Starting as a pirate, he rose to become the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society.

Chapter 175 Darkness, and Glory!

Magellan was stunned by Bane's words.

Not only him, but Garp and the others also looked completely bewildered.

Can you do this?

After a moment, Magellan came to his senses, and then a troubled look appeared on his face as he said, "Lieutenant General Bane, your idea is truly eye-opening, but how should I put it, Impelton's prisoners are, after all,... I'm afraid I can't make the decision on this matter."

"Then who can make that decision?" Bane raised an eyebrow.

"Marshal, yes, if you approve this plan, we can certainly cooperate. However, it must be within a reasonable range. Considering the impact, I think it would be best to select prisoners with lighter sentences from this range," Magellan said after a moment's thought.

Serious criminals cannot be released casually, especially since they are generally powerful. If things are not handled properly and they escape control and become criminals who endanger public safety again, Magellan would really feel bad.

"Of course." Bane nodded without hesitation. "What I need are hardworking and reliable laborers, not some convict army. If it can be implemented at that time, Impelton Prison can choose suitable prisoners for labor export on its own. I will not interfere in any way."

Magellan certainly knew better than Bane which prisoners in the prison were suitable for being sent out to do work.

After a slight pause, Bane chuckled and said, "If you have no objections, Director Magellan, I'll go back to headquarters and think about it some more. I have a very close relationship with Sakazuki, and once he becomes a field marshal, I'll ask him to approve this plan for me."

Upon hearing this, Garp said with great dissatisfaction, "Don't talk like Sakazuki is destined to become a marshal. Kuzan might not even lose."

"I have a good relationship with Admiral Kuzan too," Bane shrugged, too lazy to argue with Garp.

Sakazuki himself seemed to want to establish a relationship with Bane, and Bane had also clearly supported Sakazuki becoming a marshal. After he took office, talking to him about this matter should not be a big problem.

After all, this idea is a bit outrageous, but upon closer examination, it is indeed feasible.

Sakazuki isn't the kind of man who cares about the lives of pirates. As long as Bane can guarantee that these pirates won't "get lost" at sea, Sakazuki probably won't refuse.

As for whether it will be lost to the sea, we won't consider that for now, but as for the project of building the Secret Realm Melviu, that's definitely not a problem.

Once you're up there, don't expect to come down easily. If you insist on freedom, Bane won't stop you. Just jump off the island. If you survive, consider yourself lucky!

I'll write you a Shawshank Redemption story later.

Without much discussion, and after confirming that there were no problems with the orders from headquarters, Magellan quickly cooperated. He led Bane and the others out of his office, took the internal elevator, and headed towards the sixth floor.

"Since Skeeter escaped from our prison years ago, it has been a disgrace to Impel Down. However, due to the nature of our work, we have been unable to do anything about Skeeter. Not long ago, when we heard that Lieutenant General Bane had killed Skeeter in the New World, many of us in Impel Down were very excited and thrilled. I am personally very grateful as well," Magellan said, standing in the elevator.

When Shiki escaped from prison, he was the deputy warden. Because of this incident, the original warden was dismissed, and Magellan became the new warden of the Great Penitentiary, a position he holds to this day.

Although he rose to power because of Shiki, he still deeply hated Shiki. Now that he heard that Shiki had been killed by Bane, he was extremely happy.

That's why he had a very good impression of Bane; otherwise, he wouldn't have even considered the plan Bane mentioned earlier to import pirates, and would have rejected it outright.

After the elevator reached the bottom floor, the door opened, and Magellan stepped out first, then stood in front of the first cell door on the sixth floor.

"Have you reflected on your actions during this time?" Magellan asked the figure in the cell in a deep voice.

Unlike the other prisoners, the people in this cell were treated like they were on vacation. The room, which should have been dark, was brightly lit and furnished with furniture such as sofas and coffee tables. On the coffee table, you could even see unfinished steak and red wine, as well as half-smoked cigars in the ashtray.

