Episode 434

"Preparations for War! A Decisive Battle in Level 4 - Blazing Hell" is the 434th episode of the One Piece anime.

Short Summary
Luffy and his team fall to the hot lava while Magellan works out the plan to capture them. Luffy and the others then jump off the falling rock they were on to the stairs and escape, while Jailers go after them.

Long Summary
Luffy and his allies take a short rest after their defeat of Minotaurus and try to figure out what to do next. That becomes quickly irrelevant when the floor breaks, dropping them and Minotaurus down to Level 4. In Level 4, a prisoner attempts to escape only to be thrown into the boiling blood by Daz Bones. Meanwhile, Momonga prepares to take Boa Hancock to Marineford, but receives troubling news of a fight between two of the Yonko: Shanks and Kaido. Momonga reflects on preparations for the upcoming war between Whitebeard and Marine Headquarters with the Shichibukai as their allies. He also states that the upcoming war will be remembered by the world regardless who wins.

Magellan and his subordinates are making preparations of their own in order to capture Luffy, Buggy, Galdino, and Bentham by splitting their forces to guard the stairs to the different levels. Meanwhile, Luffy presses on, smelling the scent of food in the kitchen. Buggy, intent on following Luffy in case there was booze in the kitchen, is stopped by Galdino because he is worried about running into Magellan. Luffy and Bentham defeat the oncoming onslaught of Impel Down guards with ease. The guards quickly report the casualties to Hannyabal who then decides to intercept the intruders himself. Magellan stops Luffy and Bentham from going any further by dropping himself in front of them and declaring that he's had enough of their rampage.