He looked at the four priests, mouth curling into an exaggerated grin. "Fossss... So these are the so-called messengers of the gods?"
As expected, the crew reflects their captain.
Rhett was gentle with his family but utterly ruthless and arrogant towards outsiders. Moriah seemed to be heading in the same direction.
"You savages from the Blue Sea!" Shura, riding his flaming bird, pointed his spear at Moriah. "Prepare to face divine punishment!"
Gedatsu attacked first, his nosebleed tracing a crimson arc.
Watching Rhett was a headache. Couldn't he just plug his nose? Charging forward while spraying blood was seriously disturbing and disgusting.
The Jet Dial exploded beneath his feet, propelling him to speeds beyond the naked eye. "Tekkai·Cloud Steel!" His fist, wrapped in breaking air, aimed directly for Moriah's face.
Suddenly, the shadows came alive.
A pitch-black shadow hand burst from the deck, fingers spread wide, blocking Gedatsu's charge. "Too slow. You still need more training."
Moriah's shadow bared its teeth, gripping the priest's head and slamming it into the clouds.
The crisp sound of bones breaking.
"That's one. Checkmark."
Moriah spun his scissors on his fingertip. "This is much lighter than when the captain trained me. Come on, guys, give me some pressure."
He snapped his fingers, and shadows rose from the ground, forming a towering wall. Countless shadow blades flew out.
Shura's flaming bird let out a piercing cry. Thin ropes of cloud coiled in from all directions, only to be torn apart the moment they touched the shadows.
"That's two."
"You're really underestimating me." Moriah's shadow suddenly expanded, tearing the entire rope cloud domain to shreds.
Satori's Impact Dial shockwave hadn't even spread before it was crushed by a splitting shadow serpent. "Your toys..." Moriah's scissors flashed coldly, "Just won't cut it, buddy."
"That's three. Kind of boring. Anyone actually worth fighting?"
Ohm sat cross-legged on a cloud brick, eyes closed. His abilities ran at full power, yet he could sense nothing. "Why... can't I read you?" His voice began to tremble.
"Yeah! Why is that? Oh, it's because of Armament Haki, isn't it?" The moment the shadow spear pierced his chest,
"Now that you know, you can die. Because, well, you know too much."
Perona floated in mid-air, her ghosts holding up a glowing sign that read "Zombies +4." "Moriah-sama is so slow~" She swung her legs, a Tone Dial looping a recording of "Perona-sama is the cutest."
"The captain took care of them all. Just small fry. Didn't even break a sweat." Moriah laughed maniacally.
At the top of the shrine, Enel was furious. Since he became a god, no one had dared challenge his divine authority.
"200 Million Volts: Raigou!" His furious roar made the sea of clouds boil.
Rhett slashed it apart with a single stroke. "Moriah, come back and rest. I'll handle the rest."
"So-called gods..." Rhett tilted his head, "Can only hide behind clouds and shoot lightning?"
Enel's golden staff erupted with blinding lightning: "200 Million Volts: Divine Judgment!"
Rhett didn't even blink. With a casual swing of his Black Tide greatsword coated in Armament Haki, a crimson sword slash tore through the air.
"Your Observation Haki is pretty well developed." Rhett suddenly appeared behind Enel. "But..."
Rhett felt like he was bullying him. It was as easy as snatching candy from a child.
"Impossible! My Raigou form..."
"Oi! No way. Your Raigou form isn't working?" Rhett's tone was casual.
But his actions were anything but. He stomped down on the reforming lightning, blood mist seeping into Enel's wounds. "In the New World, everyone knows Armament Haki. Your world is too small, Enel."
Enel suddenly screamed. The blood mist was devouring his lightning. Even worse, he could clearly feel his body trying to reform through elementalization, only for the eerie blood mist to corrode it instantly. The effect was horrifying.
Armament Haki and elementalization seem like counters to each other, but in reality, they counter each other. If Armament Haki isn't strong enough, it can't harm powerful elementalization. Rhett was just bullying Enel for not knowing Armament Haki. Hehe.
Enel knelt before the shattered golden shrine, long earlobes drooping weakly. Lightning flickered weakly around him, unable to break free from the blood mist's grip.
His golden staff was broken in two. The once-arrogant look in his eyes was now replaced with incredulous trembling.
"Why..." His voice was hoarse, "Why is my lightning useless against you?"
Rhett stood before him, Black Tide resting on his shoulder. He looked down at the man who called himself a god, a cold smile on his lips.
"I told you, your perspective is too narrow."
"Your so-called Mantra, capable of covering the entire Skypiea, is indeed a remarkable talent. But your fighting style is like a child playing with electricity. It's laughable." Rhett crouched down, crimson eyes locking onto Enel's. "You have no idea what true power is."
"What... do you want from me?"
Rhett grinned: "I want your submission."
Don't blame Rhett for being arrogant. This wasn't his usual self. This was something Rhett had thought through carefully. For a chuunibyou, you can only ignite his soul with chuunibyou energy (I will ignite the sea, roar).
Enel's expression twisted for a moment, but soon, he laughed. His laughter was maniacal and hoarse: "Submission? I am a god! How could I—"
"Bam!"
Rhett punched him in the face, Armament Haki directly caressing Enel's cheek. Enel's nosebleed gushed out as he was sent tumbling, crashing through several golden pillars.
"A god? Putting on airs in front of me? Have you asked CP0 how they're feeling? Sleeping soundly." Rhett shook his fist. "A trash who doesn't even know Haki dares to call himself a god?"
"I'll give you two choices." Rhett held up two fingers. "First, die here. My patience is limited."
"Second, join Crimson Dawn and become my crewmate."
Rhett's eyes were cold. "I'll show you true power. I'll make you understand that your so-called 'invincibility' is nothing but the delusion of a frog at the bottom of a well."
Enel's breathing was ragged. He stared intently at Rhett.
"You... can really make me stronger?"
Rhett smiled, his confidence absolute: "Stronger than you can imagine."
His Conqueror's Haki pressed down on Enel.
After a one-sided friendly exchange, Rhett withdrew his Conqueror's Haki.
Finally, Enel slowly stood up, kneeling on one knee and lowering his once-proud head.
"I... submit."
Rhett nodded in satisfaction, placing a hand on his shoulder: "A wise choice."
The blood mist slowly receded, and Enel felt his power returning.
"From today, you are Crimson Dawn's 'God of Thunder.' Hahahaha." Rhett turned and walked towards the Bluma Jackson. "Don't disappoint me."
Enel watched his back, eyes no longer filled with disdain but with something akin to fervent battle spirit.
"Rhett..." he murmured. "Just who are you?"
If Enel had looked directly at Rhett's face, he would have seen a smile resembling a dragon king's return, impossible to suppress.
Perona floated over, giggling as she flew closer: "Welcome aboard~ Rhett-sama is going to become the strongest man in the world!"