"However…"
Will suddenly shifted the tone of the conversation, casting a sharp gaze toward Eneru on the Ark Maxim in the distance. "What exactly gave you the impression that you could defeat me?"
The moment the words left his lips, he didn't retreat. Instead, he lunged forward, kicking off the air to propel himself upward at high speed. As he ascended under the force of his momentum, he cocked his leg back to gather strength. His limb turned a deep, obsidian black, while violent arcs of black and red lightning began to crackle and spiral around it.
"What?!"
Eneru's eyes widened in sheer disbelief as he watched the peculiar lightning manifest. He froze, completely stunned.
"How is this possible?! Can this man control lightning too?!"
He had initially assumed Will possessed some defensive Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allowed him to withstand high voltages. This sight shattered every theory he had.
Before Eneru could process the shock, Will unleashed his built-up power. He swung his leg upward in a ferocious, sweeping kick.
"Haki Infusion · Sky-Splitting Slash!!!"
Swoosh—!
With a sharp, piercing howl, a massive, crescent-shaped deep blue shockwave roared skyward. The slash expanded rapidly as it flew, its width eventually dwarfing the diameter of the colossal spherical thundercloud looming in the sky. Violent streaks of black and red lightning surged within the blue energy.
The massive Raigo was still descending, its surface a chaotic web of dancing silver serpents. In the blink of an eye, the deep blue slash collided with the thundercloud with a thunderous bang.
A second later, the massive slash cleaved through the thundercloud as easily as a knife through cake, passing through it without meeting a shred of resistance. The force was so immense it even tore a jagged rift through the dark gray storm clouds above.
Zzzzzzzzzzt—!
As a cacophony of electrical discharge filled the air, the spherical thundercloud was split perfectly in two. The massive concentration of current and high-pressure air currents trapped inside began to scatter wildly. Within moments, the once-imposing Raigo collapsed and vanished into nothingness.
Witnessing this impossible feat, Eneru—who had finally regained his senses—screamed in terror.
"This is impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could a thundercloud of that scale be defeated so easily?!"
Confusion gripped his heart. He couldn't comprehend how a man could kick out a shockwave of such magnitude, nor could he identify the black and red lightning or the technique that allowed him to run on the very air itself.
Shaking his head violently to clear the panic, Eneru narrowed his eyes. He raised his hands once more, channeling blue and white electricity into the sky.
"Hmm? That trick again?" Will noted, slightly surprised.
However, he quickly realized the target had changed. The thundercloud forming was not above his own head, but toward the distant Skypiea, where Issho and Robin were located.
Seeing Will's realization, Eneru let out a manic, booming laugh.
"Yehahahahahaha! Didn't expect that, did you? I want to see which you choose: staying here to stop me, or rushing back to save your precious companions!"
Eneru no longer had any desire to trade blows with this monster. The Ark Maxim was already ascending; there was no need to continue a fight he couldn't win. Without waiting for a response, he transformed into a bolt of lightning, flickering onto the control seat of the Ark Maxim to accelerate his flight toward the "Fairy Vearth."
In the sky, Will watched him go and smirked. "You're quite decisive, I'll give you that—using others to pin me down."
His expression shifted to one of pity. "It's just a shame you overlooked one thing: I left someone very capable in charge over there."
"What?!" Eneru's brow furrowed. He turned his head, looking doubtfully toward the island beneath his new thundercloud.
On Skypiea, Nami and Chopper were pale with terror, staring up at the impending doom. Even Robin and Carina found it difficult to maintain their composure. Conis had collapsed to the ground, tears welling in her eyes.
Gan Fall, the old Sky Knight, arrived on his flying bird, Pierre. He hovered in mid-air, looking at the spherical thundercloud with a crushing sense of powerlessness. Nearby, Wyper and his Shandia warriors were sliding across the Milky Road toward the island, but they too skidded to a halt, weapons falling from their hands in shock.
In the midst of the panic, Issho stepped forward. He gripped his staff-sword, looking toward the sky with a thoughtful, sightless gaze.
"To unleash such a massive thundercloud here... it truly makes this old man feel a bit troubled."
