"What?"
"They want yet 'another' Logia fruit?"
"A Mythical Zoan, Okuchi-no-Makami, isn't enough for him?"
"He's got an insatiable appetite!"
Atop the Red Line, in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, within the Chamber of Authority, the Five Elders listened to CP0's report with grim expressions.
Initially, they had believed this operation was a guaranteed success and were prepared to receive good news. This unexpected turn left them furious. They hadn't intended to hand over the Devil Fruits easily this time, but they reluctantly provided a powerful Mythical Zoan ability from the government's reserves—the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Okuchi-no-Makami—to secure the Celestial Dragon's safe return.
"Yes, and the Fallen Angel, El, is exceptionally cautious..." reported the CP0 official on the other end of the line. "Even though we were discreet, they somehow discovered Saint Howard and the others stationed on a nearby island. They immediately canceled the trade and demanded additional ransom."
"Can't CP still locate these people?" demanded Saint Valkyrie, his thick mustache quivering in anger.
"...My apologies, Saint Elders," stammered the CP0 agent, glancing nervously at Steel Bone Kong and Saint Denis nearby. "Those pirates are like ghosts. We can't track them at all! We suspect they may be hiding in the Calm Belt—it offers natural protection and is infested with Sea Kings, making it nearly impossible for the government to search. We even sent trained hawks, but they found nothing."
"A bunch of incompetents!" snapped Saint Saturn, tapping his cane sharply on the marble floor of the luxurious, chapel-like hall. "If the trade location has changed, withdraw for now."
"Yes, sir."
The call ended, leaving the Five Elders seething.
"Should we agree to his terms?" asked Saint Mars, stroking his long white beard as he looked at the others.
"What choice do we have?" Saint Valkyrie growled. "The sanctity of the Celestial Dragons cannot be compromised!"
"We can manage one more Logia Devil Fruit," said Saint Saturn, his eyes narrowed. "Though whether he'll even leave with it is another matter. He may end up paying for his greed."
Saint Nasjuro, with his hand on the hilt of his cursed blade, the First Generation Kitetsu, added with an air of menace, "If we act, we'll make sure he regrets it."
"To think the World Government is being manipulated by a young Lunarian… it's disgraceful," said the blond Saint Ju Peter. "The Fallen Angel El and his crew dared to abduct and harm a Celestial Dragon. Such insolence must be punished severely."
They knew they couldn't let El and his crew go unchecked. If this wasn't dealt with decisively, it would set a dangerous precedent for others with the gall to attempt the same. For the Five Elders, this was about more than vengeance—it was about reasserting the World Government's authority.
"He's too cautious, and we may need to alter our strategy," Saint Saturn suggested. "However, with just Kong and Saint Denis, we'd need others closer by to ensure he can't escape."
"In that case, I'll go myself," offered Saint Mars, pacing back and forth. "That Lunarian is a serious threat with incredible potential. His hatred for the World Government is clear, and if left unchecked, he'll become an even greater danger."
The other Elders regarded him with surprise.
"If necessary, I'll summon the rest of you as backup," Mars said, surveying his peers to gauge their agreement.
"Naturally," replied Saint Valkyrie, slamming his fist on the table. "It's been too long since we last took action ourselves."
"Once we strike, we leave no loose ends," declared Nasjuro, his hand resting on his sword. The First Generation Kitetsu slid slightly from its sheath, glinting with deadly intent. "This ends only one way—total annihilation."
Saint Mars then asked, "Is there another Logia fruit in our reserves?"
"Yes, but it's not as trivial as the Smoke-Smoke Fruit," Worley muttered in frustration. "Parting with the Cloud-Cloud Fruit was already a significant concession."
Over centuries, the World Government had amassed a collection of top-tier Devil Fruits, typically reserved for promising naval officers and elite CP0 agents. Additionally, every three years, they awarded some of these rare abilities to young Celestial Dragons as part of a "scholarship tour," fostering future talent within the Holy Knights.
With their stock slowly diminishing over time, even the World Government's Devil Fruit reserves were limited. They couldn't always recover a fruit upon its user's death, despite their vast intelligence network and influence.
"I'm reluctant to hand over yet another precious fruit," muttered Saint Valkyrie. "If those devils consume them on the spot, it would be risky. Even if we could kill them, retrieving a randomly reborn fruit would be nearly impossible."
"Don't worry. With me and Kong there, they won't get the chance," Saint Mars said confidently.
The others nodded, reassured by Mars's confidence.
"Then it's settled," Saint Saturn concluded. The Five Elders had no further objections, confident that the combined strength of Saint Mars and Steel Bone Kong would be formidable enough to carry out the plan.