"Hiss—"
"Where did such a massive boulder come from?"
"Red rocks... it must be from the Red Line itself."
"Damn it, stop staring! Attack with everything you've got!"
"We have to stop it before it hits the Holy Land!"
"Damn it, who could have done this?"
"Do you even need to ask? It's definitely those reckless fools from the Fallen Angel Pirates!"
"That bastard El..."
"We won't let him get away with this!"
At this moment, just a few kilometers from the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, on the Red Line itself, the entire sky seemed to darken.
The boulder was colossal—as large as an island, over ten kilometers in diameter, and crimson in color.
Whether it was Admiral Kong, the CPO agents, or the Holy Knights who had rushed to respond, all of them were left stunned.
Their pupils shrank, their faces turned pale, and cold sweat dripped down their brows.
Even the retired commanders and deputy commanders of the previous generation of the Holy Knights had arrived at the scene. Despite their experience, they too were visibly shaken by the sheer scale of the threat.
If such a massive object were to strike the Holy Land, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Even if it were merely an island of this size, few individuals could reduce it to rubble in a short amount of time.
To destroy this boulder entirely—down to its bedrock—would require an immense amount of effort, far surpassing the ordinary means of even the strongest individuals.
This wasn't an ordinary rock. It was composed of the near-impenetrable stone of the Red Line, making it even more difficult to handle.
It wasn't something that one or two people could easily stop.
"Roar... roar..."
A series of figures, varying in size and aura, leaped into action.
Admiral Kong, Saint Denis, and several others didn't hesitate. They unleashed their Devil Fruit powers and charged at the incoming boulder with everything they had.
"King Kong Chariot!"
"Ember Kick: Thunder Strike!"
"One Sword Style: Water Severance!"
"Dual Blade Style: Soaring Dragon Flash!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The sound of their attacks echoed like thunder, the air filled with shockwaves as they desperately worked to counter the approaching threat.
Meanwhile, back in the Holy Land, the Five Elders—Saint Mars, Saint Ju Peter, Saint Saturn, and Saint Nasjuro—had left the Chamber of Authority.
They entered the negotiation chamber, their faces dark and grim as the thunderous sounds of battle reverberated through the walls.
Their expressions were as hard as stone as they stared daggers at the representative of the Fallen Angel Pirates sitting across from them.
"Hahaha, what an honor to meet such distinguished figures," the pirate said, feigning calm as he smiled nervously.
Even though he had been specifically chosen for this mission and believed himself to have nerves of steel, the oppressive atmosphere created by these powerful figures made him break into a cold sweat.
He forced a grin and said, "But, esteemed elders, if you keep glaring at me like that, I might start to feel scared... Is it because the gift I brought is too... overwhelming?"
"Your gift, indeed, is full of surprises," Saint Mars said through gritted teeth, his face livid.
Though angry, there was also a flicker of fear in their eyes.
What if the boulder had been hurled at night, unnoticed until it was too late? The potential disaster would have been unimaginable.
It took so many powerful individuals working together just to intercept this one boulder.
If they could launch one, who's to say they couldn't launch several at once?
This was clearly the work of a special Devil Fruit power, and just the thought of it was enough to send chills down their spines.
"I can only say this... your mission is accomplished," Saint Ju Peter finally growled, his voice icy and filled with menace. "Contact El. We will negotiate directly with him."
The pirate chuckled, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. "Of course, I was only here to open the door."
The member of the Fallen Angel Pirates smiled as he took a Den Den Mushi out of his pocket and dialed a number.
"El-sama—"
As the line connected, he respectfully reported, "The gift has been delivered!"
"Good work," the Den Den Mushi, mimicking El's features, replied. "Hand the Den Den Mushi to them and head back."
"Understood."
As one of the CPO agents stepped forward to take the Den Den Mushi and presented it to the Five Elders, the pirate stood up.
Under the cold stares of the CPO agents, he swaggered out, saying, "Honored elders, my mission is complete. I'll take my leave now!"
On the other end of the call, atop jagged, mist-shrouded red cliffs, El sat casually. A smile played on his lips as he spoke into the Den Den Mushi:
"Five Elders, did you like the gift?"
In front of him stood an enormous rock giant, towering so high it seemed to block out the sky. Its sheer size exuded an oppressive aura.
Standing nearby was a blue-skinned, eight-armed Fish-Man with a menacing appearance.
"If you'd like, I can send you each a personal gift," El added with a playful tone. "Just to show my sincerity."
"You insolent Lunarian brat!" Saint Nasjuro growled, his voice full of menace. "Try it, and you'll find out what it means to anger the World Government!"
The Five Elders had already connected the dots.
They knew El wasn't just expanding Cake Island and raising its foundations on a whim. The reports about his knowledge of their abilities—including the fact that they could teleport—suggested he was well-informed about their secrets.
El hadn't been surprised when he saw their so-called "immortality." That, combined with his calculated defenses against possible counterattacks, hinted at his knowledge of a certain "national treasure."
He might even know about the side effects of activating ancient weapons, such as the rising sea levels that could engulf islands. His defenses seemed carefully designed to mitigate those risks.
Adding to their frustration, the Fallen Angel Pirates had avoided keeping all their forces concentrated in one place; the group's core members were scattered, with meetings held only aboard their floating island, Atlantis, which could not be easily located.
The Five Elders had been debating whether to use "Uranus" to launch a surprise night assault on Totto Land but had hesitated due to these complications.
Now, El had given them a new "surprise," hurling a colossal rock at Mary Geoise.
"Hahaha, of course I understand," El laughed.
With a relaxed smile, he continued, "So, let's get along peacefully for the next few years, shall we?"
"State your terms!" Saint Mars demanded coldly.
"To ensure there's no funny business from your side, the Celestial Dragons we've taken will be released gradually over five years," El said nonchalantly, crossing his legs as he addressed the tiny Den Den Mushi. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of them during their stay—feed them, keep them healthy, and maybe even fatten them up a little!
"As for the ransom, let's cut it in half—one billion berries per Celestial Dragon. And I'll give you time to gather one Devil Fruit per person."
"Impossible!"
"One Devil Fruit per person? Don't even think about it!"
The Five Elders immediately rejected his demands without hesitation.
El's terms were staggering. With over 200 Celestial Dragons abducted, the cost in Devil Fruits alone was unimaginable.
Even if they collected the fruits over several years, the sheer number would be a logistical nightmare.
Moreover, the Five Elders couldn't ignore the danger of handing so many Devil Fruits to their enemies, especially when the Fallen Angel Pirates had shown the ability to steal Devil Fruit powers.
With the Fallen Angel Pirates already capable of threatening the World Government, giving them 200 more Devil Fruits was unthinkable.
The thought of El bestowing these powers upon giant warriors, magnifying their already formidable strength and size, sent chills down the Elders' spines.
The potential for a hundred or more Devil Fruit-enhanced giants in El's ranks was a scenario too dangerous to entertain.
Even if they somehow managed to gather the fruits, the World Government couldn't afford to keep caving to such outrageous demands.
This time, they had to draw the line.
~~~
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