Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Conqueror's Haki Infusion
"Kukulkan El—"
On the shore of Island No. 36, colorful bubbles floated through the air. But no one present had the heart to admire them. Steel Bone Kong, fists clenched tightly, glared at El with intense anger. "I underestimated you... I never imagined that in just a few years, you'd grow this powerful!"
He had sensed from the beginning that this Lunarian would become a formidable adversary. But he never expected it would happen so quickly. Just three years into his appointment as an Admiral, and El was already causing chaos on this scale.
Not only had he attacked two of the Navy's G-Series bases in the New World, but he had also brazenly kidnapped and killed Celestial Dragons, demonstrating terrifying power. Even Admiral Hark himself was deployed to stop him, only to be killed, with his fleet of ships almost entirely wiped out in just under a day, costing the Navy close to 20,000 elite soldiers and a tremendous loss of face.
Steel Bone Kong could feel the full weight of these mounting failures resting heavily on his shoulders.
"Enough with the small talk," El said, arms crossed, looking down at him. "Do you have the ransom ready?"
Without answering, Kong moved aside. His role was merely to serve as security; the negotiations themselves were to be handled by CP0, the officials directly under the Celestial Dragons' command.
One of the CP0 agents, dressed in a white suit and mask and carrying a large black briefcase, stepped forward to Kong's side. He opened the case to reveal an assortment of Devil Fruits, each with a tag attached, matching the terms of the agreement exactly.
"The fruits are here," the CP0 agent said, staring directly at El. "But to ensure we're not dealing with an imposter, we'll need to confirm that this is indeed Mars-sama. Per our agreement, we must also verify that Mars-sama's body hasn't been tampered with."
Though the captive's face and build matched his memory of Mars-sama, and his aura suggested he was merely unconscious, handling a Celestial Dragon required the utmost caution.
"If you have a way to confirm it, feel free." El raised an eyebrow, quickly discerning their true intentions through their thoughts. He tossed the screaming Mars-sama to Moss, casually saying, "Just keep in mind that my patience is limited."
This time, it seemed the government had genuinely intended to avoid a confrontation. They had brought along equipment for blood testing to confirm the Celestial Dragon's identity.
"It'll take ten minutes," said the CP0 agent, giving a nod to several doctors standing by with face masks and white coats.
"You fools dare doubt me?" Mars, now clutched by Moss and ashen-faced with fear, shouted furiously, "When I return, I'll have you all enslaved!"
"My apologies, Mars-sama." The CP0 agent bowed deeply and said in a low voice, "But we must take every precaution to prevent any harm to your body. Remember, they've already disabled Fenix-sama."
"What!?" The color drained from Mars's face, and he fell silent.
As the doctors tremblingly approached, they examined his physical condition and drew a blood sample to verify his identity. After a few moments, the results came in, confirming that he was indeed the Celestial Dragon they sought.
"El-sama, these are genuine Devil Fruits." Moss, who had inspected the fruits one by one, reported back to El, ensuring they hadn't been deceived by counterfeits.
"Very well," El said, addressing the CP0 agent. "Since we've verified the identities on both sides, hand over the Devil Fruits. We still have two more exchanges to conduct, and with Steel Bone Kong present, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."
The CP0 agent hesitated for a moment before replying, "Very well. Let's hope you honor your word."
The CP0 officer hesitated briefly, but after seeing Steel Bone Kong's nod of approval, he finally handed the briefcase to Moss. Simultaneously, other CP0 agents immediately stepped forward to escort Saint Mars away.
"Admiral Kong!"
As the Celestial Dragon was successfully retrieved, the CP and Navy personnel present remained tense, their nerves still on edge. Each one stood alert, awaiting further orders from Kong and the CP0 officer. It seemed that, with just a single command, they were ready to fire.
"The transaction is complete. The next exchange is scheduled for tomorrow…" El remarked calmly, his gaze resting on the CP0 officer. "And it will take place here on the Sabaody Archipelago."
"So brazen…" Steel Bone Kong's face darkened, his glare fixed on El with deadly intensity. His muscles tensed as he took a step forward, fists clenched and radiating malice. "I think it would be best if you stayed here, pirate."
"Oh? Is that so?" El grinned, unfazed by Kong's aggression. "Go ahead and try if you think you can manage."
