"!!!"
The soldiers were stunned by the sudden order to approach the ship.
But the one giving the command was none other than Commodore Hawke, whose absolute authority had already been firmly established.
"Yes, sir!"
They immediately responded and rushed to their assigned positions.
"Check the hull!"
"Secure all the mooring lines!"
"Adjust the sail angles!"
The massive battleship swiftly departed Mock Town and headed straight toward the terrifying waterspout that symbolized the overwhelming power of nature.
"BOOM!!!"
The moment the ship made contact with the massive waterspout, everyone felt as though an invisible giant hand had gripped them tightly and violently hurled them upward!
A sudden sense of weightlessness—sky and earth spinning wildly!
The battleship shook violently as it was tossed about within the raging torrent.
"Hold on tight, I'm here!"
Hawke's voice carried a strange power, ringing crystal clear in everyone's ears.
Instantly, it calmed every restless and anxious heart.
Hawke was here.
The Commodore was here.
There was nothing to fear.
"..."
After a while, Hawke spoke again.
"We've arrived."
The moment his words fell—
"WHOOOM!"
The massive battleship shuddered violently, as if it had just pierced through an invisible barrier.
In an instant, the chaotic shaking stopped.
Blinding sunlight broke through, dispelling all the mist and shadows.
In its place was a breathtaking, dreamlike scene beyond imagination.
Below them stretched a boundless, soft, pristine-white "sea of clouds."
They were sailing atop an ocean… made entirely of clouds!
Skypiea.
"This... this is..."
"Heaven... is this heaven?"
Everyone was awestruck, utterly overwhelmed by the grandeur and sanctity of the sight before them.
"Fuuuh..."
Hawke stood at the bow, letting the cool winds of the cloud ocean billow his Justice cloak.
He gazed calmly down at the endless white sea formed by clouds.
From now on… this sky would belong to the Marines!
Turning around, Hawke saw the Marines behind him trying their best to suppress their shock as they hastily straightened their uniforms.
Soon, the massive ship brushed softly against the cloudy shoreline, producing a gentle "shhh" as it slowly came to a stop.
Hawke issued a clear order:
"Smoker, Hina, Kujaku — the three of you will stay behind with a squad to guard the battleship. Without my direct orders, no one approaches."
"Yes, sir!"
Smoker bit down on his cigar and grunted in acknowledgment.
Hina tucked back her pink hair, replying softly, "Hina understands."
Kujaku was more straightforward — she saluted crisply and firmly, wordlessly accepting her mission.
"The rest of you, follow me ashore."
"Yes, sir!"
Hawke was the first to set foot on the land of Skypiea.
Hibari, carrying her small backpack, followed closely behind, curiously observing her surroundings.
Zoro, Sanji, and the soldiers came right after.
"Mm..."
Hawke's gaze swept across the group and finally landed on Zoro's face — a face that screamed "I'm reliable."
The reason he brought Zoro and Sanji ashore…
Was because Enel's priests would serve as perfect whetstones for them.
Nothing forged growth better than battle.
But…
Zoro's nonexistent sense of direction… he'd have to think of a way to deal with that.
"Sanji, I'm giving you a critical task."
Hawke turned to look at him seriously.
"From this moment on, you are not allowed to let Zoro leave your line of sight."
"Yes, Commodore!"
Sanji immediately saluted, then spun around.
In the next instant, he leaped and latched himself directly onto Zoro's back!
Wrapping his legs tightly around Zoro's waist, his arms locked firmly around his neck.
Perfect!
"Oi! You curly-browed bastard! Get the hell off me!"
Zoro instantly erupted, thrashing wildly to shake Sanji off.
Sanji just hummed smugly.
"Quit struggling, moss-head!"
"This is a direct order from the Commodore!"
"Heh!"
Hawke watched the scene with a faint nod of satisfaction.
Perfect. There was no way they'd lose Zoro now.
