"From now on, call me Boss, or Captain."
Souta Kiryuu helped the battered Enel to his feet and handed him a crimson apple. In this adjusted version of his memory, Enel had never seen nor tasted one before.
"Boss God? Captain God?" Enel muttered seriously. "Then from now on, I shall address you as Boss God, Captain God!"
He still trembled at the thought of Souta. His lightning body—something no one had ever resisted—had been torn apart with ease. And Souta hadn't even shown his flames yet. Clearly, the man hadn't revealed his full strength.
"Thank you for your divine gift, Boss God."
He took the apple with reverence, cautiously biting into it. His dull eyes lit up instantly.
So sweet. Crisp. Refreshing. The best flavor he had ever experienced.
"Delicious! Thank you, Boss God!" Enel said again, wolfing it down eagerly. His odd choice of title—"Boss God"—likely came from his poor grasp of the word "boss." To him, it sounded more exalted, more divine than "Captain."
Satisfied that Enel's submission was genuine, Souta brought his new subordinate out to meet the others.
Vegapunk and Kuma greeted the "reformed" lightning user with tact, while Capone Bege and Law exchanged startled looks. None of them had believed Souta could truly bend this self-proclaimed god.
Still, it was a gain. Having a Rumble-Rumble Fruit user on their side was no small addition.
Later, in a small meeting, Souta gave only a vague explanation of Enel's situation. He warned the others not to mention the past and made sure Enel stayed close to him, intent on training him into a weapon of war.
But the man's arrogance remained. He ignored those weaker than him, looking down on them as if they were beneath his notice.
To Enel, he was Raijin—the Thunder God—and his only loyalty belonged to Boss God.
Law, Bege, and Lafitte quickly grew tired of his attitude. But soon Enel found one person worthy of his respect: Kuma, who began teaching him Armament Haki.
To Enel, Kuma became "Bear God," a title he considered equal to his own. Souta's right hand—someone to be revered.
After a few days, Enel had—grudgingly—settled into the group.
"It's time to make Saturn squirm again."
Souta smirked when he saw Enel had recovered most of his fighting strength. The plan was set: head to Green Bit to pick up the Tontatta, then move on to Punk Hazard to retrieve the Lineage Factor Extractor, vital for cultivating artificial Devil Fruits.
"Bege, you're coming too."
"Of course." Capone Bege puffed his cigar and shrugged. He had accepted his role as Souta's mobile fortress. Recently, he had even accompanied Kuma to Germa in the North Blue, ferrying goods for their cause.
His Fire Tank Pirates had already slipped past Marine pursuit and entered the Grand Line. In time, they would reach Jaya Island. For now, he was content.
Princess Mansherry and Leo insisted on returning home as well, hoping to convince more of their people to join them in Skypiea. Souta agreed. First Green Bit, then Punk Hazard. Kuma's abilities only allowed him to reach Dressrosa and Green Bit directly, so the route was fixed.
For Enel, it was the first journey beyond Skypiea. Curiosity lit his gaze. He no longer remembered ruling the sky islands, nor his dream of reaching the Endless Vearth. Souta had given him a simpler goal: master Armament Haki and spread the name of "Raijin" across the seas.
Enel's eyes gleamed with confidence. He would show the world the power of thunder.
Kuma sent them flying with his paw, remaining behind to guard his beloved Bonney. Law departed for Jaya after Souta's group left, taking the Heart Pirates into the surrounding seas. Lafitte stayed behind to consolidate their secret control over the island.
On Skypiea, only Sentomaru, Wyper, and the little girl Aisa remained, training diligently.
New World — Green Bit
With a thunderous crash, Kuma's paw left a massive crater in the island. From it, Capone Bege crawled out, followed by Souta's group.
Princess Mansherry and Leo immediately ran toward the Tontatta Kingdom, eager to persuade Gancho to bring more of their people to Skypiea. For the dwarves, living openly alongside humans without fear was a dream worth pursuing.
"Boss, why not rob Doflamingo while we're at it?" Bege's eyes glimmered with gold as he bit his cigar. "That Warlord's said to be filthy rich."
The idea of toppling a Shichibukai—or even an Emperor—was every pirate's dream.
"Once the Tontatta decide, we'll head to Dressrosa. Raise hell in his backyard. That underground port of his should hold plenty of treasures."
Souta's grin matched Bege's. Doflamingo was a broker in the underworld—rare resources flowed through his hands daily. Among them, surely, were materials Vegapunk needed.
Why leave empty-handed?
"That's what I love about you, Boss," Bege laughed. "Fearless. You even killed a Celestial Dragon. What's a Warlord compared to that?"
Enel's eyes sparked with lightning. "Boss God, do you want me to unleash my strongest attack? I've been waiting to test it."
He had designed a devastating technique—strong enough to erase Birka. But before he could use it, Souta had captured him.
"Then burn down that so-called royal palace," Souta roared with laughter. "Announce to the world that Raijin has descended."
He also wanted to test Doflamingo himself. A former Celestial Dragon with all three forms of Haki, and a Devil Fruit pushed to awakening.
How strong was the String-String Fruit in its prime?
"Then I won't hold back," Enel's dead-fish eyes gleamed with excitement. For once, he was eager.
Meanwhile, in the palace of Dressrosa, Donquixote Doflamingo grinned from his throne.
"Fufufufu… so it's true. He's been released."
A Den Den Mushi clutched between his fingers crackled with a voice deep and magnetic.
"He's escaped G-5's prison fortress. I arranged a small boat for his escape."
"I won't forget this," Doflamingo replied smoothly. "We're family, after all."
He set the snail down, eyes burning with ambition. Soon, he would welcome the world's second greatest scientist and begin his grand project of artificial Devil Fruits.
"Don't mention it, Doffy," the voice said. "We are family."