"You..."
Seeing the uninvited guest who appeared before him like a phantom, Iceburg's heart jolted as he instinctively cried out in alarm. However, before the words could escape his throat, an intense, paralyzing sensation swept through his entire body, freezing him in place. He couldn't make even the slightest sound.
Enel calmly retracted his index finger. Faint electric arcs danced at his fingertip a few times before disappearing.
Having completely controlled the situation, Enel wasted no time. He grabbed Iceburg by the collar and lifted him like a puppet toward the window. Iceburg could barely lift his heavy eyelids. Through the glass, he saw another black-cloaked figure wearing a faceless mask standing by the window of the opposite office building.
That shadow was "staring" in this direction with a peculiar, focused posture.
"You, who are..."
Iceburg struggled against the paralysis, trying to squeeze out questions through clenched teeth.
Enel had no interest in answering. His emotionless voice sounded. "Where are Pluton's blueprints?"
What! How do they know I have Pluton's blueprints?
Iceburg's eyes suddenly widened, pupils contracting from extreme shock. His mind raced as countless thoughts surged wildly. This was the secret he and his teacher Tom, had guarded their entire lives!
Before he could organize any denial, he saw the cloaked shadow opposite already lowering both hands, nodding affirmatively in this direction. Then, to his bewilderment, the cloaked person beside him released his collar and left behind a completely baffling statement.
"The blueprints. We're taking them."
Huh? I haven't even spoken yet?
Iceburg was completely confused.
Enel had already turned, about to leave. But before departing, as if suddenly remembering something, he stopped and turned his head. "Oh, right. Someone asked me to pass along a message. There are rats among your people. More than one."
"For your own life's sake, everything that just happened is best treated as if it never occurred."
Before his words finished, Enel's form had already transformed into imperceptible electric light, disappearing instantly as if merging with the air. The shadow opposite also simultaneously vanished silently into the building's darkness.
From appearance to departure, the entire process took less than two minutes. The office returned to silence, as if everything that had happened moments ago had been just an illusion. But the residual paralysis in his body reminded Iceburg that everything had truly happened.
He stood frozen in place, expression shifting unpredictably, mood somber. He wasn't a fool. Once a secret was known by a second person, it was no longer a secret.
The cloaked person's meaning couldn't be clearer. Besides this group of mysterious people, another faction was secretly spying on Pluton's blueprints!
Though he didn't know how the cloaked people knew the blueprints' location, if they'd truly succeeded, then to keep that hidden, still-ignorant group off balance, the only thing he could do was act exactly as usual.
Only by making them believe the blueprints remained safely hidden somewhere could he buy himself a lifeline. Ideally, the other group might not even be certain he actually possessed Pluton's blueprints. Otherwise, they would've already acted to interrogate him by force.
With this in mind, Iceburg took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear and chaos in his heart, moving his gradually recovering body. Just like every overtime night, he carefully tidied his desk, turned off the lights, locked the door, and left the company with steady steps.
In the shadows outside the door, Kalifa watched Iceburg's back, no different from usual, detecting nothing abnormal. She followed the established plan, silently trailing after him.
Meanwhile, at Scrap Island...
This was Water Seven's island for dumping completely irreparable abandoned ships, like the city's forgotten corner. The once-glorious Tom's Workers site also stood here.
Since Tom's incident, this small island had been completely abandoned. Only the most destitute scavengers occasionally visited, searching for remnants of value among rusted steel and rotted wood.
Currently, Enel and Violet's figures appeared in this desolate place.
"Truly brilliant thinking."
Violet surveyed her surroundings, tone carrying admiration. "Who'd imagine someone would place something as important as Pluton's blueprints not on their person, but here?"
Without her mind-reading ability to easily extract memories from Iceburg's thoughts, even searching for a year, she probably couldn't have found this place.
Following Iceburg's memory images, Violet quickly locked onto the target. They reached a dilapidated merchant ship wreck half-buried in mud and sand, covered in rust and barnacles. At the corner marked in the memory images, Violet dug out a small chest.
"Found it."
