"Crackle!" A burst of electricity sounded, and Enel appeared on the throne set on the ship's deck. He lay back on it, propping up his head with one hand and picking up an apple to eat with the other.
"Lord Enel, you're back! Where did you go just now?" The portly captain of the guard came over and asked him.
Just moments ago, their fleet had been preparing to sail toward the Shandia, but Enel had suddenly said he had discovered something interesting and had gone ahead.
"Nothing. I just went to announce my arrival. Tell the men to sail northwest toward the temple," Enel ordered the captain as he ate his apple.
"Huh? You're not going there anymore?"
"No. I've just been there. Now I'm going to the temple to formally inherit my throne," he said, nodding to the captain.
"Yes! I'll tell them right away." The captain hurried off at a jog.
"Huh? We're changing course? Aren't we going to the place Lord Enel mentioned?" The guard steering the ship was astonished when the captain came rushing over with the order to change course.
"That's right. Those are Lord Enel's orders, so just steer the ship," the captain said with a nod.
"All right, I understand. We'll change course now." The divine soldier understood what he meant and turned the ship northwest, toward the palace of the gods.
Meanwhile, the mysterious man raced toward the Shandia's territory on his Waver.
Chief, everyone, please wait for me to get back. Don't fight that man recklessly!
He repeated the words in his mind as the Waver beneath his feet kept picking up speed.
Finally, after a while, the man spotted the tiny dark shape of his homeland, Shandia, growing larger before his eyes.
"Huh, what's... happened? Could he have come here?" The man hurried back, feeling uneasy.
"Hey, Chief, everyone, I'm back."
"Huh, what happened to you? Has that man already been here?"
The man saw his people gathered together, all of them dejected. In front of them lay more than a dozen tribespeople, their bodies charred black, their lives uncertain.
"Oh, Wyper, you're back. You didn't run into any danger, did you? Uh, what happened to you? What's with those injuries? Who did this?" Seeing Wyper, one of the tribe's warriors, return, the chief stood up to greet him. But when he saw his injuries, he questioned him urgently.
"I... I'm fine. I ran into a monster on the way and got these injuries fighting him. Don't worry, it's nothing serious!"
"By the way, what happened to everyone? Did enemies come here? Was it Gan Fall and his people?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wyper urgently questioned them again.
"No, it wasn't them. A young man named Enel came here. He had long blond hair, no wings, and three little drums on his back. He was the one who injured them."
A fair-skinned, especially youthful and beautiful girl in somewhat wild-looking clothes came over and explained.
"Laki, stop. Let's leave it at that," the chief said, stopping her. He knew how terrifying Enel was and didn't want Wyper to take the risk.
"What on earth happened? By the way, could the man you mentioned use the power of lightning?"
Although the chief didn't want to discuss the matter further, Wyper wouldn't let it go and urgently pressed the beautiful girl named Laki for answers.
"You know him too? That's right, he could use lightning, and no weapon worked against him. He defeated the warriors easily, and they still haven't regained consciousness."
Laki was also a little surprised to hear Wyper mention the man's ability.
"Damn it, it really was him. I should have hurried back to tell you. Then this wouldn't have happened to them." Wyper clenched his fist and slammed it into the ground, his voice trembling with self-reproach.
"Sigh! It seems you met him too. You must know what he can do. Let's leave this matter here. From now on, live here in peace and stop thinking about revenge."
Seeing Wyper's expression, the chief guessed that he had met Enel and been defeated by him. Enel must have caused those injuries too.
"No. I'll carry on our ancestors' dying wish. It's the glory I should bear as a descendant of the great warrior Calgara." Wyper rejected the chief's suggestion outright, a fierce fighting spirit burning in his eyes.
"But!" Laki still wanted to persuade Wyper to give up, but the chief held her back and shook his head.
"Let it go. We can't talk him out of it."
The Shandia chief had watched him grow up and clearly knew Wyper's character very well. Once Wyper made up his mind, no one could persuade him otherwise.
"It's all right. I've seen his ability. It should come from a strange fruit called a Devil Fruit. I read about it in our ancestors' diaries. Every ability user must have a weakness. For example, [PYROBROIN] particles, which can suppress abilities, are found everywhere in this sea of clouds."
Wyper spoke confidently.
"But will it really be that easy to succeed?"
"Is this the kingdom in the sky? It really is prosperous! What a shame that after today, endless fear and slaughter will rule this place."
Luo Chen had arrived in the kingdom in the sky. As he walked its bustling streets, watching people come and go and taking in the peaceful atmosphere, he was deeply moved.
