“What!?”

  “Fallen Angel El has appeared in the New World?”

  “Those bastards finally decided to e out of hiding?”

  “Damn it, they bypassed the checkpoints we set up beforehand...”

  “The Navy’s G-11 and G-12 branches had already dispatched fleets to elimihe Hell Trading pany’s forces. Looks like we’ve suffered yet another pointless loss of manpower. Should we take amediately?”

  Atop the Red Line, in Mary Geoise, the Five Elders veheir expressions grim and flicted as they reviewed the test report.

  “No. Those isnds they’ve ied years into are likely of great importao them. Rather than attag rashly, it’s better to let them ‘settle in’ first...”

  Saint Mars, stroking his beard, spoke with a calg tone:

  “Then we elimihem in one decisive strike, instead of chasing them around like headless chis.”

  “Reports from dicate that they’ve mobilized a rge force,” Saint Saturn said, rubbing his temple.

  “Their objective appears to be quering more isnds and expanding their territory uhe Fallen Angel Pirates’ trol. If we let them grow unchecked, it’ll only beore troublesome ter.”

  “A…” Saint Nasujuro, his gaze sharp and icy as he polished the gleaming bde of his First Geion Kitetsu, muttered:

  “Do we even have the means to capture Fallen Angel El if we strike prematurely?”

  “Don’t fet, the Holy Knights' ander, Saint Howard, is still their prisoner,” Jaygarcia Saturn reminded, arms folded, his brow deeply furrowed.

  “They’ve demonstrated exceptional intelligence capabilities. If not, the checkpoints we pced across key routes wouldn’t have been bypassed so easily.”

  “And if El senses any immediate threat, he might simply abandon those isnds and flee with his crew,” Saint Ju Peter said cautiously.

  “Should that happen, we risk retaliation in the form of ambushes on isoted admirals or attacks on traveliial Dragons. That would be an even bigger headache for us.”

  The room fell silent as the Five Elders mulled over these grim possibilities.

  With the strength El had already dispyed and the peculiar abilities of his subordinates, an unchecked ambush targeting high-value individuals like Navy admirals or isoted Wover personnel was not beyond reason.

  “My suggestion,” Saint Mars broke the silence, “is to wait. Steel Bone Kong is still rec from his injuries, and the Navy’s forces have suffered signifit losses retly. They ime tain their strength.”

  He tinued, his voice firm and deliberate:

  “In the meantime, CP agents should thhly iigate the exact strength of the Fallen Angel Pirates. We ot rule out the possibility that El smuggled highly dangerous criminals out of Impel Down.”

  “Sihey destroyed the records in Impel Down’s archives, it has been difficult for the Navy and CP to verify who might have escaped with them.”

  “Currently, CP is already in tact with a powerful indepe fighter. If we recruit them successfully, it could add another ‘admiral-level’ batant to our forces.”

  “Wheime is right—one or two months from now—El’s days will be numbered!”

  Saint Saturn, leaning on his e, nodded slowly:

  “Furthermore, the repeated failures of the Navy have left the seas in chaos. They are stretched too thin to manage every disturbance. If we allow the pirates to run rampant, it will severely impact this year’s ‘Heavenly Tribute.’”

  “And if the Heavenly Tribute dees signifitly, you be sure the Celestial Dragons here in the Holy Land will start causing trouble for us.”

  “That ing Lunarian brat is far too dangerous. Dealing with him requires patience,” Jaygarcia Saturn said, rubbing his thoughtfully.

  “We must prepare meticulously. We ot afford any more mistakes like the ones before.”

  Sliding his First Geion Kitetsu bato its scabbard, Saint Nasujuro adjusted his gsses and sneered:

  “Let him enjoy his little victories for now. The more territory he takes, the harder it will be for him to let it go wheime es. Then, we’ll wipe him out in one swift move.”

  A sinister glint fshed in his eyes as he added coldly:

  “And if necessary, we’ll personally ehe battlefield.”

