After a flurry of attacks, it wasn't Malverick — but Enel, the attacker — who gave out first.
No matter how much lightning Enel unleashed, Malverick simply stood there, hands clasped behind his back, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips — like a man toying with a puppy.
Every bolt of lightning Enel sent toward him was sucked away by the black vortex hovering before Malverick, swallowed whole as though vanishing into a bottomless pit.
"What's wrong? That's all you've got?" Malverick sneered. "Aren't you supposed to be the almighty god of Skypiea? Keep going!"
"I'm standing right here. If you can make me take even one step back, I'll admit defeat."
His tone was calm — but full of unshakable confidence.
Moments ago, he had already read Enel's information.
[Enel — Logia-type user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Power Level: Diamond. Defeating him will not yield Maximum Points.]
So this was all he amounted to. Malverick actually realized he'd overestimated this fool.
Diamond-level… He'd slain more than he could count of that rank.
If not for the sheer destructive potential of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Enel was barely stronger than an average Marine officer.
"Hmph! If you've got the guts, then come hit me! I'll stand still too!" Enel shouted.
He thought he'd figured something out. Malverick wasn't attacking or dodging — that must mean attacks didn't work on him!
Yes, that was it! As a being of lightning, he could become electricity itself. His opponent couldn't touch him anyway!
That earlier punch had only landed because he hadn't turned into lightning in time. Yes — that was it, no doubt!
If Malverick could hear his thoughts, he'd probably die laughing.
Can't hit you? Even without Haki, the Dark-Dark Fruit could drag him down to earth and make him wish for mercy.
"Alright then," Malverick said, tightening his fist. "Try this one on."
No fancy moves, no buildup — just a plain, straightforward punch.
Yet under the stunned gazes of everyone watching, that simple punch smashed squarely into Enel's other cheek.
Pffft!
Blood sprayed as Enel was sent flying again.
"You idiot," Malverick said, half-amused. "You really didn't even try to dodge?"
"I've met plenty of fools, but one as dumb as you? Not many."
Then his eyes gleamed with interest.
"Oh? Still got some fight left?"
Thunder crackled violently from where Enel had crashed. A gigantic blue arm burst out from the cloud floor, followed by a towering thunder giant rising to its feet.
"Two hundred million volts — Raijin!"
Enel's voice boomed through the air as the massive thunder god raised both hands and brought them down toward Malverick.
It was his ultimate move — a desperate, all-or-nothing strike!
"This one's… a little interesting," Malverick admitted, smiling. "But that's all."
He raised his palm. A surge of blue lightning erupted skyward, dyeing the heavens in a storm of light.
These were all the charges he had absorbed earlier — now he was simply returning them.
"Trash. Let me show you what real lightning looks like."
The gathered energy condensed into Malverick's palm, forming a colossal thunder dragon — far larger than Enel's Raijin.
"Go."
He thrust his hand forward, and the dragon roared ahead.
Rumble—!
The two titans collided in midair, lightning exploding in all directions, blinding everyone below.
For a long moment, only thunder and chaos filled the sky.
Then, the roar began to fade. The black vortex reappeared, swallowing the last traces of lightning until the air was clear once more.
When the sky finally settled, the people of Skypiea gasped in shock.
Their so-called god lay broken and barely breathing on the ground — while the Blue Sea man who had defeated him stood tall and untouched, not a scratch on his skin, not even a hair out of place.
"Enel," Malverick said coolly, "the battle's over. You lost."
He lifted his right hand. A surge of dark energy wrapped around Enel, pulling him up helplessly.
"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit — I'll be taking that. A fine gift, really."
As he spoke, black mist flowed from his hand and seeped into Enel's body.
Feeling the invasive force, Enel tried to struggle, but the suction was overwhelming. He could do nothing but scream as the darkness spread.
"Ahhh! No—! Spare me!"
The pain was excruciating, as if his entire being were being torn apart.
But it didn't last long.
Moments later, a bright blue orb emerged from Enel's chest. Malverick quickly caught it in his palm.
Then he took out a fruit — a pineapple.
As he injected the blue orb into it, lightning patterns began to etch themselves across the skin.
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Malverick looked at the glowing fruit in his hand and thought for a moment.
Who should he give it to?
Names flickered through his mind — Hancock, Corazon, Dezoro, Alice.
But all of them already possessed Devil Fruit powers.
Susanoo? No — after absorbing a year of Malverick's life and unlocking his "Specter Form," Susanoo was already powerful enough to fight Malverick himself. Giving him the Rumble-Rumble Fruit would be overkill.
Xiao Bi? She already had the Devour-Devour Fruit — an Imperial Arm rather than a true Devil Fruit, but still incompatible with another fruit.
Judge? Also no. Though absolutely loyal under contract, his research skills were far more valuable. Better to let him keep working.
Which meant… there was no one suitable among his subordinates!
For the first time, Malverick felt a headache coming on.
A Devil Fruit this powerful, and he couldn't even find someone worthy of it?
"…Forget it. I'll hold on to it for now. The right person will show up eventually."
After finishing, Malverick dropped the unconscious Enel onto the ground.
Scanning the crowd, he spotted Gan Fall among them.
"This guy's yours now," Malverick said casually. "Do with him as you please."
Then he turned and headed back to the clothing shop where Hancock waited.
During his fight, she had already picked out quite a few outfits.
"My dear, you're back!" Hancock exclaimed, throwing herself into his arms.
"Just a small fry," he replied with a grin. "Nothing to worry about."
"Come on, let's find somewhere private. I want to see what you picked out."
"Mm!" she nodded sweetly.
Before long, the news of Enel's defeat spread across Skypiea.
In an instant, Malverick became a living legend.
Joking aside — if no one on the island had dared to provoke Enel before, who would ever dare to cross someone stronger than Enel himself?
When Malverick and Hancock checked into an inn, even the owner didn't dare take their money — he just cleared out the finest suite and handed them the key with trembling hands.
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