Chapter 51: What True God's Punishment Looks Like

On Angel Island, a fierce two-on-two battle was unfolding.

God Gan Fall, astride Pierre, faced off against Enel and Pica. The disparity between the two sides was quite noticeable. Gan Fall was currently in his prime, benefiting greatly from his weapon, his mount Pierre, and his mastery of aerial combat. Enel and Pica, however, fought independently, neither coordinating nor truly able to gain the upper hand against Gan Fall alone.

"Take this! Lance Thrust!" Gan Fall fully utilized the advantages of a Sky Knight, channeling Pierre's flight speed to execute a rapid thrust towards Enel.

"Not good," Enel muttered instinctively, though his Observation Haki had already foreseen the attack. Showing no panic, his confidence born of skill allowed him to twist his body, dodging the lance while simultaneously aiming a powerful whip kick at Gan Fall's mount.

Enel's combat instincts were sharp; he knew targeting Pierre first was key to dealing with this troublesome pair. However, Gan Fall was a seasoned veteran. Retracting his lance instantly, he moved to block Enel's attack. Seeing this, Pica recognized a prime opportunity. Clenching both fists, he shot towards Pierre's head. A direct hit like that would likely knock the sky horse unconscious.

Engaged with Enel, Gan Fall sensed the danger. Pierre, intelligent and having worked with Gan Fall for years, reacted instantly without needing a command. With a powerful beat of his wings, he carried Gan Fall high into the sky once more, allowing them to look down upon their opponents.

"Hey! Running away when you can't win, huh?" Enel grumbled, annoyed. With the enemy airborne, his options were limited.

"Damn it! Get down here!" Pica roared in frustration, shaking his fist at Gan Fall.

Hovering in the air on Pierre, Gan Fall acknowledged that these two were far from simple opponents. If they managed to coordinate properly, he could easily find himself at a disadvantage. If only someone could draw some of the pressure off him, victory would surely be his.

Still, as God, he couldn't afford to lose face in front of so many of his people.

Following Gan Fall's unspoken command, Pierre dove towards Pica. From their brief exchange earlier, Gan Fall had assessed that while the large man possessed immense strength, he lacked agility. If he could take Pica out first, dealing with the remaining one wouldn't be difficult.

"Bring it on!" Pica roared, thrilled that Gan Fall was targeting him instead of Enel. He snatched up one of the standard-issue weapons dropped by the White Berets and met Gan Fall's lance head-on.

CLANG!

The deafening impact of metal on metal reverberated, making the onlookers wince.

"You've got some strength, kid," Gan Fall remarked, his face impassive, though inwardly he was shaken by the force.

"Naturally! What about you? Didn't eat breakfast? Put some muscle into it!" Pica retorted with a provoking grin.

"Kid, don't you underestimate me!" Gan Fall bristled, his mustache practically quivering with indignation.

CLANG... CLANG... CLANG!

Their attacks continued relentlessly, each collision a brutal test of strength that left both their hands trembling on their weapons.

"Again!" Pica yelled, his fighting spirit ignited.

Gan Fall wouldn't back down. How could this mere brat match him in strength?

"If you want more, you'll get more!"

The residents of Angel Island watched Gan Fall's struggle with growing anxiety, fearing their God might be overwhelmed.

I can't keep matching him strength for strength, Gan Fall thought grimly. There are still other enemies; I can't be careless. Despite his internal assessment, his lance became a whirlwind, each thrust aimed precisely at Pica's vital points.

Pica, lacking Observation Haki, couldn't effectively predict or dodge every strike. His body was soon covered in minor wounds. Every near-miss drew gasps of fear from the observing members of the Donquixote Family.

"Hey, hey, sissy, maybe you should step back. You're not his match," Enel commented from the sidelines. Doflamingo had stopped him from interfering when Gan Fall focused on Pica, but seeing Pica's battered state, he offered some rare, albeit backhanded, advice.

"Don't need your help, big-eared punk! Just watch!" Pica shot back, refusing the suggestion entirely.

"Yahahaha! Well, try to hold on a bit longer, then! Don't make us look bad by collapsing so easily," Enel chuckled dismissively.

"Like I need you to tell me! Just keep your eyes peeled and watch how I take this guy down!" Pica declared defiantly, trying to sound intimidating even as he parried Gan Fall's relentless assault.

"Foolish boy! Losing focus while fighting me? Too arrogant!" Gan Fall's expression darkened. He'd expected to dispatch the big man quickly, but Pica proved just as troublesome as Enel, albeit in a different way.

