Kaito stood calmly within the pillar of lightning, his expression flat. The violent current crackled around him, but it was nothing more than a warm bath against his skin. The power of the Thunder Fruit had long been mastered and perfected by him—far beyond what Enel could ever hope to achieve.
The lightning that Enel had unleashed, meant to obliterate him, was harmless. Kaito could feel it clearly—the energy had been concentrated entirely on him, yet even so, it lacked force. Less than a fraction of that power reached the vines below. Enel's display was a performance, a show meant to deceive the inhabitants of Angel Island into believing in his divinity.
Kaito's lips curved slightly in disdain. So that's it. A false god maintaining control through illusion.
Gradually, the thunder beam began to shrink until it flickered out of existence. The clouds cleared, and the air fell still.
Enel's pupils contracted. "How... how is this possible?!"
"Nothing in this world is impossible," Kaito replied softly.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he stood. A moment later, he appeared before Enel, his leg enveloped in dense black energy. His whip kick sliced through the air like a thunderclap.
"Hmph! Physical attacks are useless against me!" Enel sneered, his tone full of arrogance.
A heavy bang echoed through the sky.
The next instant, Enel's eyes bulged in shock, his breath escaping in a pained gasp. His body folded under the impact, agony spreading through his stomach as though his organs had been crushed. Before he could react, a tremendous force burst from Kaito's strike, hurling him away like a broken doll.
He shot across the sky like a comet, disappearing from sight.
Kaito lowered his leg, exhaling lightly. "So weak. What a waste of a good fruit."
Meanwhile, the people of Angel Island, still murmuring about the earlier lightning pillar, suddenly looked up as a fiery streak cut through the heavens.
The meteor-like figure crashed into the island with an explosive boom.
BOOM!
The entire island trembled violently. Buildings shook, clouds of dust rose, and startled residents ran outside.
"What was that?" "Did something fall from the sky?"
When the dust began to settle, everyone froze. A massive gouge stretched across the island, carved deep into the ground like a scar from a giant's blade. The destructive trail split Angel Island nearly in half.
At the end of it lay a familiar figure, battered.
"T-that's… Enel-sama!"
The crowd gasped in disbelief. "No way! Lord Enel can't be defeated!"
As the murmurs spread, Enel groaned. Slowly, he pushed himself up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. His face twisted in a mixture of pain and disbelief as he looked up—only to see Kaito standing calmly in front of him.
"You… How can you touch me?!" Enel's voice trembled. "My body is lightning itself!"
Kaito gave him a bored look. "You really don't understand, do you?"
Enel frowned, still trying to process what had happened. To prove himself, he struck his arm with his golden staff.
Crackle!
His arm turned to lightning, and the staff passed through it harmlessly.
Kaito sighed. "You don't need to test it. Your ability still works. But against me, it's useless."
"Useless?"
"This—" Kaito raised his arm, dark energy flickering around his skin "—is called Armament Haki. It can strike the real body of any Devil Fruit user, no matter what form they take."
"Armament Haki…" Enel's shock turned to intrigue, then to mockery. "So the people from the Blue Sea have developed something like that. Hmph, not bad... for savages."
Without warning, his body transformed into lightning again as he shot skyward.
Kaito glanced up, unamused. "So you're running."
He followed, his figure blurring into the clouds.
The sky darkened, heavy clouds forming over a floating ship—its hull lined with gold and carved with ornate designs. The vessel hung in the sky like a divine chariot.
This was Ark Maxim, Enel's personal ship, a self-made throne for his delusions of godhood.
Enel stood upon the deck, glaring down at Kaito, confidence gleaming in his eyes. "You've finally come. Good. Let's end this here and now!"
He raised his golden staff to the heavens. Lightning surged violently through the clouds, thunder booming in answer.
"This attack takes time to prepare," Enel said, grinning wildly. "You should feel honored to witness it!"
Blinding light engulfed his body, the energy around him building into something massive. Slowly, the bolts converged into the form of a gigantic thunder giant towering above the ship.
"Now perish, foolish mortal! Witness the power of God! Two hundred million volts—Thor's Descent!"
The sky dimmed as the giant raised its colossal hand. A moment later, it struck downward.
The thunderous hand of the giant covered the sky, its power capable of reducing mountains to ash. Enel's grin widened as the massive strike crashed into Kaito.
"Even if you resist lightning, there's a limit!" Enel shouted. "No one survives this!"
The world shook. Lightning swallowed the air, and the Ark's golden frame gleamed in the blinding flash.
But then—
From within the heart of the thunder, a voice rang out unimpressed.
"Boring."
Enel's grin froze.
A violent surge of power burst outward, splitting the thunder giant apart. Enel felt it instantly—a terrifying, familiar force of lightning unlike anything he had ever known.
No… that's impossible! he thought. That energy—it's the same as mine… but stronger!
His entire body trembled as he sensed it. The lightning that made up his form shivered, reacting instinctively like a subordinate before its true master.
The arcs around him flickered, then began to drift away—drawn toward Kaito.
The divine thunder of "God" itself bent before him.
______
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