Clifford Kingdom, Micity Port.
Protected by the Chris Pirates and situated in the World Neutral Zone, this port had become increasingly prosperous, its masts towering high and its docks stretching for miles. It saw a constant flow of people every day; merchant ships, cruise ships, and even pirate vessels and Marine warships were safely anchored in the harbor.
A colossal red cruise ship slowly sailed into the port and docked at a berth.
Step, step, step... step, step, step...
An elderly man in purple jacket and red trousers, draped in a scarlet, high-collared great cloak, walked down the gangplank, gripping a blue umbrella with a bat-shaped handle. His gloomy eyes scanned the surrounding scene of prosperity.
"Such a thriving place. That brat manages things quite well."
After years of development, Micity Port had long become a port city with a population of several hundred thousand. It was divided into the coast and the inner city, and countless people earned their living here every day—pirates, gang members, bounty hunters... all walks of life. Yet, under the kingdom's administration and the suppression of the Chris Pirates, virtually no one dared to cause trouble.
Following the flow of people, the sinister-eyed old man entered the port and arrived in the inner city.
On top of a tall building in the center of the inner city, Enel, who had been meditating, suddenly opened his eyes: "He's here!"
Sitting opposite him, Aeridar, who had also been meditating, abruptly opened his eyes.
"Hehehehe~ He's finally here! We've been waiting for him," Aeridar stood up, gazing into the distance with a cold, savage sneer.
"The legendary great pirate, huh... Yahahaha~ I want to see for myself!"
Enel grabbed his golden staff, threw back his head and laughed loudly. At the same time, electrical currents leaped across his body with a crackling sound, and he instantly transformed into a dazzling bolt of lightning, streaking away.
Poof!
Aeridar glanced in the direction the lightning flew and instantly vanished from his spot.
Walking down the main street, the gloomy-eyed old man suddenly looked up, frowning slightly at the bolt of lightning that sped from the distance to arrive in an instant.
Boom!
"Yahahahaha~"
With a burst of sound, the lightning struck the ground, materializing into a man with long earlobes, four large drums strapped to his back, and holding a golden staff.
God of Lightning - Enel!
"Is that..."
"Enel, the God of Lightning!"
"A Senior Executive of the Chris Pirates!"
"Why is such a big shot here?"
The people on the street were shocked and panicked. Whether they lived here, made their living here, or were other pirates and Marines, everyone recognized the God of Lightning, known for his cruelty. This was a ruthless individual who would kill without hesitation, and destroying a street or leveling a town was not beyond him. Even though this was the Chris Pirates' own territory, no one could guarantee he would care.
"Patrick Redfield, the 'Red Count!' You're a white-haired old man now, but the sensation of this deadly danger is truly unpleasant!" Having witnessed Whitebeard's terrifying power, Enel dared not underestimate any former great pirate referred to as a legend. Looking at the sinister-eyed old man before him, the hair on his body stood up, and his muscles tensed.
"Turning into lightning... that ability is the Logia Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
Redfield planted his thin, long blue umbrella with the bat handle on the ground and looked at Enel, a flash of envy and greed in his eyes. "What a rare and powerful ability."
He was a speed-based powerhouse, and the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit would be a perfect complement. It was just that he was old now and needed a way to restore his youth.
"If Redfield-san were willing to join us, I believe everyone would be very happy to find you a Devil Fruit with a powerful ability." Aeridar appeared like a ghost in front of Enel, speaking quite naturally. "We meet again, Redfield-san. Since our last meeting, I've been eager to see you again."
"Th-the King!"
"Warlord of the Sea, Golden Ring Aeridar!"
"My heavens! And that's the legendary great pirate, the Red Count!"
"It can't be true! All these top figures... they're not planning to fight here, are they?!"
Seeing Aeridar's appearance and then recognizing Redfield's identity, the surrounding people were immediately terrified and confused. They knew that these two had clashed before and were enemies. If a fight broke out, the entire city would likely be razed.
"Join you? Would you give me your Captain's position?"
Redfield's thin, curled eyebrows arched upward, and he sneered, "Heh~ As for meeting me, I only regret not crushing you then."
In truth, upon seeing Aeridar appear, he knew that all this was deliberately engineered by the other party. Though he hadn't intentionally concealed his movements, it was clear that his itinerary had been under the other's surveillance.
"If you have the ability, then sure." The corners of Aeridar's mouth curled up, his smile growing increasingly wicked.
"I have the ability. Just hand over what I want, and I might leave you with an executive position." Redfield's eyes flashed with a chilling light, and he tapped the ground with his long umbrella, making the earth tremble slightly.
"Go! Hurry!"
"Something's going to happen! Get away quickly!"
"Leave this city, run!"
Feeling the slight tremor in the ground, everyone's expression changed, especially the ordinary citizens. Unable to suppress the fear in their hearts, they scattered immediately, fleeing outward in a stampede.
Their escape suited Aeridar's intentions. Looking at the old man's visibly aged face, he couldn't help but say teasingly, "I have what you want, as long as you have the skill to take it~"
"What a repulsive look…"
Seeing the way Aeridar was looking at him, Redfield immediately understood the meaning. His blood pressure rose, veins bulged on the back of his hand, and his fury erupted: "DIE! Crimson Solitude!!!"
In that instant, a scarlet blood-light flashed, and a sharp, blood-colored slash burst forth.
Swoosh~
Rumble!
The powerful blood-colored slash shot through the air like a rainbow piercing the sun, instantly cutting through several houses and tall buildings and soaring toward the sky. It flew an unknown distance before vanishing from everyone's sight, leaving behind a series of sliced-open houses and skyscrapers that collapsed one after another, kicking up a massive wave of air and dust thousands of meters high.
"What a hot-tempered old man!" Aeridar hovered in the air, looking at the destroyed houses and tall buildings, and grinned.
"Just fight already! All that talking is a waste of breath!"
"60,000,000 Volt Lightning Dragon!!!"
Boom! Boom!
Enel flipped and landed on a nearby rooftop, fiercely striking the two taiko drums on his shoulders with his golden staff. The two drums, once struck, emitted a blinding blue-white light. Two crackling bolts of lightning appeared, fusing directly to form a colossal Lightning Dragon. Guided by the golden staff in Enel's hand, it lunged forward with bared claws and fangs, as if to engulf Redfield.