A sudden surge of powerful energy radiated as the two locked eyes. With a thunderous crack, they vanished from their spots, each launching forward with shocking speed. Their massive fists, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, collided with earth-shattering force.
'Boom!' The ground trembled and split open beneath them as a wave of destructive energy exploded outward, hurling Navy and CP personnel aside like leaves in the wind. Even Moss and the CP0 agents struggled to stay on their feet, the intense shockwave driving them backward.
The clash of their Haki sent violent gusts ripping through the air, tearing loose rocks and debris and sending them skyward. The weaker CP agents, Navy soldiers, and medical staff, along with the just-rescued, stretcher-bound Celestial Dragon, were all left unconscious, eyes rolling back from the intensity of the confrontation.
The surrounding islands weren't spared either; the impact rippled outward, causing countless bystanders to collapse in droves, foam at the mouth, and faint on the spot.
In the sky above, once scattered with white clouds, a tremendous pressure from their energies clashed, creating loud rumbles and drawing the clouds into a vortex that nearly split the sky in two.
El's gaze sharpened, observing Kong's own Conqueror's Haki technique. Though he had already wrapped his massive fists in advanced Armament Haki, the collision left El momentarily off-balance. The power behind Kong's punch forced El to stagger back two steps, cracking the ground beneath him. El could see that, despite Kong's smaller size, the admiral possessed a terrifying presence and strength.
While El managed to fend off the strike, his arm tingled with numbness from the force of the blow. Had it not been for his innate resilience, superhuman strength, and the incredible natural defenses of his Lunarian bloodline, he might have sustained serious damage.
"You…" Kong muttered, his own face betraying shock as he steadied himself. He had intended to intimidate El with his initial strike, yet to his surprise, El held his ground, retreating only slightly rather than being completely overwhelmed. It was a rare feat for anyone to withstand a full-strength strike from him.
"Admiral Kong, don't be reckless…" came the anxious shout from the CP0 officer, watching from a distance with sweat on his brow. While one Celestial Dragon had been saved, the others were still hostages, and the situation remained precarious.
"You may spar with me all you like, Admiral, but remember," El sneered, meeting Kong's furious gaze, "the longer I'm delayed, the worse it will be for your remaining Celestial Dragons."
Though El hadn't mastered the technique of Conqueror's Haki infusion, he was undeterred. He knew that he could stand his ground in a fight. And this encounter with Kong had already provided invaluable insights, bringing him closer to mastering new techniques.
With a cold snort, Kong released the tension in his stance and retreated, a dark scowl crossing his face. "Lunarian brat, your time is limited. Enjoy your arrogance while you can."
"No, Admiral, I think my reign has only just begun," El replied with a mocking smile. "Remember my words: cherish the fleeting days of your title while you still can."
Kong's expression darkened further, his fists clenching in barely restrained anger.
"Patience," El said with a smirk. "There will be time for a proper battle… Moss, let's go."
Without another word, he and Moss turned away, ignoring the furious glares from Kong and his team. The two figures shot into the sky, vanishing into the horizon.
Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Logia, Mythical Zoan, Monstrous Talent!
"Whoosh—"
Above the blue sea, Moss, in his massive Pelagornis bird form, began to shift, transforming into a hybrid beast form.
With his feathers puffed and his figure reminiscent of a majestic griffin, he extended his massive wings, now serving as hands, and opened the briefcase. Carefully, he moved the Devil Fruits into a secure pouch he had prepared in advance, then tossed the black briefcase into the sea below to avoid any potential traps from the World Government.
If they had slipped in a piece of Vivre Card as a tracker, that would have caused serious trouble.
Having thoroughly inspected each Devil Fruit, Moss was confident there were no issues with them.
"Heh, the World Government sure has a well-stocked treasury," Moss said with a grin as he secured the fruits. "Pulling out Logia and even the rare Mythical Zoan types without hesitation."
"After ruling the seas for centuries with a Navy presence in nearly every corner and CP spy networks worldwide, it's no surprise they have such a vast collection," replied El, his black wings whipping up a powerful gust as he flew beside Moss. "But pushing them for twenty Devil Fruits was the limit. The World Government isn't stupid—they won't keep giving in."
