Raleigh looked up at the guarded Enel and couldn't help but chuckle.
That laugh made Enel's muscles tense further, arcs of electricity crackling and dancing ominously across his body.
"Calm down, Enel. I'm not particularly interested in fighting you right now," Raleigh said, waving his hand dismissively.
"I was just having a pleasant conversation with the elder behind you. I know you possess remarkable abilities, and I believe this small island of Birka limits your potential."
He paused, looking the young man in the eye. "I came to ask you: if you were to leave Birka, would you consider joining our organization?"
Enel sneered disdainfully at the offer.
"What benefits does your organization offer? I'm perfectly content with my life here in the Sky Islands. I eat when I want, drink when I want, and have no one to bother me—no responsibilities to worry about whatsoever."
A trace of contempt flickered across Raleigh's smile.
It seemed Enel had been stuck on the Sky Islands and this small place called Birka for too long—his mindset had nearly solidified into arrogance.
As the saying goes, one cannot discuss ice with summer insects, nor can a frog at the bottom of a well comprehend the vastness of the ocean.
Enel had lived his entire life in the White Sea; to him, this was the entire world.
If anyone else in the Blue Sea possessed a Logia-type Devil Fruit as powerful as Enel's Rumble-Rumble Fruit, they would certainly charge into the Grand Line to compete for the title of the World's Strongest Man, seeking the most exalted status and supreme authority.
That is the most common aspiration in the age of the Pirate King.
Actually, from Enel's future actions in the original timeline, one could see that he was indeed filled with ambition.
It was just that he had been deceived by the isolation of the Sky Islands, mistakenly believing this place to be the center of the universe.
After driving away Gan Fall and becoming Skypiea's "God," he would eventually be overthrown by Luffy.
In fact, Raleigh always felt that Luffy's victory over Enel was fundamentally unreasonable.
Even if Enel couldn't use his elemental intangibility against rubber, the sheer heat and power of billions of volts of electricity should theoretically have made him a formidable power capable of melting anything.
Yet, he was defeated by a rookie brat who hadn't been at sea for long.
After losing face, Enel discovered the existence of "Fairy Vearth" (the Moon) and resolutely headed straight for space.
Raleigh broke his train of thought and looked back at the young Birkan.
"You might be thinking this way now, but I must tell you—the Sky Islands are simply too small."
"This place is not the center of the world, nor is it an important place in the grand scheme of things. The center of this world is Mary Geoise in the Holy Land of the Grand Line. And the place with the greatest concentration of powerful individuals is the New World, in the latter half of the Grand Line."
Raleigh leaned forward slightly. "Perhaps you think my current strength is impressive, but let me tell you—in the New World, there are plenty of people with strength comparable to mine. At the very least, I know of over twenty such individuals."
"Enel, a man's dream should be to conquer the vast world, not to bully others in some small, forgotten corner."
Raleigh spoke earnestly to Enel, though he knew in his heart that Enel would eventually leave Birka regardless of his words.
For a man with his power, Birka was simply too small a cage.
The words Raleigh was speaking now were actually planting a seed in Enel's heart.
He wanted to show him that if he were to leave Birka Island, going to God's Island, Upper Yard, wasn't his only option.
Raleigh was offering another path, and this path would provide Enel with a much broader stage than simply playing god in Upper Yard.
Seeing the contemplative expression on Enel's face, Raleigh knew he was already considering the matter.
Yawning, Raleigh stretched his arms. "That's enough for today. I'm returning to my warship to rest. If you come to understand what I've said, come find me on the ship. I'll be staying here for two days."
After speaking, Raleigh stood up from the ground, brushed the dirt off his pants, and prepared to walk toward the coast.
"Wait. I haven't given you permission to leave."
Enel's voice cut through the air, cold and commanding.
Although he was quite moved by Raleigh's words about the outside world, what mattered more to him right now was maintaining the absolute authority he had established on Birka Island.
Birka had rules: outsiders were not permitted to set foot on the island without his permission.
This man had already violated those rules.
Wouldn't it be impolite to let him leave just like that?
Hearing Enel's words, Raleigh, who had been facing away from him, stopped. Suddenly, he burst into loud laughter.
"Interesting, truly interesting. Enel, it seems that a small place like Birka has severely limited your perspective."
Raleigh turned around slowly. "Let me tell you another truth: rules made by the weak hold no binding power over the strong."
"Just like the rules you've established here—I don't need your permission to walk freely on Birka's land because I am stronger than you."
Raleigh's eyes narrowed. "The only reason I haven't attacked you is because I'm very interested in your potential and hope you'll join my crew. Don't mistake my mercy for compliance."
After hearing Raleigh's arrogant declaration, the already unruly Enel grew furious.
Who was he? He was Enel!
This name was renowned throughout the White Sea near Birka. Everyone knew Enel's strength.
In this region, no one dared to provoke him.
Now, suddenly, an outsider appeared, repeatedly saying he wanted to "recruit" him like a common subordinate, and to make it even more unbearable, Enel was actually being called "weak" to his face.
Damn it, I'll show you my power!
"Lightning!"
Enel's arm suddenly transformed into a dazzling column of high-voltage electricity, roaring toward Raleigh's head with the sound of terrifying thunder.
"A bit slow."
Raleigh simply tilted his head slightly to the side. The bolt of lightning surged past him, missing by inches.
Enel's pupils dilated sharply, looking at Raleigh in disbelief.
"What... what technique is this? How could you dodge my attack?!"
Enel couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Since childhood, Enel had discovered he could perceive others' movements before they happened.
As he grew older, this special ability became increasingly stronger, to the point where he could hear what people were saying several streets away.
This was why Enel could join Birka's hunting team at such a young age.
His innate talent for Observation Haki allowed him to develop the special technique called "Mantra."
Especially after eating the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he could receive electromagnetic waves from the air, greatly enhancing his Mantra's ability and range.
Theoretically, his ability shouldn't be surpassed by anyone, let alone an outsider whose Observation Haki level was seemingly... lower than his?
"You—how do you also know Mantra?" Enel stammered, unable to believe his eyes. He thought only he possessed this divine power.
Raleigh shrugged and said, "That's why I said you're just a frog at the bottom of a well. This ability you call 'Mantra' is actually known as Observation Haki on the Grand Line."
"Although Observation Haki is quite difficult to comprehend, there must be at least several thousand people in the New World who possess it."
"Of course," Raleigh added, "the fact that you developed Observation Haki without any guidance shows you have exceptional talent for it. But this doesn't affect the outcome of our current battle, because my Haki is stronger than yours."
The veins on Enel's forehead kept twitching; he had had enough of this humiliation.
"Damn it! Taste my most powerful move!"
"80,000,000 Volts: Raijin!"
Countless tiny lightning bolts suddenly erupted from Enel's body, instantly filling the air with a piercing, chirping sound, like tens of thousands of birds screaming at once.
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