[This chapter is proudly sponsored by "SchwiftyZ." Please join me in expressing your thanks in the comments! If you're interested in sponsoring a chapter, consider joining the Patreon.]
The Next Day.
The sea trembled as Elbaf's giant army broke through the G-12 naval base in the second half of the New World. At the same time, the two former leaders of the Giant Pirates—Elder Warriors Mountain Beard and Waterfall Beard—broadcast a full-channel message using a large transponder snail. They revealed that "Holy Mother" Carmel was, in fact, the infamous human trafficker of the underworld known as the "Mountain Witch."
They exposed how all the troubled children she adopted were sold to the CP intelligence agency under the World Government to be trained as spies, a scheme uncovered by the giants. Years ago, Carmel and the World Government staged the incident that stopped the public execution of some Giant Pirate members, deceiving the entire world and the giants of Elbaf, all to gain the strength of the giants.
In response, the furious warriors of Elbaf launched a retaliatory strike.
Soon after, the World Government, having activated CP's resources to understand the situation, was enraged. In a swift response, the government's spokesperson held a press conference, fiercely criticizing and denying the claims of the giants.
"This is slander. The World Government has long sought peaceful coexistence among all races. Years ago, thanks to the relentless efforts of Sister Carmel, the government ordered the Navy to spare the Giant Pirates from public execution for the sake of the greater good. But instead of accepting the government's goodwill, the giants have bitten the hand that fed them."
"The giants not only killed the revered Holy Mother Carmel but also mobilized their forces to destroy a naval base in the New World. This is no ordinary crime, and the World Government will not let this go unpunished."
The government portrayed the giants as brutal, claiming they killed Carmel and were now trying to frame the government, tarnishing the name of a woman who dedicated her life to peace among the races. They questioned why, if Carmel was a trafficker, she had never been exposed during her lifetime, and why her supposed crimes were only revealed after her death at the hands of the giants. The government demanded proof from the giants.
"Damn giants..."
"How could they kill Sister Carmel? She was a saint!"
"Elbaf's giants are so ruthless, murdering a defenseless holy woman!"
"Those monsters not only killed the Holy Mother but now slander her memory!"
"Unforgivable!"
The World Government's media outlets heavily reported on the situation, and people around the world, already deeply convinced of Carmel's sainthood, sided with the government's version of events. They condemned, cursed, and expressed hatred toward the giants.
At the same time, however, within the Marine Headquarters, all giant vice admirals except for John Giant—the first to be swayed by Carmel and a firm believer in the justice of the Navy and World Government—resigned. They stripped off their uniforms and returned to their homeland. No matter how much the Navy explained or tried to persuade or even coerce them, the decision of the giant officers was final and unshakable.
…
"Tree~ Tree~"
"I am a tree~"
"Spin, spin, spin~"
"Come and ride the Ferris wheel~"
Meanwhile, at the Dreamland Home, all the attractions—the Ferris wheel, carousel, spinning swings, and other amusement rides—had been brought to life by Gerd, who had infused them with souls. They became anthropomorphized Homies, moving and operating on their own, much to the amazement of onlookers.
"Haha..."
"They're all moving!"
"This is so much fun!"
"Gerd, you're amazing!"
"Wait, I want to ride the Ferris wheel too!"
The children of the Dreamland Home were ecstatic, including Linlin, Gerd, and Haelding, who couldn't resist joining in the fun. They excitedly climbed onto the Ferris wheel, thrilled to command the smiling, anthropomorphized Ferris wheel Homie to start spinning. Zeus, Hera, and Prometheus—the highest-ranking Homies—floated nearby, observing the fun.
"Everyone be careful, don't fall!" El called out, smiling as he watched from the side, offering a reminder but not stopping the festivities.
This time, Gerd had harvested a large number of souls and used her Soul-Soul Fruit abilities to breathe life into these attractions, completing the Dreamland Amusement Park El had originally envisioned.
…
"Swoosh..."
Not far away, in the ocean, a colossal creature formed entirely of seawater rose from the waves. The size of the entity was even more impressive than that of a large Sea King, and it, too, bore an anthropomorphic face that would send shivers down anyone's spine.
