Sky Island V

The dense undergrowth of Skypiea's forest swallowed Draco, Buggy, and Enel as they traveled through narrow underground tunnels and tangled thickets. Enel led the way silently, his body aching from Draco's earlier attack, while Draco followed closely behind, his sharp gaze sweeping their path with a calculated calm. Buggy whistled now and then, swatting at leaves in annoyance. The forest air felt heavy, humid, and alive with tension.

At last, they emerged into an ancient ruin, a hidden temple embedded within a cave. A giant hole above revealed a glimpse of the night sky, and through it, the pale light of the moon bathed the surroundings in a gleaming white glow. The cavern walls stretched upward in a perfect, unnatural cube shape. Enel had lit the place using his lightning, delicate arcs of electricity sparking across the stone, giving the ruins an otherworldly hum.

Draco stopped just short of the entrance, eyes narrowing as he studied the layout. A golden throne gleamed at the far end of the temple, tucked against the back wall. Draco noted how it wasn't bolted down, it could be moved at Enel's whim, manipulated by his control over gold through his lightning powers. In front of the throne was a round table surrounded by four empty chairs. Drinks, half-eaten food, and trinkets stolen from careless pirates were scattered across the room, evidence of previous encounters with the foolish or unlucky.

In the corner of the cave sat a small table stacked with ancient scrolls and tablets, along with papers covered in Poneglyph script. Draco's eyes gleamed with interest. This was more than a hideout; this was Enel's lifelong plan and discoveries! As the hum of ancient knowledge filled the air, Draco's thoughts turned to Enel's future. Was this what frustrated Enel when the Straw Hats ruined his plan? He seemed to have developed his plan for a long while!

The sound of scuffling feet drew Draco's attention to the four priests seated around the table. Ohm, Gedatsu, Shura, and Satori sat lazily, but as soon as they noticed Enel's bruised and battered state and the two strangers behind him, they shot to their feet. Weapons were drawn with sharp metallic sounds, and their stances shifted into attack mode.

Ohm narrowed his eyes, preparing to speak, but Draco stepped forward, his tone low and deadly.

"Sit back down," Draco said coldly, "or you're all dead."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Blood drained from the priests' faces, and they stiffened, sensing Draco's intent was no idle threat. Slowly, reluctantly, they sank back into their chairs, eyeing Draco with fear and uncertainty.

Draco strolled over to the table filled with ancient scripts, brushing aside the clutter with casual interest. His fingers traced over the designs of a large airship, The Ark Maxim. The drawings were crude, a prototype. Draco's lips curled slightly, appreciating the brilliance behind the concept.

He turned to Enel, who kept his gaze lowered. "So... what exactly are you doing here?" Draco asked, his voice deceptively light.

Enel clenched his fists, frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior. "I've found… traces of ancient history," he muttered without looking up. "The moon... it holds something. There's something there. And I need to uncover it."

Draco raised a brow, intrigued by the moon's connection. As he shuffled through the scattered papers, Draco found himself studying the airship design again. He glanced at Enel. "How long until this thing flies?"

Enel's head snapped up, shocked by the question. He hesitated before replying. "It's still in testing. I don't know if it'll ever work... not yet."

Draco chuckled. "You've got the brains for it. No doubt about that."

With a casual air, Draco strolled over to the golden throne and sat down, crossing one leg over the other. The gold throne moved under his weight as if it resented his presence, but Draco didn't care. He leaned back, drumming his fingers on the armrest, his crimson eyes glowing faintly under the moonlight. Buggy perched next to him, grinning as if he owned the place.

Enel stood rigid, his fists trembling at his sides. His teeth ground together in barely contained rage. Draco observed the tension building in the air, and his grin grew wider.

Enel's cold gaze met Draco's unwavering, intense stare. But the moment their eyes locked, a chill ran down Enel's spine. Draco's eyes weren't ordinary. Up close, they were deep crimson with rings circling the pupils, as if they could pierce through a person's soul. Something about those eyes radiated an authority that couldn't be denied. Enel instinctively tried to look away, but the weight of Draco's gaze pulled him back. The self-proclaimed "god" of Skypiea felt small in front of Draco's presence.

"Join my pirate crew, Enel," Draco said, his voice low but filled with an undeniable command. "If you do, you'll understand more about the world than you ever could, hiding here in the sky. Your ambition will suffocate if you stay."

Enel's brows furrowed, confusion flickering in his cold, calculating mind. A pirate crew? He'd heard whispers of such groups during his encounters with intruders, but it was never a path he considered.

"What exactly is a pirate crew?" Enel asked cautiously, his pride forcing him to maintain an indifferent tone.

Draco smirked and gave a short, direct answer that stripped away all pretense. "It's freedom, power, and a chance to learn how this world really works."

Enel listened in silence, absorbing the idea, only to sneer in rejection. "No," he said, his voice laced with arrogance. "A god has no need to—"

Draco flicked his finger. The motion was so fast it was a blur and before Enel could even register what happened, a shockwave sent him hurtling across the cave. He crashed hard into the wall; the cave shook from the impact. Blood burst from his mouth as he felt his ribs crack under the force, pain spreading through his chest like wildfire.

Before Enel could recover, Draco was already standing over him, arms crossed, looking down at him as if he were an insect. His presence was suffocating.

"That wasn't an invitation," Draco said, voice calm and final. "It was a command."

The four priests, sensing the shift, sprang into action. Ohm was the first to move, his long sword extending toward Draco's neck in a deadly arc.

"Buggy, kill them," Draco said without so much as a glance.