  …

  “El-sama—”

  “Unbelievable, he’s as massive as a giant!”

  “So that’s the legendary Lunarian race? He even has wings like a fallen angel…”

  “So cool! I ’t breathe!”

  “That’s ‘Shinigami’ Gerd-sama!!”

  “And… is that an isnd-sized cloud?”

  “Incredible, it fly…”

  At this moment—

  In the New World, midway through its vast expanse, y Totto Land’s ter, famed for its delectable pastries, Cake Isnd.

  Once part of the former Cake Kingdom, the isnd had officially been absorbed into the dominion of the Fallen Angel Pirates, or more specifically, the soon-to-be-annouotto Land Kingdom.

  To pacify the locals, the Fallen Angel Pirates announced a three-year tax exemption, turning the initial fear aance from the citizens into a joyous celebration.

  The isnd was dotted with cake-themed architecture. However, unlike in El’s “memory,” the buildings weren’t created through Devil Fruit abilities and were merely shaped to resemble cakes—they couldn’t actually be eaten.

  El had no iion of replig sudulgent designs. They weren’t necessary.

  In the western region of Cake Isnd, a sprawling, resple pace with traditional ese architectural features stood tall and majestibsp;

  Its shimmering jade-green tiles, golden rooftops, and ornate carvings exuded an awe-inspiring grandeur, with most of its structures built to aodate giant-sized proportions.

  El, having just returned from meeting with the citizens to formally annouhe three-year tax relief poliow stood stunned.

  The usually stoid fierce Gerd was brimming with joy, her emotions barely tained.

  Moments ago, Dr. Kureha had informed them both of shog news:

  Gerd, the giantess, regnant.

  “What?”

  “Gerd is pregnant?”

  “You must be joking!”

  “Is this real!?”

  Those who hadn’t joihe various expeditions, like Uthan and Barry, instead choosing to follow El around the newly structed pace, were stunned and exged incredulous gnces.

  “Damn it! Why didn’t I get pregnant!?”

  Holdi stomach, the Three-Eye Tribe girl Lillian stared at Gerd with envy.

  “Ah, such luck!” murmured Sally, the Shapeshifter Witch, with a helpless shrug.

  Although Sally and the others had spent more time with El than Gerd had, their fortunes hadn’t matched hers.

  “Tch, what luxury…”

  Surveying the grandiose pace, Dr. Kureha smirked and quipped, “Don’t doubt my medical expertise!”

  Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she g El and Gerd. “I’m eager to see what kind of child a Lunarian and a giantess will create!”

  “Me too,” El responded with a rare smile.

  Though surprised by Gerd’s pregnancy, he was far from anxious or uain. Instead, he felt genuine joy.

  El’s long-term goal had always been to create a true Lunarian God , and while much of his hope rested on Linlin, the natural-born powerhouse, Gerd was a member of the giants, a race with immeential.

  He had high expectations for their offspring.

  “He’ll definitely be the future King of the Giants!”

  Gerd, cradliill-ft belly, spoke with radiant joy and fidenbsp;

  The giantess, uncharacteristically maternal, beamed with pride, already envisioning her child’s bright future. She firmly believed that with both giant and Lunarian blood, her child would grow to be exceptionally strong.

  “The King of the Giants, huh?”

  Hajrudin, who had traveled from Wheat Isnd, chuckled. “If it’s a true giant and not a half-giant like El, it might really happen!”

  For the giants, physical size and lifespahe determining factors of their raot pure lineage.

  “gratutions, Gerd!”

  The giant warrior Witt, who had also e from Komugi Isnd, ughed heartily.

  While no pret existed for such a union, with El being a half-giant and Gerd being a true giant, the odds were high that their child would i Lunarian blood while being cssified as a true giant.

  sidering El’s own monstrous talent, there was no doubt among the giants—they were all eagerly anticipating this child’s birth.

  Bleam