A haughty voice echoed through the cavernous prison.
Rolan turned his gaze toward the massive cell built into the iron‑ribbed wall. Even without his Super Heart Net active, he could feel the immense presence radiating from the towering figure inside.
Just then, a familiar voice interrupted.
"Rolan, why did you kill them all?"
Luffy's voice carried genuine confusion and a hint of disbelief.
In Luffy's eyes, even the worst of criminals didn't deserve death. Beating them was more than enough punishment — leaving them alive to feel defeat and shame was punishment enough.
Rolan looked at him with cool indifference, dismissing Luffy's naivety. Clearly he hadn't experienced the world's harsh truths.
"Some people, no matter how eloquent their words, will never change the evil buried deep in their bones," Rolan said, flat and steady. "Mercy is a luxury for those who can afford it. These men were already waiting to die. I simply helped them finish the job."
"But…" Luffy started, only to be cut off.
Rolan's fist shot forward.
Bang!
"Ow! That hurts, what are you doing, Rolan?" Luffy yelped.
"You brat," Rolan growled, grabbing Luffy by the collar, "are you going to lecture me on how to handle things?" His fist raised again, poised and calm.
Luffy squeezed his eyes shut, voice trembling, "Ah! I won't argue, I won't argue!"
Rolan's earlier assault on the criminals — cutting them down like wheat in a storm — had been witnessed by everyone present. They had originally come to see Luffy make a fool of himself. Now they were as silent as graves.
It wasn't hard to see why. With just a few movements, Rolan displayed a level of power that was beyond terrifying. Anyone watching could tell he was a major force in the current pirate world.
But unlike the outside world, most prisoners in Impel Down had no idea of what was happening out there. Except for a handful of inmates who could still read and had access to news, almost everyone here lived in neither daylight nor darkness. They had no idea how many years they had spent here. Time blurred, and sanity frayed. Many had already lost touch with reality.
Suddenly, alarms blared through Level 6.
Ooh‑woo~
Ooh‑woo~
Ooh‑woo~
Rolan frowned. The electromagnetic barrier must have deactivated after his arrival — meaning his presence, and Luffy's, had been detected.
Level 4 — Monitoring Room
A guard stared at the screens in shock. On one of the monitors, two figures had appeared out of nowhere.
"Intruders!"
Two other guards, who had been half‑asleep watching an action movie, snapped to attention.
"What? Where?" one asked, scrambling upright.
They followed the pointing finger of the first guard and saw two figures on the leftmost screen.
One was tall, about 2.2 meters, wearing a white shirt and gray shorts — dangerous looking and handsome in a brooding way.
The other wore a red vest, blue shorts, and an unmistakable straw hat.
"This… that's…the Godslayer Rolan and Straw Hat Luffy!!"
"What?!" another guard gasped.
"Quick! Report to Warden Magellan!"
One guard snatched up a Den Den Mushi.
Level 2 — Mobile Toilet
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, a muffled device wearing a gas mask trembled with static.
Buruburu~
Buruburu~
The door creaked open and a massive silhouette stepped out. The enormous man reached up, took the Den Den Mushi, and spoke in his low, gravel voice.
"Hello? Warden Magellan. Didn't flush again, didn't you?"
Magellan scratched his head, releasing a faint haze of purple poison gas.
"Sorry, sorry… I promise next time!"
The Den Den Mushi crackled with urgency.
"Warden Magellan, intruders on Level 6!"
Magellan exhaled a heavier plume of violet mist.
"What? Intruders on Level 6?"
"Yes! It's… it's… Godslayer Rolan and Straw Hat Luffy!" the guard on the other end stammered.
Magellan blinked once.
"What?! Are you sure? Godslayer Rolan?"
"Yes! It looks exactly like the wanted poster — I can confirm it's him."
Magellan's eyes widened behind his mustache, rage and disbelief momentarily frozen in his expression.
"I'm heading to Level 6 right now. Don't stop monitoring — and keep an eye on Levels 1 through 5 too!"
"Yes, Warden!"
Magellan hung up and tossed the Den Den Mushi back to the guard before sprinting toward the passage connecting Level 2 to Level 3.
In all his years as warden of Impel Down, no one had ever forced their way directly into Level 6 without progressing through the levels above.
Yet here they were.
How had Rolan appeared here without triggering alarms on Levels 1 through 5?
Godslayer Rolan's ability? Magellan wondered.
The alarms echoed louder inside Rolan's ears. He knew Magellan would be coming.
In the world above, Magellan was known as one of the most dedicated, capable wardens the Marines had ever produced. A man who took his duty personally. With the Poison‑Poison Fruit, his strength was beyond terrifying. He had stopped two Yonko baited into Impel Down years ago, and without antidotes distributed by others, those Yonko would have died.
If the Marines learned Rolan had invaded Impel Down… escape wouldn't be easy.
Luffy, noticing Rolan's pause, looked uneasy.
"Rolan, we need to find Ace now! If we don't, we'll never get out!"
Then a familiar voice called.
"Is that Mr. Rolan?"
Rolan turned and walked toward the voice.
It came from a nearby cell.
"Ah! It really is Mr. Rolan. Are you here to save Ace?" a bulky, chained man asked.
Rolan peered inside. The man was round, blue‑skinned, and bound in chains.
"Isn't this… Jinbe? How did you end up caught too?"
Indeed, it was the Knight of the Sea himself, once a Shichibukai.
In the original timeline, Ace had been held in the same cell block — but there was no sign of him now.
Rolan's brow tightened.
Pressing a button on the lock, the cell clicked open. He stepped forward and began unlocking the shackles on Jinbe's wrists and ankles.
"Mr. Rolan, Ace was here — but three days ago Akainu took him away with his men," Jinbe said, voice rough.
Rolan rubbed his chin, unconvinced.
"Akainu?" he repeated. "I know that man. He's ruthless, and he doesn't reason. So what does he want with Ace this time?"
The only thing Rolan was certain of was that Ace wasn't in immediate danger.
Not mortal danger. Just relocated.
Could anywhere be safer than Level 6 of Impel Down?
Luffy, hearing this, looked determined — bordering on desperate.
"Then I'll chase after Akainu myself!"