Chapter 53: Another Kid on the Block
"Come where?" Enel asked, not quite understanding what Koa had just said, still holding the strange fruit he'd found earlier.
"We're a group of friends and companions who roam the Blue Sea. If you want, you can come with us," Koa said, extending the invitation once again.
"Why would I want to go to the Blue Sea? Is it better than Skypiea and Fairy Vearth?" Enel replied, pointing to the moon—a symbol of his lifelong dream.
"I don't know," Koa admitted. "But in the Blue Sea, you'd never go hungry again. There are vast lands where trees bear fruit, and countless islands just waiting to be discovered," he said, painting an enticing picture of the Grand Line. He left out the dangers—sea beasts, pirates, and the chaos that awaited below.
"Really? Is that true?" Enel asked, his curiosity piqued. Koa smiled slightly at the sight. As he looked at Enel, he couldn't help but compare this innocent child to the man he would become—an arrogant being who would one-day massacre entire groups without a second thought. But this Enel still had the innocence of a child-like Shanks and Buggy once did.
As Enel spoke with Koa and Kuzan about their experiences in the Blue Sea, his fascination grew with every story. They told him about the time they met Dorry and Brogy, two towering giants unlike anything Enel had ever seen before. He listened intently, full of curiosity, wondering how beings could be so incredibly large.
But that wasn't all he learned. Kuzan even demonstrated his Devil Fruit abilities, explaining that he had gained them in the Blue Sea. With a wave of his hand, he showed Enel the power to freeze anything—and anyone—he wished. Enel was stunned. He had no idea that the strange fruit in his hands could grant powers like that... and possibly, even stronger ones.
Enel paused for a moment, thinking. Then he nodded in agreement. Deep down, he believed he could still reach Fairy Vearth after death—his parents had always told him they would ascend there. It was a comforting belief he held onto tightly. Every time he looked up at the moon, he imagined it watching over him, and it made him feel a little less alone.
And now, with Koa's invitation and presence, he wouldn't be alone anymore.
Koa, Kuzan, and Enel spent a peaceful night in the forest, resting before their return to Skypiea. They planned to check whether Greenbull had completed his mission. As they prepared to leave the next morning, Enel asked Koa and Kuzan to follow him to a small cabin he had built—his home for the past three years.
It was a simple structure, but it held deep meaning for Enel. It was where he had spent countless nights alone, quietly shedding tears he didn't want anyone—especially his parents, whom he believed were watching from Fairy Vearth—to see. It was a place filled with memories of survival, pain, and quiet resilience.
Before leaving, Enel burned the cabin down with Koa's help. He watched the flames rise, and with them, let go of the chapter of his life that had been defined by solitude. As the fire crackled, he whispered his goodbyes.
-------------------
Meanwhile, on the island of Skypiea, Greenbull stood proudly as he presented his newly modified tree to Ganfall and the rest of his crew. It was the result of tireless work from the day before—a tree capable of growing in the sky clouds of the Sky Island, thriving just like trees in the Blue Sea. Remarkably, it could pollinate and bear fruit. Greenbull had even created over a hundred variations to guard against disease, ensuring that no single failure would threaten the entire crop. Each tree bore different fruits, offering variety and resilience.
When Ganfall saw one of the trees successfully rooted in the Skycloud, he wept. What had once seemed impossible now stood before him—a true miracle.
"Thank you, young Greenbull. You have no idea how impactful this will be for our survival," Ganfall said, bowing deeply to Greenbull. Joichiro and Urf, never ones to miss a chance to tease, burst out laughing, which caused Greenbull to blush.
"Don't worry about it, old man. Just make sure you give Boss what he needs in return. I don't like it when Boss gets swindled," Greenbull said with a hint of warning in his voice—something that offended Ganfall.
"Of course. I am not the kind of man who would deceive his benefactors," Ganfall replied sharply, his pride touched. Greenbull let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Not long after, Koa, Kuzan, and Enel arrived at the scene, prompting surprised reactions not only from Koa's crew but also from Ganfall and his people.
"Boss, who's this? Don't tell me you kidnapped a kid?" Greenbull said, only to receive a firm punch to the head from Koa.
"Of course not," Koa replied flatly. "Everyone, meet Enel—our newest member."
-----------
As Enel introduced himself to the others, Koa stood off to the side, speaking privately with Ganfall about the agreement they had made earlier.
"Did Greenbull fulfill our end of the deal?" Koa asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Yes, he did. We are truly indebted to you," Ganfall replied sincerely. "If there's anything else you need—anything at all, as long as it's within my power—I'll make it happen." With that, he handed Koa the blueprint for the Ark Maxim, a legendary ship said to have carried their ancestors from Fairy Vearth down to the Sky Island.
Koa carefully unfolded the blueprint. His eyes lit up as he studied the intricate pages—each one filled with detailed explanations of the ship's mechanisms. It outlined every component required to complete the vessel, and even hinted at ways it could be modified into something more... something personal to Koa's vision.
One particular note caught his attention: the original Ark was designed to be powered by a mysterious energy source—one that seemingly no longer existed in the current world of One Piece. But Koa knew better. That lost energy could be replaced by the Goro Goro no Mi—the very Devil Fruit that Enel now possessed and had earlier offered to him.
"I want to go to Tom now," Koa thought, excitement growing in his chest. "Maybe I can even integrate some parts of Pluton into the Ark Maxim... since I know where the original Pluton is." His thoughts drifted to the hidden ancient weapon beneath the Land of Wano.