Rumble…
High above the White Sea, on the holy land of Sky Island, the entire sky turned an unnatural, ominous dark. Everyone on the ground looked up in terror as storm clouds gathered overhead, churning violently as lightning flashed within them.
From these clouds, a new figure began to form. To everyone's horror, a giant made of pure, crackling lightning emerged. It towered over the landscape, standing twenty to thirty meters tall—several times larger than even Kaido himself. The brilliant blue light radiating from its body illuminated the entire world.
This was the ultimate form of Enel's Rumble-Rumble Fruit: 200 Million Volt, Amaru.
"Oh," Kaido grunted, a flicker of genuine interest in his eyes as he looked up at the colossal figure. He had heard theories that a form like this was a sign of a Logia-type Devil Fruit awakening. Now, seeing it firsthand, he could tell that analysis was wrong.
His Observation Haki could clearly perceive that Enel's Amaru form was not an awakening that affected the world around him. Instead, it was simply a massive, concentrated release of all the lightning stored within his body. Still, in terms of raw destructive power, the attack was formidable—easily on par with the combat power of a Marine Admiral. Unfortunately for Enel, his physical body was far too weak to support such power for long.
After transforming, Enel seemed to get carried away by the immense strength coursing through him. He roared down at Kaido, who remained standing motionless below.
"Did you see that, you brute from the Blue Sea? This is the true power of a god!"
He was met only with Kaido's disdainful gaze.
"Hey, lightning brat," Kaido called up, his voice unimpressed. "Is this really the best you can do?"
Enel was stunned into silence.
"Since that's the case," Kaido continued, a dangerous grin spreading across his face, "do you want to witness my strongest power?"
He looked at Enel's bewildered expression and added in a relaxed tone, "Don't worry. I still won't move from this spot."
Enel's eyes twisted with rage, and his lightning form crackled violently. "Are you saying you can defeat me without even moving?" he growled.
"Ah," Kaido confirmed with a nod. "That's exactly what I mean."
Enel's pupils widened, and he let out a furious roar. "Don't you mock me! If you think you can, then let me see it!"
As the words left Enel's mouth, a chilling, scarlet light flashed in Kaido's eyes. In an instant, a massive, invisible aura erupted from his body, and the world changed.
Boom…
Time itself seemed to freeze. A suffocating pressure washed over everything, followed by a wave of pure, untamed will. The air filled with a scarlet aura, laced with streaks of black lightning that swept over the landscape. The sky seemed to crack, the clouds churned, and the entire island of Angel Beach began to tremble violently under the enormous spiritual impact.
Wherever the wave of Haki passed, the brilliant blue lightning of Enel's Amaru form was crushed and devoured without any resistance. The giant lightning form lasted less than a second before it was violently torn apart by the overwhelming force. It dissipated into nothing, revealing Enel's normal body, his eyes wide with shock and his jaw hanging open in a perfect picture of a man whose entire worldview had just been shattered.
Kaido didn't press the attack further. This was just a normal release of his Conqueror's Haki, not his full power. He knew that Enel's mental state was fragile; in the stories, the simple fact that Luffy was immune to his electricity had been enough to make him panic. Kaido didn't want to completely break his new recruit.
But it was clear that even this was more than enough.
As Kaido withdrew his Haki, the suffocating pressure lifted. Enel, feeling his body relax, slowly and unsteadily got to his feet.
"This…" he asked, his voice trembling. "What kind of power is this?"
At that moment, all the arrogance of a self-proclaimed god was gone. He looked like a defeated man who had lost all hope.
Seeing this, Kaido smirked. "Conqueror's Haki," he said. "A power that only the true kings of the Blue Sea are born with."
"Conqueror's Haki…" Enel repeated, the words foreign on his tongue.
"That's right," Kaido confirmed. "If you want to learn it, I can teach you."
Instantly, a spark of light returned to Enel's previously dim eyes. "Can… can I possess such a power too?" he asked, a hint of desperate longing in his voice. He now looked at Kaido as if he were looking at a true god.
"Of course," Kaido said with a laugh. "Otherwise, why do you think I'd be interested in you? I don't waste my time on ordinary people."
Enel's eyes lit up completely. That's right, he thought. I am a god. If I am a god, then I can learn a power like Conqueror's Haki.
Thinking of this, his gaze toward Kaido became much more submissive, but a flicker of his old pride remained. "I will become your subordinate," he said, his voice stubborn. "In exchange, you must teach me how to obtain this power. But I have conditions. First, I will not call you 'Captain.' Second, if I one day possess power that surpasses yours, I will leave your pirate crew!"
"Worororo… No problem," Kaido laughed. "If that day ever comes, you can leave whenever you want. As for what to call me, you can just call me 'Big Brother Kaido,' like the others."
"Big Brother… Kaido," Enel said, the title feeling awkward but manageable.
This made Kaido even happier.
"Then when are you going to teach me Haki?" Enel asked eagerly.
"Don't be in such a rush. We'll talk about it after we get back down to the Blue Sea. Do you have anything here you need to take with you?"
Enel was about to say no, as he cared little for his former priests, but then he remembered his grand project. "Yes, there is something. It was originally the vessel I prepared for my journey to the Endless Vearth. But for now, that dream must be postponed. Once I master Haki and become a true god, then I will explore that world."
"Worororo, good," Kaido said. "I'm also planning to take a few things from here myself…"
Three days later, back on Jaya Island.
The town of Mock Town was still buzzing. The appearance of one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, Kaido of the Beasts, had left a massive impact. For the pirates here, most of whom had never set foot in the New World, the Yonko were legendary, almost mythical beings. Just having seen one in person was enough to become the greatest boast of their entire pirate careers.
More and more pirates were arriving on the island every day, drawn by rumors that Kaido would be returning. The proof was clear for all to see: Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords, had remained on the island for three straight days, clearly waiting for him. The occasional Marine warship spotted patrolling the nearby waters only confirmed that something big was happening.
In the highest-class tavern in town, Doflamingo was frowning as he listened to a report from his subordinate, Bellamy the Hyena.
"We found out, Master Doflamingo," Bellamy said. "Lord Kaido was looking for the Saruyama Alliance. He was asking them about the existence of Sky Island."
"Sky Island?" Doflamingo repeated, a bit confused. He knew that sky islands were real and not just legends, but why would a Yonko like Kaido personally come all the way to the first half of the Grand Line just for one?
"Is there something special about this particular Sky Island?" he mused aloud.
"This… the Saruyama Alliance didn't say," Bellamy admitted. "But I might know something."
"Hmm?" Doflamingo looked at him with a hint of doubt.
Bellamy quickly explained. "Master Doflamingo, you've almost certainly heard the story, you just haven't made the connection yet. It's the famous legend from the North Blue… the story of 'Noland the Liar.'"
The name struck a chord. Doflamingo, who had started his own journey in the North Blue, suddenly felt his pupils widen.
"You mean…"
"That's right, Master Doflamingo," Bellamy confirmed, a grin on his face. "This island, Jaya, is the location of the legendary City of Gold from the stories of Noland the Liar…"
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