Sorbeth Kingdom, eastern waters.
The black-and-red Haki that had torn through the sky finally stopped after a full day. Fujitora Issho leaned against the mast and let out a long breath of relief.
With his eyes closed, Fujitora could eat and sleep like a normal person only because his excellent Observation Haki let him sense everything around him.
After all these years, he had long since gotten used to it.
Until yesterday... When his Observation Haki had been blocked, it had been like stumbling around in the dark.
Fortunately, it had finally returned.
Through his Observation Haki, Fujitora had gained a basic understanding of the captain's current condition: he was fine, and the flames burning across his body had gathered behind him, forming a pair of wings made entirely of crimson fire.
Fujitora Issho finally understood why the Morning Star Pirates' flag showed a mass of flames. The ring around the flames was clearly the wings behind the captain.
This scene had completely confirmed it: Captain Beelzebul was a member of the Lunarian Race.
Inside the captain's quarters.
Seven had been having a very, very long dream. In it, he lit fires to cook food for primitive humans, keep them warm, and drive away wild beasts...
The primitive humans revered him as a god.
For primitive people, fire had been a fundamental revolution in survival and a catalyst for civilization. It had completely reshaped humanity's way of life, social structure, and path of evolution.
Cooking food made it easier to chew and digest, greatly improving nutrient absorption and accelerating brain development.
Fire provided a steady source of heat, allowing humans to migrate to and settle in colder regions and greatly expanding the space in which they could survive.
It was also the most effective defense against wild beasts at night