Multivers, Leveling Up in the World I Created

Chapter 277: 277 One Piece 41

"Newhalf Fist! Memoir of That Winter Sky!!!"

"Candle Jacket! Candle Rock! Candle Punch!!!"

Puk puk puk!

Yelp! Yelp!

Bentham attacked with strange ballet moves, spinning around. Galdino used his [Wax-Wax Fruit] ability to bind the military wolves with wax, then created large gloves around his fists and beat them mercilessly. Buggy also joined in, using his [Chop-Chop Fruit] ability to send his hands flying, grabbing the double‑bladed axes of the Blue Gorillas and swinging them at the wolves.

I wasn’t idle either — any wolf that came close was kicked away. For those at a distance, I took steel balls from my inventory and flicked them with my thumb.

Ping! Ping! Ping!

Pak! Pak! Pak!

The steel balls flew at tremendous speed, punching clean holes through the wolves’ foreheads. They collapsed dead without even realizing what had killed them.

After a long fight, we had taken down a considerable number of military wolves. Galdino and Bentham looked exhausted.

"Huff... the numbers have gone down a lot, right?"

"Exactly. I can finally see the end!"

"But we’ve killed quite a few — where are all the bodies disappearing to?"

"I think I saw other wolves dragging them away earlier..."

Whether Impel Down doesn’t feed the military wolves well, or their appetites are just that huge, the wolves kept dragging away the bodies of their fallen comrades. Only bloodstains remained, with few visible corpses.

After a bit more fighting, the wolves seemed to decide they had enough meat from their own dead and gradually withdrew, returning to their lairs. Seeing that, Bentham and the others finally sat down to catch their breath. Ace, on my back, seemed to have passed out as the poison worsened.

"Ha... finally over."

"That was tough."

I said to those resting, "Let’s move. If we rest any longer, our sweat will freeze and moving will become impossible."

They looked extremely reluctant, but they knew that staying drenched in sweat in this cold could freeze them to death, so they didn’t complain.

We dragged our tired bodies to the entrance of Level 5.5 that I had located with Observation Haki. It was a spot between trees, seemingly unremarkable. Galdino looked puzzled and asked, "Um... why are we here? If you came to set up a temporary base because the trees provide good cover, I can make one right away..."

I cut him off. "No. I didn’t come to set up a base."

I stomped on the floor a few times, then added a threatening tone, "I know you’re down there. If you don’t open up immediately, I’ll break through. Be prepared."

Suddenly, murmuring came from underground. The ground opened, revealing a ladder leading down. I gestured to Bentham and the others, who were watching in surprise, and climbed down.

Below stood Inazuma, one of the Revolutionary Army’s commanders, along with several men in strange outfits and fishnet stockings, all pointing weapons at us.

As we descended, one of the guards closed the entrance again.

"How did you find out about this place, Merchant King?"

Inazuma had half‑white, half‑orange hair and a long coat, like a character from a mecha anime. He wore sunglasses — even those were two different colors. In one hand, he held a glass of wine, which was unusual.

"I found it with Observation Haki. Aside from the prisoners and military wolves, I sensed other presences here."

"Th‑that’s impossible... We were quite far from where you were..."

Inazuma seemed not to believe me.

"No, it’s possible. Don’t assume others can’t do what you can’t."

Because I had taken out all the surveillance Den Den Mushi on the way here, Inazuma and his people had no idea of our actions. They were being quite uncooperative — the complete opposite of the original story, where they were moved by Luffy’s actions and helped him.

"Hmm... I see. Well, for someone strong enough to fight an Admiral and Magellan at the same time, I suppose that’s convincing enough."

Fortunately, they seemed to have seen my previous fight with Kizaru and Magellan through the surveillance snails. That might help communication.

"So why has someone as dangerous as you come here?"

"To treat and rest my companions. It’s too cold above. We plan to go further down. There are people we need to rescue."

Inazuma glanced at Ace on my back. "Your friend has been poisoned. Did he fight Magellan?"

"Yes. He won, but he was poisoned."

Inazuma and the others murmured in surprise. "He really defeated Magellan?"

"Yes. Magellan won’t be active for a while."

Inazuma thought for a moment, then said, "Not that we could stop you even if we tried. Come in."

I had considered just breaking through, but fortunately things were working out.

