Chapter 85

The kami who laid lazily on a throne made of stone smirked, his gaze sweeping over the clearing as an hour passed and the participants positioned themselves in the center. With a lazy flick of his hand, he gave a command to one of his priests. "Activate the White Barbed Iron Cage!"

Ohm responded to his kami instantly. With a sharp motion of his wrist, the ground trembled. The air grew heavy as thick, razor sharp iron pillars erupted from the earth, curving like monstrous fangs to encase the chosen participants. White barbs jutted out menacingly from the iron bars, humming with an eerie energy. It wasn't just a cage. It was a battlefield, one designed to trap its combatants with no means of escape.

The winds howled in protest, not liking the unfairness and a sharp gust rustled through the one who shone like the sun's hair, whispering their displeasure at such a cruel stage. Even the clouds above gathered tighter, a faint swirl forming in response to their rightful god's presence.

Yet, Nika only grinned, unbothered. His trust on his crew transcended the fake confidence in the other team.

Enel turned his piercing gaze back at Nika, his fear hidden beneath layers of arrogance. "Now, Nika," He sneered, his voice dripping with false magnanimity. "I must remind you. These matches will be fair." He let the word hang mockingly. "That means no use of divine powers in either of the matches. Not theirs," Enel pointed to the participants inside the cage. "Not ours." His lips curled into a smirk, believing that by the time it may come to the last match he may either be far gone from here or will fight the shit out of a brat with no powers involved. After all, he was sure that his raw strength was much more than the brat's.

Nika pouted, not liking the idea to stay still until the last match, but his pout soon changed into a grin, as he raised both hands in surrender. "I got it!" He said, then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he reached into the air and pulled-grasping at nothing, yet retrieving something. A soft puff of cloud coalesced beneath his fingers, shifting and solidifying into a comfortable seat.

With a content hum, he hopped onto the floating cloud, letting it drift lazily beside the iron cage. His legs swung idly as he adjusted himself, already looking far too at ease. Then, with another playful tug at the atmosphere, he crafted something new-small, white, almost invisible drums that hovered beside him, waiting.

Zoro squinted. "You're making drums now?"

Nika beamed, tapping a finger against the air. A faint, rhythmic sound followed, like a heartbeat echoing in the wind. "I'll play when I feel like it," He said simply.

Sanji raised a brow but said nothing, though something in his gut told him Luffy wasn't just creating instruments for fun.

Enel, watching from below, felt an odd sense of unease settle in his chest. Something about Nika's casual demeanor, the way he was seemingly making everything obey him, the way the sky almost seemed to shift around him, made him grit his teeth.

The razor shaped White Barbed Iron Cage loomed around the participants, its jagged edges humming with an ominous energy that made the hairs on the back of their necks rise. The battlefield had indeed been set, and despite the kami's-Enel's-mockery of fairness, there was nothing fair about it.

Sanji exhaled a long stream of smoke as his eyes warily scanned the cage, letting the embers at the tip of his cigarette burn a little brighter as he gathered the attention of those around him. "Look, we are currently stuck having to face some other team-" He started, but his eyes turned wide and voice became incredulous soon. "-where are you going?!" He shouted, stunned at the sight of Wyper, the leader of the Shandorians, barely spared him a glance before signaling his warriors forward to the enemy.

A part of Sanji hoped that at least some would stay, seeing a handful of them's trust in Luffy last night but to his astonishment all the Shandorians rushed toward the right side of the battlefield, their movements quick and decisive, following Wyper. Heck, even the White Berets mimicked them, dashing toward the left side of the battlefield without a second thought.

Sanji's eyes twitched in annoyance and anger. "What the hell are they thinking?!" He shouted, turning to Zoro and Chopper, only to realize they were the only ones actually listening to him, but even that was a stretch! Judging by the bored, almost annoyed expression on Zoro's face, who did not even look remotely interested when he hadn't even started to explain anything yet, was more than annoying.

"This is supposed to be teamwork, not a damn free-for-all!" Sanji shouted after the retreating warriors, knowing that he might have a better chance getting them to agree with him, than pestering the dumbass mosshead. "We're gonna lose at this rate, you assholes!" His complaints dwindled into grumbles only Chopper, with his sharp ears, could catch.

Sanji sighed. He knew that even with just the three of them, they could hold on their own. They weren't weak. They had trained in ways anyone couldn't even imagine. They had survived against monstrous kicks and punches, felt their legs tearing at the borderline tortuous training. They had survived through it and were slowly unlocking their Haki even.

And all this was done with the help of none other than.. a god.

...A god trained them.

A part of him still hesitated to put the word to Luffy's face. Was he still just their Luffy, or was he now truly Nika, the sun and sky god? What would happen in the future with this revelation? A part of Sanji hesitated in thinking why would Luffy ever feel the need to hide it if he trusts them? Was there more to Luffy's declaration? Should they call him Luffy now? Or was it Nika now? He forgot to ask that-

"INCOMING!" Chopper's voice rang out just as a massive white ball plummeted towards them.

Sanji reacted instantly, snapping out of his thoughts and springing to the side with an effortless grace with Zoro following closely behind him, dodging the ball with a practiced motion.

BOOM!

The impact of the white ball sent a shockwave outward, kicking up dirt and debris as the trio tumbled back further. The ground where they had stood moments ago had turned into a smoking crater, the white hot remnants of the explosion still crackling ominously.

Sanji pushed himself up with a grimace, staring at the crater. "What the hell was that?"

"A white bomb, apparently." Zoro muttered, stating the obvious as he dusted himself off and unsheathed Wado Ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu, knowing very well that this was just the beginning. There's no way that only one of those things would be fired at them.

Before the trio could react further, two more explosions erupted from the direction where the Shandorians had charged. Their heads whipped towards the commotion, to have a better understanding of the situation.

The Shandorians were under siege.

