HST: Chapter 58/59

Chapter 58: Futile

With the help of Conis, McKinley, and others, Caelan and his companions boarded Sky Island's unique transportation, the [Waver], and sped toward Enel's location.

"This method of transportation is amazing. It moves without wind and at such high speed!"

Nami looked at the Waver gliding across the sea of clouds and couldn't help but marvel.

"This uses a wind dial, something unique to Sky Island. It stores wind energy and releases it as propulsion when needed."

"We also have flame dials, light dials, impact dials, and more. Dials are essential energy sources here on Sky Island."

Conis explained with a forced smile. She was still anxious about what awaited them ahead.

"If they're that useful, maybe you can give me a few after I defeat Enel."

Caelan sounded relaxed.

He had taken a liking to these dials. If installed on the Wind Rider, they could increase its speed and ease the workload for Nami and the others.

"Of course. If you truly defeat Enel, we'll reward you generously. A few dials would be nothing in comparison."

Conis and McKinley replied together, hope flickering in their eyes.

"Then get ready. Caelan will definitely win!"

Vivi smiled.

The other women nodded in agreement, clearly full of trust in Caelan.

"I hope so..."

Conis nodded softly, still uneasy.

Enel had ruled Sky Island for six years. With his Observation Haki spread across the island and his power over thunder, he was a terrifying opponent.

Soon, with the Waver's speed, they arrived at Enel's temple—located in the sacred land of Upper Yard.

"This is strange... this area isn't made of clouds, it's actual earth."

Nami stared at the familiar yellow soil, surprised.

Everything on Sky Island was usually made of clouds, even the plants grew from them.

Suddenly seeing a landmass felt completely out of place.

"They say this land suddenly appeared 400 years ago and is now considered sacred. There used to be natives here, but Enel drove them out when he came."

"They've never given up on reclaiming it. They attack from time to time. They're much braver than us."

McKinley said with a bitter smile.

Compared to the Shandians, the Sky Islanders had always felt cowardly.

"A landmass that appeared 400 years ago... fierce tribal warriors... this must be the part of Jaya Island that was blasted into the sky."

Robin's eyes gleamed with understanding, recalling Noland's travel log.

Conis and McKinley led Caelan and the others into the Lost Forest, where they discovered several dead bodies and signs of battle.

Among the dead were men in winged uniforms, and others dressed in fur and painted faces.

"Those are Enel's men... and Shandian warriors. Looks like they're fighting again."

McKinley observed the scene and spoke with a mix of awe and tension.

Unexpectedly, today was another Shandian offensive. It meant more strength had gathered.

The group quickened their pace.

Higher up in Upper Yard, the Shandians had gathered their elite warriors for another attempt to reclaim their sacred land.

"We swear to the great warrior Kalgara, we will reclaim our land and reignite the light of Shandora!"

Wyper raised his spear and sword and roared with determination.

"We must win! We must win!"

The warriors of Shandia shouted in unison, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.

"Split up. Watch yourselves out there!"

Under Wyper's command, the elite warriors dispersed to hold off the priests. Wyper himself led a squad to strike directly at Enel, aiming to decapitate the enemy.

Warashi and Kamakiri led one group and were quickly intercepted by Priest Shura and his Divine Soldiers.

"Ignorant savages, this is the Ball Trial. The survival rate is only 10%!"

The rotund Priest Shura sneered, tossing spheres filled with various weapons.

Kamakiri's face was grim as he led his warriors into battle.

Elsewhere, warrior Braham led a team against Priest Gedatsu of the Swamp Trial, and warrior Karuha clashed with Priest Ohm of the Iron Trial.

Unfortunately, the priests all had access to Mantra. Shandia's elites were clearly at a disadvantage and began to fall.

Wyper, charging straight toward the temple, was stopped by Priest Shura of the String Trial.

"Ignorant savages. You're nowhere near worthy to face God."

Shura smirked in disdain.

These attackers had come more than once, and they had always failed. This time would be no different.

Wyper's eyes burned behind his mask, undeterred by Shura's mockery.

This time, he had a trump card—a special Impact Dial that was ten times stronger than normal. No living body could withstand a single strike from it.

With that power, he was determined to defeat Enel and reclaim his homeland.

"Go! Tear down everyone in your way!"

