In a corner of Dreamland, El, Linlin, and Gerd sat by the shore, engaged in a lively conversation.
"Gerd, do you have enough souls?" Linlin asked curiously as something came to her mind.
She was well aware of El's grand plan: to build a massive airborne fortress. The idea was for Gerd to harvest enough souls and inject them into an enormous cloud island that spanned over ten kilometers, creating a floating island that could be moved at will. This was intended to be the future headquarters of the Fallen Angel Pirates.
However, achieving this was no easy feat—it required an immense number of souls.
"Over the past few years, I've gradually collected some souls from pirates and navy soldiers..." Gerd spread her hands helplessly. "But since we've had to keep a low profile, the number isn't large."
"Most of the souls have been used to enhance Dreamland and create various Homies battalions."
The most resource-intensive was the Sea King Homies battalion, particularly the 10th division. The cost was enormous. Even though Sea Kings were formidable creatures, they lacked influence in the Calm Belt. Injecting souls into the corpses of large Sea Kings increased the required number of souls exponentially.
For example, just the dozens of medium- and large-sized Sea Kings, each over a hundred meters long, required the souls of nearly ten thousand people. To ensure these creatures retained intelligence and combat abilities, the main source of their souls had to come from powerful individuals. This ensured they could understand and execute the commands of the Fallen Angel Pirates, rather than just move mindlessly.
As a result, Gerd's current stockpile of souls was rather limited.
"Infusing souls into a massive cloud island to create a true flying fortress is far beyond creating a Sea King battalion. This number of souls is nowhere near enough!"
Building a large flying fortress required an overwhelming number of souls. Even if Gerd, as the user of the Soul-Soul Fruit, injected part of her own soul into the cloud without affecting her lifespan, she could only create a top-tier Homie with a cloud diameter of about one kilometer.
This, of course, would fall far short of El's vision. A significant amount of souls was needed to continuously feed the cloud, allowing it to grow larger.
"The Totto Land plan is already being prepared and will soon be launched!"
El, with his arms crossed, said in a deep voice, "Before that happens, the airborne fortress must be completed as soon as possible..."
He knew how overwhelming the World Government's hidden powers were. It was uncertain whether the "national treasure" of the Celestial Dragons was one of the three ancient weapons, specifically the most powerful, "Uranus."
But the power that could easily destroy an island in a single strike, erasing its foundation and leaving behind a massive abyss—one that could even affect the world's sea levels—could not be ignored. If the World Government perceived his growing threat, there was no guarantee they wouldn't use it.
El had no intention of gambling with his or his comrades' lives to test whether the World Government still had enough energy to activate this "treasure."
A flying, mobile fortress—its location untraceable and able to move freely—was absolutely essential.
And if the world were ever doomed to be destroyed, with most of the land submerged by the sea, such a mobile fortress would be even more necessary.
"If the souls of pirates aren't enough, then we'll target the navy..."
He asked directly, "How many more do we need to expand the flying fortress to a ten-kilometer radius?"
Honestly, given their size, giants like Lily, Witt, Gerd, and Hajrudin—all from the Giant race—didn't find ten kilometers to be vast. To El, it still felt insufficient. The buildings and facilities, if constructed to a giant's scale, would leave little room for movement.
Since it was meant to be the Fallen Angel Pirates' headquarters, there was no need to reach the final goal all at once. They could continue collecting souls later and expand the fortress gradually.
"A cloud island over ten kilometers wide would be colossal... To ensure its flight speed isn't too slow, we would need at least ten thousand souls from elite navy soldiers!" Gerd estimated, stroking her chin. "In the New World, about half of the naval personnel stationed at those G-numbered bases would meet this requirement."
"If we were to consider regular navy soldiers from the Four Seas, we would need at least 100,000 well-trained souls!"
As for ordinary civilians, Gerd didn't mention them. They hadn't fallen so low as to harm innocent people just to harvest souls.
But the navy? That was their enemy, so there was nothing more to say.
After all, they were pirates, not saints.
"Well then, that simplifies things!"
El's expression remained calm as he spoke indifferently.
"El, are you really planning to target the navy?" Gerd asked, surprised.
Such a massive gap in the number of souls—if El truly went after the navy, the commotion would be no less significant than when the giants of Elbaf destroyed the G-12 fortress.
The navy, while cautious of the world's strongest nation, Elbaf, would not hesitate against the relatively unknown Fallen Angel Pirates. Furthermore, for years, they had been searching for El, the last of the Lunarian race, hoping to eliminate him before he grew too powerful.
They would undoubtedly spare no effort, sending admirals and fleets to annihilate him, even using the Buster Call if necessary.
"Is that so?" Linlin's eyes lit up, eager for action.
She could hardly wait to showcase her strength.
"We've been lying low long enough. It's time to show our fangs!" El cracked his neck, smirking coldly. "Besides, didn't you mention a major auction is about to be held on the Sabaody Archipelago?"
"Perfect timing—I'm curious to measure the strength of a Marine Admiral and see just how strong I've become!"
"And who knows, maybe the soul of an admiral could be worth more than those of ten thousand elite navy soldiers?"
~~~
Bonus Chapters! To get more here's how:
Top 60-69 = 4 chapters
Top 50-59 = 5 chapters (Current Ranking)
Top 40-49 = 6 chapters
Top 30-39 = 7 chapters
Top 20-29 = 8 chapters
And more...
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— 70 Advance Chapters!
