"Where's Teach?"
In the New Transvestite Paradise, Ivankov pressed the Den Den Mushi urgently.
"With such a major incident happening in the prison, why haven't I seen Teach?"
In Ivankov's view.
"Edward Teach," who had inherited Whitebeard's power and spirit, would undoubtedly be a formidable ally at this moment.
Yet White III was nowhere to be seen in Crimson Hell.
Nor was he in Infinite Hell.
Could this guy really be hiding at such a critical moment?
Impossible! Ivankov couldn't make sense of it.
But no further response came from Storm through the Den Den Mushi.
The only reply Ivankov received was the continuous roar of explosions.
Ivankov turned to the surveillance feed from Infinite Hell, where he saw Storm continuing his bombardment of prisoners.
Enormous, grotesque white dragon heads emerged from the depths of the earth.
With gaping maws, they launched indiscriminate saturation attacks on the inmates of Infinite Hell!
"Vongola Storm! You bastard!"
Ivankov set down the Den Den Mushi, his large face etched with grave concern.
"Your plan was never what you claimed it to be!"
Previously, "Edward Teach" had told the Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom that he intended to select the strongest subordinates from among Infinite Hell's prisoners.
But looking at the scene unfolding in Infinite Hell...
Was this selection?
This was outright execution! Seeing Storm's approach...
It seemed he intended to wipe out every last prisoner in Infinite Hell!
At that moment.
Inazuma, standing nearby, spoke softly.
"Iva-sama, do you truly intend to follow that Warden Chief's orders?"
"It's not that I want to obey him—I have no choice!"
Ivankov sighed helplessly, pointing at the figure on the surveillance feed.
"If I don't intercept Magellan and Shiryu, the entire Level 5.5 will be sunk into Infinite Hell!"
"Vongola Storm's Clay-Clay Fruit has Awakened. He's absolutely capable of such a thing!"
"By then, the entire New Transvestite Paradise would be mercilessly destroyed."
If Ivankov intercepted Magellan and Shiryu of the Rain, only he would be "sacrificed"; if he didn't act, the whole New Transvestite Paradise would perish with him! Faced with two evils, he chose the lesser.
The decision wasn't difficult for Ivankov.
"Iva-sama!"
Inazuma clenched his fists silently.
At this moment, his heart was filled with self-reproach and fury.
He blamed himself for being unable to help Ivankov; he raged at Vongola Storm's wanton persecution of them! But in this critical moment, Inazuma managed to maintain his composure and asked:
"Iva-sama, should we seize this chance to escape Impel Down entirely?"
Hearing this, Ivankov's expression flickered with temptation.
But ultimately, he shook his head.
"The timing isn't right. Dragon hasn't begun his operation yet. There's no need for us to break out now..."
The Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom made his final decision, taking a deep breath.
"Enough, Inazuma. My mind is made up! Let me handle those two bastards, Magellan and Shiryu!"
Ivankov was brimming with ambition one second, then flashed a sly grin the next.
"But my strength is no match for that bastard Vongola Storm..."
"So how long I can stall is anyone's guess! Hee-haw!"
Just as Ivankov prepared to act, one of the okama monitoring the screens suddenly spoke up.
"Iva-sama! It seems Magellan and Shiryu had some kind of dispute... They've split up!"
"Split up?"
Ivankov was startled and immediately leaned in to check the surveillance feed.
"This isn't just splitting up!"
"Shiryu stayed behind in Crimson Hell alone—only Magellan is coming down!"
"Haha! Vongola Storm completely blocked the elevator shaft, so now he has to take the stairs..."
"One less enemy to deal with—what great news!"
Meanwhile, in Crimson Hell.
Discovering the elevator shaft completely clogged with Clay, Magellan had no choice but to rush toward the prison's main staircase.
Moments earlier.
He and Shiryu had jointly dealt with that endlessly regenerating [Clay Clone].
Then the patrolling wardens immediately reported "surveillance room destroyed" and "Infinite Hell breached."
At that moment.
Magellan realized all today's prison riots were connected to the new Warden Chief—Storm! "Vongola Storm!"
Magellan charged into the connecting stairs between Crimson Hell and Beast Hell, racing toward the sixth level's Infinite Hell at top speed.
"What exactly are you trying to do!?"
"Are you trying to destroy Impel Down?!"
