A creaking sound came softly, and light shone into the interior of the shrine, illuminating it.
The first things to come into view were some offerings, followed immediately by a enshrined deity statue.
Kyle's gaze was instantly drawn to the statue's right hand, not because there was anything special about it, but because resting quietly on its right palm was a spherical fruit.
The fruit was entirely blue in color, with lightning-shaped protrusions on its surface, and a propeller-like stem at the top.
What else could it be but the Rumble-Rumble Fruit?
A faint smile appeared on Kyle's lips.
It took no effort at all!
He could only say that the process had been a little too simple.
Kyle reached out, took the Rumble-Rumble Fruit in one hand, and brought it closer to examine it.
The appearance of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was very similar to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit: Violet Heaven Thunder Form he had eaten back then.
Aside from one being purple and the other blue, there were only slight differences in the texture of the lightning patterns.
Holding it a little farther away, aside from the color, one could hardly tell any difference at all.
Before long, Sabo came rushing over.
Kyle casually tossed the Rumble-Rumble Fruit towards Sabo.
!!
Sabo's pupils dilated slightly, and he immediately kicked off the air several times in quick succession using Moonwalk, catching the Rumble-Rumble Fruit extremely carefully in his palms.
Landing on the ground, he stared at the fruit in his hands, his eyes gleaming as if he were looking at some peerless treasure.
Gulp!!
Sabo couldn't help but swallow his saliva, then turned his gaze somewhat stiffly towards Kyle.
"This... this is the Rumble-Rumble Fruit?"
"What else would it be?!"
Receiving Kyle's confirmation, Sabo didn't hesitate for a second. He immediately opened his mouth wide and took a huge bite out of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
In just a few seconds, he took who knows how many consecutive bites, directly devouring the entire Rumble-Rumble Fruit into his mouth, both sides of his cheeks bulging like a squirrel's.
After several swallows, all the flesh of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit went into Sabo's stomach, and the stem was no exception.
"Cough!!"
Sabo suddenly fell to his knees, hands supporting himself on the ground, a pained expression on his face, his tongue sticking out.
"Wh... why does it still taste so bad even after holding my breath?!"
Kyle: ...
"Why did you have to eat it all? Don't you know that eating just one bite of a Devil Fruit is enough for it to take effect?!"
"Of course I know that! But what if eating less means the ability isn't as strong? Just to be safe, it's better to eat the whole thing!"
Sabo spoke in a tone that suggested he thought he was being clever.
Kyle fell silent once more.
His foolish little brother seemed a bit too foolish!!
After resting for a while, Sabo finally looked at Kyle and asked curiously, "How did you find the Rumble-Rumble Fruit so easily?"
"I also think it was a bit too simple," Kyle shrugged.
"But since the goal is achieved, having a simple process actually saves trouble. How do you feel now? Try to sense the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!"
"Okay!" Sabo nodded, then closed his eyes.
After an unknown amount of time...
Zap!!
Suddenly, the sound of electric current crackled in the air, and then faint traces of blue lightning flickered around Sabo. As time passed, the blue lightning grew more and more abundant, gradually enveloping Sabo entirely.
The lightning coiled around him, like a cocoon of blue thunder!
Suddenly, the lightning cocoon exploded directly, scattering into countless thunder serpents that surged toward Kyle.
"Hmm?!"
Kyle's eyebrow raised slightly. Without any visible action from him, faint traces of purple lightning suddenly materialized out of thin air in the void.
With a crackling sound, the purple lightning clashed with the blue lightning in mid-air.
Unsurprisingly, the blue lightning was instantly scattered, but the purple lightning continued undiminished towards Sabo.
!!!
Sabo's expression changed abruptly, and he immediately tried to transform into lightning and escape.
But unfortunately, imagination was beautiful, reality was cruel!
Having just eaten the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Sabo was clearly still unable to fully elementally transform.
Boom—
The purple lightning struck Sabo directly, blasting him away. His body flew back like a cannonball, crashing into the distant island clouds.
Kyle glanced at the human-shaped imprint left in the island clouds. "You seem a bit full of yourself, Sabo! Just got the ability and you want to show off your little tricks? Go back and practice first! Otherwise, you're just embarrassing yourself! Get thoroughly familiar with the ability, then come find me later."
With that, not giving Sabo a chance to speak, Kyle's form once again dissolved into purple lightning and vanished from the spot.
——
Meanwhile, on a small sky island above the White White Sea.
A massive humanoid figure sat at the edge of the island clouds. Before him was an empty expanse, with not a single cloud in sight.
With just a light forward leap, he could enjoy a free-fall from ten thousand meters high.
The massive figure was bare-chested, with black hair draping over his shoulders, a pair of dragon-like horns growing from his head, a long beard reminiscent of dragon whiskers on his chin, dragon scale tattoos on his left arm, and a cross-shaped scar on his right abdomen.
In his hand, he held a gourd engraved with the character for "Heaven," gulping down large mouthfuls of sake.
This familiar image—who else could it be but the famous teacher, Kaido?!
"Burp~"
Kaido put down the gourd, let out a burp, and a flush of intoxication appeared on his face.
Wiping the lingering sake stains from the corner of his mouth, he was silent for a moment before suddenly roaring:
"I really wanna die!!"
As he roared, an extremely powerful burst of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body, continuously sweeping through the surroundings.
The clouds around him were instantly dispersed by his terrifying Haki.
After a long moment, aside from the sky island beneath him, not a single white cloud could be seen within his field of vision.
"Burp~"
After releasing his Conqueror's Haki, Kaido couldn't help but burp again.
"Why can't I just die already? When is that brat Kyle going to come find me for a fight? I really want to get zapped!!"
"But maybe it's not good if he comes... I'm afraid... burp~... afraid I'll smash him to pieces with a few swings of my club! Burp~"
Kaido's head wobbled. From his words and the flushed expression on his face, he was clearly already drunk.
Kaido pushed himself up from the island clouds with both hands, stood at the edge, and looked down into the abyss below, his cape fluttering in the wind behind him.
"Burp~ Seems like a jump would be more comfortable."
As he spoke, Kaido prepared to leap down. However, at that moment, a voice sounded not far away.
"I was wondering who was casually releasing Conqueror's Haki at this height of ten thousand meters. So it's the emperor of the seas, Lord Kaido of the Beasts Pirates~"
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