More Chapters now in Patreon! From 50 Advance Chapters to 70 Advance Chapters! Read more and Enjoy!
Pop~~~ Pop~~~
Two weeks later.
Sabaody Archipelago.
Countless bubbles floated through the air, reflecting light in a rainbow of colors, creating a dreamlike scene. From time to time, a bubble would float too high, break free from the unique climate of the Sabaody Archipelago, and burst with a crisp pop.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting..."
At that moment—
On Grove No. 1.
The Auction House.
The venue was already packed with people—from pirates and bounty hunters to merchants and nobles from all over the world.
In the middle row of seats sat several figures dressed in luxurious spacesuits, their heads encased in bubble helmets. Their mere presence stirred a range of reactions from the audience, whether defiant pirates, wealthy merchants, or high-ranking officials from various nations.
Some were filled with fear, others with awe, unease, or even terror.
But no matter their true feelings—whether disgust or hatred—no one dared to act out of line.
The reason was simple: these individuals were the descendants of the twenty kings who founded the World Government, known as the Celestial Dragons, the world's supreme nobility, recognized by the government as untouchable.
According to the highest laws of the World Government, the descendants of the creators were considered sacred and enjoyed every privilege. If offended, even an admiral from the Navy Headquarters would have to personally intervene to protect them. Whether they killed in broad daylight, kidnapped women, or enslaved people from any race, they were never held accountable. In fact, anyone who tried to obstruct or oppose them would be guilty of a crime.
Anyone who offended the Celestial Dragons would be hunted down, no matter where they fled, and death was the only outcome.
This was common knowledge across the seas.
"The moment we've all been waiting for is about to arrive. I'm sure everyone here is excited..."
On the auction stage.
A man in a suit and sunglasses excitedly announced, "Our Black Flag Trading Company has been preparing for this grand auction for three years, and it's about to begin!"
"But first, we—"
Bang!
"Ah—"
Suddenly, a gunshot echoed through the hall.
The auctioneer, who had been passionately explaining the auction's rules, screamed as blood splattered from his shoulder. He fell to the ground, wounded.
Panic immediately spread throughout the venue.
Some women screamed, while others turned pale with fear and confusion. But soon, everyone's eyes widened when they saw who had fired the shot—it was one of the Celestial Dragons.
"Enough with the jabbering. So noisy..."
In the middle row stood a bloated, obese figure with a face full of fat, holding a smoking pistol. He glared at the terrified auctioneer, who was struggling to stand, and shouted impatiently, "Get on with it and start already... Don't waste this saint's time!"
The other Celestial Dragons remained silent, clearly unbothered by his actions.
When the obese Celestial Dragon scanned the room with his impatient gaze, everyone instinctively averted their eyes in a panic, terrified of drawing his attention or ire and bringing disaster upon themselves.
The noisy auction house quickly fell silent. Even the women, who had been crying in fear, were quickly silenced by their companions, who covered their mouths and whispered stern warnings, urging them not to make a sound.
"Y-yes, my deepest apologies..."
The auctioneer, pale and drenched in cold sweat, shakily wiped the blood from his shoulder. Fortunately, the shot hadn't hit a vital spot. Two staff members rushed over to help him backstage.
Meanwhile, the auction house manager hurriedly ran out from behind the scenes, repeatedly bowing to the Celestial Dragons. "Please forgive us, my lords. The new auctioneer didn't understand the rules and offended you... The auction will begin immediately!"
With that, he personally took over the role of auctioneer.
"First—"
"Let's present today's first item!"
As the manager's voice echoed through the hall, he gestured toward the first "item" being brought out.
A beautiful young woman with a graceful figure, dressed in a revealing dancer's outfit, was led onto the stage like livestock. Chains were wrapped around her knees and limbs.
"Ah—"
"Wow, what a beauty!"
"As expected of a grand event held once every three years!"
"I didn't think the first item would be this stunning!"
"Black Flag Trading Company really lives up to its reputation as the biggest merchant company in the first half of the Grand Line. Impressive!"
"I've heard that in addition to Devil Fruits, they also have rare special races up for auction!"
"Could it be the legendary mermaids?"
"No, not just mermaids—there are others too..."
The audience was immediately captivated. Pirates, nobles, and merchants alike gazed at the woman on stage with glowing eyes, their attention fully focused on her slender and alluring figure.
Seeing the lustful, predatory gazes of the audience, all directed at her like she was a perfect piece of merchandise, the dancer's face paled with terror. She trembled, looking pitiful and helpless.
"She just turned 18 this year, a beautiful dancer from the West Blue—Bacca. She's skilled in various dances, and her talents are top-notch!"
The manager, clearly an experienced auctioneer, gestured energetically as he passionately introduced the first item, seemingly unaffected by the earlier disturbance. He quickly threw himself into his work, loudly proclaiming, "Look at that gorgeous face! Look at that devilish figure! She's truly the woman of every man's dreams..."
"Furthermore, after thorough inspection, we can guarantee that this product is completely untouched—an authentic virgin!"
"If we're wrong, we'll pay ten times the price. Don't miss out on this opportunity!"
The tense, uneasy atmosphere in the room began to heat up once again, guided by the auctioneer's enthusiasm.
"The starting price is 300,000 Belly, with minimum increments of 10,000 Belly. Although the price may seem high, the quality is unmatched—definitely worth every Belly!"
"So, ladies and gentlemen, what are you waiting for? Place your bids!"
"350,000 Belly!"
"380,000 Belly!"
"400,000 Belly!"
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