Enel had flown across the endless blue for what felt like days despite being mere hours. The winds grew harsh, the salt burned in his nose, and the isolation of the sky began gnawing at his mind as his wings ached from the consistent use. When he finally caught sight of Jaya Island sprawling out on the horizon, he couldn't stop the small, satisfied smile that curled onto his lips.
He had descended quietly, landing on a rocky outcropping near the island's dense jungle. Carefully, he pulled a long, dark cloak from his satchel and threw it over his shoulders, tugging the hood low over his head to cover the feathery wings on his back. Until he had strength enough to face the world—and it's judgment—head-on, he would keep them hidden.
For now, he was just another traveler.
The town of Mock Town was just as he remembered from the manga: grimy, bustling, full of drunkards, brawlers, and cutthroat pirates. The streets were littered with refuse and cheap stands hawking fake maps to "One Piece" and "immortal treasure." Even knowing what to expect, seeing it in person filled him with a strange kind of awe.
He wandered the dirt-packed streets, hands tucked into his sleeves, golden eyes scanning every corner. Half the faces around him looked like they belonged on a wanted poster.
Food came first. He ducked into a small tavern that looked less rat-infested than the others and bought a plate of fish and hard bread with a few coins he had pilfered from a thug who tried to mug him at the docks. Eating quietly, Enel watched, listened, observed this island and all it had to offer.
But after half an hour of wandering the island, his excitement began to sour.
Sure, Jaya was a stepping stone in the original story, but it was an island soaked in lost history, old tales, and wild legends. He had hoped to find something hidden—something the manga never showed. A hidden ruin, an ancient artifact, a clue to the world's secrets.
But all he found was filth, drunks, and the ceaseless bickering of fools.
He sighed, frustrated, stuffing his hands deeper into the folds of his cloak. This was a waste of time. If there was any mystery left in Jaya, it was buried too deep for him to find today. He would have to move on.
And quickly—before boredom drove him mad.
He realized grimly that he would have to find a ship. Flying freely was too risky now. Without a loyal crew at his back, showing his wings could invite unwanted attention or even spark a witch hunt. The world wasn't ready to see sky people descending from the sky. A huge chunk of it thought that Lunarians were the only winged race to have existed.
He could feel it already—the slow, creeping irritation of relying on others to ferry him across the seas. The endless rocking of a boat. The seasickness he was certain would hit him like a hammer.
The sea was already gonna be a headache, and he hadn't even set foot on a ship yet.
He would suffer.
Muttering darkly under his breath, Enel made his way toward the dockyards, eyes scanning the moored vessels for anything that looked seaworthy and, preferably, private.
That was when he saw her.
Floating casually above a dingy boat, her small frame almost comically tiny compared to the craft below, was a girl.
She had light green hair that bounced slightly with the wind, a petite, almost childlike body, and a scowl so fierce it could peel paint. She was wearing a black dress and boots, hovering lazily in the air as if gravity were nothing more than an annoying suggestion.
Enel stopped dead.
His mouth opened slightly, before he closed it with a snap.
Tatsumaki.
The Terrible Tornado. The second strongest hero from One Punch Man. In this world?
It made no sense, but then again, neither did waking up in Enel's body after getting nuked by lightning back home. Reality had long since stopped bothering to make sense.
Taking a deep breath, Enel adjusted his cloak and approached her with measured steps, radiating as much non-aggression as he could.
"Excuse me, Miss," he said politely, tilting his head with a faint smile. "Are you in need of any assistance?"
Tatsumaki's emerald eyes snapped to him, narrowing instantly.
"What the hell do you want?" she snapped, her voice sharp but—Enel noted with some amusement—not nearly as venomous as it could have been.
He chuckled inwardly. She's in a good mood, he thought. Must be because I'm not treating her like a kid.
He gestured casually toward the little dingy. "Is this your boat? And if so, may I ask where you're planning to go?"
Tatsumaki crossed her arms and huffed, floating a little higher out of sheer habit. "Of course it's mine. I'm heading to Water 7. I need a real ship if I'm going to be sailing these ridiculous seas."
Enel arched an eyebrow beneath his hood.
Water 7. She had ambitions, then. And confidence.
The Grand Line wasn't a playground. It was a nightmare of shifting currents, sudden storms, monstrous creatures, and devilish geography. Even seasoned pirates with legendary ships struggled to survive it. The idea of a tiny girl in a dingy thinking she could navigate it was… amusing.
But Tatsumaki didn't seem worried in the slightest.
As if reading his skepticism, she smirked. "I'm one of the best navigators in the world. Plus," she added, levitating some nearby objects, "I've eaten a Devil Fruit that makes my skills even better."
Figures, Enel thought. Telekinesis. Just like in her original world.
He didn't say it aloud. No need to spook her.
Instead, he smiled. "You're a navigator, and a strong one at that. Tell me, then—do you have any plans of becoming a pirate?"
Tatsumaki shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't care about labels. Pirate, mercenary, marine, whatever. If I like the captain, I'll join. If not, I'll crush them and move on."
Enel laughed—an honest, loud, and delighted laugh that made several dock workers glance their way curiously.
"Good," he said. "Because I'm forming a crew. And I'd like you to be my first crewmate."
Tatsumaki narrowed her eyes, studying him with renewed interest. "You're bold," she said. "But slow down. I don't follow weaklings. Any captain of mine must be stronger than me."
As she said this, the air around her shimmered.
Objects around the dock began to tremble. Rocks levitated. Barrels tipped and floated. The entire dingy she hovered over lifted off the water, bobbing slightly in midair.
Enel didn't even flinch.
He just smiled wider.
The clouds overhead darkened abruptly. A crack of thunder rolled through the air. The smell of ozone flooded the dockyard. Sparks danced along Enel's body, tracing along his skin, his clothes, his fingertips.
Tatsumaki's eyes widened slightly, the first sign of genuine surprise he had seen from her.
"You…" she muttered, her voice almost reverent. "Thunder..?" She asked, almost hopeful in a way.
"Indeed," Enel said, his voice rumbling with restrained power. "The Goro-Goro no Mi."
He let the lightning crawl across his body, flashing brilliant arcs between his fingers and up his arms as the sky darkened and crackled above the island. The dockworkers scrambled away in terror. A few ships hastily began to untie, eager to flee the growing storm.
Tatsumaki drifted back down to her dingy, arms crossed, her mouth twitching between a grin and a pout.
"Fine," she said. "We're not fighting here. We'd blow up half the island."
Enel nodded. "You're right. Besides, we both know you'd have a hard time against a Logia."
Tatsumaki smirked devilishly. "I could just throw seawater at you, you know."
Enel chuckled, amused. "Clever. But you won't succeed."
She didn't deny it. Instead, she floated back onto the dingy properly and perched cross-legged at the bow.
"You better not be a boring captain," she warned.
Enel followed her aboard, his mind racing. First crewmate. A powerful one. A navigator. A telekinetic who could control a battlefield.
His era of freedom had just gained its first true ally.
He sat opposite her, grinning like a madman as the dingy bobbed lightly on the waves.
The sky cracked and rumbled overhead, promising the storms yet to come.