A massive purple bird, large enough to dwarf some of the trees surrounding the battlefield, swooped down upon them. A man stood on its back, gripping a long, gleaming javelin in one hand.

That was none other than the priest of the Ordeal of String, Shura, who was mercilessly cutting down warriors mid air. The Shandorians were retaliating, firing their cannons at the best, but their efforts barely slowed the man and his companion down.

The next second, an arrow landed right in front of the trio Strawhats, barely missing Chopper by a hair. By the angle of the arrow that burrowed itself adamantly to the ground, Sanji figured it came from the opposite end of the battlefield, where the White Berets had gone and another battle was raging.

White robed monk-like warriors with goat-like features were relentlessly attacking the White Berets, their bows firing cloud-like arrows that spiraled unnaturally before striking their targets. The Berets, unprepared for such a method of attack, scrambled to defend themselves using the clouds.

They were the ones who needed more help than the Shandorians but it wasn't like Zoro, Sanji and Chopper had enough time to intervene as another wave of white balls started falling from the sky, streaking towards them. And this time, a man was riding one of them and heading towards them.

He was round, his body bouncing atop the floating sphere like a grotesque parody of a performer. His long, dark red hair struck out beneath a peculiar orange hat, and large yellow sunglasses obscured his eyes, contrasting his fair skin and white jumpsuit which was adorned with golden rings.

It was none other than one of the priests of Enel, Satori.

"Hohohoho!" Satori's obnoxious laughter rang through the battlefield. "Welcome, dear criminals, to the Ordeal of Balls! May God not be with you!"

Sanji's lip curled into disgust. "This guy's got the most punchable face I've ever seen."

"Ordeal of Balls? What is that?" Chopper voiced the question which everyone had in their mind.

Zoro, however, had bigger concerns. "Forget about that! We need to MOVE!" He wanted to cut those balls but his guts told him that would lead to a disaster specially for others.

The three Strawhats darted in different directions, zig zagging to dodge the incoming balls with practiced movements. To their surprise only a few of the spheres exploded on impact with the ground, while others.. didn't?

One ball burst into a shower of pink flowers. Another released a cluster of poisonous snakes that immediately slithered towards them. A third unleashed a storm of tiny, bladed weapons, spinning in every direction.

"WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THESE BALLS?!" Zoro, Sanji and Chopper shouted in unison, avoiding the balls.

"HOHOHOHOHOHO!" Satori laughed harder, his entire round body bouncing atop the floating sphere he rode. "That's the beauty of my surprise balls! You never know what's inside!" True to the name, the balls could have anything or everything, ranging from incendiaries, gunpowder to bladed weapons in the most ridiculous shape. One of them even had a dragon mask strapped atop the head cloud.

"I hate this guy." Sanji's scowl deepened. "We are just getting played!" He muttered, barely avoiding a cluster of balls that released a thick, choking smoke upon impact.

Chopper, in his smaller form, darted between the falling spheres, his hooves skidding slightly against the ground as he did his best to keep up with the two monsters of the crew. His heart hammered in his chest, adrenaline pumping wildly through his veins in fear. "There's no pattern! Some explode, some don't!" He called out, barely dodging another as it cracked open to reveal a hissing snake.

Sanji grit his teeth, frustration bubbling in his chest. This wasn't just a normal fight. It was a game of chance, a sadistic playground designed to keep them guessing and off balance. He hated fights like these!

But just as frustration was about to turn into genuine irritation, something settled into the air.

A drumbeat.

Doom dut da da~!

The Strawhats belatedly realized that the drums, that unique sound, had been there all along. It was not new. Not sudden. A constant, steady rhythm beneath all the chaos of the battle, beneath their every move. They just hadn't been paying attention.

But now, they felt it.

Doom dut da da~!

Zoro exhaled through his nose. "He never stopped, huh?"

Sanji adjusted his tie. "Yeah... Guess we really can't lose, then."

Chopper's ears twitched. It wasn't just sound. It wasn't just a beat. It was belief, deep and unshakable. It settled in their bones, wrapped around their souls.

Doom dut da da~!

Luffy wasn't fighting.

But he was watching, trusting.

And he knew they would win.

The steady drumming wasn't just sound-it was a message.

Sanji chuckled under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief. That idiot. That absolute, insufferable idiot.

But damn it if it didn't work.

Doom dut da da~!

A slow grin spread across his lips as he turned his full attention back to Satori. "Tch. You think we'll be overwhelmed?" He rolled his shoulders, exhaling a stream of smoke. "Sorry, but that's not happening."

Zoro smirked, rolling his neck. "Hah. If all you've got are some stupid surprise balls, then you're in for a long fight."

Chopper's hooves planted firmly on the ground, his fear pushed aside as newfound resolve bloomed in his chest. "We're not gonna lose."

Because their captain believed in them.

And if Luffy believed-if Nika believed-then they would win.

No matter what.

Robin's fingers traced the worn scripts carved into the ancient stone walls, her sharp eyes absorbing the meaning hidden behind the ancient texts.

Shandora.

The legendary City of Gold. The civilization that had vanished without a trace 400 years ago-lost to history. And yet, here it stood, not lost, not forgotten, but merely waiting to be found. The ruins stretched before her, vast and silent, carrying the weight of an untold story.

Her mind quickly began piecing the puzzle together. If Shandora had truly disappeared from the Blue Sea, then how had it ended up here, in the sky? There was only one possibility.

If a knock up stream was capable of sending their ship to the sky island, then it's possible that one of unprecedented force had erupted beneath Jaya, severing a part of the island and sending it skyward.

Her thoughts flickered to the half-submerged remains of Cricket's home, the clean cut through his house. That wasn't erosion. It wasn't the work of time. It was a separation. The missing half of Jaya had been ripped away, carried to the skies. And now, centuries later, she stood upon it.