"Umibōzu, from now on, you will be responsible for guarding the waters around here," El said as he flew over to the coastline, addressing the enormous, intimidating sea Homie. "Patrol the surrounding waters every day. If you see any ships other than those from Elbaf, report it immediately. If they belong to the Navy or the World Government, sink them, and capture the survivors so Gerd can take their souls."
This sea Homie, Umibōzu, was created by Gerd using her Soul-Soul Fruit, infusing her own soul into the water at El's suggestion.
Yes, the Soul-Soul Fruit's powers could affect seawater too. However, as a Devil Fruit user, Gerd herself was still cursed by the sea and would become powerless if she fell into the ocean.
Like Zeus and Prometheus, Umibōzu could manipulate the sea, summoning enormous waves to crush enemies. As a being made of water, it was nearly invincible and extraordinarily difficult to harm, let alone kill. Only specific types of abilities could pose a threat to it.
"Yes, El-sama!" The massive sea creature happily responded from the water. "Rest assured, I will lead them and protect this Dreamland Amusement Park!"
As it spoke, various large fish and unassuming sea slugs leaped out of the water. These creatures had also been infused with souls by Gerd, turning them into Homies responsible for monitoring the waters around Dreamland. Especially the sea slugs, which could transmit special signal waves received by a giant sea slug stationed in Dreamland, ensuring any abnormal situation would be immediately reported.
Even the Homies within Dreamland possessed significant combat capabilities. The Ferris wheel, in particular, had been infused with the soul of the Marine Vice Admiral, making it one of the strongest defenders of the Dreamland Home.
Even if El and his team had to leave Dreamland for a while, there was no need to worry about any potential invasions.
"Haha, I'll leave it to you, then!"
[This chapter is proudly sponsored by "SchwiftyZ." Please join me in expressing your thanks in the comments! If you're interested in sponsoring a chapter, consider joining the Patreon.]
At Marine Headquarters, Marineford, inside the grand and imposing office of the Fleet Admiral, Lieutenant Mark stood at attention and saluted as he reported, "All of the giant vice admirals, except for John Giant—the first giant to join the Navy—have submitted their resignations and left, despite attempts to stop them."
"We tried to apprehend them, but the preparation was rushed. These giant vice admirals were formidable and managed to seize a few warships to escape!"
"Is that so? After all the effort we put into recruiting the giants, it's frustrating to see them swayed so easily by Elbaf..." Fleet Admiral Hammens William's face darkened, his fists clenched. "Justice cannot be mocked. They can't just come and go as they please."
"Immediately issue bounties for those deserters. They are now fugitives of the Navy!"
"Yes, sir!" Lieutenant Mark responded, standing at attention.
"Furthermore, after Vice Admiral Steel Bone Kong from G-11 and Vice Admiral Bael from G-13 arrived at G-12 to reinforce it, they found the base mostly destroyed with no survivors. Vice Admiral Modi's body was burned beyond recognition—he is presumed dead."
"Many marines were found bound by vines, their faces frozen in terror. Some had their blood completely drained, reduced to mere husks. It seems multiple Devil Fruit users were involved. We suspect that, aside from Kukulkan El, the Lunarian survivor, there are other Devil Fruit users among the giants."
"Giant Devil Fruit users are rare, but they're not unheard of," William responded flatly, unsurprised. "Devil Fruits, the so-called 'treasures of the sea,' are scattered across every corner of this world. Even after more than 700 years of dominance, the World Government hasn't been able to collect and control all of them."
"Devil Fruits reappear randomly when their users die, so it's not surprising that occasionally a giant or another rare race gets their hands on one."
"Have Kong and Bael deploy surveillance ships to monitor Elbaf's movements and remain on high alert. We need to prevent them from launching any further attacks on other bases," William ordered sternly. "But until Admiral Hark arrives to take command in the New World, avoid any direct confrontations with the giants."
It wasn't that William didn't want to strike back decisively. If it were only the Giant Pirates, things would be simpler. But this situation had escalated beyond that—it now involved the entire nation of Elbaf, the world's mightiest country.
