Sky Island III

As Draco and Buggy walked on Angel Beach, they soon went towards the entrance of Lovely Street and strolled through the streets toward the heart of the shop stores. With every step, Draco's curious gaze took in the surroundings, nonchalant and quiet, while Buggy trailed nervously behind. Despite the absence of the White Berets, who kept order on the island, the Skypieans remained cautious, whispering among themselves as they glanced at the two pirates.

Draco ignored the stares, his mind elsewhere focused on his plans and curious about whether the island had decent alcohol to offer. Buggy, still uneasy about being surrounded by unfamiliar faces, tried his best to walk upright, masking his fear with an exaggerated air of confidence. But his red nose attracted attention everywhere they walked. 

As they continued walking, Buggy's curiosity got the better of him.

"Hey, Draco… Have you been here before?" Buggy asked, glancing at the different stores presented on Lovely Street.

"No," Draco replied flatly.

Buggy squinted. "Then how'd you know about the dirt thing?"

Draco gave a dismissive shrug. "They call it Vearth here, it's rare here. To them, it's worth more than gold. Things from the Blue Sea are treasures up here."

Buggy scratched his head, still puzzled. "Huh… Dirt? Really? What do they even do with it?"

Draco shrugged as he didn't know, leaving Buggy to wrestle with the strange logic of it as well. 

They eventually reached a small shop, the entrance adorned with strange glowing symbols and a collection of dials on display. Buggy's eyes widened, intrigued by the unfamiliar technology. He rushed up to the display, leaning in to examine a few.

"What are these?" Buggy asked excitedly.

The shopkeeper, an elderly Skypiean, stood behind the counter, uninterested in explaining anything to outsiders. He merely stared at them in silence, waiting for them to leave or buy.

Draco sighed. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small pouch of dirt, and casually placed it on the counter.

The old man's demeanor shifted immediately, his eyes gleamed with interest, and he leaned closer. "Ah, the dials… They are treasures of Sky Island. I suppose I can tell you what they do."

He pointed to each type of dial as he spoke.

"This one store's sound, the Tone Dial… That there is a Jet Dial, useful for bursts of speed… And this is the Impact Dial; it absorbs force and releases it in an instant. Very dangerous."

Draco nodded, absorbing the information. Without hesitation, he bought all the dials available, intending to use them later. He handed Buggy an Impact Dial, giving him a knowing look.

"Here. This one might save your life someday," Draco said.

Buggy stared at the dial in awe, a grin spreading across his face. "Seriously? isn't this one that can store punches? Sweet!"

As they left the shop, Draco noticed something ominous, they were being followed. His eyes flicked to the shadows of an alley, where someone had been observing them. The presence watching carefully, not noticing that Draco already saw them, but he kept the information to himself, pretending not to care.

"Come on, let's find that alcohol," Draco said, steering Buggy along.

Eventually, they found a small store that sold alcohol. Draco approached the counter, plopped his dirt onto the counter, and casually bought the entire stock. He popped the cap off a bottle and took a sip.

The drink was unexpectedly sweet, with only a faint trace of alcohol. Draco raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "This tastes like juice."

He handed a bottle to Buggy, who took a sip and broke into a grin. "This is amazing! It's sweet, refreshing… and just enough kick!" he said with enthusiasm. Buggy's mood lightened considerably, and for the first time in a while, he seemed relaxed.

Draco gave him a rare, amused smile. But even as they continued their walk through the streets, his observation Haki told him, that the mysterious figures who had been tailing them were now gone.

[Upper Yard, God's Shrine]

In the heart of Upper Yard, a grand, ruined temple hidden deep within the island, a young Enel sat upon a golden throne, an aura of superiority filled faintly around him. His long earlobes swayed slightly as he listened to the four priests seated around a circular table, each providing reports from their missions.

The Priest Ohm, wearing black glasses, leaned forward. "God Enel, the Blue Sea intruders defeated the Birka warriors with ease. They don't seem ordinary."

