Not long after Enel's fleet departed, a pale red cloud road shot out of the dark hole his lightning had blasted into the ground, stretching across the White Sea.
Whoosh! A mysterious man wearing a mask, his whole body charred black, raced out along the cloud road and rode onto a nearby Island Cloud. Then, his strength exhausted, he collapsed heavily.
"Cough, cough! No, I can't collapse yet. I have to hurry back and tell them-to report this news to the chief." The man struggled to his feet again, intending to return and tell his people that an even more terrifying enemy had arrived.
"Huff! Huff! Pfft!" Bracing his right hand against the ground, the man panted desperately, then spat out the blood that had pooled inside him.
"Whew! All right, I can't delay any longer. I have to get away from here quickly." With that, he took the board off his back, placed it on the sea of clouds, and stepped onto it, speeding into the distance.
Sprays of water churned in his wake, leaving a fleeting trail across the sea of clouds.
Everyone, please wait for me to get back, the man thought. He pushed the cloud board to its maximum speed and rode it steadily toward his people's homeland-Shandia.
Meanwhile, Enel used his mantra to sense where the strongest voices among the crowd were concentrated and ordered his men to steer the ship in that direction. The place he sensed was precisely the mysterious man's homeland-Shandia.
In Shandia, the mysterious man's homeland, an uninvited guest had arrived once again. Why once again? Because this guest was none other than the current god of Sky Island-Gan Fall.
At that moment, Gan Fall had once again brought his divine soldiers here to seek reconciliation with the Shandia.
The hatred between the Shandia and the people of Sky Island had lasted for over four hundred years. It remained unresolved even after Gan Fall succeeded to his position.
The two sides' dispute was over land-Upper Yard.
The Shandia wanted to reclaim their homeland and ring the Golden Bell, fulfilling their ancestors' final wish.
The people of Sky Island, on the other hand, believed Upper Yard was a treasure the gods had bestowed upon them and refused to return it.
Ever since succeeding to his position, Gan Fall had continually tried to mediate their conflict. He had even proposed that both sides live together on Upper Yard.
The Shandia, however, were unwilling. They believed Upper Yard had always been their homeland and that the people of Sky Island had merely stolen it through despicable means, so they had no desire to reconcile with them. Nevertheless, Gan Fall's mediation had eased tensions between the two sides somewhat, and both had been restraining themselves in their various clashes.
"People of Shandia, we truly have come in good faith. Please believe me. The hatred over Upper Yard should not be passed down to the next generation. The conflict between us should be resolved in this one." Surrounded and protected by his divine guards, Gan Fall stepped forward and once again tried to persuade them.
"If you're really sincere, you should return Upper Yard to us. Otherwise, stop pretending to be sincere here," some of the more radical Shandia youths shouted as they came forward.
At the same time, some of their supporters joined in the uproar, and tensions flared once more.
"Even as god, I don't have the authority to give the entire sacred land to you. But perhaps we can live there together in peace. The sacred land of Upper Yard is much larger than both our settlements combined. There would be no problem accommodating all of us." Gan Fall shook his head at their reply and offered his suggestion again.
"I'm sorry, Gan Fall, god of Sky Island. Even if I agreed to such a proposal, they would not." A somewhat frail, short old man emerged from a tall, magnificent tent, leaning on a cane. He was the chief of the Shandia.
"Chief, why don't we capture their god now and use him to force the people of Sky Island to return our homeland?" A powerfully built young man walked over and loudly made the suggestion to the chief.
"What are you trying to do?"
"Protect the god! Prepare to fight!"
Hearing the young man's words, Gan Fall's guards hurried to shield him, drew their weapons, and shouted.
The Shandia also drew their weapons, and a fight between the two sides seemed ready to break out at any moment.
"No. Let Gan Fall and his people leave. If we really did that, I'm afraid the people of Sky Island and we would truly be locked in a fight to the death," the chief said, rejecting the suggestion.
Then he turned to his people and said, "Put all your weapons down. Let them leave safely."
"But! Sigh, let them go." The man was still reluctant, but when he saw the chief's resolute expression, he gritted his teeth and called out to his brothers and fellow tribesmen.
One by one, the Shandia reluctantly put down their weapons and made a path for them to leave.
"Sigh! We'll come again next time." Seeing that they had made no progress yet again, Gan Fall sighed and turned to leave.
"Wait. People of Shandia, and you too, Gan Fall, the current god of Sky Island. Stop and hear me out first." Just then, an unfamiliar voice rang in everyone's ears. Gan Fall and the Shandia, who had been preparing to leave, all stopped and turned toward its source.
A bolt of lightning crackled there, gradually taking human form until Enel's entire body appeared.
"Hmm? Who are you? How did you get here?" Seeing Enel use his ability to appear before them, Gan Fall voiced the question on everyone's mind.
"Who am I? I am Enel, and I am also the new god of this land. Do you understand now?" Enel said coolly to Gan Fall and the others.
