"Promotion…?"
Hannyabal froze on the spot.
"Wait—don't tell me… Magellan's time is almost up and he wants to hand you the warden's seat?
Damn it! I was here first!"
"Listen carefully, Chief Warden!"
Ian flicked his right hand, and bright white clay surged into a chain, yanking Hannyabal directly to him.
"I'm not interested in being warden!
I went to see Magellan because I want to take over Sadi-chan's job—
I want to manage the Jailer Beasts!"
Hearing that, Hannyabal let out a long breath of relief.
But he still couldn't help complaining:
"For something this minor, why'd you go straight to Magellan!?"
"Minor?"
Ian raised an eyebrow.
"I'm a man destined to become Warden of Impel Down!"
Even while mummified inside a cocoon of clay, Hannyabal's tone was still outrageously bold.
"It's just looking after the Jailer Beasts, right?
I'll handle it!"
Whether Hannyabal's words carried any weight—Ian had no idea.
But after a very satisfying lunch, with his stomach full and spirit refreshed, Ian stepped into the elevator bound for Level 2—Beast Hell.
Whether Hannyabal could "promote" him was questionable.
But Magellan's official appointment absolutely held authority.
Ian was now the Jailer Chief of both Red-Hot Hell (Level 1) and Beast Hell (Level 2).
And the first task of any new supervisor was naturally—beating up—
cough
Meeting one's subordinates.
Unlike the fiery landscape of Level 1,
Level 2 had no natural scenery at all—only endless cages, towering corridors, and—
A deafening chorus of roars and wails.
"ROOOAAAR—!!"
"AOOOOW—!!"
The moment Ian stepped out of the elevator, he was blasted by a wall of sound.
Any ordinary man would've collapsed on the spot.
"So noisy…"
Ian casually dug at his ear and strolled onward toward the Jailer Office.
He planned to fetch a prisoner list—very important for his soon-to-begin Treasure Chest Hunting Program.
But before he even made it far—
A rush of chaotic footsteps echoed from the dark corridor ahead.
Along with furious shouting:
"KEYS!!"
"GIVE ME THE KEYS!!"
Ian stopped. His brows knit.
He glanced at the surveillance Den Den Mushi in the corner.
A jailbreak? In Beast Hell?
Then why hadn't the monitoring room reported anything?
Ian's stance shifted—prepared for battle.
Moments later, the "escapees" finally appeared.
But instead of prisoners in striped jumpsuits—
A pack of monstrous lion-headed humanoids came charging toward him!
Level 2—Beast Hell.
Jailer beasts.
The Sphinx.
Ian recognized them instantly.
The Sphinx saw him at the same moment.
Actually—they had smelled him first, which was exactly why they came barreling down the corridor.
Now that they'd found the source of the unfamiliar scent, the entire pack roared and sprinted toward him.
But the things they yelled—
…were bizarre.
"BOXERS! BOXERS!!"
"Loincloth! LOINCLOTH!!"
Ian's expression blacked instantly.
"What on earth have these Sphinxes been learning!?"
Sure, they had human faces and could speak,
but their intelligence was only slightly higher than the blue gorillas of Level 1.
They could parrot human speech.
Meaning completely optional.
"Swimming monkeys on Level 1, talking lion-faces on Level 2…"
Ian inhaled, his skin turning jet-black with a metallic sheen.
"What kind of monsters live in this place?"
"TEKKAI!"
(Iron Body!)
The Sphinx pack closed in.
Ian could already see his reflection in their pupils.
The fastest Sphinx reared back on its hind legs and brought down a massive paw like a sledgehammer.
BOOM!!
Its strike landed dead center on Ian's torso—
but instead of flesh, the paw hit steel.
Crack!
A crisp, horrifying snap echoed.
The Sphinx's paw twisted backward at an impossible angle.
"ROOOWW!!"
It collapsed, shrieking.
One down.
More pounced.
But—
Waves of beasts
against an unshakable rock.
Moments later—
The entire pack lay sprawled on the floor, groaning and rolling in pain.
Some had broken paws, some shattered teeth.
Not one had broken through Ian's Tekkai.
The harder they hit him,
the worse they got hurt.
"Hah… honestly, they're no stronger than the blue gorillas."
Ian relaxed his stance and tugged at his slightly rumpled uniform.
Then he spread his fingers—
Clay surged.
Several millstone-sized white fists formed around him.
"Clay Rain!"
He clenched his hand—
And each giant fist smashed down precisely on a Sphinx head.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Like tapping ripe watermelons.
Every last Sphinx that attacked him was knocked out cold.
[Silver Chest: Sphinx] ×9
Ian dusted himself off and looked again at the Den Den Mushi in the corner.
Then he shouted:
"Jailer of Beast Hell!
Come collect your stray cats!"
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