Just then, an old woman with a deeply wrinkled face slowly walked out from behind a cloud tree and blocked their path.
"Welcome to Skypiea, outsiders."
"According to our regulations, each person must pay one billion Extols — equivalent to one hundred thousand Belly — as an entry fee…"
Before she could finish her sentence, Hawke — at the front — slowly turned his head.
He didn't say a word.
Instead, he gave a single, soft, upward-snorting "Hmph."
"...?!"
I came here for gold, and you dare demand an entry fee from me?!
Are you insane?!
Hawke didn't even need to give the order.
"SHING—!"
The hundreds of Marine soldiers behind him instantly slid their standard-issue long blades half an inch out of their sheaths.
The sharp, unified metallic scraping sound pierced directly into the old woman's ears.
"Gulp."
In less than a second, her expression went through a shocking transformation.
"Welcome! Welcome, honored guests!"
"It's our greatest privilege to have such distinguished visitors grace Angel Island!"
She immediately stepped aside, bowing deeply with an exaggeratedly respectful gesture.
"This way, please."
Hawke ignored the shamelessly fawning old woman and strode forward onto the land formed by clouds, leading his Marines.
The moment he set foot on Skypiea, an invisible awareness washed over them — something probing, watching, scrutinizing.
It felt as though a pair of eyes, high above in the sky, were surveying every intruder.
"..."
Hawke narrowed his eyes.
"Enel's Observation Haki?"
So this guy… was using his Observation Haki like surveillance cameras to monitor the entire island.
Impressive — but not enough.
Hawke unleashed his own Observation Haki, expanding it violently outward from his body like a surging storm.
He shoved back the probing presence with brutal force.
Immediately after, his voice erupted like thunder rolling across the heavens, shaking the entire Skypiea.
"Enel! Bring your people and GET OUT!!!"
...
Inside Skypiea's divine shrine.
A lean, pale-skinned man was lazily reclining on an oversized golden chair.
He had absurdly long earlobes that drooped to his chest, his upper body bare, and on his back rested four massive taiko drums engraved with triple tomoe symbols.
The so-called "God" ruling this floating island — Enel.
A Logia-type Devil Fruit user, wielder of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Enel.
"Yehahahaha..."
Enel lazily dug a finger into his ear, a mocking grin curling on his lips.
Through his "Mantra" — his mind net blanketing the entire island — he was "listening" to the thoughts of Skypiea's people.
He was contemplating… deciding who would be punished today with his divine judgment for daring to disrespect their god.
But suddenly, he felt his mind net forcefully disrupted by an immense, violent power.
"...Hm?"
Enel paused, his mocking grin stiffening slightly.
Interesting.
Someone had actually interrupted the will of a god.
And then, a domineering voice thundered across the entire Skypiea.
"Enel! Bring your people and GET OUT!!!"
"..."
Enel's expression froze.
Slowly, he sat upright, his finger pausing mid-air, the lazy look in his eyes replaced — little by little — by an icy, seething rage.
Enel...
This mortal… dared to call God by name?!
And order him… to leave?!
Below him, his four priests stared in shock, their faces full of disbelief.
"Wh... who dares?!"
"How dare someone speak to God like that?!"
"Yehahahaha… Yehahahahahahaha!!!"
Enel suddenly burst into wild laughter, but this time, his laugh was laced with murderous intent.
Slowly, he rose to his feet.
The giant drums on his back gave off deep, resonant booms — DONG… DONG… — as arcs of crackling blue lightning surged wildly around his body.
"It seems… some pitiful insects have flown into the domain of God."
"They dare not only to call me by name!"
"They even dare… to defy God?!"
His cold gaze swept across the four priests standing before him.
"Come. Let us show these mortals…"
"What it truly means to be a GOD!"
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Thank you for your Powerstones, I see that some people give a lot of them, thank you. From now on, I will not publish additional chapters for reviews, only for Powerstones.