“What?”
“They wa 'another' Logia fruit?”
“A Mythical Zoan, Okuo-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 listeo CP0’s report with grim expressions.
Initially, they had believed this operation was a guaranteed success and were prepared to receive good news. This ued turhem furious. They hadn’t inteo hand over the Devil Fruits easily this time, but they relutly provided a powerful Mythical Zoan ability from the gover’s reserves—the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Okuo-Makami—to secure the Celestial Dragon’s safe return.
“Yes, and the Fallen Angel, El, is exceptionally cautious...” reported the CP0 official oher end of the line. “Even though we were discreet, they somehow discovered Saint Howard and the others stationed on a nearby isnd. They immediately celed the trade and demanded additional ransom.”
“’t CP still locate these people?” demanded Saint Valkyrie, his thick mustache quivering in anger.
“...My apologies, Saint Elders,” stammered the CP0 agent, gng nervously at Steel Bone Kong and Saint Denis nearby. “Those pirates are like ghosts. We ’t track them at all! We suspect they may be hiding in the Calm Belt—it offers natural prote and is ied with Sea Kings, making it nearly impossible for the govero search. We everained hawks, but they found nothing.”
“A bunch of inpetents!” snapped Saint Saturn, tapping his e sharply on the marble floor of the luxurious, chapel-like hall. “If the trade location has ged, 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 ot be promised!”
“We 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 bde, the First Geion Kitetsu, added with an air of menace, “If we act, we’ll make sure he regrets it.”
“To think the Wover is being maniputed by a young Lunarian… it’s disgraceful,” said the blond Saint Ju Peter. “The Fallen Angel El and his crew dared to abdud harm a Celestial Dragon. Susolence must be punished severely.”
They khey couldn’t let El and his crew go unchecked. If this wasn’t dealt with decisively, it would set a dangerous pret for others with the gall to attempt the same. For the Five Elders, this was about more than vengea was about reasserting the Wover’s authority.
“He’s too cautious, and we may o alter our strategy,” Saint Saturn suggested. “However, with just Kong and Saint Denis, we’d hers closer by to ensure he ’t escape.”
“In that case, I’ll go myself,” offered Saint Mars, pag bad forth. “That Lunarian is a serious threat with incredible potential. His hatred for the Wover is clear, and if left unchecked, he’ll bee an eveer 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, smming his fist oable. “It’s been too long since we st took a ourselves.”
“Once we strike, we leave no loose ends,” decred Nasjuro, his haing on his sword. The First Geion Kitetsu slid slightly from its sheath, glinting with deadly i. “This ends only one way—total annihition.”
Saint Mars then asked, “Is there ania 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 signifit cession.”
Over turies, the Wover had amassed a colle of top-tier Devil Fruits, typically reserved for promising naval officers ae CP0 agents. Additionally, every three years, they awarded some of these rare abilities to youial Dragons as part of a “schorship tour,” f future talent within the Holy Knights.
With their stock slowly diminishing over time, even the Wover’s Devil Fruit reserves were limited. They couldn’t always recover a fruit upon its user’s death, despite their vast intelligework and influence.
“I’m relut to hand over yet another precious fruit,” muttered Saint Valkyrie. “If those devils e 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 ce,” Saint Mars said fidently.
The others nodded, reassured by Mars’s fidence.
“Then it’s settled,” Saint Saturn cluded. The Five Elders had no further objes, fident that the birength of Saint Mars and Steel Bone Kong would be formidable enough to carry out the pn.
