The skies above Skypiea slowly returned to calm.
The violent churn of clouds faded into gentle currents, white seas smoothing over as if the heavens themselves were catching their breath. The scent of ozone lingered faintly in the air—proof that something extraordinary had just taken place.
At the edge of the floating ruins, Enel stood with his back to the world below.
His long earlobes swayed slightly in the breeze. Thin arcs of lightning still danced lazily around his fingers, not as weapons now, but as idle thoughts made manifest. His posture was loose, almost relaxed—yet his eyes were distant, fixed on something far beyond the clouds.
"…Straw Hat Luffy," he murmured.
The name tasted strange in his mouth.
Behind him, Wyper and Aisa remained silent for a long moment, both staring at the space where the battle had ended hours ago.
Wyper finally broke the quiet with a slow exhale.
"So," he said, voice low, measured, "that's the kind of monster sailing the Blue Sea now…"
He clenched his jaw, replaying the fight in his mind—the impossible moment when lightning failed, when a man stood smiling after a divine strike.
Aisa tilted her head, wings fluttering gently.
"He wasn't scary," she said softly. "Not like the others."
She closed her eyes, listening—not with her ears, but with her mantra. "He felt… bright. Like he was laughing even when he was losing."
Enel's lips curved into a faint smirk.
"Yeah," he said. "That's exactly what makes him dangerous."
Wyper turned sharply. "…Enel."
The god of Skypiea glanced over his shoulder.
Wyper's eyes were sharp, searching.
"You never went serious in that fight," Wyper said bluntly. "Did you?"
Aisa looked between them, then nodded quickly.
"Yeah, Enel-nii," she added. "You always end fights fast. You overwhelm them. You don't let them get back up."
Her brows furrowed. "But with him… you didn't finish it. Why?"
The clouds seemed to still.
For a brief moment, the crackling lightning around Enel's hand faded.
Wyper stepped closer.
"Don't tell me you couldn't," he continued. "I know what you're capable of. You could've coated your strikes with Armament. You didn't even try to crush him with Conqueror's."
His voice hardened. "You didn't take him head-on."
Aisa's eyes widened slightly.
"You always do," she whispered. "What was different?"
Enel inhaled slowly.
The breath was deep—measured.
For the first time since the fight, his grin disappeared.
"He's different," Enel said.
Wyper frowned. "Different how?"
Enel exhaled.
"…Because," he said quietly, "he's Ada's son."
Silence.
Absolute.
Aisa's wings drooped mid-flutter. "…Eh?"
Wyper froze.
The words took a moment to land.
Then—
"HIM?!" both of them shouted at once.
Aisa spun toward the clouds where the Straw Hats had vanished. "THAT LOUD, STRETCHY IDIOT?!"
Wyper stared at Enel like he'd just rewritten history. "That boy… is the captain's son?!"
Enel nodded once. "Yes."
Aisa clutched her head. "WAIT—ADA-SAMA'S SON IS LIKE THAT?!"
Wyper let out a slow, disbelieving laugh.
"…So that's why."
Enel turned fully now, looking out over Skypiea.
"That's why I went easy on him," he said. "Not because he was weak."
Lightning flickered faintly at his feet.
"But because I wanted to see it."
Aisa blinked. "See… what?"
Enel's eyes narrowed slightly. "His resolve."
He remembered it clearly—Luffy standing back up, laughing, demanding more. Not fear. Not hesitation.
Just will.
"I wanted to know if he'd break," Enel continued. "If he'd flinch when the sky itself tried to kill him."
Wyper crossed his arms. "…And?"
Enel's lips curled upward—slowly.
Not mocking.
Not cruel.
Proud.
"He didn't."
Lightning flickered faintly around his shoulders, responding to his mood.
"I could've defeated him," Enel went on. "Crushed him. Overwhelmed him with power he couldn't yet understand."
He glanced toward the horizon, where the Straw Hats had disappeared into the clouds.
"But I didn't want to."
Wyper raised an eyebrow. "You didn't want to break his spirit."
Enel nodded once.
"Yes," he said simply. "That enthusiasm of his—his laughter, that reckless belief that he can surpass anyone—that's something he'll need."
Aisa hugged her arms tightly, wings folding in.
