Chapter 38 : Onlooker's Worry

Red-Haired Pirates…

"Luffy is in danger!"

"Yes, I didn't expect to encounter such a formidable opponent on this Sky island."

"The Goro Goro no Mi truly lives up to its name, one of the most terrifying Logia devil fruit."

"Luffy, this young man has quite the thunderous power. Why don't you pay your respects to the God of this Sky island?"

"But isn't the Devil Fruit supposed to be in the Blue Sea? How did it end up on this Sky island?"

Benn Beckman, Jesus Burgess, and the other core members of the Red-Haired Pirates gazed at the sky, expressing their astonishment.

Similar to the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates, they were all awestruck by the devastating power displayed by Enel.

They were well aware of the fearsome capabilities of the Goro Goro no Mi.

Even though they had history with Luffy and his crew, they had to acknowledge the current situation. They doubted Luffy's chances of winning this battle.

From their perspective, the odds of victory for the Straw Hat Pirates seemed exceedingly slim.

This wasn't like their encounter with Gecko Moria, where a glimmer of hope remained. This time, there was no hope whatsoever.

Red-Haired Shanks, seated on the ground, remained silent, contemplating.

After a prolonged moment, he raised his head, his expression grave but resolute.

"I still have faith... Luffy will still win."

Shanks' declaration left Beckman and the others dumbfounded.

"No, Captain, have you been drinking the sake too hard?"

Shanks' serious demeanor transformed into a smile.

"I'm not drunk. I believe in Luffy, and he made a promie with me. He's destined to become the Pirate King one day."

"If he can't overcome this hurdle, how can he fulfill our agreement?"

Upon hearing Shanks' words, his crew wore puzzled expressions.

What did Luffy's victory over Enel have to do with becoming the Pirate King?

Could defeating Enel truly be the key to achieving that lofty title?

Or would losing here make it impossible?

They concluded that their captain must have overindulged in sake once more.

Shanks laughed, undisturbed by their confusion.

In the end, he placed his trust in Luffy.

While conventional wisdom dictated that Luffy had little chance of winning this battle, there was something about him that inspired unwavering confidence.

---

[Luffy, Zoro, and the others concealed themselves in the shadows, observing the three individuals from the Sky island.]

[From their conversation, they gleaned startling information.]

[These three are the God's Officers, the priests serving under Enel.]

[They are, aside from Enel himself, the most powerful figures on the Sky island.]

[They had just witnessed these priests pursue and execute a man from Skypiea for evading the island's entrance fee.]

[These Angels were responsible for such minor matters, as the true God, Enel, could monitor the entire island at any moment.]

[Their actions, speech, and even thoughts were all laid bare before him.]

[Thus, Enel occasionally eavesdropped on the island's inhabitants to gauge their sentiments.]

[By chance, he had witnessed the priests' chase and execution of the Skypiean, perhaps out of boredom or for amusement.]

[In response, he summoned a thunderbolt to administer swift punishment.]

[Learning this news, Luffy and the others grew anxious.]

[After all, they hadn't paid the entrance fee upon arriving on the island, citing a lack of funds.]

[Did this mean they would be pursued and executed by these three priests if they were discovered?]

[If the island's so-called God, Enel, detected them, would he call down thunder to obliterate them as well?]

[Luffy, Zoro, and their companions were deeply troubled. What kind of monster was this Enel?]

[Could he truly be a god?]

[One who could oversee the entire Sky island?]

[With such a vast island, how could he possibly observe everyone's actions?]

[They realized the urgency of returning to inform the others.]

[Only Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and the rest had ventured out, while Usopp, Sanji, Robin, and Chopper remained at the home of the kindly Kojima.]

[Such earth-shattering news necessitated immediate sharing.]

[Failure to act swiftly might lead to the same fate as the Skypiean man they had witnessed earlier.]

[They might fall victim to the priests, or even to Enel, the god who could monitor the entire Sky island and unleash thunderbolts without hesitation.]

[Zoro and Luffy weren't overly concerned, but Nami knew that their rash actions on the island could jeopardize their future adventures, treasure hunts, and even their lives.]

[Thus, she grabbed Zoro and Luffy, boarded the Going Merry, and raced back the way they had come.]

---

At this moment, nearly half of the world's onlookers shared Nami's anxiety as they watched the live broadcast.

The other half remained shocked.

As the footage unfolded, it became increasingly evident that Enel, the god of the Sky island, was even more formidable than previously believed.

His consistently overwhelming power and his ability to monitor the entire island left everyone in awe.

How could this be possible?

Was Enel truly different from ordinary mortals, possessing god-like abilities?

**********

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