She turned back to the etchings on the walls, noting the detailed map carved into the stone. It outlined the ruins, the roads, the once-great structures now overgrown with vines. The map had guided her here, but who had guided her to this side of the ruins?

'Luffy.'

He had pointed her in this direction. Not randomly, not out of thoughtless impulse, but purposefully.

'How did he know?'

A small part of her dismissed the idea. It could have been pure instinct, a whim, a lucky guess. And yet, another part of her whispered otherwise. She had spent two decades learning people, studying them and chasing after the lost history, allowing her to know when a person's whimsical or not.

Robin felt the winds tug her hat, guiding her to walk deeper into the ruins and follow the path that laid before her. The winds whistled softly through the crumbling city, a gentle but insistent guide. It curled around her, rustling the leaves, urging her onward. Was it Luffy's doing too? A part of her wondered but before she could delve deeper into it, the ruins stretched out, revealing themselves in pieces as if they had been waiting for someone to see them again.

Then, at last, going through a tunnel, she found it.

'The lost city of Shandora.' Robin inhaled sharply as the grand structure of Shandora unfolded before her eyes. Vines draped over the towering walls, nature reclaiming what once belonged to man. Yet despite the passage of time, the architecture stood resilient-proud, unyielding, eternal. The City of Gold was not merely a legend. It was real, and it had survived.

A slow, genuine smile graced her lips. This was the real treasure-not gold, not riches, but history itself.

As she wandered deeper into the ruins, awe settling into her every step, her thoughts drifted back to Luffy-or does he prefer Nika? Had he always known the city was here? Had he already known that the great treasure Cricket searched for was never lost, merely waiting above? She frowned slightly. The thought was unsettling, yet strangely fitting. He had been so determined to come here, so certain of this journey.

'Was that why?'

Or was there more?

Her fingers curled slightly as a new thought surfaced. If Luffy truly is a god, he must have existed beyond human time, maybe even the starting of the very universe! Then he must know more than any record ever could! ...But did he remember the past that the world had erased? The great Void Century, the history that was forbidden to be spoken and recorded in hieroglyphs.. Did it live on in him? Did he play a part in Void Century?

And if so... could Nika read the lost language?

Or more hauntingly-could he speak it? Pronounce the words as they had once been spoken, before history had been silenced?

A chill ran through her as she let that possibility settle in her mind.

Then, just as she was about to move forward-she saw it. Hidden among the ruins, standing untouched by time, was something she had never expected to find here of all places.

A Poneglyph.

Her breath caught in her throat as she approached, her fingers brushing against its ancient surface. The indestructible stone, etched with the script of the past, waited silently for its story to be read.

And as her eyes traced the words, she read aloud in a hushed whisper,

"Truth in the heart and the mouth sealed. We are those who record history together with the sound of the great belfry."

The words resonated within her, their meaning lingering like an unsolved mystery.

Robin exhaled slowly, her heart pounding.

This was not just another piece of history.

This was proof.

Nami tightened the last strap on her hastily assembled dial weapon, her fingers working quickly as she listened to Usopp chatter beside her, guiding her and the others to prepare their weapons too. Around them, the five Skypeian-Conis, Pagaya and three more-hurried to supply them with as many dials as possible, explaining their functions and usage.

With the way the fight was going on, they had no illusions about their chances in battle. Taking down even one opponent of the opposite team in this war was going to be difficult.

"This could work." Usopp muttered, turning a small flame dial over in his hands. "Maybe, if we don't get hit first."

"That's a big 'if'!" Nami replied dryly, testing the weight of a jet dial attached to her staff.

Conis, who had been quietly observing their preparations, knowing what was on stake, suddenly spoke. "Nami.. is your captain truly challenging the Kami for the title of Kami?" She questioned, having deciphered that the Strawhatted captain was metaphorically claiming himself to be the kami of sun and sky.

Nami froze for a fraction of a second, her sharp catching onto how Conis didn't believe it and how the other Skypieans were also looking towards her for an answer. In all honesty Nami understood why Luffy didn't like Enel taking the title of his late brother but the thought of Luffy being actually a god-a king-made her shudder. She knew Luffy was telling the truth but her childish, idiotic and loving captain had no sense of restraint, no strategy, no understanding of responsibility even if he might have lived for eons-he just did things as he wants.

The idea of Luffy/Nika ruling over anyone or anything was ridiculous.

And yet, a traitorous voice in her mind whispered, But he already does, doesn't he?

Not as a tyrant. Not as some self declared ruler. But as someone, people willingly followed. He never demanded loyalty. No, it was given to him. He never sought power, yet it bent to his will. And despite his bottomless appetite, there were times when he had offered food to others, where he had not asked for seconds, pretending he was full when they had little to eat in the treacherous seas..

"Nami?" Usopp's voice snapped Nami out of her thoughts. He was watching her expectantly, clearly waiting for a response. "If you have to fight, what's the plan?"

Nami hesitated, her hands clenching around her climatact. She wasn't a fighter like Zoro or Sanji. She wasn't ridiculously powerful like Luffy. But she had fought before-and won. She could do this. She could win and she was sure with Usopp and the others at her side they were gonna win this.

Before Nami could answer though, her gaze landed on a small figure sitting near the arena.

Aisa.

The little girl sat with wide, focused eyes, nodding along to Luffy's tune of drum beats. Even from where they were, Nami could hear it-the steady, energizing sound resonating in the air, like a pulse. Aisa seemed completely in tune with it, her head moving ever so slightly, her expression that of hope.

Aisa had been watching the battle from the very beginning, her small hands clenched into fists as emotions warred within her-fear, hope and excitement all swirling together-making it feel almost overwhelming.

Fear for the warriors who fell, for the ones still fighting, for the uncertainty of who would rise again and who would not. The battle was fierce, and the possibility of losing everything loomed over them like a shadow. Would they all make it through this? Would her home, the Upper Yard, finally be free and theirs?

