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"Fleet Admiral Akira, I have brought the Munch-Munch Fruit user you requested."
Magellan's voice echoed through the hallway.
Akira subconsciously looked past him to the wild and towering pirate behind him.
The Munch-Munch Fruit user, Hal Acheson!
He had once been a candidate for the Marine Admiral test and was one of the infamous pirates capable of standing alongside those like Bullet and Byrnndi World.
Back then, he was assigned to Borsalino not just because of his notoriety, but more importantly, due to his fruit ability.
The ability to consume anything, turning it into a part of his body or synthesizing something new, was impressive.
Not only that, but he could also devour parts of his own body, altering his size to become thinner or stronger at will.
Becoming thinner enhanced his speed, while getting bulkier increased his strength and defense.
Of course, this alone wasn't enough to pique Akira's interest, which is why he sent Borsalino to target him.
After all, there were plenty of powerful Devil Fruit users in the sea.
The main reason Akira took notice was because the Munch-Munch Fruit had an even more terrifying power.
——It could swallow a Devil Fruit user and absorb their abilities without causing any harm to the user.
In other words, by consuming them, he could possess two or even multiple Devil Fruit powers without any need for a special body.
To be honest, Akira was shocked when he first saw it in the Devil Fruit encyclopedia a few years ago.
He finally understood why Blackbeard, in the original story, made a special trip to the impoverished Drum Island after arriving in the Grand Line.
This fruit was powerful, but also quite broken.
Hal Acheson had used this ability to rise to infamy on the seas.
"Thanks, Magellan."
Akira stepped forward and grabbed the chain holding Hal Acheson.
Magellan's expression remained blank, and with a faint nod, he turned and headed back toward his office without saying another word.
Now that he was no longer just a deputy director, but the Director of Impel Down, with a rank equal to the Marine Fleet Admiral in the World Government's hierarchy, there was no need for him to act subservient to Akira.
Even if Magellan appeared indifferent or tough, it wouldn't be a problem.
After all, there was a long-standing divide between the Marines and Impel Down, an obstacle that hadn't been fully bridged.
Although Impel Down had caused most of these issues themselves.
Within the Marines, if anyone understood Magellan best, it was Sakazuki.
If they weren't careful, the tension between the two organizations could escalate to full-blown conflict.
Magellan had no interest in supporting Fleet Admiral Akira's personal whims.
Taking the great pirates of Eternal Hell out for sparring? If that wasn't self-serving, what was?
Akira watched Magellan's retreating figure silently, his eyes narrowing slightly.
But he said nothing, waiting until Magellan was out of sight before turning away.
"Go in."
Akira led Hal Acheson into the icy depths of the fifth level, Freezing Hell.
"I've heard from others," Hal Acheson said, shaking off the untied seastone cuffs and rubbing his wrists in the snow. "You're looking for someone to spar with, to improve yourself, right?"
Akira stuffed his hands into his pockets, a slight smirk forming on his lips. He didn't respond, simply scanning Hal Acheson from head to toe.
Hal Acheson, despite his senses still being sharp, couldn't escape the ravages of time. His strength had once been formidable, but the wrinkles on his face and his frail appearance made it easy for others to underestimate him.
At over seventy years old, his vitality had severely declined, and it was clear he didn't have many years left.
To be honest, Akira wasn't particularly fond of him.
There were plenty of more capable candidates in Eternal Hell. The only reason Akira called him out was to avoid the hassle of Hal dying from old age or illness while imprisoned. If that happened, Akira would have to make a time-consuming trip to the Drum Kingdom to retrieve the Munch-Munch Fruit.
A waste of time and effort he wasn't willing to make.
Seeing that Akira remained silent, Hal Acheson assumed he was on the right track. He stroked his beard and continued arrogantly:
"If you want me to train with you, fine! But I have a few demands."
"In addition to arranging for women to serve me, I require three meals a day, complete with fish, meat, and three barrels of beer."
"I also need a daily newspaper."
As Hal Acheson rambled on, his voice growing louder despite the biting wind and snow, Akira didn't interrupt. He just smiled and listened quietly until Hal finally tired himself out.
"Alright, I agree to everything you've said," Akira responded.
Hal Acheson's eyes lit up with excitement. "Are you serious?"
Still a bit wary, he quickly added, "You're Fleet Admiral of the Marines—you can't deceive a prisoner like me."
"Of course," Akira replied smoothly, "but before we start sparring, I need you to do me a small favor."
"What's the rush?" Hal asked, confused, watching as Akira tapped his own forehead lightly with a finger.
Suddenly, a massive stone gate materialized in front of them.
The unexpected sight left Hal Acheson utterly shocked.
Even with all his experience, this was the first time Hal Acheson had encountered something like this.
As he stood there, Akira's voice broke through the eerie stillness:
"Step forward, place your hand on the stone door, and channel your power like you're using your Devil Fruit ability."
Hal Acheson frowned. To be honest, he didn't want to touch this strange stone door without knowing anything about it, nor did he feel safe doing so.
But he was a prisoner, and he knew he had no choice.
During his time in Impel Down, he had heard enough from the other pirates on the sixth floor about how powerful the Marine Fleet Admiral standing before him really was.
Even though the seastone shackles had been removed, escaping from this fortress seemed impossible. The iron walls of Impel Down were unyielding.
"Fine!" Hal Acheson sighed, resigned. He approached the stone door, hesitating for a moment before placing his hands on it.
After confirming that there was no immediate danger, he began to channel his strength and pushed against the door with all his might.
Buzz!
The moment his energy flowed into the stone, it suddenly lit up with a dazzling, multicolored glow.
In the bleak, snow-covered landscape of Freezing Hell, the stone door was the only thing illuminated, as if it were the only object that mattered in the world.
"It actually works!" Akira's pupils narrowed.
He realized something crucial—this stone door could absorb not just his own strength but the strength of others as well, expanding the gap it opened.
This discovery meant one thing: with enough people contributing their power, Akira could open the door faster.
And on the other side of that door? A higher world.
A world where advanced weapons could easily suppress even Im.