"Don't joke around. If you're a god, then what does that make Gan Fall?" A guard who was fiercely loyal to Gan Fall waved a hand and questioned Enel.
The other divine soldiers also glared at Enel, their gazes filled with questioning and anger.
Boom! Before the thunder arrived, a bolt of lightning struck the soldier in an instant.
Thud! His entire body charred black and wreathed in electric current, the soldier fell, his fate unknown.
"Important people are talking. A nobody like you shouldn't interrupt." Enel lowered the left hand that had just unleashed the lightning and spoke to the fallen soldier.
"Since I am the only god of this land, Gan Fall is naturally the former god. You should get that straight," Enel continued.
"You!" A guard beside Gan Fall was about to rush forward and protest, but Gan Fall held out a hand to stop him.
"Don't be rash! If you become the god here, will you safeguard the peace of this land and protect its people?" Gan Fall asked.
"Since I'm becoming the god here, there's no need for you to worry about what happens here anymore. Just sit quietly and watch the methods I put into practice!" Enel did not answer him directly, saying this instead.
"More importantly, I hereby declare that Upper Yard will henceforth be the territory of god. No one may enter it without permission." Paying no heed to anyone's objections, Enel claimed Upper Yard as his territory.
"Is that so? Then I refuse. I don't believe you're a good god who can care for and protect the people. I don't approve of you becoming the god here." After seeing Enel's arrogant display, Gan Fall rejected him outright.
"That's right. Although whether or not you become god has nothing to do with us, I believe the Shandia will be in even greater danger if you take that position. So we also refuse to recognize your godhood," the Shandia chief said from the side.
The Shandia and Sky Island's guards all watched Enel, fully prepared for battle.
"Hahaha! A god does not need mortals to acknowledge him. Divine power alone is enough to overawe them." Enel laughed arrogantly once more, not taking any of them seriously.
"Damn you! You will not show such contempt for our god!" Feeling that Enel had insulted their god, Gan Fall's divine soldiers took up their weapons and charged straight at him.
"Don't you dare look down on us! The dignity of Shandia warriors cannot be insulted like this! Kill him!"
The Shandia warriors, too, felt that their dignity as warriors had been insulted. Weapons in hand, they thrust at him.
"Oh, honestly. A bunch of brainless brutes who only know how to charge in, without even considering whether their opponent is someone they can defeat."
Enel flashed directly into the air, hanging upside down as he watched them, Golden Staff in hand. He tapped the small drums hanging behind him with its tip, and lightning gathered and took shape. Parting his lips, he said, "50 Million Volts: Discharge."
Lightning surged, electric currents scattered, and a blaze of lightning shot into the sky. Dozens of warriors and divine soldiers fell to the ground, their bodies charred black and motionless.
"Ah!" the Shandia women screamed.
"Hey, are you all right?" Several middle-aged men looked at the fallen warriors and called out, but received no answer.
"Hey, wake up." The few remaining divine soldiers came over and called to them.
Two men ran over to check their breathing, then let out a long sigh of relief.
"Whew! Thank goodness, they're alive. They've all just lost consciousness."
"Damn you! I'll avenge them!" A Shandia warrior rushed over in agitation, pulled out his weapon, and thrust it at Enel. The reddish spear pierced Enel's stomach, but he was completely unharmed. With a casual motion, he sent out a bolt of lightning and struck the warrior down.
"Anshido! Damn it!" Seeing their comrade defeated again, the others were also eager to rush out.
"Don't be rash. Wait until Wyper gets back," the chief said, stopping and persuading them.
"But!" Some still wanted to say more, but ultimately left the words unspoken.
"First, carry them away for treatment," the chief instructed his people. Then he turned to Enel and spoke.
"Enel, was it? We acknowledge your godhood. Could you let us carry them away for treatment?"
The chief looked at him expectantly.
"Wouldn't it have been better to do that sooner? Go on. After all, a god is very merciful too." Enel nodded, allowing them to carry their comrades away to be treated. Then he turned back to Gan Fall and asked again.
"So, what have you decided, God Gan Fall?" His voice carried an unquestionable tone, as if he would wipe them all out the moment Gan Fall refused.
Gan Fall first looked at the soldiers who had fallen for him, then at the guards who had not charged forward and were still watching him expectantly. He sighed.
"Sigh! I understand. I'll announce on Sky Island that you are succeeding me as god. But please forgive my subordinates for offending you, and please treat the people here well."
Gan Fall spoke helplessly, his words carrying a deeply pleading tone.
"Hahaha, that's the right decision. I forgive their insolent offense. After all, they'll be my subordinates too. As for the people of Sky Island, you don't need to worry about them." Hearing Gan Fall formally acknowledge his godhood, Enel grew happy as well and generously pardoned their earlier offenses.
"Now then, it's time for god to take over his territory. And I hope to hear news of your announcement that you're passing on the position within half a day. Otherwise, you'll bear the consequences." With that, Enel turned into lightning once more and departed.