Usopp was tired-exhausted, really. Every part of his body ached in ways he didn't know were possible. His mind was fuzzy and disoriented. And as he tried to piece together what happened, he noticed his arms and legs were wrapped in bandages. Did he get hurt? But how? Wasn't he and Joziar out of the ball zone safely? So what had happened?
"Damn, my head's splitting," Usopp groaned, feeling a sharp throb at his temples but when he attempted to move his arm to rub his head, he was met with unnerving numbness in the limb. "...What the hell...?"
"Usopp!" Two familiar voices rang in ears, prompting him to look up from his numbed arm. There stood Chopper and Nami, their expressions a mixture of worry and relief-except for the tears streaming down their faces.
"I'm so sorry, Usopp!" Nami cried, wrapping her arms around him in an embrace that spoke volumes of her relief and guilt. Usopp could feel the warmth of her body against his, and despite his discomfort, it filled him with a sense of comfort and safety.
"You scared us!" Chopper squeaked, appearing beside Nami. His tiny, furry face was a sight to behold-a mess of tears and snot, making him look adorably tragic. His furry, tiny hooves fussing over the bandages and checking him. "Are you okay, Usopp? Do you feel any discomfort? Any pain?"
Usopp forced a smile, touched by their concern. "I-I'm fine, guys," He insisted, even as he tried to sit up, the effort causing a jolt of pain. "And it's not your fault, Nami."
"But... the lightning, and the fall..." Nami's voice trembled. "It was all my fault! If I hadn't..."
"Hey, don't go blaming yourself," Usopp said, gently squeezing her shoulder to reassure her. "That self-proclaimed god, Enel, was the one who sent us flying! Besides, I'm tougher than I look." He chuckled softly, trying to lift the mood despite the sting in his arms and legs.
"Yeah! You always bounce back!" Chopper sniffled, attempting to wipe away his tears with the back of his hoof, only to smear some across his face. The sight was enough to bring a weak laugh from Usopp.
Nami pulled back just enough to meet Usopp's gaze, her eyes sparkling even with the remnants of tears. "You really scared us, you know. I thought we'd lost you."
Usopp felt warmth pooling in his chest. "You're not getting rid of me that easily! I'm like a booger that just won't come off your finger!"
The three of them shared a laugh, the sound of the weight of worry in the air. Nami pinched Usopp's cheek playfully, her fingers gentle despite the anxiety that had gripped her moments ago while Chopper nodded vigorously, his little body bouncing with determination.
"But where are we?" Usopp questioned, noticing the dark corridors of a cave they were in, filled with debris from the ancient city. Now that he was paying attention, he could see how Nami was clad in gold and was even carrying a bag on her back, which was pouring with gold and ancient artifacts. He totally wasn't going to question how the scary witch had got her hands on the stuff.
Usopp could even make the figures of almost everyone in their team in this dark cave but why were everyone gathered here? "Where are we anyways? Is the battle finally over?"
Chopper awkwardly looked at Usopp, fumbling with his bandages while Nami's gaze landed somewhere far away, where there was obviously some gold-but to Usopp's surprise the mad money obsessed witch didn't immediately run for it.
"..We're currently inside Nola." Chopper answered hesitantly, not knowing how Usopp would react to it.
"Nola?" Usopp questioned, his mind juggling to make any sense.
"Yeah, the giant serpent, Nola." Nami answered this time.
Usopp's entire body locked up, his breathing hitched and an icy chill crawled up his spine, at the answer. He slowly turned his head to look at Nami and Chopper, who, to his increasing horror, were completely unfazed by this monumental revelation.
Usopp's lips parted, but for a moment, no sound came out as his brain scrambled to process what he had just heard. "Y-Y-You mean.. We're inside a giant snake's stomach?!" Usopp shouted, his voice bouncing off the damp, eerie walls around them and garnering attention towards him from the other chill and waiting occupants of the giant snake's stomach. "Are you guys INSANE?! Why are you just sitting here like this is normal?! We're literally in a living creature's gut-do you know what that means?!"
Chopper flinched, his little hooves waving in front of him as if trying to calm Usopp down but Usopp was far from done. He couldn't even hear the voice of the others greeting him, or showing their worries over him. All Usopp could feel was his skin prickling and his sweat turning cold while his imagination ran wild. His storyteller's mind, usually a gift, was now a curse, weaving graphic and gruesome scenarios of the horrors that awaited them.
"Do you have any idea how digestion works?!" Usopp's voice rose with every word, despite his body screaming at him to not move or shout. "First, it's the stomach acid-that burning, flesh-melting bile that slowly dissolves everything trapped inside. And then-oh god-what if we get pushed further down?! I don't wanna become snake poop, guys! There's no honor in that! And I refuse to go out like this!"
