Chapter 62: Intense Sparks
"Crisis?"
At that word, Kyle's gaze sharpened instantly. He leaned forward slightly, his fingers unconsciously tapping the wooden armrest. The dull thud-thud-thud echoed in the vast hall, underscoring the gravity of the King's words.
"Yes." King Thunder's voice was raspy, worn down by time. He stood and walked to the window, pointing out at the eternally roaring purple sea of lightning.
"Two hundred years ago, there was no Sea of Thunder. No endless storm clouds. This place was an emerald paradise. But one day, without warning, the sea a hundred meters from our shores was swallowed by violent lightning, and the sky was sealed by storm clouds."
He turned abruptly, ripping open his velvet tunic to reveal his bronzed chest. "Look."
Kyle focused. Branded onto the King's chest was a complex, eerie tattoo. The pattern looked like living purple lightning, pulsing faintly beneath the skin.
Kyle noticed that the guards standing nearby also had similar "lightning marks" visible on their necks or hands.
"They just appeared. Like a cursed brand," Thunder said, pulling his clothes back together, his voice heavy with grief.
"Worse still, when our ancestors tried to escape using rubber-hulled ships, the moment they crossed the island's boundary, these marks acted as beacons. They drew the heavenly lightning down... and burned them alive."
"We are sinners, imprisoned by the thunder of heaven." The King's voice trembled with despair, his gaze locked onto Kyle.
Kyle listened quietly, his peripheral vision sweeping his companions.
Chairman Netero wore his usual enigmatic smile, slowly twirling his beard, his eyes deep as if he had already seen through the facade.
Knov, square and serious, adjusted his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses recording everything like a scanner.
Seeing they weren't going to speak, Kyle decided to cut to the chase.
He stood up, his voice cool and clear, interrupting the King's likely lengthy tragic monologue. "King Thunder, we are Pirate Hunters. We act based on bounties."
"Our fee will be assessed based on the value of your information and the risk of the mission. If the terms are satisfactory, we don't mind accepting a request to 'save' you."
He paused slightly on the word "save," hinting that he understood the unspoken context.
Thunder's sorrowful expression froze. He hadn't expected such directness. His prepared speech about leading his people in resistance died in his throat.
He took a deep breath, abandoned the preamble, and laid his cards on the table. "Very well, Mr. Kyle. My request is this: Enter the Lightning Forbidden Zone on the rear half of the island and retrieve the Devil Fruit displayed in the plaza."
He stared into Kyle's eyes and named an astronomical figure. "The reward is five billion Beri. How does that sound?"
"The Forbidden Zone? A Devil Fruit?" Kyle raised an eyebrow, his mind racing. Connecting the dots, a hypothesis quickly formed.
"If I'm not mistaken, your rival will also be participating in this 'once-in-thirty-years' opportunity."
"And he is strong. There's a high chance he will secure the fruit, and then... use its power to overthrow your rule. That is your 'life-or-death crisis,' correct?"
His words were like a scalpel, cutting through the King's flowery rhetoric.
Thunder's expression shifted several times before he finally nodded heavily. "...Yes. That is my true request."
"When does it start?"
"2:00 PM. That is when the lightning activity in the rear peninsula drops to its lowest point. It is the only window for entry."
Kyle glanced at the ornate wall clock. It was 10:00 AM.
"We need time to consider."
"Please, I beg of you to help. I will await your good news at the entrance," Thunder said, his tone urgent.
Kyle nodded and left the oppressive atmosphere of the palace with the silent Netero and Knov.
Once outside in the fresh air, Knov finally spoke, sounding like an examiner. "Kyle, what's your take?"
Kyle mused for a moment. "The birth of a Devil Fruit is often linked to the environment and the desires or will of the people."
"If the King is even half-truthful, then this sea of thunder and the islanders' intense desire to 'break the curse' are likely the incubator for this fruit."
"Their past failures prove it's extremely dangerous. Now, with an internal rebellion, he'd rather the fruit fall into our hands—outsiders—than let his enemy have it."
He paused, a sharp light in his eyes. "However, I get the feeling he's hiding the most critical piece of information."
"Good analysis," Knov nodded approvingly, his glasses flashing.
"But putting his motives aside, judging solely by the environment that birthed it, the power within that fruit must be extraordinary. It is highly likely to be a top-tier Logia type. My advice: we shouldn't miss this."
Kyle's heart beat faster. Knov's words confirmed his own feeling.
He remembered Kaido's lesson that "Haki transcends all," but his fight with Netero had taught him that top-tier Haki combined with a top-tier ability was the true path to the peak.
His current ability was strong, but it required time to build up. He lacked a decisive, unique method of attack.
This Devil Fruit, born of thunder and echoing the environment, felt like a puzzle piece made just for him.
If he could get it, his combat power would undergo a qualitative leap.
Back in the palace, after they left, the atmosphere changed instantly.
From the shadows, an old man in priestly robes, leaning on a snake-headed staff, walked out. His voice was as dry as rubbing bark. "Your Majesty, do you not fear... that they might actually obtain the fruit?"
On the throne, all traces of benevolence and worry vanished from Thunder's face. They were replaced by cold calculation and absolute authority, his eyes sharp as a hawk's.
"The fruit?" He sneered, a tiny arc of purple electricity dancing on his fingertip. "For two hundred years, no one has ever left the 'Thunder Forbidden Zone' alive."
"My kingdom needs no outsiders. And it certainly needs no... uncontrollable power."
As time passed, the crowd in the plaza grew. Two hundred warriors had gathered for the expedition.
Among them was the middle-aged man Kyle had met earlier, Raizo. But standing in front of him was a young man.
This youth had sharp eyes and an invisible aura of Haki gathering around him.
As Kyle noticed him, the young man seemed to sense it. He turned, his gaze razor-sharp, locking onto Kyle.
In the instant their eyes met, intense sparks seemed to fly between them.