Chapter 73: The Ungrateful Enel, The King’s Punishment!

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Conis looked at Ace blankly, a bit at a loss.

"Ace, what do you mean when you say that God can't know?" she asked cautiously.

Pagaya also looked tense, nervous about the possible consequences of offending God.

"As soon as we arrived, I sensed an amplified form of Observation Haki," Ace said, glancing out the window with a light smile.

"I see, so that's how the so-called god knows everything about the people here? What a god, more like a rotten scoundrel," Nami snapped angrily.

"But isn't the place where the god resides far from here? How can he sense us from so far away?" Nojiko asked, her brow furrowed.

"Didn't I mention that his Observation Haki is amplified?" Ace replied, smiling.

"Wait, could it be...?" Nami and Nojiko exchanged looks, then exclaimed together, "A Devil Fruit?!"

"Exactly," Ace nodded.

Even if one had mastered Observation Haki to the point of predicting the future, it couldn't cover such a vast area. Only the Thunder Fruit's radio wave amplification could achieve something on that scale.

"Um, Ace, what exactly is this 'Observation Haki' you're talking about?" Conis asked, now visibly uneasy.

Had Nami just called God Enel a rotten scoundrel? Yet there was no divine punishment. Could Ace really block the all-knowing, all-powerful Enel?

Ace began to explain, "Observation Haki is—" But he suddenly stopped, frowning.

"This is getting annoying... You dare provoke me, Enel?"

Suddenly, a deep purple-black glint flashed in Ace's eyes.

*Crack!*

Countless purple-black streaks of lightning appeared out of thin air, forming tangible threads. With a single glance, Ace shut down the Observation Haki that was spying on them. The amplified radio waves of Enel's haki were forcefully blocked by the surge of Ace's Conqueror's Haki.

Far across Sky Island, high on a massive vine stood a temple, and inside it, a man lay on his side. He wore a white turban, his upper body bare, with long earlobes adorned with earrings. Thunder drums hung behind him. He was none other than Enel, the self-proclaimed god of Sky Island and wielder of the Thunder Fruit.

His expression shifted as he felt his "heart network" — the Observation Haki he used to monitor the island — suddenly blocked. No one had ever evaded his detection before. For someone who believed himself omnipotent, it was a shocking disruption.

"Who dares defy my heart network? Is it those Blue Sea people?" Enel's brow furrowed. It was unsettling. His arrogance momentarily wavered as he struggled to regain control. Still, the thought of a challenge sparked amusement in him. "Well, perhaps this will bring some excitement to my otherwise boring existence," he chuckled, his confidence returning.

*Boom! Boom!*

Suddenly, a violent thunderclap echoed across the sky. Enel's smile faded as he noticed something disturbing: purple-black lightning, surging back through the very radio waves he had sent out, racing toward him.

"Black and purple lightning?" Enel muttered, confused. Only he should command the power of thunder. What was this strange force?

But before he could finish basking in his superiority, the black-purple lightning struck. And for the first time in years, Enel felt pain.

"Aaaargh!!"

A guttural scream escaped Enel's lips as agony surged through his body. Since obtaining the Thunder Fruit, nothing had been able to harm him. Pain had become a forgotten concept. But now, this unfamiliar torment engulfed him, as black and purple lightning gnawed at his very soul.

*Boom! Boom!*

The thunder eventually subsided, but flashes of the black and purple lightning still crackled around Enel, causing waves of unbearable pain. He stared down at the patches of lightning still coiling around him, terror creeping into his arrogant eyes.

"Why... Why can it hurt me?!" Enel gasped, bloodshot eyes locked on the lingering lightning. His powers — the powers of the Thunder Fruit — had been neutralized. "I'm supposed to be invincible! What kind of power is this?!"

——

Back with Ace and the others, the purple-black lightning gradually dissipated in the air. The girls were astonished.

"It's nothing. I just gave that fool Enel a little lesson," Ace said casually, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

"A... a lesson?" Conis gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief. Pagaya was trembling beside her.

Teaching God a lesson? How could anyone dare to challenge God?

The two islanders glanced at the ceiling nervously, fearing divine punishment would soon descend upon them. 

"What are you looking at?" Nami asked, perplexed.

"Divine punishment," Pagaya stammered, still staring at the ceiling. "If you speak ill of God, divine punishment will fall upon you."

"Relax," Ace said with a chuckle, "That fool Enel probably can't even move right now."

"You... Ace, you really..." Conis began, but she fell silent as the moments passed, and no divine retribution came. No thunderbolts, no lightning. Nothing.

Could it be true? Did Ace actually defeat God?

"Ace, your promise to find a Devil Fruit for me..." Nami started, eyes wide.

Ace smiled warmly at her. "I found it, Nami."

"What?!"

"Logia-type, Thunder Fruit. It's worth far more than three billion Berries. Wouldn't you say?" Ace gazed at her lovingly.

"Logia-type Thunder Fruit?!" Robin's eyes widened, her voice trembling slightly.

"You know of it?" Nami asked.

"Yes," Robin replied softly. "The Thunder Fruit is one of the most powerful Logia-type Devil Fruits, granting its user the power of thunder and lightning. Whoever eats it becomes virtually untouchable, an invincible force. It's a truly terrifying ability."

"Logia-type fruits are extremely rare, and the Thunder Fruit is known for its near invincibility. If it appeared on the Grand Line, it would be worth billions," Robin added.

Vivi gasped. "That's amazing! Transforming into lightning... it sounds far stronger than my Sand-Sand Fruit!"

"Thunder Fruit..." Nami murmured, her eyes gleaming with excitement. The ability to transform into thunder and lightning seemed like the perfect match for her!