Violet carefully opened the chest. Inside lay thick stacks of yellowed, edge-worn design blueprints with still-clear lines and annotations.
The next day...
After Violet successfully returned, other companions aboard finally received permission to leave the ship for free activities. At Yamato's strong recommendation, everyone quickly decided to travel together, taking the Sea Train to Spring Queen City. Reportedly, the scenery there was quite beautiful.
Enel had zero interest in this. For him, going out to play wasn't as pleasant as eating more apples aboard ship.
Unexpectedly, Kai personally sought him out.
"Want to become stronger?"
Enel's eyes flashed with barely concealed surprise. He raised an eyebrow, asking with habitual arrogance. "You're serious? Aren't you afraid this god will surpass you and stomp you underfoot instead?"
From the opponent's perspective, shouldn't he try to suppress me as much as possible? Ensuring I could never pose a threat would be the more logical approach.
Of course, he himself absolutely wouldn't willingly stagnate anyway.
Kai chuckled lightly, tone carrying unquestionable confidence. "Enemies defeated by my hand have never been viewed as opponents. I give you time to chase until you can't even see my back."
Comfortable. Finally found the chance to say this line.
"Hmph! Underestimating this god will be your greatest mistake!"
Enel snorted coldly, mouth unyielding, but his heart was somewhat shaken.
"What I'll teach you is the existence called Haki."
Kai said no more and moved directly to the main topic. He extended his right arm, instantly coating it in pitch-black. "Come, elementalize now."
Enel didn't understand, but still transformed his entire body into lightning. Then he watched Kai reach toward his shoulder.
"It's useless..."
Before finishing, Enel's expression suddenly froze. He could clearly feel Kai actually grasping him. The previously invincible elementalization that made him nearly immune to physical attacks actually failed at this moment?!
Startled, he suddenly recalled that previous crushing defeat. "Last time! When you broke my Raijin form, you used this power too?!"
"Correct."
Kai released his hand, nodding affirmatively. "This is Armament Haki. It can not only capture Logia users' elemental bodies but is itself an extremely powerful offensive and defensive method."
Next, he demonstrated Armament Haki's hardening, internal destruction, and emission.
"On this vast sea, truly peak-level powerhouses have all mastered Armament Haki to extremely profound levels. So don't rely too heavily on your Devil Fruit ability."
Kai transformed into Teacher Kai, eyes piercing as he stared at Enel. "Relying only on abilities cannot dominate the world. Only Haki reigns supreme over everything."
Even Kizaru, whom Zephyr criticized for over-relying on his fruit, definitely didn't have weak Haki.
Then Kai restrained his aura, supplementing. "Of course, I don't mean you should completely abandon your fruit ability. Since you ate the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, don't waste it."
"The key is finding the most suitable balance point between fruit ability development and Haki training."
After all, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's abilities were too comprehensive. Power, long-range attacks, healing, speed, lacking nothing, plus it amplified Observation Haki. Before the Mythical Zoan era arrived, this was one of the most desired fruit abilities among transmigrator seniors.
Enel nodded slightly. Even without Kai saying so, he couldn't possibly abandon what made him a god.
Kai continued teaching. "There's another type of Haki, Observation Haki, what you've always called 'Mantra.'"
"I won't elaborate on its functions. Purely in terms of sensing range, even I must admit you slightly surpass me. Throughout the entire seas, those who can exceed your range in scope are probably countable on one hand."
Hearing this, Enel's mouth curved upward uncontrollably, revealing a smile that mixed pride and satisfaction. Everyone loved hearing praise, but coming from Kai, who'd personally defeated him, this recognition brought incomparable pleasure.
However, Kai's tone suddenly shifted. "But don't get complacent. In breadth, you're truly naturally gifted, but in depth, you're still far behind."
"Know that mastering Observation Haki to its extreme can even allow glimpsing brief futures!"
"What? You're serious?!"
Enel's breathing suddenly became rapid, the smugness on his face instantly replaced by extreme shock. Foresee the future? This completely exceeds my understanding of "Mantra"!
