[Sponsored] Chapter 33: Admiral Candidate, 'Steelbone' Kong

[This chapter is proudly sponsored by "Ash01." Please join me in expressing your thanks in the comments! If you're interested in sponsoring a chapter, consider joining the Patreon.]

"Splash, splash..."

Time passed.

The sea journey was monotonous. Despite 'Umibozu', the great sea Homie, continually pushing the ship named 'Demon King Lucifer'—a name given by El—speeding across the ocean, they were still some distance from Barbarick Island. At least a day's voyage remained.

"El-sama, there's movement on the sea ahead..."

A swift falcon descended from the sky, reporting to El, who had just finished a hearty breakfast prepared by Streusen and was about to start training with Linlin, Gerd, and the others. This falcon was a Homie, animated by injecting a soul into an animal's corpse, tasked with scouting the sea.

"Oh?"

El grabbed the large telescope beside him at the ship's bow. It was a special model crafted in Elbaf, designed for giants. He carefully observed the distant sea and quickly spotted their target.

A fleet of seven or eight warships appeared on the horizon. The lead ship was an elite Navy battleship, escorted by medium and large warships—indicating that at least one Navy vice admiral was aboard, commanding the fleet.

"That's a Navy fleet..."

Streusen's eyes widened in shock as he watched the ships. "El-sama, those are the ships that were chasing me a few days ago, forcing me to flee into Dreamland's waters, where I was attacked by Umibozu!"

"Hmm, when I visited Elder Mountain Beard and Elder Waterfall Beard, they mentioned it..." El shrugged. "For days, the Navy has been closely monitoring Elbaf, guarding against any further moves by the giants."

Clearly, the Navy was attempting to discreetly blockade Elbaf. If any lone giants or small groups tried to leave, their ships would be sunk, and the giants would be hunted or captured in retaliation for the destruction of G-12 by Elbaf's giant army.

Of course, this action wouldn't last long; it was likely just a show of strength for the giants and the world at large, to save face and intimidate other powers.

"Ignore them, Umibozu... crush them for me!" El's expression turned cold as he gave the order.

He harbored no goodwill toward the Navy. Since they were now mortal enemies, dead enemies were the best kind.

"El-sama, I think it would be wiser not to provoke them directly..." Streusen's expression changed as he hurriedly cautioned, "The flagship ahead belongs to Vice Admiral 'Steelbone' Kong, a renowned powerhouse in the Navy. He's no ordinary vice admiral; I've heard he's being considered for promotion to admiral. His capture list includes countless notorious pirates!"

"Steelbone Kong?"

"A candidate for admiral?"

"Is he really that strong?"

Linlin, Gerd, and Hajrudin were all astonished. Gerd and Hajrudin, having learned from El about the state of the world and the Navy's strength, were particularly impressed. They knew admirals represented the Navy's highest combat power—monstrous individuals.

Being considered for admiral was no small feat.

"Oh? Steelbone Kong?"

El was slightly surprised. He raised his telescope again and carefully observed the flagship. The figurehead of the lead ship was a snarling, muscular gorilla, and the sails bore both the Navy and World Government emblems, along with Kong's personal flag.

Soon, El spotted a tall figure standing at the bow of the flagship, also using a telescope to observe their ship. Their eyes met through the lenses, each aware of the other's presence.

"We've spotted a suspicious target ahead. What is that? A giant wave with a face?"

In the distant sea, the Navy fleet spread out in formation, steadily advancing.

"What?"

"A wave with a face?"

"Hey, are you joking?"

"Be serious, this is no time for jokes!"

"Idiot, do you want to be put in the brig?"

The sailors below were stunned, bewildered. The officers scolded the lookout, thinking he had either seen things or was going mad from spending too much time in the crow's nest.

"I swear, I'm not joking! There's a giant wave, and it's... smiling!" The lookout on the flagship's mast was incredulous. But soon, he spotted something else and hurriedly reported, "There's a pirate ship riding the wave... with about five people aboard! Four large children, three of them likely young giants, and a small human!"

His eyes widened further as he gulped, stunned. "The one leading them has gray hair, black wings, and flames at the back of his head... it's unmistakable—it's El, the 'Fallen Angel', who was just given a six-hundred-million bounty by the Navy!"

"What!?"

"Fallen Angel El?"

"That Lunarian kid?"

"No other giants on board?"

"Wait, that wave..."

"Gulp! It's really smiling!"

"What in the world is going on?"

The Navy personnel were astounded, struggling to comprehend what they were seeing. The pirate ship in the distance seemed to be riding on an enormous, strange wave, which indeed had a bizarre, smiling face.

They were dumbfounded, eyes wide in disbelief.

"That wave..."

At the bow of the lead ship, a towering figure, at least three or four meters tall, with spiked hair and a powerful, muscular build, stood. This was none other than the fleet commander, Vice Admiral Steelbone Kong, head of the G-11 base and one of the Navy's strongest vice admirals, a candidate for admiral.

"What strange ability is this?" Steelbone Kong, dressed in a suit and draped in a Navy Justice coat, looked formidable as he peered through his telescope at the "giant wave" and the pirate ship atop it. He immediately recognized the gray-haired, black-winged figure at the bow: "There's no mistaking it. That's the Lunarian survivor, 'Fallen Angel' El!"

"Fallen Angel El?" Beside him, another Navy rear admiral, also using a telescope, observed the young, angelic figure with a complex expression. "Six years ago, I was present when the Navy besieged his family. Even then, as a captain, I was shaken by what I saw. I'll never forget it."

"He awakened his Conqueror's Haki at just three years old—an exceedingly rare feat," the rear admiral remarked, shaking his head. "He's not to be underestimated."

Steelbone Kong nodded. As a vice admiral in the Navy, he was already familiar with El's detailed background. Born of a Lunarian father and a giant mother, the boy had been relentlessly pursued by the World Government. Following the deaths of his parents, El, at just three years old, was so deeply traumatized that he awakened his Conqueror's Haki, knocking out many of the Navy soldiers involved in the siege.

"He displayed such potential at three, and as a Lunarian-giant hybrid, his strength and potential are terrifying. He's said to be naturally invulnerable and monstrously strong," Kong mused. "This kid's potential is extraordinary."

"No, Vice Admiral Kong, that's not what I meant..." The rear admiral shook his head, taking a deep breath as he spoke slowly. "What's truly terrifying is that after his parents died, he quickly regained his composure. Instead of attacking the Navy in a fit of rage, he calmly used his fire powers to burn his parents' bodies to ashes and scattered their remains into the sea."

"At just three years old, his cold, calculating demeanor shook many of the Navy personnel present."

"Is that so?" Steelbone Kong's face turned solemn. A child with such cold-blooded calmness, combined with extraordinary potential, could indeed grow into a grave threat to the Navy.

"Since we've encountered him, we must do everything we can to capture him!"