Hope, because this was their chance. A chance to win for once and all, to bring an end to Enel's reign, to stop the senseless suffering. She didn't want to live in exile anymore. She didn't want to fear stepping foot on the land that belonged to her people or worry others just because she wanted a fistful of the vearth.

And excitement because despite the fear, despite the stakes, this fight was unlike anything she had ever seen. Grand yet cruel, powerful yet devastating, it was overwhelming in all rights but something in Aisa told that this would become history, a day which would be remembered as the day of liberation, the day their warriors and Kami of Sun's friends helped them see it.

With the gift of nature bestowed upon her, Aisa didn't even need to strain her eyes to know the state of the battle. She felt it.

Five of eleven divine soldiers were already down, sprawled unmoving across the battlefield. Two of God's guards were still on their feet, but they were being chased down by the remaining six divine soldiers. The others, the unlucky ones, had already been knocked out, not dead.

Aisa's heart pounded in time with the chaos. 'Please.. Let this end soon.. Let us win, big bro Nika.' Aisa closed her eyes for a brief moment and prayed to the kami who's the embodiment of the sun, liberator of all, protector of the skies and sun, who's sitting atop his majestic cloud, far yet never distant, there and playing his drums, which seemed to fill hope in everyone present there with their mere presence only.

The moment her prayer left her lips, the drumbeats shifted.

Doom dut da da~!

It had been present all along, steady and unwavering in the background, but now, it was different. The rhythm swelled, rising in volume, but strangely, it did not disrupt the world around her yet it seemed like the heartbeat of the world itself. It was deep and alive, thrumming in the air, in the vearth, in the very sky above them.

Yet, no one else reacted. No one else turned their heads or stiffened in surprise.

Because this was for her alone.

The pounding rhythm wrapped around her like a warm embrace, vibrating through her bones, filling the hollow spaces of doubt with assurance.

It was an answer for her prayer.

A silent, wordless acknowledgement from the god she had placed her faith in.

The kami had heard her. He was listening.

A sharp gust of wind swept through the battlefield, rustling her hair as she looked up to Nika, who was looking at her with a radiant smile. It seemed as if echoing the same silent promise carried within his beats, winds and the very sky. 'I am here.'

Aisa's breath caught in her throat as the golden glow of the sky seemed to deepen in Nika's presence, as through even the heavens themselves knelt to ancient, boundless, ethereal sound, having the essence of a rising sun, the endless dance of the clouds, relaxed her frayed nerves, shooing away the fear that had gripped her chest.

Doom dut da da~!

Aisa couldn't help but nod her head to the rhythm as belief swelled within her. The winds curled around her, lifting strands of her hair as if to brush away doubt, as if to cradle her in the warmth of something greater.

The drums didn't speak in words, yet she could easily understand their message. They were calling for freedom, for courage, for the light that no shadow could ever truly consume.

The drums roared, a crescendo that sent shivers down her spine, making her smile.

She no longer feared. She no longer held doubts or wavered.

For as long as the drums played, as long as the sun shone, as long as he was here with them, they could not lose.

The arena was a mess of smoke, blood and exhaustion, yet victory was within reach. Zoro, Sanji and chopper stood amidst the wreckage of battle with blood dripping from their wounds as the remnants of Satori's white balls scattered around them. Their breath was heavy, their bodies aching but the fight with the ridiculous ball of the priest was almost over.

With a final synchronized strike, Zoro and Sanji cut down Satori, sending him crashing to the ground, unconscious. Chopper wasted no time patching them up, his hooves immediately tending to their wounds.

Meanwhile, Zoro crouched down, rifling through Satori's belongings, pulling out several impact dials and tossing them to Sanji and Chopper with a casual grunt. "I don't need 'em. I'm already good as I am."

Sanji narrowed his eyes, suspecting Zoro's stubborn pride but something knowing Zoro he knew what he was doing, The swordsman had turned away, his hand resting on his katana. In reality, Zoro probably could use the dials but that wasn't the point. He was caring for him and Chopper, giving them all of the loot just because they don't have a weapon to defend themselves.

Sanji gritted his teeth, about to retort but before he could return the dials, chaos erupted once more. The god's guards, or the White Berets, came barreling towards them, chased by the remaining six divine soldiers. Without missing a beat, the trio launched into action, cutting down their enemies in rapid succession.

"...Thank you." The White Berets, still reluctant to acknowledge the so-called criminals, mumbled their thanks only to be cut off by a sudden explosion erupting in the arena.

The ground trembled as Gedatsu, looking worse for wear came hurtling towards them, pursued by three determined Shandorians. Close behind them, like an ominous shadow in the sky, came Shura riding Fuza, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.

Zoro and Sanji exchanged a glance. No words were needed as they moved in sync.

Zoro lunged at Gedatsu, aiming to slash him, but the priest narrowly dodged by activating the milky dials on his shoes, lifting himself into the air.

"Tch. Annoying." Sanji clicked his tongue and without hesitation, he vaulted off Zoro's back-earning a sarcastic "What am I, a damn springboard now?!"-twisting mid air. "Party's over, you eyebrow freak!" Sanji's leg connected with Gedatsu's chest, sending him plummeting face first onto the ground, unconscious.

"We had that under control!" Wyper's furious shout cut through the air. "Stay out of our fight!"

Sanni scowled, about to snap back when a sudden chill blasted across the battlefield, despite the blazing sun. The shadows lengthened unnaturally, seeing to consume the sun itself and darkening the world.

Instinctively, they looked up-and there he was.

Luffy, Nika, in his giant form, stared down at them, his ever present grin absent and expression unreadable, but disappointment vividly flickered in his ethereal red blue eyes.

The sheer weight of his presence sent shivers down spines, the very sky itself bending to his will. The White Berets shrank back, some outright trembling, still unable to accept Nika as a kami, yet the sight of him-vast, divine, undeniable-shook their resolve, making them realize that they truly were in the presence of an otherworldly being. Not just someone who wants the title of kami. But someone who is kami.

