Chapter 11: The Edgy 'God'

Outskirts of Angel's Island, Skypiea

Dark clouds loomed, the sky pressing low, the entire White Sea frozen in suffocating tension.

Shandian warriors, faces painted with fierce patterns, gripped ancient spears, eyes bloodshot red.

The Angel Island forces stood in formation—white-winged knights, temple warriors wielding sharp lances, their silver armor reflecting blinding glints under the lightning.

The priests murmured nervous prayers.

Only a sea of clouds separated the two sides, countless eyes locked in hatred, the battle ready to erupt at any moment!

Yet.

Higher above, within the rolling thunderclouds.

A solitary, arrogant golden figure hovered amidst the boiling electricity, gazing down upon the battlefield poised to tear apart.

Enel.

Several days prior—The Shandian granary suddenly burst into strange flames, the firelight laced with eerie blue-white electric streaks.

The sacred spring of Angel Island was abruptly struck by lightning, leaving the priests pale with shock, declaring it a divine omen.

Night watch soldiers were inexplicably struck unconscious by bolts of lightning, fingers of blame pointing in all directions.

Fear, suspicion, rage.

Enel, like a ghost moving chess pieces, pushed the two peoples of the White Sea toward the edge of the abyss.

Today—was the final catalyst!

"Go." Enel whispered with a smile, his slender fingers flicking lightly.

Snap—

A spark of lightning burst from his fingertips, a thread of electricity so fine it was nearly invisible to the naked eye slicing through the air.

Crack!

The negotiation watchtower was shattered!

In an instant—

The Angel Island army paled in horror—"Shandians ambush!!!"

The Shandians roared in fury—"Skypieans declares war!!!"

Drums thundered!

Battle cries shook the skies!

Blood and fire abruptly ignited this ancient battlefield floating high in the sky!

BOOM—!

Spears and swords clashed! Lightning tore through the sea of clouds!

Shandian warriors bellowed as they charged, feathered spears thrusting towards the Skypieans.

The Silver-armored legions of Skypiea counterattacked, gunfire cutting through the frontlines!

Blood splattered across the soft White Sea clouds, blooming into crimson flowers.

Just as the battle reached its fiercest—

BOOM!!!!!!!!

A deafening thunderclap, as if the hammer of the heavens had fallen!

At the center of the White Sea, a golden-blue pillar of light pierced the sky.

Countless warriors looked up, stunned.

The lightning dispersed.

Golden earlobes swayed, his pale cloak billowing wildly.

Enel hovered atop the thunderclouds, his feet resting upon spiraling torrents of electric fury.

Bare-chested, his muscles sleek and defined, his body wreathed in violent lightning.

His hair whipped wildly, his expression cold and arrogant—like an ancient deity wielding divine punishment.

A voice, cold, disdainful, and bordering on fanaticism, rolled down from above—

"Hear me, filthy angels!"

"Hear me, lowly Shandians!"

"From this day forth—The old gods are dead."

"I, Enel—Shall become The one true God!!!"

KABOOM!!

With his utterly arrogant proclamation—

CRACK—!!

A lightning bolt dozens of meters wide crashed into the heart of the battlefield!

The air detonated, the White Sea ruptured.

Scores of warriors wailed, tumbled, were blasted away—charred and fallen.

Under this dominion of thunder, all resistance seemed to evaporate in an instant!

Enel looked down, his gaze fill with arrogance as he watched the two peoples struggle beneath him.

He spread his arms, lightning coiling into massive rings in his palms.

His voice was merciless, absolute.

"A new order begins now."

*****

Warship—Deck

On the deck, the sea wind whipped ay his cape as Guts stood with hands clasped behind his back, his gaze as calm and compose.

He silently looked up, watching the blond haired, wild-eyed youth in the sky—Enel.

Meanwhile, Puck trembled with rage, his shoulders shaking.

"Damn it, that lightning bastard finally shows his face!"

He clenched his fists, knuckles cracking, his face twisted with fury.

"Thought you could hide forever? Enjoying your little rat game?!"

At that moment, he suddenly turned his head, glancing at the motionless Guts beside him, blinking.

"Boss, should we just blast this guy down already? My fists are itching!"

Guts smiled faintly, his gaze as cold as a blade's edge.

"Since he calls himself a 'god'—"

"Then let him taste—the divine retribution of absolute justice."

With that, he lightly stepped off the ship's bow.

BOOM!

The air beneath his feet compressed violently, emitting a low, splitting sound like the roar of a beast.

The next moment!

'Air Fruit·Pressure Rush'!

BOOM!!!

A massive upward force lifted his figure, his black cape billowing wildly.

Guts transformed into a black meteor, shooting towards the sky at an astonishing speed!

Straight towards the wildly laughing Enel in midair.

On the deck, Puck squinted up at the rapidly shrinking figure, his lips twitching violently.

After holding it in for a long while, he finally couldn't help but mutter.

"Boss...is that 'god' you're after always this... cringe?"

Puck covered his forehead, murmuring under his breath.

"...Golden hair, wearing those huge earrings, standing on an electric cloud calling himself the 'one true god' or whatever... Is this really okay?!"

He added another jab under his breath.

"Bet he chewed on power lines as a kid to grow up this flashy."

A few seasoned veterans nearby couldn't hold back either, snickering quietly.

The atmosphere turned oddly cheerful.

Meanwhile, Guts, sharp-eared even in midair, caught that biting remark.

A vein pulsed faintly on his temple. Guts narrowed his eyes, his lips twitching slightly.

He muttered under his breath, his tone was cold.

"Still a brat who doesnt know that he was a frog in a well..."

BOOM!!!

Guts suddenly accelerated!

The air behind him exploded in a spiraling blast, his entire form like a blade tearing through space.

....

High above.

Enel sensed the approaching presence, raised an eyebrow, and grinned coldly.

"Hmph... insects."

He raised a hand, Lightning gathered, arcs twisting, a blazing bolt of thunder roaring into existence in his palm.

Thunder·Lightning Arrow!

CRACK!!!

A blue lightning arrow shot straight at the ascending Guts.

Yet—

Facing Enel's lightning arrow, Guts didn't even bat an eye.

He looked up, his dark pupils reflecting the thunder's glow.

With just a slight lift of his fingertip, the surrounding air instantly collapsed!

[Air Deflection]

The lightning arrow that should have struck him veered off course at the last moment, as if nudged by an invisible hand.

"..."

Enel's pupils contracted.

His heart throbbed as if stabbed!

"Why... can't my lightning touch him?!"

"This can't be!!"

Amidst the crushing frustration, he gritted his teeth, but a maddening voice in his heart grew louder and louder—

I am... a God!

I must... surpass everything!!

Guts surged forward like a black meteor.

The air around him collapsed and spiraled, forming visible Spiral Pressure Blasts]!

Enel roared, summoning thunderclouds to weave a massive lightning spear, hurling it down at Guts.

Thunder versus air!

Lightning against wind!

The White Sea churned, clouds exploding into towering waves.

The entire Skypiea trembled at this moment!

At the instant of their collision—

The White Sea erupted with towering waves thousands of feet high.

Clouds split apart, lightning danced wildly, as if gods were battling atop the White Sea!

From the Shandia frontlines to the skies above Upper Yard, every witness to this aerial battle stood frozen in shock!

Puck leaned against the warship's railing, his gaze burning as he stared towards the skies.

He grinned coldly.

"Boss—"

"Teach that self-proclaimed god up there a proper lesson!"