One day later, Elior returned to Paradise with Shirahoshi. The moment she appeared in front of the other girls, none of them could remain calm. Looking at the exquisitely delicate Shirahoshi, how could any of the women present stay composed? She was simply too beautiful.
"Say hello," Elior said as he patted Shirahoshi lightly on the shoulder.
"H-Hello everyone, my name is Shirahoshi!" she greeted Hancock, Hiyori, and the others timidly. Facing so many beautiful older sisters, she could not help feeling nervous. Although Shirahoshi had matured quite a bit after being developed by Elior, there was no denying that she was still, at heart, a young girl. That said, Shirahoshi was tall, curvaceous, and radiant, standing every bit as stunning as Hancock and Hiyori. Countless people would be struck down instantly just by seeing her. Naturally, her appearance immediately made her a powerful rival for favor among the girls. She was simply too beautiful for even the most disciplined men to endure.
Reiju, however, remained relatively calm. She had already seen Shirahoshi when she followed Elior to Fish-Man Island. Although she was confused about how a gigantic mermaid princess had turned into a human beauty nearly 1.8 meters tall, she did not dwell on it. Elior had always been full of miracles. Who knew how he had turned her into a human? Reiju did not care about Shirahoshi joining them at all; she had never experienced jealousy. She did not care how many women Elior had, so long as she had a place in his heart. Did anyone really expect a man that powerful to belong to just one woman? That was probably harder than destroying the Celestial Dragons.
It had to be said that none of the women present could truly handle Elior. He simply could not be satisfied, possessing a body like steel. Reiju did not even know how many more sisters it would take to defeat him just once. But Reiju understood one thing clearly: like Gion, she could provide Elior with tremendous help, and that was why she was deeply favored. Elior disliked women who constantly tried to act aloof. Among all those present, Reiju was the calmest. Even during the days Elior was away, Reiju had gone to the dungeon to visit Hina and the others. She knew it was only a matter of time before they joined this large family. After all, no one could escape Elior's grasp.
Of course, among those present, only Reiju was that open-minded. Hancock and Hiyori were clearly jealous. Shirahoshi's beauty was not inferior to either of them; if anything, it was overwhelming. Hancock, in particular, felt more than jealousy. As the strongest woman present, she could clearly sense the terrifying power hidden within Shirahoshi. It was stronger than her own. Hancock was deeply shaken. Despite their jealousy, neither she nor Hiyori dared to act on it. They certainly would not bully Shirahoshi, as that was absolutely forbidden by Elior. As Elior's women, they were not just lovers but also his combatants, each playing a crucial role.
The two younger girls, Sugar and Tama, were far more carefree.
"Sister Sugar, is that new sister also my brother's wife?" Tama asked.
"Not necessarily," Sugar replied. "Maybe she's a maid."
"What's a maid?" Tama asked, confused.
"A woman who isn't your brother's wife," Sugar explained. After a pause, she added, "Tama will definitely grow into a beautiful woman someday, but that will be dangerous."
"Why is growing up dangerous?" Tama asked. Sugar hesitated, then said quietly, "I just want to be Elior's wife." When she thought about it, Sugar felt a twinge of sadness. Because of the side effects of the Hobby-Hobby Fruit, she might never grow up again. She would look like this until the day she died.
On the other side, Elior instructed Reiju and the others to get along well with Shirahoshi before leaving. According to Shiryu's report, the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates had been located. This time, Elior intended to give direct orders to wipe out these potential threats. No mercy.
That very day, Elior issued his commands. He ordered Bullet and Crocodile to go after Rayleigh and Luffy. Both Rayleigh and Luffy were on the same island. Bullet alone was enough to deal with Rayleigh. As for Crocodile, this was the perfect chance to settle old scores. Elior specifically warned Crocodile not to underestimate Luffy again. Crocodile sneered and replied that if he did not cut off Luffy's head this time and whip the corpse afterward, he might as well change his name to Monkey D.
The rest of the Elior Pirates were dispatched to hunt down the remaining Straw Hat members. As for Nami, Elior planned to have her captured alive to serve as a maid. Additionally, the famous blade Shusui, currently in Zoro's possession, had to be reclaimed. As Zoro was a swordsman worthy of respect, Elior instructed Shiryu to leave him an intact corpse. Elior actually liked Zoro's personality, but since they were enemies now, Zoro had to die with a dignified death.
As for the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates, Elior dispatched the Beast Pirates. Kaido himself would take the field alongside the Big Mom Pirates' Sweet Commanders. It was an overwhelming mobilization enough to reduce the Whitebeard remnants to ashes. Only one exception existed: Marco had to be captured alive. Elior wanted Marco's ability. As long as Marco did not die before Elior stripped him of it, nothing else mattered. Aside from Marco, no one else would be spared.
From his lofty position, Elior seemed to sit above the clouds, casually deciding the life and death of countless people. In battles like these, there was no need for Elior to lift a finger himself.