Zoro and Sanji, however, felt something else. Something other than the immense respect and joy which Chopper could feel blossoming in his very heart.

Nostalgia. A memory. Twin Capes and Laboon.

Their minds flashed back to Twin Capes, to the moment Luffy had saved their ship from crashing into Laboon. The memory was vivid-his laughter, his impossible strength, the sheer absurdity of it all-but so was the exhaustion that followed, leaving Luffy pale and sick.

Sanji clicked his tongue, but there was the barest flicker of concern in his eyes. "Don't overdo it, Luffy."

Zoro, arms crossed, scowled up at their captain, who wasn't yet ready to use all his powers, but there was something unreadable in Zoro's gaze-something wary. Luffy looked fine now, but Zoro remembered how heavy the idiot had felt in his arms back then, how sluggish his breathing had been afterward. Zoro hated seeing that. "If you pass out after this, I'm not carrying you," Zoro muttered, barely loud enough to be heard but even he wasn't sure if it was meant as a warning or a promise.

Before any more words could be exchanged, Raki's sharp voice cut through the air. "Wyper, focus! Shura and Fuza are still here!" As if on cue, the last priest in the arena circled above them, his bird flapping its massive winds, keeping him just out of reach but also trembling slightly.

Wyper readied his gun. Raki adjusted her rifle. Kamakiri gripped his burning blade. All three of them ready to strike.

But someone didn't get the memo of it and confidently strolled towards Raki with a flirtatious grin. "Don't worry, miss. I'll handle the priest. A lady like you doesn't need to-"

WHACK!

The butt of Raki's gun met the perverted cook's-Sanji-face, leaving a well deserved red imprint on his cheek.

"All shandorians are warriors." Raki said flatly.

Sanji wobbled, giving her a thumbs up. "Got it.."

Zoro sighed, smirking and rubbing his temple at the love-cook's antics. "Idiot."

Wyper narrowed his eyes at the lone figure in the sky. Shura, perched atop Fuza, hovering just beyond their reach. It was too suspicious. But if there was one thing Wyper knew about Enel's priests, then it was that they were cocky, sadistic and quick to assert their dominance. Yet, Shura was holding back, maintaining distance instead of charging in like a reckless zealot. That meant only one thing-he wasn't stupid. He knew that diving headfirst into an outnumbered battle was a death sentence. But that also meant he had a plan.

A coward's patience, Wyper thought, gripping his weapon tighter. But even that is bound to crumble when Wyper could see that Shura doesn't have any long distance weapon. 'We can use this to our advantage.'

"Aim at the enemy and shoot him out of the sky!" Wyper barked, rallying one of his only companions armed with a gun. "Don't let him get close enough to attack since he has no long-ranged weapons!"

Without missing a beat, Raki raised her rifle and fired. Wyper followed suit, launching cannonballs with precise, calculated aim. Their attacks roared through the sky, smoke trailing in their wake. But yet, no matter how many rounds Raki fired or how many cannonballs Wyper skillfully shot, the result was the same. Not a single shot landed.

Fuza weaved effortlessly through the air, twisting its massive body to avoid every bullet and cannonball. Shura barely even moved, his grin widening as though he found the whole thing amusing. The grin made Wyper's blood boil.

He was playing with them.

High above, Shura smirked at their helplessness.

Pathetic. Like sinners should even dream of striking him.

Unlike the fool Gedatsu, who could forget how to breathe mid-battle or forget how to see, Shura was a strategist. His Mantra let him predict their attacks, but more than that-he was stalling for the success of the genius plan he's crafted. And truly it was simple! Keeping just enough distance to remain untouchable while forcing the buffoons to waste their ammunition. Then he'd burn them all alive using Fuza's fire breath from a distance they wouldn't be able to fight back from!

It's not like sinners, such as those pathetic Shandorians, would be smart enough to tell what was going on.

Wyper was cursing under his breath, knowing very well that if they kept this up they'd be empty handed before they even got a chance to fight. While Raki, still firing, started to frown at the enemy's actions.

Something wasn't right. This has to be part of Shura's plan. But what would the merciless priest get by possibly exhausting his own mate? Raki knew that the priest's movements weren't just about self preservation. There was an objective behind them. But if all he wanted was to avoid injury, he could have fled to a safer distance to wait for an opening. Instead, he was keeping close enough to be a constant threat but just far enough to remain untouchable.

Raki gritted her teeth in frustration as another round of bullets were wasted, making her stop a moment to reload her gun only to have an epiphany.

The realization hit her like a lightning bolt. Shura was making them use up all their ammo! No wonder the cocky priest didn't look even slightly nervous but was smirking all the time. "Stop shooting!" She shouted, cursing Shura under her breath. "He's deliberately making us use up all our ammo for nothing!"

Wyper's hand froze on his weapon. His teeth clenched in anger. How had he not noticed it sooner? A quick glance at his supply confirmed his worst fear-only one batch of cannonballs left. Shit.

Zoro, who had been quietly observing the battle, exhaled through his nose. "So, we can't shoot. Fine. Is there any way to get close and attack instead?" His words were blunt as always but sometimes, stating the obvious was exactly what was needed to cut through the tension. Moreover, his words helped everyone to focus on the current situation instead of panicking about the near ending supply of ammo.

The White Berets stiffened, clearly knowing a way to get closer without costing any actual projectiles but they felt lost and iffy about the whole situation they felt themselves trapped in. In truth, it was strange, following the lead of a pirate, answering them-a criminal they had once tried to apprehend. Yesterday, they had been enforcers of justice, defenders of their home against intruders, the White Berets. And yet now, they stood against a priest of their kami Enel, aligned with those same pirates.

