“Cp—”

  “What’s this?”

  “A submerged town?”

  Deep within the underground passage, Barry, Jien, Sally, Lillian, and the others stared in stunned silence.

  Through an enormous, highly durable gss barrier, they could see an endless expanse of a town submerged beh the sea. Rows of houses stretched on and on, teeming with tless fish and sea beasts swimming freely.

  “Hmm, that’s the Wano try from hundreds of years ago,” El remarked nontly. “The current Wano try is built on a massive isnd, surrounded by t cliffs that were artificially structed as ‘high walls.’”

  In front of him stood a massive red Poneglyph.

  The strange symbols carved into it, ondecipherable, were now perfectly legible to El after he had absorbed Kouzuki Sukiyaki’s memories. Though still a bit unfamiliar, he could now accurately interpret their meaning.

  “Lillian,” El said, pointing toward the submerged Wano try visible through the gss, “use yre-Gre Fruit ability to explore it. Focus on the former Shogun’s residend the daimyo’s mansions to see if anything valuable remains. Have Jien and the others bring up anything useful.”

  “Yes, El-sama!”

  Lillian and the other Fish-Men, led by Sea Tiger Jien, nodded and smiled.

  The other Fish-Me were all trusted fidants raised by the Dream House. Though slightly weaker thaiger Jien, they had retly been promoted to officers of the Fallen Angels Pirate Crew.

  Currently, the three kingdoms uotto Land were preparing to form several uer bat units. didates were beied from among the freed sves and residents of Fish-Man Isnd.

  Each officer would and a Fish-Man unit, responsible for both bat and specialized missions—expl and salvaging a ruins, log Devil Fruits, and rec treasures from sunken ships.

  , El po cultivate a Giant capable of wielding a powerful Devil Fruit. bined with the stific department’s efforts to breed and train rge sea beasts on a rge scale, this new sea beast unit would also fall uheir and.

  After all, tless “tis” had been submerged seven to eight hundred years ago. Not just ordinary towns and isnds—eveire kingdoms had sunk, potentially holding unimagireasures.

  More importantly, El had assigned Lillian a secret mission known only to Sally and a few other core officers: using the Gre-Gre Fruit to locate and iigate the a on Pluton, buried beh Wano try.

  Though El wasn’t pnning to unveil Pluton immediately, he inteo study the most fearsome warship in history. Stists like Ryan and others with special Devil Fruit abilities would assist in this research.

  Of course, the ordinary officers didn’t o know about Pluton. It wasn’t a matter of loyalty—ah ill i would never qualify to join the Fallen Angels Pirate Crew, let alone rise to an officer’s position. However, a ons were matters of immense significe, and in a world where some could read memories—El included—secrecy aramount. Too many people knowing these secrets could lead to unnecessary risks.

  “Where is Kouzuki Oden?” El asked, turning to Ruth, who was disguised as Kouzuki Sukiyaki.

  “He’s only a four-year-old brat, but he’s far too troublesome. I had him fio a temple outside the Flower Capital,” Ruth replied helplessly.

  “Good. Barry, take Sally to the Kibi Region immediately,” El ordered decisively. “Afterward, have the ‘Shogun’ dispatch Kouzuki Oden as his envoy to various areas. Assign him an escort and have him deliver letters to the daimyo.”

  He then turo Sally. “As for you, I trust you know what to do ?”

  “Of course,” Sally said fidently with a smile.

  She would disguise herself as a retainer of a certain daimyo and assassinate Kouzuki Oden. Furthermore, she would frame the Kouzuki family as the masterminds behind the assassination, while “actally” leaving evidence implig the daimyo’s retainer.

  Sihe Flower Capital was closest to Udon, they decided tet the Uzuki family that trolled that region.

  “Uood!” Ruth also smiled and nodded.

  Once Kouzuki Oden was killed, Ruth—posing as Kouzuki Sukiyaki—would feign grief over the loss of his son. With o the Kouzuki family, he would desd into madness. Ruth would order an all-out manhunt for the “true culprits” and begin enf tyrannical policies to solidate the Shogun’s power, alienating the daimyo.

  “Oh, and Little Oars, you’ll assist Sally in her mission,” El added. sidering Wano try’s many formidable samurai, he took precautions against any ued interference by assigning Little Oars Jr. as backup.

