The people who looked like natives on the White-White Sea stared blankly at the sky.
"Kamakiri, did I just see what I think I saw?" a man with a rocket launcher and a shield asked.
"Wyper, I saw it, too."
Next to him, a man in a pink vest holding a spear nodded blankly.
"There's no mistake. It's that man, it's him!"
A fair-skinned female warrior gripped her firearm tightly, her voice filled with a mix of emotions.
"Wyper, what should we do?"
A chubby man behind them asked.
"Wyper, with that man's strength and Enel's arrogance, they're bound to fight. This is our chance," Kamakiri urged.
"You're right, this is a chance!" Wyper's body tensed. He turned around and gave orders: "Raki, Genbo, you two go back and gather the troops. Kamakiri, Braham, you two come with me to scout ahead."
In the forest of Upper Yard, God's Shrine.
Aeridar bent down, a faint trace of Conqueror's Haki leaking out. Within a hundred-meter radius, not a single bird, beast, or insect made a sound. It was completely silent.
Staring at the man in the sky with golden earrings, the Four Priests felt as if they were being stared down by a monstrous beast. They didn't dare to move.
"This feeling… it's even more terrifying than God Enel's!"
Satori swallowed hard, looking at Aeridar hovering in the air with terror.
"Y-You're looking for God Enel… what for?" Ohm asked nervously, tightening his grip on his long sword.
"Mmm, mmm…" Gedatsu's voice was much quieter now.
"Who are you? What do you want with God Enel?" The usually arrogant Shura didn't dare to be presumptuous under the pressure of Aeridar's Conqueror's Haki.
"Ah, nothing much. Just to give him a ride!" Aeridar grinned.
"Nani?!"
The Four Priests' eyes widened in confusion. What the hell was he talking about?
"Hahaha, just kidding!"
Aeridar laughed and rubbed his head. But when he lowered his hand, his expression changed, becoming indifferent and cold. "I said, take me to Enel. Didn't you hear me, you idiots?"
As soon as he spoke, his Conqueror's Haki exploded outwards. A fierce torrent of power erupted, making the entire space feel black and white. The overwhelming force rustled the leaves and grass, instantly covering nearly half of Upper Yard.
Animals in the area either fainted on the spot or trembled in fear. Even some of the stronger beasts desperately ran, trying to escape the terrifying aura.
Thump, thump…
Under the pressure of the Conqueror's Haki, Satori and Gedatsu couldn't help but fall to their knees. The four of them were stiff, their foreheads beaded with sweat that instantly soaked through the backs of their clothes.
Even the large dog and the large bird were completely sprawled on the ground, too terrified to move.
"My b-body… it's not… responding?"
"W-what is… this?"
"H-How is this even possible?!"
"W-Who are you? Are y-you a m-monster in human skin?"
The Four Priests stared at Aeridar in horror, cold sweat streaming down their faces. They had never seen anyone in the world who could overpower all four of them with just their presence, not even the so-called "God," Enel, could do that.
Rumble!
Suddenly, a thunderclap echoed in the sky, followed by a blinding flash of lightning.
"Hmm? The Rumble-Rumble Fruit. That's a good ability!"
Aeridar narrowed his eyes and looked up at the dazzling sky, sensing a powerful threat.
It was a blue-white pillar of light with a diameter of five or six meters, made entirely of concentrated lightning. It descended from the sky at an incredible speed.
"God Enel has made his move!"
The Four Priests rejoiced. They were finally free from this monster.
"Hmph, but it's not even close."
Aeridar scoffed and threw a punch at the sky.
Whoosh!
The air became chaotic, forming a massive, visible shockwave that shot directly toward the huge lightning pillar.
Boom!!!
In that instant, the massive shockwave and the huge lightning pillar collided, causing a violent, deafening explosion. The air currents and scattered electrical energy spread outwards like ripples on water.
For a moment, even the thick clouds in the sky were blown away by the shockwave.
"He actually took on God Enel's 'Heaven's Judgment'!!!"
The four priests were in complete shock. It was the first time they had ever seen anyone take on the 'Heaven's Judgment' and survive.
Crack!
A lightning bolt moved like a snake in the sky, closing in on Aeridar in an instant.
"There it is."
Aeridar raised an eyebrow, ready for a fight.
Clang!
A golden staff struck Aeridar's pitch-black arm, making a metallic sound. The crackling lightning bolt transformed into a human figure—a man with four drums on his back, a white turban on his head, earlobes that reached his chest with golden earrings, and three black comma-shaped symbols on his drums. He looked quite young.
"…So you must be Enel, right?"
Aeridar recognized him immediately. He was the user of the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit and the current 'God' of Skypiea—Enel!
"Discharge!"
Enel's expression was cold. He pressed the golden staff he held against Aeridar's right arm and uttered two words.
Zzzzzzt! Zzzzzzt!
In an instant, lightning flashed, blindingly bright.
"Yes! He hit him!"
The Four Priests cheered excitedly upon seeing the man enveloped in lightning.
The lightning lasted for a dozen seconds before slowly dissipating, revealing Aeridar's figure.
"Are you done shocking me?"
Aeridar rolled his eyes, asking with an indifferent tone.
"How is that possible?!"
The Four Priests were dumbfounded, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
Looking at the unharmed Aeridar, Enel immediately withdrew his golden staff and turned into a lightning bolt, landing on a nearby tree trunk. "Who are you?" Enel asked, his eyes narrowed as he looked Aeridar up and down.
In truth, he was utterly shocked. He had just used 20 million volts, and in the last few seconds, he had even increased it to 50 million volts. Even the Master of the Sky, that giant snake, would have been fried half to death.
"Don't you usually introduce yourself first before asking for someone else's name? Attacking first, you're so rude," Aeridar grumbled.
"I am…" Enel started to angrily shout.
But Aeridar cut him off after he said two words. "Since you won't introduce yourself, I'll introduce myself. I am the king of the Clifford Kingdom, the Captain of the Chris Pirates, and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Chris T. Aeridar, also known as Golden Ring."
"…"
Having been cut off, Enel almost choked on his own words. The long list of titles made him feel utterly speechless.
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