In this way, the Thunder Fruit would once again become a power that truly belonged to him—a signature ability that would shake the world itself.
Conis gazed deeply at Kaito, reading the determination hidden in his calm eyes. A quiet sigh escaped her lips. She had done all she could for someone she barely knew.
Extending her pale hand, she pointed toward the horizon. "Do you see that massive vine stretching up into the clouds? That's the path to the Island of Gods. If you climb to the top, you'll meet Enel-sama himself."
"Thank you," Kaito replied with a small nod.
Before Conis could say anything else, Kaito's body lifted effortlessly into the air. Shock painted her face as she watched him ascend.
"He… he can fly?!" she gasped. "Then he might actually survive this!"
High above the sea of clouds, Kaito soared swiftly through the sky. It didn't take long before he reached the enormous vine twisting upward like an ancient serpent. Its vast coils spiraled toward a cluster of clouds above, where faint outlines of buildings glimmered in the light.
The vine looked alive—its massive form coiling like a slumbering beast, the clouds above like its waiting prey.
Kaito's sharp eyes narrowed in quiet awe before he shot upward, following the outer edge of the vine. Whatever trials Conis had mentioned were unnecessary for him.
At the top, a world of white mist and drifting clouds unfolded before him. A palace stood proudly amidst the fog—grand, radiant, and almost divine in appearance.
As Kaito landed at its gates, several guards immediately turned toward him, tense and cautious.
"Who are you?" barked the squad leader, a man with hardened eyes and a heavy spear. "What business do you have here?"
Kaito glanced at him briefly. "You're Enel's bodyguards, I assume?"
"Watch your tongue!" the guard snapped furiously. "How dare you speak our lord's name so casually!"
He lunged forward, fist crackling with static as he aimed a blow straight for Kaito's head.
Kaito merely exhaled, his gaze sharpening like a blade. A chilling aura poured from his body.
The guard froze mid-strike, a cold dread crawling through his spine. It felt as if an ancient predator's eyes had locked onto him. His arm trembled uncontrollably, sweat dripping down his face. Somewhere deep inside, he knew… if he struck, he would die.
"W-who are you?" The guard stammered. "And what's your connection to Lord Enel?"
"'Lord'? Heh…" Kaito chuckled coldly. "That man calls himself a god just because he ate the Thunder Fruit. A self-proclaimed deity—how laughable."
A low hum filled the air. Suddenly, thunderlight surged behind the guards, coalescing into a tall figure holding a golden staff. The four massive drums on his back glowed with lightning and the mark of tomoe.
"Enel-sama!" The guard gasped, immediately bowing.
"Yahaha…" Enel's voice carried a mix of amusement and arrogance. "A man from the Blue Sea dares to trespass on my island? You must be eager to die."
"But I'm afraid the one who'll die today isn't me." Kaito said, his lips curving faintly. His voice hardened. "That Thunder Fruit, you've had your fun. Now return it to its rightful owner."
The words struck Enel harder than any lightning bolt. His lazy expression vanished, replaced by shock. The Thunder Fruit—his greatest secret. No one knew of its origins, not even those closest to him. How could this stranger know?
"Yahaha! Are you saying the Thunder Fruit once belonged to you?" Enel's laughter rang out, but his eyes had turned cold.
"Yes," Kaito replied firmly. "Now, give it back."
"Hmph! Even if it once was yours, I'm the one who ate it now. If you want it back, come and take it!" Enel's grin twisted into a cruel sneer.
Kaito's gaze turned razor-sharp. "That's exactly what I plan to do."
"Die, fool!" Enel roared.
Lightning exploded from his staff, a blinding blue arc lancing straight into Kaito. The impact filled the sky with crackling energy, the air vibrating under the raw force.
Enel smirked. "Pathetic. You thought you could steal my power? How disappointing."
He turned his back, addressing his men. "Dispose of what's left of him. Feed his remains to the beasts."
"Yes, Enel-sama," the guard replied immediately.
But before they could move, a calm voice echoed from within the lightning itself.
"I'm curious," Kaito said, his tone mocking. "How could you possibly think your thunder would harm me? The Thunder Fruit gave you strength, but it also blinded you with arrogance."
Enel froze mid-step, turning slowly. His eyes widened as the figure inside the storm stepped forward unscathed.
"You… you can resist my lightning?!"
"You call that lightning?" Kaito tilted his head. "I thought you were giving me a bit of electric therapy to help me relax after the flight from the Blue Sea."
The guards shifted nervously, uncertain whether to laugh or tremble.
"Enel-sama," one muttered, "should we fall back?"
"Go!" Enel snapped. "You'll only get in my way."
Once the soldiers retreated, Enel's face darkened. "You've angered me, mortal. Let's see how long your arrogance lasts."
"Show me," Kaito said evenly.
"God's Punishment!"
Enel's fist surged with thunder, light bursting from his arm like the wrath of the heavens. He hurled it down at Kaito with all his fury.
A blinding pillar of electricity engulfed Kaito completely, tearing through the palace floor and crashing down the vines below.
Boom!
The ground quaked. The sky flashed white.
On Angel Island, the people stopped in their tracks as a colossal thunder beam split the heavens, bathing the island in electric brilliance.
"God Enel's wrath!" someone cried. "He's unleashed his judgment!"
"Who angered him this time?"
The villagers could only stare in awe and terror as the light swallowed the sky.