The Golden Bell's echoes slowly faded.
Hancock opened her eyes gently and sighed.
"What a beautiful sound… I almost don't want to give it to them anymore."
Karl chuckled softly.
"We promised. Let them have it."
He lightly tapped her shoulder.
"Wait here. I need to speak to the chief one more time."
Long Ring Long Land
Meanwhile—
Enel stood before the endless blue horizon.
"So this is the Blue Sea…"
He spread his arms dramatically.
"It truly has a different flavor! Perfect for a god—Yahahaha!"
"God," one of the priests asked cautiously, "what shall we do next?"
Enel's smile sharpened.
"I will personally go to Mary Geoise."
"And destroy it."
"You remain here."
The priests froze.
"Alone?"
Enel scoffed.
"You think you can follow me?"
"Stay. Wait for my return."
He glanced at the bizarre elongated animals roaming Long Ring Long Land.
"Resources are adequate. You won't starve."
"And I will return swiftly."
"Yes, God!"
With a final snort, Enel pulled out the Permanent Pose Karl had given him.
Lightning crackled.
His body dissolved into electricity—
And shot toward Sabaody Archipelago.
The Journey
He passed Sea Kings.
Islands.
A Marine warship chasing pirates.
Karl's descriptions—
They were true.
Enel realized something unsettling.
He had been a frog in a well.
Island after island rivaled Upper Yard in scale.
The population—
Immense.
Bustling.
Alive.
"This is where a god belongs."
"Yahahahaha!"
Sabaody Archipelago
Enel arrived above the bubble-coated mangroves.
He studied the Permanent Pose.
"Yes. This is it."
"Marine Headquarters… beyond that."
"Red Line."
"Mary Geoise."
He intended to storm upward immediately.
But—
Karl was cunning.
Better to gather information first.
New territory.
Unknown risks.
Lightning dissipated.
Enel stepped onto the soil of Sabaody.
Eyes immediately turned toward him.
Not because of lightning—
But because of gold.
Golden rings.
Golden anklets.
Golden drum-rings.
He looked like walking treasure.
A bold merchant approached with a forced smile.
"First time here, sir? Care to try Sabaody's specialty biscuits?"
Enel sneered.
"Begone."
"I do not eat biscuits."
He walked past without a glance.
The merchant muttered under his breath.
"Arrogant freak… 'god,' my ass."
Enel's Mantra caught every word.
His veins twitched.
"How dare—"
He paused.
This was not Skypiea.
High-profile violence would draw attention.
He suppressed his anger.
Walked on.
Several minutes later—
A bolt of lightning struck the merchant from above.
Smoke rose.
Enel smirked faintly.
Blasphemy had consequences.
Gathering Intelligence
As he wandered, Enel expanded his Mantra.
The entire archipelago unfolded within his perception.
Voices.
Conversations.
Rumors.
He absorbed it all.
Grove 13 – Shakky's Rip-Off Bar
Inside the bar—
Silvers Rayleigh paused mid-sip.
His eyes narrowed.
Someone was scanning the entire island with Observation Haki.
That range…
Impressive.
"Old man? Something wrong?" Shakky asked casually.
Rayleigh adjusted his glasses.
"Someone with extraordinary Observation Haki."
"Very wide range."
Before he finished—
A crackling sound filled the bar.
Lightning gathered—
And Enel materialized.
He looked at Rayleigh arrogantly.
"I wondered who it was."
"Just an old relic."
"Do you also possess Mantra—no… Observation Haki?"
Rayleigh's brows lifted slightly.
Mantra?
Ah.
Skypiea terminology.
He examined Enel's attire.
"Yes… from Skypiea."
"You're from the sky islands, aren't you?"
Enel narrowed his eyes.
"How do you know?"
Rayleigh smiled.
"I visited once. The god back then was Gan Fall."
Enel scoffed.
"Gan Fall? A dying insect."
Rayleigh didn't react.
At his age, insults were meaningless.
"So," Rayleigh said calmly, "if you're seeking information, you're asking the wrong person."
He gestured toward Shakky.
"She's the broker here."
Shakky exhaled smoke and smiled faintly.
"Got gold?"
Enel removed a golden bracelet and tossed it onto the counter.
"I have no money."
"Only gold."
"And plenty of it."
Shakky's smile widened.
"Works for me."
"What do you want to know?"
Enel's gaze sharpened.
"There's a Marine named Karl."
"You should know him."
Shakky nodded.
"White Crow Vice Admiral."
"Recently promoted Admiral Candidate."
"Leader of the new Marine generation."
"Supposedly the most handsome man alive."
"His information is… extensive."
"What do you want?"
Enel's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Everything."
"Tell me everything about him."
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