Chapter 62: The Coolest Man in Impel Down
He doesn't know me!
Why is he acting so familiar if he doesn't even know who I am?
I'm the Deputy Warden of Impel Down! Don't I have any reputation in the Marines?
Hannyabal's mind raced. Considering Ian's relatively short time at Headquarters, it was plausible he might not know all the key figures in Impel Down.
"My humble name is Hannyabal," he declared, puffing out his chest. "Deputy Warden of Impel Down. Due to Warden Magellan's... unique physical condition, he is unable to work most of the time. In fact, all matters within Impel Down, big and small, are managed by me!"
"I see," Ian replied smoothly. "Warden Magellan is a user of the Doku Doku no Mi. He suffers from its side effects daily and needs time to rest and adjust. I've heard about that before."
Of course, Ian recognized such a distinctive appearance. Hannyabal was precisely the type to boast openly and secretly, desperate for outsiders to know just how much work he really did. More importantly... what was with the massive fork? Trying to intimidate him? Trying to look impressive in front of Ian? Not a chance.
"Ahem, let me introduce the two people behind me..." Hannyabal began, but Ian stepped forward before he could finish.
He cheerfully extended a friendly hand to a petite, slender blonde official. The woman wore a brown jacket and shorts over a white shirt and black tie. Her hat was tilted, obscuring her right eye, leaving only a pair of reddish-brown sunglasses visible. The most striking feature was the pair of red high-heeled boots on her long legs.
"This elegant and capable female officer must be Deputy Warden Domino, right?" Ian said with a charming smile. "I've heard your name before. You're known as one of the two most beautiful officers in Impel Down. Thank you for your hard work. Have you been waiting here long?"
Hannyabal: "???"
Ian naming Domino's identity so directly left her slightly flustered. "N-Not long at all, Major General Ian. You truly are, as the papers say, a handsome and talented young man." Blushing, she returned the compliment.
Hannyabal awkwardly stepped between them, gesturing toward the other woman. "Major General Ian, let me introduce you to this—"
Ian was quicker, repeating his maneuver. The other female officer wore a striking, peach-colored, tight-fitting, hollowed-out leather jacket. Her long, kumquat-colored hair had bangs that covered her eyes. Her slender, upright figure held a unique charm.
"And this must be the other renowned beauty of Impel Down, Little Sadie, correct?" Ian said, turning his charm on her. "I'd heard there was a charismatic head jailer on Level 4. With a red devil's whip in hand, she maintains perfect discipline among the prisoners. Seeing you today, you're even more captivating than the rumors suggested. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Not only that, but her weapon was a whip, and she enjoyed disciplining people... She reminded Ian of a certain acquaintance.
Little Sadie reacted much like Domino. She excitedly tossed her black trident to the ground and grasped Ian's strong hands with both of hers. "Major General Ian! No, no, that's too much praise, uh-huh! But you, Major General Ian... you are so tall, so handsome, so sturdy, and so strong!" Looking up at Ian, Little Sadie seemed to fall into a blissful trance as she spoke.
Hannyabal: "???"
So he knows everyone else!
Just not me?
Am I that invisible in Impel Down?
"Is this Major General Jock Ian? He's so down-to-earth!"
"A Major General at such a young age, and the commander of a key strategic base, yet so approachable. I really admire him."
"After reading the newspaper reports, I thought he'd be some particularly cruel young officer. It seems you can't believe everything you read in the papers!"
Seeing Ian's pleasant and charismatic demeanor, the jailers began whispering amongst themselves.
Speed stood obediently to the side, desperately wanting to grab these jailers by the ears and scream:
He IS brutal!
Everything in the papers is TRUE!
You'll know once you cross him!
"Major General Ian? Major General Ian?" Hannyabal, having been completely upstaged, had to interrupt. "Ahem... shall we proceed inside and begin the prisoner registration?"
"No problem," Ian replied cheerfully. "Thank you for leading the way, Deputy Section Chief."
"It's Deputy Warden, Major General Ian!" Hannyabal felt his composure cracking.
Ian remounted his steed. "Giddy up!"
Hannyabal: "..."
Couldn't you walk? Did you have to ride a person—or a horse—inside?
This is too much! Even more over-the-top than I am!
The atmosphere during the prisoner registration and handover process inside was no longer as relaxed as it had been at the gate. The levels of Impel Down above sea level held no prisoners. All inmates were categorized by their danger level and sent to different underground floors. Before being imprisoned, every prisoner had to pass through an iron gate for "prisoner baptism."
The so-called "baptism" involved throwing the new prisoners into boiling water at 100 degrees Celsius to "sterilize and disinfect" them.
"Gyah! Are you kidding me?! Is this how you disinfect?!"
"It's burning! It hurts! Get me out!"
"Don't lock me up! Can't I just stop being a pirate? Aaaahhh!"
No matter how stubborn or tough-talking a pirate was, they were completely broken by this process. Watching her former comrades and subordinates being thrown into the scalding water one by one, hearing their successive screams, Speed's four legs trembled, growing weak with fear.
"Little horse, don't you think I've been good to you?" Ian scratched Speed's neck playfully. "Being my mount gets you an exemption from the 'baptism.' A hundred degrees, tsk tsk tsk. With your delicate skin and tender flesh, do you think you could handle it?"
"No, I definitely couldn't handle it!" Speed stammered, utterly terrified. "Thank you, Major General Ian! I... could I always be your mount? Please, could you not lock me up here?"
Speed was completely broken. It's only when faced with the permanent loss of freedom that one truly regrets the mistakes they've made.
Ian stroked Speed's mane and said calmly, "Alas, it's too late for that, little horse. If you do wrong or choose the wrong path, you must bear the consequences."