"So they're finally making a move," Nojiko said, staring toward the direction Arton and Conis had flown off to. Then she turned back to the others. "Well? Are we going too?"
Raki rested her cheek on one hand and murmured, "I'm a little worried about Conis… but Captain Arton is taking her personally, so I doubt anything will go wrong."
The corner of Raki's mouth lifted—like she could already see Enel getting crushed by Arton and Conis. Just imagining that fake god who'd oppressed the Shandians for so long finally going down made her downright giddy.
"Even so," Nami said, giving her a look, "you still want to go watch, don't you?"
"I do," Raki admitted immediately. There was no point denying it.
"Then let's go." Nami planted her hands on her hips and grinned. "According to Arton, that place is basically paved with gold. If I don't see it with my own eyes, I'm not sleeping peacefully again."
"That's because you don't have Captain Arton in your bed," Carina shot back. "If you did, you'd sleep just fine."
"I'm not denying that~," Nami said with a shameless little giggle, her smile turning downright lovesick.
Nojiko and Carina both sighed and shook their heads.
"I'm going too," Robin said seriously. "I want to see the Poneglyph as soon as possible."
"Oh, right—Robin's Poneglyph!" Uta smacked her left fist into her right palm like she'd just remembered something important.
"In that case, we all move out," Carina concluded. "Once things on Enel's side are done, we'll come back."
She turned to Nojiko and added, "And we might need you to extract Enel's Devil Fruit afterward."
"That's true." Nojiko nodded. "The Rumble-Rumble Fruit can't compare to a template, but it's still a top-tier Logia. It's got some value."
At that, Tashigi and Ain exchanged a glance.
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit—on the same level of "broken" as the Glint-Glint Fruit—being talked about like it was just some nice extra felt… complicated.
Even if they agreed Nojiko wasn't wrong, both of them had spent enough time around Devil Fruits and Devil Fruit users to feel the weight of what she'd just said.
"…But if I got the Rumble-Rumble Fruit," Ain murmured, chin in hand, "then if Kizaru ever goes after Teacher Zephyr… could I stop him?"
"Better not," Nami said, patting Ain's shoulder. "Even if the fruit is strong, it would take you a long time to actually develop it."
"Even if you combine it with the points you've gotten from Captain Arton, it still wouldn't shorten that time by much. If you're going to bet on something, bet on templates—not Devil Fruits."
Ain blinked, then nodded like it finally clicked.
Yeah. If templates existed, why chase Devil Fruits so desperately?
Arton had promised he'd give her a template someday—so he would. The only reason he hadn't given her Serval's was because it didn't fit her.
If Serval's template had fit her… then Conis probably wouldn't have gotten it.
"Thank you for the advice, Nami," Ain said with a bright smile. "Go on ahead. I'll stay here and handle guarding the ship."
Chapter 577: A Single Priest Won't Be Enough to Handle Arton
"It's started," Aisa said, her expression distant as she stared toward the holy land.
"Started what?" Wyper asked, baffled.
"What do you think?" Aisa answered like it was obvious. "That Blue Sea pirate crew—the ones who beat you guys—has begun moving."
"What?" Wyper shot to his feet, disbelief written all over his face. "Aisa… you mean they've headed out to fight Enel?!"
Aisa nodded. "Their leader is way too fast. I can't see him clearly."
"But his direction is definitely toward the holy land. And besides the leader and the woman he's carrying, the rest of them look like they're getting ready to go there too."
"And… Raki is moving as well."
That was it. Wyper couldn't sit still anymore.
"Then what are we waiting for? I'm rounding everyone up—we're going to the holy land!"
He bolted out of the room, intending to gather the other warriors and head straight for Raki and Enel.
This time, Aisa didn't stop him.
Raki was acting together with Arton's crew. If a fight really broke out with Enel, maybe Wyper and the others could actually help.
"I just hope Wyper heard what I said earlier…" Aisa murmured to herself. "Whatever happens—don't make enemies of those Blue Sea people."
For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that Arton and his crew were even scarier than Enel.
Even though they hadn't displayed anything like Enel's terror yet… Aisa still felt it in her bones.
If Arton heard that, he'd probably praise her Observation Haki for being freakishly sharp.
…
Elsewhere, the former "God," Gan Fall, had also noticed Arton's movements—and a cold tension settled in his chest.
"That direction… it's the holy land."
"So they really are charging straight at Enel?"
"No. I can't just sit here and do nothing. I have to go see for myself."
Decision made, Gan Fall mounted his flying steed and shot into the sky, racing toward the holy land.
…
Holy Land.
Enel's eyes snapped open.
Just moments ago, his Mantra—his heart net—had caught Arton and Conis moving.
"Fast," Enel muttered. "Not faster than me… but still much quicker than the four priests."
Then his brow twitched with confusion.
"But why is he bringing that Sky Island woman?"
He couldn't understand it. Why drag a normal civilian along?
"…Whatever. If you're coming to the holy land, then you'll take the trial."
"I'll have the four priests test them."
Enel reached out through his power and contacted the priests.
And no—he wasn't about to send them one at a time.
Arton was faster than any single priest by a wide margin, and he could fly.
In that situation, Enel didn't believe a lone priest had any chance of stopping Arton.
All four together? Maybe then there'd be an opening.
The four priests were stunned by the order.
Even if they couldn't understand why Enel wanted all of them to go greet Arton and Conis at once…
A god's command was a god's command, so they could only obey.