Chapter 549: Where Is the Rescue Ship?
Seawater sprayed out from the breach, not only flooding the third-level floor of the prison but also, through the hole in that level, cascading down to the fourth level below. On the fourth level, there was a massive magma furnace that had been churning with boiling lava for years. The sudden influx of seawater couldn't extinguish the furnace quickly; instead, it generated a huge amount of steam. This steam rose to the third level and immediately had an effect.
Originally, Crocodile's sandstorm hurricane had dispersed much of the lingering poison gas on the third level, but it hadn't completely cleared it. Now, with the steam rising, the remaining poison gas dissolved into the steam, reverting to toxic liquid that dripped down. Meanwhile, the toxic liquid on the ground was diluted by the surging seawater!
These poisons were created by Magellan's ability, making them highly concentrated. Even skin contact caused excruciating pain. Now, diluted by the seawater, anyone knew that as long as they weren't foolish enough to drink the seawater mixed with poison, they'd be perfectly fine.
Crocodile had already transformed into sand and dust and flown up the moment the seawater rushed in. As a Sand-Sand Fruit user, he hated water the most and refused to touch it at all. As for Jinbe, being a Fish-Man, seawater posed no problem for him. However, he immediately called for the prisoners waiting on the fourth level to come up, urging everyone to wade through the water while it wasn't too deep on the third level.
Magellan's feet were now submerged in the seawater. As a Devil Fruit user, seawater was his greatest weakness. Even without being fully immersed, it drained his strength. At this moment, Magellan was weaker than ever...
When the prisoners climbed up to the third level, they saw this scene and couldn't help pointing at Magellan, laughing heartily. They thought to themselves, "Magellan, look at you now!"
However, since the third level was flooded, Luffy and the other Devil Fruit users weren't much better off than Magellan. Ignoring him, the non-Devil Fruit users each hoisted a Devil Fruit user onto their backs and hurriedly waded toward the staircase leading to the second level.
They were about to escape—freedom was right in front of them. The prisoners' hearts burned with excitement...
Crocodile led the way. He didn't want to stay on this flooded third level for a single moment. Ian understood his feelings and let him go ahead.
Finally, everyone else had gone up, leaving only Jinbe, Ian, and Ivankov standing before Magellan.
By now, Magellan had no strength left to activate his ability. Even with the three masterminds right in front of him, he was powerless.
"What do we do?" Ivankov asked Ian. "This seawater will keep flowing down, filling the sixth level, then the fifth, spreading layer by layer. Soon, the entire Impel Down prison will be submerged, except for the level above the sea surface. Ian boy, if we leave Magellan here, he'll drown!"
Ian thought for a moment and said, "Take him with us!"
Without hesitation, Jinbe walked over, hoisted Magellan's massive body onto his back, and carried him.
Magellan was stunned. "Do... do you know what you're doing?"
"Of course I do!" Ian glanced at him and walked ahead, saying as he went, "One of my companions might have been captured by Vice Admiral Momousagi. I'm just using you to exchange for a hostage. Don't overthink it!"
Magellan fell silent, hesitating whether to attack Ian and the others again once they left the third level.
Having been saved by Ian twice in a row, even a principled man like Magellan didn't know what to do now...
However, at that moment, Ian suddenly added, "Besides, even though I've freed a lot of prisoners, I think Impel Down still has its purpose. The prison is just flooded, not destroyed. As the warden, you might still play a role in the future. Dying here would be a waste!"
As he said this, Ian didn't look back, so Magellan couldn't see his expression or tell if he was sincere.
In truth, Ian meant it. This time, when he stormed Impel Down, the prisoners on the sixth level had died by his hand, and those on the fifth level—the Freezing Hell—likely wouldn't escape either. The most heinous criminals were basically all dead. The prisoners he'd taken from levels one to four weren't the worst of the worst, and Ian had ways to control them, so taking them along was fine.
But if Impel Down were lost, where would the Marines imprison even more vicious pirates they caught in the future?
Ian's mind was clear. He wasn't an extremist. He understood that both the Marines and Impel Down had their dark sides, but they also had positive aspects. Magellan was the same—an enemy, yes, but a principled man who did his duty. Such a person as a warden served as a deterrent to evil criminals.
Blocking me means I'll knock you down—that's just a difference in standpoint. In Ian's eyes, Magellan wasn't someone beyond redemption who had to be killed. So he didn't mind saving him one more time.
Marines could become pirates one day. Who knows what the future holds?
When the three reached the second level, they found no guards there and found it strange. But seeing Crocodile and the others heading toward the first level, Ian and the others didn't dwell on it and quickly followed.
However, when they reached the first level and still found no guards, Ian and the others grew puzzled.
"Didn't they say Vice Admiral Momousagi was setting up an ambush?" Trafalgar Law asked, resting his nodachi on his shoulder. "Why is no one here? Not even a single prison guard."
"If we go up further, that's the entrance to Impel Down! She might be waiting for us there," Nami said.
"No, that's not right!" Ian frowned. "They might not even be on that entrance level."
He turned to Magellan and said, "If I'm not mistaken, Magellan, you were guarding the third level earlier not to stop us, but to buy time for the prison guards and Marine soldiers to retreat, right?"
"..." Magellan remained expressionless and didn't want to speak.
"I get it!" Nami slapped her fist into her palm. "There must have been a Video Den Den Mushi on the third level. They saw that even Magellan couldn't stop us, so they all retreated!"
"Hahaha!" Crocodile laughed loudly. "So that means when we walk out, we'll be greeted by a Marine bombardment!"
Ivankov nodded. "They probably saw the prison was breached and seawater was pouring in. They knew staying was useless, so they went back to their warships... It seems the Marines plan to abandon Impel Down and destroy it."
"Destroying it would only affect the entrance level above the sea," Ian said. "But with seawater flooding in, we'll all have to go to the entrance level to take shelter. That means we can't avoid the bombardment."
Jinbe asked, "Ian, brother, what's your evacuation plan? Do you have a rescue ship? If not, we'll have to find a way to seize a Marine warship!"
"Of course there's a rescue ship, but it might be very crowded!" Ian said with a smile. "In fact, the number of escapees has exceeded my expectations..."
"So we still need to seize a warship?" Jinbe said.
"No!" Ian shook his head. "Why seize a warship? Warships can only follow the World Government's dedicated sea currents. Even if the Gate of Justice opens, would we go straight to Marine Headquarters and walk into a trap?"
This war wasn't happening at Marineford. Even if Ian and the others went to Marine Headquarters, it would be useless. So Ian had abandoned the idea of using a warship from the start.
That included the warship Enel had been guarding, which Vice Admiral Momousagi had sunk. Ian had never planned to use that ship to escape.
Hearing this, Jinbe, Ivankov, and the prisoners grew curious and pressed Ian about how he planned to evacuate.
But Ian just smiled mysteriously and said, "You'll find out when the time comes..."