Chapter 96: Sands of Judgment

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On Level 3 of Impel Down, the Starvation Hell, Ian responded to Tashigi's concerned inquiry with a shake of his head.

"If I can't stop the riot on the lower three levels, no one can." His calm statement resonated with unshakeable confidence.

At 58% fusion with Ulquiorra, he had reached high-tier Admiral level strength, equivalent to a powerful Adjuchas-class Hollow or a highly skilled Shinigami captain. He was a 2% away from Yonko level. Eliminating the prisoners on the lower levels would easily push him into that domain, especially considering the presence of legendary pirates on Level Six, the Eternal Hell.

"Be careful," Tashigi and Domino cautioned, acknowledging his impressive track record, which arguably surpassed even Warden Magellan's. The two bespectacled Marines, clad in their distinctive uniforms, offered no further dissuasion.

After all, his power spoke for itself.

"Hurry up and let me out!"

"Wahahaha! I'm finally free! I'm going to rip Whitebeard's head off! Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr… you damn Marines! Once I'm out, I'll gut your entire families!"

Countless vicious criminals, freed from their cells, rampaged through the prison, their voices filled with unrestrained malice and bloodlust. Impel Down's four Jailer Beasts had been redeployed to the upper two levels to confront Kaido.

The guards and reinforcements, hastily assembled and deployed, were no match for the freed prisoners. Even armed with flintlocks and light artillery, they couldn't hold back the tide of escaped convicts.

Fortunately, the prisoners themselves were not united. Rivalries and grudges fueled infighting, preventing them from forming a cohesive force. Moreover, news of Kaido's invasion hadn't fully reached this level, so no one had attempted to breach the upper levels yet.

But it was only a matter of time. "You guards… you tormented me for so long! Come on, give me a smile!"

Many of the freed prisoners turned on their former captors, unleashing their pent-up rage and resentment in brutal acts of violence. "Damn it!"

"Hold the line! Keep firing!" Saldeath roared, commanding the artillery units to suppress the riot. The situation was deteriorating rapidly, but every minute they could hold back the prisoners was a victory.

If these criminals escaped… the consequences for the world would be catastrophic.

The guards in the front lines manned the cannons, but they were ordinary humans facing off against powerful Devil Fruit users, skilled martial artists, and swordsmen, freed from the constraints of their cells and shackles. They were like tigers unleashed from their cages.

Despite their efforts, the guards were being overwhelmed, their numbers dwindling as the prisoners surged forward. Impel Down's main forces were occupied with Kaido on Level One, leaving the lower levels vulnerable.

"No! Are there no more reinforcements?!"

Saldeath barked orders, but he realized there were no more guards behind him. They had all been deployed to the front lines, and the remaining few were on the verge of collapse. His heart sank.

This was bad…

"Hahaha! Is that all you've got?" A dozen prisoners, their faces twisted in savage grins, charged forward, their combined aura radiating a frightening menace.

Just as the last line of defense was about to crumble, a cold voice echoed from behind them. "None of you are leaving here today."

..

A figure emerged from the passage, clad in a Marine Vice Admiral's coat, a white skull helmet adorned with tear marks concealing his features. It was Ian, his face impassive, his hand gripping his Zanpakuto, his eyes cold and unwavering.

"Who the hell are you?!"

"Get out of our way, or die!"

The prisoners in the lead, their eyes bloodshot and their faces contorted in rage, were oblivious to Ian's reputation.

Even those recently imprisoned had seemingly forgotten his name. Freedom was within their grasp, and they wouldn't let anyone stand in their way. Fueled by their bloodlust and the thrill of the escape, they charged towards Ian, intent on tearing him to shreds.

Ian, facing their onslaught, extended his right hand, his fingers twitching as if grasping at something unseen. He spoke, his voice calm and chilling.

"Sables Pesado."

A torrent of sand erupted, engulfing the passage and swirling towards the prisoners. They were momentarily stunned, and by the time they reacted, it was too late.

