When we were climbing up using the power of the Doflamingo threads, I felt someone else's gaze. The clown's intuition, sharpened by a developed spirituality, immediately warned me of an impending threat. I shifted someone else's gaze to the paper figurine, holding it at the ready, and threw it away. A moment later, lightning burst right into the place where she was, burning her to shreds. While this was happening, I focused on divination to pinpoint Enel's location.
A couple of flaming jumps and I was right in front of him. His reaction was instantaneous, but his expression of surprise betrayed more than he wanted to show. It seems that my appearance and the burnt paper figurine bypassed his Mantra, knocking down his confidence. However, I didn't give him time to think — Doflamingo, following my plan, immediately rushed to the attack.
The puppet had no will: instead, I summoned Jute Smoker, forged from kairoseki. Her ephemeral existence was limited to seven minutes, but it was more than enough to suppress the fake god. Enel tried to dodge, but Doflamingo's speed and strength, enhanced by my spirit thread, exceeded the opponent's expectations.
To confuse him even more, I redirected Enel's observation from the puppet to another paper figure again, disrupting his concentration. This gave Doflamingo the opportunity to make a flaming leap and deliver a crushing blow. The blow was designed not only to damage, but also to capture. Jutte came into contact with Enel's body, making it impossible for him to use the powers of his fruit.
Enel was nailed to the ground. Without hesitation, I began the submission process. His gaze was now fading under the influence of my will. He soon became my puppet, and his own powers were turned against his followers, who fell under the precise lightning strikes.
We went down to the island, to the crowd of Skypians. I reported Enel's death, after which I deployed my actions to gather all the heavenly tribes in one place.
To attract attention, I gave up on stealth and allowed my semi-divine aura to unfold in all its might. Its effect was noticeable physically: a thick, almost visible fog enveloped the space around me, and those present felt an ancient, otherworldly chill, mixed with a sense of awe at a mystery that could not be comprehended.
"Enel was killed by me," I began, over the noise of the crowd. "I'm taking away his god status. But I do not intend to rule you, I will not take your lands or demand alms.
The pause allowed people to process what they had heard before I continued.:
"I demand only one thing: peace between the Skypians and the Shandians. Gun Foul will be your leader again. I will also build a small temple where you can turn to me in prayer. I will tell you my honorary name. By reading it in the ritual, you can ask me for help in significant matters. I will answer many prayers, and sometimes I will help even beyond your expectations.
I gave them time to digest the information before I spoke again.:
— I will stay here for a week to help you directly. My response may be delayed later, but I will continue to protect you from external threats. In addition, I will teach your fighters two types of Mantras to increase their fighting ability.
The door opened behind me, and Doflamingo came out. His presence caused a noticeable murmur among the crowd.
"He's lost his own ability to chant, but he knows how to train it," I explained, nodding at him. — Anyone interested in learning can approach him.
I looked around the crowd.
— Do you have any questions? I added, getting ready to listen to them.
After my speech, no one took the initiative. It seemed that despite my aura and words, the imprint of Enel's rule was still poisoning their minds. They just didn't believe me. One of the Shandonians plucked up the courage to ask:
—What... what if we don't want to follow you?"
This question clearly showed that my approach was wrong. I planned to use Skype to prepare the ground for my church. If I reach the Second Sequence, I will need it as an anchor. But now I realized that I shouldn't have made direct contact in human form.
Human nature tends to worship what it doesn't understand. However, trying to change their image now would only increase their fear. Realizing the failure of the plan, I decided to leave a couple of hooks for the future.
I glanced at the Shandian, who was clearly expecting punishment or a trick, and then turned my gaze to the crowd.
"If you don't agree, I won't kill you, punish you, or banish you. However, I will still restore Gang Faul to the throne, help those who pray, and train willing fighters.
My words did not convince them, but they had a calming effect. The lack of punishment for the impertinent question also played a role.