"But… Enel-nii," she asked softly, "what happens when he faces someone stronger than him?"
Her voice wavered. "Someone who won't go easy. Someone who might defeat him… or even kill him?"
For a moment, Enel didn't answer.
The sky hummed quietly.
Then he spoke.
"That future," Enel said, "is almost guaranteed."
He turned back to them, eyes sharp but steady. "The Grand Line is vast. Cruel. Full of monsters who don't care about dreams or lineage."
Lightning cracked once overhead.
"He will lose someday," Enel continued. "He may win, he may fall—over and over again."
Aisa swallowed.
"So… what decides it?" she asked.
Enel's smirk softened.
"That," he said, "depends on how far he can still go when everything is taken from him."
Wyper clenched his fists. "…You really believe in him."
Enel looked skyward, where the sun pierced through the clouds.
"He's Ada's son," he said. "And more importantly—"
A spark snapped.
"He chose his own path."
The wind carried laughter from far away—faint, distant, but unmistakable.
Enel closed his eyes.
"The era ahead won't be kind to him," he said quietly. "But if he keeps that spirit…"
His grin returned. "…the sky won't be the limit anymore."
Aisa smiled slowly. "So…?"
"So," Enel said, summoning lightning once more—this time controlled, deliberate—
a small den-den mushi forming in his palm, its shell etched with a crescent moon and star.
"The future just got a lot louder."
The Nyx Line crackled to life.
And somewhere far away, the sea waited.
——————————-
Deep in the New World, aboard the Oro Jackson which was cutting cleanly through the sea, a calm voice echoed across the deck.
"Captain, incoming call."
Lilith held the transponder snail delicately in both hands, its eyes glowing faintly blue as faint sparks danced along its shell.
"Signal signature confirmed," she adjusted her glasses. "It's Enel."
Around her, the atmosphere shifted immediately.
Perona floated upside down near the mast, smirking. "Oho~ thunder boy finally reporting in?"
Bullet cracked his neck, arms folding across his chest. "Tch. Took him long enough."
Mihawk opened one crimson eye beneath the brim of his hat, uninterested—but attentive.
Okiku paused her movements, hands folded calmly.
Hiyori leaned forward with quiet curiosity.
Pedro and Carrot both turned toward the helm.
Lilith stepped forward and offered the snail.
"Captain."
From the shadowed helm, a woman stepped into the light.
Ada.
Calm. Commanding. Effortlessly present—like the sea itself had decided to listen.
She took the snail without hesitation.
"Enel," she said evenly.
The snail crackled, lightning flickering.
"Captain."
There was a brief pause.
Then Enel spoke, voice casual—almost amused. "So… I ran into your son."
No gasps.
No shock.
Just subtle reactions.
Perona grinned wider. "Oh? Finally crossed paths?"
Bullet snorted. "About time."
Mihawk's gaze sharpened slightly.
Ada's tone remained steady. "…Luffy."
Enel chuckled. "Yeah. Straw hat. Loud as ever. Zero fear. All instinct."
Perona smiled wider. "So? How was he?"
Bullet snorted. "Still alive, I assume."
Enel chuckled. "Very much so."
He paused. "…And I learned something interesting."
Ada raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh?"
"He's made of rubber."
For a brief moment—
Then the deck erupted.
Perona burst into laughter. "WAIT—YOU DIDN'T KNOW?!"
Bullet let out a booming laugh. "So you finally met your natural counter."
Even Mihawk allowed a faint smirk. "The world has a sense of humor."
Lilith adjusted her glasses rapidly. "The probability of encountering a biological counter to the Goro Goro no Mi is—"
"—One in a million," Carrot finished, eyes sparkling.
Ada smiled faintly.
"How did he do?" she asked.
Enel's tone shifted—serious now. "He's strong. Far stronger than he should be at that point in the Grand Line."
The laughter died down.
"But he's reckless," Enel continued. "Relies too much on instinct. If he wants to survive what's waiting deeper in the Grand Line…"
Lightning crackled softly. "…he needs Haki. Observation or Arnament, at the very least."
Ada nodded once. "That's fair."
Then—
"Did you go easy on him?"
Enel exhaled through his nose. "Yes but I went a little serious."
Bullet raised an eyebrow. "A little?"