Chopper winced. "Uh, technically, a snake's digestive process is slow, so it would take-"
"NOT HELPING, CHOPPER!" Usopp screeched, grabbing his hair in terror. He looked around wildly, taking in the dark, squishy, and far too alive surroundings, feeling his stomach churn. His legs trembled beneath him, his survival instincts screaming at him to get out now, except there was no way out.
And then, as if the universe had heard his panic, the walls around them shifted. A low, guttural groan echoed through the space, vibrating through the ground flesh beneath them. The very cave like insides trembled, and before Usopp could even process what was happening, the floor tilted slightly, scaring the shit out of him.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Usopp screeched as Chopper and Nami grabbed him just right at the time to prevent him from tumbling down into the void.
Nami, looking far too calm for someone literally inside a giant reptile's stomach, rubbed her temple with an exhausted sigh. "Usopp, calm down-"
"CALM DOWN?! HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN WE'RE ABOUT TO BE TURNED INTO A SNACK?!"
"Usopp, we're fine!" Chopper finally shouted, not understanding why the others were suddenly quiet and letting him handle it. 'Oh, right, I am a doctor.' Chopper reprimanded himself, before his voice became sharp enough to cut through Usopp's spiraling panic. "Nola doesn't eat people. He wouldn't eat us! And we're here for a reason!"
Usopp froze, his panicking mind trying to understand the implications. "What do you mean, a reason?! How the hell did we even end up inside Nola's belly?!"
"It's a long story," Chopper sighed, as he began to retell the events that led them in Nola's stomach.
.
There was destruction everywhere with the land utterly obliterated. Flames were trying to claim everything in its wake, getting fuel from the surprise balls to the ruins of the ancient buildings and unfortunately the triplets who were caught in the explosion as collateral. Smoke was curling from the shattered remains of the already ruined ancient buildings, the scent of the charred earth and burnt ozone lingering in the air.
The scorched ground was littered with debris from the ancient ruins, broken weapons, and the unconscious forms of Usopp and Jozair, their bodies still and vulnerable.
Nami's breath came in ragged gasps as she stumbled forward, dropping to her knees beside them. Her hands trembled as she hovered over Usopp's limp form, unsure where to touch, where to even begin. The last thing she had seen was the explosion-her own signal for the Surprise Balls to detonate-but she hadn't accounted for Enel's interference. The blast had gone off at the wrong time, the wrong place. And now-
Her fingers brushed against Usopp's wrist, searching for a pulse. A frantic, desperate moment stretched into eternity before she finally felt it-weak but steady. She exhaled sharply, shakily, relief crashing over her in waves.
Jozair was breathing too, though unconscious like Usopp.
"Recovery position... tilt the head, bend the legs, make sure they don't choke..."
Nami's mind grasped onto the medical ramble Chopper had gone on about before-something she had only half-listened to at the time but now clung to with all her might. She carefully shifted both Usopp and Jozair, positioning them on their sides, ensuring their airways were clear.
Her heart was still hammering against her ribs and her eyes were filled with unstoppable tears. Why? Why did it happen? How could it happen!? The bastard had agreed to the rule of no interference yet he did. He killed even his subordinates-the three triplets who were caught in the line of fire-all for what?
Nami didn't know the answer but she knew one thing. "This is all my fault." Her lips parted to whisper the words, but they stuck in her throat.
Gan Fall and Pierre landed beside her, their expressions solemn. "Lady Navigator," Gan Fall began gently, "This was not-"
But Nami shook her head. She knew better. She knew the truth. She was guilty. "No. If I hadn't... If I hadn't got that plan, they wouldn't-" Nami started but the sudden shift in the sky silenced her, as the winds blew softly, riffling her hair and trying to dry her tears.
Dark clouds had dominated the heavens which were parting above, forming an unnatural circular space above them as a cascade of golden light spilled through the opening, bathing them in an ethereal glow. It was as if the heavens themselves had peeled back the storm to look down upon them.
The onlookers-those who had been watching from afar, those who had not participated in the round-saw the light for what they believed it to be. A divine signal. A declaration of victory on evil. A signal that all was going to be fine.
Even those afar in the island, unknown of the rounds of fight going on for the island, saw the divine light as a ray of hope. A hope for a better future. A future where they had what they needed the most.
Loud cheering could be heard from the scattered warriors, their voices rising in exultation while the other team's warriors were stunned to oblivion, knowing that it wasn't their kami who was responsible for the divine light. After all, why would he when they had utterly disappointed him by losing in two consecutive rounds now.
