《One Piece: Magma of Absolute》Chapter 49: The History of the Angel Tribe

The next day, Sakazuki brought Karol into town.

This time, instead of searching aimlessly, they sought out the elders, hoping to glean some clues about the island's history and its peculiarities through subtle questioning.

But after half a day, they'd learned almost nothing. Too much time had passed—so much that history itself had been worn away, leaving only a single phrase handed down through generations:

"Birka is the primordial light, the beginning of all things—the origin of everything."

Wandering the streets, Sakazuki felt a headache coming on. There wasn't a single lead. His Observation Haki swept the area again and again, but there were no ruins, no hidden chambers—nothing.

"Hm?"

Both Sakazuki and Karol sensed a scuffle behind the town. Among the children fighting, one was unmistakably Enel. The two headed over at once.

—

Behind Birka's settlement, in a patch of open ground, Enel stood panting, warily eyeing the kids closing in on him. He'd gotten careless…

He'd played another trick on that old bully today, but hadn't counted on running into the bully's big brother. Even though he tried to turn tail two or three hundred meters away, the older boy still caught up—there was no way a three-year-old could outrun a twelve-year-old.

The little gang slowly closed in. With his big brother backing him up, the five-year-old ringleader shoved Enel to the ground and looked down at him, triumphant.

"Hmph, Enel! Thought you were so quick on your feet!"

"Let's see you run now!"

"Why so quiet?"

"Scared, huh?"

"You dared steal my apple—let's see how I teach you a lesson!"

Enel stayed silent. He knew there was no escaping this beating. He glanced down at his new clothes, a flash of pain in his eyes. Damn… this was the first time he'd ever worn something new.

The five-year-old ringleader waved his hand, rallying the three- and four-year-olds around him. "Get him!"

He raised his fist, eager to land the first punch.

That's when Sakazuki's cold, emotionless voice boomed out:

"Hey, kid."

"You got a death wish?"

A massive shadow fell over the group. The ringleader turned—and saw a man towering above him, muscles bulging, face cold as stone. His glare was so fierce, the five-year-old froze on the spot.

"I… I…"

The ringleader's big brother grabbed him, trying to act tough as he faced Sakazuki and Karol. "Who are you?"

Sakazuki just stared, saying nothing. His presence grew even colder. The big brother finally broke, glancing down at Enel.

"Fine, we'll let you off this time!"

He grabbed his little brother and bolted, not daring to look back.

Karol helped Enel up and shot Sakazuki a teasing smile. "You sure you didn't traumatize those kids, Vice Admiral Sakazuki?"

Sakazuki raised an eyebrow, replaying his words in his mind. He'd just been trying to scare them, and he'd even used a gentle tone… so why did those kids act like they'd seen a ghost?

He let it go and turned to Enel. "How'd you get caught?"

Enel looked away, sulking. "Tch, it's just 'cause he's bigger. Otherwise, those idiots wouldn't have stood a chance."

Sakazuki and Karol exchanged a glance. "What was that about stealing apples? There should be some Extol in your pockets. Didn't you notice?"

Enel scuffed at the dirt with his toe. "I noticed. I hid it. The apple thing was from before."

Sakazuki signaled to Karol.

Karol took Enel's hand and they followed Sakazuki out of town.

Enel hesitated, then hurried after them. "Where are we going?"

Sakazuki's voice drifted back, cool and steady: "Home. Dinner."

The words left Enel's mind blank. He was led along for a good while before he finally came to his senses.

Home…

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