<h4>Chapter 53: Stop it, He''s Still a Child!</h4>


    After two days of drifting through the vast expanse of the White Sea, the Marine warship finally arrived at a Sky Ind known as Birka.


    "This wasn''t our original first stop, but we made an exception to amodate you, Your Highness," Tsuru said with a smile as she stood on the deck beside udius.


    Back in her youth, Tsuru had been known as one of the most beautiful women in the Marines. udius figured even now, old man Sengoku probably still harbored a soft spot for her.


    But time spares no one, and the beauty of youth had given way to the marks of age. Tsuru''s face was now lined with wrinkles, yet her aura of wisdom remained undiminished. If anything, it had only deepened with time, making her presence feel like that of a wise elder.


    "Hahaha, I really appreciate it, Sister Tsuru," udius replied with a grin.


    Despite the age difference, Gion and Tsuru had a close rtionship, often referring to each other as sisters. udius, not wanting to be left behind in terms of seniority, had shamelessly adopted the same habit, calling Tsuru "Sister" as well.


    Though it might have seemed cheeky, Tsuru appeared pleased with the title, her gaze toward udius bing softer and more affectionate.


    "If you''re really thankful, Your Highness, how about sharing the secret of the Thunder Fruit with me?" Tsuru teased, her eyes twinkling.


    udiusughed and shook his head. "Ah, I''m afraid not. I''m quite the miser when ites to that. The Thunder Fruit is crucial to CP-X''s future, so I can''t just hand that secret over, even to you, Sister Tsuru. Besides, doesn''t the Marine already have enough on its te? Why steal this from me?"


    Tsuru chuckled at his response, shaking her head. "Sengoku and Zephyr always say how generous you are, but it turns out you''re quite stingy."


    "Well, if you''re interested, I do have a Marsh-Marsh Fruit on hand. It''s a Logia fruit too. How about I offer that to you?" udius offered yfully, a mischievous glint in his eye.


    Tsuru waved him off with augh. "No thanks, that fruit''s a bit too... unsightly. Besides, I was just joking. No one here would darepete with a Celestial Dragon for anything."


    With the conversation drifting to lighter banter, udius and the rest of the group disembarked from the warship.


    Birka''s port wasn''t anything special, a rather ordinary and quiet ce. It was clear that the ind wasn''t particrly prosperous, and the locals weren''t exactly rolling out the red carpet for the Marines. In fact, they seemed indifferent to their arrival, perhaps because they''d seen the Marines before or had long been aware of their existence.


    Tsuru mentioned she was going to meet the ind''s leader, known here as the "god." Unlike the rest of the world, where leaders were called kings or rulers, on Sky Ind, the title "god" was reserved for those in charge.


    "God? If they don''t change that title, I doubt they''ll be joining the World Government anytime soon," udius muttered. "While I couldn''t care less, my people the Celestial Dragons are very particr about that name. In this world, only a Celestial Dragon can be called a god."


    Tsuru sighed, clearly sharing the sentiment. "Yes, that''s been a major sticking point in our negotiations. The path to Sky Ind is dangerous, and the World Government has considered wiping out these self-proimed gods more than once."


    udius nodded. "Still, we''re here now. Let''s hope they''re a bit more reasonable this time around."


    The conversation turned to lighter matters, but udius remained focused on his primary goal: finding the Thunder Fruit. He knew it was somewhere on Birka, but he didn''t have any concrete leads.


    "Could it be that Enel has already eaten it?" udius mused to himself, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    In his memories, Enel destroyed Birka around 1504 and went on to rule Angel Ind. Given the timing, it seemed likely that Enel had already acquired the Thunder Fruit before his conquest of Birka. After all, how else would he have had the strength to wipe out an entire ind?


    As these thoughts swirled in udius''s mind, the group ventured deeper into Birka. Both Crocodile and Gion, who were visiting Sky Ind for the first time, were fascinated by the people with wings, asking questions about the locals'' origins and customs.


    udius, however, wasn''t interested in providing a history lesson. He knew most Sky Inders were descendants of the Lunarians, but that wasn''t what concerned him. His thoughts were still preupied with how to locate the Thunder Fruit.


    "If worsees to worst, I''ll just turn this whole ind upside down," udius thought to himself. Birka wasn''t thatrge—it wouldn''t take too long to search the entire ce.


    Just then, a sharp cry broke through the air. udius and hispanions turned to see a priest or what passed for one on Sky Ind whipping a small, frail figure in the distance. The boy, no older than seven or eight, was covered in bruises and blood, his bare feet slipping in the dirt as he struggled to stay upright.


