"Newhalf Fist! moir of That Winter Sky!!!"
"Candle Jacket! Candle Rock! Candle Punch!!!"
Puk puk puk!
Yelp! Yelp!
Bentham attacked with strange ballet moves, spinning around. Galdino used his [Wax-Wax Fruit] ability to bind the military wolves with wax, then created large gloves around his fists and beat them rcilessly. Buggy also joined in, using his [Chop-Chop Fruit] ability to send his hands flying, grabbing the double‑bladed axes of the Blue Gorillas and swinging them at the wolves.
I wasn't idle either — any wolf that ca close was kicked away. For those at a distance, I took steel balls from my inventory and flicked them with my thumb.
Ping! Ping! Ping!
Pak! Pak! Pak!
The steel balls flew at trendous speed, punching clean holes through the wolves' foreheads. They collapsed dead without even realizing what had killed them.
After a long fight, we had taken down a considerable number of military wolves. Galdino and Bentham looked exhausted.
"Huff… the numbers have gone down a lot, right?"
"Exactly. I can finally see the end!"
"But we've killed quite a few — where are all the bodies disappearing to?"
"I think I saw other wolves dragging them away earlier…"
Whether Impel Down doesn't feed the military wolves well, or their appetites are just that huge, the wolves kept dragging away the bodies of their fallen comrades. Only bloodstains remained, with few visible corpses.
After a bit more fighting, the wolves seed to decide they had enough at from their own dead and gradually withdrew, returning to their lairs. Seeing that, Bentham and the others finally sat down to catch their breath. Ace, on my back, seed to have passed out as the poison worsened.
"Ha… finally over."
"That was tough."
I said to those resting, "Let's move. If we rest any longer, our sweat will freeze and moving will beco impossible."
They looked extrely reluctant, but they knew that staying drenched in sweat in this cold could freeze them to death, so they didn't complain.
We dragged our tired bodies to the entrance of Level 5.5 that I had located with Observation Haki. It was a spot between trees, seemingly unremarkable. Galdino looked puzzled and asked, "Um… why are we here? If you ca to set up a temporary base because the trees provide good cover, I can make one right away…"
I cut him off. "No. I didn't co to set up a base."
I stomped on the floor a few tis, then added a threatening tone, "I know you're down there. If you don't open up imdiately, I'll break through. Be prepared."
Suddenly, murmuring ca from underground. The ground opened, revealing a ladder leading down. I gestured to Bentham and the others, who were watching in surprise, and climbed down.
Below stood Inazuma, one of the Revolutionary Army's commanders, along with several n in strange outfits and fishnet stockings, all pointing weapons at us.
As we descended, one of the guards closed the entrance again.
"How did you find out about this place, rchant King?"
Inazuma had half‑white, half‑orange hair and a long coat, like a character from a cha ani. He wore sunglasses — even those were two different colors. In one hand, he held a glass of wine, which was unusual.
"I found it with Observation Haki. Aside from the prisoners and military wolves, I sensed other presences here."
"Th‑that's impossible… We were quite far from where you were…"
Inazuma seed not to believe .
"No, it's possible. Don't assu others can't do what you can't."
Because I had taken out all the surveillance Den Den Mushi on the way here, Inazuma and his people had no idea of our actions. They were being quite uncooperative — the complete opposite of the original story, where they were moved by Luffy's actions and helped him.
"Hmm… I see. Well, for soone strong enough to fight an Admiral and Magellan at the sa ti, I suppose that's convincing enough."
Fortunately, they seed to have seen my previous fight with Kizaru and Magellan through the surveillance snails. That might help communication.
"So why has soone as dangerous as you co here?"
"To treat and rest my companions. It's too cold above. We plan to go further down. There are people we need to rescue."
Inazuma glanced at Ace on my back. "Your friend has been poisoned. Did he fight Magellan?"
"Yes. He won, but he was poisoned."
Inazuma and the others murmured in surprise. "He really defeated Magellan?"
"Yes. Magellan won't be active for a while."
Inazuma thought for a mont, then said, "Not that we could stop you even if we tried. Co in."
I had considered just breaking through, but fortunately things were working out.
We followed Inazuma deeper inside. A massive hall appeared, filled with people in flashy outfits eating. When they saw , they were shocked and began whispering.
