As the sun dipped below the horizon and the world around them descended into twilight, a brilliant crimson flame blazed defiantly. Zepo eyed the unfamiliar power warily, and Sanji and Chopper moved to stand behind him, gazing upwards at the source.
"What the hell is that!?"
"He's on fire!? Is he alright!?"
Before Zepo could answer, their enemy closed in. Despite his imposing size, his fighting technique was surprisingly crude. Zepo caught the incoming fist and retaliated with an Electro-charged punch to the face – but despite the solid connection, their opponent didn't even flinch.
The impact felt like hitting ordinary flesh. There was no sign of Haki reinforcement, yet the attack seemed to have no effect. It was unsettling.
"Whoa!?"
The flames erupting from the man's back intensified, threatening to engulf Zepo. He narrowly dodged, creating some distance, but the flames, shifting shape, snaked across the ground, pursuing him relentlessly. Recognizing the danger, Zepo circled around their opponent, creating an opening for Sanji, who slammed a powerful kick into the man's abdomen.
The impact was solid, but their enemy merely staggered. He glared at Sanji, his hand were engulfed in flames, and lunged at him.
"Don't touch him, Sanji! That's not just a regular burn!"
"I know that!"
Sanji rolled between their opponent's legs, evading the fiery grasp, and retreated. His movements weren't impossibly fast. The only real threats were the flames and the man's unnatural durability. Zepo and Sanji, having reached this conclusion, began formulating a plan.
However, their opponent wasn't about to wait. If they wouldn't attack, he would give them a reason to.
"Hmph. Perhaps burning their ship will motivate them."
FWOOSH!
A whooshing sound filled the air as the atmosphere superheated. A stream of fire shot towards the Going Merry, igniting the main mast. The flames began to spread.
"Aaaaagh! The ship's on fire!"
Chopper screamed and quickly snapped off the burning mast, sending it crashing into the sea. As the flames shifted towards the ship's hull, Sanji and Zepo attacked relentlessly. But their blows seemed to have little effect. In their experience, no one had ever withstood such a barrage unscathed.
"What the hell is this guy!? He's too damn tough!"
"I don't know! But if we don't do something, the ship will burn!"
With no need to defend, their opponent's attacks became even more relentless. He punched and kicked, occasionally unleashing bursts of flame, gradually pushing them back. Each time Zepo and Sanji dodged, the flames struck the surrounding forest, setting it ablaze. The encroaching darkness was momentarily pushed back by the growing inferno.
Genbo, the injured Shandia warrior, watched the burning forest then glared at his enemy.
"You bastard! This forest…!"
"Losers don't get to choose. Just burn and die!"
Genbo, battered and exhausted, had no strength left to dodge. A direct hit would be fatal. Chopper, unable to stand by, shifted into his Heavy Point form, scooped up Genbo, and retreated from the flames.
"What is this guy!? How do we even hurt him!?"
Even in a direct exchange of blows, Zepo and Sanji were the only ones taking damage. Their opponent seemed impervious to pain. Zepo's Electro, even his Haki-infused attacks, seemed ineffective. Panic began to set in. If they couldn't overcome his unnatural durability, they couldn't win.
Zepo gritted his teeth, desperately searching for a solution, but his options were limited. If he couldn't do it, Pedro wouldn't fare any better. Even if Robin could restrain him with her ability, any damage to her sprouted arms would be felt by her. Against an opponent who controlled fire, that would be suicide.
Just as he was about to launch another attack, a bolt of lightning struck near the ship.
"What!? Lightning!? There aren't even any clouds!"
"Could it be… the Princess!?"
Zepo instantly recognized it as a signal. He yelled at Sanji and Chopper to retreat.
"Get back! Something big is coming!"
He grabbed their opponent, not to attack, but to hurl him towards the island's cliffs. It was the only location far enough from the Going Merry and unlikely to cause further damage to the island.
"It's useless! Your attacks can't hurt me!"
"We'll see about that! Take this!"
