Chapter 2: Boiling Baptism

As Lucas handed the Cameko to Vice Admiral Momonga, the warship carrying the notorious criminals continued its course toward the formidable fortress known as Impel Down. 

Nestled deep within the treacherous Calm Belt, Impel Down had earned its reputation as an inescapable prison, fortified by both its unique geographic location and a formidable defense force. 

Despair hung heavy in the air for any criminal sentenced to this dreaded facility.

According to the prison's unforgiving rules, all incoming prisoners underwent a horrifying "baptism" – a process that involved being submerged in scorching, 100-degree boiling water for sterilization.

Now, Lucas found himself escorted to face this dreadful ordeal.

"Hey, every time I come here, I feel hot," 

the jailer escorting Lucas remarked with a sadistic grin, casting malicious eyes upon him. 

"I wonder if you, a guy with a 30 million beli bounty, can endure it."

Before Lucas could react, he was forcefully shoved into a colossal cauldron filled with boiling water, the searing liquid bubbling ominously around him.

"My favorite pastime is watching these worthless criminals scream!" 

the jailer who had pushed Lucas declared, placing a cigarette between his lips and observing the place where Lucas had been submerged.

The water seethed and boiled, and Lucas, bound by chains, had no means to resist. 

If he were an ordinary person, the agony of this scalding bath would have been unbearable, akin to a pig in a slaughterhouse.

However, to the astonishment of the jailers, something unexpected unfolded.

Bathing in the blistering water, Lucas appeared to be reveling in it, almost as if he were soaking in a hot spring rather than experiencing the scorching intensity of boiling water.

The jailer who had pushed him widened his eyes in sheer disbelief, halting any urge to mock Lucas, and instead muttering in bewilderment.

"This guy... he must be pretending. He's definitely in excruciating pain and is just hiding it."

"That makes sense" 

the other jailers chimed in, their curiosity piqued as they observed Lucas's peculiar reaction.

Time ticked away. One minute turned into ten, then half an hour passed.

The anticipated screams and pleas for mercy never came. 

Lucas continued to bask in the boiling water with his eyes closed, appearing to enjoy it as though it were a soothing soak. 

He even leaned against the edge of the cauldron and, to the shock of the onlookers, took a nap, producing sleep bubbles from his nose.

"Is he for real?" 

the jailers whispered among themselves, their skepticism growing. 

Lucas had endured the boiling water far longer than they had expected.

At that moment, Lucas, still immersed in his "boiling bath," let out a yawn, and the sleep bubbles in his nose burst. 

He lazily raised his head, his gaze landing on the jailer who had been eagerly awaiting his reaction.

"Now that I'm done with this bath, what's next on the agenda?" 

Lucas inquired, his voice carrying a hint of anticipation, surprising the jailers even further.

Ridiculous!

In truth, Lucas hardly felt the scalding water's heat, thanks to the Cameko he had given to Vice Admiral Momonga. 

Inside the Cameko resided the ghost Sadako, his first acquired ghost. 

With her unique abilities and his enhanced physique, Lucas had gained an array of exceptional powers.

Sadako's powers were extraordinary. 

Unlike other ghosts, she possessed remarkable stamina and strength, bestowing those qualities upon Lucas. 

Among her abilities, her healing prowess was particularly remarkable, rendering Lucas impervious to the effects of the boiling water.

"Is this guy's reward really 30 million?" wondered Magellan, the Warden of Impel Down, as he watched the bizarre spectacle unfold.

Thank you BlackGoku222 for the initial MTL (the switching of genders ugh!)

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