The sand of Level 3, infused with the power of Crocodile's Suna Suna no Mi, surged forward like a tsunami.

Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!

Screams filled the air as the sand enveloped not only the dozen prisoners in the lead but also those who had just emerged from Level 4, burying them alive before they could even activate their Devil Fruit powers.

They were swallowed by the sand, buried beneath dozens of meters of the swirling grains. A few skeletal remains, desiccated and brittle, protruded from the surface, quickly disintegrating into dust and merging with the sand of Level 3.

"V… Vice Admiral Ian!"

Saldeath's eyes widened in relief and awe. The remaining guards, witnessing Ian single-handedly suppress the hundreds of escaping prisoners, cheered, their faces filled with admiration.

"The Suna Suna no Mi… Isn't that Crocodile's power? Wait, he's a Mythical Zoan user. Maybe this is some kind of elemental attack. But wasn't his element lightning?"

Some were confused, but then they recalled Kaido, the current invader, who also possessed the powers of lightning, fire, and wind in his Azure Dragon form.

Whether it was lightning or sand, it was a power befitting a Devil, capable of judging all who stood in its path.

"No one escapes while I'm here." Ian's cold voice echoed through the Starvation Hell. He gestured with his hand, and the swirling sand coalesced into a massive barrier, sealing the passage.

Simultaneously, a gigantic hand of sand reached out, grasping at the remaining hundreds of prisoners who had emerged from Level 4.

"So be it…" The half-dozen prisoners at the forefront, their faces grim, refused to back down, despite witnessing Ian's overwhelming power. They were outnumbered, and they wouldn't be deterred by a single Marine, no matter how strong.

Besides, those who had fallen were merely weaklings.

"Kill him!" One lunged forward, his sword flashing, unleashing a wave of sword energy. Another clasped his hands together, forming a ball of corrosive green energy that he launched towards Ian, leaving a trail of sizzling destruction in its wake.

The prisoners unleashed their powers, a chaotic display of Devil Fruits and combat skills.

However, Ian's sand control was at its peak. He perceived every attack, every movement, before it happened. With a flick of his wrist, the giant sand hand surged forward, carrying a torrent of sand like a raging storm, shaking the very foundations of Level 3.

He effortlessly blocked every attack, the sand reforming instantly even if dispersed.

BOOM!

Hundreds more prisoners were swept away by the sandstorm and the crushing grip of the giant hand. They tried to retreat, but it was too late.

Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!

Screams and the spray of blood filled the air. Ian even incorporated the explosive properties of the Pamu Pamu no Mi, causing the sand to shimmer like stardust. After a series of deafening explosions, only a pile of bones remained, slick with blood.

Another Sables Pesado buried the remains beneath a mountain of sand, returning them to the earth.

"It's… him! They call him the Black-Winged Devil! He defeated several Warlords and even fought against Golden Lion Shiki, Silvers Rayleigh, and Dracule Mihawk!"

The remaining prisoners in the Starvation Hell, some still engaged in infighting, others tormenting the guards, paused their activities and turned to face Ian.

Some, witnessing the instantaneous annihilation of hundreds of their comrades, trembled, beads of sweat trickling down their foreheads.

"He wiped them out in an instant…"

"You think you can stop us? You might be strong, but you're only one man!" Several prisoners glared at Ian, their voices laced with malice. They held back from attacking, choosing instead to taunt him.

Ian stood there, his sword at the ready, surrounded by swirling sand, his response calm and unwavering. "And what if I am?"

"So many… gone in an instant… He's that powerful?" Even the seasoned veterans among the prisoners were shocked and apprehensive. If their initial attack had been a result of underestimating him, now they were facing the reality of his overwhelming power.

Even after years of imprisonment, their strength hadn't deteriorated to this extent. Hundreds of them had been effortlessly defeated.

It wasn't that they were weak; it was that Ian was simply too strong. Two simple attacks had cowed the entire level. Yet, there were still those who refused to yield. A roar echoed through the prison.