A full-scale conflict with Elbaf was no small matter. They could summon tens of thousands of giant warriors at any moment. The giants, by their very nature, were formidable. Even as children, they possessed considerable combat abilities, and as adults, they became fearsome warriors with only a little training.
It took hundreds, if not thousands, of trained marines to subdue even one adult giant. With over a hundred giants attacking the G-12 base, it was no wonder they overpowered it so easily. The thought of an entire army of giants, numbering in the thousands, was enough to make anyone break into a cold sweat.
Even the Navy, the dominant power of the seas, would have to prepare for severe losses in a war against Elbaf. And given the long lifespans of giants—three times that of humans—who knew what fearsome monsters might be lurking among their ranks? A conflict with Elbaf could very well trigger a wider response from giants across the world, something that needed to be avoided at all costs.
"By the way, Admiral William, regarding Kukulkan El..." Lieutenant Mark hesitated, then continued, "CP has been trying to capture him for months, but since he's been hiding in Elbaf, under the protection of the giants, and because of the recent efforts to mend relations with them, the World Government has been hesitant to take direct action."
"Furthermore, according to CP's intelligence, Kukulkan El, although under ten years old, is already a monstrous figure. He's immune to weapons, possesses immense strength, and is a natural-born monster—an ability user of the Mythical Zoan-type Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Quetzalcoatl."
"It's said he has terrifying combat capabilities. Even without using his fruit powers or the Lunarian racial ability to manipulate fire, no adult giant warrior can even budge him. He easily tosses them around like toys."
"Even without defense, giants have swung their full strength at him with swords, but the blades shatter, leaving him completely unharmed!"
"What? A natural-born monster?"
Upon hearing this, William's pupils shrank in shock. His expression turned serious as he abruptly stood, visibly shaken. "Is he really such a terrifying monster?"
If the intelligence was accurate, then this boy's abilities were terrifying beyond belief. William had thought he'd been giving the Lunarian child enough attention, but clearly, he had underestimated the situation. If someone like this were allowed to grow unchecked, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Yes, sir. These reports come directly from Sister Carmel, who had no reason to deceive us," Lieutenant Mark confirmed. "Additionally, CP recently reported that a World Government ship went missing near Elbaf. It carried several government officials and three CP0 agents, and it's believed Kukulkan El may be responsible."
"CP0 was involved as well?" William's eyes narrowed, and his expression turned grim as he paced the room. "If that's true, it means his strength can't be ignored."
Though William disliked CP0—the top-secret agency under the World Nobles, whose motto of "The Celestial Dragons first, everything else second" made them arrogant and disdainful of the Navy—he understood the danger they posed. CP0 agents were highly trained and fanatically loyal to the World Government. They would die before failing a mission or failing to relay crucial information. The fact that none of the agents on the missing ship had sent any word was troubling.
If Kukulkan El truly was this extraordinary natural-born monster, combined with his Mythical Zoan abilities, it was entirely possible he had wiped out the CP0 agents without giving them a chance to react.
"Admiral, should we place a bounty on him?" Mark inquired.
"Hm... Let's start it at five hundred million..." William hesitated, then revised his decision. "No, make that six hundred million Berries!"
"Six hundred million?" Mark was stunned. Although he understood Kukulkan El's unique nature, he couldn't believe the bounty could be so high. No one had ever received a first bounty of six hundred million Berries.
Even the leaders of the Giant Pirates, Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy, were only initially bountied at one hundred million Berries each, though that was over thirty years ago. And across the seas, there were few pirates with bounties exceeding five hundred million.
"Admiral William, this..."
"You heard correctly. Six hundred million Berries," William stated firmly, crossing his arms. "He's a Lunarian survivor, which makes him a special case. The World Government has long offered a bounty of one hundred million Berries for any information leading to the discovery of a Lunarian."
"And anyone who captures a Lunarian alive can claim a reward of at least five hundred million. Of course, that requires capturing them alive."
"Kukulkan El's actions at the G-12 base show that he likely harbors a deep grudge against the Navy and the World Government for what happened years ago. He won't hesitate to seek revenge."
"Given the threat he poses, we can't afford to let him run free. So we'll place a six hundred million Berries bounty on his head, dead or alive!"
"Yes, sir!"