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In the sky above the cloud sea, thunderheads began to converge.
A low crackle filled the air as arcs of lightning coursed through them, casting an oppressive, threatening aura.
Thunder.
It was one of nature's most awe-inspiring forces.
Now, as it gathered directly overhead, the people on the island looked up, a primal fear seizing their hearts.
"Are they from the Blue Sea?"
"They had the nerve to anger God?"
"Damn it... I hope we don't get caught in the crossfire."
Worry rippled through the populace.
Ever since the new "God," Enel, had invaded, Skypiea had fallen. Under his harsh laws, no one felt safe.
But they were helpless.
The overwhelming power of lightning was not something an ordinary person could possibly defy.
DOOOOOOOOOOM!
A colossal bolt of lightning suddenly plunged from the sky—an unstoppable force aimed directly at Jin and the demonic carrier.
A thunderous roar tore through the sky.
The bolt was terrifying, as thick as a great tree, wreathed in writhing tendrils of electricity. It fell with the force of an avalanche, striking its target dead-on.
"Did it hit?"
"A shame."
"The majesty of God is inviolable."
Cries of shock erupted from the cloud city.
Others whispered, deliberately belittling the reckless outsider to curry favor with their ruler, terrified of his wrath.
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Inside the Upper Shrine.
Enel 'heard' the lightning strike its target. His anger melted away, replaced by a self-satisfied smirk as he lounged back languidly on his throne.
He was bare-chested, wearing baggy pants and gold rings on his toes. A white bandana was tied around his head, and his earlobes—long and stretched—were adorned with gold earrings. On his back were four large drums, each marked with a tomoe, which he used to amplify his lightning.
A golden staff rested in his hand.
"The power of a god is absolute!!" Enel declared, supremely confident.
No mere mortal could survive a direct hit from his lightning.
"However," he mused, "such a bold provocation must be met with even greater divine punishment. Only then will the people learn true fear."
"A god... is not to be challenged."
Lightning crackled from Enel's arm. In an instant, the thunderheads miles above them churned once more.
CRACK-BOOOOOOOOM!
The sound was deafening.
A volley of ten lightning bolts rained down, one after another.
They completely engulfed that section of the cloud sea.
The area became a blinding sphere of incandescent light, crackling with arcs of electricity.
The massive Sky Fish caught in the blast were vaporized instantly—not even bones remained.
The power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was on full display. The fact that Luffy ever managed to defeat him was nothing short of a miracle.
The Skypieans were dumbstruck, staring in stunned silence.
"This... is divine punishment."
"No one can survive God's wrath."
"They're gone."
They trembled in terror, prostrating themselves even lower, begging for their god's forgiveness.
When the thunder finally subsided and the light began to fade...
"Hey! Look!" someone shouted.
"EH??"
"What?"
A wave of utter shock washed over the crowd. The Blue Sea ship was sailing out of the dissipating storm, completely unscathed. The people on board were fine.
That was ten bolts of divine punishment.
And they were fine??
How?
Many of them thought they were seeing things. They rubbed their eyes, unable to believe what was before them. But the ship was still there.
The divine punishment had failed to destroy it.
"Divine punishment?" Jin said with a faint, dismissive smile. "Is that all?"
An invisible, transparent barrier had formed a square shield around the demonic carrier, deflecting every single bolt of lightning.
"Damn... the arrogance."
"He's still taunting God?"
"Does he have a death wish?"
The Skypieans couldn't believe it. This man from the Blue Sea was unbelievably audacious.
"Hey! Stop talking!"
"Seize them!"
"You have committed a grave sin by provoking God! Surrender now!"
A group of men in white berets shot out from the city, gliding down the winding cloud roads as if they were skiing.
"It's the White Berets!"
"They're here."
"Hurry up and deal with this problem before God gets any angrier."
The White Berets had once served under the former "God," Gan Fall. After Enel's arrival, they had been conscripted into his service. They were responsible for maintaining order on the island—or more accurately, on Angel Island, where the Skypieans lived.
They fought using the processed clouds of their sky island and a unique set of weapons called "Dials."
Dials were a specialty of Skypiea. They could store and release various forms of matter and energy. Depending on what they stored, they had different uses: Sound Dials for recording, Light Dials for illumination, Flame Dials for fire, and Impact Dials for releasing powerful shockwaves.
It was a unique and highly practical system of technology.
Jin glanced at the approaching security force. "Robin," he said, "they're all yours. Take care of them."
"But don't kill them," he added.
He had his own plans for Skypiea.
The White Berets weren't evil. Most of them were just following orders. In secret, many of them were helping the islanders avoid Enel's tyrannical punishments.
A light reprimand would be enough.
Killing them all would be bad for his image and would complicate his future plans for the island.
"Seis Fleur: Clutch!"
Robin crossed her arms, and in the blink of an eye, flower petals bloomed on the bodies of the approaching soldiers.
"Eh? What's happening?"
"Where did these hands come from?"
"Look out!"
The members of the White Berets could only watch in horror as arms sprouted from their bodies, twisting and binding them.
They tumbled from the cloud roads, their momentum gone, and fell in a heap on the ground.
"They... they were all defeated!"
"Attacking the White Berets... that's a serious crime! They'll be sentenced to one of God's Ordeals for this!"
"Who are those two?"
The Skypieans were practically petrified.
One of them slapped himself hard across the face, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
Under Enel's rule, he used his "Mantra" to monitor every single person in his holy land. He saw all outsiders as criminals, and he forced the locals to lead these "sinners" to their judgment. Over time, a deep-seated guilt had taken root in the hearts of the people, leaving their spirits fragile and easy to control.
Enel used fear to dominate them, and he had fully embraced his role as a god.
Though some had tried to resist, they had all been killed.
The islanders had lost all hope.
But today was different.
These two... they were strong.
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