Moving by foot alone was too slow. After running briefly, Magellan unleashed his Devil Fruit power.
Thick, viscous purple poison oozed from his body, coating the entire staircase in moments.
"Poison Road!"
Stepping onto the poison, Magellan used its slippery surface to rocket downward at incredible speed.
In no time.
He descended from Crimson Hell on the first level to Extreme Cold Hell on the fifth.
Just as the Warden Chief prepared to charge straight into Infinite Hell...
A massive, burly figure stood blocking the stairway entrance to Infinite Hell.
Whoever appeared here now couldn't possibly be prison staff! Magellan instinctively halted, focusing on the figure ahead. "Emporio Ivankov? How are you here!?"
His pupils contracted sharply upon recognizing the person.
"Prison records show you died in Extreme Cold Hell!"
"As Impel Down's Warden Chief, not even knowing whether prisoners live or die..."
Ivankov planted hands on hips, winking exaggeratedly at Magellan.
"You're truly... incompetent!"
The instant the words fell.
Ivankov blinked hard at Magellan.
Death Wink!
A powerful explosive blast erupted from Ivankov's face, slamming into the poison-coated stairs before Magellan.
The impact instantly blew a massive hole through the toxic staircase.
"Even if you're trying to buy time here."
Magellan's expression remained unflinching as a terrifying, deep purple Poison Dragon formed behind him.
"Not even Vongola Storm can escape from Infinite Hell!"
No matter what method the Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom had used to evade the prison guards' surveillance.
In Magellan's eyes, anyone blocking his path now was undoubtedly Vongola Storm's accomplice! In that case.
They would all be executed together!
"Poison Dragon!"
In the blink of an eye.
Magellan controlled the Poison Dragon, launching a lightning-fast attack toward the Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom.
The Queen barely had time to dodge before the Poison Dragon struck her enormous face directly.
Thick, acrid smoke erupted from Ivankov's face.
Accompanied by the sizzling sound of corrosion.
"AAAAAHHH—"
Ivankov collapsed to his knees, letting out a blood-curdling scream.
His hands twitched toward his face but recoiled, afraid to touch the poison.
"My face! My face is melting from the poison!! My face—"
Before Magellan could fully assess the situation.
The next moment.
Ivankov abruptly tore off his face.
The still-smoldering visage dangled like a grotesque "poison mask."
"It can't melt! Hee-haw!"
Completely unharmed, Ivankov flashed a bright, cheerful grin at Magellan.
"Because I wore thick makeup! You've been fooled!"
"..."
Magellan watched Ivankov's "face-changing act" as poison oozed from his body like cold sweat.
"Pathetic trick!"
In an instant, the Poison Dragon behind Magellan multiplied from one to three.
The ferocious, writhing serpents coiled in midair, each exuding lethal toxins.
"I have no time to waste playing games with you!"
Magellan commanded all three Poison Dragons to strike simultaneously from different angles.
Ivankov seemed too slow to react—the dragons sank their fangs into his body.
Purple venom rapidly spread across his skin.
Once more, Ivankov wailed and collapsed.
This time, he didn't rise to perform another "face-changing" stunt.
"Rebel, this is your execution."
Magellan loomed over Ivankov's fallen figure, staring down imperiously.
"For the next 24 hours, the poison will consume you until you descend into endless hell!"
To Magellan, anyone struck by the Poison Dragon's venom was as good as dead.
He stepped over the poisoned Ivankov without hesitation, pressing onward toward Infinite Hell.
As Magellan drew closer.
The thunderous explosions grew increasingly distinct.
When he finally entered Infinite Hell, the full horror of the scene unfolded before him.
The ground bristled with dragon-headed cannons, relentlessly bombarding the prisoners' cells.
Apart from a handful of exceptionally resilient inmates.
Most cells now held only motionless figures.
Magellan couldn't tell if these criminals were dead.
Probably, possibly, perhaps... all dead...
Witnessing this slaughterhouse-like devastation, Magellan's eyes burned with fury.
His gaze instantly locked onto the only freely moving figure within Infinite Hell.
"Vongola Storm!"
Magellan was utterly enraged, spewing endless venom like a bursting mountain flood.
"What do you take life for?!"
"Warden."
Storm halted his movements, turning to face the newcomer.
"Just taking out the trash. Would anyone find that improper?"