Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

As he spoke, the slime transformed into the form of a dragon, and with a splash of venom, it lunged at Sett.

Clenching his fist, Sett stared at the poison dragon whose jaws were wide open, ready to tear at him. His muscles bulged, and then, just as the dragon was about to strike, he unleashed a powerful punch. The punch missed the dragon, instead concentrating on the air in front of him.

The brilliant golden Armament Haki exploded the moment it was swung, unleashing a surging shockwave that radiated outwards like a storm. The venomous dragon, which had been hurtling towards them, had its head shattered by the explosive force of the attack.

But the dragons themselves are lifeless. Under Magellan's control, the two broken dragon bodies rejoined, and then, just before Sett could throw another punch, they bit into Sett's body and pushed him towards the sea.

The instant Sett made contact with the venomous dragon, he felt a spasm in his muscles—a tingling, stinging sensation spreading from the fangs. He could feel that the slimy fangs hadn't managed to bite through Sett's body, but the complex toxins contained within didn't need to be ingested; mere contact was enough to produce an effect!

Losing his ability to retaliate in an instant, Sett's body turned a sickly deep purple. Stiff, Sett's feet gripped the ground firmly. Just before being shoved into the sea, with a writhing motion, Sett's muscles suddenly flushed a sickly red. Then, crushing the poison dragon with his bare hands, ignoring the spreading toxic gas, a sinister smile crept across Sett's lips: "Neurotoxin? Feels good!"

Looking at Sett, who had already been granted immunity, Magellan gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with disbelief—he was certain Sett had been poisoned. This was evident from the deep purple hue and stiff, spasming muscles that had just appeared on Sett's body. But now, he had returned to his original state.

In other words... Sett had completed the antibody production in just a few seconds!!

243·Leave

I don't know much about biology, but the meaning of antibody is obvious. It simply refers to a protective protein produced by the body in response to the stimulation of antigens.

Sett's physical strength is undeniable. Just like before, he didn't even need to concentrate much to pull the blade along with Sett, slamming and beating him like a willow branch. It's extremely difficult for a pure brute force attack to inflict effective damage on Sett... or rather, to achieve the level of seriously injuring Sett, one would need an attack at least as powerful as Shanks'.

Those capable of such attacks, in the One Piece forum's power ranking system, would at least be a Yonko's first mate or a near-admiral at the peak of their power level.

In terms of destructive power, Shiryu of the Rain's attack was commendable. The only problem was that Shiryu of the Rain made a common-sense mistake... In this world where resilience and endurance are paramount, it's common for battles between strong individuals to last for three consecutive days and nights without sleep. Therefore, Shiryu of the Rain's attack carried a somewhat probing characteristic, leaving room for maneuver. But unfortunately for him, Sett wasn't considering any prolonged battle—his formidable physical attributes and the high-quality energy stored in his organs, like a reactor, were enough for Sett to resurrect several times over.

In this situation, others certainly need to carefully allocate their energy to prepare for a prolonged battle. But for Sett, there's no need to consider how to allocate energy or coordinate his limbs—Sett only needs to consider one thing: maximizing energy output without harming himself. If necessary, he can even temporarily disregard "not harming himself" and simply pursue maximum energy output.

"Your poison is quite good."

Sett clicked his tongue and said, "Animal toxins, mycotoxins, plant toxins... and if you want to be more specific, there are muscle toxins, neurotoxins, and so on. Once you get infected with this kind of complex toxin, unless you extract the unique antibodies from your own body, a normal person will die in agony."

"..."

Hearing Sett slowly and methodically explain his poison, Magellan couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, Magellan's Venom-Venom Fruit was a liquefied form of poison, so his inner turmoil was not outwardly apparent.

It's certain that Sett's body has evolved antibodies... Magellan isn't unable to accept that his poison is ineffective, but he can't accept that it was effective just a moment ago, but in less than a few seconds, Sett had already completed the immunity.

It's important to understand that this isn't a single toxin found in nature. As the user of the Venom-Venom Fruit, Magellan can freely secrete highly lethal proteins, enzymes, polypeptides, and even fungi and bacteria. This complex toxin is something that even Magellan himself cannot completely avoid, spending at least ten hours a day in the toilet struggling to metabolize it.

While a single type of poison can be treated with antibodies readily available within Impel Down, this complex toxin is ineffective against even the readily available antibodies.

No wonder people often say Sett is the strongest person in the world… Magellan thought to himself. Because Sett's current state is less about developing antibodies and more about evolving. He's immune to his own complex toxins, meaning that over 90% of the poisons in this world will be ineffective against Sett in the future. Furthermore, because of these antibodies, Sett's blood is now like a legendary panacea… as long as the type of poison someone is afflicted with is among the toxins Magellan can produce, it will be easily neutralized.

