Chapter 44

"I think the principle behind a railgun is to have two parallel currents on either side of your hand," Kong began, thinking aloud. "The first one flows toward your palm, the second one cycles back toward your body, and the projectile acts as a bridge between the two currents…"

He explained as best he could, drawing from vague memories of an anime he'd seen long ago. Enel's eyes widened, the concept already taking shape in his mind. He could picture it.

"There are a few other things I want you to try," Kong added. "Use the same principle on your legs—see if you can launch yourself forward like a bullet. Also, can you manipulate electromagnetism? Electricity and lightning are the same at the core. One's raw and natural, the other's tamer and more controllable."

Enel gave him a puzzled look, still processing the idea.

"Electromagnetism… well, it covers things like magnetization, gravity, plasma, and the list goes on. If you could master that, I can see you breaking free of the limitations of lightning speed and reaching light speed," Kong said calmly.

"Oh, I think I get what you're talking about. With that kind of control, it wouldn't matter if something doesn't conduct lightning well—I could manipulate and reshape it anyway," Enel said, thinking it through.

"You're limiting yourself. With your power, you could control the molecules around you. If you mastered lightning, you could turn air into gold. Everything made of matter would be within your reach. No, even energy would bend to your will, because mass is just condensed energy. If you took that path… You could shatter atoms and create an atomic explosion." Kong's eyes gleamed with excitement, his mind racing at the thought of just how overpowered Enel's devil fruit really was.

Enel stood frozen, mouth agape. He had always known his devil fruit was powerful… but what Kong was describing? That was beyond anything he had ever imagined—something truly godlike.

"Well, let's begin the search for Zephyr. Let's spread our senses out and look for information," Kong said as he extended his Observation Haki as far as it could reach. Once it hit its limit, he began to multitask.

Thanks to his training in controlling extra limbs, Kong had become skilled at multitasking. As he listened in on everything within his range, he simultaneously focused on training his mind to filter out all the unnecessary noise, sharpening his awareness and control.

So much information flooding in at once was too much for any normal mind to handle, but Kong wasn't normal. He had to train himself to be like Enel—able to sift through the chaos and pick out only the details he needed. Fortunately, he wasn't just talented—he had a cheat.

His mind began adapting in real time. What would have taken weeks of grueling practice was condensed into mere hours. Fun fact: 10,080 minutes make up a week. In other words, what should've taken Kong 10,080 minutes… took only 100.8 minutes.

With all that time passing—and considering his immense talent—Kong's mind evolved rapidly, allowing him to tap into the full potential of his Observation Haki with surprising speed.

***

"I found him." Enel's voice broke the morning calm, waking Kong from his rest. Kong sat up immediately, stretching his Observation Haki across the sea to locate what Enel had sensed.

The Maxim was currently sailing on the ocean. Enel preferred it that way while resting—keeping the ship grounded on the sea instead of floating in the sky allowed him to be able to rest. Kong hadn't dared to touch the controls, especially after Enel confessed his fear that they might somehow end up on the moon.

"We can't run forever. You all should leave. I'll stay behind and draw their attention," said a man with a massive mechanical arm, standing firm on the island's shore. His name was Zed, a former Marine admiral turned pirate hunter—along with the crew behind him, a group of ex-Marines who had chosen to walk away from the World Government after losing faith in its justice.

"We can't leave you," Ain said, her voice trembling, horrified that Zed would even consider such a sacrifice.

To that, Zed offered a small smile. But deep down, the thought of his family dying alongside him was something he couldn't allow.

"I was reckless. I should've known these old bones weren't up to the task of facing an Emperor… but I did it anyway. Go, and continue fighting the good fight," Zed said with a gentle smile. But no one moved. Not a single soul stepped back, their silence filled with stubborn resolve. Zed smiled again, though this time frustration crept into his expression.

"If we all die here, then what was the point of our battle?" he shouted, his voice cracking through the air.

The words struck like thunder. The crew fell silent, their gazes dropping, tears welling in their eyes. They knew he was right. But to them, Zed was more than just a leader—he was their teacher, their pillar, and for many… the closest thing they had to a father.

"W-what's that?" someone stammered, drawing everyone's attention as they followed his gaze. Far in the distance, a ship was approaching fast—cutting through the sea like a bullet. The Maxim was headed straight for them.

Tension spiked instantly. Every fighter on the island braced for combat, their bodies tense, weapons drawn. 

But then they caught sight of the flag.

It was the flag of the World Government… and yet, it wasn't. At first glance, the familiar symbol was there—a central circle with lines extending outward, connecting to four circles. 

This flag had the same foundation as the World Government's, but with two stark differences. First, the symbol was rotated, with the connecting lines now stretching out diagonally. Second—and most jarring of all—a human skull sat at the center, replacing the original circle. It was a bold declaration: this was not a flag of submission, but one of defiance. A symbol of war against the World Government itself.

"Stand down!" Zed shouted, voice sharp and commanding. "That's Kong's ship… we can't afford to clash with someone else who might rival a Yonko."

But just as his words settled in, a sudden flash of lightning tore through the sky, surging from the ship. Instinctively, Zed and his crew braced themselves, preparing for impac…

Only for the lightning to strike the ship's edge and reshape itself into a figure. Enel stood there calmly, perched at the rim, as if he hadn't just arrived in a bolt of raw energy.

"I'm Enel. Captain Kong wants you all to join our ship," Enel said calmly, his voice carrying over the tense silence. He sat at the edge of the ship, eyes scanning the group below.

Zed stepped forward, eyes narrowed as he looked up at the man of lightning. His presence was unsettling, especially the unnatural calm he radiated.

"You want me, a pirate hunter, to join the crew of a pirate?" Zed asked with a mocking sneer, though the unease in his stance betrayed his thoughts. He couldn't ignore the weight of Enel's power, for he could guess Enel's devil fruit.