<h4>Chapter 52: One Of The Strongest Devil Fruit</h4>


    In this world, there are three types of seas: the Blue Sea, the White Sea, and the White-White Sea.


    The Blue Sea refers to the ocean most people are familiar with, which includes the Four Blues (East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, and South Blue), the Grand Line, and the Calm Belt. Above the Blue Sea, however, lie two more mysterious oceans: the White Sea and the White-White Sea.


    The White Sea is located approximately 7,000 meters above the Blue Sea, while the White-White Sea is even higher, around 10,000 meters above sea level.


    Sky Ind, also known as Skypiea, is a well-known location within the White-White Sea, floating at an altitude of 10,000 meters. Though it is real, many people on the Blue Sea consider it to be just a legend or myth due to its inessibility.


    Sky Ind remains shrouded in mystery because the World Government rarely intervenes in matters concerning these high-altitude seas. While some of the more powerful pirates and seasoned adventurers in the New World are aware of its existence, the general popce tends to dismiss it as mere folklore.


    Most ordinary folk and weaker pirates dismiss Sky Ind as a mere fantasy, a tale spun by the sea''s dreamers. Meanwhile, those who know the truth—the world''s elites—are too disinterested to bother correcting them. As a result, the phrase "Sky Ind is just a myth" has be the dominant belief among the masses.


    Now, high above West Blue at 10,000 meters, Crocodile stood aboard a Marine warship, gazing at the vast, cloud-like expanse of the White-White Sea with awe. Despite having set foot on the sea of clouds, the experience still felt surreal to him.


    "I''ve heard stories about the White-White Sea and Sky Ind, but I always thought it was just a joke or a legend. I never expected there to be such a miraculous ce above the sky," Crocodile muttered, his voice full of wonder.


    udius, standing beside him, chuckled. "Hahahaha, people''s dreams never end, Crocodile. This world is full of surprises. Your old captain didn''t tell you that Sky Ind is real?"


    Crocodile shot him a nce, shaking his head. "No, I didn''t spend long with the John Pirates. I was mostly in hiding, trying to avoid the Golden Lion. Didn''t have time to ask about things like that."


    "Is that so? Then you were running with the wrong crowd. But now that you''re with me, your world is only going to get bigger," udius said confidently, smiling.


    Under different circumstances, Crocodile might have snapped back with a sarcastic retort, but standing here, gazing out at the endless sea of clouds, he couldn''t bring himself to argue. The sight was simply too overwhelming. After a moment, he nodded slightly, his eyes filled withplex emotions. "A bigger world... maybe."


    "It''s not a maybe. It''s a certainty," udius said firmly. He paused before asking, "How are you feeling? Better?"


    Crocodile took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Much better. At first, I was short of breath, but now I''m used to it."


    "That means your body''s adapted well. You''re getting stronger, worthy of the man who costs me hundreds of millions of Berries a year," udius joked with a grin.


    Crocodile scowled at him. "The investment you''ve made in me will be repaid twice over in the future."


    "Good to hear, hahaha," udiusughed.


    Because the White-White Sea sits at such a high altitude, the air is much thinner than at sea level. Most people suffer from altitude sickness when they first arrive, struggling to breathe. Crocodile had felt the effects earlier, but now seemed to have adjusted. udius, being a Logia user with control over gases, felt nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, it almost felt like his element was more in tune with this ce.


    Not long after discussing Sky Ind with Zephyr, udius had decided to join Tsuru on her mission to Sky Ind. Opportunities to visit the sky were rare, ships to the White-White Sea were dispatched only every few years, and relying on the chaotic upward currents was too risky to consider. So, when this chance came, udius didn''t hesitate to seize it.


    Now, here he was, sailing through the sky with Vice Admiral Tsuru and her crew.


    Tsuru, a seasoned veteran of Sky Ind expeditions, navigated the dangerous currents with practiced ease. Though they lost over a dozen Marine soldiers during the ascent, the majority of the crew made it safely to the White-White Sea.


    udius had wisely left Nia, behind on this trip. Nia, while loyal, waspletely defenseless and would have been more of a liability. Instead, he brought Crocodile along, hoping the experience would open the younger man''s eyes and prepare him for the future.