"Of course."
Kai demonstrated his Observation Haki, successfully making Enel, who had been somewhat self-satisfied, deflate.
After introducing Armament and Observation, Kai finally displayed the power of Conqueror's Haki.
"Conqueror's Haki differs from the other two types. It purely depends on talent. Either you have it or you don't. No amount of effort helps without it."
Hearing this, Enel smiled disdainfully. "Hmph, naturally, this god possesses it. Just hasn't awakened yet."
He was also quite curious about this Haki that could directly paralyze his body.
"Maybe."
Kai smiled noncommittally without verbal discouragement. Based on the manga's performance, given Enel's temperament and qualifications, the probability of Conqueror's Haki wasn't low. He just lacked the crucial opportunity for awakening. Simply put, he hadn't gotten patched yet.
"Come! Tell this god how to train this Haki!"
Enel was already deeply interested in Kai's descriptions, impatient to master these new powers.
Once this god masters Armament and Conqueror's, I'll definitely beat Kai until his own mother won't recognize him, repaying previous humiliation. After he kneels begging for mercy, this god will magnanimously forgive him. Mm, then reluctantly appoint him as this god's first High Priest.
Kai's eyes narrowed. Feel like you're harboring ill intentions.
"The method for training Haki is actually very simple."
Kai's mouth curved into a meaningful arc. "That is, getting beaten!"
"What?!"
Before Enel could react, a pitch-black fist was already rapidly approaching in his pupils!
BAM!
A heavy punch solidly smashed into his nose bridge. Enel's nose immediately twisted to the side as bright red blood gushed forth.
"Wahhh!"
He covered his painfully throbbing nose, trembling with rage. "Bastard Kai! You dare sneak attack this god!!"
"Remember this feeling well."
Kai grinned. "The faster you learn, the less beating you take."
Before finishing, dense fist shadows already poured down on Enel like torrential rain.
When Yamato's group returned to Rayquaza, carrying bags of souvenirs and high-spirited, what greeted them was an "unidentifiable object" collapsed on deck, beyond recognition.
Meanwhile, Kai sat leisurely in a beach chair nearby, sipping tea and enjoying a pleasant afternoon.
Yamato curiously crouched down, gently poking that "object" with her fingertip. "Kai, what's this? A newly caught Sea Beast? Looks quite unique."
Kai unhurriedly took another sip of tea before leisurely answering. "Oh, that's Enel who got beaten all morning."
"Eh?"
Everyone froze, disbelievingly examining the "object" on the ground. Though Enel was rebellious and antisocial, he didn't deserve to be beaten like this, right? In this state, even his mother wouldn't recognize him.
"Chopper, bandage him up. Perfect chance to practice your skills. Learning through practice."
Capitalist Kai indicated he wouldn't miss any opportunity to extract value. Keeping severely injured Enel until now was precisely to wait for Chopper's return. Of course, this had absolutely nothing to do with Enel's previous 'insubordination.'
Chopper's eyes brightened upon hearing this. He immediately scurried into the cabin with his small hooves, soon returning carrying a medical kit nearly as tall as himself.
Under Kureha's guidance, he earnestly bandaged Enel from head to toe into an airtight white mummy. Naturally, novice Chopper's technique was still crude. Bandages sometimes too tight, sometimes loosely unraveling, occasionally tying small knots, making semi-conscious Enel unconsciously release pained groans.
"Mmm mmm..."
Enel made muffled sounds through a bandage-wrapped mouth.
"What are you saying? Is something uncomfortable?" Kind-hearted Chopper leaned his ear close, but he couldn't hear anything clearly.
Kai thought for a moment and translated. "He's probably thanking you for your careful treatment."
"Stop it! Even if you say that, I won't be happy, you bastard~♪"
Chopper immediately became bashful, face flushing with happy redness as he gently patted the mummy's forehead.
"Ugh!"
Enel trembled all over from the pat, eyes bulging violently through bandage gaps.
"Bastard Kai!"
Unable to voice his grievances, Enel looked up at the blue sky as two silent tears streamed down.