We followed Inazuma deeper inside. A massive hall appeared, filled with people in flashy outfits eating. When they saw me, they were shocked and began whispering.

"Gasp! It’s the Merchant King."

"The one who overwhelmed both a Navy Admiral and Magellan..."

"Wow~! He’s really handsome in person. Totally my type."

Bentham and the others were also amazed by the splendor of Newkama Land. The flashy lights, multiple disco balls hanging from the ceiling, various decorations, colorfully painted walls, and the people’s extravagant outfits clearly threw them off.

"Gasp!!! How does a place like this exist in Impel Down!!!"

"This is insane!!!"

"Are these people guards? What is this place..."

But unlike them, I was getting a headache.

Because I knew the truth of this place from the original. Newkama Land had quite a few women, even though it was inside Impel Down. The reason was that Emporio Ivankov’s [Horm-Horm Fruit] allowed him to adjust hormones, turning men into women. So even if I saw a beautiful woman here, I wouldn’t know if she was truly female without reading her memories. It’s like a bar run by transgender women in Thailand. A kind of trap card — well, unless you’re into that.

’Ah... so confusing...’

While Bentham and the others were bewildered, Inazuma reappeared — this time in female form — and said to them, "You must be confused, but calm down. He will explain everything."

Bentham tilted his head, finally noticing something strange about Inazuma. "That’s strange... I could have sworn he was a man when we first met. Am I just tired? Is that someone else?"

"Oh, you thought so too? I was just thinking the same thing."

"Right! Me too! What is this..."

Buggy and Galdino agreed with Bentham. Inazuma smirked.

Just then, the lights dimmed, and people began to murmur.

"Oh, the lights went out."

"It’s starting — the show."

Inazuma guided us toward the stage in the hall.

"Now, everyone come forward."

We followed Inazuma to the front of the stage. The curtain parted, revealing a silhouette of a figure with an enormous head.

"Welcome, Mr. 2 Bonboy, Mr. 3 Galboy, Buggyboy, Taejinboy, and even a boy in bad shape from poison..."

The stage lights came on, revealing Emporio Ivankov.

He wore an outfit resembling a deep pink leather one‑piece swimsuit, with a deep V‑neck down to his abdomen, garter belts around his waist, and fishnet stockings. It was pure eye terror.

’Damn... I envy Ace, who’s unconscious.’

Chwa jang~ ♪

While I grimaced, an electric guitar rang out. The people below cheered. Ivankov wiggled his hips, grabbed the microphone, and began introducing Newkama Land.

"This is~ the prison paradise you reach by following a ’path that shouldn’t exist’ through Impel Down’s sewers~~!!"

Chwa jang~ ♪♪

"Oohoho~ We have everything~ Enjoy yourselves♡ Alcohol, weapons, games, and above all... above all, freedom!!!"

Wah wah wah~~~!!!

As the cheers grew louder and the music swelled, backup dancers dressed like Ivankov appeared and danced around him.

"Mmm~~~ Oh, right, it was quite noisy upstairs today~ Oohohohoo! We were on edge because we couldn’t see what was happening since someone took out all the surveillance snails, boy♡ But I never expected the troublemaker to be the famous Merchant King~"

Ivankov briefly turned to look at me and winked.

’Damn... I want to throw up...’

"Are you all curious about this place~? This is an underworld that no one knows about. Come on in! Impel Down, Level 5.5 — the secret flower garden of the inmates!! Newkama Land~~!!!!"

Wah wah wah~!!!

Kyaaak~!!!

Ivan~!!!

"Eh!? That’s Ivankov???"

Bentham was shocked. He had always wanted to meet Ivankov, the legendary figure of Newkama Land. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

"Th‑this is the person I’ve always... adored??!!"

Suddenly, a loud voice came from behind. "Emporio Ivankov!!!"

I turned around. A large, shirtless man was pointing a huge gun at Ivankov.

"Fifteen years ago! My father, who was a king, came to ’Newhalf Kingdom’ and returned as a newhalf! Because of that, both my country and my family were destroyed! I, a royal, was reduced to a pirate! I’ll settle this grudge here and now!!"

Ivankov put on a frightened expression, pretending to panic. "Ah, th-th-th-that... Stop!! Putting away such a dangerous weapon!! It’s dangerous!! I told you it’s dangerous!! If I get hit, I’ll die... I’d... I’d... I wouldn’t die!!"

