"That's right, you're absolutely correct. Follow me, and I'll teach you how to wield immense power!" Li Yuan said, pleased with the transformation in Enel's demeanor.
"Can I really?" Enel asked, looking up at Li Yuan's towering figure, his voice filled with hope.
"Of course you can. As long as you endure the training I'll set for you, you'll gain great power!" Li Yuan assured confidently.
"I'll definitely persevere. I won't disappoint you!" Enel declared resolutely.
"I'll leave these people here for you to handle when you're strong enough to return for revenge," Li Yuan said, signaling his 500 subordinates to withdraw, leaving the Sky Islanders of Birka behind.
"I will come back, Birka Island," Enel vowed, standing at the ship's stern, watching the island fade into the distance with determination.
This place, where he was born and humiliated, would see him return one day.
"Enel, right? I noticed you haven't eaten all day. Would you like a chicken leg?" Wei Zhuang offered, running over with two chicken legs, handing one to Enel.
"Thank you, young master!!" Enel said gratefully, his stomach growling as he accepted the chicken leg, quickly devouring it.
"Young master? What does that mean?" Wei Zhuang asked, enjoying his chicken leg as well.
"Your father is like a god to me for saving my life, so he's a god, and you're naturally a young master," Enel explained earnestly.
"Oh, so I'm a young master now!" Wei Zhuang accepted the title, thinking it sounded cool.
Thus, a friendship began over two chicken legs between the young boys.
After leaving Sky Island, they sailed towards Gunkan Island.
"Li Yuan, is there something specific you're after on Gunkan Island?" Shakky asked, intrigued by Li Yuan's motivations.
What could possibly warrant his personal search after the City of Gold and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit?
"I don't know exactly where it is, but we'll search when we get there. I'm not even certain it exists," Li Yuan shrugged.
His interest in Gunkan Island lay in the legendary Millennium Dragon bones.
After obtaining the longevity formula in God Valley, he had Lazuli search for the ingredients.
She found and stockpiled dozens of them, but the primary ingredient, the Millennium Dragon bones, remained elusive.
In the original series, the ancient Millennium Dragon appeared in Sea Calendar 1520. It was now 1487, 33 years earlier. The elderly dragon might not be found, but he hoped to locate its grave, a resting place for many Millennium Dragons.
If his conjecture was correct, the bones would be there. But only time would tell.
"Oh? Is there something you don't know, husband?" Yadina asked, surprised. She viewed Li Yuan as all-knowing.
"Just because I'm not a god doesn't mean I know everything," Li Yuan replied, a bit puzzled by their perception.
"Husband, Gunkan Island is vast. Where should we search for what you're looking for?" Yadina asked upon arrival.
"What I seek is on the eastern side, carved into a stone wall with mysterious engravings," Li Yuan recalled from the original series.
"Barrett, take a group to the east and find that place for me," he instructed.
"Yes, Captain!" Barrett responded, leading a team to search the island's eastern side.
After two days of searching, they uncovered the location Li Yuan sought.
"Captain, is this the place?" Barrett pointed to a stone wall adorned with carvings.
"Crack!!"
Rather than confirm, Li Yuan punched through the wall, revealing a passageway.
"Wait here. Shakky, Lazuli, Yadina, come with me," Li Yuan said, leading them into the passage.
They emerged into a vast burial ground, a jumble of bones scattered like a mass grave.
These weren't human bones; they were dragon bones!
"We found it, the Dragon's Grave!" Li Yuan exclaimed happily.
"Dragon's Grave?" Shakky asked, astonished.
"Yes, the Millennium Dragon's Grave! Shakky, create a large mirror and collect all these bones," Li Yuan instructed.
These were Millennium Dragon bones, essential for the longevity elixir.
Anything related to extending life was invaluable and rare!
The longevity elixir was unheard of, possibly known only to the Celestial Dragons, but never shared.
Pure Gold granted eternal life but froze one's body, preventing growth or strength increase.
Wearing Pure Gold for a century meant accelerated aging upon removal, losing a century's worth of life.
For those seeking to maintain or enhance power, Pure Gold was poison.
Without the Vampire Devil Fruit, Li Yuan might have considered Pure Gold.
"Millennium Dragon bones? The main ingredient for the longevity elixir?" Shakky asked, awed by the sight.
"That's right. Now, let's get them collected," Li Yuan urged.
"Right, let's gather them!" Shakky said, snapping out of her shock to create a mirror and collect the bones.
"We can start making the longevity elixir!" Lazuli said excitedly. "With so many bones, we can make lots of elixirs! Li Yuan, let's head back now!"
"Sure, but since we're on the Grand Line, let's stop by Drum Kingdom," Li Yuan suggested.
Drum Kingdom was famed for its medical advancements, and he planned to purchase equipment and recruit doctors.
At this point, Drum Kingdom hadn't fallen into disrepair like in the original series. The current king still cared for the people and prioritized medical development.
"Yes, I've heard of Drum Kingdom. We need more professional doctors," Lazuli agreed.
Most of the Infinity Pirates' doctors were either self-taught or recruited from conquered territories, lacking expertise and unable to assist Lazuli in research.
Reaching Drum Kingdom could attract skilled doctors.
As for whether they'd join the Infinity Pirates, they never doubted their ability to recruit.
After securing the Millennium Dragon bones, Li Yuan detoured to Alabasta, discreetly retrieving the Poneglyph from the royal treasury.
It held the location of Pluton, in Wano Country. Li Yuan didn't want Roger's crew or anyone else to discover this.
Despite searching Wano Country for Pluton, he hadn't found it.
Without suitable people to explore the sea floor, he often searched alone, but to no avail.
"I'll recruit some Fish-Men to search later," Li Yuan mused.
Leaving Alabasta, they headed to Drum Kingdom, arriving shortly after.
Drum Kingdom, blanketed in snow, appeared wrapped in white silk, ready to aid the sick and injured.
"Wow, it's beautiful here!" Esdeath and the children exclaimed, seeing the snow-covered landscape, running excitedly on the deck.
"If you like it, let Mommy take you to play," Yadina said, leading Faraday and the others to explore Drum Kingdom.
Barrett and Karu naturally followed, ensuring their safety.
Shakky and Lazuli, each holding one of Li Yuan's arms, strolled boldly towards the royal palace.
"Halt, the palace is off-limits to unauthorized personnel!" guards warned as they approached.
"Buzz!"
Li Yuan simply glanced, his Conqueror's Haki sweeping through the palace, crimson lightning engulfing it like a storm.
Everyone within, soldiers and ministers alike, collapsed instantly.
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