High above the sky, a steel warship flew side by side with a hot air balloon.
After warning Morgans not to publish any reckless reports, Leno brought Stussy back to the Gale.
Facing the group of adventurers, even Stussy, the seasoned Queen of the Underworld, felt a trace of unease in her heart.
Inside the cabin's lounge, she stood stiffly before Leno and bowed slightly.
"Lord Leno, may I ask why you summoned me?"
"What did you just call me?"
Across from her, Leno sat on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, lowering his head as he casually straightened his slightly wrinkled clothes.
His tone was indifferent. He didn't even bother lifting his eyelids.
Stussy raised her head in confusion. The man before her was completely different from how he had behaved earlier.
He was no longer the lecherous fool eager to fawn over her.
Instead, he radiated calmness and composure, an air of absolute control that inspired instinctive awe.
What did he mean by that? Her form of address shouldn't have been wrong.
Hadn't she addressed him the same way at the tea party?
After a long moment, Leno lifted his head and met her gaze directly, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"In public, you call me 'Lord.' I won't nitpick that. But in private, you're still using that title."
"…Are you planning a rebellion, CP0?"
By the end, his gaze turned dangerous. A faint yet undeniable pressure spread from his body.
Thud.
The moment his words fell, Stussy's pupils shrank. Her delicate body instinctively bent at the knees as she dropped to the floor.
The way he spoke—and the fact that he knew her identity—instantly reminded her of those lofty figures who stood at the very top.
The last shred of hope in her heart shattered.
Her face turned pale as she trembled and pleaded, "Please, Saint Leno, forgive me! I know my mistake!"
She had never imagined that Leno, a "newcomer" who had just become a Celestial Dragon, would know her true identity.
She took direct orders from the Five Elders. Aside from those few, no one should have known about her second identity.
She had intended to muddle through with her persona as the "Queen of the Pleasure District." Instead, he exposed her with a single sentence.
Her thoughts raced as she hurriedly explained, "It was not my intention to conceal my identity. It was an order from the Five Elders. I am forbidden from revealing it to outsiders."
"Oh? An order from the Five Elders?"
Leno rested his chin on one hand, the amusement in his eyes deepening.
The corners of his lips curved upward as he asked with a faint smile,
"Then gathering intelligence for Vegapunk was also an order from the Five Elders?"
"?!!!"
Stussy abruptly looked up, horror filling her eyes.
When her gaze met his smiling eyes, her face turned ashen.
Her entire body went limp as she collapsed onto the floor.
It was over. Completely over.
The moment she realized her identity as a double agent had been exposed, she knew she was doomed.
Given the Celestial Dragons' methods, not only would she die—Vegapunk would be dragged down with her.
At this moment, a single thought dominated her mind: she absolutely could not fall into the hands of a Celestial Dragon. Otherwise, Vegapunk would die without a doubt.
With that thought, she pressed two fingers together and thrust them toward her own forehead.
Just as she was about to witness her own brain matter in the next instant, a large hand firmly caught her fingers, now coated in black.
Without hesitation, her other hand shot toward her own heart—but once again, Leno stopped her effortlessly.
She struggled fiercely, but his grip was like iron clamps. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free.
The sudden turn of events left the others staring in stunned silence.
They hadn't paid much attention to the conversation between the two, only vaguely aware that their captain was threatening someone again.
But how did it escalate to life or death in the blink of an eye?
Still, no one was particularly worried. With Leno there, what waves could Stussy possibly stir?
However, while Leno restrained her hands, a transformation occurred.
Four sharp fangs suddenly grew from her mouth. Her pupils turned blood-red, and a pair of wide flesh wings sprouted from her back.
"What is that?!"
The shocking change immediately drew everyone's attention, especially Nojiko, whose face filled with astonishment.
Staring at her somewhat familiar appearance, she hesitated and muttered, "…A vampire?"
"What? She's also a Vampire Fruit user?"
Nami, Vivi, and the others turned to Nojiko in shock, seeking confirmation.
Everyone knew about Nojiko's abilities. But now there was another one. Was this… artificial?
"I'm not sure," Nojiko shook her head, uncertainty in her voice. "The aura feels similar… but also different."
After activating her ability, Stussy immediately opened her mouth and bit toward Leno's neck.
She had great confidence in her power.
Those fangs could easily pierce steel. There was no way Leno's flesh could withstand them.
As long as she injected the neurotoxin into his body, she could break free of his control.
But imagination was beautiful. Reality was cruel.
Instead of the sound of teeth piercing flesh, two crisp snapping noises echoed from her mouth.
Crack.
"What?!"
The sharp pain told her everything—her fangs had broken.
She stared in shock at Leno's neck, where a flash of purple light faded in an instant.
Before she could recover, Leno had already turned his head.
At some point, his eyes had transformed into vertical pupils. He looked down at her with cold disdain, his voice carrying faint impatience.
"If you continue this nonsense, I'll go kill Vegapunk right now."
"You!!!"
Stussy's eyes widened in fury as she glared at him.
At this point, she no longer cared about hierarchy. She wanted nothing more than to drag this man into hell.
This despicable bastard—using the one she regarded as a father to threaten her. Utterly shameless.
Leno flung her to the ground and returned to the sofa. His tone turned stern.
"I ask, you answer. If you keep trying to kill yourself, I guarantee that after you die, Vegapunk won't live either."
After a pause, seeing that she had calmed down, he continued,
"I need a 'Flame Seed'—a portion separated from the 'Mother Flame.'"
"Impossible! Don't even think about it!"
Her voice rose to near hysteria. Stussy sprang to her feet, eyes bloodshot as she glared at him.
The "Flame" created by her 'father' belonged to all humanity. How could it ever be handed to a single individual?
Seeing her fierce reaction, Leno appeared unsurprised. His expression remained calm.
He folded his hands over his legs and said almost regretfully,
"That's truly a pity. Not long from now, the 'Mother Flame' will be stolen."
"And I just so happen to know the identity of the thief."
"?!!!"
…
…