Chapter 69: Returning to the Hunter
Kyle stared at the charred corpse of Raika. A wisp of smoke was rising from the gaping hole in his chest, and the smell of burnt flesh hung heavy in the air.
He clenched his fist, focusing on the flow and consumption of his Nen.
A shiver ran through him. That single Railgun shot, while seemingly effortless, had consumed nearly one-twentieth of his total Aura capacity!
This technique, fusing the Emission property of Nen with the violent energy of the Devil Fruit's lightning, was terrifyingly powerful.
The extreme penetration of his Aura, combined with the destructive and paralyzing nature of the lightning, had punched through Raika's defenses and body in an instant. Residual arcs were still ravaging the corpse, destroying even the remaining biological matter.
But such power came with a massive cost.
"Attack potency depends on the ability, but sustainability depends on the foundation..." Kyle mused.
Aura is the manifestation of life energy. Total capacity determines a user's stamina and combat endurance.
If his capacity was too low, a single god-tier move would leave him drained and vulnerable.
Top-tier powerhouses in this world, like Vice Admiral Garp, could fight Gol D. Roger for days on end. Their Aura capacity must be in the millions—walking natural disasters.
Kyle's capacity of 110,000 was impressive, but against true masters, it was still far from enough.
To reach the peak, clever Hatsu development was important, but the fundamental strength and volume of his Aura were the true keys.
Outside the Forbidden Zone.
The tension was at a breaking point.
Netero and Knov were surrounded by hundreds of Raijin Island soldiers. Spears and crossbows, all crackling with electricity, were aimed at the two men.
King Thunder's facade of benevolence was gone, replaced by a savage snarl.
"King Thunder, what is the meaning of this grand display?"
Netero ignored the gleaming weapons, casually cleaning his ear with his pinky finger. His tone was as light as if he were asking about the weather.
"Meaning?" Thunder's voice was sharp with agitation.
"They haven't come out. They must be dead!"
"No outsider has ever left Raijin Island alive! The secrets of this island will never be exposed to the world!"
He had schemed for years, even pushing his own son into a death trap, just to keep his kingdom hidden.
"Hoh hoh hoh," Netero chuckled, his cloudy old eyes sweeping over the nervous soldiers.
"With these men?"
His tone was flat, but it carried absolute, crushing confidence.
"I have a better suggestion," Netero flicked the earwax away. "Why don't we wait a little longer? I believe our boy should be out any minute."
"Out? In your dreams!" Thunder roared, looking like a cornered rat.
"No outsider without the lightning blessing can survive the Forbidden Zone! Even I, with my resistance and knowledge, barely glimpsed the fruit before fleeing, half-dead!"
"He has no resistance! How could he possibly—"
His words died in his throat. Netero was already looking past him, staring deep into the lightning-filled zone.
"Look. Isn't that him?"
Thunder whipped his head around.
Amidst the blinding lightning, a blurry black figure was approaching at incredible speed.
It started as a dot, then rapidly grew into a clear silhouette.
It was Kyle!
He was wreathed in fine, silver-white arcs of electricity, wearing them like a cloak of thunder. His steps were steady, his eyes sharp. The aura he radiated was completely different from before—it was heavy, oppressive, terrifying.
"N-No... Impossible! How could you..." Thunder's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
Kyle's state... he had clearly mastered the power of lightning!
The only explanation was that he had cleared every zone and... eaten the Devil Fruit!
The realization was a venomous snake biting his heart.
Netero enjoyed the kaleidoscope of expressions on Thunder's face. "So, Your Majesty... do you still want to fight?"
Almost the instant Netero spoke, Kyle understood. His surging Aura and the power of lightning exploded outward!
"BOOM!"
A pillar of blinding lightning shot into the sky, centered on Kyle. A visible shockwave of berserk energy blasted outward, kicking up dust and debris.
The solid ground beneath him couldn't handle the pressure; it cracked and sank, forming a crater.
Electric arcs danced wildly over his body, crackling with a terrifying POP-POP-POP. The air filled with the sharp scent of ozone and the crushing pressure of destruction.
The soldiers surrounding Netero and Knov turned pale. Their knees buckled, weapons slipping from their grasp. Faced with this god-like display, they stumbled back, their eyes filled with primal fear.
Thunder looked at the monstrous Kyle, then at the unfathomable Netero and the calm Knov. His face twitched violently. Finally, all his struggle, resentment, and rage collapsed into a single, powerless sigh.
He deflated. "...You... go. Just go."
Hearing this, the violent lightning around Kyle receded into his body like a tide, vanishing instantly.
He looked at Netero and Knov. "Let's go."
Knov nodded, stepped forward, and placed a hand on the ground.
A strange Nen ripple spread out. The solid earth seemed to turn into liquid, and a square entrance appeared.
Without hesitation, the three of them jumped in.
Thunder watched them sink into the earth and vanish. He rushed forward to check, but found only solid, unbroken ground. The entrance was gone, as if it had been an illusion.
Meanwhile, on the deck of the Hunter, far off the coast.
Morel, sensing something, walked out of the bridge just as Kyle, Netero, and Knov popped out of a portal onto the deck.
He looked at Kyle. Though his appearance hadn't changed much, the confidence in his brow and the faint, prickly energy radiating from him told a different story.
"Looks like a good harvest, Captain," Morel said, grinning around his pipe.
"We were just spectators," Knov said, pushing up his glasses with a hint of a smile. "The harvest belongs to the Captain."
"Heh," Kyle smirked, not bothering to be modest. "There was indeed a Devil Fruit in the Forbidden Zone."
"I don't know its name, but it gave me the power to control lightning!"
Before he finished speaking, he focused. Ken instantly coated his body. Then, wild, dancing arcs of silver lightning erupted from within, fusing perfectly with his solid Aura.
They formed a Lightning Armor, flowing with light and crackling with power!
The armor's outline was distinct, the electricity condensed. It massively boosted his defense while radiating unparalleled offensive power and speed.
Everyone on deck, even the experienced Netero, showed a flash of shock.
Lightning—one of nature's most destructive forces. It symbolized ultimate speed and attack. Even among the myriad Nen abilities, it was extremely rare.
Kyle's display meant he had gained a powerful, complex Hatsu instantly, without years of training!
"Haa—!" Kyle felt the power coursing through him. His confidence swelled. He looked at Netero, his fighting spirit burning.
"Old man! I won't lose so easily this time!"
Netero watched the eager Kyle, a flicker of excitement in his own eyes. To fight a user of this world's unique power, to test the speed and might of lightning... it was appealing.
"Alright, you two, settle down," Morel interrupted, bringing them back to reality. "The priority is getting a Log Pose. We need a heading for the next island. Remember, our destination is Sabaody Archipelago. Did you get a Pose on the island?"
Knov shook his head. "That island is completely closed off. Self-sufficient. They don't have Log Poses."
"That King, Thunder, just wants to turtle inside his storm forever. He has no desire to contact the outside world. In fact..."
Knov paused, his voice turning cold. "His eldest son was basically set up by him to die in that Forbidden Zone."
"A father setting up his son to die?" Morel frowned. Though he kept his habitual grin, his eyes went cold. His opinion of the King hit absolute zero.
Kyle dispelled his Lightning Armor. His tone was flat, as if stating a common fact. "What's strange about that? In this vast, twisted world... there are plenty of things darker and weirder than that."