Chapter 115: Destruction Recruitment - Gear Second Luffy.
"Th-thank you so much..."
"Hey, hey, hey, old man, don't talk!"
In the forest, the heavily injured Usopp was supporting an even more severely wounded Skypiea warrior, struggling to move towards the edge of the island. —— This was an injured person he encountered in the forest, and his injuries were not from battle, but from being imprisoned, forced labor, and... lightning whips!
"I... I need to get out..." However, the severely injured old man was just mumbling, "My comrades... covered me with their bodies, just so... I could bring this message..."
"Alright, alright, I'll get you out."
"Hey, I finally took down those two round guys... what were their names..."
Usopp didn't know that he had taken down two deputy Divine Soldiers, the brothers of Priest Hotori, Kotori. He thought they were just two ordinary soldiers. —— Who could blame them for looking like ordinary soldiers?
"But their weapons are..."
Usopp touched the shells in his bag with satisfaction. Two Slash Shells, one Flame Shell, and one Taste Shell. These were not the 'civilian' shells from the girl's house on Angel Island, but real 'military' shells. With these...
"Hey? Sanji, and..."
Speak of the devil, just as Usopp thought of the family living by the sea on Angel Island, he saw Sanji and the blonde girl named Conis appear ahead.
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh,"
Sanji turned around, extinguishing the cigarette in his hand.
"It's Usopp. Miss Conis is here to apologize to us."
"They have a rule here that they must 'report' any Blue Sea people they encounter and call the Express Shrimp to bring us here for the trials."
—— That's why the White Berets and the 'Super Express Shrimp' arrived so quickly.
"I'm sorry, I..."
"Don't blame yourself, Miss Conis."
Facing the guilty blonde girl, Sanji shook his head.
"We already know that everything here is controlled by that guy who calls himself 'god.' If you resist even a little, you'll be killed."
In the face of death, you can't expect others to be selfless and noble. Besides:
"Coming here to warn us is already a very kind act, so leave quickly..."
"Conis! Is that you?"
The severely injured old man supported by Usopp looked up at the blonde girl.
"Are you... Uncle Wunor?"
"How did you get so injured... weren't you... I'll go get a doctor!"
As the blonde girl turned to leave, the severely injured old man suddenly grabbed her.
"Conis, quickly! Go inform everyone——"
?
"Run, run away!"
The old man, as if experiencing a final burst of energy, suddenly opened his eyes wide, as if seeing something terrifying.
"Enel is planning to destroy all of Angel Island!"
"No, not just Angel Island, he's planning to destroy the Sanctuary! Destroy everything!!"
"But... but... what about himself..."
For a moment, the blonde girl named Conis couldn't accept it. Even if he calls himself 'god,' he still needs people to rule over, right? He can't rule over empty air...
"It's the Ark Maxim,"
The old man looked regretful and desperate.
"For the past six years, we've been forced to build a flying ship——"
?!
In an instant, Usopp and Sanji simultaneously looked up at the empty sky, a chilling threat hanging over them like the Sword of Damocles, as if it would fall at any moment!
Danger!
Instinctively, Usopp pulled the severely injured man aside! At the same time, Sanji gently tossed the blonde girl Conis away, and then:
A waterfall-like chain of lightning formed out of thin air in the sky, instantly condensing and twisting into a brilliant and terrifying divine beam of destruction. With a thunderous roar, it fell like a dazzling pillar of light, twisting and turning its violent body.
Boom—!
Usopp and Sanji's figures were engulfed in the lightning! Even the ground beneath them suddenly had a large chunk missing.
"Sanji! Usopp!!"
The blonde girl, with tears streaming down her face, covered her mouth tightly.
"No, now is not the time to be sad..."
Forcing back her sorrow, the girl climbed onto the Waver they had arrived on and stepped on the accelerator.
"I must quickly go and inform the island's residents!"
As for Sanji and Usopp...
In the girl's 'common sense,' no living being could survive the 'God's Judgment'!
---
Boom boom boom!!
Just as the battlefield where Zoro was left with only two people and a beast, wild lightning from the sky struck down, collapsing the entire battlefield! In the chaos, a half-white, half-black sphere fell into the ruins.
"Could this be...?"
Steadying himself, the only surviving warrior from the Shandia side, Wyper, looked at the ruins hidden below the battlefield.
