Night fell aboard the warship.
Sakazuki, his entire body swathed in bandages, sat in the mess hall quietly eating, restoring his strength. His wounds were still severe, but he was out of immediate danger—he just needed time to heal.
Up above, Enel hovered in midair on his little "Maxim" model, watching Sakazuki intently. After a moment, he spoke up, voice uncharacteristically earnest:
"Sakazuki-san, I want to get stronger."
The words caught Sakazuki off guard. For a split second, he wondered if the kid had suddenly grown up a bit.
He studied Enel's determined little face, then nodded. "Let Karol put together some training for you. In another couple of years, when you're old enough, you can enroll in the Marine Academy."
Enel nodded solemnly, determination burning in his eyes. He turned and marched off to find Karol.
Watching the little figure disappear, Sakazuki couldn't help but smile. Something amusing seemed to cross his mind, and he shook his head, returning to his meal.
In the adjutant's quarters, Karol was hunched over her desk, scribbling out plans.
Knock, knock, knock!
Without looking up, she called, "Come in."
Enel pushed open the door and explained why he'd come.
Just finishing her writing, Karol handed him a sheet of paper with a broad, mischievous grin. "Here's your training plan."
The page looked packed—top to bottom with tasks. But really, it was just broken into lots of short segments, each one manageable. Karol was hoping to see a look of shock on Enel's face.
She watched him expectantly, still smiling.
After a long moment, Enel studied the paper with a grave, almost adult seriousness. Then he said:
"Karol-bro…"
A spark of anticipation flickered in Karol's eyes. "Yeah?"
Enel looked up at her, sitting backward in her chair, arms draped over the backrest.
"I… can't read."
The words hit Karol like a thunderclap.
Her eyes went wide. The corners of her mouth twitched.
I'm such an idiot… Seriously…
She pressed a hand to her forehead, face dark with embarrassment. How could she have forgotten? A kid who'd grown up on the streets—of course he couldn't read. He was only three, for crying out loud! Even kids from normal families might not know all their letters yet.
Utterly defeated, Karol took the training plan back from Enel.
She went to her desk, grabbed a notebook, and scribbled a few big characters. She handed the page to Enel, teaching him the sounds and how to write them.
"Practice these for now," she said. There weren't any children's primers on the warship. They'd have to pick some up at the next port.
Enel carried Karol's notebook back to his little cabin.
Under the bright lamp, he sat at his desk, sounding out each syllable as he clumsily wrote:
"E—nel."
"Ju—stice."
The warship glided through the night, lights blazing against the darkness.
Marineford, Marine Headquarters
After several days at sea, Sakazuki's warship finally arrived at Marineford. The ship slipped into port, and after nearly a year away, the crew gazed up at the majestic, imposing fortress once more.
On deck, Enel stared in awe at the towering walls. The massive kanji for "Marines" loomed above, solemn and grand, striking something deep inside him.
After the ship anchored, Sakazuki ordered everyone to rest for half a day. Then he led Enel toward Fleet Admiral Kong's office.
Enel floated behind him on the little "Maxim," drawing curious stares from every direction. He shrank back, embarrassed, and stuck close to Sakazuki, not daring to look up.
They reached the Fleet Admiral's door. Sakazuki knocked.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Come in."
Kong's voice rang out from within. Sakazuki pushed the door open.
Enel peeked in from behind, only half his body visible as he looked nervously at Fleet Admiral Kong.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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