Impact - Thunderous Might!

Just as you should never trust a Noxian's health bar, likewise, never blindly trust your own eyes.

From the moment the old man first made a sound to when he fired the Impact Dial, there was less than a second of interval. But it was precisely that less-than-a-second gap that gave Ron enough time to make a small move.

He pushed off with his toes, stomping hard on the Offering Platform, unleashing his strength. His body was already airborne, his feet unanchored, but because the acceleration wasn't fast, it wasn't visible from the side.

When the impact struck his body, his palm had already shielded the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Then, the displacement from the impact sent him slapping the Rumble-Rumble Fruit flying. Aided by the violent air currents, the streamers inside the Temple fluttered wildly, sand and stones flying, and the old man didn't notice a thing.

After that, Ron scooped the Rumble-Rumble Fruit into his arms, using his forehead and knees to support his body as he curled up on the ground. Besides being unable to move from the pain, this was also to protect the fragile Rumble-Rumble Fruit in his arms.

After all, before a Devil Fruit is eaten, it can remain unspoiled, but it's still just an ordinary fruit. Even a slightly strong impact could crush it, rendering it useless.

But that was all in the past...

"Ugh! This taste like crap... I'll remember it for a lifetime..."

Crackle... pop!

A sudden surge of danger from behind made the old man's face twist in shock as he quickly turned around. But the expected attack didn't come; he saw Ron stagger to his feet, swaying unsteadily, clearly badly injured.

At the same time, streaks of sky-blue Electric Current coursed through his body, crackling with crisp sounds. An invisible pressure washed over the old man, and the numbing sensation on his face made his expression turn grave. All the streamers in the Temple stirred without wind, defying the laws of physics and ignoring gravity, drifting toward Ron like worshippers meeting their deity, yearning for a glimpse of its holy face.

Feeling the surging thunderous power within him—something he had never possessed—Ron was filled with wonder.

"So this is the power of a Devil Fruit? It's really... unique!"

Crackle!

With a thought, between his index finger and thumb, lightning flashed, crackling loudly. Even with just this insignificant bit of electricity, Ron caught a whiff of a Bad Smell.

It was the ozone smell from the oxygen in the air being decomposed by the current.

"I wonder how effective this power is on people..."

As he spoke, Ron lifted his head, his eyes cold and merciless, locking onto the old man.

"N-No... impossible!!!"

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

At this moment, the old man's expression was frantic, no longer the calm and composed figure from before.

As one of the generations guarding this secret, Ron's actions today had turned their centuries of effort into smoke and completely negated the meaning of his existence!

The more ancient, the more conservative, the more steadfast their will.

But when that will crumbles, it brings total spiritual collapse!

"What did I do? None of my damn business..."

Ignoring the old man's expression, Ron tilted his head, a hint of amusement curling at the corner of his lips... and bloodlust.

A wounded beast is the most dangerous!

In his injured state, Ron's killing intent was at its peak!

Back on Earth, there were still morals, laws, and weapons he couldn't oppose to restrain him, but in this world...

"How about... you tell me?"

"Damn it!"

Seeing this, the old man raised his hand, aiming the Impact Dial at Ron, and roared with a twisted face: "Die, you bastard!!!"

Hum!

Invisible air currents coiled around the shell in the old man's hand, a terrifying fluctuation sending chills down the spine. The impact stored in the Impact Dial could be fired in bursts; firing too much at once made the recoil no weaker than the legendary Repel Dial.

Earlier, he had only used a fraction against Ron, but this time, he was going to unleash it all!

Crack, crack...

The intense buildup of force caused dense cracks to spread across the shell, the air humming continuously. After this use, the shell would be ruined. But if it could kill Ron, the old man believed it was all worth it. When the impact reached its peak, the old man let out a furious shout, pushed his palm forward, and pressed the trigger.

"Impact Dial, MAX! Fire!!!"

The air seemed to freeze for a second, then the next—

Boom!!!

A terrifying impact burst forth, forming a pillar of air several meters wide! In a straight line, debris vanished instantly, leaving the space empty in the blink of an eye! The hard wall didn't slow the impact for even a second, and in an instant, a massive hole was blasted through!

Outside the shrine, the Sky Island Soldiers who hadn't yet dispersed were startled by the deafening noise. The deathly aura of that impact sent chills down their spines!

When they turned around, they saw the Temple wall explode outward, rolling dust and smoke blotting out the sky like a yellow dragon striking the sun!

"Is that... an Impact Dial?!"

"What is the Priest doing? Why would he use something like that inside the Temple?!"

The Temple was sacred; ordinary people were strictly forbidden from entering, let alone carrying weapons or a Killer Weapon like the Impact Dial! As a Blue Sea Person, Ron couldn't possibly have a strictly controlled weapon like that from Birka, so the only one who could use the Impact Dial was the Priest!

Enel was even more stunned, his body suddenly trembling as he thought of some terrifying possibility!

Just then, a cry of alarm caught their attention.

"C-Captain, look over there!"

The middle-aged captain turned around, and in an instant, his eyes went wide, his limbs going weak as he slumped to the ground: "D-Did that Impact Dial do that too?!"

In the distance, on the clouds, a cylindrical passage spanning hundreds of meters pierced through the cloud mass, appearing clearly in the sky. Wherever it passed, everything dissipated into smoke, crushed to powder by the impact, forming an empty tunnel!

"Hiss..."

A group of people drew in a sharp breath in unison, staring in horror at the distance, unable to speak for a long time. Such immense force was an inconceivable feat even in their eyes.

After a long while, someone hesitantly said, "Under an attack like that... that Blue Sea Person should be dead, right?"

Wait!

Exactly!

The Priest must have launched that attack to deal with that Blue Sea criminal. With such terrifying force, no weaker than the legendary Repel Dial, that Blue Sea Person must have been shattered to pieces under the impact!

Immediately, they turned their gaze back to the Temple, wanting to know the result. Enel in particular wore a cruel grin on his face, eagerly looking over.

But...

Crackle... crackle...!

From behind the smoke and dust, a crisp sound of Electric Current rang out, faintly illuminating a human silhouette.

"Ah!!!"

Boom!!

Accompanied by a earth-shattering scream, wisps of green smoke scattered in the air. The surging Electric Current poured down like a torrential rain from the sky, each strike enough to shatter rocks and split the ground!

"Is this... thunder?"

"Wh... what... just happened?"

The soldiers' breathing grew heavy as they watched the darkening sky in terror.

The thunder falling from the sky didn't cover too wide an area, only shrouding the shrine. A bolt of lightning struck at Enel's feet, jolting him out of his daze. He fled in panic, clutching his bleeding ear, running right past the soldiers.

But the soldiers, who would normally have shouted to kill him for entering the shrine, now couldn't care less about him.

They all stared dumbfounded at the Temple covered in thunder, losing the ability to speak... The overcast sky, the eerie lightning, the Priest's screams—it was like the end of the world, filling them with dread.

"God... it must be the wrath of the gods!"

"Run! Thor is angry!"

Snapping awake, the soldiers were terrified. Birka had worshipped Thor for generations, and this scene was exactly like the wrath of Thor described by the Priests!

New book on the road, begging for recommendations! Begging for collections!