After that, I explained the prayer ritual and gave my honorary name. The name should clearly reflect the essence, so I used my abilities to create it.:
"The One Who Hides in History,
The Puppet Creator,
The Master of Names and Masks,
The Embodiment of Invisible Control,
The Lord of the Threads of the Spiritual Body."
After familiarizing them with the honorary name, I left in search of the poneglyph.
The poneglyph in the ruins of Shandora has become a mystery to me. I could do fortune-telling to understand its purpose, but the language itself remained incomprehensible to me. However, using my power, I easily saw the scenes of its creation.
The second poneglyph gave me more information. It was signed by Gol D. Roger. I used my abilities to see Auden writing these words.
I couldn't decipher them, but I had an idea how to solve the mystery of all the ponoglyphs. The idea was simple to implement, so I decided to leave it for later.
Leaving my thoughts on the poneglyphs, I returned to the castle. For now, I decided to find ancient records and be ready to answer prayers.
After being on Skypia for almost a week, I finally came down to earth. Right now, I was slowly and unhurriedly moving around the city of Nanohane on a wereloop. The reason for my arrival in Alabasta is Nico Robin. I would like to study the history she knows, and also if I can learn how to read the glyphs.
Nanohana is a lively port city that immediately impresses with a variety of colors and flavors. Narrow streets wind between clay buildings, the roofs of which are covered with bright fabrics that protect from the scorching sun. Shops with local spices, fabrics and glass products create a kaleidoscope of impressions. The air is filled with the smells of fresh fruits, scalding coffee and the exquisite perfumes for which this city is famous.
In the wide market squares, local merchants are calling customers, and tourists are surprised to see exotic goods. Despite the heat, the streets are crowded — people are smiling, talking, and haggling. Nanohana, being a port city, has not been affected by the drought like other places in Alabasta, and this is felt in its cheerful atmosphere.
Walking through the streets of Nanohana, I absorbed the hustle and bustle of the city. Caravans of goods, loaded carts, and the joyful voices of merchants were rushing past, inviting them to their bright shops decorated with fabrics and spices. There was a counter with tiny glass vials on one corner. The aromas of jasmine and lemon, mixed with the astringency of sandalwood, were subtle, but persistently attracted attention. The salesman, noticing my interest, handed over the probe without saying a word, only nodding slightly, as if to say, "This is what you need."
Then I was enveloped in richer smells — the spice shop laid out its treasures right on the road. Clay pots with powders of various shades, from bright orange to rich brown, were an almost imperceptible part of the landscape, but their fragrance spoke louder than words. Among these scents, coriander and cardamom stood out, a mild fragrance with a dry tint. The salesman poured a pinch of some kind of mixture into a wooden cup and, without waiting for my question, handed it to me.
I stopped for a moment to make out the square ahead — there were several musicians gathered there. Their melodies flowed like a light wind, intertwining with the general noise. The sounds of the instruments created a mood without demanding anything in return.
After leaving Nanohana, I soon found myself among the vast expanses of sand that surrounded the city. The expanse of the desert stretched to the horizon, dotted in places with sparse silhouettes of dried-up trees and shrubs, which seemed to be a living reminder of the former fertility of these lands.
The road to Rheinbes stretched along the dunes scorched by the sun, whose soft waves gently rolled under the light wind. In the distance, mirages flickered near the horizon—wavering, deceptive outlines, as if teasing travelers with the hope of water. Several caravans were moving slowly along the road, their camels, unhurried and majestic, leaving deep footprints in the sand.
At small stops in the shadow of the cliffs, I noticed travelers exchanging goods and news. The clink of pitchers filled with rare water and low-pitched conversations reinforced the feeling of insecurity and vulnerability of this desert life.
The rhythm of the camel I rode was monotonous, but its stability seemed to be transmitted to me. I could feel the hot wind bringing with it the smell of salt and hot sand. The Rainbow was rumored to appear beyond the next dune, and it turned out to be true.
The city was like a Mirage, an oasis against the background of the desert, even from here you could feel the life. My desire to break into the city where Crocodile's headquarters is located with the help of a flaming jump was suppressed by others, to enjoy a walk around the city itself.