The Sphinx swung its front paw down at Ace as he approached.
CRASH!!!
"Son!!!"
But Ace lightly sidestepped and coated his fists with Armant Haki, striking the Sphinx repeatedly.
Puk puk puk!!!
"Kyaaah!!! Ran!!!"
Since the Sphinx had a human face, it could speak human language to so extent. The funny thing was that all it said were noodle dish nas.
"No way… he's overwhelming that Sphinx…"
Galdino watched Ace dominate the Sphinx, mouth wide open in admiration.
"You have good abilities and yet you're like this… If you utilized your abilities properly, you could take down sothing like that easily."
"No way…"
Neither Galdino nor Buggy believed at all.
The fight between Ace and the Sphinx continued — the Sphinx swung its paws or tried to bite, Ace dodged and landed counters. As Ace's Armant Haki‑reinforced attacks landed solidly, the Sphinx began to get pushed back and grew frightened.
"I don't really like hurting animals, so I'll put you down comfortably in one hit."
Ace jumped up as if to finish it and struck the Sphinx's head hard. The Sphinx couldn't withstand the blow and collapsed on the spot.
CRACK!!!
"Kuehk!!!"
Thud.
Seeing Ace take down the Sphinx, I opened the entrance to Level 3. But as soon as I opened the door, intense heat washed over my entire body. Ace walked down without any trouble, but Buggy and Galdino were struggling badly.
"Level 3 is the Starvation Hell. Prisoners are given almost no water or food, and most are half‑dead from the heat rising from Level 4, the Scorching Heat Hell."
"Really? I feel fine."
"That's because of your Devil Fruit ability."
"Ah! Right!"
I took three water bottles from my inventory and handed them to Buggy, Galdino, and Ace.
"Ahh~ refreshing! As expected of the rchant King."
"Tell if you need more. I have plenty."
"Got it."
Just then, a singing voice ca from sowhere.
Un deux trois~ un deux yai~ un deux oui~ un deux yai~ new! half~~ way~~ ah! strongest!!!
"Hmm? What's that singing?"
Ace looked toward the source of the sound. Galdino explained.
"Ah… that song… Bentham must be on Level 3."
"If it's Mr. 2 Bentham, then he's a remnant of Baroque Works."
"Correct. His bounty is around 30 million berries. I thought he was sowhere else, but to think he was on Level 3…"
We followed the singing to where Bentham was imprisoned.
After all~ this world~~ n and~ won~ ♪ but~~ new halves~~ are n yet won~ ♪ so~~~ new~ half~ way~~~ ♪♪
Listening to that song was starting to give a headache. Bentham is a man of strong convictions, but oddly enough, I was starting to not want to bring him along.
'Ah… I want to brainwash him… But then he wouldn't be Bentham…'
When we arrived at the cell where Bentham was held, there were several prisoners besides him. The funny thing was that despite being on Level 3, where food and water are scarce, Bentham was energetically singing and spinning around in dance — while the other prisoners were practically dying.
Round and round I spin, just like this dizzying era~ ♪ Oh my!! Mr. 3, isn't that you!! Wait wait, why are you there!! I was so surprised I looked twice!! Newhalf Fist 'That Autumn Night Dream' — twice!!!"
Buggy looked at Bentham in disbelief and said, "Hey… what is this strange beast? Let's not let this kind of freak out…"
"Free him. He might be useful."
When I said to free him, Buggy imdiately changed his tune, rubbing his hands together. This guy's flexibility was insane.
"Of course we should free him! Hahaha…"
Galdino used his Wax-Wax Fruit ability to create a key and freed Bentham. Bentham stepped out of the cell with a flourish, kicking his leg high and spinning around. I seriously questioned whether I should even take this guy to the rchant's Island. He might spread strange ideas.
'Ha… I wasn't really worried about that kind of thing, but seeing his condition… This is a real dilemma.'
While I was worrying, Buggy and Galdino explained the situation to Bentham.
"I also have soone I want to see on Level 5, so going further down is fine, but… the rchant King? I'm surprised~"
"We ca to rescue Thatch and my younger brother Luffy."
Ace added. Bentham seed shocked.
"Eh~!!!??? Luffy was captured too???"
