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[One Piece: The Legend of the Star Sea]
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Led by the obsequious man, Zyhark and his companions walked through the cloud streets to a spacious square in the center of Birka.
As they delved deeper, faint sounds of distant thunder began to be audible, mysterious in their origin.
The pure white square, crafted from processed clouds, was now surrounded by town residents sporting small wings.
Upon seeing the oddly dressed people from the Blue Sea, they all showed expressions of shock and amazement.
After all, it had been nearly five years since a Blue Sea person had appeared here!
However, their curiosity soon faded, and they refocused their attention on a square platform in the middle of the square, constructed from island clouds.
For the residents of Sky Island Birka, today was a day of great importance!
With the local man leading the way, and King's imposing side profile, the onlookers, albeit reluctantly, made way.
Zyhark and his group unapologetically moved forward to the front of the platform.
"It's uncertain how many will pass the qualification test today. Just thinking about the Trial of the Gods gives me the chills."
"Exactly, I don't know what they are after. That's the territory of the gods! Even if they succeed in gaining entry, won't they just be blasted to smithereens by the wrath of the gods?"
"What are you saying, would you go if you got the chance?"
"Cough, cough, of course I would go! What if I get lucky and receive the supreme power granted by the gods? That would be epic!"
...
Listening to the conversations of the surrounding residents, Zyhark rested his hand on his sword hilt, his gaze calmly fixed on the Sky Island guards standing on the platform.
From the irritable man, he had learned about the unique situation of Birka.
On the other side of the town where the residents lived, the other half of the island was perennially stormy, with ceaseless thunder covering the entire area.
Even the white clouds of the island were blasted to a charred black, and ordinary creatures that stepped there met instant death, the place permeated with an aura of demise.
The residents called this half of the island "The Domain of the Gods," which was also the origin of its nickname "Island of Thundering Resonance."
According to the historical records left by Birka, the thunderous power of the peninsula would accumulate to its peak in three days, then pour down unrestrained.
And this was the so-called "Trial of the Gods"!
Success in surviving this trial and inheriting the power of the gods would grant one supreme power, elevating them above all creatures as a new deity!
If he wasn't mistaken, the perpetual thunderstorms plaguing the island were closely related to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Essentially, inheriting the power of the gods meant consuming the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Given the fruit's potent attributes, deeming it divine wasn't an exaggeration.
Indeed, ten years later, Enel would become an invincible presence on Sky Island. If not for Luffy, who carried the protagonist's aura, Enel truly fit the title of a "god."
Thus, following the normal progression of the story, Enel would naturally emerge victorious in the upcoming battle for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Even the so-called Trial of the Gods he set up later on Sky Island was influenced by the legends of Birka!
Unfortunately, he happened to be here now...
While he was pondering, the boisterous voice of the foolish goddess suddenly burst out.
"What? You're all after the blessings of the gods? That's easy, come on, fill out this form, and Goddess Aqua will grant you the blessings you desire!"
Turning around, he saw Aqua expertly pulling out some flyers, her calls attracting the attention of nearby residents.
As a revered goddess, this was not something she needed to do herself.
However, Zyhark, her chief disciple, was too foolish to understand what these people truly desired.
It turns out the goddess herself had to take matters into her own hands!
Zyhark: "..."
Not that she wasn't a goddess in some respect, but considering they were new here and unfamiliar with the area, could she not confidently emerge and act so blatantly?
"Huh? Blue Sea people? What does the Water Goddess mean?"
"Signing this will grant you the blessings of the gods? You're kidding a three-year-old!"
"These folks from the Blue Sea are cunning and tricky. Even if she's not lying, any blessing that easy to obtain can't be of much use!"
The easier something is to obtain, the more it is doubted; it took no time for Aqua to successfully garner disdain and aversion from those around her.
For a goddess to fall to such a state was indeed challenging.
"Hah? That's too much! To say that the goddess is deceiving?!"
Aqua was immediately unsettled, waving the flyers and arguing fervently, "Although Zyhark is indeed a cunning and despicable fellow, missing the chance to believe in me, the goddess, is something you'll regret for a lifetime!"
Thank you for remembering me in your defense...
Zyhark silently commented to himself.
The residents sneered at this, and out of respect for King nearby, they didn't utter too harsh words, opting instead for silent observation.
They chose the most effective response—cold violence.
