《One Piece: Magma of Absolute》Chapter 48: Enel

Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1487.

Three months had slipped by as they sailed through the White Sea without even realizing it. At last, they reached the small sky island in the southeast marked on their map—Birka.

The entire island felt steeped in ancient stillness. Unlike other Sky Islands, Birka seemed drained of vitality; most of its residents were either elderly or children. The young, unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere, had all left to seek their fortunes elsewhere.

The warship docked along the shore, and the soldiers disembarked, mingling and trading with the locals.

As Cricket wandered among Birka's strange buildings, a sense of déjà vu crept over him. "Sakazuki-san, why do these buildings feel so familiar?" he asked.

Sakazuki glanced at the ancient architecture and replied, "The Golden City—Shandora."

It hit Cricket all at once. The houses, the towering altars, those intricate carvings—so many details mirrored the lost city of Shandora.

"But wasn't Shandora an island that existed in the Blue Sea a thousand years ago? How could..."

Sakazuki's voice was low and distant. "Haven't you noticed? The Shandians... they have wings, too."

Cricket froze, stunned by the realization.

Leaving the ship in his adjutant's care, Sakazuki disembarked, Observation Haki fully unleashed, and began a slow circuit around the island.

Birka wasn't large, but even after circling it several times, he found nothing out of the ordinary—just rows of ordinary houses, nothing hidden.

He could only sigh and return to the warship to rethink his approach.

But as soon as he set foot back on deck, his Observation Haki caught a new presence—a child, unfamiliar. He turned to his adjutant.

"Where did this little one come from?"

The adjutant grinned. "No wings—must be a Blue Sea kid. Not sure how he ended up here. Doesn't look like he's had an easy life."

Sakazuki's interest was piqued. "Let's go check it out."

He headed below deck toward the storage room, the adjutant following close behind.

—

Crunch, crunch, crunch…

Inside the storage room, a small boy—Enel—sat with an apple in each hand, taking alternating bites. His cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's as he devoured the fruit with astonishing speed.

Just as Sakazuki approached, Enel seemed to sense something. With practiced ease, he slipped into a nearby crate, clutching both apples tightly.

Sakazuki and his adjutant exchanged knowing smiles. This was going to be interesting.

Pushing open the storage room door, Sakazuki called out, "Karol, are we missing anything from the storage room?"

Inside the crate, Enel tensed. What? They noticed just two apples missing?

Karol eyed the crate and grinned. "Seems like we're missing a few things, Vice Admiral Sakazuki."

Sakazuki's voice was calm but carried a hint of mischief. "What's the usual punishment for little thieves?"

Karol answered with mock cruelty, "For kids who steal, we usually hang them over the dining table for three days—let them look, but not eat~"

Enel's heart nearly stopped. These two are devils!

He held his breath, praying they wouldn't find him.

Sakazuki gave a subtle nod, and Karol sauntered over to the crate. He lifted the lid, peering down at Enel with a playful smile.

"So, what do you think, Mister Little Thief?"

The moment Karol's hand touched the crate, Enel knew he was doomed. Panic seized him. He was only three, after all—his mind went blank.

It wasn't until Karol finished his teasing that Enel snapped back to reality. In a flurry, he hurled his half-eaten apples at Karol, leapt from the crate, and dashed for the door.

But he only made it a few steps before an "irresistible" force yanked him into the air, leaving him flailing helplessly.

Karol picked up the apples, still smiling, and turned to the boy now dangling from Sakazuki's two fingers.

"Wasting food is a serious crime, Mister Little Thief. So your punishment is—"

Enel squirmed harder, panic rising, tears glinting in his eyes. But years of wandering had made him tough—he refused to cry.

"Eat both apples," Karol declared, mock sternness in his voice.

That… was it? Enel blinked, realizing he'd been had. He glanced at the grinning Karol and the faintly amused Sakazuki. His face flushed red with embarrassment.

"You jerks, let me go!"

"I—mmph mmph—"

Before he could finish, Karol stuffed an apple into his mouth. "Kids who curse get hung up, you know~"

Enel realized these two meant no harm. He caught the apples, took a big bite, and fell silent.

Sakazuki carried Enel and walked out with Karol. They headed for the office.

What happened next would haunt Enel forever—a true "social death."

"What the…?"

"Huh, where'd this kid come from?"

"When did he sneak aboard?"

"Who was on guard duty?"

"No way, I was on duty during the day!"

"Haha…"

With his natural Observation Haki, Enel heard every word the soldiers whispered. His face turned crimson for the second time. He let his limbs go limp, pretending to be dead.

Click!

Karol closed the office door. Sakazuki set Enel down on the sofa and asked, "What's your name?"

Enel turned his head away in defiance, but caught sight of Karol's smiling eyes and caved. "Enel," he muttered.

So it really was him. Sakazuki pressed on, "How'd you sneak aboard?"

That was Enel's deepest secret—he couldn't just give it away. "Your men are just too slow."

Sakazuki's voice dropped. "You can sense people's movements, can't you? What's your range? To the bow? The harbor? The town?"

He nodded to himself. "So, all the way to town."

Enel's eyes went wide as his fists clenched. This guy's a demon!

He'd frozen when Sakazuki mentioned sensing others, but when he guessed the exact range, panic set in.

That kind of range… what a terrifying talent.

Sakazuki asked gently, "Where's your family?"

Enel's mood darkened. "I don't have any. I've been on my own as long as I can remember…"

Seeing the boy's tattered clothes and dejected look, Sakazuki felt a pang of sympathy. He decided not to press further.

"Karol, get him cleaned up. We should have some kids' uniforms somewhere—find him something to wear."

Karol scooped up Enel, ignoring his feeble protests.

"Hey, I haven't agreed—mmph!"

Somehow, Karol had a fresh apple ready and stuffed it into Enel's mouth as he carried him out.

Splash—!

After a good wash, Enel looked like a new person. Karol dressed him in a crisp, child-sized military uniform—one of many kept on board for orphans rescued from massacred towns.

He led Enel to a mirror. "Alright, take a look."

Enel stared at his reflection, dazed. For the first time in his life, someone had cared for him. The feeling was overwhelming—tears welled up in his eyes.

He turned and bolted out of the room, down the gangplank, and vanished into the streets of Birka.

On deck, Sakazuki watched him go. "How'd it go?" he asked Karol.

Karol smiled, gazing at the spot where Enel had disappeared. "Everything's set up. Should last him a while."

Sakazuki nodded.

—

Birka Island.

Beneath a bridge in town, Enel sat, panting. "Tch, who needs your charity anyway."

But afraid of dirtying his new clothes, he quickly stood and straightened them. Then he noticed something in his jacket pockets.

He reached in.

Two thick stacks of high-denomination Extol bills filled his small hands.

Enel lowered his head, his face unreadable as he fought to keep his emotions in check.

Drip. Drip. Drip…

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

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