His patrol over and several tribes of "unbelievers" punished, Enel now sat high on the golden throne of the Ark Maxim, his mood as bright as Sky Island's clear blue sky.
Below him, the Sky Island residents prostrated themselves, their bodies trembling slightly with fear. The pure awe and terror in their eyes intoxicated him more than the finest wine.
The vast lightning energy surging ceaselessly through his body was like an inexhaustible ocean, constantly reminding him that he, Enel, was the sole and absolute god of this White-White Sea.
Yet that pleasant mood did not last long.
Just as the ark passed the edge of an ancient forest, a patch of absolute, heart-stopping darkness suddenly appeared within Enel's island-spanning Mantra.
It was not visual darkness, but a "void" in his perception.
Within a spherical region roughly six kilometers in diameter, his Mantra seemed to strike an invisible, perfectly smooth wall. Every electromagnetic fluctuation he sent to investigate was completely repelled or absorbed, returning no information whatsoever.
On his perceptual map, that region became an abrupt, bottomless "black hole."
A shadow quietly fell over Enel's heart. This "unknown," something utterly beyond his understanding and control, made him feel a trace of... uncertain fear for the first time in ages.
"What... is that?" he murmured, unconsciously tightening his grip on his golden staff. But the surging sensation of lightning power within him soon dispelled that weakness.
"Whatever it is..." Arrogant golden sparks flared in his eyes again. "Before God's Judgment, its only fate is utter annihilation!"
"Turn the bow! Head east!" Enel's voice carried the unquestionable majesty of a divine decree. "I shall go personally and purge this 'anomaly' from Sky Island!"
The ark's enormous rear propeller and oar-shaped thrusters on either side rumbled low, carving an elegant yet decisive arc