"Gasp! It's the rchant King."
"The one who overwheld both a Navy Admiral and Magellan…"
"Wow~! He's really handso in person. Totally my type."
Bentham and the others were also amazed by the splendor of Newkama Land. The flashy lights, multiple disco balls hanging from the ceiling, various decorations, colorfully painted walls, and the people's extravagant outfits clearly threw them off.
"Gasp!!! How does a place like this exist in Impel Down!!!"
"This is insane!!!"
"Are these people guards? What is this place…"
But unlike them, I was getting a headache.
Because I knew the truth of this place from the original. Newkama Land had quite a few won, even though it was inside Impel Down. The reason was that Emporio Ivankov's [Horm-Horm Fruit] allowed him to adjust hormones, turning n into won. So even if I saw a beautiful woman here, I wouldn't know if she was truly female without reading her mories. It's like a bar run by transgender won in Thailand. A kind of trap card — well, unless you're into that.
'Ah… so confusing…'
While Bentham and the others were bewildered, Inazuma reappeared — this ti in female form — and said to them, "You must be confused, but calm down. He will explain everything."
Bentham tilted his head, finally noticing sothing strange about Inazuma. "That's strange… I could have sworn he was a man when we first t. Am I just tired? Is that soone else?"
"Oh, you thought so too? I was just thinking the sa thing."
"Right! too! What is this…"
Buggy and Galdino agreed with Bentham. Inazuma smirked.
Just then, the lights dimd, and people began to murmur.
"Oh, the lights went out."
"It's starting — the show."
Inazuma guided us toward the stage in the hall.
"Now, everyone co forward."
We followed Inazuma to the front of the stage. The curtain parted, revealing a silhouette of a figure with an enormous head.
"Welco, Mr. 2 Bonboy, Mr. 3 Galboy, Buggyboy, Taejinboy, and even a boy in bad shape from poison…"
The stage lights ca on, revealing Emporio Ivankov.
He wore an outfit resembling a deep pink leather one‑piece swimsuit, with a deep V‑neck down to his abdon, garter belts around his waist, and fishnet stockings. It was pure eye terror.
'Damn… I envy Ace, who's unconscious.'
Chwa jang~ ♪
While I grimaced, an electric guitar rang out. The people below cheered. Ivankov wiggled his hips, grabbed the microphone, and began introducing Newkama Land.
"This is~ the prison paradise you reach by following a 'path that shouldn't exist' through Impel Down's sewers~~!!"
Chwa jang~ ♪♪
"Oohoho~ We have everything~ Enjoy yourselves♡ Alcohol, weapons, gas, and above all… above all, freedom!!!"
Wah wah wah~~~!!!
As the cheers grew louder and the music swelled, backup dancers dressed like Ivankov appeared and danced around him.
"Mmm~~~ Oh, right, it was quite noisy upstairs today~ Oohohohoo! We were on edge because we couldn't see what was happening since soone took out all the surveillance snails, boy♡ But I never expected the troublemaker to be the famous rchant King~"
Ivankov briefly turned to look at and winked.
'Damn… I want to throw up…'
"Are you all curious about this place~? This is an underworld that no one knows about. Co on in! Impel Down, Level 5.5 — the secret flower garden of the inmates!! Newkama Land~~!!!!"
Wah wah wah~!!!
Kyaaak~!!!
Ivan~!!!
"Eh!? That's Ivankov???"
Bentham was shocked. He had always wanted to et Ivankov, the legendary figure of Newkama Land.
"Th‑this is the person I've always… adored??!!"
Suddenly, a loud voice ca from behind. "Emporio Ivankov!!!"
I turned around. A large, shirtless man was pointing a huge gun at Ivankov.
"Fifteen years ago! My father, who was a king, ca to 'Newhalf Kingdom' and returned as a newhalf! Because of that, both my country and my family were destroyed! I, a royal, was reduced to a pirate! I'll settle this grudge here and now!!"
Ivankov put on a frightened expression, pretending to panic. "Ah, th-th-th-that… Stop!! Putting away such a dangerous weapon!! It's dangerous!! I told you it's dangerous!! If I get hit, I'll die… I'd… I'd… I wouldn't die!!"