Just then, a small child in white clothing and a blonde woman wearing sunglasses appeared, leading a large group of Blue Gorillas and guards ard with guns.
'Ah, those are Chief Guard Saldeath and Head Guard Domino. I'm not interested in Saldeath, but I did want to see Domino. Good timing.'
I imdiately said to Buggy, Galdino, and Bentham, "You help too. Let see your skills. You've just been following so far — this ti, actually do sothing."
"Ah… yes, sir."
We began fighting the guards commanded by Domino and Saldeath. Those bastards were cheap — they were throwing sea prism stone nets. I quickly pulled out a nearby chain, swung it to knock away all the incoming nets, and stored them in my inventory so they couldn't be used again.
"Gah! That ability! Damn… The rchant King has co again!! Quickly inform the other guards and request reinforcents from the Navy!!"
My abilities must have been well‑known, because Saldeath recognized imdiately and urgently ordered the surrounding guards.
"Not so fast!!!"
Puk!
"Guhk!!!"
I quickly closed in on Saldeath before he could alert the other guards, kicked him away, and started taking down the guards around the periter.
Puk! Pak! Puk puk!
"Ugh!" "Help!" "Aaaah!"
After taking down everyone else, only Domino remained. I approached the trembling Domino and took off her hat and sunglasses. Domino spoke to in a trembling voice.
"Wh-what are you trying to do to … But… being dominated like this isn't so bad… Haaahn~ I feel like I'm opening my eyes to sothing new~~!!!"
Just to clarify before anyone misunderstands — aside from looking at her face, I really didn't do anything. Domino was blushing and getting excited all on her own. Domino was indeed a beautiful woman — blonde, with a slightly sharp look, and a great figure.
"She's pretty, but her personality…"
I imdiately struck Domino's neck to knock her out, then read her mories just in case. As expected. In the One Piece world, finding a normal person might actually be harder. Like her friend Sadie, she really enjoyed dominating others — a queen‑type, and quite severely so. I wondered if Hina would turn out like this if her personality got seriously warped.
"Ha… I had high hopes because she looked pretty in the original."
After finishing that up, I turned around. Ace and Bentham had almost finished off the Blue Gorillas. But Buggy was busy running away, and Galdino was barely blocking attacks with his Wax-Wax Fruit ability.
I thought about helping, but decided to wait for them to finish on their own.
"Haa… I thought I was going to die…"
Buggy and Galdino were exhausted, but Ace and Bentham were fine. I said to them, "Level 4 has Magellan, so it won't be easy. Rest here for a bit before moving. Galdino — you can make a simple hideout with your ability, right?"
"Yes, I can. Where should I make it?"
I pointed to an empty spot on slightly higher ground. Galdino used his Wax-Wax Fruit ability to quickly build a one‑story building about five pyeong in size. We went inside, took out ice water and food from my inventory, and shared a al.
"Having Taejin around really makes things convenient. I never thought I'd be resting here eating such delicious food."
"Right! It's so delicious!"
Buggy, Galdino, and Bentham started devouring the food with tears in their eyes. Having been imprisoned in Impel Down for so long, it seed like a long ti since they'd seen food like this.
"Wait for ~~!! I'll be right back~~!!"
After we had eaten enough, Bentham took the remaining food and water and suddenly tried to leave sowhere. Galdino urgently asked, "Hey! Where are you going??"
"I want to share so food and water with my cellmates. I'll be right back~~!!"
Bentham said that and ran off toward his old cell.
Bentham really was a good person. But Galdino and Buggy looked at him with contempt.
We rested until Bentham returned, then set off again. When we reached Level 4, an even fiercer heat than Level 3 washed over us.
"Ugh… why is it so hot here?"
Buggy panicked at the heat. Bentham explained, "This is Level 4, the Scorching Heat Hell. Look down below! This place is literally a giant 'iron cauldron.' That heat rising is why Level 3 is the way it is."
Everyone looked down. Below Level 4 was an ocean of fire, and in the center was a giant pit where beasts were throwing prisoners.
"Now you understand why I said to rest first. And the warden, Magellan, is here too, right?"
"Yes."