"Get out of the way if you're scared!" A massive figure, rivaling even Kaido in size, emerged from the crowd, his body radiating an intimidating aura, and charged towards Ian.

With a bellow, he coated himself in Busoshoku Haki, his body rapidly expanding and transforming into a heavily armored rhinoceros.

He crashed into Ian's sandstorm, seemingly unaffected by its dehydrating and explosive properties, his tough hide providing impenetrable defense.

"It's Rhino Bink! Even after all these years, his Haki is still that strong?!"

Several prisoners recognized the charging figure, their eyes widening in shock and awe. He had once terrorized the seas with his monstrous strength and impenetrable Haki, even withstanding the combined firepower of four Marine warships. He had single-handedly destroyed a small Marine base.

It had taken several Marine Vice Admirals to finally subdue him and bring him to Impel Down.

"What a powerful Haki and a Zoan Devil Fruit… He's completely resisting that Marine's attacks… He's still as strong as ever!"

"That Marine's finished!" Many prisoners watched in anticipation as Rhino Bink charged through the sandstorm. He had been a prisoner on Level 5, the Frozen Hell.

While many had perished in Kaido's fiery breath, Rhino Bink had survived, his seastone shackles shattered by the blast. He had transformed at the last moment, his Devil Fruit powers saving him from certain death.

He was clearly a simple-minded brute, oblivious to the warnings of his fellow prisoners.

"Don't get cocky just because you took down a few weaklings, You Marine Kid!"

Rhino Bink roared, reaching Ian and thrusting his massive horn forward with dreadful force, an attack rivaling that of a master swordsman.

The air rippled like water as the horn pierced through the sand, its sharp point glinting menacingly.

If his hide was his ultimate defense, his horn was his deadliest weapon. At least, that's what he and his defeated opponents believed.

But Ian, facing the charge, remained unmoved, his face a mask of cold indifference.

Who could boast of a stronger horn than Don Chinjao, whose drill-shaped head had been flattened by Garp's iron fists?

Ian raised his right hand, transforming it into a demonic claw without uttering a word. Crack!

He effortlessly caught Rhino Bink' horn, his own body surging with Busoshoku Haki. The clash resonated through the Starvation Hell, a deafening boom that shook the very foundations of the level. Ian's claw pierced through Rhino Bink' Haki, his horn shattering into pieces.

"I-Impossible!" Rhino Bink' eyes widened in disbelief. Even after years of imprisonment, his strength and defense shouldn't have been so easily overcome.

"Nothing is impossible."

Ian replied calmly, drawing his Zanpakuto and slashing horizontally.

A black arc of energy, like a tear in space, sliced through the air.

BOOM!

Rhino Bink' body was sent flying, a gruesome wound appearing across his chest and back, nearly cleaving him in two.

He crashed to the ground, blood gushing from the wound, as the prisoners watched in horror. "Rhino Bink' Haki… his defense and attack… broken?!"

"Not only is his power incredible, but also his Swordsmanship!" Rhino Bink, outside of Impel Down, possessed the strength of a Vice Admiral or a Tobiroppo. But against Ian, who now rivaled a Yonko in power, he was no match, defeated in a single attack.

"Those who attempt to escape… will be executed."

Ian flicked his blade, sending droplets of blood flying, and stood before the passage, surrounded by swirling sand, his eyes filled with disdain, not even glancing at the fallen Rhino Bink.

His scary aura radiated an air of invincibility, causing many prisoners to shrink back in fear, their bravado replaced by apprehension.

Impel Down held the worst of the worst, criminals guilty of unspeakable atrocities. Releasing them would be like unleashing Devils upon the world.

Despite his words, however, Ian's actions continued. He gestured with his hand once more, unleashing another Sables Pesado and a giant sand hand. After all, these prisoners were valuable sources of fusion material. He couldn't simply let them go to waste.

"You liar! You Just said…" A prisoner cried out, his voice filled with rage and betrayal.

...

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