Their opponent, released from Zepo's grasp, didn't even attempt to use his wings. He simply unleashed a burst of flame to stabilize himself mid-air, and prepared to attack again. Just then, a light descended from above.
"…!?"
A shiver ran down his spine. He extinguished the flames on his back and redirected all his energy into propulsion, and retreated.
At that moment, it struck.
"Deus Arcus Tonitrus… Descending from the heavens, piercing the stars…"
BOOM!
"Whoa!?"
Thunder echoed all around. The earth-shattering rumble, shook the island. Zepo braced himself against the shockwave. Sanji and Chopper covered their ears and crouched low. The attack, a pillar of lightning, had gouged a massive crater in the island's cliffs. The air reeked of ozone, making Chopper, with his sensitive nose, wince.
The forest was still burning, but the rapidly changing situation had Sanji bewildered.
"What… what just happened?"
There were two craters in the island now. Their winged opponent was gone, at least, beyond the range of Zepo's Kenbunshoku Haki.
"The Princess provided support. We were saved… Thank you, Princess."
"She can't hear you from here… Wait, you mean the Princess we met earlier today?"
Sanji's cigarette dangled from his lips as he stared at Zepo who had clasped his hands together in prayer. While he hadn't actually said it aloud, Zepo knew she could hear him.
"That's the one. That's within her capabilities… Anyway, we need to put out this fire before Robin and the others return."
"Right! Robin and Nami are in danger! I'll take care of these flames!"
Sanji rushed back to the ship to retrieve buckets. While they wouldn't be enough, Zepo was too exhausted to argue, his mind still reeling from the devastating attack. Their opponent had clearly dodged the first strike. Whether it was instinct or something else, it had been the right decision. Zepo wasn't sure he could have survived a direct hit.
But the first strike had been a feint.
A mere fraction of a second later, the second strike, slightly altered in trajectory, had engulfed their opponent and pierced the island. The first strike had been a distraction, preventing him from noticing the second. Even if he had, Komurasaki's Kenbunshoku Haki would have predicted his escape route. It was a long-range lightning attack, almost impossible to avoid.
(…Never anger the Princess…)
Zepo swore it to himself.
***
Using the Milky Dial and Water Dial Genbo had been carrying, they managed to contain the fire, cutting down burning trees to prevent its spread. By then, the sun had completely set, and Luffy's group finally returned. They seemed relatively unharmed, but their clothes were torn and dirty, suggesting a fight with the Shandia.
"There's a burning smell. Did something happen?"
"Yeah… you could say that."
Chopper was tending to the injured Shandia warriors, including Genbo, who were surprisingly still alive despite their severe burns. Sanji, having fallen behind schedule, was rushing to prepare dinner. Zepo was pondering how to repair the charred main mast.
"The mast… and you're all injured… What happened!?"
Usopp stared at them, dumbfounded, then noticed the numerous cuts and bruises on Sanji and Zepo. Whatever had transpired, it had clearly been a difficult fight. They needed to share information. About the Shandia warriors, Genbo and his comrades, about the winged man who had attacked the ship.
They gathered around the campfire, eating the dinner Sanji had prepared, and pieced together the events. About the winged man with white hair and dark skin who had attacked the ship. About the Shandia warriors Luffy had encountered in the forest.
"That's about it from our side. Sorry we couldn't protect the ship. Hopefully, it can be repaired…"
"Was the one who attacked you a Devil Fruit user?"
"I think so… I'd never seen that kind before, and his power was… strange."
"Someone Zepo couldn't defeat, even with his full strength…"
As Pedro pondered the implications, Luffy, munching on a roasted Sky Fish, asked the most important question. "But he's gone now, right?"
"Yeah. He took a direct hit from the Princess. I doubt he survived that."
"You mean Komurasaki? She's that strong?"
"She's Kanata's disciple. She's been training under her direct supervision for twenty years."
Kanata had several subordinate units, but only the elite of the Valkyries received her personal training. However, the membership of these elite units often changed. Twenty years of continuous training was exceptional, even within Twilight.
