"It's time to prepare dinner!"
Watching the setting sun, El decided not to continue training. He spread his wings wide.
"Whoosh..." With a gust of wind, his towering figure rose into the sky, flying into the distance.
Soon, El reached the shoreline of Elbaf's giant village. His large frame moved swiftly, skimming over the sea.
"Roar—" Suddenly, a terrifying sea king, over a hundred meters long, lunged out from the sea, its monstrous maw wide open as it attacked El.
"I was waiting for you!" El chuckled lightly, reacting swiftly. In mid-air, he abruptly turned, his right arm bulging with muscle as he unleashed a powerful punch.
"Whoosh—"
The force was so intense it distorted the atmosphere.
"Boom! Boom!" With a thunderous impact, blood splattered everywhere. The terrifying punch struck the sea king's massive head, causing it to explode. A gruesome hole went clean through, leaving a shocking sight.
"Sizzle... sizzle..." Flames flared from the back of El's head, engulfing him in fire. The blood that splattered on him was instantly vaporized.
The sea king's massive body, over a hundred meters long, lost its strength and began to crash toward the ocean. But El caught its bloody skull with one hand, effortlessly lifting the massive corpse. With a flap of his wings, he flew toward the shore.
"Splash..." Water sprayed everywhere as the enormous corpse of the sea king was lifted from the ocean, suspended in mid-air.
"Boom!!" Rocks scattered, and dust rose as El slammed the heavy body onto the long coastline.
"Swish..."
Back on the shore, El swiped his right hand through the air.
"Shing... shing..." Several sharp wind blades flashed by in an instant. The sea king, which was over a hundred meters long but considered only a "small disaster" in the seas near Elbaf, was instantly sliced into eight pieces.
Thanks to his constant training, El could now use his Devil Fruit powers to some extent even in his human form, without needing to fully transform.
"Huff..."
Next, El lightly stomped his foot on the ground.
"Swish... swish..." The earth trembled, and green sprouts broke through the soil. Before his eyes, they rapidly grew into massive vines, which pierced through the dissected sea king, stringing up its pieces in the air. Even the organs were pulled out and cleaned by the vines.
This was one of the abilities of the Mythical Zoan Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Quetzalcoatl. The Quetzalcoatl was a god associated with rain, sowing, harvest, and fertility in mythology, symbolizing death and rebirth. It was the god of agriculture, the sky, and the sun.
El was not only immune to all poisons but could also release powerful toxins. He possessed unparalleled offensive, defensive, and regenerative capabilities. Moreover, he could control storms, lightning, fire, and other elements, even summoning rain at will. He also had mastery over plant life, able to manipulate their growth and form.
Most astonishingly, El could shed his skin to heal injuries, and each time he did, his body would grow larger. He speculated that the Quetzalcoatl form might even possess the power of resurrection after death, though he hadn't tested this theory and certainly wasn't foolish enough to try.
"Swish..."
Looking at the sea king meat hanging on the vines like a small mountain, El couldn't be bothered to process it slowly. He grabbed a massive chunk of meat, larger than even a giant's body, and flames erupted from his hand, engulfing the meat completely.
"Sizzle... crackle..."
In an instant, the intense heat roasted the meat to perfection, filling the air with the savory scent of cooked meat. El tore off a large piece and began devouring it, finishing it in just a few bites.
After repeating this process several times, it took him less than half an hour to completely finish off the sea king's body before the sun had fully set. It was an impressive feat, enough to leave anyone speechless.
"Burp~ The taste was so-so, but at least I'm full!" El patted his slightly swollen stomach and lazily sat down, a fish bone dangling from his mouth.
As he gazed at the rolling waves of the sea, his thoughts drifted to the past. From the moment he was born, the World Government and Navy had relentlessly hunted him. Time and again, he narrowly escaped death. It wasn't until he turned three, when he awakened his past life's memories, that he could fully comprehend what was happening. His parents, who had sacrificed everything to protect him, had earned his recognition as his true family.
Even though they were so young when they tragically perished, it was all due to the World Government's actions. How could he not be enraged?
One day, he would settle the score with the World Government.
Thinking of this, a cold gleam flashed in El's eyes. "The Red Line, Mary Geoise... Someday, I'll walk straight up to it."
As someone with Lunarian blood, it was inevitable that he would be at odds with the World Government. Whether they feared the Lunarians' incredible natural abilities or coveted their power to survive in any harsh environment—or perhaps both—was unclear.
Centuries ago, the World Government had issued a bounty for any information on the Lunarians. Anyone who reported the whereabouts of a Lunarian could claim a reward of 100 million Berries. Capturing one alive would bring an even greater reward.
This bounty had no time limit and was still in effect. From the start, El and the World Government were destined to be mortal enemies.
The black wings on his back, gray-white hair, tanned skin, and flames on the back of his head—all these traits were the unmistakable signs of the legendary Lunarian race, making him easily recognizable. Over the long years, countless Lunarians had been persecuted and hunted, pushing their race to the brink of extinction. Only a few scattered survivors remained.
"Since there's no way out, I might as well shake the heavens and earth!"
Looking toward the Red Line, El clenched his fist.
His eyes blazed with determination and ambition as he declared with unprecedented resolve, "Navy, Celestial Dragons, World Government—just you wait... that empty throne is mine!"
The King of the World? If the Celestial Dragons could sit on it, why couldn't he?
Not only would he sit on that throne, but he would do so openly, in broad daylight—unlike Im, the so-called King of the Celestial Dragons, who lurked in the shadows like a rat, secretly occupying the throne.
As a natural-born monster, possessing both Lunarian and Giant bloodlines, and the powers of the Mythical Zoan Quetzalcoatl, El had the confidence to achieve this. One day, he would return to the Lunarians' homeland atop the Red Line.
Before the eyes of the entire world, he would wear the crown of the "King of the World" and ascend the highest throne, bringing the world to its knees.