    Tsuru was here on an official mission for the World Government. With the uing World Summit in two and a half years, the government was looking to strengthen its alliances, particrly as the seas were growing more chaotic. They had already scoured the blue seas for potential allies, but there were limits to what they could find there. So, they had turned their gaze upward, toward Sky Ind, hoping to recruit new member nations and harness the Sky Inders'' unique "shell technology."


    Contrary to popr belief, Sky Ind wasn''t just one ce. There were several inds in the White-White Sea, including Angel Ind and Birka, thetter being the home of the infamous Enel. Even Kaido had once attempted suicide by jumping from one of the Sky Inds.


    But udius wasn''t interested in politics or alliances. He was here for something far more important: the Thunder Fruit.


    Yes, udius knew how clichéd it sounded. But clichés aside, the Thunder Fruit was no joke. It was widely considered one of the strongest Devil Fruits in existence. Some even called it the most powerful Logia fruit, and possibly the strongest Devil Fruit of all.


    When udius had first arrived in this world, one of his greatest regrets was that his predecessor had squandered the opportunity to gain a truly powerful ability. The Nitrogen-Nitrogen Fruit, while impressive, had been wasted due to the original udius''s ignorance. If udius had the chance, he would have much preferred to seek out the Thunder Fruit, an ability capable of devastating entire inds.


    As udius was lost in thought, Crocodile stood at the edge of the deck, captivated by the surreal sight of the sea of clouds. udius, meanwhile, had grown bored of the view and was about to head back to his cabin when a crisp voice called out from behind him.


    "What are you staring at?"


    udius turned, a smirk ying at the corners of his mouth. "Just admiring the view. Why?"


    The speaker was a tall, strikingly beautiful woman. It was none other than Gion, the Marine swordswoman udius had crossed paths with back at Marineford.


    Gion had matured since theirst encounter. She now bore the rank of Vice Admiral and carried herself with a more refined presence.


    "Back then, I really thought you were just a member of the CP organization. I never expected you to be a Celestial Dragon. This trip to the White-White Sea is dangerous why would someone of your status take such a risk?" Gion asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.


    udius smiled and shrugged. "I am part of the CP organization, don''t forget. I''m the leader of CP-X, directly reporting to the Five Elders. In terms of administrative rank, I''m equal to the Fleet Admiral. As for being a Celestial Dragon, no one ever asked me if I wanted the title."


    Gion raised an eyebrow. udius''s behavior was certainly far removed from what anyone expected of a Celestial Dragon. Who had ever heard of a Celestial Dragon risking their life, let alone for something as trivial as adventure?


    "Come on, we both know CP-X is just a figurehead organization. It might sound impressive, but it''s all bark and no bite. You''re using it as a cover, aren''t you?" Gion said, a smirk tugging at her lips.


    udius chuckled, not bothered by her words. "You''re not entirely wrong. CP-X is still in its infancy. That''s why I''m here to hunt for treasure."


    "Treasure? On Sky Ind? You mean the dials?" Gion asked, puzzled.


    udius shook his head, his grin widening. "I''m here for something far more valuable. I''m after the Logia Thunder Fruit, the strongest Devil Fruit in existence. Rumor has it that the Thunder Fruit is here on Sky Ind. Once I get my hands on it, I''ll train someone who''ll rival even you, Gion. That''s why I''m willing to take the risk."


    Gion''s eyes widened in surprise. "The Thunder Fruit? How do you know it''s here? Marine has been searching for that fruit for years, and there''s been no sign of it. Thest time it was seen was over two hundred years ago."


    Marine had always prioritized finding powerful Logia fruits to strengthen their ranks, especially after the emergence of monsters like Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino. Yet, despite their best efforts, they had never been able to locate the elusive Thunder Fruit.


    udius smirked. "Who do you think I am? I''m Don Quixote udius. This is a secret of my family, passed down for generations. Not many people know about it."