"When you set foot on this island, your lives were offered to its god, God Enel."
"Be good and die, you vermin from the Blue Sea. Heat Javelin!"
Shura sat cross-legged on his mount, Fuza, and spoke indifferently to the pirates below.
"Whoosh!"
With that, he directed Fuza at high speed past the pirates, thrusting his spear with blinding speed as they went.
"Boom!!!"
"Ah!!!"
His lance swept across the pirates' bodies, trailing flames that quickly engulfed them. They clutched their wounds and fell, screaming.
"Oh ho ho! Die, pirates! Surprise Ball: Explosion Ball!"
Laughter rang out from the sky. Then a white ball the size of a human fell beside them and exploded, engulfing the nearby pirates.
"Damn it, get them, boys!"
Watching his companions fall one after another, Samo finally could not hold back. He ordered his subordinates to keep advancing and kill the priests.
"Kill!!!"
The mindless pirates heard their vice captain's order and charged without a second thought.
"Idiots. Swamp Cloud."
Another priest stepped forward and sneered at the pirates charging recklessly toward him. He swept a hand forward, and several gray Swamp Clouds enveloped the heads of the pirates at the front.
"What is this stuff? Why can't I struggle free? Ah!!!"
The pirates kept pushing at the clouds over their heads, but since they were called Swamp Clouds, their properties were like those of a swamp: the harder they struggled, the less they could get free. Gradually, their voices faded, and finally the pirates collapsed limply to the ground, their fates unknown.
"Ah!"
Seeing what had happened to their companions, the pirates behind them hurriedly backed away. Fear entered their eyes as they looked at the four priests.
"A bunch of idiots. All of you, get out of my way! Shadow Style: Half-Moon Slash!"
Samo covered his forehead with one hand and cursed under his breath. Then he ordered all the pirates back, stepped forward, and swung his sword, sending a slash at the four priests.
"Boom!!!"
The blue-white slash transformed into a crescent moon and hurtled toward Shura and the others with unparalleled force.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The priests sensed the incoming slash with their Mantra and dodged ahead of time. Several unlucky divine soldiers were caught in it, screaming as they were carried along until the slash struck a house to one side and came to a stop.
"Hmph! What useless subordinates!"
Priest Ohm glanced at the divine soldiers, whose fates were unknown, and spoke disdainfully.
Although the other priests said nothing, their expressions also showed their displeasure.
"Although they're a bunch of divine soldiers who aren't much use, I can't tolerate letting the enemy execute them!"
Luo Chen glanced at the divine soldiers, then stepped forward and spoke to Samo.
"For the time being, I ask that none of you interfere. Otherwise, I can't say whether I'll come looking for trouble with you afterward."
Luo Chen gathered killing aura in his hand, forming it into a blood-colored longsword. Without looking back, he addressed the priests, his tone admitting no refusal.
"Hmph! Then I'll see just how formidable the Priest of Blood is. Don't come to grief in the gutter, Lord Luo Chen."
Shura spoke to Luo Chen in a sarcastic tone.
"Do you want to fight me, Shura?"
"Hmph!"
Hearing that, Shura snorted in displeasure from atop his Three-Jo Bird, but showed no intention of fighting.
"All right, all right, Lord Luo Chen, Lord Shura, please stop arguing for now. Dealing with those pirates comes first."
The captain of the divine soldiers stepped forward on his massive, burly frame and tried to mediate.
"Hahahaha! How ridiculous! With trouble right on your doorstep, you're still fighting among yourselves. Is this the kind of crap that goes on in Sky Island?"
Seeing the discord among Luo Chen and the others, Samo, their opponent, burst out laughing and mocked them loudly, paying no regard to their feelings.
"So what if it is? You're a pirate. Are you planning to meddle in the affairs of Sky Island's priests?"
Faced with his mockery, Luo Chen did not deny it. He replied with equal disdain.
"Hmph! That's exactly what I'm going to do. Then, as your enemy, allow me to experience your brilliant techniques! Shadow Style: Thousand Storms!"
Samo gripped his sword with both hands and swung it at the empty air with tremendous speed, sending out dozens of slashes.
The blades swept toward Luo Chen and the others like fine rain.
"Hey, hey, hey, I told you I'm your opponent. Don't drag everyone else into this! Demon Blade: Chaotic Sky Hundred Slashes!"
Looking at the tiny slashes filling the sky, Luo Chen stepped forward and spoke to him in displeasure. Then he drew his blade at high speed and returned the gesture as a swordsman.
Nearly a hundred blood-colored slashes met the blue-white blades in the air. Slash collided with slash, forming dazzling bursts of fireworks overhead. Amid repeated booms, the danger in the sky soon dissipated.
"Hmph! It's not over yet. Shadow Style: Absolute Ice!"
Seeing his move neutralized, Samo coated his sword in Armament Haki, imbued it with traces of chill, and thrust forward.
The sword strike, wreathed in an icy aura, stabbed straight at Luo Chen's chest.
"Boom!!!"
Luo Chen gripped his sword hilt with both hands and blocked the slash, then swept it aside. The slash followed his blade toward a house nearby. Frost first formed over the surrounding houses, and then the house was pierced by the tremendous force and instantly collapsed with a bang.
"Whoosh! Shadow Style: Shadowless Slash!"
Samo silently left his position, and an image slowly formed before Luo Chen as a soundless blade swept down over his head.
"So fast!"
"Bang!"
Luo Chen barely managed to react, raising his sword over his head to block. The blades collided with a violent roar, sending sound waves rippling outward.
"Ah!"
The piercing sound echoed in everyone's ears, forcing them to cover them in the hope of reducing the noise.
"You've been attacking for so long. Now it's my turn. Red Sword Armament: Red Storm!"
Luo Chen ran toward him, his blade turning black as he thrust it forward in a spiral.
A blood-red hurricane swept down.
"A storm formed from such powerful slashes! Shadow Style: Solid Wall!"
Watching the storm of slashes sweep toward him with nowhere to hide, Samo drew an arc-shaped barrier with a slash to shield himself.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
Samo hid inside the barrier formed by the slash. Listening to the bursts of cracking overhead, even he could not help worrying that it might break.
"Boom!!!"
"Damn it, I can't hold it back. I can only go all out! Shadow Style: Reverse Chaos!"
The solid wall broke apart, revealing Samo's determined face. He raised his sword and unleashed another move, sending a chaotic slash toward the storm.
"Bang!!!"
A moment later, the storm dispersed, revealing an exhausted Samo as he dragged his battered body through it.
"Hehehehe! What's wrong, Samo? Can't you go on already? I still have plenty of moves to test on you. You can't fall down just yet!"
Seeing Samo barely supporting his battered body without falling, Luo Chen mocked him, hoping to strike at his spirit and make him fall sooner.
"Then I hope you can still take this next attack of mine: King Punch: World Suppression!"
With a whoosh, Luo Chen appeared before Samo. He gathered an incomparably domineering fist intent in his hand and spoke while looking at him. Then he swung a heavy punch at him.
"Heh, I don't have the strength to block this attack anymore. I'm sorry, Captain. Forgive me for being unable to continue sailing with you. Since that's how it is, come on, Priest Luo Chen. Let my blood pave your invincible path!"
"Then farewell, Samo, my worthy opponent!"
At the last moment as he struck, Luo Chen saw the determination on Samo's face and punched through his chest without hesitation.
"Is this the scenery after death? Captain, please forgive me for not being able to continue with you. Goodbye!!!"
Samo slowly fell. In his final moments, he seemed to see the beautiful scenery of heaven. His breathing gradually weakened, and at last he closed his eyes forever.