Chapter 262: Bandits!?

In the New World, a rather unique sailing ship drifted through a particular stretch of sea, flying the flag of a pirate crew.

What made this ship so unusual was that it wasn't sailing on the water—it was flying through the sky.

However, this wasn't the work of Golden Lion Shiki. The flag on this ship bore no resemblance to the emblem of the Flying Pirates. Instead, it displayed a skull with lightning bolts flanking either side.

Anyone familiar with the pirate world would immediately recognize this symbol, it belonged to none other than one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Enel, the "Thunder God."

Enel was a well-known figure in the New World, a high-profile and immensely powerful pirate. His reputation as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, combined with the overwhelming might of his Logia-type Thunder-Thunder Fruit, made him a force to be reckoned with.

Since arriving in the New World, he had never suffered a single defeat.

Of course, he had never attempted to challenge Whitebeard or any of the other true monsters of the sea, he wasn't reckless enough to court disaster.

Still, because of his youth, many of the older pirates in the New World had initially viewed him as an easy target.

One by one, they had tried to challenge his title as a Warlord.

One by one, they had been obliterated by his overwhelming power.

The Thunder-Thunder Fruit was one of the most fearsome Devil Fruits in existence, and Enel was a natural-born combatant. His Observation Haki was exceptional, he had even begun to reach a level similar to Katakuri's, occasionally catching glimpses of the future.

On top of that, his ability to read minds through his Devil Fruit granted him a terrifying advantage in battle. He could anticipate his opponents' thoughts in real time, allowing him to counter them effortlessly.

While his Armament Haki wasn't particularly advanced, it didn't matter. His Thunder-Thunder Fruit more than compensated for any gaps in his physical defenses, and once he had refined his combat techniques, he had essentially become unstoppable.

With his raw power and the support of Claudius' CP-X, Enel should have been well-positioned to establish a dominant pirate crew.

Yet, things had turned out quite differently.

After entering the New World, Enel had abandoned any ambitions of building a traditional pirate fleet. Despite his immense strength, he lacked the organizational and strategic skills of figures like Doflamingo or Crocodile.

Though many pirates had sought to join him, Enel had shown little interest in commanding subordinates. His crew operated under an extremely loose, unstructured system, with little discipline or hierarchy.

More than that, he barely acted like a pirate at all.

Unlike others who raided and plundered, Enel rarely sought conflict.

Instead, he spent most of his time treasure hunting and exploring.

Ever since he had discovered the legendary City of Gold on Skypiea, he had become convinced that he had a natural talent for finding lost riches.

So, after entering the New World, he had thrown himself into the role of a treasure hunter.

He searched for legendary treasures like Captain John's lost fortune, hunting down myths and ancient relics.

As a result, while his pirate crew was virtually nonexistent, his personal wealth was astronomical.

Enel was so self-sufficient that he didn't even need funding from Claudius. In fact, he paid tribute to Claudius every year, sending a share of his vast fortunes as a show of loyalty.

At this moment, Enel's airborne ship hovered over a battered galleon floating on the sea below. The galleon bore no flags, its weathered hull giving it the look of a ship engaged in less-than-legal activities.

It had just been attacked and raided by Enel's crew.

Though Enel didn't engage in typical pirate activities, he wasn't above plundering ships with no affiliation.

Ships that flew no flags were often involved in smuggling or secret operations, meaning they frequently carried valuable cargo.

This was Enel's personal "hunting method", a tactic he had refined over time.

As Enel descended from his ship, the massive taiko drums embedded in his back pulsed with electricity. His elongated earlobes draped over his shoulders, and a white turban covered his head.

He landed effortlessly, his golden staff floating in the air beside him, held aloft by his electromagnetic powers.

"Lord Enel!" One of his subordinates rushed up to him, carrying a small ornate box.

"Did we find anything interesting?" Enel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Look, we found a Devil Fruit!" the pirate reported excitedly.

He opened the box, revealing a golden-colored Devil Fruit that shimmered under the light.

Though its specific abilities were unknown, its appearance exuded a sense of wealth and prestige.

Enel's eyes lit up with amusement. He enjoyed collecting rare and unusual treasures, particularly when they impressed Claudius. Every time he presented Claudius with a new find, he received praise—and Enel lived for that validation.

"Not bad," he mused. "Any idea what ability it grants?"

"I'm not sure," the pirate admitted. "It might be in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, but… we don't have a copy with us."

Enel tapped his chin in thought. "Then let's ask someone who might know. That guy we captured earlier, he seemed important. Bring him out."

A few moments later, his men dragged a scruffy, disheveled man onto the deck. His clothes were wet, his face pale, he had clearly just been doused with water to wake him up.

Scorch marks covered parts of his body, remnants of the lightning bolts that had knocked him unconscious earlier.

This man was Mad, a treasure hunter who had been escorting the Gold Gold Fruit back to Dressrosa as part of a deal with Doflamingo.

Earlier, he had been celebrating his success, drinking, feasting, and dreaming of the wealth and status this job would bring him.

Then, completely out of nowhere, Enel had appeared.

Before he could react, lightning had rained down from the sky, and his entire crew had been overwhelmed instantly.

Dammit had attempted to invoke Doflamingo's name to negotiate but the moment he spoke, he was struck by another bolt of lightning and blacked out.

Now, drenched and barely conscious, he looked up at Enel with sheer panic.

"Please, don't kill me!" he pleaded desperately. "I work for His Highness, Doflamingo!"

Enel's eyes narrowed. "Doflamingo? Then why weren't you flying his flag?"

"This was a secret transport mission! We didn't want to draw attention!" Mad blurted out.

Enel glanced at the golden Devil Fruit in his hands. "So, this is what you were transporting?"

"Yes!" Dammit confirmed hastily.

Then, trying to regain some leverage, he added, "That fruit is extremely important! You'd best not interfere, or—"

"What kind of fruit is this?" Enel interrupted, ignoring the man's attempt at intimidation.

After hesitating for a moment, Dammit finally admitted, "It's the Gold Gold Fruit."

Enel blinked in surprise.

He had heard of this fruit before. He knew Gild Tesoro had been hunting for it obsessively.

Maybe this really was Doflamingo's cargo.

Meanwhile, in Dressrosa, Doflamingo's expression had darkened considerably.

As soon as Enel had attacked the transport ship, Doflamingo had received an alert.

Now, he could no longer reach his men.

He didn't need to guess what had happened. Someone had hijacked his cargo.

But before he could take action, his Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.

Doflamingo glanced at the caller ID, his brows furrowing.

"Enel? Why the hell is he calling me?"