Wyper roared, red-eyed, and fired a cannonball straight at Shura.

Boom!

With the sound of cannonfire, the Shandian warriors surged forward like men possessed, clashing with the Divine Soldiers.

After a fierce battle, Shura was finally defeated, though all of Wyper's warriors had fallen.

Wyper leaned against a tree, breathing heavily. The brutal fight had sapped his strength.

"Well done, War Demon Wyper."

Wyper's pupils contracted as he turned to the voice.

A man over two and a half meters tall approached. Four thunder drums marked with magatama hung on his back, and long ears drooped beside his shoulders.

"Enel!"

Wyper's muscles tensed instantly.

"You've dealt with my priest. I'll give you a reward—three minutes. You can attack me freely for three minutes."

Enel held up three fingers, smiling contemptuously.

He sensed that Caelan was approaching. Warming up with Wyper would pass the time.

"Bastard!"

Wyper snarled, firing a cannonball at Enel.

Boom!

The projectile passed harmlessly through Enel's body, striking the woods behind him.

"Your attacks are useless."

Enel sighed with mock disappointment.

Enraged, Wyper launched a wild barrage of attacks.

But under Enel's Mantra, none of them landed. Not even one strand of his robe was touched.

Finally, Wyper closed in, aiming the Impact Dial in his left hand at Enel and unleashing a massive blast.

A faint smile curled on Wyper's lips. Even stone shattered under that force. No so-called god could withstand it.

Boom!

But to Wyper's shock, Enel turned into lightning, completely avoiding the impact.

"You have a good idea, Wyper. But it's useless."

"Now it's my turn."

Reforming from lightning, Enel appeared beside Wyper. A sphere of dazzling blue-white lightning formed in his palm.

"Two million volts... Discharge."

The blinding lightning engulfed Wyper instantly, turning him charred black before he collapsed.

Wyper's chest barely moved. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw three priests dragging Kamakiri, Braham, and Karuha in defeat.

The Shandian counterattack had failed completely.

"Enel is... invincible..."

Wyper muttered, lying on the ground.

His carefully prepared trump card had failed. All his comrades had been captured.

Even with his unyielding will, he could no longer imagine any hope of defeating Enel.

A power that could predict attacks. A body immune to harm. Lightning that destroyed everything…

Enel really was a god. An invincible god.

"...You've arrived?"

"Good. The warm-up is over. Time to begin."

Enel turned to the forest, his expression growing serious.

Who was it?

Wyper, still conscious, heard the words and looked toward the forest too.

As the strongest warrior of the Shandian tribe, he had been used merely as a warm-up. Who could possibly draw such focus from Enel?

The priests also tensed. The man from the Blue Sea who had destroyed God's Judgment... had arrived.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 59: Thunder God

The man from the Blue Sea had brought a few Sky Island stragglers with him, and honestly, Wyper felt a little disappointed.

It wasn't that they were weak. By his judgment, those women from the Blue Sea had strength equal to his own. And the man leading them radiated the pressure of a true powerhouse.

But compared to Enel, it still didn't seem like enough.

"Enel, it's our first time meeting, and frankly..."

Caelan looked at Enel and sighed.

From his perspective, Enel didn't feel any stronger than Crocodile—just more proficient in Observation Haki.

He had already defeated Crocodile. There was no reason he couldn't defeat Enel.

And now, after his growth since Alabasta, Enel seemed even less impressive.

"Blasphemy! How dare you speak that way to God!"

The three priests exchanged glances, then lunged at Caelan simultaneously.

"Iron Cloud!"

"Swamp Cloud!"

"Attack!"

In an instant, three separate attacks came at Caelan from different directions, with no blind spots.

Enel simply watched. He wanted to see what Caelan was capable of.

Under Conis's worried gaze and Wyper's curious eyes…

"Boring."

Caelan curled his lip and casually swung his blade.

In a flash, all three attacks were obliterated. The priests were sent flying, severely wounded, and crashed to the ground.

Conis covered her mouth in shock. Caelan had defeated three priests with a single swing. Hope surged in her chest.

"A-Amazing! How is that possible?!"

Wyper shouted in disbelief, ignoring his own injuries.

It had taken everything he had just to defeat Shura. Yet this man had taken out three priests in one stroke. It was terrifying.

