"Bang—!"
Accompanied by a dull, heavy boom, the small sailboat—which had endured violent jolts comparable to a spin-cycle washing machine—finally broke through the thick, marshmallow-like clouds of the "White-White Sea".
The hull smashed heavily onto a vast, blindingly white sea surface formed of condensed clouds, splashing a large spray of milky-white foam.
"Blech—"
Dadi clung desperately to the gunwale, his face as pale as a sheet of paper, the acidic liquid in his stomach madly surging outward like a fountain.
He had experienced a hail of bullets in his life and lingered on the verge of life and death countless times, but this ascension experience—akin to riding a roller coaster at several thousand times speed—completely shattered the tough-guy image of this former Marine ensign.
Little Carol had long since been shaken unconscious, held tightly in Kuina's arms.
Although Kuina did not vomit, her little face was also ghastly pale, and the hand holding her sword trembled slightly, evidently terribly frightened.
"Cut it out, stop throwing up. Have you no shame, you're a grown man."
Lei En glanced disdainfully at Dadi, acting as if nothing had happened, and easily hopped onto the deck railing.
He took a deep breath of the noticeably thin air of the Sky Island, his sharp gaze scanning the surrounding environment.
This was a dreamlike cloud kingdom.
Yet in Lei En's eyes, even the most beautiful scenery was nonsense; he was certainly not here on vacation.
The year 1503 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
There was still nearly a decade left until the original Monkey D. Luffy set sail.
That self-proclaimed god and "thunder-magic king", Enel, was probably just a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old chūnibyō delinquent right now, and very likely hadn't even eaten that destiny-altering Devil Fruit.
This is the biggest cheat-item I've reserved, and no one is going to snatch it.
Without the slightest delay, Lei En closed his eyes instantly.
An intangible and extremely powerful Observation Haki radiated wildly in all directions centered on him, resembling radar sound waves.
Crossing the sea of clouds, piercing through the islands.
Soon, his Observation Haki locked onto a dense primeval forest covered by gigantic trees—God's Island, Upper Yard.
Deep within the forest, an extremely unique, violent, yet restrained energy fluctuation thudded faintly like a heartbeat.
"Found it."
Lei En snapped his eyes open, the corners of his mouth curving into a confident, greedy grin.
He turned his head to look at Dadi, who was still retching, and Kuina, whose face was pale.
"You two stay on the ship and rest, don't run around. This damn place has too many rules, wait until I go get the 'spoils' back first."
"Lei... Lord Lei En, it's too dangerous for you to go alone, ugh—"
Dadi raised his head with difficulty, and before he could finish speaking, another bout of violent vomiting came on.
Although Kuina wanted to follow, she looked at the unconscious Carol in her arms and could only bite her lip and nod. "My lord, please be careful!"
"Rest assured, no one up here can hurt me yet."
Before Lei En's voice had even faded, his entire body transformed into a black afterimage, leaping down from the ship.
His feet stepped repeatedly on the air, executing Geppo from the Six Powers, galloping toward God's Island like a phantom, skimming the surface of the cloud sea.
A dozen minutes later.
Lei En plunged straight into the gloomy, dark primeval forest where trees soared into the clouds.
The ecosystem here was extremely bizarre; enormous vines coiled like giant pythons, and bizarre-looking fierce beasts let out low roars in the hidden depths.
A sky-island giant tiger, standing fully three stories tall and bearing tusks, suddenly lunged out from the bushes, its bloody maw gaping as it bit toward Lei En.
"Scram, don't block the way!"
Lei En didn't even spare it a glance, merely leaking a trace of Conqueror's Haki pressure.
That giant tiger, which had looked murderous just moments before, instantly whimpered like it had met its natural predator, emitting white foam from its mouth as it collapsed limply to the ground.
Guided by his Observation Haki, Lei En traversed the complex forest as if walking on flat ground, his speed growing faster and faster.
He could sense that the unique energy fluctuation was getting closer and closer!
Fifteen minutes later.
Lei En finally stopped before an ancient giant tree so massive it required several dozen people to encircle it.
The roots of this tree intertwined intricately, forming a naturally huge hollow tree trunk.
The light inside the tree trunk was dim, yet a peculiar, deep-blue marvelous glow flickered uncertainly in the depths.
Holding his breath, Lei En cautiously walked inside.
As he ventured deeper, the sensation of that violent energy grew increasingly clear.
Finally, upon a natural stone platform at the deepest part of the tree trunk.
Lei En's eyes lit up fiercely!
It was a fruit that grew looking just like a pineapple.
The surface of the fruit was covered with peculiar lightning-like zigzag patterns, and the entire fruit seemed to possess a life of its own, radiating a faint, deep-blue electric light outward.
Right here!
One of the recognized strongest Logia Devil Fruits in the pirate world!
An invincible cheat-item capable of transforming into lightning and possessing god-like destructive power and speed!
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit!
"Hahahaha, as expected, nobody has discovered it yet. My timing on this steal is completely flawless!"
Lei En's heart pounded with excitement; he reached out his hand and unhesitatingly grabbed the fruit exuding deadly temptation.
The moment he took hold of it, he could even sense a trace of weak current leaping across his fingertips.
"With it, coupled with my Roger's Swordsmanship, who on this vast sea can stop me?!"
Impatiently, Lei En brought the fruit to his lips, preparing to take a bite.
Right at that moment—
"Hey, you hairless monkey from the Blue Sea, put down the god-bestowed fruit in your hand!"
An extremely arrogant, conceited young voice thick with chūnibyō atmosphere suddenly drifted in from outside the tree trunk.
Before you continue