"Oh?"
The next day at dawn, around six o'clock—the day when the Fallen Angel Pirates and the World Government had originally agreed to exchange hostages—El, who was deep into his training, received a report from Mos and Lilian: "So, Vice Admiral 'Blood Mane' Bays arrived with several CP0 agents and joined up with the Holy Knights' Commander and the Admiral 'Pegasus'? If a battle breaks out, they'll be able to reach Tonnerrit Island within an hour?"
Hearing this, El couldn't help but smirk. He'd expected the World Government wouldn't obediently hand over the Devil Fruits without trying something.
"El oniichan…" said Linlin, who was nearby and dripping with sweat from training. "It seems like they're hoping to catch us all in one trap, doesn't it?"
"No rush. Let's make them wait it out. We'll notify them in the afternoon that the exchange location has changed," El replied indifferently. "Plus, since they broke the terms, we'll require an additional Devil Fruit, specifically another Logia."
Turning back to his training, El's gaze hardened as he clenched his right fist, letting Conqueror's Haki flow over it in dark, crackling streams. Then he struck at the mountain in front of him from a distance.
BOOM! The massive mountain exploded in a thunderous blast, scattering rocks and stirring up a thick cloud of dust.
…
That Evening
On Tonnerrit Island, the World Government delegation waited anxiously. The two medical staff members looked especially uneasy, but it was the CP0 officer, Steel Bone Kong, and the leading Holy Knight who showed the most frustration. After all, they had arrived well in advance, only to end up waiting an entire day with no sign of the Fallen Angel Pirates.
"Damn it, were we tricked?" muttered Saint Marcus Denis, the Holy Knight. His expression was grim, and he gritted his teeth in frustration.
"It does seem like they don't intend to show up," Steel Bone Kong added, his face equally dark.
Just then, a Homie seagull swooped down from the sky, carrying a transponder snail in its beak, and landed in front of the group.
The transponder snail came to life, imitating El's voice with a cold tone: "I'm disappointed…"
Steel Bone Kong, Saint Denis, and the CP0 officer's faces shifted immediately.
"What do you mean, Fallen Angel El?" Kong snatched up the transponder snail, biting back his frustration. "We've been waiting for you all day, and you didn't even show up!"
"Did you really think your little scheme would escape my notice?" El's mocking voice replied. "That Admiral Pegasus and the Holy Knight lurking on the nearby island—what are they planning? They're close enough to arrive here in minutes if a fight breaks out. If I get held up, I could be in serious danger, don't you think?"
The group's expressions grew tense as they realized El had seen through their plan, even though Admiral Pegasus and Saint Howard had been stationed far enough away to avoid suspicion.
"You're mistaken…" Saint Denis's voice was low as he took the snail from Kong. "They're simply there to ensure our safety and make sure you don't pull anything reckless."
"Such childish lies. Do you think I'll believe that?" El's voice on the transponder snail was ice-cold. "The location for the trade has changed… Three days from now, on Portex Island at the end of Route H3. And since you broke the terms, there will be an extra cost: another Logia Devil Fruit."
"What? Another Logia? Absolutely not!" Steel Bone Kong, Saint Denis, and the CP0 officer's faces hardened in anger.
"Don't misunderstand—I'm not negotiating with you. I'm informing you," came El's ruthless reply, with no hint of compromise. "Consider this your final warning. If there's another violation of the agreement, it won't just be about one additional Devil Fruit."
The transponder snail paused, then El's voice continued: "Test my patience too far, and the trade is canceled. I'll happily let the world witness how Celestial Dragons 'dance with swine' to perpetuate their bloodline."
"Damn you!" Saint Denis and Steel Bone Kong seethed, but the line abruptly cut off as El hung up.
"El oniichan, should we go directly to the new location in three days?" Linlin asked curiously, unfazed about whether the World Government would meet their demand. The Celestial Dragons valued their status too much to refuse, even if it meant another Devil Fruit.
"Not immediately. First, I'll have Moss take someone to inspect the fruits and see if they actually bring an extra Logia. If needed, I want them to eat one to confirm there's no trickery," El replied calmly.
"There's no guarantee they won't try to fool us. Some craftsmen are good enough to make fakes that look flawless on the surface. And then there are all kinds of odd Devil Fruit abilities…"
Among those was the Mythical Zoan fruit that could mimic objects, and though El didn't know if anyone in the World Government had that specific ability, he wasn't taking any chances. He wanted to confirm that each fruit was real to avoid being tricked and walking away empty-handed.
~~~
My Patreon: Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— read 70 Chapters ahead of others!
My Discord: discord(.)gg/jbAjVy3ekY
4/8 Bonus Chapters this week! To unlock more, help this fanfic climb the Powerstone rankings! Thank you!
