Sky Knights (Seeking Votes)

As they entered the heart of the storm vortex.

Hancock and the other two aboard the Kuja Pirates felt as though they had been tossed about in a violent upheaval the entire way.

It seemed as if the ship's hull could shatter at any moment.

Fortunately, under Norse's protection, after several hours, they finally passed through the center of the vortex storm.

However, the Kuja Pirates were still within the range of the raging lightning, drifting and swaying forward.

By the time Norse held on until the very end, it was as though his body had been completely hollowed out and drained. Having released an unimaginable amount of energy throughout the journey, his stamina was nearly exhausted.

So when he finally returned to the ship, he was already overwhelmingly weary. He fainted into sleep on the spot, snoring away.

Hancock held Norse in her soft embrace, wishing she could use all her body and soul to cherish him.

But seeing all that Norse had done, she could not help feeling heartbroken for him, her eyes reddening.

Sonia and Gorud, along with the two sentient Boa serpents, were also saddened at that moment.

They had already made up their minds to grow stronger—stronger, and even stronger.

They could not keep letting Norse bear everything alone whenever danger arose. After all, Norse was not a god any more than they were.

Yet at that moment, a group of people suddenly appeared ahead.

"Eh? Sister, look! There are other people up here ten thousand meters in the sky. Could they be Sky Knights?"

"Wow, that person isn't even wearing clothes! Lightning is coming off his body. Was he struck by lightning?"

Sonia and Gorud both found it unbelievable. It was truly strange that there were other people living up here.

Hancock frowned and naturally looked over, noticing that there really was a group of strange people ahead.

On the other side.

A tremendous roar rang out immediately afterward.

"Enel, we've forced you to the end of the White Sea! If you want to live, get out of the White Sea and get out of God's Island! Otherwise, you'll definitely die today!"

A group of winged divine soldiers were pursuing and trying to capture the Ark Maxim, along with the utterly exhausted young man aboard it, who appeared to be no more than seventeen or eighteen.

"Yahahahaha... Foolish divine soldiers, this shall be the grave where you die!"

Enel suddenly burst into wild laughter atop the Ark Maxim. Lightning suddenly crackled from between the four thunder drums hanging on his back.

It even caused the surrounding layers of dark clouds to surge and churn, as though they could obey his commands. The lightning within had originally fallen silent, yet at this moment, thunder and flashes erupted once more.

"Rumble... rumble."

Among the divine soldiers, one man held a huge shell and shouted into its opening, broadcasting his voice loudly once again.

"Bastard, do you really think you're some kind of god? Taking your life now will only take a few Impact Dials."

And at that moment.

The Kuja Pirates suddenly entered both sides' field of vision.

Both sides looked toward the Kuja Pirates as it rapidly drifted into the middle of their battlefield.

"Enel! Are these the reinforcements you called for?" one divine soldier roared through a Tone Dial held like a loudspeaker.

"How presumptuous! You dare raise your voice at this Empress? You're courting death!"

To everyone's surprise, Hancock immediately used her Devil Fruit ability, glaring coldly at that divine soldier.

In an instant, the divine soldier felt his heart tighten. So beautiful... Unbeknownst to him, petrification had already begun spreading from his feet toward his head.

"Ah!"

"He... he's been petrified!"

"Who... who are you people? Are you reckless Blue Sea people?"

The countless divine soldiers panicked on the spot, completely unable to understand what had happened. They had not even seen the other side make a move!

"You're still making that irritating noise. Anyone who disturbs this Empress's person while he rests today will die!" Hancock grew angry once more.

The other side had made that grating noise again and again. She did not know exactly what the shell in their hands was, but it could amplify a person's voice dozens of times over.

"Mero Mero Mellow!"

Hancock formed a heart shape with her hands and fired heart-shaped beams at the winged divine soldiers.

The divine soldiers did not understand why Hancock was doing that, but in their eyes, making a heart gesture at them was a ritual of love.

At once, they inexplicably began to blush.

Besides, the woman who had suddenly appeared before them was undoubtedly the most beautiful angel in the White Sea. Every movement she made stirred their hearts.

"What a bunch of idiots!"

Sonia sneered at the divine soldiers. What pitiful fools—they did not even know her sister's ability.

As expected, in the next moment, the divine soldiers struck by the beams were instantly petrified.

"Ugh, these hooligans are truly disgusting!"

Watching more than a dozen divine soldiers turn to stone in an instant, Gorud spoke with contempt and anger. "I hate people like you who harbor improper thoughts toward Sister. You deserve to be petrified."

"Ah!!! A devil, it's a devil!!"

"Run! Go back and tell the High Priest!"

The few remaining divine soldiers had been lucky enough to avoid Hancock's Mero Mero Beam.

But now they had been scared out of their minds. They frantically rode their wavers as they fled in panic, nearly capsizing and falling into the White Sea.

"??"

Enel, who had already been left far behind by the Kuja Pirates, was dumbfounded from start to finish.

Enel's eyes, mouth, and jaw all showed his shock and disbelief at that moment.

Eh... my head hurts a little!

Why... did those divine soldiers turn to stone in the blink of an eye?

Still, this woman really is beautiful.

No! If I join forces with them, they might be able to help me become the Thunder God of God's Island.

"Yahahahahaha..."

Unexpectedly, Enel suddenly burst into laughter as he indulged in his daydream.

The sound of his laughter instantly enraged Hancock.

PS: Trivia—the Great Pirate Era began sixteen years after Roger's death, when Enel declared himself a god on Sky Island.

It is currently Year 10-1 of the Great Pirate Era. Enel will not defeat the four High Priests for another two years, and only two years after that will he defeat God Gan Fall and dominate Sky Island.