  “No problem, El!” Little rinned, baring his teeth.

  “Remember, don’t target the Shimotsuki family just yet,” El cautioned. “Shimotsuki Taro’s health is already failing. Ohe daimyo passes away, you use his failure in disciplining his children as a pretext to strip the Shimotsuki family of their cim to the Ringion.”

  “Yes!”

  With the pns in motiouro leave. “I’ll be heading to Elbaf . This pce is in your hands now.”

  If they couldn’t mao kill a mere four-year-old Kouzuki Odehought, it would be truly disappointing.

  …

  “Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—”

  Before long, deep within the secret passage leading to the outskirts, a figure shot forward at incredible speed. Wings spread wide, it moved so swiftly that no one could detect its presence. In no time, it left Wano try and, guided by a Vivre Card, raced toward Elbaf.

  …

  “What are you doing?”

  “Help—save me!”

  After an ierminate amount of time, El’s sharp Observation Haki picked up distant cries for help. Raising an eyebrow, he g a nearby isnd. “How tal.”

  …

  On a nameless, deserted isnd, a group of vicious pirates surrounded a young, green-haired girl in a kimono. Her features were delicate aiful, but she looked fragile and tense. Gripping a katana tightly, she stood guard.

  “Stay back! I am a samurai!”

  “A samurai?” one pirate sneered.

  “Keh keh keh, stop resisting!” anhed. “You barely hold that sword steady, and you dare call yourself a samurai?”

  “Woman, it’d be better for you to cooperate. At least you’d suffer less pain!” another jeered. “Soon enough, we’ll let you experience pleasures that will leave you begging for more!”

  The pirates sneered cruelly, amused by her apparent ck of strength. Even if she had some skill, it seemed pitifully weak.

  “Damned pirates! Don’t even think about it! I will never submit!” the girl hissed, her eyes bzing with anger. She tightened her grip on the bde, though her heart sank. Must I leap to the future again?

  “Buzz—”

  Without warning, an invisible force swept through the area. One by ohe pirates colpsed unscious, frothing at the mouth.

  The girl, who had been preparing to use her ability, froze in shock, eyes wide.

  “I almost passed out…” the pirate captain groaned, barely remaining scious. Staggering backward, he sed the surroundings in terror. When his gaze nded on a tall figure approag from the shore, his pupils shrank, and cold sweat drenched his face.

  “You—who are you?” he stammered.

  With a soft exhale, the t figure of El desded onto the beach. He g the pirate captain before flig a finger, sending a razor-sharp bde of air pierg straight through the man’s forehead.

  “Ah?!” the girl gasped, stunned.

  She looked at the mysterious figure—tall and handsome, with wings and bzing fmes behind his head, radiating a divine, mysterious aura. She was captivated on the spot.

  El paid her only a brief gnce before heading toward the pirates’ ship. A quick search turned up no Devil Fruits and only meager treasure, not worth his attention.

  “Hello, my name is Amatsuki Toki…” the girl said softly, following after him. She bowed deeply. “Thank you so much for saving me. May I know your name?”

  “There’s o tha was trivial,” El replied with a smile. “My name is Kukulkan El, and I am of the Lunarian race.”

  He already knew who she was—Amatsuki Toki, a user of the Paramecia-type Time-Time Fruit from over seveuries in the past. She was a desdant of the Amatsuki , once as renowned as the Shimotsuki, Uzuki, and Fugetsu s of Wano try. She had been leaping through time to eventually return to her homend.

  “The Lunarian race?” Toki’s eyes widened. “The legendary race said to reside on the Red Line?”

  She recalled stories of a race that could manipute fire, survive in any enviro, and were once revered as gods. She never imagined she’d meet one, let alone be saved by one.

  “So, you know some old secrets. But that’s a history,” El said, raising an eyebrow. “The Lunarians were nearly driven to extin by the Wover.”

  He wasted no time on further expnations. “I’m headed to Elbaf. With your current strength, it’s dangerous to travel the seas alone. Do you want to e with me?”

  “I…I nning to go to Wano try,” Toki stammered, then asked hesitantly, “El-sama, could you take me to Wano try?”

  “Perhaps iure, but not now,” El replied ftly.

  “What?” Toki looked stunned.

  Bleam