"Click—"
The office door closed.
Sally, her cheeks slightly flushed and her appearance radiant, glanced at the newly arrived Gerd with a hint of surprise.
"Hey, hey, what trouble did you two just stir up?" Gerd asked sharply, casting a disapproving glance at Sally.
She hadn't forgotten the little "curse" incident Sally had orchestrated back in the Deep Sea Prison.
"Ha ha, don't put it that way! You're the one everyone envies, Gerd," Sally replied with a cheerful smile, brushing past her nonchalantly as she left.
"Knock, knock…"
"Come in!"
Receiving permission, Gerd entered the office. She closed the door behind her and approached El, who was engrossed in reviewing reports organized by Tsuru.
Her towering figure loomed over the oversized desk, specially designed for giants, and she leaned down to look at El, her hands resting firmly on the desk.
"What's wrong?"
Finishing the report and stamping it, El looked up with a smile at Gerd, who was pouting, clearly displeased.
"Hmph, what bad deed did someone just commit?" Gerd asked sarcastically, her eyes flicking toward the now-open window.
"What's this? Are you upset?" El asked, amusement glinting in his eyes. With his usual keen intuition, he immediately guessed her thoughts.
Due to her pregnancy, Gerd couldn't use Life Return, so the two hadn't had any close, intimate moments for a while. Though she was usually laid-back and magnanimous, seeing him with other women occasionally brought out her playful jealousy.
"Hmph, playing dumb, are you?" Gerd huffed, rolling her eyes in a way that was both charming and exasperated.
"Well then, I've been working on a new transformation—Body Reinforcement!" El grinned, standing up from his seat.
Clenching his fists tightly, his gaze sharpened, and his figure began to change visibly.
"Swish…"
His muscles swelled, veins bulging, as his body grew larger. In moments, his limbs and torso were covered with glistening scales, and a second pair of wings emerged from his back. Although he didn't reach a towering height of 20 meters, his size now matched Gerd's as a giantess. While his face retained a mostly human appearance, he sported resplendent golden horns, a striking new feature.
Wrapped in his embrace, Gerd stared in astonishment. "You have a form like this?"
She touched the shimmering horns on his head, noting that only a few parts of him resembled a Zoan transformation.
"This special transformation is similar to my Hair Reinforcement or Defense Reinforcement forms," El explained casually. "It doesn't give me a significant boost, but it serves different purposes depending on the situation."
Holding her close, he gently caressed her rounded belly with a smile. "In just one more month, these two little ones will be born."
"Yes, very soon now…" Gerd nodded happily, leaning against him with a soft hum. "But really, El, you're incredible."
Her voice carried admiration as she rested in his arms, a picture of contentment. Others couldn't possibly match El's level of flamboyance—transforming so casually into a form rivaling that of a giant.
"This is all thanks to Dr. Kureha's Rumble Ball. Without it, developing multiple transformation forms wouldn't have been so easy," El said with a faint smile.
"Linlin and the others couldn't pull this off!" Gerd said with a light laugh, blinking her eyes in amazement.
"That's why the one sitting on Totto Land's throne is me, not anyone else!" El declared confidently.
"True enough!" Gerd beamed with both joy and pride. He was as self-assured as ever, just as captivating as when they first met. Bold yet tender, precise and measured—perfectly balanced. He filled her heart with sweetness and satisfaction, an overflowing sense of happiness. She was completely immersed, unable to extricate herself.
"El, I'm feeling a bit sleepy," Gerd said softly, enjoying this rare moment of intimacy as she let out a gentle yawn.
"Then go rest for a while," El replied, his gaze filled with warmth, treating her like a precious treasure.
"No, stay with me, won't you?" Gerd murmured, her eyes glimmering as she nestled closer to El, playfully clinging to him.
Understanding instantly, El effortlessly lifted her into his arms…
The sun shone brightly overhead—it was midday. After ensuring that the exhausted Gerd rested in the office's adjoining bedroom, El, who had already returned to his human form, looked at her with a doting gaze. Murmuring a few affectionate words to the now soundly sleeping Gerd, he quietly left without disturbing her.
Shrinking his body to a height of three meters using his mastery over Life Return, he changed into a new outfit before leaving the office and stepping outside the castle.
Waiting for him were Barry, a Mirror-Mirror Fruit user; Lillian, a Glare-Glare Fruit user; and a few Fish-Men, including Sea Tiger Jien. They had all received Sally's summons and were already standing by.
"El-sama, are we departing now?" Sally asked with a gentle smile, her eyes brimming with amusement. This time, she would be accompanying him as well. The plan was to resolve the matter in Wano Country before heading to the first half of the Grand Line, to Enies Lobby, and infiltrating the CP organization.
"Yes, it's time to settle this," El nodded.
Without any delay, the group swiftly entered the Mirror World. In less than two hours, they passed through a mirror that had been strategically placed earlier, arriving directly in Wano Country's Flower Capital. What's more, they emerged inside a hidden chamber beneath the Shogun's residence.
"El-sama!" A tall, bearded middle-aged man dressed in luxurious samurai attire greeted El and his companions with a bow, his face filled with a welcoming smile. This man was none other than Kouzuki Sukiyaki, the Shogun of Wano Country.
Beside him was Little Oars Jr., his form reduced to two meters, happily munching on a drumstick.
Meanwhile, a disheveled, frail figure was bound to a cross, tightly secured with ropes. Nearby, an assortment of small dolls was displayed, and on a prominent weapon rack lay three intricately designed, ornate swords. If Shimotsuki Kouzaburou were present, he would have been stunned to see those swords—Ame no Habakiri, Kitetsu II, and even Enma, all among the 21 Great Grade Swords.
"He's no longer of any use. Dispose of him," El declared, extending his right hand to press against the head of the man who looked identical to Kouzuki Sukiyaki. In an instant, El extracted the man's memories, uncovering knowledge of ancient scripts, as well as secrets passed down through the Kouzuki lineage concerning Zunesha and Pluton.
With this information secured, El, Sally, and Sea Tiger Jien led the group further down through the underground passage…
~~~
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