"But," Enel added, "I didn't take him head-on. Didn't use Armament. Didn't press with Conqueror's."
Mihawk crossed his arms. "So you held back."
Enel didn't deny it.
Wyper, standing nearby, frowned slightly but stayed silent.
Aisa listened intently, eyes wide.
"I wanted to see how he'd react," Enel continued. "If he'd break when the sky itself tried to kill him."
Ada waited.
"…And?"
Enel smirked. "He didn't flinch."
A quiet moment passed.
Aisa smiled softly. "He felt… happy. Even while fighting."
Enel snorted. "Yeah. That's what makes him dangerous."
Ada's smile deepened—warm, assured.
"I'm glad," she said. "He'll grow."
Enel clicked his tongue. "Tch. Figures."
Then, quieter—
"…He's going to shake the Grand Line."
Ada then smriked—quiet, unshaken.
"I'm glad you didn't break him so early on," she said.
Enel scoffed lightly. "Tch. He's got that stupidly bright look. Like the world hasn't crushed him yet."
Perona floated closer, arms crossed. "…You praised him."
Bullet frowned. "That's new."
Mihawk hummed. "High praise, coming from you."
Enel clicked his tongue. "Don't get used to it."
Then, softer—almost fond—
"…He really is your kid."
The lightning faded.
The call ended.
The sea rolled on.
And far away, a rubber boy laughed beneath an open sky—
unaware that even monsters were watching his rise.
———————-
The sea stretched wide and calm again as the Going Merry cut through the waves, leaving Navarone far behind.
Nami leaned against the railing, arms crossed, finally letting out a long breath.
"I'm just glad we got out of there so quickly," she said. "That was a Marine base, you know. One wrong move and we'd still be stuck inside."
Luffy sat on the figurehead, legs swinging happily.
"Yeah! It was super fun!"
Usopp whipped around so fast he almost fell over. "FUN?! We almost DIED!! There were marines everywhere! Cannons! Traps! And don't forget—we had to cover for Robin the whole time!"
Robin smiled serenely, sipping her tea.
"I thought it went quite smoothly."
Usopp pointed accusingly. "OF COURSE YOU DID!"
Zoro, lounging nearby with his arms behind his head, yawned.
"…Still," he said casually, "do you think Condoriano is okay?"
The deck went silent.
Chopper blinked. "…Condori—who?"
Zoro frowned slightly, thinking. "The guy Robin was pretending to be. Shepherd… something."
Robin tilted her head, amused. "Oh. Inspector Shepherd."
Usopp snapped his fingers. "Right! That's it!"
He grinned suddenly. "…But honestly, 'Con D. Oriano' sounds way cooler."
There was a beat.
Then—
Luffy burst out laughing. "CON D. ORIANO?! THAT'S AWESOME!"
Nami shook her head, but couldn't help smiling. "You idiots…"
Chopper giggled. "So… was he strong?"
Zoro shrugged. "Didn't matter. He looked important enough."
Robin chuckled softly. "Perhaps the Marines will remember him fondly."
The crew laughed together as the Merry sailed onward—
Leaving behind a confused Marine base…
…and the legend of Con D. Oriano,
a man who would be remembered long after they were gone.
————————-
Days Later
The Going Merry sailed smoothly across the open sea, her patched sails full and proud, cutting a clean line through the blue. The clouds of Skypiea were long gone now, reduced to nothing more than memories drifting far above the world.
For the first time in days, the ocean felt normal.
Usopp leaned over the railing, staring down at the endless water below.
"So let me get this straight," he said slowly. "We just went to the sky… fought a lightning god… rang a bell from four hundred years ago, then went and escaped a marine base… and somehow lived?"
Chopper nodded so hard his hat nearly fell off. "UH-HUH!! And nobody exploded permanently!!"
Sanji exhaled smoke toward the sky. "I need a vacation after that vacation."
Zoro lay on the deck, arms folded behind his head, one eye cracked open. "Tch. Still feels unreal. Like I'll wake up and we'll still be falling."
Nami stood by the helm, adjusting the Log Pose, watching the needle spin lazily as it searched for its next destination.
"Wherever we're headed," she muttered, "I hope it doesn't involve gods, wars, marines or ancient prophecies."
Robin leaned against the railing nearby, eyes fixed on the horizon.