"Destroying two large naval fortresses and then kidnapping Celestial Dragons to ransom the World Government—these tactics are only viable before the 'Totto Land Plan' officially begins. Right now, they don't have a fixed location on us, and we're mobile. Once we establish a solid territory and develop a stable state, both sides will start calculating risks differently. At that point, unless both sides are prepared for full-scale war, neither of us will take things too far."
"You've got a point!" Moss nodded thoughtfully. Without an established base, the World Government couldn't easily track or confront them. But once they claimed territory and began to grow as a force, the benefits of more resources, recruitment, and influence would also mean new constraints. Both the World Government and the Fallen Angel Pirates would have limits unless ready for open war.
For now, though, they needed to survive and repel any attacks that the Navy or World Government launched. Only by demonstrating undeniable strength could they prevent the other side from acting rashly. Without that, neither the World Government nor the Navy would allow them to continue challenging the Celestial Dragons and flaunting their independence. It was only a matter of time before they tried to crush any efforts to establish a pirate state.
"Moss, you head back with the Devil Fruits. I have some things to discuss with Sally."
While El hadn't fully inspected each Devil Fruit, he had a general idea of what they were. As expected, the World Government had been careful. While they provided rare Logia and Mythical Zoan types, they weren't the most powerful versions. For instance, the Logia Fruit was the Smoke-Smoke Fruit—not weak, but also not a powerhouse. The Zoan, however, was more impressive than he expected.
"Understood," Moss replied. He then fully transformed, following the Vivre Card's direction back to Atlantis.
…
A Short While Later—
On a deserted island near the Sabaody Archipelago...
"El-sama..."
As El's towering figure descended from the sky, the graceful and alluring Sally approached with a soft smile. "It seems everything went smoothly, doesn't it?"
The two made their way to a cave entrance—a secret base within the Fallen Angel Pirates' intelligence network. Tucked away in a secluded and hidden location, it was nearly impossible to find unless you stumbled directly upon it. Sally, as head of intelligence, often conducted operations from here.
"More or less," El replied, with a slight smile.
With a subtle shift in his stance, his muscles contracted, visibly rippling as he executed Life Return, reducing his form down to a more compact three-meter height.
"What kind of abilities do those Devil Fruits hold?" Sally asked, sliding into the spacious, well-lit cave alongside El. Embracing his arm, she leaned closely against him, looking up with curiosity.
The agreement with the World Government for the first exchange stipulated one Logia, one Mythical Zoan, one Ancient Zoan, and four additional Devil Fruits.
"The three rarest abilities include the Smoke-Smoke Fruit (Logia), the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Okuchi-no-Makami (Mythical Zoan), and the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Velociraptor (Ancient Zoan)," El replied, amusement in his tone. "The others relatively have ordinary abilities, so nothing to get too excited about."
"And actually, I've come away with something even better."
El's expression shifted to a sly smile as he raised his right fist, clenching it as red-black lightning crackled, a powerful display of Conqueror's Haki flowing around him in intense arcs.
If Kong had witnessed it, he would have been speechless. This advanced Conqueror's Haki coating technique took him years to master. Yet El, this formidable Lunarian, had now achieved it as well.
"Is this..."
Sally's eyes widened as she gasped in astonishment. "Is this... the Conqueror's Coating technique you've been training so hard to master?"
As El's trusted aide, she knew well how much time he had invested in honing this skill, alongside perfecting his swordsmanship, physical strength, and Devil Fruit powers. Although he'd made steady progress with his Observation and Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki had seemed elusive. While it had intensified over the years, there had been no breakthrough—until now.
She recalled El mentioning that Conqueror's Haki, when mastered, could coat attacks with immense force, far surpassing Armament Haki. This ability was known only to the world's elite few—true titans of power.
"The technique is still a bit unpolished," El said, dismissing the Haki as he smiled with confidence. "But I've finally broken through. It's only a matter of time before I perfect it."
For this, he had Kong to thank. El had been on the cusp of a breakthrough for some time, but it was Kong's Haki-coated punch that finally gave him the push he needed, allowing him to intuitively break through that barrier. Now, with years of accumulated knowledge, mastery was within reach.
"You're incredible, El-sama..." Sally's eyes sparkled with admiration, her gaze unwavering. Here was a man she found herself hopelessly drawn to, one who had captivated her with both strength and character.
In that moment, she leaned in closer, her form flexible and enticing, like a graceful serpent coiling around him. "Still, I'd love to test just how powerful you really are."
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
621 Power
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