Chapter 30: The Sixth Floor

"This new director is truly terrifying!"

"I heard that more than half of the Freezing Hell prisoners were killed, and none of the rebels survived."

"It's said the new director was transferred from Naval Headquarters. With such strength, it's no surprise he came from the world's highest combat organization."

"With someone this strong in charge, Impel Down should be able to stay calm for a while."

Outside Impel Down, jailers dumped corpses into the sea. 

When the new director was mentioned, everyone couldn't help but look awestruck. After all, he had suppressed the entire Impel Down rebellion on his first day. Now, he personally guarded the entrance to the sixth-floor Eternal Hell.

Freezing Hell is truly a horrible place—bitterly cold. Even for them, low-level jailers, staying here long was unbearable. 

everyone couldn't help but admire him. 

As the jailers discussed, they left, unaware that beneath the sea where the corpses were dumped, massive shadows began to emerge. Shriveled undead sea creatures with tentacles coiled around the bodies in the water and dragged them into the deep.

In the depths, a massive battleship lay buried in the sea floor. Undead roamed around it, hunting nearby sea beasts. Watching as Sea Kings brought in corpses, Bond

[The name Ron gave Byrnndi World], standing on the ship's bow, grinned menacingly.

"Expand the Undead Legion!"

---

In Impel Down's fifth floor, the Freezing Hell, Ron sat cross-legged in the midst of the bone-chilling winds, letting the cold air cut through him like blades. The bitter cold penetrated his clothes and skin, as if it sought to freeze him to the bone. 

The temperature in Freezing Hell was always extreme, hovering at tens of degrees below zero year-round. Even generals from Naval Headquarters would suffer severe frostbite if they stayed here too long.

Ron chose to guard this place voluntarily, drawn by its extreme climate. Surviving here meant his body was constantly assaulted by the cold, almost as if a Logia Devil Fruit user were attacking him continuously. This forced his skin to evolve ten or even a hundred times faster than it would under normal conditions.

In just a month, he estimated his skin would evolve for the first time, doubling his strength and defense.

Ron felt right at home here, training as he normally did. The extreme cold meant his energy was drained much faster than usual, but the benefits far outweighed the costs.

"It's tough!" he muttered, exhaling a puff of white mist as sweat froze on his body. The warmth of his flesh turned icy as his stamina drained faster than ever, each sword swing demanding twice the energy it normally would.

While things weren't so bad when he first arrived, over time the cold gnawed at his bones and blood, freezing him from within. Eventually, he'd be lucky to use half his usual strength.

"But this is the only way to get stronger," Ron reminded himself, continuing his relentless training.

Once he adapted to this climate fully, undeterred by Freezing Hell's harshness, he knew he'd reach near-Admiral-level combat power.

After training, Ron headed to the entrance of the sixth floor, Eternal Hell.

"The Eternal Hell," he muttered, eyeing the pitch-black entrance, its maw resembling that of a beast waiting for prey. With a smile, he rubbed his chin. He was curious to see what lurked inside.

Footsteps echoed down the hall as he approached.

"Warden Ron!" called the chief warden on duty.

Ron waved dismissively. "Anything happening inside?"

"No, sir!" the warden replied. "We only send food and water every three to seven days to keep the prisoners barely alive. They've no energy to cause trouble."

Ron clicked his tongue. Luckily, the vitality of people in the Pirate World was tenacious enough that three to five days without food wouldn't kill them. Otherwise, Eternal Hell would have been empty long ago.

No wonder pirates feared Impel Down so much. While it was technically a prison, it was more akin to an execution ground. Those sent here were trapped in a daily hell far worse than death. Survival, let alone resistance, was nearly impossible.

Compared to Blazing Hell and Freezing Hell, the prisoners here lived relatively comfortably, at least not tortured to death. Of course, this was only because the prisoners were so powerful that normal punishment would be ineffective, or even give them a chance to escape. 

The only way to keep them in check was by keeping them on the brink of starvation, too weak to fight back.

"Open the sixth floor. I want to take a look," Ron said flatly.

The warden respectfully unlocked the gate to the most secure and heavily guarded part of Impel Down. For anyone else, entry would be far more difficult, but Ron was different. As the acting director, he held the highest authority in Impel Down until the new director took office. 

Dim light flickered in the dark corridor as Ron entered. The silence was so profound, even the sound of a pin dropping would have echoed. Along both sides of the corridor, individual cells housed prisoners at intervals. Thick shackles chained the physically powerful, while seastone cuffs suppressed the Devil Fruit users. 

Monster jailers patrolled the hallways, and Den Den Mushi were installed at every corner to monitor the prisoners. Every inch of Eternal Hell was under strict surveillance.

When Ron entered, the monster's guards sensed his presence but showed no reaction, except for a hint of fear in their eyes.

He looked at his black coat that he was wearing over his marine clothes, the signature attire of Impel Down's director, comparable to a Naval Headquarters Admiral's cape. Clearly, these low-intelligence jailers recognized him by his clothes.

"Hey, marine! This ain't your place," a voice called from one of the cells.

"Looks like we have a new warden!" another prisoner mocked.

"Why? Did the last one retire?"

"Retire? More like died at sea."

Even locked away, the pirates inside remained as unruly as ever, their spirits unbroken despite being imprisoned.

"Teach this man a lesson!" someone shouted, and suddenly a powerful, oppressive aura surged through the corridor—a show of Conqueror's Haki. The wave of energy stirred up dust, causing Ron's hair to blow in the wind.

The other prisoners watched eagerly, anticipating a good show. They were curious if the new warden was truly qualified to keep them in line.

"Conqueror's Haki? Ron smirked.

Sensing the prying eyes around him.

The aura surrounding him rose bit by bit, like a waking beast leaping forward, fierce and tyrannical.

A steady stream of Conqueror's Haki filled the entire sixth floor.

Yet Ron remained where he was, immovable like a solid rock.

No matter how much the opponent's Conqueror's Haki struck, it failed to shake him in the slightest.

Moreover, that ferocious aura was like a sharp, destructive knife, cutting deep into the opponent's Conqueror's domain.

It sliced through the powerful aura field and continued to advance, seeking to overpower the master of this Conqueror's Haki.

"Interesting! I want to test this man's strength myself!"

Another voice echoed, followed by a surge of equally powerful Conqueror's Haki.

Though they are imprisoned here, the World Government cannot suppress their Conqueror's Haki.

Chains may bind their bodies, but not their wills.

[Power Stones Required]

I hope your like the chapter 😊.