But…

A trace of hesitation crossed her beautiful face.

"Don't worry. Do you think that guy controlling Sky Island with his Devil Fruit powers is a good person?" Ace asked, gently patting Nami's head. "Enel is even worse than Arlong. You can take him down without any guilt."

Ace's touch was filled with affection. He knew Nami's heart—her kindness made her reluctant to kill, even if it meant obtaining a power as suitable for her as the Thunder Fruit. But she wasn't naive. She would never hesitate when it came to evil people.

"Worse than Arlong?" Nami's eyes widened at the comparison, and then her expression hardened as she stood up. 

"Thunder Fruit! It's mine!" she declared with resolve.

"Ace, help me get it," she added, hugging his arm playfully.

"Of course. It was always meant for you," Ace responded warmly, gazing at her with love.

Nami smiled sweetly. 

"We'll help you get it too, Nami," Kaya and Vivi chimed in enthusiastically. They had gotten their Devil Fruits first, so they were eager to help Nami obtain hers.

"Um, could you explain all this again? I still don't quite understand…" Conis's voice was filled with awe, unable to fully grasp what was happening.

Ace settled onto the sofa and raised his right hand. 

*Whoosh!*

Before the stunned eyes of Conis and Pagaya, flames erupted from Ace's hand.

"This is the power of a Devil Fruit. I am a Flame human, thanks to the Mera-Mera Fruit. And the so-called god Enel? He's a Thunder Man, thanks to the Thunder Fruit."

Conis's eyes widened in realization. "So... divine punishment is just the power of the Thunder Fruit?"

Ace nodded, and Conis's thoughts raced. The divine punishment that everyone feared, the thunder that fell from the sky, was all due to this fruit. And Enel's so-called omniscience? It was just an amplified Observation Haki, enhanced by the Thunder Fruit.

God wasn't divine. He was merely a man with a Devil Fruit.

"Using power like that to rule through fear… what a bastard!" Conis spat, her anger rising now that she knew Enel had no idea what was happening here. She shared the horrors that had occurred on Angel Island—how people lived in constant fear of divine punishment, afraid to say or do anything that might offend Enel, knowing they could be struck down at any moment.

Nami, Kaya, Nojiko, Tashigi, and Vivi all listened with growing anger.

"Ace, can you really defeat Enel?" Conis asked, her voice trembling with hope.

"You don't need to worry about that," Nojiko said, her lips curving into a confident smile. "Our captain can do anything."

Nami, Kaya, Vivi, and Tashigi all smiled in agreement, and even Robin closed her eyes, her lips twitching into a faint smile.

The Thunder Fruit, one of the most feared Logia abilities, didn't intimidate them. Ace had the power to conquer even the New World. Enel, in comparison, was just a frog in a well, relying solely on his fruit's powers.

"I-Is there anything I can do to help?" Conis asked after a moment, her gentle face now full of determination and courage.

"Conis?" Pagaya stared at his daughter in shock.

"Father! Don't you think it's cruel?" Conis exclaimed. "Whenever someone offends Enel, we trick them into taking part in the so-called 'Trial of God.' Because of Enel's power, the people of Angel Island have become fearful and divided. They're no longer united and friendly. Instead, they watch as their friends and relatives are killed, too afraid to do or say anything. Isn't that cruel for an island of angels?"

Pagaya was speechless, staring at his daughter as she continued.

"I want to do something for everyone," Conis declared, clenching her fists.

Nami and the others looked at her with appreciative smiles.

"Well said!" Ace grinned, admiration in his eyes. "So, how about joining us? We need a musician on our ship."

He held out his hand to Conis, smiling warmly.

"Join us and use your own strength to save Angel Island," he added.

"Can I really do it?" Conis asked, uncertain.

"I'll make sure you can," Ace said confidently.

Conis hesitated, glancing at her father. Would joining Ace and leaving for the Blue Sea be the right choice?

"Mr. Ace," Pagaya suddenly spoke up.

"Hmm?" Ace looked at him.

"If Conis doesn't join you, will you stop trying to save Angel Island?" Pagaya asked boldly.

"No," Ace responded with a slight smile. "Even if she doesn't join us, I'll still defeat Enel. It's one of the reasons I came here."

He turned back to Conis, his smile reassuring. "My invitation is sincere. The choice is entirely yours."

"Conis," Nojiko added softly, "we can defeat Enel this time. But from what you've said, the people of Sky Island have grown numb under his rule. That's not something we can fix. And when we leave, who's to say another Enel won't rise? If you want to protect what's important to you, you'll need to get stronger."

"Stronger?" Conis murmured, looking at Nojiko.

"Yes. Our captain can help you," Nojiko replied with a smile.

"Conis," Pagaya called gently.

"Father…" Conis whispered, looking at his kind smile. 

"Don't worry about me. Do what you need to do," Pagaya said warmly.

Conis bit her lip, then nodded firmly.

"Conis," Ace said softly, his tone warm and welcoming, "you don't have to make a decision right now. Take your time. You're always welcome to join us, even if you decide later."

Conis gazed at Ace, her eyes filling with gratitude. "Thank you."

"Now, take us to Enel," Ace said, standing up and looking at the group.

Nami gripped her Clima-Tact tightly. Vivi's fingers glowed with the power of sand. Nojiko slung her gun over her shoulder, ready for battle. Kaya tucked her medical book into her arms, her normally gentle face now filled with danger. Tashigi held her sword Shigure, and even Robin's lips curled into a determined smile.

"Let's show that arrogant frog in a well what real overbearing looks like," Ace laughed, his voice filled with confidence.

The girls all smiled back, ready to face the challenge ahead.