"It’s you?"

  In no time, the heavily injured and utterly exhausted Fire Blossom was brought outside. She stared in shock at the tall, handsome figure standing before her—the anding presence of El was impossible to ignore.

  She had never expected that he would be the oo e to her rescue.

  "It’s been a long time!" El greeted her with a calm smile.

  The two werely familiar with each other. At most, they had met twice before—and they had never even spoken.

  The first time was when he was five years old. At that time, she was just a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl, tagging along with the Kuja Pirates to gain experienot yet a formal crew member.

  The sed time was when he was eight, and she had just turned sixteen, havily asded as the new Empress of Amazon Lily.

  "Indeed, it has been a long time," Fire Blossom replied with a slight nod.

  She had a vivid memory of the winged boy.

  The first time she saw him, she had spied on him through a spygss from afar. He, in turn, had noticed her as well.

  She had not dared to speak of it then, fearing the Kuja Pirates would discover him and take a.

  The sed time they met, she had just been ed Empress of Amazon Lily. She still remembered him s into the sky, flying out of the Calm Belt to some unknowination.

  Sihen, they had never crossed paths again.

  But a year ter, news of him reached her ears: the boy named Kukulkan El, said to be of the mythical Lunarian race, had joihe Giants to attack a naval stronghold.

  From then on, his name appeared sporadically, each time tied to astonishis.

  Roughly half a year ago, she heard his name again—this time as "Fallen Angel El." He had made headlines for attag a naval stronghold, killing an admiral, and even kidnapping a Celestial Dragon.

  Later, he audaciously raided the world’s most secure prison, Impel Down, aablished Totto Land with allies from various races. He made a name for himself by publicly denoung the Celestial Dragons in a live broadcast—and everoying Marineford, the Navy’s headquarters, on live television.

  Nothing seemed to for him. His bounty had reached an unpreted 4 billion Berries, leaving the world in awe.

  "Fallen Angel El, you’ve achieved yoal, so get out!"

  Vice Admiral Sengoku gred at El with barely tained fury, gritting his teeth as he spoke.

  "o be so hostile. That’s no way to treat a guest!" Strapping his magnifit greatsword to his back, El smiled nontly at Sengoku. "After all, you’re a friend of Tsuru’s. When our children have their celebration, perhaps I could invite you for a drink?"

  "You bastard!"

  Sengoku’s face darkened as he trembled with rage. His body began to glow gold as he transformed into his Golden Buddha form, radiating an overwhelming killing i.

  "You… you insufferable sdrel!"

  The mere mention of Tsuru was like a stab to Sengoku’s heart. No matter the circumstances, as a Navy Admiral, he could never be with her now, especially since she was involved with a pirate—a reality he could never accept. But seeing Tsuru and this man together only made the pain worse.

  "Hahaha..."

  El ughed heartily. Casually scooping up the weakened Fire Blossom, he spread his wings and took flight. As Sengoku seethed below, ready to erupt like a volo, El smirked back.

  "o see me off!"

  …

  The r wind howled. A figure with long silver hair and a fiery yet alluring demeanor stood amidst the chaos, her gaze locked onto El’s handsome face, tinged with a mixture of astonishment and curiosity.

  "Why did you save me?" she asked.

  El raised an eyebrow, his pierg gaze meeting hers as he smiled. "Does your beauty suffice as a reason?"

  Thump, thump...

  Her heart raced untrolbly. The woman’s face flushed crimson, and faint traces of steam seemed to rise from her skin.

  "You’re… plimenting my looks?" she stammered, her rosy cheeks glowing as she avoided his eyes.

  As the Empress of Amazon Lily, often leading the Kuja Pirates on various expeditions, she wasn’t inexperienced or na?ve. She had entered men before, but this was different. On the verge of despair—preferrih over being a sve to the Celestial Dragons—his direess caught her pletely off guard. Her mind reeled, uo remain calm as waves of emotion rippled through her.

  "Let’s rest here for a while," El said as they nded on a desote isnd. He gently set down the slightly weakened Gloriosa, her body still teh unease.

  "Hmm, there’s quite a height differeween us," El remarked, gng at her tall figure, which stood around two meters. She was already t for most people, but still diminutive pared to his imposing frame.

  Setting aside his ornate sword, he muttered, "Life Return."

  His muscles tensed, and in the blink of an eye, his t form began to shrink visibly.

  Gloriosa gasped, her eyes wide in disbelief. "You got smaller? Is this some Devil Fruit ability of yours?"

  "No, just mastery over the body," El replied with a smile.

  He then stomped the ground lightly, and a green sprout emerged, rapidly growing into a massive vihat plunged into the o.

  "What is this?" Gloriosa stared, speechless, as the vine dragged a colossal Sea King out of the water.

  "You haveen in days, right? You must be starving," El said.

  He admired her determination. She was a woman who had resisted the Navy’s capture with unparalleled defiance. After learning she was to be sent to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, she had attempted suicide multiple times. Even now, a bloodied wound adorned her forehead from her test attempt. Ultimately, under Sengoku’s orders, she had been bound, gagged, araio prevent further attempts, res to a hurike in silent rebellion.

  With a flick of his finger, El sent a sharp wind bde slig through the Sea King. Its hide eeled, its flesh portioned, and its innards ed with precision before being tossed bato the o.

  El casually ignited his right hand, summoning r fmes that engulfed the meat. The intense heat distorted the air, and soon the aroma of roasti filled the area.

  "Is it done already?"

  Gloriosa stared, dumbfounded, as the Sea King’s meat was roasted to perfe in mere moments.

  "This will have to do, given the ditions," El said, smiling as he used vio serve the meat before her.

  "Thank you..." The aroma was too much to resist. Her stomach, empty for days, growled audibly. Gloriosa blushed deeply but couldn’t hold bay lohrowing de aside, she began dev the meat. "Then... I won’t hold back!"

  Meanwhile, El ate alongside her, though his appetite as a Lunarian far exceeded hers. Despite her hunger, she barely made a dent in the Sea King pared to him, who devoured nearly the ehing—bones and all.

  "Thank you for the meal..." Satisfied, Gloriosa burped softly, her cheeks reddening as she shyly turned away.

  "Rest for now. Later, I’ll take you baazon Lily," El said. He poioward a nearby stream. "If you’d like to freshen up, there’s a small creek over there."

  "That’s great!"

  Gloriosa’s eyes lit up. Before El could finish speaking, she had already dashed toward the stream.

  Halfway there, she paused and turned back, biting her lip hesitantly.

  "El... would you like to join me?"

  Her tone was bold yet hesitant, her cheeks flushed with determination. Her gaze locked onto El, who had just begun to step aside, intending to give her privacy.

  Three swift movements ter, her iions became clear.

  El: "..."

  How was anyone supposed to resist this?

  Bleam