A terrifying pressure clashed and intertwined in the air, black lightning snapping through the void.
The once-still atmosphere rippled violently, making the clothes on Longinus's body tremble ever so slightly.
The clatter of chains echoed restlessly, accompanied by the savage, deranged laughter of prisoners—sounds that filled this deadened space.
But their laughter died quickly.
The new face walking calmly down the corridor in an Impel Down officer's uniform did not so much as blink at their blasts of Haoshoku Haki.
His gaze swept over them with the detached pity one reserved for idiots.
"Not bad, kid… at least better than— guahhh!"
A pirate tilted his head mockingly—
—but Longinus struck without expression.
A single Rankyaku flashed.
The slicing force, sharp enough to shear steel, reduced the pirate's arm to a mist of blood and shredded flesh.
The entire corridor fell silent.
None expected this unfamiliar newcomer to be so ruthless.
But then again—
in a place like Impel Down, anyone soft would be eaten alive.
"Since you're prisoners, know your place."
"Bastard! I'll kill you! I swear I'll kill you!"
The one-armed pirate didn't cower; instead, he snarled like a beast, "Don't think this level of intimidation scares me! Anyone afraid of dying wouldn't have become a pirate in the first place!"
His roar rekindled the others' bravado.
"Little brat still wet behind the ears—this is your big trick? Pathetic!"
"Death isn't a threat to a real pirate!"
"Just wait till the day we get out of here. When that happens—!"
Their curses cut off abruptly.
The first pirate toppled to the floor, skull pierced clean through by Shigan, dead before he knew it.
"As you wish," Longinus said gently.
He smiled—warm, springlike.
But in the eyes of the prisoners, it was the smile of a demon.
"To be honest, I wasn't trying to threaten you. You lot aren't even worth the effort."
The sea of agitated pirates suddenly grew cold and quiet.
If they truly feared nothing, why cling to life in this prison?
Humans all hunger for survival. All wait for their miracle—
and the Golden Lion had already proven a miracle could happen.
Longinus ignored them and continued deeper inside.
Waiting ahead was an elderly man who, despite his unhealed wounds and the tons of seastone chains weighing him down, carried himself with elegance and unshakable pride—as though he were the true master of this place.
"'Red Count'… Baroric Redfield," Longinus said softly.
Redfield lifted his eyes briefly, gaze cold and indifferent.
To him, this youthfully handsome face was far too young—far too irrelevant—to warrant attention.
At this point in time, he had yet to develop the crippling fear of aging he would have twenty years later.
Longinus said nothing.
He simply watched him.
Time trickled by.
A minute.
Ten minutes.
A hundred minutes…
Even someone as aloof as the Red Count felt his scalp tingle.
He knew too well that his own wickedly charming appearance attracted certain… perverse obsessions.
And prison was the perfect breeding ground for perverts.
This guy wouldn't be…?
The thought actually made Redfield's complexion pale.
He did not fear pain.
He did not fear death.
But being humiliated by human filth like that was absolutely intolerable.
"…What exactly are you staring at?" Redfield finally snapped.
"You," Longinus answered gently.
A terrible answer.
Redfield's skin crawled.
He hadn't felt this hopeless even on the day he was imprisoned.
"I— I warn you! You'd better drop whatever filthy ideas you have right now or— or— I'll kill you!"
Longinus narrowed his eyes slightly.
So even someone like the Red Count can't block my reading when unguarded and emotionally unstable…
Makes sense.
In this pirate world, few cultivate anything related to the soul. My soul was already three times that of a normal person at birth. Add the feedback from the Seven-Star Sword… and my spiritual strength eclipses people on my level—and even monsters like the Red Count aren't immune when caught off guard.
Of course, his injuries and the emotional turmoil I deliberately stirred helped.
His Observation Haki differs from mine, though.
I surpass him in hearing the "voice of the heart," while he can read far deeper memories through physical contact… which is exactly what I want.
"Lord Red Count, I mean no harm," Longinus said warmly.
"I've only heard that your Observation Haki can listen to the heart… even read memories. I was curious, that's all."
"So that's what you're after?"
Redfield exhaled in relief—
—but something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Longinus's words reminded him of something crucial.
"Because I heard too much filth and ugliness, I sealed away my Observation Haki long ago… but fine. Let me see exactly what you're after."
Redfield unleashed his Haki, letting it spread freely.
Voices flooded into him.
"So boring! I wanna kill someone!"
"Almost… almost… these seastone chains loosened again…"
"That little pretty boy— did he go to visit that old handsome Red Count? If I ever get out again, I'm definitely grabbing both to be my toy boys!"
"Such… such filth!"
Redfield shook with rage, even his whiskers trembling.
It was precisely because he'd heard far too many things he never wanted to hear that he'd become withdrawn—convinced he could accomplish anything alone.
"No… something's wrong."
"Why is it that the person closest to me… is the only one I can't hear?"
For the first time, Redfield looked at Longinus with genuine gravity.
"No wonder you asked about it… your Observation Haki is just as terrifying!"
"But it's useless!"
Redfield snorted coldly.
"This ability is my innate gift—my talent by birth. You will never learn it."
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