Enel's eyes narrowed, glowing faintly with electricity. "Good..., Ohm. And you, Gedatsu?"

Gedatsu, half-asleep and mumbling through his drooping eyelids, muttered, "I... I kept a close watch. Two of them went toward the city. I don't know their names." While saying this, tears started trickling down his face, as he'd forgotten how to blink. 

Enel tapped his finger against the armrest of his throne. "Good. And the other group?" He shifted his gaze toward Shura and Satori, who sat stiffly at the table, visibly bruised and bloodied from battle.

The two priests exchanged nervous glances, beads of sweat dripping down their faces. Enel's expression darkened, with his fingers as he clenched an apple, slowly incinerating it until it burst into charred pieces.

"Tell me... what happened?" Enel's voice was calm but seething with suppressed rage.

Shura and Satori squirmed in their seats, hesitant to speak. But Enel's piercing gaze forced them to spill the truth.

"We… we tried to spy on the other group, but we were discovered," Shura stammered.

"It was… it was that man, Oden! That's what they called him!" Satori added quickly. "He—he caught us red-handed and fought like a madman! Nothing we tried worked—our dials, our attacks—it was all useless!"

The room fell silent, tension thick in the air. Enel's aura crackled with electricity, the faint hum of thunder vibrating through the temple walls.

"You fools," Enel hissed. "If you weren't necessary for my plans, I would kill you here and now."

His fist crackled with lightning, illuminating the fear-stricken faces of the priests. The young Enel, though not yet the tyrant who would one day rule Skypiea like a god, was already a fearsome presence. His ambitions were clear, he sought to conquer not just the skies, but the moon itself.

In his mind, the moon held the ultimate prize: "Fairy Vearth," a sacred land of endless soil. It was the key to his goal to stand above all others, as the god of an eternal paradise.

"They've interfered with my plans…" Enel muttered, rising from his throne. The priests shivered as the air around them buzzed with energy.

With a dangerous glint in his eye, Enel declared, 'I'm going to have to reveal my god-like abilities! My plan was not supposed to be like this!' Having kept his ability unrevealed, even to his Birka members as he intends to kill them himself.

The priests dared not speak, their faces pale as Enel's lightning crackled in the dim light. The storm was coming, and Enel intended to ensure that nothing, not Roger's crew, nor any other force would stop him from reaching the moon. 

[Forest Near Ruined Shadora]

The dense forest loomed around Roger and his crew, thick with ancient trees and strange noises that echoed from the shadows. Birds and unknown creatures rustled within the canopy, filling the air with eerie sounds that crawled under their skin. Roger walked at the front, leading them deeper into the forest, his expression easy and playful—though his eyes flickered with readiness.

Roger scratched his inner ear with his pinky, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Heh... someone must be talking about us."

Rayleigh raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious, Roger? stop joking around?"

Scopper snorted. "He's probably hearing things again. Come on, let's keep moving."

Roger chuckled, but something in the environment made his smile fade slightly. His pace slowed, and his boots crunched over fallen leaves and brittle twigs. He stopped, still and silent, as his eyes scanned the treetops. His instincts screamed a warning—something massive was nearby.

"Wait," Roger whispered, his tone shifting.

His companions immediately tensed. Rayleigh, Scopper, and Oden instinctively fell into their battle stances, scanning the forest around them. The soft rustle of leaves became louder—something big was moving among the treetops. Branches snapped and groaned under immense weight.

Without warning, a colossal snake burst from the branches above, its giant mouth opens wide, with its giant fang ready to eat. The snake lunged at them, massive, its blue scales shimmered in the sunlight filtering through the trees.

"Brace yourselves!" Rayleigh shouted as he drew his sword.

But before anyone could make a move, Roger raised a hand. "Don't kill it! It's not angry, it's protecting something!"

The others hesitated for a moment but nodded. Roger leaped first, his grin replaced by focused determination. He drew, Ace, using it upside down, nonlethally, reserved for the giant snake, he didn't intend to kill.