He felt both approval and appreciation for the prosperity and stability under the rule of the former god Gan Fall, and regret and sorrow that this prosperity was about to be destroyed and fear would soon envelop the entire Sky Island.
"By now, they should have succeeded. They'll soon announce that Enel has become the new god, and the Thunder God will rule this place."
Luo Chen rubbed his chin and gazed at the sky, thinking to himself.
"Pfft, pfft! People of the Sky Island, can you hear me?" A voice came from the Broadcast Tone Dials in the streets, bringing shocking news.
"Is that...? The god's voice? What's happening? Does he have something to announce?" Below, the residents of the Sky Island wondered what their god Gan Fall wanted to say.
Then came a piece of utterly shocking news.
"I am your god, Gan Fall. I am deeply ashamed that throughout my time in office, I have made no contributions and achieved nothing."
"God, what are you saying? How could you say you've made no contribution to us?" Below, his people were baffled to hear Gan Fall apologize.
"In light of this, I have decided to relinquish the throne of god and let Thunder God Enel succeed me."
"How could this be? God, why are you stepping down? Is someone forcing you?"
"Who is Enel? Is he the one forcing God to give up his throne?"
Below, everyone on the Sky Island was absorbed in the news of Gan Fall's abdication.
They whispered among themselves, restless and agitated. The scene was somewhat chaotic.
At the temple, Gan Fall put down the microphone and looked at Enel and his men.
"Is that enough?"
"Please spare them, and please treat the people here well."
Gan Fall pleaded with him. Beside him, a bald swordsman snatched the microphone from him and shoved him to the ground.
"You don't need to worry about what happens to them. You'd better worry about yourself!" With that, he turned to Enel and asked another question.
"Lord Enel, what should we do with this old bastard?"
"Hmm, the divine soldiers here can all be sent to do hard labor, to finish building the Ark Maxim, however long that takes. As for him, he's just a worthless old man. He'd only waste food, so throw him into the sea."
Enel looked at Gan Fall, who had been knocked down, and made his decision.
"Yes!"
Two of his men came over and carried Gan Fall away.
Half an hour earlier, at the Sky Island temple.
"Baa! Lord Enel, we've arrived. Should we sail straight in? Baa!" a divine soldier asked him.
"Charge straight in!" Enel's voice came from the cabin.
"Yes, charge straight in."
"Understood."
"Boom!" The temple gates thundered as a huge ship floating in the air crashed through them and sailed inside.
"Who goes there? How dare you break into the temple?"
Inside the temple, a group of divine soldiers had been alerted by the commotion at the entrance. They watched the unidentified ship, ready for battle.
"Have they arrived already? All of you, stand down!" Gan Fall lifted the tent flap and came out. Standing before the soldiers, he looked at the enormous ship in the air.
"Yes!" the divine soldiers answered. They stood behind him, still watching the ship warily.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Several figures leaped down from the ship first, followed closely by dozens of soldiers dressed in white robes.
"Who are you?"
An attendant behind Gan Fall demanded an answer.
"God, may I take care of them?"
The priest Ohm touched his sunglasses with a finger as he asked.
"Yes, you may." Enel, who stood in front of them, nodded.
"Hey, the captain asked you a question! Hurry up and tell us who you are and what you want here!" Seeing their arrogant attitude, a divine soldier standing to Gan Fall's right grew angry and questioned them again.
"Swish!" A white figure flashed past, and the soldier fell.
"Thud!"
"Damn it! It's one thing not to answer, but you dared hurt our comrade! You're courting death!"
"Charge!"
Seeing their comrade struck down, the divine soldiers could no longer tolerate it. They charged forward, each of them seething with anger.
"Wait! Stop!" Gan Fall knew how formidable Enel was and hurriedly tried to stop his men, but the soldiers were already blinded by rage and didn't listen to him.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
"Puchi!"
"Argh!!!"
Ohm flashed through their midst with his sword. Screams rang out from the crowd, and figures fell one after another.
"Wait! Please stop! We've already agreed to your demands."
Gan Fall rushed forward to stop Ohm from continuing his attack.
Hearing him, the priest Ohm stopped and turned a questioning gaze toward Enel.
"Hmm, stand down. They're still useful to us for now. So, Gan Fall, why haven't you gone to make the announcement?"
Enel nodded, then looked at Gan Fall as he spoke.
"All right, I'll go now."
That was what had happened half an hour ago. Now, back in the present.
"It seems they've accomplished their goal. Then it's time for me to act too."
Hearing the announcement, Luo Chen knew that Enel and his men had accomplished their goal. He then prepared to set out for the temple as well.