Enel slumped on the charred deck, trembling uncontrollably while muttering insane phrases like "I am the true god" and "A god cannot lose" on repeat.
His golden hair hung disheveled, covering half of his twisted, grotesque face. The madness and resentment in his eyes threatened to overflow as his fingers clawed desperately at the deck, as if trying to grasp the last shreds of his "divine" dignity.
Miss Valentine frowned, tiptoeing away from the madman with unconcealed disgust beneath her delicate makeup. She whispered to someone nearby, "Ugh, did the boss beat him stupid?"
"Quite possible. Falling from high altitude can damage the brain," came a cool voice from behind. Miss Valentine whirled around to meet Nico Robin's smiling eyes.
Robin leaned elegantly with one hand supporting her chin, her deadpan remark creating an awkward atmosphere.
Miss Valentine immediately hmphed, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks as she turned away, secretly annoyed. This woman who always effortlessly captured the boss's attention was someone she simply couldn't like.
Just then, Bahr landed on the deck.
"Boss~" Miss Valentine's eyes instantly lit up. Clicking her heels, she rushed over and wrapped herself around Bahr's arm, practically hanging off him. A sweet perfume mixed with body heat assaulted his nostrils.
She tilted her head back, exposing her slender neck, fluttering her eyelashes with undisguised adoration. Her voice was soft and sweet, ending with a seductive tremble: "You were amazing~"
During the recent battle, the self-proclaimed "god" had unleashed terrifying attacks that nearly capsized their ship from a distance. The deafening screeches still seemed to echo in their ears.
Yet even such a powerful opponent had been effortlessly crushed by the boss, deepening both her awe and infatuation!
Bahr glanced down at Miss Valentine's ample cleavage, admittedly pleased. Normally, he would have taken the opportunity to wrap an arm around her soft waist and flirt.
But now his gaze was fixed on the "god" at the deck's center.
Enel remained kneeling, twitching and mumbling to himself. His golden staff lay askew on the deck, vibrating faintly with his trembling arm.
"This guy... might actually be insane," Bahr mused, rubbing his chin as he watched Enel mechanically repeat "a god cannot lose."
Upon reflection, Enel's current state wasn't surprising.
His tyrannical reign over Sky Island had made him mistake the hollow title of "god" for reality. His chuunibyou catchphrases were just attempts to reinforce his self-perceived uniqueness.
Against Straw Hat Boy, he'd held the advantage. Even in defeat, he could use rubber's insulation against lightning as an excuse. But facing Bahr meant complete, undeniable annihilation—every self-deceptive justification torn to shreds.
Ultimately, a life of unbroken success had robbed Enel of any resilience against failure. When a "god" accustomed to looking down on mortals suddenly found himself trampled, the cognitive dissonance shattered him.
In short: a terminal case of chuunibyou suffering brutal reality check—his CPU fried!
As Bahr watched the stubbornly defiant Enel, inspiration struck. With a wicked grin, he said, "Hey kid, you're too green to be a god. How about following me? I'll take you to the New World to raise hell."
Enel's pupils focused sharply on Bahr as he sneered, "Preposterous! A god doesn't stoop to ants. You merely caught me off guard—"
"Spare me the theatrics." Bahr crossed his arms, tilting his chin up. "Your ability is unique, but you're too inexperienced. The New World is full of powerhouses—you'd get wrecked by any real contender. Stick with me, and I'll show you what true strength looks like."
With his Rumble-Rumble Fruit powers and Mind Net, Enel could indeed rank among the elite.
But his arrogance was his downfall. Years of relying solely on his fruit's overwhelming speed and firepower left his physical combat skills and Haki woefully underdeveloped.
Against Bahr's unpredictable Spatial abilities, lightning's advantages vanished. His deficiencies in close combat and Haki became glaring weaknesses, leading to utter defeat.
Yet against others lacking sufficient Haki to counter, Enel's lightning speed would remain nearly invincible.
If Enel could improve his fundamentals and cover his weaknesses, his potential would be limitless—at minimum, admiral-level like Kizaru.
Since Bahr planned to make waves in the New World, going solo wasn't an option. Mr. 1 and others were too weak—recruiting Enel would secure a powerful enforcer.
"Absurd! A god's lightning purifies the world—not to be your lackey!" Enel snarled, pushing himself up with gritted teeth, his pale face twisted in indignation. He glared sidelong at Bahr, nostrils flaring as electricity crackled around him.
"Your pathetic 'New World' isn't worth a god's glance!" He threw his head back, wild golden hair dancing amidst lightning like a peacock's display. "The Limitless Land is a god's rightful domain!"
"..."
Limitless Land? That was just the moon—probably the Celestial Dragons' abandoned homeland, now a desolate wasteland.
Bahr's eyes gleamed as he chuckled, "Kid, you're nowhere near godhood. There are plenty self-proclaimed 'gods' on the seas. Want me to introduce you?"
Against a narcissistic chuunibyou like Enel, logic was useless—only stoking his competitive spirit and curiosity would work.
Sure enough, Enel's eyes flickered with interest—before he immediately raised his chin so high his nostrils nearly faced the sky, scoffing dramatically. "Interesting! Who besides this god dares claim divinity? Very well, this god shall mercifully accompany you!"
Meeting Bahr's amused look, Enel stiffened like a cat with its tail stepped on, hastily adding, "This god merely wishes to witness how these false deities pale before true divinity!"
He had to admit—this man's unfathomable strength had exposed his shortcomings. Hearing about the New World's powerhouses reminded him of Straw Hat Boy's claims about stronger fighters below, stirring his interest.
But his innate pride refused to let him bow. Learning of other so-called "gods" gave him the perfect excuse to save face.
With this in mind, Enel deliberately shook out his electrified hair, looking down his nose at Bahr with a haughty sniff. "Consider yourself fortunate this god permits you to cling to his divine coattails!"
Bahr: "....."
He really wanted to punch this brat.