The person sitting on that sofa was none other than Sirius, the warden of Impel Down.

He was still wearing Impelton's uniform, but his weapons had been confiscated, and he was symbolically shackled as he sat on the sofa reading a book.

Upon hearing Magellan's question, he put down the book in his hand, raised his head with a gloomy gaze, glanced at Bane and the others, then looked at Magellan again, a smirk playing on his lips, and said arrogantly, "Stop showing off your hypocrisy, Magellan. Aren't you the most vicious executioner in this great prison?"

"I don't deny these things, but at least I won't take pleasure in torturing and killing prisoners without cause. Shiliu, if you continue like this, you will only fall into a more terrible abyss and eventually become one with these damned prisoners. At that time, I will have no choice but to kill you." Magellan said in a similarly gloomy tone.

"Ha," Shiryu sneered, then said, "Become one with them? You know perfectly well that we are not much different from the prisoners in this great prison; we are all pitiful creatures trapped here to die, aren't we?"

Due to the special nature of their work, staff members in the large prison are prohibited from leaving unless they have a long leave. However, the higher up in the prison, the heavier the responsibility they bear. How could Magellan and Shiryu, who held such positions, possibly take a leave of absence at will?

What if problems arise at the prison while they are on leave?

So Magellan hadn't taken a vacation for many years. Just as Shiliu said, apart from the living conditions here, he was no different from these prisoners; they were all pitiful creatures trapped here to die.

"It's a pity. It seems that the beliefs you once held have been shattered by the filth here all these years." Magellan was unaffected by Shiryu's words, a resolute glint in his eyes. "We are not pitiful creatures. The reason we hold this position is because this is the front line for maintaining peace and stability on the sea. Only by suppressing these sinners here can the people of the sea sleep peacefully and welcome the new sunrise. Although I cannot see the sun here, I can feel its warmth in my heart every day."

"That's right!" Hannibal stood beside Magellan, speaking firmly, "If even we can't hold firm to our beliefs, how can the people of the sea face themselves? The navy fights on the front lines, aren't we? Though this place is dark, it is also a place of honor!"

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

A complex look flashed in Shiryu's eyes, but soon his gaze turned irritable again. He snorted coldly and said, "Do whatever you want to comfort yourselves. Magellan, you are right about one thing: this is indeed an abyss. I look forward to seeing you gradually sink into this abyss, but helplessly trying to climb out."

Bane stood not far away watching this scene, without getting involved.

But he also had some feelings. The world's governments may have become so bad that they were beyond redemption, but this great ship that had sailed on the sea for eight hundred years was indeed full of people who firmly upheld their beliefs and were worthy of respect.

This was true of Impelton, and it was true of the Navy.

But that's precisely why Bane didn't want to watch them gradually decay and sink with the great ship, sinking into the abyss.

Initially, his desire to build a new navy stemmed from ambition, and he didn't consider many other factors. But at this moment, Bane suddenly felt that even if it wasn't for himself, rebuilding a large ship capable of sailing in the new era and bringing these admirable people from that decaying ship was actually a very meaningful thing.

Without lingering long in front of Shiryu's cell, Magellan quickly led Bane and the others on their way.

Walking down the dark, damp corridor, Magellan suddenly spoke up: "I'm sorry, this is a problem that has arisen within our Great Prison. I apologize for the embarrassing situation, Lieutenant General Bane."

Upon hearing this, Bane shook his head seriously and said, "No, this is not a funny thing. On the contrary, what you two said just now, Commissioner Magellan and Deputy Commissioner Hannibal, has been quite enlightening."

Karp remarked with some emotion, "That's right. Impelton is also fighting on this sea, on the front lines of upholding justice. Though it's dark here, it's also a place of honor!"

After a slight pause, he looked at Magellan and Hannibal and said, "You people who can uphold your beliefs of justice in the darkness are more worthy of respect than us sailors."

(End of this chapter)