Chapter 5 - Beast Hell
As soon as Nathan finished speaking, he launched a powerful kick straight at one of the cell doors.
Boom!
The steel-barred door flew open with a crash under the sheer force of his strike.
In the very next moment, the inmates inside surged out. They immediately scrambled toward the fallen jailers to search their bodies for the cell keys.
Within just a few minutes, every single door on the first level of Crimson Hell had been opened!
Meanwhile, the guards monitoring the surveillance feed rushed out of the control room and ran straight to the Warden's office on Level Four to report the situation.
Now free, the prisoners quickly gathered around Nathan.
Everyone knew that escaping Impel Down with their own strength was impossible.
And the man standing before them—Nathan—was their only hope.
"Brothers!" Nathan stood atop the dueling platform and shouted to the crowd below, "If we don't take down the rest of those bastards running Impel Down, none of us are making it out of here alive. So—are you with me?"
"We are!"
"Kill them all!"
The prisoners roared in unison, their voices filled with fury and hope.
They had been crushed by despair for far too long. In this hell, there was no light, no future. Rather than die in agony, they chose to rise up and resist.
At Nathan's command, they charged toward Level Two: Beast Hell.
This level was home to numerous violent and savage creatures—chicken-headed snakes, human-faced lions, giant scorpions, and more.
It was guarded by one of the infamous jailer beasts: Sphinx.
The Sphinx looked like a lion, but its grotesque face made it utterly horrifying to behold.
When Nathan and his army arrived at the second level, the Sphinx was still lounging lazily, fast asleep.
"Hack those jailer beasts to pieces!" someone shouted as they entered Beast Hell, pointing at the creatures up ahead—mini hippos, giant mantises, composite scorpions, and more.
Without hesitation, the prisoners raised the firearms they had seized from the first level and unleashed a barrage of bullets and explosives.
As the explosions echoed through the cavern, dozens of jailer beasts collapsed on the spot.
This sudden victory only further fueled the inmates' morale—they surged forward in a frenzy.
The uproar finally startled the Sphinx.
Realizing that the prisoners had been released—and were rioting—the beast let out a deafening roar before charging into the crowd like a mad bull.
Panic erupted as the Sphinx tore into the prisoners. Several were instantly killed by its massive fangs.
Even worse, when nearby inmates raised rifles to shoot, the bullets bounced off the creature's hide harmlessly.
Its defense was on a whole different level.
It was no wonder the Sphinx was tasked with guarding the second level.
With the Sphinx's arrival, the remaining jailer beasts rallied and launched a counterattack.
Seeing this, Nathan didn't hesitate.
He leapt high into the air, vaulting over the prisoners' heads, sprinting toward the Sphinx.
As he neared, he exhaled and muttered, "First Gate—Gate of Opening, open!"
The Gate of Opening was the first of the Eight Gates, unlocking the limits of the brain and allowing one to use 100% of their physical potential. It greatly increased strength and speed, but at the cost of physical strain.
Once opened, the user could unleash the powerful taijutsu technique—Front Lotus (Omote Renge).
The Sphinx quickly sensed Nathan's presence and opened its massive jaws, preparing to devour him.
"Trying to eat me? Think again—Front Lotus!"
Nathan's foot shot upward with terrifying force, smashing into the Sphinx's chin.
The beast never saw it coming. The kick landed squarely, launching the Sphinx into the air.
In a flash, Nathan used his instant body technique to reappear above it. Wrapping his arms tightly around the beast's waist, he drove both of them straight down at high speed.
Boom!!!
The impact was so fierce that the Sphinx's skull slammed into the stone floor, creating a massive crater.
The Sphinx lost consciousness on the spot.
Ding! Congratulations, Host has defeated the enemy. You've received 3,000 Reputation Points.
Though the Sphinx wasn't quite as strong as Saldeath, it still earned Nathan a solid reward.
The sight of their mighty guardian beast being taken down in a single exchange struck terror into the remaining jailer beasts. Some began to flee in panic.
But on the prisoners' side, morale soared.
They charged ahead with renewed vigor.
Several jailer beasts tried to retreat toward Level Three: Starvation Hell, but before they could escape, massive figures appeared at the entrance and blocked their path.
A moment later, a woman emerged from between the towering beasts.
She had curly blonde hair, bangs covering her eyes, white earrings shaped like candles, and wore a tight-fitting rose-pink bodysuit.
She was none other than Sadie, commander of the four great jailer beasts of Level Four: Blazing Hell, and chief guard of all of Impel Down.
Sadie raised her trident and pointed it at the fleeing beasts.
"Anyone who takes another step back… will be executed on the spot!"
As her voice echoed, the four giant jailer beasts behind her took a synchronized step forward.
Terrified, the mini beasts froze.
Despite fearing Nathan's strength, they feared Sadie—who delighted in tormenting others—even more.
With no choice, the beasts turned back toward the charging inmates and braced for battle.
But their fear showed.
Their formation collapsed almost instantly.
Within moments, they were overwhelmed and slaughtered by the prisoners.
The two forces finally met at the midpoint of Level Two.
When they saw Sadie standing there, even the most zealous prisoners couldn't help but slow down.
Unlike the Sphinx, Sadie was no mindless beast.
She was cruel, cunning—and far more dangerous.