Nami was barely hearing anything. Not the exuberant cheers, not the concern in Gan Fall's voice or how Pierre tried to console her. She didn't even hear the small footsteps which were approaching her as fast as they could. Her attention was only on Usopp, her ears were only trained on the faint beating of Usopp's heart and her heart was heavy with guilt.
Meanwhile, Chopper, who had followed the beacon of light like a guiding star, hurriedly knelt before Usopp, prying Nami from him. He could see how both Jozair and Usopp were injured badly, but he could also see who was far too close to danger. "Nami, please, I need space." Chopper urged Nami with patience, keeping his panic at the bay. "I need to make sure they're okay."
That was when Nami finally let go of Usopp, only to cling to Robin, who had followed Chopper closely. The older woman held onto Nami awkwardly, yet she did her best to calm the navigator down.
"Will he be okay, Chopper?" Nami cried, unable to pry away her eyes from Usopp, on whom Chopper was urgently working while instructing Gan Fall on how to provide first aid to Jozair. Leaving none of them unattended.
"He'll be. He'll be, Nami." Chopper assured, not knowing who he was trying to console-himself or Nami. There was no certainly, especially after falling from such a brutal height and Chopper knew the implications but at the same time as he checked on the injuries, focused his hooves on Usopp's arms and legs, checking for cracked bones or fractures, he found almost none.
Just a broken rib, which luckily hadn't pierced the lungs and-
Chopper halted in his checking and bandaging Usopp's wounds, as he felt unnaturally like a prey before a predator for a moment before his heart swelled with unknown respect.
Just above the group, a shadowed figure was descending from the skies. It could have been mistaken for a cloud, or a huge debris but it was not. The shadowed figure carried a presence that was making the very air cackle with anticipation, with dread, with something old and powerful.
But above all, one thing was clear, the figure was raging. His anger hidden behind the mask of shadow which seemed to loom on him like an eclipse.
It was truly an eclipse of the sun as the figure was none other than the cheerful and bright as the sun, Luffy-no, Nika-whose face was barred for anyone to see.
Nika was descending from the opening of the sky, looking like a devil in an angel's body. The clouds had parted in his presence, not daring to hinder their god's path. The childish god was clad in golden light that stretched and warped around him, bending reality itself. His figure was both radiant and monstrous, striking fear as well as undying respect, his presence both divine and terrifying.
Even though no one could see the kami's face, they could see the raw fury in his stance, in the way his hair and limbs moved as if untethered by earthly constraints, spoke volumes.
The battlefield which was already still, now, even hesitated to breathe. The iron cage that had once imprisoned the warriors to fight against each other groaned, trembling with Nika's continued descent until it shattered into oblivion, not even leaving a small particle of it. Whether it was due to Nika's divine presence or his leaking, unconstrained, monstrous King's Haki lashing out for something to dominate, the iron bars couldn't stand against it.
Every being on the battlefield turned to face Nika. And Enel, the so-called god of Skypiea, was frozen. For a moment, he was frozen in fear and still. His golden staff was trembling in his grasp, his pupils dilating in raw terror before he quickly schooled his expression. He knew.
Nika had noticed his interference.
A sharp, guttural breath left Enel's lips before he sneered, masking his fear behind bravado as a wonderful excuse entered his mind. "Don't blame me for what happened." Enel's voice dripped with false amusement, though the slight tremor and his pale face betrayed him thoroughly. "It's merely the price for your unfair means." Enel spoke, pulling out blatant excuses, which he wasn't even sure of. "We decided on playing fair but I see you've decided to break the rules yourself, Nika. Or should I say.. cheat?"
The accusation lay heavy in the air and for a second, there was silence, with Nika's team-especially his crew-gaping at their captain. They couldn't believe that Luffy, their sunshine captain, could even cheat. They were sure that Enel, the fake god, was pulling excuses out of his ass to save himself-
"I-I didn' c-cheat!" Nika shot back immediately, avoiding to look at anyone, with his cheeks puffed out indignantly. It was clear from the way his golden brows furrowed just a tad too much, the way his eyes darted to the side like a guilty child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, that he was lying.
A thick silence stretched between them as the onlookers stood dumbfounded.
Gan Fall blinked, not believing that a god can't lie. Nami stared, unable to wrap the idea of Luffy trying to cheat. Robin covered her mouth with a delicate hand, finding Luffy way too adorable. Chopper exemplified the purest form of admiration for Luffy. Even Zoro and Sanji, usually the ones to roll with the chaos, narrowed their eyes in disbelief.
