The cave had gone silent after the fight ended. Enel was slumped into a chair, propped up like some defeated deity. Draco and Buggy stood nearby, discussing their next move, their words low and deliberate. Enel's eyes fluttered open, his senses still hazy, only to jolt in sudden alarm. He scanned the surroundings in panic, and what he saw made his heart race: the lifeless forms of his four priests sprawled across the cave floor.
Though Enel had never cared much for them beyond their usefulness, their deaths stung. They were his enforcers, his tools, extensions of his rule over the sky. And now they were gone, leaving him without allies and with his grand plans crumbling into dust. His anger simmered beneath the surface, but he kept it contained, aware of the situation he was in.
Buggy leaned casually against a wall, smirking. "Your buddies are dead, Sparky Pants. You're only breathing because Draco's giving you a chance. One shot at a new path."
Enel clenched his teeth, his mind spinning with escape scenarios, strategies, and possible bargains. But no matter how many calculations he ran, the end result was always the same: Draco had the upper hand. Begrudgingly, Enel looked up from the shadows and muttered, "Fine... I'll go along with it.", 'for now.'
Draco gave a knowing smirk as if he could see straight through Enel's deception. "Good choice," he said, his voice cold and steady. As Enel rose from the chair, he winced, instinctively touching his chest. But there was no pain. He looked down at his body in confusion—no wounds, no bruises. Only his tattered clothes hinted at the battle he had endured.
"Don't question it," Draco said nonchalantly as he walked toward the cave exit. "also, I've already taken everything useful from your research table. Just grab that fancy golden chair of yours. Turn it into a pole or something for lightweight carry." He paused, glancing back, his crimson eyes devoid of warmth. "And remember... if you try to run, you're dead."
A shiver ran down Enel's spine, but he swallowed hard and nodded. Grabbing the chair, he reformed it into a makeshift staff, keeping it light enough to carry. Draco strode toward the entrance without looking back, and Buggy gave Enel a sly grin before they followed.
Just as they reached the cave mouth, Draco's Den Den Mushi buzzed. Taking it out of his Kimono, He answered, and Roger's booming, cheerful voice filled the air. "Draco! We found it! A Poneglyph! Come back to the ship and rest up. We'll explore it in the morning!"
Draco chuckled at the Gol D. Roger's excitement. "Alright, we're on our way."
Before he could hang up, Enel spoke without thinking. "The Poneglyph is near the Golden Belfry, at the base of Upper Yard."
The words escaped before he could stop himself, and as soon as he realized what he had done, his eyes widened in regret. "Good to know," Draco said with a smirk. "At least we'll save some time tomorrow."
Enel cursed himself silently but kept his expression blank. Damn it... I have to be more careful!
Draco shot forward, speeding toward the shoreline with Buggy groaning behind him. They made their way back to the Oro Jackson quickly, though Draco kept his pace just fast enough to stay ahead of Buggy, who stumbled and gasped for breath. Enel, watched Buggy who somehow harmed him was this weak...
By the time they reached the ship, Buggy was on the verge of collapse. He staggered to the deck, panting, his hands on his knees. Draco tossed him a bottle, which Buggy eagerly grabbed and uncorked, drinking deeply... only to choke as the burning taste of alcohol hit his throat.
"AHHH!!!, *chokes*, Are you kidding me?!" Buggy coughed, sputtering as he rushed toward the water barrels.
Draco chuckled softly, raising a second bottle to his lips. The smooth burn of alcohol warmed his throat as he drank, the quiet night settling around them.
Enel followed silently, still tense and waiting for orders. He kept his thoughts to himself, observing everyone, calculating every potential move. He didn't trust any of these blue sea dwellers—not yet—but he had no choice but to play along.
"Heuahahahaahahaa!!!" A loud laughter is heard.
Roger stood atop the deck, a grin tugging at his lips as he watched Buggy stumble and groan on the shore below. Amused, Roger shook his head before his eyes locked onto something more interesting, a new figure standing beside Draco.
Roger's grin widened. With a thunderous thump, he leaped off the ship, landing on the shore in a cloud of sand. Every movement radiated authority and bravado, like a man who had earned every bit of his reputation as the future Pirate King. Draco, seeing Roger's antics, merely sighed and leapt back onto the ship without a word, as if knowing exactly how things would play out.
Roger strode confidently toward the newcomer, his presence overwhelming as the gap between them closed. He towered over most men—and even at 9 feet tall, he noticed this stranger wasn't far behind. Enel stood at 8 feet, electricity crackling faintly across his skin, but Roger wasn't impressed by his size or his powers. There was something immature in Enel's stance, like a boy clinging to an inflated sense of self-worth.
Roger thrust out a hand with a grin. "The name's Gol D. Roger. Welcome aboard."
Enel's eyes narrowed. His ego flared as his lips curled into a sneer. "A god," he said coldly, "does not shake hands with mortals."
The insult hung in the air like a thundercloud, but Roger's grin only grew sharper, a flicker of excitement dancing in his eyes. Without breaking stride, Roger turned his head toward Draco, who was lazily walking up the stairs to the stern of the ship.
"Oi, Draco!" Roger called out, his tone deceptively light. "Mind if I teach this brat some manners?"
Draco chuckled without looking back. "Go ahead," he said with a wave of his hand. "If the kid manages to make you bleed, I'll let him go." His voice was casual, but the underlying challenge was clear. "Oh—and don't hold back."
Enel's grin widened, sparks dancing off his body. Finally. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for—a chance to escape, even against a new foe, he believed in his ability. His body shimmered with electricity as he prepared to unleash his power.
Roger didn't even bother drawing his sword, Ace. Instead, he cracked his knuckles, his grin never fading. "Let's see what you've got, lightning boy."
Enel, Angered, leaped backward, his hands raised, summoning a bolt of lightning, shaped like a spear, that crackled and hissed through the air.
{Lightning Spear}
he roared, hurling the bolt straight toward Roger.
In an instant, Roger sidestepped, the bolt narrowly missing him. His foot dug into the sandy shore, propelling him forward like a cannonball. Sand exploded beneath his feet as he launched himself at Enel, faster than the Enel had anticipated.
Enel's eyes widened in shock. He's fast—!
He tried to phase away using his Goro Goro no Mi powers, but Roger's hand shot out with incredible precision, snatching his wrist mid-teleport. With a powerful twist, Roger flung Enel high into the sky.
The world spun around Enel as he soared through the air, his heart pounding with an unsettling sense of déjà vu. Not again... The last time he had been humiliated like this was against another blue sea dweller! —and he hated the feeling.
But this time, he wouldn't hold back. Lightning gathered above him in a swirling storm as Enel raised his arm.
{El Thor/Heaven's Judgement!}
he roared, summoning a colossal column of lightning that shot down toward Roger.
Roger looked up at the incoming attack, his grin never wavering. He clenched his fist, his Haki flaring to life.
{DIVINE DIVIDE!}
he bellowed—a powerful fist technique he had adapted from his old rival, Garp.
With a mighty swing, Roger's fist sliced through the lightning column, creating a vertical fissure that split the attack in two. The remnants of the lightning crashed harmlessly into the ocean cloud, sizzling. The force of the punch continued forward, slamming into Enel with brutal precision—from the bridge of his nose down to his stomach.
Enel gasped as the impact crushed the air from his lungs. Blood burst from his mouth, and for a moment, everything went black. But sheer willpower pulled him back. His vision blurred, and pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to teleport back down to the ground, kneeling but still defiant.
Roger landed lightly in front of him, already preparing his next strike. "Not bad, lightning boy," he said, his voice almost admiring. "But not good enough."
Desperation flickered in Enel's eyes. He had to end this, and fast.
{200 Million Volt: Amaru!}
he roared, his entire body surging with electrical energy. Sparks exploded around him, the sheer voltage making the air hum with tension.
Though incomplete compared to the version he would one day achieve in the Anime/Manga, this attack was still devastating. Lightning arced across the beach, surrounding Enel in a deadly electric aura.
Roger chuckled, unaffected by the display. He launched himself toward Enel again, his right hand cocked back and glowing with Haki.
Enel lunged as well, swinging his electrified arm with everything he had. Their fists collided in a blinding flash of light, the shockwave rippling across the shore. For a brief moment, it seemed as if Enel's attack had connected, Roger's body stiffened slightly, a crackle of electricity dancing across his skin.
But then, Roger laughed. A booming, joyous sound that echoed across the island. "That all you've got?" he roared.
With a final burst of Haki, Roger's fist surged forward. His Ryou-infused blow shattered Enel's defenses, sending the sky god flying backward. Time seemed to slow as Enel's body hovered in midair before crashing into the ground, unconscious and bloodied.
Roger stood over him, hands on his hips, still chuckling. His laughter rumbled like thunder, shaking the very trees on the island.
Then, with a sudden whack, a sandal flew out of nowhere, smacking Roger square in the face.
"Oi! Roger!"
Roger is then sent flying, toppling through a line of trees, crashing through at least eight before finally coming to a stop, comically sprawled out, and before going unconscious from the hit.
Back on the ship, Draco watched the chaos unfold with mild amusement. He slumped into his hammock, missing his left sandal, closing his eyes with a tired sigh. "Finally... some quiet."
Above him, on the Mast, Scopper Gaban's voice drifted down with a chuckle. "Thanks, Draco. Sometimes, we all need a little peace and quiet."
The night settled into stillness once more. The only sounds were the soft rustling of leaves—Roger's laughter no longer echoing across the island, at least for now, until tomorrow...