The hilltop where God's Shrine stood was engulfed in flames and debris. A surge of devastating black lightning swept Enel's unconscious form through the air, slamming him into the ground and triggering a thunderous explosion that shook the very foundations of Upper Yard.
This catastrophic scene was witnessed by three priests who had rushed to their god's aid.
"God Enel!"
Priest Gedatsu of the Ordeal of Swamp and Priest Satori of the Ordeal of Balls screamed simultaneously, their eyes bloodshot with fury and disbelief.
The immense force of the impact not only shattered the mountainside, creating a platform-like formation from the wreckage, but also completely obliterated Enel's golden shrine. The entire magnificent structure vanished in an instant, leaving only scattered fragments of precious metal and charred debris floating in the air.
Oboro's iron grip held Enel's head firmly, his body crackling with interwoven currents of black lightning. Blood streamed from all seven of Enel's orifices, his eyes rolled back and unfocused.
With just one devastating blow, the self-proclaimed god had been rendered unconscious.
He hadn't even had the opportunity to unleash the more advanced applications of his Goro Goro no Mi abilities.
Witnessing this impossible scene, Ohm, the bald, dark-skinned priest wearing sunglasses, lashed out with his weapon at Oboro, desperately attempting to rescue his fallen deity. However, the suited man restraining Enel simply raised the brim of his hat with deliberate slowness, revealing a pair of glowing crimson eyes that burned like twin infernos in the darkness.
Ohm's iron cloud sword was beginning to transform when, a heartbeat later, his body suddenly exploded, crushed by invisible air currents into a spray of flesh and blood that painted the shrine's ruins crimson.
The gruesome sight immediately splattered across Satori and Gedatsu.
Feeling their companion's warm blood coating their faces, the two surviving priests trembled uncontrollably, their minds going blank with terror.
"This is a private conversation between your master and me... You are not invited."
The overwhelming fear and suffocation had distorted the two men's perception of their opponent. All they could discern was a shadowy figure wreathed in darkness, save for those piercing blood-red eyes scrutinizing them and a mouth that curved upward, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth.
Gedatsu swallowed hard, not daring to make any sudden movements.
In his mind, the invincible Enel... had actually been defeated so effortlessly by a Blue Sea dweller, a sinner who had violated Sky Island's most sacred laws?
He felt as if he were trapped in a nightmare...
Gradually, Oboro loosened his grip on Enel's head, and the terrifying aura he had unleashed began to subside as he settled into a cross-legged position nearby.
He was waiting, waiting for Enel to regain consciousness.
As for the two priests cowering beside him, they were completely beneath his notice.
...
"Do you sense it?"
On the distant shores of Angel Beach, Dom turned his head toward the towering mountains of Upper Yard and spoke quietly.
He was addressing Yurivitch beside him.
"Yeah."
Yuri responded with characteristic indifference.
It was the captain's Conqueror's Haki... and it was remarkably potent.
It seemed that Sky Island's god was proving to be more challenging than anticipated.
Among their crew, Dom probably possessed the clearest understanding of Oboro's true strength. He knew full well that few individuals in the current era of piracy could command Oboro's serious attention. At the very least, they would need to possess power on the level of a Shichibukai. And for their captain to fight with such intensity, an opponent would need to rival the legendary Golden Lion in capability. Though neither of them was present on the battlefield, judging from the "information" they had received through that overwhelming burst of Haki, it was quite rare for Oboro to display such a level of dominance.
Several dozen meters away, Rob Lucci stood with one hand casually placed in his pocket, the other hanging naturally at his side.
Residual electrical energy still clung to one finger...
And at his feet lay motionless corpses.
The White Berets had been completely annihilated.
He had single-handedly eliminated the enforcement squad that had rushed to Angel Island to provide support against the invaders.
As for Kaka and Dolan... they had barely contributed to the battle, merely offering minimal assistance when required.
However... the conflict was far from over.
An elderly man clad in gleaming silver armor and wielding a knight's lance galloped toward them from the distance, mounted on his unusual steed. He came to a halt directly above the Hell Pirates' position. Upon witnessing the corpses and blood strewn across the pristine beach, the old man's expression shifted dramatically, his eyes blazing with barely contained rage.
Ganfor, the former god of Sky Island.
"You... did all this?"
Ganfor shouted coldly, his voice carrying the authority of decades of leadership.
However, none of the five pirates on the ground paid him any attention whatsoever.
Lucci merely tilted his head slightly and fixed his gaze on Ganfor with mild interest.
Dom and Yuri remained completely unmoved by the confrontation.
Dolan was laughing to himself, muttering about the pathetic weakness of Sky Island's defensive forces.
Kaka was curiously examining the various strange shells that had fallen from the defeated White Berets.
Lucci glanced briefly at Dom and Yuri, then looked back at Ganfor, who was clearly preparing to attack. "Leave... now," he said with cold authority. "If you don't interfere with our business, you might still walk away from this alive." His words were crystal clear, serving as both warning and mercy, reminding the elderly knight that although Ganfor's group posed a potential threat, as long as they chose not to "involve themselves," the Hell Pirates wouldn't bother with unnecessary killing.
