The application for a training room was quickly approved. The very next day, Wilder was assigned a dilapidated training room.
It was located at the southernmost edge of the Blazing Hell, in an area untouched by the flames. It had previously been used as an execution chamber for punishing and torturing prisoners. After the execution chamber was moved, the place gradually fell into disrepair.
Later, the execution chamber was converted into a training room. However, since most of the jailers were a lazy bunch, their initial enthusiasm for training waned, and it became just another place to kill time. Thus, before long, it was abandoned again.
The room was filled with various training equipment and decaying torture devices. Although the equipment was somewhat aged, it was made of high-quality metal, so after a good cleaning, it was still usable.
Wilder was very satisfied with the training room. Not only was it spacious and well-equipped, but most importantly, it was secluded and conveniently close to the dilapidated cell where he could open the passage to Level 5.
For the next few days, Wilder spent all his time outside of work cleaning the training room. He didn't enlist anyone's help, mainly because the fewer people who knew about this place, the better.
As for his work, Wilder had already become quite proficient. Aside from making his rounds through the Blazing Hell several times a day, the rest of his time was spent processing paperwork.
Previously, Sadi had been in charge of this, but she was clearly not suited for the task. Whenever faced with a mountain of files, her solution was to crack her whip a few times and then go for a stroll.
This was probably a headache for Magellan as well, which was why all the files – new, old, and even those that had been piling up for ages – were dumped into Wilder's office.
Wilder didn't refuse any of it. Most of these files contained information about the prisoners, and through them, he could gain a good understanding of each inmate.
For instance… whether a certain prisoner was a Devil Fruit user, what type of power they had, when their execution was scheduled – all this information was in the files.
Although knowing these things might not be useful at the moment, who knew when this information might prove crucial?
Wilder understood a fundamental truth: all schemes begin with seemingly insignificant pieces of information.
Of course, besides these, there were also some documents from the Navy, such as notifications about which prisoners would be arriving at what time.
Aside from the surface-level information about the prisoners, and preparing reports to receive the new inmates to be sent to Magellan's office, the rest of these matters didn't fall under Wilder's purview.
And, taking advantage of these few days delivering files, Wilder finally met the legendary man, Magellan.
A tall man with a pair of devilish wings on his back, and a face resembling Satan.
After delivering the files, he returned to his office and continued his daily routine of processing the mountain of paperwork, silently noting any information that might be useful in the future. Besides that, something else had been bothering Wilder for the past few days, even making his heart clench.
Although there hadn't been any concrete information, from his occasional outings, Wilder could clearly sense a change in the atmosphere around Magellan's office in recent days. It had become oppressive, like the calm before a storm.
It wasn't just Magellan; even Sadi, who usually enjoyed torturing prisoners, had become somewhat subdued. The most obvious sign was that she licked her lips less frequently.
Wilder didn't know if this change was related to his suspicions, but if it was, he needed to plan carefully.
"Nyehehehe…"
A low, suppressed chuckle echoed in the office. Wilder held his face, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Lunchtime arrived quickly. Wilder, walking with a slightly more arrogant swagger than in previous days, entered the mess hall.
"Vi… Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief First, sir, the same amount of meat as usual today?" The Head Chef at the serving counter asked cautiously, looking at Wilder's exaggerated smile.
"Nyehehehe… No, give me double the amount of meat today." Wilder's low voice and suppressed laughter, he raised his head to look at the chef, his eyes flickered with a bloodthirsty glint.
"Ah?! Y-yes, sir! I'll prepare it right away, please wait a moment, Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief First…!" The Head Chef's face was instantly covered in cold sweat. He was not in a good mood at all.
Damn it! Why do these bastards have to go against the Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief?!
"Hey! If you do that, what are we supposed to eat?!" A somewhat gloomy voice rang out. Wilder's smile grew even wider. He knew some people couldn't take it anymore.
He turned his head, his smile sinister and exaggerated, and looked at the speaker. "So… what are you trying to say? Are you telling me to eat less meat?"
Wilder stared at him silently, his smile intense and exaggerated.
"Y-yes… that's exactly what I mean. Is there a problem with that, Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief?" The man clearly had some backing, and he looked at Wilder with a sneer.
Wilder didn't know where this confidence came from, but there were only two possibilities. One was that many of the prisoners had secretly joined forces to oppose him.
The other, naturally, was that the man had enough confidence in his own strength. But if he had that kind of confidence, he should have stood up days ago. So, that possibility could basically be ruled out.
So…
"It's the first one? Nyehehehe…"
Wilder looked at him, his shoulders trembling with silent laughter.
"Gulp!" Veins bulged on his forehead without warning. Wilder's smile took on a different flavor. "I've changed my mind. I want triple the amount of meat. Nyehehehe…"
The Head Chef, who was frantically ladling meat onto the plate, froze instantly when he heard this. Cold sweat poured down his face.
He snapped back to his senses and met Wilder's intense smile.
"Yes, sir!" His speed went from frantic to life-or-death.
Wilder turned back to the jailer in front of him, his smile intense. "Weren't you just telling me to eat less meat?"
Without warning, his right hand shot out and grabbed the man's head. His smile vanished instantly, his face turning incredibly grim. With a forceful shove, he slammed the man's head onto the stone serving counter!
"Boom!" A muffled thud echoed, and blood splattered like a burst watermelon. The jailer's head was deeply embedded in the counter, his body limp and motionless.
"So…" Wilder acted as if he had done something insignificant. From beginning to end, he didn't even glance at the lifeless body under his hand.
His face, dark with a sinister aura, turned, and his sharp eyes swept across the silent crowd in the hall. His voice, low and menacing, carried an undisguised, chilling killing intent that reached everyone's ears.
"So… what gives you the right to demand anything of me?"