The completion of antibody production means that 80% of Magellan's abilities are rendered useless. The reason for this 80% is simple: Magellan's physical prowess and—corrosive poison!

With a solemn gaze, Magellan's massive four-meter-tall frame exuded an aura of immense power. His fists clenched, he fixed his eyes on Sett, the venom surrounding him rapidly transforming, each drop resembling hot oil splashing onto snow.

A strange stench permeated the air, and the bluestone floor was visibly corroded, creating numerous tiny pits.

But before Magellan could prepare, Sett vanished abruptly with a loud bang. Almost simultaneously, as Sett disappeared, Magellan's upper body exploded into a spray of venom.

He didn't use Armament Haki, but purely muscular strength. Feeling that rapid power, Magellan's consciousness momentarily wavered. But after regaining his senses, he gritted his teeth and quickly restored his body to its original state. Unfortunately, before he could fully recover, Sett punched him again, shattering him into a spray of corrosive liquid.

Logia-type Devil Fruit users are immune to physical attacks when facing enemies without Armament Haki. However, as a price for elemental transformation, rebuilding their bodies requires a massive amount of stamina. In everyone's view, no matter how much Magellan regenerates, he is always instantly obliterated by Sett just before completion.

At first, Magellan was able to stand still, but later, with the constant and useless exhaustion, even Magellan had to kneel down to conserve his energy and recover more quickly.

In contrast, Sett's attacks have never slowed down in the slightest from the beginning. Anyone could see that after a few more hits, Magellan would probably exhaust all his energy, so exhausted that he wouldn't even have the strength to regenerate his body through elemental transformation before dying.

Just then, a cold light flashed through the air. Shiryu of the Rain stood up again without any intention of conserving his strength. He focused his mind and power into a single beam and, while Sett was beating Magellan with all his might, thrust his sword towards Sett's back and heart.

Clang!

As mentioned before, Shiryu of the Rain certainly had the ability to harm Sett. Just like now, the sharp blade pierced Sett's skin, but it was somewhat beyond Shiryu of the Rain's imagination. His hard bones and muscles reacted almost the instant the sword pierced through, and the blade was abruptly jammed into his flesh just centimeters away from his heart.

"It's no use. Even if my heart is pierced, I won't die."

As he spoke, Sett turned and threw a punch. He tried to dodge, but as a swordsman, Shiryu of the Rain found himself completely unable to pull the blade from Sett's body. Gripping the hilt tightly, in the instant his mind opened, his iron fist slammed down. In a split second, Sett's head, along with most of his chest cavity, shattered.

After a few shakes, the body collapsed with a muffled thud in front of the gates of Impel Down.

"You're too bloodthirsty. Maybe you should try to cultivate your character in your next life."

Sett flicked the blood off his hands in annoyance, his face full of disdain—the limit of Observation Haki is the ability to see a brief glimpse into the future, though it's just a legend and its veracity is unknown. However, given Fujitora's example, the ability to see the emotions and mental states of others is real.

After entering a berserk state, Sett's super-recovery wasn't limited to his physical body; his mental strength also experienced a massive boost. Add to that the enhancement from the sorcery potion…

In Sett's perception, Magellan was alright; he held firm to his principles and only faced Sett in the name of upholding his own justice. But Shiryu of the Rain was different; this guy was completely driven by his own killing intent.

Because of his berserk state, Sett was well aware of how terrible it was. Especially Shiryu of the Rain, who attacked without the slightest hesitation, his eyes filled with a ferocity and malice that almost materialized. Instead of restraining his own desires, Sett actively indulged in them, like oil being burned in a furnace.

In the brief moment that Sett shattered Shiryu of the Rain, Magellan finally regained his strength. However, unlike before, Magellan was now covered in a layer of poisonous sweat. He was soaking wet, looking as if he had just been pulled from the sea. Exhausted, weak, and unable to even stand, he could only kneel there, his gaze towards Shiryu of the Rain carrying a hint of heaviness—although Shiryu was a death row inmate, at least a moment ago they had fought side-by-side.

And now, dying without any power to resist, it's absolutely impossible not to feel a sense of shared sorrow...

Looking at the soldiers beside him, though terrified, they knew exactly what they were protecting. For a moment, though their faces were filled with panic, their hands still gripped their weapons tightly, shielding Sett.

"It's a shame you're serving as dogs for the World Government."