Lucci could sense that the old man hovering above possessed considerably more power than the guards he had effortlessly eliminated. However, if Dom, or especially Yurivitch, were to engage seriously, the former god would undoubtedly meet his end. Lucci also had no particular desire to engage in prolonged combat, after all, some of his more specialized techniques needed to remain concealed for the time being.
"You pirates!"
But for Ganfor, no matter how powerful the enemy, there was no acceptable reason to retreat.
He was still a protector of Sky Island, and even after Enel's usurpation of power, he had continued to silently safeguard its people.
Today, he had simply sensed something catastrophically wrong on Angel Island and had rushed over to investigate... only to discover that his intuition had been devastatingly accurate.
Normally, Enel would have immediately intervened to prevent him from entering his "divine territory."
Enel's absence now meant that the false god was likely overwhelmed and in serious trouble.
With a thunderous battle cry, the old knight's eyes hardened with resolve. He spurred Pierre forward, pulling tight on the reins, and dove toward the murderer Rob Lucci with the speed and precision of a striking falcon.
Lucci frowned, his face etched with visible impatience.
Does this old fool think he's just going to throw his life away meaninglessly?
"Impact Lance!"
Ganfor's attack was formidable, and his spearmanship was even more devastating.
Despite his advanced age and weathered appearance, as the former God of Sky Island, his combat prowess was undeniable.
Furthermore, he was once an acquaintance of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger himself.
The crushing pressure from above instantly forced Lucci's body into a defensive combat stance, his muscles coiling in preparation for battle.
However, as Ganfor swooped down for his decisive strike, the white sand beneath them erupted like a geyser.
A dark shadow, resembling a storm cloud given form, leaped upward and instantly appeared behind the charging knight.
Ganfor's pupils dilated in shock as the light before him suddenly dimmed.
He could feel the monster's presence behind him and... its predatory bloodlust.
"Hmph."
Lucci relaxed visibly at the sight.
It seemed... his intervention wouldn't be necessary after all.
He had already issued a fair warning... After serving so long aboard the Hell Pirates and experiencing countless battles, he had developed a keen understanding of his crewmates' personalities. Dom, having been the first to join their captain's cause, held an 'extraordinary' position within their hierarchy. Even without an official vice-captain title, he still commanded authority over the others. Yurivitch, on the other hand, was aloof and reserved, rarely engaging in casual interaction with his crewmates... but he was genuinely a complete battle maniac.
He craved conflict, thirsted for the opportunity to hunt powerful prey... lived for excitement and challenge.
Yurivitch's murderous nature had been brutally evident during their clash with the Golden Lion's forces, when he had practically single-handedly carved through a vast army of Shiki's subordinates, a far more dangerous situation than when he and Dom had faced the ship's doctor and that gorilla. Furthermore, at the most critical moment of that battle, Yurivitch had been the first to charge forward, completely undaunted by the Golden Lion's overwhelming presence and daring to launch a direct assault... though he had nearly gotten himself killed in the process.
Lucci judged that this suddenly appearing elderly knight had already captured the monster's undivided interest.
And sure enough...
BANG!
Yuri twisted his waist with explosive force, channeling tremendous power into his broadsword. Imbued with Armament Haki, the massive blade struck toward Ganfor with devastating intent.
It was too late for the white-bearded elder to turn and block the incoming assault. He could only yank desperately at the reins, urging Pierre to evade quickly... but he had clearly underestimated both the pirate's sword technique and its incredible range.
Three crescent-shaped slashes descended from the heavens like falling stars.
Not only did they sweep past Ganfor and his mount, but they also crashed into the beach below, carving three deep trenches that extended all the way to the shoreline district, demolishing entire buildings in their path.
The powerful sword waves slammed into Ganfor's silver armor with a deafening clang.
Blood filled the air as debris scattered in all directions. Sky Island's former god, both rider and mount, was instantly launched in the opposite direction like a baseball struck by a bat, plunging into the sea of clouds below.
A single strike had severely wounded the legendary Ganfor.
The members of the Hell Pirates were also continuing to grow stronger.
Not only did they benefit from Oboro's direct instruction and guidance, but their participation in these "high-level conflicts" had enriched their combat experience and tactical knowledge exponentially.
This was especially true for fighters like Yurivitch, who had personally battled the Golden Lion Shiki and lived to tell the tale.
"Hahaha... I didn't expect Senior Yuri to actually take action. That old man's in serious trouble now."
Kaka laughed with genuine amusement.
Yurivitch was currently recognized as the strongest fighter among the Hell Pirates' crew.
Yurivitch's imposing frame landed on the ground like a cannonball, the massive sword still resting casually across his shoulder. His excited eyes swept across the now-calm sea of clouds, searching for any sign of movement.
The turbulent cloud formations gradually settled back to their natural state.
After waiting patiently for several minutes, Yuri's expression became indifferent.
"Did he escape?"
Kaka also gazed out at the sea and muttered thoughtfully.
Indeed, the old knight had used some unknown method to slip away beneath the cloud cover, vanishing into the White Sea's depths.