But even so, it wasn't enough. Enel could see through all attacks with his Mantra and could transform into lightning, making him immune to damage.

These priests were trash. They hadn't even laid a finger on him.

Enel's expression darkened. The way his priests performed was downright humiliating.

"Don't embarrass yourselves with this kind of trash."

Caelan said calmly. To him, defeating the priests was nothing special.

"Blue Sea man!"

Arcs of lightning crackled around Enel's body as he scowled.

This man had killed his Gate Supervisor, resisted his divine punishment, and now stood before him still speaking so arrogantly.

Ever since he had eaten the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, no one had dared challenge his divinity like this.

"Sixty million volts... Discharge!"

A bolt of lightning fired from Enel's fingertips toward Caelan.

Crackle!

To everyone's shock, Caelan's greatsword moved as if in anticipation. The blade, coated in black Haki, easily blocked the lightning.

Wyper watched in stunned silence, a bitter feeling swelling in his chest.

The lightning that had taken him down earlier had only been two million volts. This was thirty times more powerful!

Enel hadn't even used his real strength against him.

What was even more shocking was that Caelan had blocked it so easily.

These two... were far stronger than anything he could have imagined.

Maybe… maybe this Blue Sea man really could defeat Enel.

Wyper looked at Caelan's calm face, and for the first time, true hope bloomed in his heart.

"You can use Mantra? And that black energy… what is it?"

Enel's expression finally changed, and he exclaimed aloud.

He had seen it clearly—Caelan moved to counter the lightning at the exact moment it was released, just like Mantra.

That ability should only belong to him and his priests.

And the black aura that nullified his lightning, he had never seen it before.

For the first time, Enel felt something unfamiliar… danger.

"You're making too big a deal out of it. It's just Haki."

Caelan replied with a smirk at Enel's confusion.

Enel, who had never left Sky Island, was still far too inexperienced. If he had traveled the seas, he might have reached admiral-level strength.

Haki? What is that?

Enel didn't understand, but he could clearly read the scorn in Caelan's eyes.

The shame of ignorance and the rage of being looked down upon boiled inside him. Enel couldn't tolerate it. He didn't want to tolerate it.

Caelan's power was certainly strange, but it had to have limits.

But as a god, his power was limitless!

"Two hundred million volts... Thunder God!"

Enel released all of his power. Blue-white lightning surged around his body, transforming him into a massive god of thunder.

A colossal form, over ten meters tall, emerged. Lightning danced across its body like a divine storm, radiating a pressure as vast as the ocean.

Even though he hadn't attacked yet, Wyper, Conis, McKinley, and the others felt as if they were caught in a violent sea storm, suffocated by the immense pressure.

"This is his true form… the form of a god?!"

McKinley exclaimed, barely able to remain upright.

The others were also overwhelmed. In the face of such power, there didn't seem to be any hope of survival.

"What's going on? The lightning... it's closing in on us!"

Conis gasped, her body paralyzed by the surrounding static.

As Enel took the form of a massive thunder god, arcs of electricity filled the area, steadily eroding their bodies.

"How is this happening? He hasn't even made a move!"

Wyper shouted. Just standing near Enel was enough to begin dying.

To perish like this, without even a chance to fight back—what a miserable end.

Nami and the others were fine. Thanks to Caelan's training, their Armament Haki was nearing awakening, allowing them to leave the lightning field.

But they didn't have enough strength left to help Conis, McKinley, or the others.

Fortunately, Gan Fall suddenly arrived, flying in on his strange Pegasus, and rescued everyone from the lightning zone.

Just as they were about to thank him, Gan Fall waved them off.

"The danger isn't over. If he can't defeat Enel, we're all finished."

Gan Fall looked toward the battlefield with a serious expression.

Hearing this, everyone turned their attention to Caelan and Enel. This battle would decide their fate.

The enormous Thunder God had enough power to destroy all of Sky Island. It was like the legendary wrath of a god, come to bring the world's end.

"People aren't afraid of gods. God is fear itself. I am God!"

Enel laughed, proclaiming his divinity as the ants below him fled in panic.

Towering over ten meters tall, Enel looked down on Caelan, hoping to see fear in his eyes.

But there was none.

(To be continued.)