Seizing the moment Pica was distracted, the experienced Gan Fall struck. His lance pierced Pica's left shoulder. Blood sprayed. Wincing in pain, Pica dropped his weapon. Instead of retreating, however, a ferocious glint appeared in his eyes. He lunged forward, grabbing Gan Fall's lance shaft with both hands, attempting to yank the Sky Knight from his mount.

The two were locked in a test of pure strength. Pierre, ever perceptive, reacted instantly, rearing up and aiming a powerful kick with his front hooves at Pica.

Damn it! Pica cursed inwardly. He swiftly released the lance and propelled himself backward with a strong push from his legs. Seeing his chance, Gan Fall spurred Pierre forward, intent on finishing Pica off while he was vulnerable.

While Pica fought desperately for survival, the situation greatly encouraged the onlookers on Angel Island. Just then, the Priests, arriving late with reinforcements – the Divine Soldiers – finally reached the scene. Witnessing their God fighting valiantly, they felt invigorated. Determined to remove any distractions for Gan Fall, they immediately marched towards Doflamingo and his group.

"Surrender now, Blue Sea dwellers! You have no chance! Release the Sky Islander with you at once, or face the consequences!" the lead Priest commanded, fulfilling his duty with stern authority.

"Fuffuffuffu... How interesting. Oh, I'm so scared," Doflamingo chuckled, his carefree, almost mocking smile utterly out of place. "And how exactly do you plan to make us surrender?"

The rest of Doflamingo's crew remained silent, watching the exchange between their Young Master and the Priests.

"Raise your hands immediately! Drop your weapons! Do it now, or suffer our wrath!" the Priest declared, maintaining his authoritative stance, not fooled by Doflamingo's nonchalant demeanor.

"Sugoi... Alright, fine," Doflamingo said, his smile finally dropping. "But first, you'll have to withstand one of my attacks."

Without waiting for a response, Doflamingo acted. The Priests tensed, instantly on high alert, wondering what trick this man was about to pull.

Coiling power into his legs, Doflamingo leaped high into the air, transforming into a figure crackling with intense electrical energy. Yasakani no Magatama... Oops, wrong one, let's try that again, he thought wryly.

"God's Punishment!"

Innumerable bolts of searing lightning rained down from Doflamingo, targeting the Priests and their soldiers. The Priests stared in disbelief, watching the blindingly fast blue-white arcs descend upon them, leaving no time to even attempt escape.

This "God's Punishment" was Doflamingo's own technique, inspired by Admiral Kizaru's Yasakani no Magatama. By transforming into lightning and ascending, he could launch a wide-area barrage of devastating electrical projectiles, leaving enemies nowhere to run.

"It's over... we're finished..." "How can such a person exist?!" "Even the Priests... couldn't take a single hit..." "This... this is a God!"

The sheer scale and power of God's Punishment stunned the crowd, broadening their horizons in the most terrifying way. As the white smoke generated by the electrical discharge slowly dissipated, it revealed the charred and broken forms of the Priests and Divine Soldiers within.

Fear gripped the faces of the onlookers. Seeing the smoking figures, felled by a single, overwhelming attack, despair began to set in. Against such a powerful enemy, even the revered Priests were nothing.

The members of the Donquixote Family were equally stunned. This was only the second time they had witnessed Doflamingo truly fight since acquiring the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, and the impact was far greater than the first. In their eyes, their Young Master now seemed truly godlike, radiating immense power.

"Inazuma!"

Noticing Pica was still in dire straits, Doflamingo didn't hesitate. He raised his right hand, and a concentrated beam of intense blue-white lightning shot directly towards Gan Fall.

Damn! Gan Fall cursed inwardly, but the speed of light was absolute. Before he or Pierre could react, they were engulfed by the electrical blast. Two blackened figures plummeted from the sky, striking the island cloud with enough force to send ripples across its surface.

Seeing their God, Gan Fall, defeated in a single blow, the last vestiges of hope drained from the Angel Island residents. Many collapsed where they stood, their eyes vacant with despair.

After some time, those who had been struck down began to stir. Doflamingo hadn't dealt lethal blows; otherwise, the lightning would have simply vaporized them.

"Submit... or die."

Doflamingo stood before the terrified Sky Islanders, intense, crackling lightning gathering in his hands. The sound was like the furious chirping of thousands of birds – a terrifying symphony that, to the defeated, symbolized absolute, awe-inspiring power. His voice was cold, leaving no room for doubt. If anyone refused, the next bolt of lightning would surely claim their life.

Faced with Doflamingo's overwhelming might, gazing upon the raw, heavenly power of the lightning dancing in his hands, the people of Angel Island could do nothing but bow their heads in submission.

_______

+40 chapters on: patreon.com/Shinobi_Scrolls