'Boom—Boom—'

  Far in the Calm Belt, at the Impel Down prison,

  The massive Gate of Justice slowly creaked open.

  A Navy battleship entered, its movement deliberate and foreboding.

  “Damn it…”

  “All these prisoners… dead?”

  “That guy didn’t even bother releasing them?”

  “What exactly is he pnning?”

  Ihe sixth level, Eternal Hell,

  Hammons William, Steel Bone Kong, Saint Denis of the Holy Knights, and others, freshly returned from Marineford, stood frozen in shobsp;

  The once-packed cells were her pletely empty or littered with piles of lifeless bodies.

  Despite the grim se, a faint sense of relief crossed their faces.

  For the Wover, it was far better for the prisoo be killed than for them to be freed—or worse, recruited by the Fallen Angel Pirates.

  “It seems he took their souls… to create a Homies army,” muttered Steel Bone Kong, g his fist.

  The heavily scarred Marine Admiral, still ed in bandages, spoke gravely:

  “We’ve already heard reports of the Fallen Angel Pirates using souls to build a massive Homies army—including that flying giant Homie, the size of an isnd. This was clearly their i here.”

  “A silver lining,” Hammons William said darkly, his expression grim. “At least he didn’t ht free or recruit the prisoners. But the real danger lies in what he’s taken.”

  “The thousands of souls from these dangerous criminals could be used te an army of Homies—each potentially as strong as a Vice Admiral or worse. This is a severe threat to the Wover.”

  The Navy Fleet Admiral felt a chill run down his spine as he sidered the implications.

  With such a rge and powerful Homies force, the Fallen Angel Pirates were being aential threat.

  Steel Bone Kong’s face twisted with distrust. “I don’t believe that Lunarian bastard would ighe stronger prisoners iernal Hell.”

  Pressing his hand against his still-healing wound, the Admiral’s voice brimmed with both fear and hatred:

  “El is ambitious. Building his forces like this means he’s preparing for something moal. He won’t stay quiet for long.”

  A CP0 officer examihe se, noting the empty cells he entrance. He turo Hammons William.

  “Fleet Admiral William, we need a detailed report of horisoners were taken, especially from Eternal Hell.”

  “These weren’t ordinary criminals. Most of them were erased from public records because of their extreme danger and heinous crimes.”

  “Some of them could rival Admirals in strength. This ot be ignored.”

  Hammons nodded firmly. “We’ll begially immediately.”

  'Riiing… Riiing…'

  Before they could tihe transponder snail in Saint Denis’s possession began ringing.

  He answered swiftly.

  “Denis, what’s the situation?”

  The stern voice of the Five Elders echoed through the line.

  Saint Denis’s face darkened. “Five Elders, the situation is grim. Every guard and prisoner in Impel Down has had their soul stolen by the Fallen Angel Pirates. No survivors remain.”

  “It’s clear their true goal was to amass powerful souls to create a vast, bat-capable Homies army.”

  “What!?”

  The Five Elders erupted in rage.

  “Damn that Lunarian boy!”

  They hadn’t expected the Fallen Angel Pirates to act with such ruthlessness—sughtering tens of thousands of prisoners in Impel Down and stealing their souls.

  If the pirates successfully created an unpreted army of Homies, it would be an unimagihreat.

  With their mobile isnd Homie, capable of freely moving through the sky, El and his crew could unch devastating aerial assaults.

  The Five Elders' faces darkened.

  “Given El’s audacious nature, it wouldn’t be surprising if he suddenly unched an attaarineford or even Mary Geoise.”

  Although the possibility of an atta the Holy Land was slim, it couldn’t be dismissed.

  Even if the Wover was fident in repelling the pirates, su attack could result in signifit casualties and potentially damage the sacred “Land of the Gods.”

  The loss of Celestial Dragons—sacred desdants of the creators—was unthinkable.

  Su assault would undermihe authority of the Wover and embolden others to challeheir rule.

  “Aill don’t know how many of the prisoners from Eternal Hell he might have taken.”

  Denis hesitated before adding grimly, “I fear El may have escaped with some of the most dangerous and powerful criminals.”

  “Damn that wretched boy!”

  “He ot be fiven!”

  ...

  Meanwhile…

  A certain sea in the New World, 10,000 meters above the ground.

  A massive isnd of clouds drifted toward its destination.

  “Tsk… almost fifty thousand now?”

  In a er of Atntis, El surveyed the rows upon rows of armored warrior statues.

  The figures stretched endlessly, f an imposing army.

  El nodded in satisfa, estimating there were roughly 50,000 statues.

  Turning to the exhausted Sak, eared pale and drained, El smiled and praised him:

  “You’ve done well, Sak. Impressive work.”

  Although visibly tired, Sak perked up at the praise, grinning.

  “Are these enough, El-sama?”

  “More than enough. From now on, only create a few during your free time. There’s o overexert yourself anymore.”

  El’s tone was lighthearted, but his words carried authority.

  The Fallen Angel Pirates had amassed a Homies army of terrifying scale:

  - Over 20,000 angeliies crafted from the souls of Impel Down’s prisoners.

  - Thousands of Bded Tree and Wild Beast Homies made from materials within Impel Down.

  - A battalion of Blue Goril Homies and other creations.

  - 10,000 wax Homies already aboard Atntis.

  - And now, with Sak’s help, 50,000 soldier statues awaiting version.

  When fully operational, their total force would reach 80,000 Homies—nearly iructible and requiriher rest nor sustenanbsp;

  Turning to Ryan, the Munch-Munch Fruit user, El issued his order:

  “Ryan, strehese statues with metal or heat-resistant materials using your fruit. They don’t o be as advanced as memory-shaped alloys, but they mustn’t melt under basic fire attacks.”

  El’s tone sharpened. “Otherwise, they’ll be too easily tered by fire abilities.”

  He motioo Barry, the Mirror-Mirror Fruit user.

  “Barry will assist you through the Mirror World. Gather whatever materials you need from nearby isnds.”

  Ryan chuckled fidently, spping his chest. “No problem! As long as I’ve got materials, I get it done quickly!”

  Satisfied, El turo Gerd, the t giantess who wielded the Soul-Soul Fruit.

  “Gerd, the statues are yours to animate.”

  Gerd sighed, gng at the sea of statues.

  “Fifty thousand? That’s no small task…”

  Shaking her head with a wry smile, she added, “Even for me, it’ll take three full days to finish.”

  Using a oo-two or oo-three soul ratio, they could stretch the souls from Impel Down, reserving enough to create specialized Homies like arrows, bullets, and explosives.

  “Perfect. Three days is just enough time to reach the New World.”

  El smirked, his mind already plotting the battles ahead.

  Bleam