"Hahaha!!"

"So you won’t die!"

"Got you!"

The people laughed loudly as Ivankov joked. Enraged, the large man fired his gun at Ivankov.

BANG!!!

But with a wink from Ivankov, the bullet reversed direction and struck the large man himself.

"Death Wink!!"

Ting! CRASH!!!

"Guaaah!!"

Ivankov didn’t stop there. He approached the fallen man, extended a finger, and stabbed him in the side.

"Emporio Female Hormone!!"

Stab!

"Gyaaah!!"

The large man’s body began to shrink, his chest grew, and his voice became higher.

"Aaah! You bastard, don’t tell me!!!"

"Your father wanted to become a woman. Isn’t that enough?"

"Aah... stop! It’s... it’s disappearing!!!"

"Two mothers! One daughter! Who cares? Get along!!"

"Stop!! Kyaaah~~!! I’m, I’m embarrassed!!"

The man, now a woman, covered her chest and ran away in embarrassment. It was an astonishing transformation. The hormones injected with the [Horm-Horm Fruit] didn’t crudely turn men into futanari — they completely changed them into women, including their genitals. And even their personality.

’Amazing. If Ivankov existed in the modern world, he’d make a fortune... gender transition without any surgery...’

Bentham was amazed again. "A man turned into a woman!! Ivankov truly is a miracle worker!"

Ivankov returned to the stage and declared, "Whether you’re a man, a woman, or a newhalf — just become who you want to be!!! Boundaries like gender!! I, no, we!!! Have already transcended them~!!! That is the new humanity!! Newkama!!! This place is a garden of freedom!! ’Newkama Land’!!!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

WAAAAAH!!!

Worried that Ace’s condition would worsen if we delayed any longer, I said to Ivankov, "Hey, I’ve seen enough of this place. I’d like you to treat my friend on my back. He’s been poisoned for a while now."

Ivankov glanced at Ace, then said, "Why should I save him, boy? Because you destroyed all the surveillance snails, we won’t be able to get food and supplies for a while. We’re quite unhappy about that."

As I said before, Newkama Land operates by stealing supplies while watching the surveillance snails. Losing access to that feed meant they couldn’t steal supplies.

"Then if I provide enough food, will you treat him?"

Ivankov thought for a moment. "Hmm... fine. If you provide food, I’ll treat him, boy."

"You’d better keep that promise."

Honestly, I considered threatening him, but for future relations with the Revolutionary Army, I decided to make a deal instead. I began pulling out huge quantities of various food ingredients from my inventory. Ivankov and the crowd were astonished.

"No way..."

"The rumor that the Merchant King has a space‑related Devil Fruit must be true."

"How convenient. Truly the ’Merchant King.’"

I gave them enough food and drink to last two months. Two months seemed sufficient for Impel Down to resume operating surveillance snails.

"Is this enough?"

Even Ivankov seemed surprised, flustered for a moment. "Of course it’s enough. Inazuma, have the children move the supplies. I’ll treat the poisoned one as promised."

"Yes! You heard him — quickly move the supplies to the freezer!"

While Inazuma organized the people to move the food, I laid Ace on the stage. Ivankov examined him.

"Hmm... his poisoning isn’t that severe. But it has been a while, so it was getting dangerous. It will be painful, but he’ll endure."

Ivankov sharpened his fingertips and stabbed Ace in the side.

"Emporio Healing Hormone!!"

Stab!

"Guhk!!"

Ace gasped in pain, sweating coldly. Galdino, worried, asked Ivankov, "Hey, is this okay?"

"With vitality and hormones, the human body exhibits ’self‑healing power.’ I merely drew out his latent immunity and slightly modified his body to fight the poison. As a result, destruction and regeneration are occurring inside his body to process the poison — that’s why it’s painful. Fortunately, it wasn’t life‑threatening poisoning. He should regain consciousness in about five hours."

"Really? That’s a relief."

Having spent time together, some camaraderie seemed to have formed — Galdino, Buggy, and Bentham all looked relieved.

"You must be tired after coming this far. I’ll prepare food and a place to rest. Eat, drink, and rest well, boys."

"Thanks."

We ate the food the people provided and were shown to lodgings to rest. Bentham and the others were so exhausted that they fell asleep as soon as they lay down on the beds.