Sett spoke casually, then unleashed his Conqueror's Haki. The explosive burst of spiritual power tore through the sky, and one after another, the bellies of the Sea Kings in the already turbulent sea rose to the surface. The ordinary soldiers within were instantly knocked unconscious, and the once densely packed jailers were reduced to a handful of Impel Down officers. Behind Sett, Magellan, already exhausted from recovering his strength, felt his limbs weaken again due to the effect of "Contempt," and was directly overwhelmed by the Conqueror's Haki and forced to the ground.

"Stop it!!!"

From the nearby Proverb battleship came Judge's somewhat impatient voice: "The situation is too turbulent, if this continues I'll have to land!!"

"Let's just go." Hearing this, Sett waved his hand dismissively. "I'm going to have some fun here..."

As if remembering something, Sett added, "Keep that agent here; we need someone to do things with!"

Upon hearing this, Rob Lucci, who had been somewhat relieved that he hadn't been discovered by the prison guards, suddenly felt dizzy.

244. Prisoner Riot

Somewhat shocked by Sett's Proverb warship, Magellan, already exhausted and writhing in pain, suddenly felt dizzy upon seeing Rob Lucci slowly climbing down the ship's rope ladder.

Not only Magellan, but also the other officers of Impel Down stared at Lucci with grim expressions. Others might not know, but as a secret organization of the World Government, Impel Down was no stranger to CP9. After all, unlike the Navy, CP9 handled almost all of its prisoners through Impel Down.

And now...

"So it was you who lured Sett here?!"

Although he didn't speak, Lucci felt everyone's gaze and knew he needed to carefully consider what he should do next... At least, after this incident, no matter how he explained, the World Government would see it as him bringing Sett to Impel Down, especially after killing his superior, Spandam.

Antuo Island is isolated from the World Government, and even spies haven't had a chance to infiltrate it. Under these circumstances, only Kaku and his group know the true situation. However, as his teammates who acted alongside him, now that their commander Spandam is dead, they seem to have escaped unscathed… Indeed, Lucci and the others were educated in ideological awareness—the "dark justice" instilled by the World Government specifically to cultivate the Black Gloves. But now, faced with a life-threatening situation, the need for survival quickly consumes most of Lucci's thinking.

"Go to bed early. If you need anything, call ahead and someone will come pick you up."

The purpose of their expedition was largely to demonstrate the existence of the Prophet warships. In addition, it was also to test the Prophet warships' speed and other performance characteristics in real-world scenarios. Currently, it appears that the Prophet warships are ready for mass production and widespread deployment.

Watching the Prophet warship rapidly ascend above the clouds, Magellan's lips moved, but he ultimately remained silent and lowered his head. Magellan now completely understood why the World Government hadn't made a single move when Sett arrived. If it were only a few hundred meters or a thousand meters above the sea, it would be barely visible. But six thousand meters above the clouds… without any preparation and without any understanding of "air superiority," detecting it was far too difficult.

At the same time, Magellan was well aware that with air superiority, Antuo Island would become the most threatening entity in the world... However, due to limitations in his understanding, Magellan could not be certain just how significant this impact would be.

Arriving at the prison, Sett's gaze was nonchalant. Although Sett was alone, no one would believe he was at a disadvantage... not to mention, the body of the executioner, Shiryu of the Rain, still lay bleeding nearby.

"Chief... what's next...?"

Looking at Sett beside him, Domino, the deputy warden who had replaced Shiryu of the Rain, was filled with worry. Anyone with a discerning eye knew that with Sett's strength, Impel Down was utterly incapacitated. Moreover, Sett hadn't come to Impel Down to release the prisoners, but to avenge his teacher—avenging his teacher seemed insignificant compared to attacking Impel Down itself. But let's not forget, in this chaotic era, there's never a shortage of romantics. To them, Sett's actions were actually admirable… at least, knowing the whole story, and even though they knew Sett's actions weren't good, Magellan couldn't bring himself to dislike him.

The Sin Army Project… it sounds impressive, but as the warden of Impel Down, the deep-sea prison, doesn't Magellan know the true nature of these pirates? Don't be fooled by Shiryu of the Rain's death sentence; the real reason for it was killing his comrades. If it were just killing pirates, he'd only be put in solitary confinement. Or, if he were sentenced to death simply for killing a few pirates, even the prison guards would likely be resentful—Imperial Down is a suffocating and oppressive environment, and beating criminals for amusement is commonplace. These criminals are all deserving of death, and it's only because the World Government is wary of this and that that they haven't been killed. But otherwise, it doesn't matter what happens.

Magellan glanced at Sett's retreating figure, his lips twitching slightly. He sighed and said, "That's all we can do... His goal is just to kill a few pirates. Let him do it. The World Government shouldn't blame us."

