go all out to wash the Grand Line clean. The next few years will be hell for any pirate roaming the seas. Gurararara! I'm sure they think God Valley marked the end of all pirates!"

Indra woke up from his reverie, a thin smile on his face. 

The swordsman's eyes gleamed, imagining his Captain's bold grin and that unyielding determination in his eyes as he sat in Eternal Hell. "End of the pirates? I'm sure he would say that this is all but the end of the beginning!"

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

This draws the curtain of the Era of Rocks; who knows what's to come. Let's all also wish Damien a happy 20th Birthday. 

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q