"Ah... that hurts!!"
A sharp, bone-jarring pain shot up from Yemu's tailbone, making him jolt.
But he didn't dwell on it. Once the worst passed, his hands immediately darted to his chest. Thank the heavens—the Goro Goro no Mi was still there. He let out a breath of relief, gave his sore backside a rub, and looked around.
And what he saw stunned him.
Before his eyes stretched a breathtaking scene hidden beneath the Sea Clouds—like some secret paradise. Massive, ancient structures reminiscent of Egyptian architecture rose in layers, spreading outward from a central point where an enormous green vine towered. At the vine's base stood a colossal pyramid-like structure.
But Yemu had no time to appreciate any of it. His focus was solely on the Devil Fruit.
He shifted slightly and glanced at the still-unconscious Enel beside him.
"Hey... Enel, wake up…"
He shook Enel's small frame gently, noticing through his exposed skin that Enel's body was covered in scars.
Clearly, Enel had suffered greatly on Skypiea. No wonder he later wanted to destroy it.
There was no love without reason in this world, and no cruelty without cause either.
This only strengthened Yemu's resolve to take Enel away from Skypiea—whether out of gratitude for how Enel had treated someone he'd only just met with such selflessness, or because in the future, having God Enel as a powerful ally would be invaluable.
Enel soon stirred, rubbed his eyes, and spat out some seawater. When he saw Yemu still there, a rare glimmer of joy crossed his face.
"You okay? Can you stand?"
Yemu asked with concern.
Enel's face twitched—it was clear the fall had hurt him. But he forced himself up, patted the dust off his clothes, and shrugged it off.
"I'm fine. Last time I fell, it hurt way worse than this."
Yemu was moved. Even knowing how painful the fall would be, Enel had still brought him here without hesitation.
"Thanks," Yemu said sincerely.
Enel turned his head, visibly flustered.
"Don't go thanking me like that, you idiot."
"Heh."
Yemu slung his arm around Enel's shoulders with a big grin.
"Either way, from today on, you're my brother. From now on, we'll stick together through thick and thin. Once you help me find that fruit, I'll take you to the Blue Sea. Then we'll carve out our place in the world and live the free life."
"Tch…"
Enel responded with a dismissive scoff, but the look on his face betrayed how deeply those words hit him.
Clearly, Yemu's declaration of brotherhood had shaken him to the core.
After resting a bit longer, the two resumed their search for the Devil Fruit.
They moved through the maze of ancient ruins, heading toward the base of the vine. According to Enel, that was where he had discovered the fruit.
Yemu could barely contain his excitement—he wanted to sprint the whole way there. But the ruins were cluttered with debris, making it impossible to move quickly.
"I was just out looking for food last time when I accidentally fell through that hole and stumbled across this place," Enel explained as they walked.
"There were tons of shiny things down here—golden stuff, with writing I couldn't read. There was this big house too. That's where I found the fruit you're holding. I was gonna grab the other one, but just then, I heard this terrifying hissing sound. It scared me so bad I bolted. I didn't even have time to pick it. Later, I sealed the entrance with rocks."
"You're smart, you know that?"
Yemu said, genuinely impressed—though inside, he was silently thankful that Enel hadn't gotten to that second Devil Fruit. Otherwise, he'd have no shot at it now.
"Hey, so, tell me about the Blue Sea. I've heard from the people here on Skypiea that folks from the Blue Sea are really strong."
Ever since Yemu brought up the idea that Enel might be from the Blue Sea, Enel had grown increasingly curious about it. Now, he turned to Yemu with a question.
"The Blue Sea, huh? Well, there's one place I absolutely have to mention."
"A place?"
Enel stopped walking, looking confused.
"Yeah."
Yemu felt like this was the perfect time to stir up Enel's desire to go to the Blue Sea, so he continued.
"It's called Laugh Tale. It's said to be the ultimate dream destination in all of the Blue Sea. Legend has it the island holds everything. If someone can reach it, they can become the Pirate King and possess unimaginable wealth, power, and fame. Everyone from the Blue Sea dreams of setting foot there."
"Sounds incredible."
Sure enough, a spark of longing flickered in Enel's eyes after hearing that.
Yemu wasn't sure what era this world was in—whether Roger was alive or not—so he gave a general explanation.
"Yeah. But even after all these centuries, no pirate has ever made it there. That's why, Enel, come with me to the Blue Sea. Let's chase dreams and freedom together. We'll conquer that vast, beautiful world below and become the true Pirate Kings—the rulers of it all."
"Pirate King… ruler of the world?"
At that moment, Enel's eyes were full of yearning. It was the kind of ambition that burned in every man's heart—the desire to make something of himself.
"When you help me find that fruit, with its power, the two of us will be strong enough to dominate any territory. And after that, we'll gather powerful allies and set out toward the throne of the world's ruler."
As Yemu spoke, he casually dropped a hint about the Devil Fruit's significance.
As expected, Enel suddenly stopped, turned to him, and gave him a confused look.
"Fruit? You mean this fruit is special?"
Yemu hesitated. He was torn on whether to tell Enel the truth about the Devil Fruit now. If he did, would Enel have second thoughts? Would he try to take the fruit for himself and abandon Yemu before they could find the other one?
After all, the fruit had originally belonged to Enel.
But if he kept it a secret until they found the Mera Mera no Mi, would that damage their trust? Yemu truly intended to take Enel with him to the Blue Sea and make him his strongest ally.
After wrestling with it for a while, Yemu finally made up his mind.
"That's right. If I'm not wrong, this fruit is one of the most coveted treasures of the sea back in the Blue Sea—a Devil Fruit."