With a powerful leap, Roger met the giant snake midair, swinging his blade with immense force. The impact echoed through the forest, the snake's scaled body jerking back as it had been struck. The creature hissed and spat blood, writhing in pain but still alive.

"Hit it hard, but don't kill it!" Roger shouted.

Rayleigh, Scopper, and Oden charged in from the side, striking at the snake to keep it subdued. They landed precise blows, not enough to kill, but enough to keep it from making too much noise. The snake writhed but soon stilled, weakened, and panting heavily.

Roger stood over the fallen creature, his breathing steady. He knelt beside it, placing a hand on the snake's head with a rare look of sympathy. The snake wasn't a threat, it was guarding something, waiting for someone or something to return.

"You'll be alright, big guy," Roger muttered softly before standing. "Come on, we should keep moving."

The others glanced at the giant snake one last time before following Roger deeper into the forest. Before long, the thick canopy parted, revealing a stunning sight that made them stop in awe.

They had reached the Ruined City of Shandora, a city lost to time, covered in moss and cracked stone, yet still radiating an air of grandeur. The crew stood in silence, mesmerized by the ancient stone carvings and towering ruins.

"So this is the City of Gold..." Scopper whispered in amazement.

Rayleigh chuckled. "Looks more like the City of Moss to me."

Oden's eyes sparkled with excitement, "So awesome!"

[Back to Draco and Buggy]

Meanwhile, back in the heart of Angel Island, Draco and Buggy sat on a wooden bench, resting after their shopping spree. The two pirates sipped their drinks, Buggy content with the sweet Skypiean alcohol, while Draco enjoyed a sip from a bottle of rum from the Blue Sea.

Buggy leaned back on the bench, swirling his bottle. "Y'know, this Skypiean stuff isn't half bad. I like it. It's sweet and smooth and goes down easy."

Draco gave him a sideways glance, before taking a swig of his drink "Enjoy it while you can. It's gonna be a long night."

Buggy perked up, lowering his bottle. "Wait… what do you mean 'long night'?"

Draco finished his drink, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and stood up. "We're heading into the forest where Roger headed."

Buggy's face paled slightly. "The forest? Now? But it's getting dark-"

"Doesn't matter," Draco interrupted, already setting off. "I need to find someone."

Buggy hesitated but scrambled to his feet, following reluctantly. "Find who? Some Skypiean?"

Draco gave him a sly grin, his eyes gleaming with intent. "Enel."

"Enel? Never heard of him. What's the plan?"

"If he hasn't eaten the Goro Goro no Mi yet, we leave him alone and find the fruit. If he has..." Draco's grin widened. "I'll invite him to join my crew."

Buggy blinked in disbelief. "You're serious?"

'If he gets smarter and learns how to use his powers, he'll be invaluable.' Draco thought to himself, but a dangerous excitement flickered beneath it. "With his abilities, I could use him to power my future vessel, turn him into a living lightning engine."

Buggy shivered at the thought, both impressed and unnerved by Draco's ambition. "And if he says no?"

Draco's eyes darkened. "Then beat him up until he agrees."

Buggy sighed, resigned to following Draco into the forest. "This is insane... but fine. let's go! I'll fight anything!"

"Relax, we've got Dials now. If things go south, we can always use these."

He casually held up an Impact Dial, giving it a playful flick.

BOOM!

The Dial erupted in his hand with a deafening shockwave, sending a blast of force through the air. Draco's curly black hair whipped back, and a cloud of dust kicked up around them.

Buggy staggered; his eyes wide with panic. "WHAT THE!?!"

Draco stood perfectly still, completely unfazed as if the explosion hadn't just gone off inches from his face. He slowly side-eyed Buggy, his expression blank, as if to say, don't even.

Without a word, Draco casually tossed the smoking Dial into the bushes, dusted off his hands, and turned toward the Upper Yard.

"Let's go."

Buggy gawked for a moment before scurrying after him, muttering under his breath, "So much for new technology!"