"Fallen Angel El—"
"I must admit, both the Navy and the World Government have indeed underestimated you in the past."
Standing on the wrecked No. 2 Island, Fleet Admiral Hammons William coldly stared at the imposing figure of El. "But you're quite clever. After narrowly escaping the World Government's pursuit, instead of hiding away, you've come out to cause trouble..."
"Do you really think you alone can challenge the World Government? An entity that has ruled the seas for centuries, with such deep foundations?"
"Anyone or any force that attempts to challenge the World Government is courting death—this is a fact known by all who live on the seas!"
"If you know what's good for you, hand over the World Nobles you've kidnapped."
However, as he said this, Hammons William couldn't help but feel uneasy in the face of the tremendous aura emanating from the Lunarian before him. Even as Fleet Admiral, he wasn't confident he could stop El if he decided to flee with his flight ability. All he could do was stall for time, hoping the World Government would send reinforcements as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the Navy's strongest Admiral, Kong, had been sent on another mission, making it impossible for him to return in time.
"That's perfect. I'd like to see the World Government try to kill me!" El mocked, his expression full of disdain. "I want to see exactly how they plan to finish me off!"
At this point, El didn't consider himself invincible, but there were very few people in the world who could kill him outright. Perhaps only the mysterious King of the Celestial Dragons, Im, hidden in Mary Geoise, posed a potential threat. But even that wasn't a certainty.
Based on the intelligence he had gathered, El believed that Im's strength might have stagnated, despite having lived for centuries. Otherwise, Im wouldn't have feared a mere Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, going to such lengths to erase its history and rebrand it as the Gum-Gum Fruit.
The mere mention of the mythical "Sun God" Nika, a symbol of the Joy Boy legacy, had apparently caused Im to panic, even breaking out in a cold sweat after being injured by Joy Boy's Haki eight centuries ago.
This indicated that while Im was strong, he wasn't unbeatable. He was far from a being who could crush everything effortlessly.
And even if a coalition of powerful enemies tried to take him down, El was confident in his speed and ability to escape. If he wanted to, no one could stop him from fleeing these seas.
As for the Navy and the World Government? They were already mortal enemies, and there was no turning back.
"And those three Celestial Dragons?" El continued, his expression now one of playful cruelty. Ignoring the dark, murderous look on William's face, he added, "Tell the World Government that if they want their precious nobles back..."
Even though he had just killed a Navy Admiral, El didn't mind eliminating a Fleet Admiral as well, to teach the World Government a harsh lesson. However, the signal just sent by Sally indicated that the Holy Knights from Mary Geoise were on their way, and it was unlikely he'd be able to finish William today.
"I'll give them two weeks to prepare twenty Devil Fruits!"
Holding his massive Great Halberd, El smirked coldly. "And there must be at least two Logia, two Mythical Zoans, and three Ancient Zoans—none can be missing!"
"What?"
William's eyes widened in shock, his face turning pale as he glared at El, who was making outrageous demands. "Impossible! Don't even think about it—"
Twenty Devil Fruits? This Lunarian madman wasn't just ambitious; he was asking to ransom the World Government itself, and he wasn't demanding gold or treasure, but rare Devil Fruits.
It was clear that the World Government would never agree to such terms. Even the Navy's stockpile didn't have that many. Although the Navy was vast, with bases across the seas, many of the powerful Devil Fruits were submitted directly to the World Government. Only those deemed less valuable were left under the Navy's control, for William to distribute as rewards to deserving officers.
For any high-ranking officer seeking a truly powerful Devil Fruit, they had to apply to the World Government for approval. These fruits were considered gifts, meant to inspire loyalty and gratitude among the Navy's elite.
"No, no, it's entirely possible!" El's smile didn't waver. He stared at the Fleet Admiral, speaking with chilling calm, "Because... if the World Government doesn't agree, I'll dose those Celestial Dragons with an aphrodisiac, throw them into a pigsty, and broadcast their mating with the filthiest pigs to the entire world!!"
"And just to be clear, I'm not negotiating. I'm informing you of the terms—either comply or face the consequences!"
"Broadcast… live?" William's pupils contracted, cold sweat dripping from his brow as his mind raced to comprehend the horror of such an act. He trembled with fury, his voice shaking as he yelled, "Do you realize what the consequences will be?"
He couldn't even fathom what might happen if El followed through on such a threat. The World Government—more specifically, the Celestial Dragons—would go absolutely mad.
"Consequences? What, they'll wipe out my entire bloodline?" El's gaze was icy, his voice dripping with scorn. "The Lunarians were nearly driven to extinction long ago, so what's left for them to threaten me with?"
For years, the World Government had hunted down any remaining Lunarians, and El, with his bounty of six hundred million Berries, knew that if caught, he would most likely end up as a test subject in some gruesome experiment.
Their conflict had long ago reached the point of no return. There was nothing left for him to fear.
"Hahaha…" William's veins bulged with anger as his eyes burned with fury. "You lunatic! You're not just destroying yourself—you're destroying the world's order!"
Before he could finish his sentence, he charged forward, his right fist glowing with a deadly aura. "I will never let scum like you destroy the Navy's justice and do as you please!"
"Don't talk to me about your phony justice!" El sneered, flames igniting around his raised fist. "This ugly, decaying world order needs to be torn down and rebuilt!"
"Flame Emperor!!!"
'Boom boom…'
The clash of their powers echoed across the island, heat waves rolling through the area as the air temperature skyrocketed. Flames and shockwaves collided violently, the intense heat transforming the battlefield into a living hell.
The once-moist soil of Island No. 2 dried and cracked, while the giant roots of the Yarukiman Mangroves, which formed the land itself, ignited and began to burn.
~~~
3/8 Bonus Chapters this Week...