Buggy grinned a cruel, savage grin, and drew his Kitetsu blade in one smooth motion. The cursed sword clanged against Ohm's extended blade, sending sparks flying. Activating Armament Haki, Buggy's blade shimmered with dark energy. With one powerful swing, he shattered Ohm's weapon, the fragments scattering across the stone floor.

Buggy pivoted with lightning speed, slashing upward, opening a deep wound across Ohm's chest. Blood sprayed from the gash as Ohm staggered, gasping in pain. The other priests moved in unison.

Gedatsu and Satori rushed toward Draco, while Shura bolted toward Ohm to assist him. Draco stood unmoving, watching them close the distance with dispassionate eyes, like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

But Enel, grinning through the pain, reached out and grabbed Draco's leg.

{VARI! MAX 200,000,000 VOLTS}

Enel roared, unleashing his full power.

Lightning engulfed Draco's body in a blinding burst, filling the cave with deafening crackles of energy. It was Enel's most powerful attack, the peak of everything he had trained for since he obtained his fruit.

Yet... Draco didn't even flinch.

With casual ease, he grabbed Enel by the wrist. The lightning fizzled uselessly against Draco's skin as if it were nothing more than a static shock. Then, with a simple flick of his arm, Draco hurled Enel across the room like a ragdoll.

Enel's body slammed into Gedatsu, the two of them flying backward into the wall. Gedatsu coughed violently, blood spraying from his lips as the impact crushed him against the cave.

Satori stared in disbelief; confusion written across his face. His hesitation cost him. Draco launched into the air, his legs coiling beneath him, and came down with both feet in a brutal dropkick to Satori's chest.

The force was immense. Satori's big body caved inward with a sickening crunch, ribs shattering and organs rupturing from the impact. His eyes rolled back, and with a final gasp, his heart gave out. His lifeless body slumped to the ground, unmoving.

Meanwhile, Buggy faced off against Shura with a manic grin plastered on his face. Shura thrust his lance forward in a desperate attempt to impale Buggy, but Buggy was too fast. He twisted out of the way, dodging every strike with flexible precision. He had it imprinted into his brain from Draco's training, always to keep your sense above and dodge, even if you can't be hurt from an attack, it's better to always stay vigilant!

In a blur of movement, Buggy snaked his way around Shura's arm and locked in an armbar. With a sickening pop, Buggy snapped Shura's arm like a twig. The priest howled in agony, his scream echoing through the cave. But Buggy wasn't done.

He slithered up and wrapped his arm around Shura's neck, locking him in a headlock. This wasn't about knocking him unconscious; it was a kill shot.

Ohm, regaining his senses, acted quickly. He raised his broken sword, the jagged blade still sharp, and thrust it through Shura's heart, intending to skewer Buggy along with him.

"You'll make a fine sacrifice, Shura!!!" Ohm sneered, a twisted grin spreading across his face.

The blade pierced Shura's body, but Buggy's expression remained eerily calm. Not even a flinch. With a sinister smile, Buggy tightened his grip, and with a final, sharp twist, he crushed Shura's skull.

Shura's body went limp, blood leaking from his nose and mouth.

Ohm stepped back in shock, but Buggy was already moving. He rolled out of the way of another wild swing from Ohm's shattered blade, sprang to his feet, and cocked his fist, infused with Armament Haki.

With perfect form, Buggy launched a right cross, his entire body moving in unison—from his legs to his hip to his arm. The punch connected with Ohm's chin, the impact cracking bone and snapping his head back violently. Ohm dropped to his knees, dazed.

Without hesitation, Buggy drew his Kitetsu and, in one swift motion, severed Ohm's head. The priest's head rolled across the floor as his lifeless body slumped forward.

Panting and drenched in sweat, Buggy grinned victoriously. "Two against me! I won!" he cackled, chest heaving from the effort.

He turned to Draco, who was now casually seated on top of Enel's unconscious body, clapping slowly, a faint smirk on his face. "Not bad," Draco said, the faintest hint of approval in his tone. "You've earned that victory."

Buggy glanced at the lifeless priests strewn across the floor. "What about him?" he asked, nodding toward Enel beneath Draco's boot. "Did you finish him off too?"

Draco shook his head. "No. He's useful." He tapped his temple. "Enel's smart, just not in the ways I am. Technology's not my game, but it's his. We'll need him."

[Somewhere Else In Upper Yard]

Somewhere else, in a modest wooden house, Gol D. Roger sat across from Gan Fall, laughing heartily over tea. They swapped wild tales, Roger recalling fights with Garp and the strange circumstances that had brought him to Skypiea.

Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi rang. Roger answered with a grin, recognizing the voice on the other end. It was Shanks, calling in from another part of Upper Yard. Shanks had asked that he could split off from them, wanting to explore on his own. Roger agreed, trusting shanks will be alright. 

"Captain," Shanks said, excitement lacing his voice. "I found something. A Poneglyph."

Roger shot to his feet, his tea forgotten. "Where?!"

Shanks hesitated. "I'm not sure exactly... it's dark here. But you need to see this."

Roger exhaled deeply, already thinking ahead. "Regroup at the ship. We'll head there first thing in the morning."

The call ended with a click. Gan Fall, curious, raised an eyebrow. "What's the fuss about?"

Roger grinned, fire in his eyes. "A Poneglyph. Another piece of the puzzle... another step toward Laugh Tale."

Gan Fall chuckled. "Mind if I join you on the discovery tomorrow?"

Roger gave a hearty laugh and slapped him on the back. "Of course! The more, the merrier."

With that, they finished their tea and headed back to the ship, the excitement making him scurry.