Even though he had never seen it with his own eyes, only hearing about it in the elders' legends; even though the gold on the buildings had been completely looted, leaving only mottled rocks; the imprint deep in his blood still made him instantly certain:
"This... is Shandora?"
The homeland from 400 years ago!
The eternal regret of the Shandia tribe, the unlit lamp for their benefactor...
"Damn it,"
Boom—
Under a house-sized boulder, Zoro suddenly stood up and flipped the giant rock over.
"Stupid rock, almost crushed me!"
"Indeed... it's a miracle you're not dead."
Nico Robin, who had been doing archaeology in the ruins, couldn't help but comment as she looked at the lively Zoro. But she immediately noticed something else:
Rustle~~
The half-charred paper ball unfolded, revealing Roman and Nami inside.
"Cough cough, as expected of the 'invincible' Logia Devil Fruit..."
I tried my best, but I couldn't win.
Actually, if I wanted to escape, I could have used all my strength to create a paper ball and jump off Sky Island. I believe I could have escaped. But:
"Yahahaha~~"
Enel, sitting on a cloud, slowly descended.
"Not bad, this 'survival game' is quite interesting. But before that—"
Hiss hiss hiss~~
The giant snake 'Sky Lord,' excitedly searching for something, slithered around, making the 'god' in the sky displeased.
"Shut up, stupid snake!"
"Divine Punishment."
Boom——!
A giant thunderbolt, like a pillar of light, crashed down. Despite Roman's sword slashes and Wyper's rocket launcher blasts, the 'Sky Lord' bathed in the lightning, instantly turning charred black and collapsing.
"Alright, now let's get to business."
"I am going to rule the Fairy Vearth of my dreams, and I will allow four people to accompany me."
Enel's arrogant gaze swept across the battlefield: Shandian warrior Wyper, three-sword style Zoro, Roman with only a few sheets of paper left, archaeologist Robin, and Nami, who was protected by Roman.
"But there are five people left here, which makes this god a bit embarrassed."
After saying that, he sat cross-legged on the cloud ball, resting his chin on his hand and tilting his head.
"Alright, who should disappear?"
"Will you eliminate yourselves, or should I do it?"
...
"Are you willing?"
Facing Zoro's question, Robin adjusted her cowboy hat.
"I am not."
"—Then neither am I."
"I also decline."
Wyper, carrying a rocket launcher, looked proud.
"We've been fighting for so long, surrendering now would be embarrassing."
Roman, having regained some strength, stepped forward.
"I... also~~"
Before Nami could respond, swords, rocket launchers, paper knives, and arms were all aimed at Enel sitting on the cloud ball.
"Then you disappear!"
...
Facing everyone's weapons, Enel just slightly lowered his eyelids.
"Impudent." —The battle started instantly!
No, calling it a battle would be too flattering for Roman and the others. In the face of Enel, who could teleport infinitely, become elemental, and summon giant thunderbolts to destroy everything at will, the so-called battle was a one-sided 'massacre'.
Robin, who tried to delay with words, fell;
Her Flower Flower Fruit was indeed powerful enough to instantly defeat most humanoid creatures, but against an elemental enemy... especially someone like Enel, who was covered in lightning, growing arms on him was just asking for trouble.
Zoro, who engaged in close combat with his swords, also fell;
The result of slashing Enel with three metal swords... was not just a spark and lightning show, it was like an ordinary person touching a high-voltage line. If he had Armament Haki, he might have had a chance. But now...
As for Shandian warrior Wyper;
Originally, he could have used Sea Stone to suppress Enel and then used a Reject Dial on Enel's chest as a desperate move. However, Roman had just used the same tactic, and the cautious Enel didn't fall for it, leaving Wyper without even a chance to fight desperately!
If there's any difference, it's that Wyper, worthy of being a Shandian warrior, withstood a few hits before falling.
"So, what about you?"
Huff, huff, huff~~
Facing Roman, who was already exhausted and kneeling on one knee, Enel leisurely asked.
"This god will give you one last chance, follow me."
"If you do, even your little girlfriend hiding in the snake's belly can be spared by this god."
"Hehe, Nami is not just 'hiding'..."
After falling into this battlefield, Roman had already noticed the giant snake and finally understood why his scouting bird couldn't find Luffy anywhere!
Because under his Observation Haki's 'X-ray vision,' a figure was still wandering inside the giant snake's belly.