Hearing Magellan's words, Domino nodded in understanding. Sett's power was undeniable, and Impel Down had put up as much resistance as possible. The death of Shiryu of the Rain, among other things, had been recorded. Furthermore, given the betrayal of World Government agents CP9, at least the Five Elders wouldn't overly pursue the matter with Magellan. If they were to investigate, even Im was nearly killed by Sett's headbutt. The blame for their incompetence wouldn't fall on them.

"Let's get back to work."

Upon hearing Magellan's words, the jailers exchanged glances, then simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief, and scattered like birds. Faint whispers could still be heard among them.

"Sett seems even stronger than in the video. Even if Commissioner Magellan were comparable to those admirals, he wouldn't be inferior in the slightest, right? Yet he didn't even have the power to put up a fight..."

"More than that," the jailers murmured. "I don't think Sett used his full strength. I remember in the video, even Admiral Akainu couldn't withstand the laser beam from Sett's eyes, and the Red Line was torn to pieces."

"That's right, and Sett didn't even use Armament Haki when he attacked our warden, otherwise our warden would have been dead already!"

"Sett doesn't seem like a bad person to me... he hasn't hurt us at all."

Upon hearing the guard's words, Magellan's face darkened, but the other guards nodded in agreement: "Indeed, I've heard that Sett studied with Admiral Zeff for a period of time. We've imprisoned a pirate who killed Admiral Zeff's student here, so I feel that Sett's revenge is justified."

“Of course they’re right!” another jailer said. “These kinds of people are the most annoying and deserve to die. I don’t know why those adults keep them around; they’re wasting food. I’ve also heard about some kind of convict army plan, something about making them…”

"Alright! Stop gossiping about the World Government's decision behind their backs!" Magellan finally snapped, unable to bear it any longer. "Go do your own thing!!" Who knows what kind of mess these audacious guys would make if they kept talking...

Hearing their warden's reprimand, the guards dared not utter a word and scattered like birds in flight. However, this was only on the surface; no one knew what they truly thought…

Seeing this, Magellan knew he couldn't control what others thought. He didn't intend to confront Sett, this troublesome fellow, so he simply returned to his small office, picked up a Den Den Mushi, and began reporting the situation to the World Government… Anyway, they had done what they could; the rest was up to the World Government to decide.

As for fighting inside Impel Down… let's forget about that. Having witnessed Sett's terrifying power, Magellan had no doubt that Sett's full power could easily tear Impel Down apart. At that point, even one escaped pirate from the lower ranks would mean the fate of hundreds or thousands. If Sett's goal was simply to kill Zeff's enemies and the Sinister Army's plan, then frankly, Magellan would be more than happy if Sett were to be ruthless when he struck.

Speaking of which... where did Hannibal go?

Stroking his chin, Magellan quickly realized that the deputy director, who was so eager to steal the credit for the unknown beneath him, hadn't appeared at all... Something wasn't right. That guy was practically glued to his mistakes, desperate to grab the credit and become the director himself. His absence at such a critical moment was rather unusual...

Although Hannibal was extremely enthusiastic about his position as warden, Magellan was not angry. Magellan knew very well that Hannibal's enthusiasm for the position was just a facade; he had never been absent from important matters such as the attack on Impel Down... and more importantly, in a place like Impel Down, it made little difference whether he was the warden or not.

And now...

Just as Magellan was still wondering, the Den Den Mushi next to him suddenly rang, followed by Domino's tense voice: "It's terrible! Chief! The prisoners in the sixth level of Infinite Hell have started an escape riot!!!"

"What?!!!"

Upon hearing Domino's tense words, Magellan, who had been slumped in his chair looking somewhat tired, suddenly stood up straight, his eyes filled with solemnity—the group of people in the Infinite Hell were not comparable to the "small criminals" in the upper levels who had only killed a few people.

Those guys, every single one of them, are utterly wicked! Even serial killers seem as innocent as blank sheets of paper in their presence!

And now, they've all broken out of prison? And at this time—Magellan's gaze narrowed, and he forced himself to stand up, asking, "What's the situation now?"

"The fifth level has been breached! Deputy Commissioner Hannibal is currently guarding the gates between the fifth and fourth levels. However, at this rate, even Deputy Commissioner Hannibal won't be able to hold out for long!!!"

Domino was speaking somewhat nervously, but before she could finish, a large hand suddenly snatched the phone from her hand.

"A prisoner riot? That sounds like a good idea."

Accompanied by Sett's familiar, flamboyant tone, Magellan felt strangely at ease on the other end of the phone.

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It's getting colder, so I'm getting up late. I'll probably make 6k these days... finding a parking spot is a real hassle.

245. Hannibal

Impel Down, the underwater prison.