Bab 115: Chapter 115: El's condition for the last Transaction
The next day, after a night of indulgence, El returned to the same place with Moss, who was carrying another Celestial Dragon for the second exchange with the World Government. Just as yesterday, the CP0 agent led the negotiations, with Admiral Kong providing security.
Everything went smoothly; the World Government showed no immediate signs of breaking their agreement. This time, the ransom included one Logia fruit, one Ancient Zoan, and five additional Devil Fruits. El was especially pleased with the Logia fruit offered, which hinted that the World Government's reserves were indeed well-stocked with quality fruits.
After ensuring the Celestial Dragon was escorted away by medical staff and CP agents, the CP0 agent in charge asked, "When's the next exchange?" Fleet Admiral Kong also perked up, attentive.
"Three days from now... But you know what? Let's avoid causing more trouble here on Sabaody." El cast a quick glance at the island. As the guardian of plant life, he didn't want to see the giant Yarukiman Mangrove, which had endured for countless years, damaged by their skirmishes.
"We'll do it on Tonelito Island."
El had every reason to expect a fierce battle next time and wanted the extra days to fully hone his new Conqueror's Haki coating technique. He was certain his foes would be in for a nasty surprise, but precautions were still necessary.
"Tonelito Island…" The CP0 agent and Kong both frowned. "That's a bit far, isn't it?" The island was not close to either Marine Headquarters or the Holy Land of Mariejois, requiring at least four or five days' travel.
"You'll manage," El replied with a calm smile. "The World Government has enough transport methods, so there's no need for excuses."
He was sure they would use their flying specialists, and it was likely that the Holy Knights would finally intervene. After all, the Navy had already suffered a setback at his hands once; another defeat, especially of a high-ranking admiral, would shatter the World Government's authority and plunge the seas into chaos.
In just a few days, news of the Navy's humiliation had sparked a ripple effect. The sea's situation was shifting as pirates grew bolder, spurred by the Navy's declining power. In this short span, pirate activity had surged dramatically, forcing Navy bases everywhere to scramble and repeatedly call Marine Headquarters for reinforcements.
Despite its impressive scale and millions-strong force, the Navy had always been stretched thin across the vast oceans dotted with countless islands. Even with their primary focus on World Government-affiliated nations and territories, resources were spread too thin. Most bases had only minimal troops and were often plagued by inefficiency. Corruption also drained manpower, as officials reported inflated numbers to the World Government.
In reality, many bases relied on temporary recruits to pass inspections, leaving them with as few as a third of their supposed combat-ready forces.
With the seas "at peace for so long," the World Government began systematically cutting the Navy's budget, aiming to reduce its expenditures. As a result, the Navy, already financially constrained, had even less funding allocated to its various branch bases. Unlike Marine Headquarters or the directly managed "G"-branch bases in the Grand Line, many regional bases around the Four Blues struggled with aging or even barely functional ships. Forget new ships—even replacing outdated, worn-out artillery was often impossible. Most bases couldn't even afford regular training ammunition to keep their combat skills sharp.
If the seas remained stable, this wasn't too much of an issue. But with the recent turmoil, bases everywhere were suddenly overwhelmed, struggling just to keep operations running and manage frequent aid requests. Manpower was severely lacking, and many bases were out of practice. The few remaining operational ships were hard-pressed to respond.
After recent heavy losses of elite forces, the Navy's resources were stretched thin, leaving Fleet Admiral Hammons William in a state of constant stress. He not only had to allocate troops to fight and quell pirate activity, but also to handle post-battle responsibilities like compensation for the families of the wounded and fallen Navy personnel. Were it not for the urgent demand to prioritize funds for the Celestial Dragons, even Admiral Kong might have had to step in himself to put out fires across the seas.
"Additionally, you may have the advantage in numbers, but for safety's sake, you can only send one person." El crossed his arms and smiled, "If I detect even a hint of any extra presence nearby...the Celestial Dragons won't leave alive. And don't doubt my resolve!"
"Absolutely not!"
The CP0 agents and Steel Bone Kong's expressions shifted immediately, as they loudly rejected El's unreasonable demand. They didn't trust him any more than he trusted them. Bringing only one person to face this dangerous opponent was a risk they weren't willing to take. They knew this "Fallen Angel" was capable of anything, and he had already killed one admiral.
"Fine, aside from the medical staff, you can bring two people." El raised an eyebrow and gestured to the medics. "Even with masks on, I've memorized their faces and auras. You can't deceive me."
"If there's a single extra person, I'll execute the hostage immediately."
"So that's all the courage you've got..." Kong replied with a scowl.
"You're right," El sneered back. "I have little patience, and I 'hold grudges'. Anyone who crosses me only has one fate—death!"
He didn't need to add any further threats; his chilling intent was clear. Every agent, soldier, or officer connected to the manhunt against his family would not escape his vengeance.
Each time the Intelligence Sally gave, he reviewed the list of those involved, every single name found on it, especially high-ranking officers, had been marked for retribution. Retirement? A peaceful life? That was a delusion.
"You—"
Kong's expression darkened, fully aware of what El meant: the Fallen Angel's vengeance wouldn't end here; this was only the beginning. Even Kong felt a chill run through him. If they couldn't stop this creature soon, El would bring about even greater chaos.
"El, the World Government won't agree to such an unreasonable condition," the CP0 agent said firmly. "If you were to suddenly turn hostile, we would have little recourse to protect the Celestial Dragons."
"How about this," El replied calmly, his gaze unwavering. "You can bring yourself along as well. But no more."
He could tell the CP0 officer was formidable, yet likely not much stronger than the current Sengoku or Garp. Certainly no match for Linlin. He was confident they could handle it.
~~~
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