"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo…"
Luffy's face was flushed, sweat trickling down his brow as his arms swung wildly through the air.
"Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!" he roared.
Enel, maintaining distance high above, twisted his lightning limbs to evade the barrage.
From behind came a fierce shout: "Holy Flame: Wolf Bite!"
A massive white-flamed wolf burst forth in midair, its jaws snapping toward Enel like a blazing beast of judgment.
"Electric Light!"
Enel's body crackled as he turned into lightning, dodging Wyper's attack with blinding flashes. Sparks scattered as heat and light energy exploded in the sky.
Zzzzt!
He crashed down in the distant ruins, his face twisted in fury.
"I… I was actually forced this far by you two weaklings!"
New burns and wounds marred his body — the results of his clashes with Luffy and Wyper.
"Big Ears, you're nothing special either!" Luffy panted, wiping the sweat from his chin. "You're nowhere near as strong as Shirogai!"
"Hmph! How could he compare to Teacher?" Wyper barked, his scarred face illuminated by faint lightning. Despite his exhaustion, his fighting spirit blazed on.
At the mention of Shirogai, pride welled in his chest. "Teacher could defeat him with one hand!"
"Shirogai's your teacher?" Luffy tilted his head, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Sounds pretty interesting."
…
In the distance, beneath the canopy of Sky Island's floating trees, Shirogai sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, observing everything through his Haki.
"As expected, Enel, without facing death, is still beyond Luffy's current reach."
In the story remembered by the world, it seemed Luffy had defeated Enel alone — but Shirogai knew the truth. Enel had already been struck near death by Wyper's Reject Dial, and though he restarted his heart using lightning, his strength had fallen drastically.
If Enel had been at full power, not even Luffy's second form could have truly overwhelmed him.
Now, stripped of his Mantra, Enel was cornered — fighting without composure, desperation replacing divinity.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
Lightning surged violently from his body as his rage boiled over.
"You've forced my hand!"
He raised his arms, roaring, "Two-Hundred Million Volt: Thunder God!"
His body expanded, lightning swelling until he transformed into a towering giant of electricity, radiating divine fury.
"Whoa! A giant!" Luffy gawked, eyes widening at the monstrous figure that loomed over the island. Then a spark of inspiration hit him. Can my third form make me that big too? The thought planted itself deep in his mind.
"Mortals! Face the wrath of God!"
Thunder boomed across the heavens. Enel hovered among the clouds, radiating waves of electric might.
Boom!
A pillar of lightning crashed down toward Luffy and Wyper.
"Hmph!"
Holy white flames coiled around Wyper, shielding him. "A god? Don't make me laugh. There's only one true God — Teacher!"
Enel sneered, "You insects dare—!"
Before he could finish, Luffy shouted, "A God wouldn't kill people for fun! And your lightning doesn't even work on me! Gum-Gum Jet Rocket!"
He grabbed a chunk of ruin and launched himself upward like a cannonball, smashing into Enel's jaw.
Bang!
Enel's eyes bulged, his face distorting in disbelief.
"Bastard—!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, cannon fire echoed through the sky. One explosion triggered another, until the heavens roared with countless blasts.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Cannonballs streaked upward like a swarm of bees, hammering the enormous lightning giant in the sky.
"Thunder Dragon Protection!"
A massive lightning dragon coiled around Enel, intercepting most of the cannonballs. Yet a few broke through, exploding against his electric form.
"You dare attack me with such toys!?"
Though unharmed, his pride burned. "You unforgivable commoners!"
Enel turned his gaze toward the distant forest where the Shandia and Sky Islanders stood.
"Commoners, all of you will perish! Wide-Area God's Punishment!"
Thunderclouds blotted out the sky, and hundreds of lightning pillars rained down upon the forest below.
"It's Enel's God's Punishment!"
Panic spread among the Sky Islanders.
"Don't be afraid! The island clouds will protect us!" one shouted. They fell to their knees, praying desperately.
The island clouds shimmered, forming humanoid figures of light. They raised their hands, emitting pale radiance that absorbed the deadly bolts.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
The thunder's brilliance dimmed and vanished, leaving the ground untouched.
"I'm alive!"
"Me too! The clouds protected us!"
"Long live the island clouds! Kill Enel! Avenge our families!"
Cheers erupted as eight years of fear and oppression broke like a shattered storm.
God? What kind of god murders his own people?
The illusion of divine power collapsed.
Rage replaced fear, and both Sky Islanders and Shandians rose up together, surging toward the trembling figure in the sky.
"Kill Enel! Destroy the false god!"
…
"I am God! You filthy mortals!" Enel's lightning body pulsed in fury. "You dare challenge me? Die! Thunder God Spear!"
Countless lightning spears rained down, lighting up the clouds like a sea of wrath.
"Don't fear him! The clouds are with us!"
The Sky Islanders charged, trusting the figures of light that shielded them once more. The spears struck harmlessly, devoured by the glowing guardians.
The island clouds' eyes glimmered with eerie determination — remnants of long-dead souls bound to Shirogai's creation, the Land of Finality. Once, they cursed the Celestial Dragons for their cruelty. Now, they stood against another so-called god.
Those souls had sworn vengeance under Shirogai's promise:
"One day, I'll lead you to Mary Geoise to take back what was stolen. If anyone dares stop you, let him answer to me. After all… we're not devils, are we?"
The spirits had roared their approval, vowing eternal loyalty.
Now, as Enel's lightning rained down, those same souls — merged with the island clouds — protected the living.
Shirogai's calm voice echoed faintly through their bond:
"Go. Protect them. Those who resist tyranny deserve your shield."
Enel's expression twisted as his attacks failed. "Damn it! Is this the power that monster gave them?"
"Big Ears! Looks like you're not very popular!" Luffy shouted, launching upward. "Gum-Gum Rain!"
A storm of fists pummeled Enel's lightning body, battering him smaller and smaller until his once-godly form began to shrink.
"Look! He's losing!"
"The Blue Sea man is defeating God!"
The crowd's cheers thundered louder than the lightning itself.
But Luffy frowned mid-air. "Huh? Big Ears, what's going on? Why's he fading?"
Wyper's eyes narrowed. "No! That's just a lightning clone!"
"What?!"
Luffy dropped to the ruins below, the golden trident clattering beside him. "Damn it! Where'd he go!?"
…
Far away, deep within the temple near the Ark Maxim.
"Heh, that should've fooled them," Enel smirked as his true body materialized from a streak of lightning. "This God truly is clever."
Seeing no sign of Shirogai, he sneered triumphantly. "Yahahaha! That fool really fell for it! Now, I'll take the Ark Maxim and fly to the Endless Vearth!"
But then — click.
A finger snap echoed inside his mind.
His grin froze.
For a brief moment, confusion flickered in his eyes… then clarity — and madness — replaced it.
"Yahahaha…"
Enel's laughter grew wild. "You mortals, this God will destroy Sky Island before your very eyes!"
…
From afar, Shirogai lowered his hand, satisfied.
"Enel, play your final act well," he murmured. His gaze followed the Ark Maxim rising into the clouds.
"The Fall of God, the Birth of All Things."
---