BOOM—!

Amidst a deafening explosion that shook the very foundations, Shiki took the lead, swiftly emerging from Level 6 and darting into the fifth underground layer of Impel Down—Absolute Hell.

Due to the extreme cold of Absolute Hell, this level had no surveillance Den Den Mushi, and prison guards rarely ventured here.

Instead, it was teeming with packs of military wolves, lying in wait.

Any bold prisoner who dared to open their cell door would not find freedom but a swarm of ravenous military wolves.

Sure enough, as soon as Shiki charged into Absolute Hell, howls echoed through the icy wilderness.

Immediately, hordes of military wolves caught his scent and surged toward his location.

"Lion's Tail: Earth Roll!"

Familiar with Impel Down's layout, Shiki didn't hesitate.

He unleashed his Devil Fruit power, causing the perpetually frozen ground to tremble violently and rupture.

Enormous lion head statues erupted from the earth, swallowing and sealing the oncoming military wolves.

"Jiahahaha! You think mere military wolves can stop this Flying Admiral?"

After effortlessly dispatching a pack of guard wolves, Shiki leaped up to stand atop one of the lion heads, then turned to look at Bullett and the others who had followed closely from Level 6.

With soaring spirits, he declared, "Everyone, there won't be any jailers on the fifth level and the Navy won't set another ambush! Now's our chance—release all the prisoners held on this level! They're locked up here, and given any opportunity to escape, they definitely won't pass it up!"

"Hmph~"

Bullett, who had jumped to the base of the lion head, didn't even glance toward the prison cells, his expression cold as he stated.

"The weak can't survive. I only believe in my own strength!"

Before Shiki could respond, Bullett charged ahead of him, heading straight for the exit leading to the fourth level.

"Roar~"

The moment Bullett rushed out from under the lion head's coverage, the Absolute Hell ahead once again swarmed with dense packs of guard wolves, surging from all directions like a flood.

"Annoying!"

Faced with the fierce, brutal, and overwhelming numbers of guard wolves, Bullett didn't slow down but instead accelerated, charging straight into the midst of the pack.

Just as his figure was completely swallowed by the savage guard wolves, black and red Conqueror's Haki erupted like volcanic magma, piercing through the gaps in the wolves that had engulfed him and instantly covering the entire Absolute Hell.

In an instant, all the guard wolves living in Absolute Hell collapsed.

"Muruhuhu..."

"Truly worthy of the Devil's title!"

Catarina Devon, who had followed Bullett out of Level 6, grinned widely at the sight of the fallen guard wolves littering the ground and laughed.

"Though I don't know what tricks the Navy is playing, and Magellan still hasn't shown up, I can already see the dawn of freedom ahead!"

"Indeed, unbelievably powerful!"

Pizarro glanced at Bullett's figure, who had wiped out the guard wolves with a burst of Conqueror's Haki, then turned to Shiki and said.

"Hey, Shiki. Most of the prisoners held on this level have been frozen into ice sculptures. There's no need to release them, right? Do you really think our current group isn't enough to escape this Impel Down?"

"Pizarro, rein in your arrogance and conceit!"

Shiki widened his eyes and scolded without hesitation, "When I was dominating the Grand Line, you didn't even have the qualifications to compete with me. In short, since that new Fleet Admiral dares to play this escape game with me, it means he's very confident about taking all of us down. In such a situation, we should recruit as many prisoners from each level of Impel Down as possible! Even if they're trash, they can still draw some attention away from us!"

"Remember, our goal isn't to fight the Navy to the death—it's to escape Impel Down!"

With that, Shiki didn't linger any longer.

Activating his Float Float Fruit ability, he flashed down from the lion head and landed lightly beside Bullett.

Not wanting to be left behind, Catarina Devon, San Juan Wolf, and Vasco Shot quickly followed.

Seeing this, Pizarro stopped arguing and hurried after the three to join Shiki and Bullett.

At the same time, Patrick Redfield, the Legendary Pirate who had once stood shoulder to shoulder with Roger and Whitebeard all on his own, emerged unhurriedly from Level 6.

"Redfield, are you also unable to bear the loneliness?"

'To think that loner had also left Level 6.'

Shiki tilted his head slightly and grinned, "Trust me, this newFleet Admiral won't disappoint you. Even Garp, whom you once acknowledged, wouldn't stand a chance against this young Fleet Admiral at his peak."

"Shiki, you should know very well that I don't like working with others!"

Redfield slowly walked to Shiki's side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

A faint, sinister smile played on his lips as he calmly stated, "Whether this new Fleet Admiral is strong or not is irrelevant to me. What matters is that after we leave Impel Down, we go our separate ways!"

"Of course, I will take action before we escape Impel Down!"

Hearing that Redfield would intervene, a weight lifted from Shiki's heart.

As a former king who once rivaled Roger, aside from Bullett, Shiki understood Redfield, the solitary powerhouse better than anyone.

If Redfield, who once stood shoulder to shoulder with Whitebeard and Roger all by himself, took action, he could surely tie down the main forces of the Navy for this operation.

Then, with a little added effort and cooperation with Bullett, they might just be able to eliminate that damned new Fleet Admiral!

Rumble—

Suddenly, the familiar sound of prison gates opening echoed from the exit leading from Absolute Hell to the fourth level, Scorching Hell.

Following the sound, Shiki and the others who had escaped from Level 6 narrowed their eyes.

The gates of Absolute Hell had opened on their own.

Before they were fully ajar, a wave of heat surged out, melting the frozen ground near the entrance at an astonishing speed.

Immediately after, a tall and burly middle-aged man, clad in the uniform of an Impel Down jailer and draped in a white coat, stepped out from the gates.

A cigar dangled from his mouth, and a wicked grin spread across his face as he looked at Shiki and the others as if they were prey.

"Who is this guy?"

Shiki blinked in surprise at the middle-aged man who had emerged alone to face the group of powerhouses from Level 6.

"Shiryu of the Rain!"

Catarina Devon grinned, though her eyes held a hint of caution.

"The jailer of Impel Down, a monster who enjoys torture and killing!"

The one who stepped into Absolute Hell and faced the group from Level 6 alone was none other than Impel Down's jailer, Shiryu of the Rain.

He hadn't appeared earlier because he had been confined by Magellan for killing both prisoners and guards during his sadistic rampages.

"I was wondering why that useless Magellan suddenly released me from confinement. So it's because of you monsters imprisoned in Level 6!"

Shiryu stood with his back to the entrance to the fourth level, adopting a stance of holding the line single-handedly.

He then spoke calmly, "Given the current situation, it's impossible for me to stop all of you alone. So, let's not make things difficult for each other. Leave one person behind to fight me, and the rest can pass unhindered!"