At the edge of New Ohara, the air crackled from that lightning pillar that had pierced the cloud sea, thick with the sharp scent of ozone.
Smoker paced irritably, glancing up now and then at the giant hole in the clouds that still hadn't fully healed. The cigar in his mouth was chewed almost out of shape.
"That bastard—where the hell did he run off to?!"
His mood was equal parts annoyed and uneasy. Rain had vanished, and the sky had mysteriously gotten blown open—enough to make even a Logia user feel a chill.
Just as Smoker was spiraling into suspicion, every hair on his body suddenly stood up.
A powerful static charge made the air feel thick; even his Marine uniform clung to his skin.
"ZZZ—KRRRZZZT!!"
A piercing shriek tore the air as a blinding blue bolt dropped from the sky!
BOOM!
It struck the open ground not far in front of Smoker, blasting a small blackened crater.
"What?!" Smoker instinctively jumped back and raised an arm to shield his eyes.
The harsh blue glare faded, and through the drifting smoke a tall figure stood calmly in the center of the crater.
Rain.
Same outfit—yet completely different.
His black hair was slightly standing up, thin blue arcs crawling over him with faint zzzt sounds. He slowly opened his eyes, and in the depths of his pupils, lightning seemed to gather.
Smoker's cigar fell out of his mouth with a dull plop.
He wasn't stupid. He looked at the unhealed hole in the cloud sea overhead, then at Rain bathed in electricity, and an absurd—yet unavoidable—answer rose in his mind.
"T-that just now…" Smoker's voice went dry. "That thing that blew a hole in the cloud sea… you did that?!"
Rain calmly raised his right hand and opened his palm.
ZZZ—!
A cluster of bright blue lightning sparks danced and crackled playfully in his hand like mischievous sprites.
"Yeah. Lucky me," Rain said in the same flat tone as always. "I found a Logia fruit—the Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
"..."
Smoker's expression completely froze.
He reflexively lifted his own hand and focused.
"Pff."
A harmless puff of white smoke rose from his palm.
Smoker stared blankly at his smoke… then slowly turned to look at the jumping, destructive lightning in Rain's hand.
A wave of sour, choking frustration—mixed with jealousy—shot straight up his spine.
Are you kidding me?!
Why?!
They're both Logias—so why is his just a choking cloud of smoke that at best makes people cough, blocks sight, or turns into ropes to grab people—
While this bastard becomes lightning itself?!
That's myth-level power! The very symbol of destruction!
Smoker felt his mental state crack.
This wasn't even the same genre anymore! How were they supposed to play together?!
"Tch…"
Smoker's face went black. He pulled two more cigars out, lit them viciously, and took a hard drag. The smoke he exhaled somehow tasted sour.
"Flashy crap…" he muttered through clenched teeth. "Don't think… don't think glowing makes you special."
Rain looked at Smoker's "I just ate a lemon" misery and chuckled, dismissing the lightning in his palm.
"Come on. Time to go back. Say goodbye to the scholars."
…
In the New Ohara camp, the scholars were working feverishly on reconstruction.
When Rain and Smoker returned, Dr. Clover immediately came forward.
"Rain-san, Smoker-san… are you leaving?"
"Doctor." Rain nodded. "It's time for us to go. This place is fully safe now. The rest is up to you."
Dr. Clover's eyes were full of gratitude. He and all the scholars bowed deeply again. "Ohara will remember the kindness of you both forever."
From the back of the crowd, Robin came running over, holding Olvia's hand.
"Rain-nii!" Robin looked up, eyes full of reluctance. "A-are you leaving?"
Rain crouched and ruffled her hair again.
"Robin, this is your real home now," he said with a smile. "Study hard. Grow up strong. No one will ever hurt you or your mother again."
"Then… will you come back to see us?" Robin asked softly.
"Of course." Rain stood and glanced at Olvia's gentle smile beside her. "Next time, I'll bring you the best cake you've ever had."
"Mm!" Robin nodded hard.
Finally, they found Saul, who was using a massive log as the library's frame.
"Saul—we're heading out," Rain called up.
"Dereshishishi…" Saul set the log down and scratched his head sheepishly. "Leaving already?"
"And you?" Rain asked. "You've defected from the Marines, but with your strength you could live well anywhere."
Saul shook his head.
He looked toward Robin, chattering beside her mother, then at the scholars rebuilding with fierce focus.
"No. Not yet."
Saul's voice was steady and firm. "The scholars are safe, but rebuilding Ohara isn't easy. They need me."
He patted the giant timber and grinned, showing bright teeth.
"I'll stay until Ohara's tree of knowledge grows again on this Endless Land… then I'll think about returning to my homeland—Elbaf."
Rain and Smoker exchanged a look.
They both saw the deepest respect in the other's eyes—for this honest giant's pure responsibility and justice.
"Take care," Rain said, not arguing further.
"Dereshishishi… you too!"
After saying goodbye to everyone, Rain and Smoker returned to the edge of Upper Yard's cloud sea.
Ten thousand meters below lay bottomless clouds and the distant Blue Sea.
Smoker stood at the cliff's edge, looking at the refugee ship they'd left for the scholars, then at the endless cloud ocean, brows tightly furrowed.
"Hey, Rain. How are we getting down?"
He scratched his head irritably. "Don't tell me we're tying a rope and climbing down."
"Climb down?" Rain stepped right to the very edge, wind tugging at his clothes. "No. That's too slow."
"Then what are you—"
"Smoker," Rain cut him off.
"What?"
"Don't forget what we are."
Smoker blinked. "What are we?"
"We're both Logia users," Rain said slowly, and a near-crazed grin spread across his face.
Smoker still hadn't processed what that meant when Rain's right arm turned into blue lightning and snapped onto Smoker's shoulder like a bolt!
"Hold tight! Don't fall apart midair!"
"Hey! You lunatic—what are you—"
"WAAAAAAH!!"
Over Smoker's pitch-shifted scream, Rain grabbed him and jumped—straight off the cliff.
~~~
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