The wind tugged at her hair as she watched the sea roll endlessly forward.
Luffy sat perched at the bow, legs dangling freely over the sea, straw hat tilted back as he stared ahead with a quiet grin.
"He was strong," he said suddenly.
The deck went still.
Everyone turned toward him.
"Really strong," Luffy continued, stretching his arms behind his head like he was talking about a fun sparring match instead of a battle with lightning itself. "For a second there… I thought I might lose."
Usopp stiffened so fast he nearly toppled over. "Y–You almost lost?!"
Luffy laughed, bright and carefree. "Yeah!"
Usopp's face went pale. "But that just means—"
Luffy leaned forward, grin widening, eyes shining with excitement, "there are way stronger guys out there!"
Zoro let out a low chuckle, sitting up from where he'd been resting.
"Enel, huh," he said. "Yeah… he was strong, alright."
Sanji exhaled a slow stream of smoke. "Strong enough that even you noticed it. That says something."
Luffy tilted his head, frowning slightly—not in frustration, but in thought. "…But I don't think he took me seriously."
The words landed heavier than any punch.
The deck fell silent.
Nami blinked. "Wait—what?"
Luffy scratched his cheek. "I dunno. It felt like he was testing me. Like… he could've done more."
Chopper's jaw dropped. "He… wasn't fighting seriously?"
Usopp spun on Luffy. "HOLD ON HOLD ON HOLD ON—YOU'RE TELLING ME THE LIGHTNING GUY WAS HOLDING BACK?!"
Zoro's expression darkened slightly. "…That explains a lot."
Robin folded her arms, gaze distant but calm.
"It's logical," she said quietly. "That man carries a bounty of three billion Berries."
Everyone froze.
"…Three billion? We almost forgot about his bounty." Nami echoed faintly.
Robin nodded once.
"If he truly intended to fight seriously," she continued, voice measured, "he could have crushed all of us without effort."
Usopp screamed internally before screaming out loud. "WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT SO CASUALLY?!"
He clutched his head. "STOP WITH THE DARK HUMOR!! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!!"
Sanji frowned, glancing toward the horizon.
"…So he let us go."
Zoro smirked faintly. "Or decided we weren't worth killing yet."
Usopp shrieked again.
Luffy, however, just smiled. "Then that's good."
Everyone stared at him.
"If he didn't take me seriously," Luffy said, fists clenching with excitement, "that just means I've got more catching up to do."
The sea rolled on ahead of them—
And somewhere out there, stronger monsters were waiting.
Then suddenly the sea grew still.
Too still.
A strange chill crept into the air, crawling up the deck like unseen fingers.
Sanji frowned. "…Why did it suddenly get cold?"
Nami hugged herself. "Did a storm roll in…?"
Then—
"Yo."
The voice drifted across the shoreline ahead—lazy, unbothered, almost bored.
The Merry slowed as they approached a small island.
A single man stood on the beach.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Draped in a Marine coat worn like a blanket.
A bicycle rested beside him—on the water.
Ice spread silently beneath his feet, freezing the waves solid in widening circles.
Zoro sat up. "…Oi."
Sanji's cigarette nearly fell from his mouth.
"He's… standing on the sea."
Usopp's knees knocked. "THAT'S NOT NORMAL THAT'S NOT NORMAL—"
Robin froze.
Her blood ran cold.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"…An Admiral."
The word landed like a gunshot.
The crew turned to her instantly.
Nami stared. "An… Admiral?"
Robin didn't take her eyes off the man.
"There are three," she said quietly. "The highest combat force of the Marines."
Her fingers tightened at her sides.
"Aokiji. Kizaru. Akainu."
Chopper swallowed. "T-The strongest…?"
Robin nodded once.
"They answer directly to the World Government," she continued. "They're monsters who can change the fate of islands on a whim."
The man lifted his head slightly, lazy gaze settling on the ship.
Aokiji.
Luffy tilted his head, squinting.
"Huh?" he said cheerfully. "Who's that?"
The wind howled colder across the deck.
Ice creaked.
And for the first time since entering the Grand Line—
Even the Straw Hats felt something unfamiliar.
Not excitement.
Not curiosity.
But danger.
Real, overwhelming danger.
The sea itself seemed to hold its breath.