Aqua, frustrated and about to teach these ungrateful folks a lesson, paused as a middle-aged man in armor stood up on the platform.
"Everyone! Keep quiet. The Trial of the Gods is extremely perilous, and those without strength should not foolishly go to their deaths."
"Those who wish to participate must pass our test as the guard team to qualify."
"With that, I announce the start of this test!"
As his words fell, the guards on the platform drew their blades, their sharp gazes filled with surging battle intent.
The qualification test was straightforward: defeat these battle-hardened soldiers to prove one's strength and pass.
"I'll go!"
A bald man with a bare upper body and bulging muscles stepped forward from the crowd.
The guard captain glanced at him and signaled to a guard at his side.
To avoid unnecessary trouble and complaints, the Trial of the Gods did not restrict participants' identities.
Thus, besides the original residents of Birka, many others from different Sky Islands had come in hopes of gaining power.
This bald man was one of them.
For such "outsiders," the guard captain's requirements were clearly more stringent, sending a formidable subordinate to face him.
After a brief greeting, the guard captain and the rest of the soldiers turned and left the platform to the two contestants.
What Zyhark saw as a minor skirmish ensued, and the bald man was defeated, kicked off the stage to the laughter of the onlookers.
More challengers took the stage, each demonstrating their strength in skirmishes with the Birka guard team.
After half an hour, seven people had successfully qualified to participate in the Trial of the Gods.
"This boring test should just end quickly. The one who will become a god is definitely me. All your efforts are just for show, so why bother?"
With an arrogant tone, a familiar figure slowly walked onto the platform.
His ridiculously long earlobes hung like ornaments, and he sported a bushy afro, bare-chested with a long cloud staff in hand and flamboyant lantern pants below.
His smooth back lacked the typical small wings of other Sky Islanders, and there was no trace of the later Three Rumble Drums.
Zyhark's eyes narrowed as he observed Enel standing arrogantly on the platform.
Not yet in possession of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, his haughty demeanor was already evident, no wonder he declared himself a god after conquering Sky Island.
But on reflection, the current Enel did have significant strength on Sky Island.
Setting aside his mediocre physical abilities, his Observation Haki alone was enough to ensure his invincibility.
—None of the other fighters Zyhark had observed so far seemed to possess a power similar to Observation Haki.
Following in Enel's footsteps, four more stepped onto the platform:
The rotund Satori, Shura with his pilot's cap and goggles, the bald swordsman Ohm, and Gedatz with his spider-style hair.
These were the four priests who would later follow Enel to administer divine judgment!
"Damn it, Enel, climb up here and face me!"
The irritable man who had guided Zyhark and his group earlier was the first to speak out, spitting towards Enel on the stage.
The rest of the residents also showed their disgust, throwing rotten eggs, spoiled vegetables, and various other items at him.
From their extremely impatient expressions, it was clear that even in their homeland, Enel's gang was not well-liked.
The reasons for this were not yet known.
The guard captain in charge of the qualification test frowned slightly, thought for a few seconds, and then casually selected five ordinary soldiers as their opponents.
While he had no fondness for Enel, as the captain of Birka's guard, he was well aware of their strength.
Rather than waste strong fighters on them, he preferred to increase the difficulty for other Sky Islanders.
Especially those unfamiliar Blue Sea people!
His sharp gaze had already noticed Zyhark and his group.
The result of such a choice was predictable; Enel and his four companions easily defeated their opponents and qualified for the Trial of the Gods.
As they descended from the stage, faced with insults and jeers from the residents, a fleeting murderous intent flashed in Enel's eyes.
A bunch of disgusting plebeians, one day I will exterminate you all!
After Enel's gang, more contestants took the stage.
As the surroundings gradually quieted down and the timing seemed right, Zyhark, his hand on his sword hilt, finally stepped forward and slowly walked onto the platform.
He was determined to obtain the nearly bug-like Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Although there were more sinister methods and means to snatch it, following the rules of Birka was the most prudent approach for now.
Aqua frowned.
With her, a goddess, right beside him, why bother participating in such a trivial trial?
Was Zyhark looking down on her?!
Anticipating her thoughts, Zyhark turned back and said in a deep voice, "Aqua, I really can't stand it anymore, these people actually don't believe in you as a goddess!"
Hearing this, Aqua's frown immediately turned into a smile.
Oh, so he was standing up for the goddess? No wonder he's my number one disciple, still quite gentle and reliable~
"Make sure to show them some color, Zyhark!"