They couldn't understand why they were given this punishment when they had done their duties, went to capture the intruders who got in their homes illegally and didn't pay the fine.

..Yes, they hadn't been able to bring them to justice. They hadn't been able to do their job of arresting them but even got beaten up, but surely their kami knew that these intruders-pirates-were stronger than them.

Moreover, they had been completely swept up in events far beyond their understanding. First, their kami had sent his priests to force some citizens into this heavenly challenge, which was nothing but a cruel game. As defenders of their home, they couldn't let that happen and had, instead, volunteered themselves up for the game but fifteen of them weren't enough, hence three of the innocent citizens were forced to participate anyway.

Then they weren't even fighting for their kami! No, it was for the new kami.. who looked like the very incarnation of the sun having the freedom of the skies, who descended from somewhere even further up above, unshackling them from their duty to their kami like they had been mere puppets... They were fighting for those criminals from earlier and the enemy of their home for generations.

And now, they were here, in the first round of the challenge, fighting against all that they knew. Of course they felt apprehensive!

Suddenly, a chill ran up the White Berets' spines, as if the sky itself had turned against them and the sun had vanished, disappearing to give way to an approaching storm. They felt like prey, or maybe something even beneath that.. like a small bug or a small irritating pest. And yet, at the same time, they felt warmth. A protective heat that didn't scorch but enveloped them in a safe, warm blanket. It was like an unspoken reassurance, a silent promise that they would not be abandoned... by the kami of sun.. and sky, Nika. They didn't need to look up to know that.. Kami Nika was watching them closely but his gaze wasn't that of hostility, at least not towards them.

Maybe they were truly lucky to be on his side..

"..We can use Milky Arrows." One of the White Berets blurted out hesitantly. "They leave behind spiral cloud trails. We can use them to advance as it would act as a distraction, an obstruction, along with a way to advance towards the enemy."

"THEN SHOOT!" Chopper yelled, his eyes widening as he noticed Shura tilting forward, preparing to strike. "Shura is closing in thinking we're out of ammo!"

The White Berets aimed their bows towards someone they had once held great respect and fear for. With resolve and determination, they launched their arrows into the sky, their sharp whistling cutting through the air. Trails of dense, swirling clouds filled the space, turning the battlefield into a labyrinth of white. Fuza faltered, its wings struggling to maneuver through the tangled wisps.

Wyper wasted no time in jumping onto the closest cloud spiral, his skate type waver buzzing to life as he began to ascend at high speed. Kamikiri followed suit, his jet board slicing through the sky as the two warriors rapidly closed in on their prey. They jumped from cloud to cloud, quickly gaining ground on their soon to be victim who was having a hard time moving through the aftermath of the arrows.

Shura's smirk had vanished. He was pissed. How dare the Berets act like this?! Don't they know that their kami's watching?! His fingers tightened around his javelin. 'If they thought clouds would hinder me, they are fools.'

But the two White Berets didn't falter. Even as Shura cut through the clouds like a knife through butter, they continued to fire, forcing him to waste time clearing his path. They kept shooting the air around Shura to trap him, noticing how he was using his hot javelin. It was proof that he was struggling-if he had complete control, he wouldn't need to defend himself. Hence, they continued to shoot him, hoping to overwhelm the bird enough to help their new, unlikely allies.

Wyper and Kamikiri reached the priest and its pet, soon enough. The former took aim, his Burn Bazooka primed and ready while the latter activated his Burn Blade hoping to cut a wing or limb off.

Desperation flared in the bird's eyes and fire erupted from its beak, a last ditch effort to drive the warriors back, which stopped the attacks for only for a second or two, before it started anew.

Meanwhile, Zoro's grip tightened around his swords. His blood itched for battle but like the warriors he can't ride way up the cloud to the enemy, he was stuck.

Unless..

Zoro turned to Sanji. "Oi, Sanji. Kick me up to the bird."

Sanji arched an eyebrow at the sudden request. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Zoro grunted, already moving and picking up speed.

Sanji was confused at the sight of Zoro running towards him like he was ready to attack but then he sighed, understanding what the mosshead was doing. "This is about me using you as a springboard earlier, isn't it?" He muttered, lifting his leg regardless, letting Zoro jump and perch on it, almost like a parrot.

Zoro shot him a smirk. "Shut up, love cook.." He grumbled while pressing a looted, still active, impact dial onto Sanji's leg. "The real payback comes after I take down the enemy." He grinned at his small, playful threat.

Sanji's eye twitched but he didn't argue. Instead, he muttered, "Hope you break something," before swinging his leg back and launching the annoying moss off of his leg and into the sky.

Zoro soared upward, cutting through clouds like they were paper with his Haki, towards the distracted bird and priest. He positioned his swords, his instincts guiding him into the perfect attack stance, catching everybody in the vicinity off guard by his brash, unpredictable actions.

"72 POUND CANNON!" He roared as his swords slashed down.

The attack was so successful that the already exhausted and terrified Fuza let out a blood-curdling screech before its eyes rolled back, its consciousness slipping as its body convulsed. The attack probably broke a few of its bones and made its brain smash against the skull causing permanent damage.

On the other hand, Shura wasn't any better. His ribs shattered on impact and he plummeted off the already barely alive bird, but he wasn't unconscious-not yet. He was known to be an extremely tough opponent, which was clearly shown by him in the way he twisted mid air, trying to prepare for a landing.

Chopper, seeing the opening, chomped down on a rumble ball, his body shifting, his hooves elongating and his muscles expanding, to transform into jump point. Running towards his destination for a few seconds to build up momentum, Chopper jumped off the ground, his hooves leaving a small crater behind to be forever ingrained in the land.

In an instant, he was airborne. But the sight of Shura falling off of Fuza, made him change his plans.

