Upper Yard
---
Illegal immigration? Hancock sneered, her eyes narrowing with disdain.
"You have no room for excuses!" barked the white beret captain as he stepped forward. "We've received the image shell photos from the surveillance officer at Heaven's Gate. Stop your denials and come clean about your transgressions!"
"That old woman!" the Kuja crew exclaimed in unison, instantly recalling the elderly figure at the gate.
"No wonder she let us through so easily," grumbled one of the Kuja warriors. "She even called for that Express Shrimp. It was all a setup."
The captain's smirk widened as he continued. "But don't worry. Illegal entry is only an 11th level crime under Heaven's Sanctions. Accept the punishment, and you'll be free to continue your sightseeing."
"And what, exactly, is the punishment?" Hancock asked, her voice dripping with irritation.
"It's simple," the captain replied, his smirk deepening. "Just pay ten times the entry fee."
"Ten times?" Shisui raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
That's ten billion Extol coins per person," the captain explained.
"Impossible!" Hancock snapped. "I'm used to charging others, not the other way around! And you dare demand such an absurd amount from me?"
Before the captain could respond, his soldiers were already distracted by Hancock's overwhelming beauty.
"So beautiful…" one muttered, eyes wide in awe.
"How could such a woman even exist?" whispered another, utterly spellbound.
Hancock, ignoring their ogling, turned her cold gaze back to the captain. "I want to know—where is the island with the gold?"
The captain stiffened at her question. "I really don't know"
Akira who was organizing his plans for The Sky Islands said "Upper Yard, we will go there"
"Upper Yard?" Hancock echoed, intrigued.
Akira looked at the captain "You should know the Upper Yard"
"Yes," the captain nodded, his nervousness growing. "It's where God Enel and his priests reside."
"God ha?" Akira muttered, the mention of such a figure piquing his interest.
"Yes," the captain confirmed, sweat beading on his brow. "God Enel is the ruler of the Holy Land, Skypiea."
The crew exchanged knowing glances, realizing they were getting closer to their goal.
Hancock stepped forward, pointing imperiously at the soldiers. "Take us to this Upper Yard. Now."
Several of the white beret soldiers immediately stepped forward, stumbling over each other in their eagerness to obey.
"Stop!" The captain barked, trying to regain control. "Have you forgotten the rules?! Anyone from Angel Island who sets foot near the Upper Yard without permission faces God's punishment!"
At the mention of God's punishment, fear flickered across the soldiers' faces. Even their admiration for Hancock couldn't overcome the terror of disobeying Enel.
Akira, unmoved by the commotion, spoke calmly. "There's no need for them to guide us. I've already located it. It's about five kilometers from here."
"That close?" Hancock smirked. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."
Ignoring the white beret captain's warnings, the ship sailed on, speeding towards the Upper Yard.
"They're marching to their deaths," one soldier whispered, watching the ship fade into the distance.
The captain clenched his fists. "Let them. These Blue sea people entered illegally, refused to pay the fine, and they're pirates on top of it. They'll meet God's judgment soon enough."
---
Hidden Cloud Village
Hidden deep within the clouds, beyond Enel's reach, lay the secret village of the Shandians, the original inhabitants of the Upper Yard. The villagers lived in constant fear, hiding from Enel's ruthless rule.
A man wearing a horned mask entered the village. He was the same figure who had attacked Akira's group earlier.
"Wyper, you're back! Did you discover anything new this time?" asked a young woman named Raki as she rushed to greet him.
Wyper removed his mask. "Nothing significant. I ran into that annoying Ganfall again, but the blue sea people who arrived this time… they're different."
"Different? How so?" Raki asked, curious.
"I attacked them before Ganfall interfered, but they blocked my attack effortlessly."
"Blocked it?" Raki's eyes widened. "Are the blue sea people this time that powerful?"
"No matter how strong they are, it's irrelevant. They've entered Skypiea illegally. They'll be dead soon enough," Wyper said grimly. " Enel will deal with them soon enough. But if they can take down even one or two of Enel's priests, their deaths won't be for nothing."
"And if by some miracle they manage to kill all four priests?" Raki asked, her eyes narrowing.
"That would be the perfect moment for us to strike at Enel," Wyper replied, his voice filled with grim determination.
Raki looked over at a small girl peeking from behind her. "Aisa , did you hear anything about these people?"
Aisa nodded nervously. "They're heading to the Upper Yard, the Island of Gods now. They're looking for gold."
"Hmph! They're just like all the other sea pirates who come here—after the gold. But that gold belongs to our Shandia. They deserve whatever fate awaits them."
---
Upper Yard — God's Shrine
Inside the grand shrine, God Enel sat leisurely, his imposing figure resting on a large stone seat. Before him stood his most trusted priests.
"God, the priests have arrived," said Yama, the commander of the Divine Soldiers under Enel.
"Let them in," Enel replied casually.
As the shrine doors opened, four priests entered the room, bowing before Enel.
Ohm is Priest of the Ordeal of Iron.
Satori is Priest of the Ordeal of Balls.
Gedatsu is Priest of the Ordeal of Swamp.
Shura is Priest of the Ordeal of String.
"God, why have you summoned us?" one of the priests, Shura, asked, his expression indifferent.
"You don't seem too concerned about the blue sea people arriving," Enel said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Isn't it always the same?" Shura replied. "They're just blue sea people. Nothing special. I could handle them myself."
"Yeah hahaha! Confidence is good, but this time, our enemies are a little unusual. Their target is gold and they seem to know it's here"
"Gold?! How do they know about the gold?" another priest, Satori, asked in shock.
" It's no surprise they know about it, like the previous people who came" Enel explained, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "This time, I'm authorizing the full mobilization of our forces—priests and soldiers alike."
"All of us, God?" Shura asked, still not fully understanding the gravity of the situation.
"Yeah hahaha! Yes, all of you! Shandia will likely try to use this moment to attack us, so we'll crush them all at once."
"More important I want to watch a good show"
"As you command!" the priests replied in unison.
---
The ship of the Kuja crew sailed toward a large island, distinctly different from the surrounding Sky Islands. Towering trees filled the island, rooted deep in soil rather than clouds, making it appear as if a piece of the earthly world had been misplaced in the sky.
"We've finally arrived," Hancock said, a gleam of anticipation in her eyes.
...