"Damn you…"
"What are you trying to accomplish here?"
The Five Elders, their faces dark with fury, reverted from their beast and hybrid forms back to human shape. Their expressions were grim, their gazes murderous as they glared at Fallen Angel El, barely containing their anger.
"Come now, there's no need for such hostility," El said with a playful grin, appearing entirely unfazed. He gestured casually, speaking with calm amusement: "There's no need for threats. I'm simply making a suggestion: leave here immediately with your forces, and I won't detonate the explosives planted in Mary Geoise."
His golden eyes gleamed as he added, "Oh, and be sure to warn those old-timers on the Red Line. If they try anything reckless, like using a wide-range Conqueror's Haki to incapacitate the signaling Den Den Mushi, that'll automatically trigger the detonation system." He leaned in, his smile widening. "And then, 5,000 meters above sea level, Mary Geoise will experience the most beautiful fireworks display the world has ever seen."
A chill spread through the battlefield. Everyone knew that the Holy Land housed not only the Celestial Dragons, CP0, and Holy Knights but also many retired elites from previous generations—many of whom likely possessed Conqueror's Haki. While finding and neutralizing the Den Den Mushi through their Observation Haki might be possible, doing so would require time—a luxury they didn't have.
El knew the explosives weren't a permanent deterrent, but that didn't matter. With over 200 Celestial Dragons as hostages, he had more than enough leverage. If the World Government tried anything underhanded, he was prepared to retreat to Wano and continue building his forces in secret.
"Damn you!"
"Curse you, you bastard!"
The Elders' faces grew darker as the full weight of the threat sank in. Behind them, Fleet Admiral Hamans William, Steel Bone Kong, CP0 operatives, and Holy Knights glared daggers at El, their fury palpable. Their teeth clenched, their bodies trembling with suppressed rage.
"We'll leave, but on one condition: return the Celestial Dragons you've taken, and release Well and Howard Saint!" The sharp demand came from Elder Maimie, his voice cold and unyielding.
"That won't work," El said smoothly, shaking his head with a faint chuckle. "Those Celestial Dragons are bargaining chips, and there's no way I'm letting them go. As for Saint Muner and Saint Howard…" He paused, his smile turning cold and sharp. "Sorry, but they've already been dealt with."
"Bastard!!"
The words hit like a hammer. The Five Elders and Holy Knights were livid, their eyes blazing with fury. It was clear what had happened: Saint Muner had been killed for his Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, the Azure Dragon.
El ignored their rage, turning instead to the Fish-men crew stationed at the coastline. "Are Sebastian and the others done? How many Celestial Dragons did we catch?"
A burly grouper Fish-man stepped forward, bowing slightly. "El-sama, their mission just concluded. They reported capturing over 200 Celestial Dragons."
"What!?"
"Over 200!?"
Shock rippled through the battlefield. Even the Five Elders, who were accustomed to calamities, were visibly shaken. Gasps echoed among the gathered forces of the World Government. They stared at El in disbelief, their rage mingling with the cold grip of fear.
"You heard that, didn't you?" El's voice, calm and mocking, carried easily over the tense silence. "That's 200 Celestial Dragons in my hands." He shifted his gaze to the Elders, his golden eyes glittering with malice. "We'll negotiate their release with your World Government later. For now, I suggest you leave Totto Land's waters immediately." A pause, and then he smiled darkly. "Otherwise, losing 200 Celestial Dragons will be the least of your worries."
The sheer audacity of his threat sent chills down their spines. Each figure glared with murderous intent, clearly wishing to tear the other apart. Yet El stood his ground, brimming with confidence, his smile unwavering as he awaited the Five Elders' decision.
"Hmph. Let's hope you keep your word," one of the elders finally said, his tone cold. "If not, you surely understand the consequences of angering the World Government." Their expressions shifted subtly, betraying an unseen mental exchange. Eventually, the Five Elders were forced to relent. No matter their unwillingness or seething rage, the dire circumstances left them no choice. Their immediate priority was locating and neutralizing the explosives hidden in Mary Geoise. Above all, they had to avoid disturbing that figure who resided in the Holy Land.
Retreat of the World Government Forces
Shortly thereafter, two enormous winged forms—a thunderbird and an Itsumade—took flight. They carried the forces of the World Government, including many powerful fighters secured within the "Swamp Dimension" of Vice Admiral Earth Dragon. Even the summoned reinforcements—Saint Nasujuro, Saint Valkyrie, Saint Ju Peter, and Saint Saturn—did not immediately return to Mary Geoise. They hovered above, exuding killing intent, their gazes filled with fury and resentment as they reluctantly retreated, wary of a sneak attack from El's forces.
Perched on Thunderbird Saint Denis's back, the elders maintained their vigilance until they finally vanished into the horizon.
The Aftermath
"Hahaha! What an unbelievable feat," Rocks D. Xebec exclaimed, his laugh echoing through the scorched island. "You actually forced the World Government to hold their noses and compromise!"
Rocks's admiration for El's audacious tactics was tinged with unease and a hint of regret. In hindsight, he wished he had taken advantage of the chaos to attack the World Government's weaker links and seize more Devil Fruit powers. Instead, all he had managed to snag was a single Bird-Bird Fruit: Vulture Model.
"Tch, what a waste… But enough about that. Where's my reward?" Rocks stepped forward, extending his right hand toward El. "Don't tell me you're planning to back out now!"
"Hey, wait a second! What about us?" Roger interjected, raising a hand with an exaggerated expression. "Cough it up!"
Remaining calm, El nodded toward one of the massive sea beasts nearby.
"Yes, El-sama."
The beast leaped ashore, its massive maw opening wide before spitting out its cargo.
BOOM!
The ground trembled violently as a massive red stone slammed onto the earth, sending a cloud of dust billowing outward. As the debris cleared, everyone's eyes locked onto the Road Poneglyph—a massive, weathered red stone marked with ancient glyphs, its surface dotted with moss and the wear of countless years.
"So this is one of the Road Poneglyphs… the key to reaching the Final Island," Rocks murmured, his gaze burning with intensity. Roger's crew, including the Silver, Gold, and Copper trio, shared expressions of awe and excitement.
"This is just one piece," El said casually, shrugging his shoulders. "There are four in total, but as for the locations of the other three… I have no idea." It was, of course, a lie. El knew the whereabouts of most of the Road Poneglyphs but had no intention of revealing such critical information. "Regardless, this is the reward I promised you." He gestured toward the massive stone and added indifferently, "You can take an imprint or record its inscriptions, but you can't take the original with you."
While El was indeed interested in the Final Island, the scattered state of the Poneglyphs meant he could afford to let them copy this one. It was a small price to pay for their assistance in this critical battle.
"Hmph, so they get a share too?" Rocks frowned, his gaze flickering toward Roger and his crew. His displeasure was evident as he grumbled, "Selling the same thing to two buyers—isn't that a bit much?"
"Why? Don't want it? Perfect. That makes things easier!" El shot him a sharp glare, instantly discerning Rocks's intentions. It was clear Rocks was sizing up Roger's crew, perhaps even contemplating attacking them outright.
"Hahaha! Like hell I don't want it!" Rocks bellowed with laughter, his tone dangerous. "After all the trouble I went through, I'm taking my cut!"
~~~
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