Chopper's body morphed mid air, his frame shifting as he activated Arm point. His legs shrank back, compacting into powerful stumps, while his arms expanded, the muscles swelling to the size of boulders. He twisted his torso mid fall, aligning himself perfectly with his target-Shura, who was still plummeting, oblivious to the fatal blow racing toward him.

Chopper clenched his muscled hooves together at his side, wrist to wrist, coiling like a spring as he prepared for a devastating strike. The wind howled past his ears as he descended like a meteor, gravity pulling him faster, strengthening the force behind his attack. His large blue eyes burned with fierce determination. He wouldn't let this priest get up again.

"Carving Hoof Cross!" Chopper shouted, his battle cry cutting through the chaos, as his hooves struck Shura's chest with thunderous force, the impact immediately craving a deep cross shaped indentation into his torso. The already fractured ribs snapped like brittle twigs, shards of bone slicing into his lungs, rupturing veins and arteries. The sheer force of the strike compressed his organs, the edges of the broken bones becoming knives that shredded his insides. His heart caved inward, crushed in an instant, a messy burst of dark red staining the air as blood spewed from his lips.

Using the momentum of his strike, Chopper kicked off the lifeless body, launching himself away just before it hit the earth like a discarded puppet, and transforming, mid air, into his guard point. His limbs vanished beneath an explosion of thick, dense fur, his entire body expanding into a massive sphere of layered protection. Each strand of hair was fortified, creating a shock-absorbing defense. From a distance, he looked like nothing more than an oversized fur ball with tiny beady eyes peeking out from its center.

Then, gravity did its job, as Chopper's massive form crashed into the ground, flattening the earth beneath him but the thick fur absorbed the force completely.

And then-THUMP!

Something-or rather, someone-landed directly on top of him.

Zoro.

Zoro, who had just finished his own brutal assault, whose trajectory aligned almost too perfectly with Chopper's landing spot. He landed with a grunt, sinking slightly into the plush cushion of fur. The sheer absurdity of the situation was lost on him for a moment as he processed his safe landing.

Chopper let out a muffled noise from beneath him, voice slightly squished. "Zoro, you're heavy..."

Zoro simply huffed. "Could've been worse."

Before Chopper could protest further, a booming sound echoed through the battlefield. The dust settled, revealing the final moments of the fight-Shura's crumpled body lay motionless on the ground alongside Fuza's. The last of Enel's chosen warriors had fallen.

Silence reigned for a moment.

Then-

"SHISHISHISHISHI!"

Nika's laughter exploded through the sky, loud and unrestrained, carrying with it the undeniable weight of victory. He sat cross-legged on his summoned cloud, his arms thrown back in pure glee, his grin stretching from ear to ear. The heavens themselves seemed to react to his joy as the winds stirred, the scattered clouds twisting in rhythm with his amusement.

"Oi, Enel!" Nika called out, his voice rich with amusement at the sight of Enel. "This is how every battle between us is gonna end!"

Enel's jaw clenched at the words, his fingers twitching with restrained fury. His golden staff trembled in his grip, sparks of electricity snapping and hissing across its surface. He refused to acknowledge the smug look on the other kami's face, refused to accept the humiliation that had just unfolded before him. How could his henchmen be this weak?! How could these lowly mortals win?!

Enel's lip curled. He turned his gaze toward his fallen warriors-his so-called chosen fighters-all of them lying in the dirt, bloodied, beaten, and unconscious. Useless. Weak. Disgraceful. They were nothing but embarrassment, making him burn hotter than his lightning.

He wanted to leave for the Fairy Vearth this moment. It was waiting for him to rule, after all. He would soon escape from this wretched place, but he swore he wasn't going to take any of the losers with him, instead before he leaves, he would make sure these fools understand what a true disgrace they are.

Enel's body crackled with pure wrath. Lightning flared around him, surging toward his fingertips. He raised his hand, golden eyes flashing as he aimed his attack at the motionless bodies of his defeated subordinates. If they couldn't win, then they would at least serve as an example for the rest.

Indeed, a lesson carved in electricity sounds the best.

A bolt shot forth-

But then, suddenly, Nika was behind him.

His mantra hadn't detected him. Infact, he had felt no movement. But was it there in the first place?

One moment, Nika had been lounging on his cloud, grinning like a child, then, the next, he was right there, standing behind Enel, his presence suffocating.

Enel stiffened. A chill unlike anything he had ever known crawled up his spine.

And then-

BOOM.

A pressure unlike any other crashed down upon the battlefield.

Conqueror's Haki.

The air itself shuddered under its weight, the ground seeming to cave beneath the sheer force of will radiating from the Sun God's body. The skies dimmed, as if even the sun had taken notice.

"Enel." Nika's voice was calm. Too calm. It was a child's voice, innocent and light-yet something about it felt ancient, heavy, like the voice of someone who had seen empires rise and fall. "You lost the first match," Nika stated simply, as though it was law, as though the very world itself had decreed it. His scarlet eyes gleamed, his pupils almost serpent-like in their intensity.

Enel's breath hitched, his instincts screaming danger.

Nika tilted his head, smiling with a childish innocence that somehow felt utterly monstrous.

"You wouldn't dare hurt your own people, right?"

The lightning fizzled out.

Enel swallowed. His hands trembled at his sides. He felt fear course through his body. A fear he hadn't ever felt. "...Of course not," He forced out through gritted teeth. His pride was suffocating him.

Nika's smile didn't falter. He simply nodded, stepping back as though the exchange had never happened.

"Ohm!" Enel barked, his frustration barely contained as he took it out on his other priest. "Take down the cage."

Ohm, who had been dramatically weeping about the disappointing nature of humans and how so few had died, wiped his tears with his sleeve. With a disheartened sigh, he slowly deactivated the barbed-wire cloud cage, the walls of razor-sharp iron mist dissipating into the air.