Top 40-49 = 6 chapters
Top 30-39 = 7 chapters (current ranking)
Top 20-29 = 8 chapters
And more...
"What?"
"They want yet 'another' Logia fruit?"
"A Mythical Zoan, Okuchi-no-Makami, isn't enough for him?"
"He's got an insatiable appetite!"
Atop the Red Line, in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, within the Chamber of Authority, the Five Elders listened to CP0's report with grim expressions.
Initially, they had believed this operation was a guaranteed success and were prepared to receive good news. This unexpected turn left them furious. They hadn't intended to hand over the Devil Fruits easily this time, but they reluctantly provided a powerful Mythical Zoan ability from the government's reserves—the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Okuchi-no-Makami—to secure the Celestial Dragon's safe return.
"Yes, and the Fallen Angel, El, is exceptionally cautious..." reported the CP0 official on the other end of the line. "Even though we were discreet, they somehow discovered Saint Howard and the others stationed on a nearby island. They immediately canceled the trade and demanded additional ransom."
"Can't CP still locate these people?" demanded Saint Valkyrie, his thick mustache quivering in anger.
"...My apologies, Saint Elders," stammered the CP0 agent, glancing nervously at Steel Bone Kong and Saint Denis nearby. "Those pirates are like ghosts. We can't track them at all! We suspect they may be hiding in the Calm Belt—it offers natural protection and is infested with Sea Kings, making it nearly impossible for the government to search. We even sent trained hawks, but they found nothing."
"A bunch of incompetents!" snapped Saint Saturn, tapping his cane sharply on the marble floor of the luxurious, chapel-like hall. "If the trade location has changed, withdraw for now."
"Yes, sir."
The call ended, leaving the Five Elders seething.
"Should we agree to his terms?" asked Saint Mars, stroking his long white beard as he looked at the others.
"What choice do we have?" Saint Valkyrie growled. "The sanctity of the Celestial Dragons cannot be compromised!"
"We can manage one more Logia Devil Fruit," said Saint Saturn, his eyes narrowed. "Though whether he'll even leave with it is another matter. He may end up paying for his greed."
Saint Nasjuro, with his hand on the hilt of his cursed blade, the First Generation Kitetsu, added with an air of menace, "If we act, we'll make sure he regrets it."
"To think the World Government is being manipulated by a young Lunarian… it's disgraceful," said the blond Saint Ju Peter. "The Fallen Angel El and his crew dared to abduct and harm a Celestial Dragon. Such insolence must be punished severely."
They knew they couldn't let El and his crew go unchecked. If this wasn't dealt with decisively, it would set a dangerous precedent for others with the gall to attempt the same. For the Five Elders, this was about more than vengeance—it was about reasserting the World Government's authority.
"He's too cautious, and we may need to alter our strategy," Saint Saturn suggested. "However, with just Kong and Saint Denis, we'd need others closer by to ensure he can't escape."
"In that case, I'll go myself," offered Saint Mars, pacing back and forth. "That Lunarian is a serious threat with incredible potential. His hatred for the World Government is clear, and if left unchecked, he'll become an even greater danger."
The other Elders regarded him with surprise.
"If necessary, I'll summon the rest of you as backup," Mars said, surveying his peers to gauge their agreement.
"Naturally," replied Saint Valkyrie, slamming his fist on the table. "It's been too long since we last took action ourselves."
"Once we strike, we leave no loose ends," declared Nasjuro, his hand resting on his sword. The First Generation Kitetsu slid slightly from its sheath, glinting with deadly intent. "This ends only one way—total annihilation."
Saint Mars then asked, "Is there another Logia fruit in our reserves?"
"Yes, but it's not as trivial as the Smoke-Smoke Fruit," Worley muttered in frustration. "Parting with the Cloud-Cloud Fruit was already a significant concession."
Over centuries, the World Government had amassed a collection of top-tier Devil Fruits, typically reserved for promising naval officers and elite CP0 agents. Additionally, every three years, they awarded some of these rare abilities to young Celestial Dragons as part of a "scholarship tour," fostering future talent within the Holy Knights.
With their stock slowly diminishing over time, even the World Government's Devil Fruit reserves were limited. They couldn't always recover a fruit upon its user's death, despite their vast intelligence network and influence.
"I'm reluctant to hand over yet another precious fruit," muttered Saint Valkyrie. "If those devils consume them on the spot, it would be risky. Even if we could kill them, retrieving a randomly reborn fruit would be nearly impossible."
"Don't worry. With me and Kong there, they won't get the chance," Saint Mars said confidently.
The others nodded, reassured by Mars's confidence.
"Then it's settled," Saint Saturn concluded. The Five Elders had no further objections, confident that the combined strength of Saint Mars and Steel Bone Kong would be formidable enough to carry out the plan.
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT