Chapter 49: Ch 48 - The Thunderous Prize
Luffy continued onward, each step forward in the White Sea taking him higher, closer to his goal, closer to the power he sought. The clouds grew thinner, revealing slivers of blue above, and he knew he was close to the entrance to Skypiea. His heart beat faster, the adventure fueling him with each breath. He couldn't wait to see what awaited him next.
As he reached the edge of the White Sea, where the clouds thinned and the air shimmered with a strange warmth, he stopped and took one last look at the ethereal sea behind him.
A quiet smile crossed his face as he whispered to himself, "Guess this is goodbye for now… but one day, I'll come back with all of them."
With a final step, he launched himself upward, crossing into the upper reaches of the sky, his sights set firmly on Sky Island.
The skies were clear and endless as Luffy soared across the White Sea, the vast expanse of clouds stretching beneath him like a misty, silver ocean.
The Universal GPS buzzed in his head, directing him toward Birka with unwavering precision.
The landscape that emerged as he approached was a vision he hadn't anticipated—cloudy cliffs adorned with golden-green foliage and cascading streams of cloud waterfalls that glowed in the sunlight.
Taking in the beauty of it all, Luffy felt a twinge of guilt as he remembered his future crew.
They would be in awe of this place.'
He thought, a flicker of melancholy in his eyes. 'I wish they could see it too. But…'
He shook his head, pushing down the sentiment. 'This is just a pit stop. I am here to claim what I came for.'
With a deep breath, he activated his Wapu Wapu no Mi powers, letting his instincts guide him to the temple where the Goro Goro no Mi awaited. His Universal GPS pulsed as he neared his destination, revealing the fruit's location with pinpoint accuracy.
After a few more leaps and bounds, he landed just outside the ancient temple—a majestic structure of white marble, worn down by centuries but still standing tall with an aura of mystery and power.
Inside the temple, Enel held the Goro Goro no Mi in his hand, gazing at it with a look of awe and wonder. He didn't know exactly what he was holding, but he could feel its power calling to him, pulsing with an energy that seemed to resonate with his very soul. In his mind, he was certain: this fruit would be the key to his future supremacy.
Suddenly, the doors creaked open, and Enel's eyes snapped up to see a young boy—a stranger with a smug grin and an unshakeable confidence—enter the temple.
"You lost?" Enel sneered, moving the fruit behind him slightly, though he kept his stance defensive. "This is sacred ground. Outsiders aren't welcome here."
Luffy tilted his head, a smirk forming as he scanned the room. His gaze landed on the fruit that Enel clutched in his hand, and his eyes gleamed with interest. "Actually, I'm exactly where I need to be. That fruit you're holding—it's mine."
Enel's expression twisted with indignation, and he straightened up, drawing his staff in a show of intimidation. "This is Birka, kid. I don't know who you are or where you came from, but you're not taking anything from me. I found this treasure—it's my destiny to have it."
Luffy's gaze didn't falter, and a wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Destiny, huh?"
He chuckled softly. "Let me save you some trouble: that fruit is a Devil Fruit, and I know more about it than you ever will. Now, if you don't want to get hurt, hand it over, and I'll be on my way."
Enel's eyes narrowed, gripping the staff so tightly his knuckles turned white.
'What does this kid know about my destiny?' He thought.
He couldn't back down—this fruit, whatever it was, was calling to him, promising him untold power. But the stranger's confidence was unnerving, almost otherworldly.
"Last chance," Luffy said, his voice calm but filled with a quiet menace. "I don't like wasting time."
Enel's pride flared. "Who do you think you are?"
He spat, thrusting his staff forward in a wild swing aimed straight at Luffy's head.
Luffy moved with startling speed, sidestepping the blow with an almost bored expression. "I warned you."
With that, he lunged forward, his fist catching Enel square in the gut. The impact sent Enel staggering back, his grip on the Goro Goro no Mi loosening momentarily.
In that instant, Luffy reached forward, snatching the fruit from Enel's hand.
Enel gasped, clutching his stomach, his face contorted in a mix of pain and fury. "How… How dare you!"
Luffy glanced at the fruit, his eyes filled with a satisfaction that bordered on reverence.
"This is where the real power lies," He murmured to himself, lifting it toward his mouth.
Enel struggled to his feet, horror dawning in his eyes as he watched Luffy take a decisive bite.
As soon as Luffy bit into the Goro Goro no Mi, an electrifying surge of energy pulsed through him, crackling along his veins and filling him with a primal power that made his heart race.
The taste was bitter and strange, but he relished it, feeling the power of thunder beginning to awaken within him.
His senses sharpened, and every sound and sensation heightened as though the world had become more vivid.
"Y-You… You thief!" Enel stammered, his voice barely more than a whisper. He staggered back, raising his staff as though it could somehow shield him from the raw, untamed power emanating from Luffy.
Luffy smirked, feeling electricity crackle along his fingertips. He raised a hand toward Enel, watching as bolts of lightning danced across his skin. "Guess you weren't worthy of it after all."
In a fluid motion, he flicked his wrist, sending a bolt of lightning searing through the air toward Enel. The crackling energy lit up the temple, casting jagged shadows as the bolt streaked toward its target.
Enel managed to dodge just in time, the bolt grazing his staff and sending a shiver of static down his arm.
"That… That power…" Enel stammered, his expression shifting from anger to something bordering on terror. He had never seen anything like it; this boy had seized his destiny, taken the power he thought was rightfully his, and wielded it with ease.
"Believe me," Luffy said, his voice soft but laced with menace, "You wouldn't have known what to do with it."
With a swift movement, he sent another bolt of lightning toward Enel, who barely managed to dodge, his heart pounding as the walls of the temple shook with the force of Luffy's newfound power.
The storm of energy continued, Luffy's attacks relentless, as he tested the limits of his new abilities.
Luffy lowered his hand, the lightning dying down as he took a final look at Enel, now a shivering wreck against the temple wall.
"Don't make me regret leaving you alive," Luffy warned, his voice cold.
With that, he turned, heading toward the temple exit, the echoes of his footsteps mingling with the faint crackle of residual electricity.
As he stepped back into the light, he felt a sense of exhilaration, unlike anything he'd experienced before.
The power of thunder coursed through him, and he knew he was ready for whatever lay ahead.
The beauty of the White Sea stretched out before him once again as he emerged from the temple, his gaze sweeping over the vast, ethereal landscape of floating clouds and shimmering sunlight.
Despite the satisfaction of his victory, he felt that same pang of regret. This world of clouds, shimmering in the light, was something he wanted to share.
'Someday, I will be back here with my crew.' He promised himself, his eyes softening. 'They should see this for themselves.'
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