The stick, imbued with Armament Haki, struck Eneru's face with a dull thud. Eneru staggered back a few steps, clutching his injured face, his eyes filled with disbelief and rage.
"What kind of move is that? You actually managed to hurt a god… It must be because of that skewer, you cunning fellow!" Eneru glared at Luffy, a hint of confusion in his voice.
Luffy also felt a bit surprised; he hadn't expected to use it unconsciously. He recalled his previous conversation with Orochimaru and guessed that this might be what Orochimaru referred to as Armament Haki coating.
Luffy opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but seeing Eneru's confident guess, he couldn't be bothered to respond.
Thinking of Nami's words just now, his expression turned a bit gloomy.
"You want to take Orochimaru?"
Eneru tilted his head, "Orochimaru? Is that the sleeping prince's name ( * ᴗ ͈ ˬ ᴗ ͈ ) ꕤ * . ﾟ? Yes, I will take him with me to the Infinite Continent, that is the only residence worthy of a god."
The giant ark began to slowly ascend, illuminating the entire Sky Island as if it were daytime. This was not ordinary light, but the powerful electricity generated by Eneru's ability—the Art of Raigō.
As the ark rose, energy continuously poured into it, allowing it to ascend higher and higher. At the same time, the exhaust gas from the ark's top formed black clouds, which began to spread along its surface, gradually forming a massive black cloud layer, as if to swallow the entire sky.
Eneru stood at the highest point of the ark, laughing wildly: "Look at this sky, this is a masterpiece only a god can achieve!
As the ark continues to ascend, thunderclouds will cover the entire Sky Island!
Even if you can attract lightning and are not afraid of it, what then?
Can you stop these pervasive thunderclouds? Except for those I've chosen, you will all die! Hahahaha... I am a god... a true god!"
His laughter echoed in the air, filled with endless mockery and triumph.
Eneru held a golden staff, wrapped in blue electric currents, shimmering with dazzling light. Due to the amplification of lightning, the golden staff in his hand emitted high heat, even melting a part of the gold, making it sharper and more lethal.
The golden staff, which could also be called a golden trident, pointed at Luffy, his eyes revealing ferocity, as if he had already seen the opponent defeated.
"So, hand over my prince! I will spare your life; he belongs to me! I can sense our incredible spiritual connection. Why do you mortals stand in the way?"
Luffy frowned and tilted his head, suddenly remembering Orochimaru's frequent remark to Ace, "What nonsense are you spouting?" He felt it was very suitable for Eneru.
His personality prevented Luffy from saying such words, but he still didn't understand... How did you and Orochimaru become spiritually connected? What is 'spiritual'... what is 'connected'?
Moreover, while he didn't understand Orochimaru's fanaticism, he could comprehend it, just like his own desire to explore unknown adventures.
In Nami's words, it was an untimely willfulness, and everyone would lovingly help Orochimaru curb such thoughts.
Luffy was thinking dazedly, and Eneru, feeling ignored, twitched his face. He had actually spoken so much to a mere mortal.
"Forget it... I'll kill you all, and the prince will naturally leave with me."
Snapping back to reality, Luffy waved his hand at the air, "No, no, no, no, no, if we all die... you'll be even worse off."
As the golden trident attacked, Luffy instinctively dodged, but still got injured. Luffy's attacks couldn't hit Eneru at all, after all, his mastery of Armament Haki was only at the beginner stage... the coating just now was just an accidental coincidence, as for Observation Haki, he hadn't even reached the beginner level.
If he couldn't hit him with one blow, then he would just hit wildly! Luffy's eyes were firm, and he roared, "Rubber Gomu Gomu no Gatling!" Luffy's Haki-infused fists rained down on the ark's walls, then bounced back erratically, hitting Eneru hard.
Eneru's mind went blank from the beating, his eyes bulging out. Before he passed out, he was still thinking, would he still be able to see his prince?
(In the original plot, Eneru almost died from this blow... Hmm, with Haki... he probably just died directly, Meow is awesome.)
On the other side, Gan Fall and others gathered with the Skypiean Shandians, looking up at the gloomy sky, while also keeping an eye on the Straw Hat.
"Are we really okay not retreating?"
Nami and the others gathered around, poking the still struggling Orochimaru.
"Don't worry, Luffy is very strong, he'll definitely defeat that god quickly."
Gan Fall said no more. Aisa, the little girl from Shandian, had already become quite familiar with this group during the previous trials. She looked at the beautiful person tied up like a silkworm cocoon, and a hint of pity welled up in her heart.
"Can you let him go...? He looks so pitiful."
"No," everyone made an 'X' with their arms and refused in unison.
"Why... he seems to really want to come out," Aisa said with some reluctance.
Nami rubbed Aisa's head, "When Eneru and that ship disappear from Sky Island, we'll release him. Otherwise, the person you pity will become that god, Eneru."
Aisa didn't understand why that god was worthy of sympathy. As she pondered, Aisa suddenly looked up.
"Luffy is back."
Everyone looked up and saw the thunderclouds disperse. Soon after, Luffy floated down from the sky like a balloon.
Seeing the people on the ground, Luffy finally relaxed and deflated, falling to the ground.
"Hahahaha... I'm back."
Nami stood up, "Is that god dealt with?"
Luffy scratched his head, "Hmm... he passed out. I didn't stop that ship; I just destroyed the thing that was spewing out thunderclouds by going down the chimney. But that ship was still rising, so I didn't bother with it and just jumped down.
And Nami also said... to make that ship disappear far, far away."
Orochimaru, on the other side, started struggling vigorously upon hearing this, as if saying, "Untie me quickly! I need to pick things up!" but he was ignored by everyone.
"Alright... the matter is settled. Zoro, you carry Orochimaru. Robin, didn't you say you found the golden bell earlier? Let's go see it together." Nami clapped her hands and linked arms with Robin.
Zoro skillfully hoisted the dejected Orochimaru onto his shoulder and patted him, "Be good... don't be sulky. Nami won't let you go. Don't think about that ship and the energy; it's already flown away. And if nothing unexpected happens, to make you completely give up, Nami won't release you until tomorrow."
Silkworm cocoon Orochimaru chose to play dead. Everyone, along with Robin, followed the vines and found the golden bell, which was propped high in the sky. Luffy excitedly rang it, fulfilling his promise to the Chestnut Old Man on Jaya Island.
He then led everyone to the ruins of the Golden City, buried under debris, and the poneglyph. Orochimaru, who was carried over, listlessly put away the poneglyph (system space doesn't require hands) but wasn't happy. He had lost his permanent battery.
That night, Apaya was filled with singing and dancing. There was everything: Sky Island residents, Skypiean Shandians, wild wolves... the Lord of the Sky. Everyone happily clinked their glasses. From time to time, someone would glance at Orochimaru, who was tied up like a silkworm cocoon.
Robin, who was recording historical messages, suddenly looked up and said,
"Orochimaru... won't he wet his pants?"
\("▔□▔)/ \("▔□▔)/ \("▔□▔)/
"Don't suddenly say such things with a straight face!!!"
Orochimaru suddenly felt that this Companion was no longer wanted... He was going to block her for a week.
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