Time flies. In the blink of an eye, five years passed.

  Sihe Rocks Pirates pluhe Heavenly Tribute and were subsequently hunted by the Navy, major shifts have taken p the Grand Line.

  Silver Axe, Wang Zhi, and Johhe pirate alliand joihe Shichibukai, creating a bance of power among four major fas.

  After the Navy’s plete withdrawal from the New World—except for the G-1 Fortress, which remaihe Holy Land Mariejois’ crucial gateway—the Fallen Angel Pirates rose to domihe region, with the Rocks Pirates settling in as a distant sed.

  While occasional skirmishes broke out, the major powers maintained a degree of restraint, avoiding rge-scale flicts.

  …

  One day, in the Calm Belt.

  On a deserted isnd, a group of children with ash-white hair, bck wings, and fmes dang behind their heads trained relentlessly. Swinging axes, hammers, and swords uhe scorg sun, they worked hard, sweat dripping from their brows.

  “Focus! No sg!”

  Standing tall and imposing, El’s stern voice carried over the training grounds. A wooden staff in hand, he supervised the children with an air of authority that left no room for dissent.

  Five years had only enhanced his handsomeness and posure, sharpening his features and giving him a regal demeanor. He exuded a quiet power that inspired awe.

  Leading the training were a pair of massive figures—a boy and a girl who, despite their youthful faces, were strikingly rge for their age. These were Thor and Sif, the eldest son and daughter of the Kukulkan family. At just ten years old, they stood as tall as their father—nearly teers high—rivaling even adult giants.

  The boy, resembling El with his short hair aermined brows, swung a hammer with incredible force. The girl, her hair tied ba a practical ponytail, bore a striking resembo Gerd in her youth—save for the bck wings on her bad practiced her swordsmanship with precise, deliberate movements. With each swing of their ons, gusts of wind howled through the air, their power leaving even seasoned warriors impressed.

  “A true warrior must fe a will of iron through erials and hardships,” El lectured, correg Thor and Sif’s stances with his staff. His voice softened slightly as he added, “You two are the eldest. Set a good example for your siblings. No sg!”

  “Yes, Father!”

  “Got it, Dad!”

  They responded in unison, their focus unwavering as they tiheir rigorous training.

  El moved along the training grounds to where an eleven-year-old boy with three eyes stood by the shoreline, practig with a sword. His movements were precise and fwless, his strikes calcuted and perfect.

  “Good work,” El praised with a nod of approval.

  This was Dal, the third child, whose talent and intellect stood out among all his siblings. Mature and resourceful, Dal excelled in swordsmanship, rivaling even El’s skill at that age. Despite his unparalleled aptitude, Dal’s physical strength was only average pared to his monstrous siblings. He didn’t rank among the top three in the family, nor eveop five. This was rgely due to his siblings’ extraordinary geics, especially the eighth child, Ares, whose innate gifts bordered on the supernatural.

  tinuing along the shoreline, El reached Willie, his fourth child. Though smaller than his siblings at just over three meters tall, Willie stood out for his extraordinary beauty, iing the best features of both El and Sally.

  “Willie, yle is off. It should be like this…”

  El demonstrated the proper teique, adjusting the boy’s form.

  “Got it, Dad!” Willie nodded early, imitating his father’s movements. His improvement was immediate.

  Satisfied, El moved on to his fifth child, Medusa, who ung and kig a massive sandbag with trolled precision. At ten years old, Medusa was already strikingly beautiful, her elegance offset by her sharp, determined demeanor.

  came Eden, the sixth child, whose energy and liveliness trasted with Medusa’s poise. Standing ht meters tall, Eden’s physicality already rivaled that of adult giants, her sword strikes sending powerful gusts of wind through the air.

  Without warniruck Eden lightly on the head with his staff.

  “Ouch!” Eden yelped, rubbing the bump with tearful eyes.

  “How many times have I told you? Focus during training! Sg is uable!” El’s tone was firm. “Your training is doubled today. No luntil you finish.”

  “Nooo! Please, Dad!” Eden g to El’s leg in mock despair, pleading for fiveness. But her antics were cut short when El raised his staff again, promptio let go in a panid return to her training with renewed determination.

  tinuing down the line, El checked ohe seventh child, who swung twin axes with raw power, sending waves crashing onto the shore. Despite g the sharp intelligence of some of his siblings, Frey’s dedication to training made him a formidable fighter, which pleased El greatly.

  came the eighth child—Ares.

  At just six years old, he was already five meters tall. Fully focused, he swung a saber resembling Napoleon’s great sword, produg loud cracks and stirring up astonishing gusts of wind. The waves on the sea ahead ed and crashed violently.

  Although he wasn’t as handsome as his fourth brother, Willie, he bihe best traits of El and Linlin. With his youthful face, delicate features, and resolute expression, he looked determined and sharp. He bore a striking resembo El in his prime—about seventy pert alike. Despite his age, he wasn’t sg; he trained with great diligence.

  Finally, El approached the you pair—the five-year-old twins, Hyde and Athena. Wielding a spiked mace, Hyde looked rugged and imposing, while Athena, delicate and doll-like, trained blindfolded with a sword, her movements eerily precise.

  “All right, that’s enough for now,” El announced after cheg his watch. “Everyone except Eden take a break. Have lunch, then we’ll start Devil Fruit ability training.”

  “Yay!”

  The children cheered, their serious expressions breaking into grins as they rushed toward El, celebrating their brief respite.

  “No! Father, please!” Eden wailed, despair etched across her face. But she knew better than to disobey auro her training with regretful diligence.

  Her siblings, meanwhile, teased her mercilessly.

  “That’s what you get for sg, Eden!”

  “Good luck, Eden-nee!”

  “Heh-heh!”

  Bleam