Chapter 397: At Least It Won't Be Worse
"..."
"..."
After hearing Magellan's words, Ox didn't speak to answer.
He merely looked at this Warden, understanding his meaning in his heart.
Just as stated before, in the eyes of most people, Magellan was a quite ugly and terrifying monster.
The Venom-Venom Fruit he consumed also seemingly became the most excellent and direct "annotation" of his identity as a monster.
Because of this ugly face, Magellan was discriminated against since childhood, despised and ostracized since childhood.
Abandoned by his parents, rummaging through garbage for expired food, resulting in pain, illness, and diarrhea—the pain he endured was ceaseless and unending since childhood.
"This world needs order—even the ugliest person, the most evil criminal, needs a place to belong."
Born along with such thoughts was the strong sense of responsibility, justice, and bottom line that Magellan possessed as a monster.
As the Warden, his power in Impel Down was limitless. He could have cruelly killed any prisoner he disliked just like Shiryu, and could have also used it to gain massive profits.
But the fact was, he never did so.
He would kill prisoners when necessary, but the premise was that what they did indeed violated the rules of Impel Down—otherwise, even if the prisoners insulted him, he would only angrily issue a warning and wouldn't directly kill them.
He accepted no bribes and only followed principles.
He possessed extraordinary power, not even inferior to a Marine Admiral, and should have obtained higher authority and fame, but he didn't pursue those.
He only pursued "order".
And in his eyes, Impel Down was the exemplar of "order", the sanctuary of justice.
Unpardonable sinners naturally deserved to be executed, while ordinary evildoers were disciplined here; physical or mental pain was what they deserved.
Evil would be punished, mistakes would be judged—following "laws" rather than personal "rulings", following "rules" rather than extreme "emotions", following "justice" rather than personal "interests".
He was the guardian maintaining this order, maintaining the justification that judgment should have.
He took pride in this and viewed it as a sacred responsibility.
But now, that responsibility had been destroyed.
The World Government conscripted the prisoners, and conducted that kind of power modification on the prisoners from LV1 to LV6.
Magellan had no intention of judging whether that power was good or bad—his Venom-Venom Fruit was also seen as a "despicable" ability by most people.
What he truly couldn't accept was that attitude.
Turning the prisoners who had already received judgment and their due punishment into those demons without exception to carry out slaughter, even if it was under the banner of "maintaining justice".
But didn't that matter itself sufficiently prove a fact?
That is, the so-called "World Government" is also merely a violent organization that follows personal selfish interests and can casually destroy "order" when necessary.
Regarding this, Magellan fought back and refused.
But it was meaningless.
So ultimately, he locked himself here.
As a person who swore an oath upon entering Impel Down to give everything to guard this Great Underwater Prison, as a person with an outrageously high moral bottom line, he couldn't violate his oath.
The prisoners of this prison all suffered punishments outside of his judgment. As the Warden, he failed to guard what he was supposed to guard.
So, he should compensate with his life—this was Magellan's twisted, even fool-like logic.
But...
"You are an amazing guy."
Ox couldn't respond to this foolish "persistence" with harsh words.
He looked at Magellan, having no intention of saving or persuading him—there was no need to persuade a guy like this regarding the choice he made himself.
"Then, as the 'prisoner' and 'jailer' standing the final guard, are you going to fight me?"
He looked calmly at Magellan and asked so.
"...Of course."
Magellan's words were calm.
But whether it was Magellan or Ox, they both knew—having been soaked by the Venom Demon to this extent, he actually no longer had any combat capability.
That Venom Demon existing at the entrance of LV6 was actually his final line of defense.
"I will defeat you."
And after hearing this, Ox also nodded in understanding: "But if possible, don't die so quickly—we will overthrow the Government and establish a new world."
His words were so confident they bordered on conceited, seemingly having no doubts about whether this could be accomplished.
"A new... world?"
Magellan's low and hoarse voice was akin to sleep talking: "Will it be better?"
"At least it won't be worse."
As the words fell, Ox's figure had already closed in.
"Moo!"
A massive ox roar pierced through the crimson and purple poisonous mist. The battle whose ending was preordained had not much sound from beginning to end.
And for Ivankov and Inazuma waiting in LV5, they only knew that not long after, they saw Ox's figure walk out again.
"S-Succeeded?"
"Did you enter LV7?"
They hurriedly stepped forward and asked—although they didn't know what was inside LV7, they could judge from the actions of this highest executive of The Zodiac that the things inside were highly likely extremely important to The Zodiac, and to this war against the World Government.
Otherwise, The Zodiac couldn't possibly have specially set up such a massive scheme to lure away the main force of Impel Down, just to head inside and investigate.
"Mm, it's already done."
Ox nodded calmly.
But before Ivankov and Inazuma could breathe a sigh of relief, they heard Ox's subsequent words.
"If possible—treat Magellan inside LV6 a bit, and bring him some food every day."
As his words fell, Ivankov instantly widened his eyes, and even Inazuma's expression became somewhat stiff.
"...Ma... Magellan?"
"!? That guy is still in Impel Down?"
"Hiss, now that you mention it... I did hear he seemed to have had a huge argument with the Government guys..."
"But why treat him?"
"That guy's ability, you'd die just getting close to him, right?"
As long-time prisoners of Impel Down, they naturally had a natural dread towards Magellan.
"Don't worry."
But at this time, Ox merely said softly: "He has already fulfilled his final duty, as a 'jailer' he has already died—now he is only a 'prisoner' waiting to watch the future, there won't be any danger."
"Wait for the final decisive battle to begin, Dragon will come to pick you guys up."
While speaking, Ox didn't continue explaining.
On his body, starlight slowly dissipated, and his figure was also canceling the "descent", returning back to Alan's appearance.
And at the very end, his gaze looked far away towards a high place, as if he could see through this barrier of Impel Down towards that distant Red Line.
"Only the last machine left."