Two hooves slammed into Gedatsu, sending him flying backward with immense force.
As Gedatsu soared through the air, he coughed up blood, unable to resist the impact.
Where Gedatsu was about to land, Usopp was already waiting, calmly prepared. His right hand stretched out, bracing his left hand against it. The moment Gedatsu flew close, Usopp's eyes sharpened.
"Impact!"
A powerful shockwave blasted from Usopp's hand, hitting Gedatsu again before he could hit the ground. Gedatsu spat out more blood mid-air, flying back another ten meters before crashing heavily to the earth.
Usopp shook his hands and muttered to himself, "That recoil packs quite a punch!"
"Usopp, we did it! We won!" Chopper cheered, running over with excitement.
"Hahaha… of course we did! The two of us are so strong. No mere priest can handle us!" Usopp boasted proudly.
"Yeah! Totally!" Chopper nodded in agreement.
"Let's head for the Sacrificial Altar. I bet we'll be the first ones there! The others probably haven't defeated their priests as quickly as we did," Usopp declared.
"And then we can laugh at them, hahaha…"
The thought of beating their crewmates to the altar filled Usopp with excitement. Chopper, now equally eager, imagined the scene as well.
"Then let's go quickly!" Chopper shouted, already sprinting ahead.
"Hey, wait for me, Chopper!" Usopp called out, chasing after him. Behind them, Gedatsu lay unconscious, a symbol of their overwhelming victory.
Gedatsu, the Swamp Trial priest, had suffered the most humiliating defeat among all the priests. His panicked, clueless nature led to his swift downfall, as his mental abilities faltered under pressure. Thus, Chopper and Usopp easily bested him.
With Gedatsu defeated, the last of the four priests of Upper Yard had fallen!
Now, only Enel and his Divine Corps of fifty soldiers remained.
——
In the giant sprout-filled shrine...
Enel sat with his eyes closed, casually munching on an apple. After a moment, he opened his eyes, a faint look of disdain crossing his face.
Finishing the apple, he sneered, "Pathetic! They fell so easily."
Enel had sensed the defeat of his priests, one by one, each falling quicker than the last. This string of losses embarrassed him, their supposed god.
After a pause, Enel stood up, stretching as a sinister smile spread across his face. "So, the people from the Blue Sea have some strength after all. Time for me to greet them personally."
With a flash of lightning, Enel's figure vanished.
——
Elsewhere on Upper Yard, fifty Divine Soldiers encircled a man—Kai.
Kai eyed the group in front of him with calm indifference. "Do you need something?" he asked, his tone casual.
"You from the Blue Sea are bold to come here! Don't you know that this is the domain of the gods, and those who enter are doomed to die?" A large soldier snarled, glaring at Kai.
Unfazed, Kai narrowed his eyes, and a surge of Conqueror's Haki burst from him, sweeping over the soldiers.
The soldiers, unable to withstand the overwhelming power of Kai's advanced Haki, collapsed one by one.
Without hesitation, Kai continued on his path.
——
After some time, he arrived at a cave, walking deeper inside. Eventually, he reached his destination and saw what he had been seeking. A smirk appeared on his face.
There it was—the Ark Maxim—Enel's massive flying vessel, built over six years and powered by lightning. Kai had no intention of letting it slip through his fingers.
The Ark wasn't just a flying ship; it was coated in gold. Kai couldn't ignore that kind of treasure.
But he wouldn't dismantle the Ark just to sell the gold. He had plenty of wealth stored away—enough that the gold from Sky Island wasn't even necessary.
With a mere thought, Kai made the Ark vanish into his storage.
Smiling, he clapped his hands in satisfaction. Most of the gold from Sky Island was now his. He wasn't too concerned about the remaining gold inside the Sky Lord serpent. He'd leave that for Luffy and the crew to discover.
——
At that moment, a loud boom echoed, shaking the cave.
Kai's expression turned curious. "Hmm?"
Using his Haki, he scanned the source of the disturbance. After a moment, he smirked in amusement.
"Zoro, huh? Looks like you've gotten yourself into quite a situation."
"I can't miss out on this!"
With that, Kai's figure disappeared in an instant.
——
Boom! Boom!
The continuous rumbling had drawn everyone's attention. Without wasting time, the crew rushed toward the source of the commotion.
In the center of the chaos, only flashes of thunder and bursts of sword energy could be seen.
After a fierce exchange, Zoro and Enel stood facing each other.
Zoro had tied his black bandana tightly around his head, his gaze locked on Enel. His body bore signs of electric burns, but his eyes burned with determination.
"As a so-called god, you've got some skills. Way better than those useless priests under you. But that just makes this more fun!"
"Otherwise, fighting on easy mode would be pretty boring!"
Enel's expression darkened. A long, narrow cut ran across his chest, blood dripping from the wound.
Confusion filled Enel's mind. His powerful Logia ability had been untouchable for so long, yet now, not once but twice, opponents had managed to harm him. The swordsman standing before him, and the man he fought yesterday—both had made contact.
What's going on? Enel wondered, racking his brain. Aren't I God? How can these physical attacks hit me?
Frustrated, Enel finally voiced the question to Zoro. "Why can your attacks touch me?"
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Power Stones would be appreciated if you liked the story.