"Hahaha!!"
"So you won't die!"
"Got you!"
The people laughed loudly as Ivankov joked. Enraged, the large man fired his gun at Ivankov.
BANG!!!
But with a wink from Ivankov, the bullet reversed direction and struck the large man himself.
"Death Wink!!"
Ting! CRASH!!!
"Guaaah!!"
Ivankov didn't stop there. He approached the fallen man, extended a finger, and stabbed him in the side.
"Emporio Female Hormone!!"
Stab!
"Gyaaah!!"
The large man's body began to shrink, his chest grew, and his voice beca higher.
"Aaah! You bastard, don't tell !!!"
"Your father wanted to beco a woman. Isn't that enough?"
"Aah… stop! It's… it's disappearing!!!"
"Two mothers! One daughter! Who cares? Get along!!"
"Stop!! Kyaaah~~!! I'm, I'm embarrassed!!"
The man, now a woman, covered her chest and ran away in embarrassnt. It was an astonishing transformation. The hormones injected with the [Horm-Horm Fruit] didn't crudely turn n into futanari — they completely changed them into won, including their genitals. And even their personality.
'Amazing. If Ivankov existed in the modern world, he'd make a fortune… gender transition without any surgery…'
Bentham was amazed again. "A man turned into a woman!! Ivankov truly is a miracle worker!"
Ivankov returned to the stage and declared, "Whether you're a man, a woman, or a newhalf — just beco who you want to be!!! Boundaries like gender!! I, no, we!!! Have already transcended them~!!! That is the new humanity!! Newkama!!! This place is a garden of freedom!! 'Newkama Land'!!!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
WAAAAAH!!!
Worried that Ace's condition would worsen if we delayed any longer, I said to Ivankov, "Hey, I've seen enough of this place. I'd like you to treat my friend on my back. He's been poisoned for a while now."
Ivankov glanced at Ace, then said, "Why should I save him, boy? Because you destroyed all the surveillance snails, we won't be able to get food and supplies for a while. We're quite unhappy about that."
As I said before, Newkama Land operates by stealing supplies while watching the surveillance snails. Losing access to that feed ant they couldn't steal supplies.
"Then if I provide enough food, will you treat him?"
Ivankov thought for a mont. "Hmm… fine. If you provide food, I'll treat him, boy."
"You'd better keep that promise."
Honestly, I considered threatening him, but for future relations with the Revolutionary Army, I decided to make a deal instead. I began pulling out huge quantities of various food ingredients from my inventory. Ivankov and the crowd were astonished.
"No way…"
"The rumor that the rchant King has a space‑related Devil Fruit must be true."
"How convenient. Truly the 'rchant King.'"
I gave them enough food and drink to last two months. Two months seed sufficient for Impel Down to resu operating surveillance snails.
"Is this enough?"
Even Ivankov seed surprised, flustered for a mont. "Of course it's enough. Inazuma, have the children move the supplies. I'll treat the poisoned one as promised."
"Yes! You heard him — quickly move the supplies to the freezer!"
While Inazuma organized the people to move the food, I laid Ace on the stage. Ivankov examined him.
"Hmm… his poisoning isn't that severe. But it has been a while, so it was getting dangerous. It will be painful, but he'll endure."
Ivankov sharpened his fingertips and stabbed Ace in the side.
"Emporio Healing Hormone!!"
Stab!
"Guhk!!"
Ace gasped in pain, sweating coldly. Galdino, worried, asked Ivankov, "Hey, is this okay?"
"With vitality and hormones, the human body exhibits 'self‑healing power.' I rely drew out his latent immunity and slightly modified his body to fight the poison. As a result, destruction and regeneration are occurring inside his body to process the poison — that's why it's painful. Fortunately, it wasn't life‑threatening poisoning. He should regain consciousness in about five hours."
"Really? That's a relief."
Having spent ti together, so camaraderie seed to have ford — Galdino, Buggy, and Bentham all looked relieved.
"You must be tired after coming this far. I'll prepare food and a place to rest. Eat, drink, and rest well, boys."
"Thanks."
We ate the food the people provided and were shown to lodgings to rest. Bentham and the others were so exhausted that they fell asleep as soon as they lay down on the beds.
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