Because it hadn't been long since the Golden Lion escaped from Impel Down, the current administration took the risk of escape more seriously than ever.
As a result, Magellan had no objections to Admiral Aokiji's proposal.
Magellan had only recently taken over as Chief Warden, and he had no intention of allowing any mistakes under his watch so early into his term.
Once arrangements were made for the specific floor Mio would be imprisoned on, Aokiji turned and left without another word.
Mio, meanwhile, was personally escorted deeper into Impel Down by Magellan himself.
After a set of routine procedures, Mio was changed into the standard prison uniform and prepared to descend into the sixth floor—the lowest level of the prison.
Impel Down had a total of six known levels:
The first floor, Red Lotus Hell.
The second floor, Beast Hell.
The third floor, Hunger Hell.
The fourth floor, Burning Hell.
The fifth floor, Extreme Cold Hell.
And the sixth floor, the infamous Infinite Hell, a place known only to a select few.
The future, unofficial 5.5th floor hadn't come into existence yet.
The sixth floor was reserved for only the most dangerous and infamous pirates the world had ever known. Even Mio hadn't expected to be thrown into the sixth floor right from the start—though, ironically, that had been his goal from the beginning.
Still, this saved him a few steps in his plan.
Of course, Mio didn't show any of this on the surface.
In the dim, echoing corridors of Impel Down, the sound of heavy footsteps—Mio's and his escorts'—rang out harshly, especially upon reaching the depths of the sixth floor.
"So this is the sixth floor? Hah, I wonder which old monsters are locked up here," Mio muttered with a grin.
There was almost no light on this level, and the cells only faintly came into view. The prisoners within were veiled in darkness, their appearances indistinguishable.
"Hmph, the ones locked up here aren't the kind you want to mess with. Watch yourself, boy, or you'll be torn apart," Magellan snorted coldly as he led Mio to an empty cell.
At the same time…
Within nearby cells, eyes slowly began to open.
"Finally, a newcomer… but I've never heard of him."
"Another brat from the new generation?"
"Heh…"
"Magellan, bring cigars next time, will ya?"
"Shut up, you trash." Magellan growled, his presence surging with an oppressive force that rippled through the corridor.
But his intimidation meant nothing here. The pirates of the sixth floor merely burst into laughter.
"Hehehe, Magellan, compared to the last warden, your intimidation still needs work."
"Hahaha! Keep practicing, little guy."
"Hey, Magellan, they're laughing at you again. Why don't you give us some poison gas for old time's sake?"
"Hmph. A bunch of worthless criminals. If you don't want to be tortured, then keep your mouths shut." Magellan shoved Mio into the cell and shackled his limbs to the walls using Seastone cuffs.
With one last cold glare at the prisoners, Magellan turned and left.
The moment he was gone, the sixth floor fell back into an eerie silence.
But the silence didn't last long.
A voice slowly echoed from the cell opposite Mio's.
"Hey, kid. Tell me your name."
Mio leaned lazily against the cold wall, lifting his head slightly and squinting through the dark. A smirk played on his lips as he answered, "Kurokawa Mio."
"Tch. Never heard of you. Definitely one of those new-gen nobodies." Another voice chimed in from a nearby cell, filled with disdain.
Mio turned his eyes toward the source of the voice. Even in the shadows, he could make out the outline of a large, muscular figure. Details remained unclear.
Looking around, Mio noted several Millet Den Den Mushi perched on the walls—monitoring each cell silently, their unblinking eyes watching every movement.
Still, Mio quickly averted his gaze, a flicker of thought passing through his eyes as he lowered his head again, choosing to wait in silence.
In the Infinite Hell, words were rare.
Silence reigned.
It was a place of madness, darkness, and despair. Food was delivered rarely—just enough to keep the inmates alive. That meant conserving energy was essential. No one wasted breath or strength unless it truly mattered.
Here, time itself felt like it no longer existed.
Suddenly, Mio broke the silence again.
"Old timers… aren't you going to tell your names to your junior?"
No one answered.
But a tremor ran through the ground.
Something… massive… shifted.
A black silhouette emerged from deeper within a cell—its size astonishing.
The movement alone had shaken the prison floor.
Mio's lips curved into a grin as he recognized the monstrous figure.
"The Giant Battleship… San Juan Wolf. This is my first time seeing the legend in person."
This guy was no spring chicken. Even at present, San Juan Wolf was pushing seventy years old.
Some of the other pirates began to stir at Mio's recognition.
"Heh, you actually know that monster? Most new-age pirates wouldn't even know his name anymore. Give it a few years, and he'll probably be forgotten by the sea entirely."
"Hmm…" San Juan Wolf gave a low chuckle but said nothing.
Then another voice rose, accompanied by a burst of air from a nearby cell as a pirate kicked against the floor—sending dust fluttering in the dark.
"Do you know that guy? He's been frozen for more than ten years."
Mio looked toward the source.
The cell was consumed in darkness, but an unmistakable chill seeped from within.
"World Destroyer…" Mio muttered.
Douglas Bullet, also known as Bondi Waldo in earlier tales. In the original world, this man was sealed in ice for over thirty years.
A voice full of icy disdain rang out from the shadows. "Boy, tell me. What's the current status of Roger's crew? Any news?"
Mio cracked his neck, the popping sounds echoing eerily, and responded calmly, "Tell me your name first."
"You're not strong enough to deserve knowing my name." The voice came colder than before.
At that, Mio sneered. His tone dropped, laced with mockery. "Then who are you to expect answers from me?"
Several prisoners turned their attention to the conversation. Interest glinted in their tired eyes.
Boom!
The cell that held the speaker trembled violently, dust flying into the air as the prisoner's fury surged.
"Do you want to die?" the chilling voice roared.
Mio grinned wider, his voice carrying an amused tone. "Can you kill me?"
"Hmph!"
The voice snorted and fell silent.
Everyone here was calculating. They knew the cost of wasting energy. That violent shake alone had drained some of his precious reserves.
But after a brief pause, his voice came again.
"Douglas Bullett."