As soon as the battlefield was cleared, Enel turned on his fallen subordinates, his teeth grinding together in disgust. "You useless failures," He hissed, barely containing his rage out of fear. "How dare you shame me with this pathetic display?" His golden eyes flared, but before he could curse them anymore, Nika had already turned away, completely uninterested.

Instead, the Sun God walked over to his team.

The moment Nika approached, he was met with the sound of loud arguing.

"Oi, what the hell was that?!" Wyper snapped, his voice full of fury. His hands were clenched into fists, his battered body still shaking from exertion. "You bastards had no business interfering with Shura! Kamakiri and I had him under control!"

"Under control?!" Sanji scoffed, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. "You were both about to get burned alive. We just sped up the process."

Zoro rolled his shoulders, completely indifferent. "Tch. You should be thanking us."

Kamakiri bristled. "Like hell we would! This was supposed to be our fight!"

The tension crackled between them, both sides glaring daggers, but then-

A shadow loomed over them.

It wasn't large. But it felt large.

They all-specially, Wyper-froze.

Luffy was grinning at them. The kind of grin that made your stomach drop, that made the air around you feel thinner, that made the world itself seem to hold its breath.

Silence.

Not a single word.

And just like that, the arguing stopped.

Luffy's grin widened. "The first round's over," He announced, his voice light and playful, as if he hadn't just silenced two warriors who lived for battle with a grin only. "And guess what?" His hands rested on his hips, his golden eyes glinting under the Skypiean sun. "We won!"

"We won?!" Chopper beamed.

"Well, of course." Sanji smirked.

"Took long enough." Zoro huffed.

Wyper, however, scowled, his jaw tight with frustration. 'Damn brat,' He thought bitterly, his fingers digging into his palms at the sheer strength he was witnessing from the brat. 'Instead of actually fighting Enel, he puts us through his little death games.'

But despite his complaints-

Despite his anger-

He couldn't deny the truth.

They had won the first round.

And for now, maybe, that was enough.

The scent of roasted meat filled the air, thick and mouthwatering, as the fire crackled and snapped, its golden flames licking at the heaps of food stacked beside it. Luffy stood proudly over his bounty, hands on his hips, his chest puffed out like a hunter who had just returned from a grand expedition.

"I got everyone food!!" Luffy cheered, his voice echoing through the sky, brimming with childish joy.

His crewmates and allies watched as he dropped the enormous haul of freshly roasted and uncooked meat onto the ground with a thud, bits of leaves and twigs still clinging to some of the pieces. It was a miracle he had even carried that much. Then again, considering his godly strength, it wasn't that surprising.

Sanji, arms crossed, quirked a brow. "Did you seriously eat half of it before bringing it back?" He could already guess that, seeing Luffy's cheeks still stuffed and his lips smeared with traces of meat juices.

Luffy swallowed thickly, then blinked innocently at the cook. "...No?"

Sanji deadpanned.

Regardless, there was still plenty of food left-more than enough to feed the battle-worn warriors surrounding the bonfire. So, it was okay.

With the feast now set and in Sanji's capable hands, Luffy grinned and leaped onto his summoned cloud, his body bouncing with unnatural weightlessness. He landed with an effortless twirl, his feet stomping in rhythm against the fluffy surface, and then-

Doom dut da da~!

A deep, resounding rhythm echoed across the camp as his heart sang in joy and the drums-the drums of liberation, as some liked to call-pulsing through the air like a heartbeat. The sound seemed something that belonged to the very sky itself and seemingly echoed out from Luffy's heart itself in glee.

And then, Luffy started to dance. His bare feet moved against his cloud, his laughter spilling freely as he spun and twirled, arms stretched high like a child embracing the wind. The flames of the bonfire flickered in response, their glow matching the beat of his drums.

At first, there was only the sound of the fire crackling and the rhythmic beating which seemed to sap away everyone's worries and exhaustion but then Sanji smirked, taking the hand of one of the Shandorian warriors, leading them into the dance with smooth, effortless grace. Usopp, grinning ear to ear, began stomping along to the beat, his movements exaggerated yet infectious, forgetting his fear for the upcoming battle.

Even Kamakiri, reluctant at first, found himself tapping his foot before eventually throwing himself into the dance, his body moving in sync with the growing energy of the celebration.

Laughter and cheers filled the air.

Nola, the massive snake, swayed her enormous body side to side, moving in slow, deliberate waves, while the giant South Bird flapped its wings, spinning in place with surprising agility.

The camp came alive with movement, music, and joy.

However, not everyone joined.

Near the edge of the gathering, Zoro sat against a rock, arms crossed, eyes closed, pretending very hard to be asleep but the small smirk on his face and the slight tapping of his feet defied his facade.

Wyper, still stiff with frustration from earlier, remained seated with his back against a tree, watching the dancing with a glare that seemed far too intense for something so harmless.

The four injured White Berets and three injured Shandorians lay nearby, unable to move much, their wounds still fresh. And Chopper-too busy tending to them-could only sigh as he wiped sweat from his brow, shaking his head at the wildness of the scene before him.

"Honestly... how do they still have so much energy after everything?" The little doctor mumbled to himself, wrapping another bandage.

Soon, it was midday by the time the celebration began to settle, the dancing slowing as the warriors and pirates alike sat down to devour what remained of the feast.

But just as the atmosphere was reaching its peak of comfort, a voice-cold and cutting-shattered the peace.

"The second round begins now." Enel's voice rang out like a thunderclap, demanding attention., but behind it was the clear frustration from losing the first match.

Luffy stopped mid-bite, a large chunk of meat hanging from his mouth. His golden eyes flickered with recognition before he swallowed the food whole, licking his fingers as he turned toward the self-proclaimed god.

Everyone else fell silent, their gazes shifting toward Enel, who stood tall with his golden staff planted firmly in the ground, his expression as unreadable as ever.

"This time," Enel continued, his tone leaving no room for argument, "Only ten participants may take part. Choose wisely, Nika."