Just as he had said before, after leaving Twin Cape, El formulated his Supreme Plan 1.0.
The term supreme meant becoming an ultimate existence—one who perfectly integrated Devil Fruit, swordsmanship, physique, and Haki, pushing all four to their absolute limits without leaving a single flaw.
At his peak, Whitebeard was such a person.
As for why this was labeled Version 1.0—
The reason was simple.
The core of this plan relied on the Baku Baku no Mi and its ability to seize other Devil Fruits, as El had hypothesized.
If that conjecture failed, El would immediately initiate Supreme Plan 2.0 and search for alternative methods to obtain Devil Fruits.
Fortunately—
The conjecture had been proven correct.
The Baku Baku no Mi was without question the most terrifying Paramecia-type Devil Fruit in history.
Now that Devil Fruit seizure had been confirmed, El needed only one thing left—
His ideal Devil Fruit.
Once that was obtained, his all-round plan would be complete.
From there, he only needed time.
Step by step, he would grow stronger—until he stood at the very top of the world's pyramid as the strongest man alive.
By then, even the old Whitebeard would no longer be able to hold onto the title of "Strongest."
Because the gap between them would not be just age—
But innate nature.
El was an innate monster.
Once such a monster perfected both mind and body, he would become the strongest existence in history.
Contrary to what most people might expect, El's preferred Devil Fruit was not the Logia-type Goro Goro no Mi.
There was no doubt that the Goro Goro no Mi was among the strongest Devil Fruits in existence—arguably invincible even among all three categories.
But its strategic deterrence did not meet El's expectations.
Because against another ability of similar nature—such as the Meki Meki no Mi—the outcome would still depend on overall strength.
Just like Aokiji and Akainu, whose attributes restrained each other, such battles would inevitably devolve into endurance wars.
Victory would only be decided once one side exhausted the other.
That was precisely why El would never eat a Logia himself.
Instead—
He intended to seize the Goro Goro no Mi.
And give it to Kuina.
Back in Cocoyasi Village, El had promised Kuina that he would find her a Devil Fruit suited for her.
Once Kuina consumed the Goro Goro no Mi, she would become the fastest woman in the world.
If she fused lightning with her swordsmanship, she might recreate the splendor of her ancestor Shimotsuki Ryuma—
And become a new generation Dragon Slayer.
More importantly, the benefits wouldn't stop with Kuina alone.
The entire team would gain immeasurably.
After obtaining the Baku Baku no Mi and personally naming Carina's technique Three Heads and Six Arms, El silently created another plan.
He called it—
The Pirate Emperor Development Plan.
Nami's talent in meteorology was unmatched—possibly the best in the world.
Logically speaking, the Goro Goro no Mi was perfectly suited for her.
But at that time, El didn't yet know whether Supreme Plan 1.0 would succeed or if he'd be forced into Version 2.0.
To ensure Nami could take revenge with her own hands—and allow her will to undergo true sublimation and awaken Haki—El chose to intercept Ace's Devil Fruit and give her the Mera Mera no Mi instead.
Later, after Carina revealed the true potential of Three Heads and Six Arms, El realized something—
The Goro Goro no Mi was practically made for Kuina.
Once Kuina gained the power of thunder, the trio would reach an entirely new level.
As long as Kuina, Nami, and Carina entered Three Heads and Six Arms—
The combination of Baku Baku no Mi, Goro Goro no Mi, and Mera Mera no Mi would become the most unsolvable existence on the seas.
Thunder and flame wielded simultaneously.
Swordsmanship infused with lightning and fire.
Six Styles, Haki, and—
Most importantly—
The limitless physical energy provided by the Baku Baku no Mi.
Such a monster would inevitably rise to the apex of the world and become one of the future overlords of the sea.
Once Kuina consumed the Goro Goro no Mi, El would be cultivating a future Pirate Emperor-level first mate—
Someone destined to surpass Silvers Rayleigh, Benn Beckman, and Roronoa Zoro.
The strongest right hand in history.
And when the three girls and El himself all reached the peak—
When the two strongest existences in history joined forces—
Even Mary Geoise, which had ruled the world for eight hundred years, and the so-called three great balancing powers of the sea…
Would hold no fear.
Therefore—
After deciding to advance the plan, El could no longer wait.
He had to reach Sky Island.
More specifically—
Birka.
He needed to seize Enel's Devil Fruit.
In the original timeline, Enel destroyed Birka six years before the main story began.
Now, it was Year 1511 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
Enel was already in his twenties.
Even if he had been malnourished as a child, once he became a Logia user, his elementalization and lightning-level speed would render him nearly invincible.
A year or two would be more than enough for his body to recover to peak condition.
However—
Enel destroyed Birka in Year 1514.
Which meant—
At this moment, there was a strong possibility that Enel had not yet eaten the Goro Goro no Mi.
And even if he had—
He would still be in the early stages of development.
Perhaps he hadn't even awakened Observation Haki yet.
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