At first glance, the ability seemed simple enough—consume a large amount of food, then use elementalization to convert both the ingested food and the body itself into an elemental state, and finally reverse the process to return to normal.
Repeating this process allowed the body to store vast amounts of energy, and by following a consistent training regimen in the Sea Cloud Gravity Chamber, the body could gradually adapt to that internal power.
It was somewhat similar to the effect of Senzu Beans.
And this adaptation was exactly how the body grew stronger.
The results were obvious. So far, Yemu's physical strength and endurance had been increasing at a rapid, linear pace.
Thanks to Yemu's guidance, Enel also managed to develop the same ability not long after.
Now, at just eleven years old, Yemu—after three years of development—could lift boulders weighing up to ten tons. Enel, having missed those three years, lagged slightly behind in raw strength and physique, managing a maximum of around four tons.
But when it came to Devil Fruit development, Enel had made incredible progress. At just eleven, he had already awakened his Mantra—his version of Observation Haki. Though its range wasn't yet as vast as portrayed in the original story, it was still something to be proud of.
Even now, Yemu himself hadn't crossed the threshold of Haki.
Because of this, despite the physical disparity, Enel could still go toe-to-toe with Yemu in battle, thanks to his mastery of Observation Haki.
But that came with a cost—their daily food intake had to be several times their body weight to keep up with their training.
Yemu was decent at simple cooking, but when it came to processing giant prey many times their size, it was beyond his skill. As a result, the food often didn't taste great.
That was when Yemu started to truly appreciate the importance of a good chef.
Luckily, they didn't survive on meat alone. Fruits offered nutritional balance and helped cut the grease.
Take Enel, for instance—he loved apples.
Unlike meat, which Yemu could hunt and prepare in Upper Yard, fruits were far easier to procure from the other Sky Islands.
And because their food consumption was so outrageous, Yemu had to make weekly trips to different islands just to restock on fruit.
Like right now—Enel had just gulped down the last apple, and the box was already empty.
"Alright, I get it. I'll go tomorrow morning..."
With that, Yemu headed off to rest.
Training had left his body thoroughly exhausted, and in that state, rest was absolutely essential.
…
At the break of dawn, years of disciplined training had already conditioned their bodies into routine.
Without needing a word, Enel had already begun his morning exercises.
Yemu transformed into a streak of flame and soared through the sky, arriving at the edge of Angel Island.
Without so much as greeting Pagaya at his doorstep, Yemu casually dragged away a Waver and steered it along the ascending Sea Clouds toward the heart of the island.
But first, a little preparation was in order.
Yemu wasn't exactly afraid of being recognized, but he also didn't want unnecessary trouble. So, he took out the pair of fake wings he'd prepared beforehand and strapped them on.
He had been to Angel Island more times than he could count—he knew the streets by heart. Even the shopkeepers had started to recognize him by now.
After all, big spenders like Yemu didn't come around every day.
As for the source of his money? That was thanks to Gan Fall. Whenever he ran out of cash, Yemu would simply make a quick trip to the treasure trove of Skypiea's so-called god.
First on the shopping list: Enel's favorite—apples.
Ever since Yemu bought him apples here once, Enel had been completely hooked. He could eat half a crate in a single day. Even now, the thought still sent a chill down Yemu's spine.
However, when Yemu arrived at the Angel Island market today, something felt off. The place was oddly quiet, with noticeably fewer people than usual.
Curious, he asked the fruit vendor nearby.
"Why's it so empty today...?"
The vendor didn't seem surprised and replied casually.
"Today's the annual Knock Up Stream Day—everyone's off attending the ceremony."
"Oh, I see."
Over the past five years on Skypiea, Yemu had come to understand something the Blue Sea people in the original story never did. Unlike their limited understanding, the locals here had detailed knowledge of the upcurrents—when they'd appear, how powerful they'd be. They even had a specialized sea calendar dedicated to tracking them, along with a festival held every year in their honor.
It was on this very day, five years ago, that Yemu had first arrived on Skypiea.
"Five years already, huh..."
He let out a quiet sigh. If he went by age, he was probably around eleven now.
Just then, the ground beneath Angel Island trembled violently. Panic swept across the entire island.
"Unbelievable... What a monstrous upcurrent..."
Next to him, the fruit vendor let out a breathless gasp. Yemu followed his gaze—and froze.
A massive torrent of water shot up from the sea below, like a giant spear piercing the heavens. It rose high enough to rival the towering green vines of Upper Yard.
"My god..."
Unless you saw it with your own eyes, it was impossible to grasp just how awe-inspiring the sight truly was.
Compared to that upcurrent, every person looked like a speck of dust. Even Angel Island itself felt no bigger than a cluster of ants.
Yemu couldn't help but wonder—could even someone like Aokiji in his prime freeze a current this massive?
The sheer force of nature struck a chord of fear deep within him.
Just as he stood there, mesmerized, a voice rang out beside him.
"Hey... what's that!?"
Yemu turned and saw a massive man holding a pair of binoculars, staring toward the upcurrent with wide eyes. He seemed to have spotted something unusual.
Following the man's gaze, Yemu saw it too—a tiny red dot. It was hard to make out from this distance.
His curiosity piqued, Yemu approached the man.
"Excuse me, could I take a look?"
The man politely handed him the binoculars. Yemu raised them to his eyes and focused on the red dot.
At first, he didn't think much of it—just a casual glance.
But then, his pupils contracted sharply.
That ship... that flag... and that man...
Without meaning to, Yemu muttered the name out loud.
"Gol D. Roger..."
He quickly handed the binoculars back to the man, leapt onto the Waver, and raced full-speed toward Shandora…