The naïve goddess, completely unaware she was being played, enthusiastically cheered Zyhark on.
Behind her, the watching crowd expressed their doubts about Zyhark, the Blue Sea person.
"Is that Blue Sea person also trying to obtain the power of the gods?"
"These folks from the Blue Sea really don't know their limits, daring to dream of obtaining the power of the gods?"
"It doesn't matter, wait until he sees the scenery on Thunder Island, he'll be scared out of his wits."
...
In contrast, Aqua, understanding Zyhark's "intentions," proudly puffed up her chest.
You short-sighted fools, just watch how powerful a disciple of the goddess can be!
Imagining the crowd's shocked faces later, Aqua couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.
Zyhark was confident he could easily handle these Birka guards, but what he didn't expect was that his opponent would be the observant guard captain.
The strong aura emanating from his robust body made it clear he was not on the same level as ordinary guards.
"Hello there, welcome, friend from the far Blue Sea. I am Oreo Gross, the captain of the Sky Island Birka guard," Gross said, clad in light cloud-fabric armor, with a long sword at his waist, his face rugged and determined.
"Hello, Mr. Gross, my name is Zyhark, and as you see, I'm just a businessman who happened to pass by," Zyhark replied with a smile, then asked, "Not to hide it, I'm quite interested in your Trial of the Gods. May I participate?"
"Of course, the Trial of the Gods does not restrict who can join. If you can pass this qualification test."
Gross's expression was serious as he gripped his uniquely shelled sword handle and slowly drew his sword.
This sword, similar to a rapier, looked very slender; more like a hardened and elongated whip than a sword.
As the captain responsible for the security of the entire Birka domain, Gross possessed exquisite sword skills, known for his speed, and was the strongest in the island.
Thus, he was also known as the fastest and finest man in all of Birka!
"Please go ahead."
Feeling his opponent's intent to fight, Zyhark didn't waste words either. He too drew his swords.
The two, weapons in hand, locked eyes in a tense silence, the atmosphere immediately becoming charged.
Whoosh!
Gross made the first move, his custom wind-shell bursting with strong thrust from below, giving him high-speed movement as he charged forward.
His large, sturdy form appeared in front of Zyhark in the blink of an eye.
Special shells on the sword handle sparked, covering the slender blade with a dazzling blue current.
This was a "Thunder Shell," a type of shell unique to thunder-rich Birka.
The sword swung, drawing a beautiful arc of electric light.
Clang!
Red glints flickered in Zyhark's eyes as he anticipated the move and crossed Yubashiri and Kitetsu in front of him, accurately blocking Gross's electric slash.
"Unable to catch your movements with Mantra, my instincts were right; you're not one of those Blue Sea pirates I can handle casually."
Unsurprised by the block, Gross stabilized his sword with both arms, his fighting spirit surging.
This was the thrill of facing a strong opponent!
"Because I can use a power similar to your Mantra, called Color of Observation Haki in the Blue Sea."
As he spoke, Zyhark was also sizing up his opponent.
Whether it was speed or strength, it was comparable to Captain Kuro.
Even considering the versatile and powerful shell, it wasn't too much pressure for the current him.
Since that was the case, it was time to test out the newly developed technique!
Zyhark's lips curved slightly.
After forcefully repelling Gross, he stepped forward, holding the vertically held Sandai Kitetsu in front and the horizontally held Yubashiri behind, adopting a unique offensive stance.
As Gross, pushed back, looked on with a serious expression, grasping his electric sword firmly.
Through Observation Haki, he could clearly sense the dangerous aura drawing closer.
However, at this moment, Zyhark, having finished charging, slowly closed his eyes, mentally iterating the upcoming slashing maneuver.
The first strike was a horizontal slash, the second a forward thrust, the third a spinning slash, the fourth two parallel slashes, the fifth a cross downward slash, the sixth a cross upward slash, the seventh a lunging downward slash, the eighth to fourteenth alternating left and right chops, the fifteenth a long stab, and the final move a thrust...
Hum!
After completing the sequence, Zyhark, wielding dual swords, suddenly opened his eyes, bursting with tremendous momentum.
Enhanced by his body's speed attributes, a black afterimage flickered as he instantly appeared before the ready Gross!
"Two-Sword Style: Sixteen Consecutive Strikes: Starburst Stream Slash!"
(End of Chapter)