Damn it, we're fighting for our lives, and you're treasure hunting on autopilot?
I have something to say...
Forget it, just let it go. At least Luffy has arrived at the final battlefield, right?
"What are you waiting for?"
Facing Enel's question, Roman grinned.
"What, can't you 'hear' it yourself?"
Sure enough, as long as he calmed his mind and didn't fear, Enel couldn't read his thoughts! After all, Roman himself had awakened Observation Haki!
Conversely, Roman could actively let his inner 'voice' appear in Enel's mind. He discovered this during the battle—though it wasn't very useful.
"Such foolishness, rejecting the gift of a god."
"Discharge - 20 Million Volts!"
Facing the lightning surging from Enel's fingertips, Roman's mouth twitched.
Good brother, sharing blessings and hardships! Looks like I can't escape the 'Straw Hat Group's' fate either—
*Whoosh!*
At that moment, a gust of wind blew from behind! Two figures landed beside Roman, and one of them stood in front of the surging lightning.
"L-Luffy... Nami?!"
*Crackle crackle——*
The one blocking the lightning in front of Roman was Nami, not Luffy?!
This!
For a moment, Roman's mind buzzed, and his heart stopped beating! Until—
"Roman, Roman? Snap out of it~~"
His body swayed, and in front of him was Luffy's signature goofy face.
"L-Luffy... Nami, she..."
"Isn't Nami fine?"
??
"Hehehe, Roman, don't underestimate me."
In front of Nami was a semicircular iron cage. The lightning danced and jumped on it, eventually being grounded. —— Although there was still step voltage, it wasn't harmful to those present with non-human physiques.
A Faraday cage?!
"How about my move 'Beauty Saves the Hero'——"
*Snap*,
The girl was pulled into Roman's embrace, and a thousand words turned into a simple sentence.
"As long as you're okay."
"...Fighting with the determination to die and fighting with the mindset that it doesn't matter if you die are different, Roman."
The girl in his arms raised her head seriously, her pupils reflecting in his eyes.
"We fight to survive, no matter how strong the enemy is!"
"Yes."
...
"Interesting, the god's prophecy was wrong."
Enel, who had just witnessed this touching moment, was inexplicably annoyed. As for Luffy—his anger had already overshadowed the joy of his recent escape.
Zoro and Robin lay unconscious on the ground, and Roman was half-dead...
"What did you do to my friends,"
He strode towards the tall white figure.
"you bastard!?"
"Are you referring to that trash?"
Enel coldly mocked as he raised his finger towards Luffy and launched an attack!
"Discharge - 20 million volts!"
Boom—!
A pillar of lightning instantly engulfed Luffy's figure! The lightning came and went quickly, leaving a pitch-black crater on the ground in an instant, but:
Luffy: ?
Luffy, with his hands on his hips, looked behind him, utterly confused.
...
"Hehehe, nice dodge. How about this move—"
Enel struck the drum on his back with both hands, and as he pulled forward, the rolling thunder formed a giant dragon, twisting and turning its violent body like a divine beast, roaring towards Luffy!
"60 million volts? Thunder Dragon!"
Rumble!!
The lightning devoured everything, like a god or demon, turning the area where Luffy stood into a sea of plasma! However:
After the lightning passed, Luffy still looked utterly bewildered.
?
I don't believe this!
Facing the unscathed Luffy, Enel suddenly charged forward, pressing his palm on Luffy's shoulder with a sinister smile!
"Discharge - 100 million volts!!"
In an instant, a massive amount of violent lightning and shockwaves spread out from Luffy, causing the entire battlefield's underground layers to groan and upheave. Countless fragments and layers of rock exploded into the air, resembling a volcanic eruption, terrifying to the extreme! However:
Nani??!!
Facing the still unscathed Luffy, the so-called god was dumbfounded, turning into a meme on the spot!
Boom!
With a fierce punch, Luffy sent Enel flying, then took off his straw hat and tossed it aside, where Roman caught it.
"Roman, I'm going to use that move."
"Got it, Captain."
As Luffy took his stance, placing one hand on his knee and the other fist on the ground, he suddenly pressed down with his legs! His calves acted like pumps, forcing air into his blood vessels.
Thump~!
The blood in his body flowed rapidly, bringing speed beyond the limit! Luffy's skin turned red, and white steam danced around him as he spoke seriously.
"Gear Second!"
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