Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Children's Devil Fruits
"Daddy—"
"Father—"
When El returned, the little ones rushed toward him excitedly, flying and climbing onto him.
"El Oniichan! El! El-sama!"
The gathered women—Linlin, Nef, Helen, Toki, Gerd, Lillian, Stussy, Tethys, and Furiko—smiled warmly, their eyes lighting up as they greeted El.
Five years had passed, and the leader of the Fallen Angel Pirates was now in his prime, exuding a striking and ever-increasing charm.
"Thank you for all your hard work!"
El smiled and nodded at Linlin, Lillian, Gerd, and the others. Holding the excited children, he showed no hint of impatience, allowing them to hang onto him while a gentle smile lit up his face.
"A bunch of troublemakers. Have you been listening to your mothers while I was away?" he asked, his tone teasing.
"Yes…"
"But Daddy, Thor and Sif didn't behave!"
"Yeah, they were fighting…"
"It's not my fault! Thor was bad and stole the necklace you gave me!"
"Also, Thor and Dal wanted to sneak out and play!"
"They're bad kids, and because of them, Mom Linlin put Seastone cuffs on all of us!"
The small crowd of children erupted into a chorus of complaints, each taking turns to rat out the others to El.
"Oh, really?" El raised an eyebrow and looked at them carefully.
As expected, all the children had Seastone wristbands on their right hands—custom-made just a few days ago by the research department.
The Seastone's purity wasn't particularly high, allowing the children to move freely most of the time. However, the cuffs slightly suppressed their strength, leaving them feeling weak and unable to use their Devil Fruit abilities.
Additionally, each wristband contained a special Vivre Card that tracked their location precisely, ensuring they couldn't be kidnapped or sneak away undetected.
On the seas, the advanced craftsmanship required to refine Seastone was traditionally exclusive to the artisans of Wano. But since the Fallen Angel Pirates had secretly taken control of Wano, obtaining and utilizing such technology was no longer a challenge.
Currently, the Totto Land research team, led by figures like Ryan, Dr. Tsukimi, and Dr. Vegapunk, had even developed Seastone-infused ships capable of emitting sea energy, allowing them to navigate freely through the Calm Belt.
"You two troublemakers!"
El gently patted Sif, who was snuggling against him and pouting. Then, with mock sternness, he tapped Thor and Dal on their heads.
"Don't cause any more mischief next time, okay?"
"El, you're spoiling them too much," Gerd said helplessly. "I told you it was too soon to let them have Devil Fruit powers—they're too unruly!"
El, while occasionally strict with his children, was generally indulgent. Nearly every child had been given a Devil Fruit with extraordinary potential:
Thor (5 years old) – Rumble-Rumble Fruit (Logia)
Sif (5 years old) – Phoenix Form, Bird-Bird Fruit (Mythical Zoan)
Dal (5 years old) – Transfer-Transfer Fruit (Paramecia)
Willie (4 years old) – Angel Form, Human-Human Fruit (Mythical Zoan)
Medusa (4 years old) – Love-Love Fruit (Paramecia)
Eden (4 years old) – Copy-Copy Fruit (Paramecia)
Frey (4 years old) – Nue Form, Bird-Bird Fruit (Mythical Zoan)
Each child had been carefully matched with a Devil Fruit that perfectly complemented their abilities.
Although this leniency resulted in occasional chaos, El's nurturing approach ensured that his children were steadily growing into individuals with extraordinary potential, destined to make waves on the grand stage of the seas.
Among them, the Transfer-Transfer Fruit and Copy-Copy Fruit, both top-tier Paramecia abilities, were treasures once hoarded by the three major Celestial Dragon families.
Five years ago, Barry, Uthan, and others infiltrated the Holy Land of Mariejois and stole these Devil Fruits from the Celestial Dragons' vaults.
The Love-Love Fruit, another Paramecia ability, was part of the ransom paid by the World Government to reclaim the Celestial Dragons.
The Mythical Zoan-type Bird-Bird Fruit: Phoenix Form was discovered two years ago in Wano Country.
Each of these abilities was extraordinary, carefully selected by El and gifted to his children. His hope was that these powers would help them rise above mediocrity and reach greater heights in the future.
As for why his youngest children were at least four years old while Nef, Stussy, Toki, and others were only now expecting, it was due to El's long-term plans and arrangements.
"El!"
"Father!"
At that moment, a voice echoed from a large mirror standing nearby. A small and a larger figure suddenly stepped out from within it.
"Flutter, flutter…"
A little girl with fair skin and delicate features flew into El's arms. Like the other children, she had gray-white hair, black wings on her back, and flames dancing behind her head.
She wore a dress that accentuated her beauty and adorableness, instantly endearing her to everyone present.
"Medusa-chan, you've grown taller again…"
El smiled warmly as he held his eldest daughter Sif in one arm and his fifth child, Medusa, in the other. "Have you been listening to your mother?"
"Yes!"
Medusa nodded seriously, her gemstone-like eyes sparkling as she cheerfully replied, "I train with Mom every day!"
"Good girl!" El praised her, unable to hold back his admiration.
"Medusa, Sister Medusa, Auntie Gloriosa!"
Thor, Dal, Willie, Eden, and the other siblings called out excitedly to the newcomers.
"Hello, everyone, it's been a while," Gloriosa greeted with a warm smile, her figure stunning in a red qipao embroidered with the Nine Snakes emblem. Now even more mature and breathtakingly beautiful, she waved to Linlin, Nef, Gerd, Lillian, and the others.
"Gloriosa, you're late. You'll need to drink three glasses as punishment later," Gerd teased playfully.
"Sorry, got held up by something… but I'll accept the penalty!" Gloriosa laughed in response.
Over the years, she had visited Totto Land multiple times and developed a close bond with Linlin, Gerd, Lillian, and the others. They got along well, with no conflicts between them, and their relationship was quite amicable.
"Ah, Medusa-chan, you're getting cuter by the day…"
Linlin, tall and radiant despite her pregnancy, brightened at the sight of the adorable Medusa. With a wide grin, she stepped forward and said, "Mom Linlin is your biggest fan! Come, let me hug you!"
"Mom Linlin!" Medusa called sweetly, her crescent-moon eyes sparkling as she leaped into Linlin's arms.
"Good girl!"
Linlin, overjoyed, kissed Medusa on the cheek. "My Medusa-chan will grow up to be the most beautiful woman in the world!"
It was no secret that Linlin was one of Medusa's biggest fans.
"Kawaii!"
Medusa's innocent and adorable demeanor left everyone charmed. Nef, Lillian, Gerd, and the others couldn't help but watch her with hearts in their eyes.
Perhaps due to the influence of her Love-Love Fruit, Medusa had a unique charm and grace that set her apart from the other beautiful and delicate daughters of the Kukulkan family.
Her presence radiated an inexplicable allure, making her irresistibly likable and evoking a sense of warmth and affection in everyone around her.
Even Linlin and Gerd, despite their maturity, were not immune to being captivated by Medusa's sweet expressions and endearing actions, often finding themselves momentarily entranced.