    "You worthless wingless brat!" the priest spat, cracking the whip again. "Weren''t you acting all high and mighty before? Now look at you powerless! Filthy creatures like you should learn their ce as ves!"


    "What''s a wingless man?" Crocodile asked, ncing at udius. However, he quickly noticed that udius''s gaze was locked onto the child, his eyes glowing with sudden intensity.


    Tsuru, sensing the tension, answered, "Wingless men are those without the characteristic wings of Sky Inders. They might be the descendants of outsiders who found their way here, or even people like us who came from Blue Sea. They''re treated as inferiors, little more than ves."


    "So, they look down on us too, huh?" Crocodile frowned.


    "Yes," Tsuru replied, her tone resigned. "I''ve visited Sky Ind four times, and each time they made it clear how little they think of us."


    "Then why bother negotiating with them? Doesn''t seem like they''d ever agree to join the World Government," Crocodile remarked.


    "You try diplomacy first," Tsuru said with a sigh. "And if that fails... well, there are always other methods."


    Crocodile chuckled dryly. "Looks like even the Marines don''t have it easy."


    But before he could say more, udius suddenly shouted, his voice ringing out across the square.


    "Stop! He''s still a child!" udius roared.


    Before anyone could react, udius raised his hand. The priest who had been whipping the boy suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if something had struck him. With a loud thud, the priest was flung backward, crashing into the wall behind him.


    Everyone froze in shock. Crocodile''s jaw dropped. Even the Marines who had apanied them were left speechless. Since when did a Celestial Dragon care so much about a random child? Weren''t they the ones usually causing trouble, not stopping it?


    But udius wasn''t paying attention to their reactions. His heart was racing. He recognized that child. Those long earlobes, that wingless body—it was unmistakable. This kid was none other than Enel!


    And from what the priest had said, "You can''t use your power," udius realized something even more important. Enel was wearing seastone shackles around his ankles. That meant he had already eaten the Thunder Fruit but hadn''t yet mastered its full potential.


    "Enel''s already eaten the Thunder Fruit... and he''s just a kid?" udius thought, his mind racing. Enel was currently nothing more than a ve on Birka, but he would eventually break free and return with a vengeance, destroying the ind. That act of destruction had seemed so out of character, but now udius understood. This kid had suffered immensely, and when he gained the power to fight back, he unleashed all his pent-up rage on those who had wronged him.


    But now that udius had found Enel, he wasn''t going to let him slip through his fingers. He had no intention of walking away from Sky Ind empty-handed. If Enel already had the Thunder Fruit, then udius would just take the boy himself.


    Yes, Enel had the potential to be a powerful ally. His natural Observation Haki was exceptional, and with the Thunder Fruit, he could monitor entire inds. His arrogance in the future would be his downfall, but udius could see how to mold him. Trained properly, with the right guidance, Enel could easily reach an Admiral-level of strength, perhaps even more.


    Best of all, Enel was still young. There was plenty of time to shape him into something formidable. The Sky Inders had no idea what a treasure they had in their midst, and that ignorance would be their undoing.


    "I didn''t expect to find you like this, but no matter.


    Without wasting a moment, udius rushed forward, catching the stumbling Enel before he fell to the ground.


    Gently, udius supported the young Enel, his voice soft andforting as he spoke. "Are you alright? These bastards are truly despicable, treating a child like this. Don''t worry, from now on, I''ll take care of you. No one will every a hand on you again."


    Enel, still in shock, blinked up at udius, utterly confused by the sudden turn of events. He had no idea why this man, aplete stranger, was helping him, but for the first time in a long while, it felt like someone was on his side.


    Just as udius finished speaking, the priest who had been whipping Enel managed to stagger to his feet. His face contorted with rage as he snarled, "Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you interfere in Birka''s affairs? I serve directly under the god of this ind! And you, a filthy wingless outsider, dare to strike me?"


    Before he could finish his tirade, udius''s expression darkened. His gaze sharpened, and his voice turned cold. "Strike you? No, I''ll do more than that. And remember this well your executioner is none other than Donquixote udius, one of the most noble Celestial Dragons in the world. Don''t forget that name as you descend into hell."


    As udius spoke, a burst of white vapor erupted from his body, swiftly enveloping the priest. In an instant, the vapor solidified, encasing the man in a deadly frost. The priest, now frozen from head to toe, stood rigid, his body locked in a fatal embrace with death. With a light tap, his ice-covered form shattered into pieces, leaving nothing but frozen remnants behind.