Chiyo had also trained under Kanata's direct supervision, and within Twilight, these two were considered the most likely candidates to succeed Kanata, who had no children.
Regardless…
"I doubt she made a mistake, so the real concern is their numbers."
"If he was a Devil Fruit user, there's only one. But if he wasn't… the thought of facing several of them is a headache."
"The Shandia aren't willing to tell us anything, and we don't know enough to formulate a strategy, so I suggest we post guards and take turns resting."
They needed to be prepared for a night attack, and Luffy showed no signs of abandoning his exploration. Robin proposed a compromise. If they were attacked again, the entire crew would fight. While Sanji and Zepo alone weren't enough, perhaps together they could manage… It was a slightly optimistic assessment.
Still, they weren't about to run. Not now. Having combined the maps of Upper Yard and Jaya, they now understood the meaning of Noland's words: "I saw gold in the skull's right eye." Even Nami, usually the first to suggest retreat, had dismissed that option.
"Right. There's a vast treasure hidden on this island! We can't leave until we find it!"
"Ah…"
"What?"
"Well, we can't hide it forever… Depending on how much there is, we won't be able to carry it all. A little… pilfering… shouldn't be a problem, though."
Nami tilted her head at Zepo's cryptic words. She understood he was suggesting they steal some of the gold without alerting the Shandia or Twilight, but…
Once a decision had been made, swift action was required. Robin suggested they extinguish the campfire, as it would reveal their location to the enemy. Luffy and Usopp exchanged disappointed glances. She's saying that, they thought, almost mournfully.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Not exactly…"
Robin looked at Pedro, but he seemed just as perplexed by Luffy and Usopp's reactions.
"We're supposed to have a campfire!"
"Campfire at night… even if it costs me my life… is a fundamental human right!"
"You idiots."
As Nami delivered her usual retort, Sanji and Zoro had already finished constructing a campfire. It was too late to stop them. As the night deepened, the sounds of their revelry echoed through the silent forest. The Shandia warriors watched with complicated expressions.
***
"Well?"
"No good. He's completely gone. Even if he wasn't using Haki, a single blow… I thought his body was supposed to be incredibly durable."
"It is. But there are limits. This is… unexpected, but it's valuable information. Not a complete loss."
"Resourceful. But what now? We've achieved our primary objective, but should we risk further involvement?"
"Hmm…"
Maraptonoka and Martin were conversing on a larger ship docked at the edge of the Sky Island. Komurasaki's presence was unexpected, but her Kenbunshoku Haki didn't cover the entire island. Their approximate location might be known, as they were outside her range, but for now, they were safe.
One of their six Lunarian agents had been eliminated, and the remaining five, to avoid further attacks, had returned to the ship. Maraptonoka, still seated, addressed Martin, who remained in his childlike form.
"We haven't confirmed this island is Ohara, so strictly speaking, we haven't fully achieved our objective. But the other island is heavily guarded, making reconnaissance difficult…"
"They shouldn't be easily defeated if they're on guard."
"Of course, I'm well aware of the Lunarians' physical capabilities. But there's always the risk of them falling into the sea and being neutralized."
"So, what's the plan? We only have six usable bodies, including that child."
Maraptonoka sipped her coffee as she considered their options. Perhaps she would have to handle this personally. She sighed. She would send the man who had commissioned this job an exorbitant bill. She stood up.
"Directly antagonizing Twilight will create complications… but it can't be helped. I can only hope this weakens them, even slightly."
…
Deus Arcus Tonitrus (God's Bow of Thunder)
Users: Octavia, Komurasaki
A long-range lightning attack. Targets generally don't survive. Octavia's version is a wide-area bombardment, targeting multiple enemies simultaneously using Kenbunshoku Haki. Komurasaki's version is a precision strike, predicting the enemy's movements and delivering a feint followed by a fatal blow. The number of feints can increase depending on the opponent's strength.