As Enel's lightning struck down the largest baboon, the other baboons that had been attacking Kaku suddenly paused. They began communicating in their strange baboon language, something only they could understand.
Kaku frowned slightly and took a few steps back.
"Yahahahaha," Enel laughed loudly. "A bunch of cowards, only attacking the weak. They're just trash."
Kaku glanced back at Enel, perched on a tree, and said casually, "Seems like you've got some sense of decency after all. Thanks."
"Hmph." Enel scoffed, clearly uninterested in Kaku's gratitude. "Don't get the wrong idea, long nose. I didn't do it for you. If you die, it'll just cause me trouble."
"Alright, I get it," Kaku replied nonchalantly, as if he had already figured out Enel's motivations. Changing the subject, he continued, "These baboons seem a little strange..."
"Strange?" Enel glanced at the baboons, now huddled together. Resting his hand against his face, he said indifferently, "What does it matter? To me, they're all trash. I could wipe them out with a single finger."
Kaku sighed, "You're really annoying, you know that? I'm being serious. Can't you take this a bit more seriously?"
"Take them seriously? A bunch of useless monkeys? That's laughable," Enel yawned, turning his gaze to the baboons, who were starting to retreat. Without a word, he raised his hand and unleashed several bolts of lightning toward them.
In an instant, the forest echoed with the cries of the baboons. Within seconds, all the baboons that had attacked Kaku were on the ground, knocked out cold.
Kaku's mood turned sour.
He even found himself feeling envious of Enel's Devil Fruit ability.
Despite Devil Fruit users being unable to swim, their abilities were incredibly convenient. Even with Enel's weak physical skills and poor Haki, the power of his fruit alone made him superior to many. If Enel could temper his attitude, he might even survive in the New World.
"How lucky," Kaku muttered with a hint of envy. "If I had a Devil Fruit, I wouldn't always be overshadowed by you. But they're rare, and getting my hands on one would be tough."
Enel sneered, "Devil Fruits are hard to find? You're joking."
Kaku chuckled, "You say that like they're easy to come by..."
"I'm a god. Is there anything I can't get?" Enel boasted. "Back in Water 7, I even got my hands on a Time-Space Fruit."
"Wait, what? Time-Space Fruit?" Kaku was taken aback. "That sounds like a powerful one. But I thought there was a Silent Fruit being auctioned in Water 7. What's this Time-Space Fruit?"
"Too many questions," Enel said lazily. "I'm not here to explain everything to you. Besides, I gave that Time-Space Fruit to Takumi. Whether he ate it or not, I don't know. If he didn't, who knows? Maybe he'll give it to you if he's in a good mood."
Kaku could hardly believe it. "A Devil Fruit is worth at least 100 million Berries. Even if Takumi didn't eat it, I doubt he'd just give it away like that."
"Don't be so sure." Enel shrugged. "Takumi isn't like anyone else. You can't predict what he'll do next."
Just like what happened at Sabaody, neither Enel nor Kaku could have predicted the outcome.
"That's true," Kaku rubbed his chin thoughtfully, already calculating in his mind. If he could complete his mission and somehow get a Devil Fruit, that would be perfect.
"This island is boring," Enel yawned again. "It's small, empty, and filled with nothing but trashy baboons. Is this supposed to be Baboon Island?"
Kaku glanced at Enel, slightly envious. "I hate to admit it, but your Observation Haki is stronger than I thought."
"Yahahahaha," Enel laughed. "Of course! I'm the Thunder God! A god's abilities are far beyond anything you mortals can comprehend."
Kaku wiped the sweat from his forehead, sighing. "Sure, your Observation Haki and Devil Fruit powers are impressive, but your Armament Haki and physical skills are lacking. Even though you've improved a bit in our sparring sessions, it's still not enough. Who knows how long Captain Takumi plans to stay on this island? But before we leave, we're going to train hard."
"Wait, what? Hard training?" Enel's face twitched.
Kaku smiled. "That's right. This island is perfect for training your Armament Haki and physical skills. If you want to get stronger, starting now, you're not allowed to use your Devil Fruit powers. You'll have to rely solely on your physical strength and Armament Haki to fight the baboons on this island. Only through constant battle will you grow stronger."
Enel was about to retort with, "Are you insane?" but Kaku cut him off before he could say anything.
"Of course, if you don't want to get stronger, then just pretend I didn't say anything. We can stop our daily two-hour sparring sessions with Armament Haki until we leave the island."
"Wait, what are you going to do?" Enel asked curiously.
"I need to improve too," Kaku smirked. "The baboons on this island are not only skilled in physical combat but also in swordsmanship. I don't know who taught them, but like I said earlier, constant battle is the best way to grow. As a shipwright and swordsman, I'll learn a lot from fighting them. This is an opportunity I don't want to miss."
Enel stood speechless.
This long-nosed guy was serious...
"Suit yourself," Enel said impatiently. "No matter how hard you train, you'll never be stronger than me. I'm out of here."
With that, Enel jumped down from the tree, hoisting his golden staff over his shoulder. He picked a random direction and strolled off casually.
Kaku watched him walk away and asked, "Where are you going?"
"Taking a walk," Enel responded nonchalantly.
Kaku chuckled and shook his head. "Such a stubborn guy."
Meanwhile, in Dracule Mihawk's eerie castle, Takumi, completely unfazed, wandered through the dark, haunted halls. Unlike others who might have been disturbed by the atmosphere, he remained calm, showing no reaction as he explored.
After a while, he finally found a place that, to him, felt like paradise.
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