Clang—!
Without hesitation, he drew his blade in a swift motion, tracing a circular arc of blue and white light above his head. He then bent his knees and began to slowly slide the blade back into its scabbard.
A massive, brilliant purple circle of light manifested above him. The moment the sword clicked fully into the sheath—
Swoosh—!!
The purple light extended upward in layered rings, striking the bottom of the descending Raigo.
Buzz—!
With a strange, vibrating hum, the unstoppable thundercloud stopped dead in its tracks. Then, defying gravity, it reversed direction, flying back up the path it came from. It rose higher and higher, punching through the cloud layer until it reached the upper atmosphere.
Boom—!
A deafening roar echoed from the heavens as the thundercloud exploded safely in the distance. The dark storm clouds scattered, allowing the warm sunlight to bathe the land once more.
"What?!" Eneru's jaw dropped, his face a mask of pure shock. "This… how is this possible?! There is someone else on that island who can stop my Raigo?!"
He thought the man in the sky was an anomaly, but now there was a second powerhouse. What was wrong with the blue sea? He had eaten the Logia-type Goro Goro no Mi; he was supposed to be a God, an invincible existence!
Eneru stood frozen, his hands dropping from the ship's charging station.
"Eneru—!"
A shout thundered from the horizon. Eneru snapped out of his daze and looked up. Will was now hovering even higher than before, looking down with a stern, judgmental gaze.
"You... how dare you target my crew! Prepare to face the consequences!"
Will plummeted toward the Ark Maxim like a meteor. He tucked his left leg and extended his right, spinning rapidly as he descended. Black and red lightning flared violently around his foot.
"Haki Infusion · Blazing Sun Flying Kick—!!!"
With a low growl, Will's right leg ignited into scorching flames, emitting a light so dazzling it rivaled the sun.
Eneru's instincts screamed at him to dodge, but he hesitated, glancing at the Ark Maxim he had spent years building. That split second of hesitation cost him everything.
Boom—!!
"Gah…!"
The kick slammed into Eneru's chest like a falling star. He spat out a massive spray of blood, his eyes instantly rolling back into his head. The force drove him straight through the deck of the Ark Maxim and out through the bottom of the hull.
Will retracted his leg and stabilized himself in mid-air. Eneru, unconscious and with his white head-wrap on fire, plummeted toward the ground below, trailing black smoke.
Crr-ack—!!
A series of violent explosions erupted from the Ark Maxim. Will watched as the ship began to fracture and tilt.
"It broke that easily?" He muttered, dodging a piece of debris.
In the original story, the Ark Maxim had survived significant damage to reach the moon. Perhaps his Haki-infused strike had accidentally punctured a critical internal component.
"Well, without the Ark Maxim, Eneru won't be going to the moon anytime soon."
Realizing something, Will dove down toward the location where Eneru had fallen.
On the other side of the island, Gan Fall met with Nami's group. With Conis acting as a witness, the crew accepted the old knight's identity.
Issho, who had been listening silently, turned his head toward the sea of clouds. "A large group is approaching. Are they your people, Mr. Gan Fall?"
Gan Fall looked over, his expression turning solemn. "If I'm not mistaken… those are the Shandia."
He began to briefly explain the long-standing conflict between the Skypieans and the Shandia. Meanwhile, Wyper had reached the edge of the island, but he signaled his men to stop. The terrifying display of power he had just witnessed had cooled his hot-headed rage. He was willing to die for "Upper Yard," but he wasn't a fool; he needed to understand the intentions of these powerful newcomers before making a move.
Back on the ground of Upper Yard, Will landed near a large crater.
Eneru lay inside, his burnt head-wrap revealing a surprisingly fluffy hairstyle, now singed black. But the "God" wasn't finished.
Zzzzzzzzt—!
Sudden bolts of electricity flared from Eneru's chest. His body convulsed as his heart began to restart itself using his own electrical powers. His pupils returned, and he slowly rose from the pit.
"Oh?" Will watched with interest. "So he really can jump-start his own heart."
He had expected as much, which was exactly why he had followed him down to watch the spectacle.
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