The thought that surfaced in his mind made Wilder's eyes flicker uncertainly.
If that were truly the case, things would be incredibly troublesome…
"Nyehehehe…"
He raised his head and laughed, a genuinely happy laugh. "Warden Magellan is planning to downsize, is he? Then, is it the person I'm thinking of…?"
Shiliew of the Rain, the Head Jailer, or some other position?
The smile faded from his face, and Wilder picked up the appointment letter, his gaze unfathomable. If that were the case, it would explain everything…
Tap… tap… tap… Wilder's steady footsteps carried him further and further away.
News of the appointment letter quickly spread throughout Impel Down. The name Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief First was soon known to all the jailers.
Wilder himself, however, didn't rush to throw his weight around in his new position. He returned to his old quarters, packed up a few belongings, and then moved into his new office, which also served as his living quarters.
During this time, his little lackey jailer kept shooting him looks that were a mixture of wanting to say something and simmering resentment.
Wilder patted him on the shoulder, assuring him that he wouldn't be forgotten. This finally changed the muttered curses into happy congratulations.
After settling into his office, Wilder closed the door and sank into thought.
He needed to carefully plan and clarify his next steps.
His new promotion would undoubtedly bring more conveniences, but at the same time, his every move would be under greater scrutiny from his superiors. As an ordinary jailer, no one paid him much attention; his ten-day disappearance had been brushed aside with a simple excuse. But now that he was promoted, it was different. There were only a few high-ranking officials, so he would naturally be under closer observation.
He had to be even more careful in everything he did.
"And then there's the matter of increasing my strength."
This was of paramount importance.
The advantage of his promotion was precisely this: the higher-ups were happy to see subordinates who were ambitious and striving to improve.
"Applying for a training area is a necessity."
He could train his body in the training area, but not his Devil Fruit abilities. The moment he used his powers, his identity would be exposed. He was well aware of how much the jailers hated the real Wilder.
Therefore, concealing his abilities was also of utmost importance. He couldn't reveal them until the very last moment.
"Another thing is how to utilize the prisoners to improve myself." Wilder's eyes narrowed in thought. After a moment of silence, he had a plan.
Warden Magellan didn't allow his subordinates to mistreat prisoners. And situations like the fight with Giant Boar weren't something that could be arranged at will. So, to get the prisoners to fight him, he'd have to be selective.
He'd target prisoners who broke the rules during their forced labor, and then provoke them. This was a common occurrence between jailers and prisoners, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary, and Magellan wouldn't be able to find fault with it.
The only issue was whether he could provoke the prisoners enough to make them snap and fight him.
Wilder then considered how to train. Once he'd sorted everything out, it was time for dinner.
With steady steps, Wilder walked out of his room and headed towards the mess hall.
The atmosphere in the mess hall was somewhat strange, or more simply, quiet. The moment Wilder, wearing his new uniform, stepped into the hall, the entire room fell silent.
The jailers who were eating glanced at him, then lowered their heads and continued their meals.
"Nyehehehe…" Wilder didn't find this surprising. Before the fire was lit, the subordinates wouldn't know how high the temperature could reach. Besides, not everyone knew who First was.
Walking at a leisurely pace, a wide smile plastered on his face, Wilder went directly to the serving counter.
"So… give me a lot of meat, please." His exaggerated smile made his eyes crinkle, and he stared at the cook serving the food.
"Y-yes… Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief First, sir." The cook felt a chill run down his spine under Wilder's gaze, and he ladled spoonful after spoonful of meat onto the plate.
Wilder thanked him, his smile unchanged, and found an empty seat.
Sitting opposite Wilder was a jailer about the same height. Seeing Wilder sit down, he looked up coldly, sneered, and then resumed eating.
"This is really troublesome," Wilder suddenly said, his tone laced with exasperation.
"What?" The jailer opposite him was puzzled by the comment and looked up.
Wilder's smile widened, but his tone remained weary. "It's really troublesome having such a stupid group of subordinates."
"What the… What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!"
Meeting the other man's furious gaze, Wilder leaned forward slightly and said, "Isn't it true? Being used as a pawn, or a scapegoat, and still acting smug and self-satisfied… Wouldn't you say such subordinates are stupid? Or rather… it's not just you, they all seem stupid to me."
Wilder's voice wasn't loud, but in the hushed hall, it carried clearly to everyone's ears. Everyone's expressions instantly turned ugly.
Several jailers stood up, their eyes blazing with anger as they glared at Wilder.
"Nyahahaha! Just kidding, don't take it so seriously." Just then, Wilder suddenly burst out laughing, his laughter boisterous. He patted the shoulder of the jailer opposite him and sat down to eat.
From beginning to end, he didn't look at anyone else, not even once.
"Nyahahaha! Delicious, delicious! Tomorrow's meat must be the same amount as today's, Head Chef." As he ate, Wilder laughed heartily, his eyes crinkling as he looked at the chef behind the serving counter.
"Y-yes, Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief First, sir," the Head Chef stammered, his eyes darting towards the other jailers. He cursed those troublemakers in his heart, causing the Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief to constantly use him as an example.
Yes, that's it, he wants me to cooperate, to be obedient, to show everyone that they should obey Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief First's orders, just like me.
Otherwise… if even I don't cooperate… The Head Chef shivered at the thought.
Indeed, even though some were gnashing their teeth and glaring at Wilder, not a single person dared to stand up and voice their objection. The amount of meat served each day was fixed. For Wilder to demand so much meat in front of everyone was essentially stealing food from their mouths.
But no one dared to complain.
Wilder had already pre-ordered tomorrow's meat. So… if the Head Chef didn't want to offend him, he would have to serve the same amount of meat tomorrow. Thinking about this, the jailers felt a throbbing pain in their teeth.
The first fire hadn't even been lit yet, but the jailers were already feeling uncomfortably hot under the collar.
The meal was finished in a strange and oppressive atmosphere. Wilder, just as he had arrived, left with a wide smile on his face after he was done eating.