Ace — again with an eager look — began striding forward, when suddenly sothing huge fell from the sky, blocking our path.
THUD!!
Bentham shouted in surprise, "Oh no! It's the jailer beast, Minotaurus!"
Minotaurus had the lower body of a human and the upper body of a cow, but incongruously, his face was quite cute. He carried a giant spiked iron club in one hand and stomped toward us. With that cute face, he looked less threatening and more like soone wearing a giant mascot costu handing out flyers.
I stepped forward and said, "Save your strength. I'll handle this. And Ace — watch carefully. This will help you."
Even though I was so distance from Minotaurus, I coated my fist with Armant Haki and swung it through the air.
Puk!!!
"Kueh!!"
Even though my fist didn't touch him, a fist mark appeared on his chest, and Minotaurus staggered back.
"No! How is that possible?"
Ace was impressed and started asking about the technique.
"Just watch."
This ti I quickly approached Minotaurus and simply placed my palm lightly on his abdon. Minotaurus suddenly coughed up blood as if he had taken a heavy blow.
"Th-this can't be…"
"There's more."
I charged my Ultimate Void Fist with Armant Haki and thrust it at Minotaurus.
"Hah!"
CRAAAASH — !!!
Minotaurus's upper body vanished without a trace. Buggy, Galdino, and Bentham stared with their mouths wide open.
"He's not human…" "How is that possible…" "Unbelievable… Is this what an Emperor is?"
Ace quickly ran over and asked various questions.
"How is that possible? There was clearly distance… and that light touch that still did damage… and that last attack…"
I raised my palm and said, "Try attacking ."
"Huh? Uh, okay."
Ace swung his fist at my palm. But his fist couldn't reach my palm — it bounced off as if blocked by so kind of barrier.
"Huh? How does this work?"
I explained to Ace in detail.
"Listen carefully. Armant Haki isn't just for coating your body. You can project it outward. In Wano, they call this technique 'Ryou.'"
I explained the applications of Armant Haki to Ace in detail.
The first stage is "projection type" — releasing Armant Haki outside the body to envelop a larger area, allowing you to deliver impact without physical contact. This is used for ranged attacks and defense. When attacking, you can strike without touching the opponent. When defending, you surround your body with Haki to deflect enemy attacks.
The second is "internal destruction" — penetrating Armant Haki into the opponent's body or an object to destroy it from the inside. This works whether you project Haki shallowly and touch the opponent, or project it widely to flow inside without direct contact.
The last technique I showed was coating your own ability with Armant Haki. Strictly speaking, I coated the technique itself.
"The monsters in the New World almost all know these techniques. You'll need to master them if you want to go further."
At that, Ace coated his arm with Armant Haki and tried to learn Ryou. But it didn't seem to be working, so he asked again.
"It's not working… Is there a trick to it?"
"A trick… First, you need to feel it. 'Ryou' literally ans 'flow.' First, sense the Haki flowing through your body."
"Got it."
This guy — as soon as he learns about a new world, he wants to train here. He kept coating and releasing Haki on his arm repeatedly.
"Training here is too much. Let's move first. The commotion might bring other guards."
"Ah, right!"
I called over Bentham and the others, who had been watching from a distance.
"Um… rchant King, sir, I'm sorry to ask, but could we have so more ice water…"
It didn't matter to or Ace, but these guys seed to be suffering from the heat, so I gave each of them another bottle of ice water.
"Thank you."
We continued walking. Noticing a commotion on the lower path, we looked down. There, I saw Warden Magellan and Impel Down's second‑most beautiful woman, Sadie, along with the jailer beasts like Minotaurus that Sadie commands. Magellan and Sadie were talking and keeping watch over the area.
"That's Magellan."
"Oh~ so that's him! Got it! Finally, the final boss!"
As soon as Ace saw Magellan, he jumped down before I could stop him. This guy — zero hesitation.
"Wait…"
The enemies Ace had faced so far must have been easy from his perspective, and he seed to see Magellan the sa way. I thought he had grown past this kind of recklessness, and it was good that he wasn't relying on his Devil Fruit, but his basic personality hadn't changed much.
"What kind of illness is that? Show‑off‑itis? Honestly… Does he think he's a Saiyan or sothing?"
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