Luffy's ability to lie.. even in his divine form was spectacularly horrible.
Meanwhile, Enel, who was momentarily thrown by the sheer absurdity of it all, latched onto the opportunity. He hadn't really thought that the other 'kami' would get involved-Enel hadn't seen the kid involve himself.
Enel's expression twisted into a smirk as he subtly redirected the conversation away from his deed. "Well then, since it seems we both played unfairly..." Enel lazily drawled out, his confidence returning. "I believe it's only fair that we move to the third round immediately. To restore balance, of course."
Luffy immediately parked up at the suggestion, his interest piqued. "Oh? The third round?"
"Yes, but this time, only five participants may be chosen." Enel smirked, knowing full well that this limitation would force the other to make difficult choices. Hopefully, the kid messes up spectacularly with his new plan on the play since he had already used all of his best cards and Enel still had his more than decent divine guards in his arsenal. "And to make up for our mutual indiscretions, none of the previous fighters may be selected."
The crew collectively stiffened, while Luffy's gaze was redirected to Usopp's form, gauging his friend's injuries.
"Hold on-" Sanji started.
"It's unfair-" Zoro tried.
"Luffy-" Robin even tried but before anyone could further protest or complete their sentences, Luffy, with his reality wrapping grin childishly agreed, falling to the trap Enel built.
Everyone in Nika's team had visibly paled at that. The weak shivering at the thought of going against Enel while the others, scared of how the match could turn the tables.
"Choose your warriors, Nika," Enel sneered before vanishing off to gather his five strongest Divine soldiers, who haven't participated yet.
While Luffy hummed in thought, rolling the idea around his head.
"Luffy, that bastard is playing with you!" Sanji tried to persuade Luffy, not knowing what trick that asshole god might pull up if he ends up winning the match.
Luffy just smiled with his uncanny grin, knowing full well of Enel's malicious plans. But he wanted to do something different rather than directly comforting the fake god head on.He was going to play smart and beat Enel in his own unfairness.
"Dammit, we don't have many heavy hitters left, Luffy." Zoro grunted, looking around at the team which they had on their side. A kid, some civilians, and the weak divine guards. But there was the snake as well who could dominate the fight though.
Luffy simply nodded to Zoro, his eyes wandering to Nola and three of Enel's own White Berets. Then, his lips stretched into a massive smile as he turned to his team to announce his plan. "Everyone's participating." Luffy grinned, taking onto the shocked faces directed at him.
"What?" "Finally! We are playing like pirates!" "How's that possible?!" "I don't wanna fight..!"
Several voices of confusion and shock rose up, all of them directed at the young god who was cheerfully hoping to the giant serpent Nola.
"Nola, eat everyone, pretty please." Luffy ordered the giant with the sweetest adorable smile he could muster, leaving everyone in absolute silence for a moment until the outburst came.
"WHAT?!"
Panic, fear and shock exploded in Nika's team. Warriors scrambled in fear, afraid of the insanity of their leader. The civilians dashed, trying to escape. The Strawhat crew stared in shock at Luffy, at his absurd idea, until Robin grew a small smile understanding the plan-after all if the serpent threw up his undigested snack in the middle of the fight, it's just a 'coincidence'.
Nola, on the other hand, happily loomed over them all, her massive mouth unhinging and before anyone could distance themselves, they were swallowed whole.
.
"Luffy did what..?" Usopp's voice cracked as he blankly stared at Chopper, who was redoing some of his bandages, while his own mind struggled to process the absolute insanity of what had just been explained to him.
Firstly, the 'cave' they were in-the damp, fleshy, slightly undualting cavern-truly was the stomach of Nola. And secondly, they had ended up here because Luffy, their beloved, insane, absolutely childish and unhinged captain, had ordered the damn snake to swallow them whole.
Usopp's mouth hung open as realization settled deep into his bones. His brain whirFirstlyred, replaying the information on loop like a scratched up record player, and the more he thought about it, the worse it got. He even considered staying unconscious until the whole ordeal was over.
Usopp gulped, his mind refusing to fall asleep in the stomach of the snake, fearing for his life. What if they ended up truly digested?
The air suddenly felt heavier, thick with humidity and the acrid scent of bile. The fleshy walls pulsed rhythmically, almost like they were breathing, and Usopp swore he could hear a sickening gurgle in the distance-a deep, sloshing noise that confirmed what he feared most.
He was going to melt. He was going to dissolve. He was going to turn into Usopp-flavored soup.
Usopp cursed at his creative mind, which was busy painting all kind of images for him, portraying how each part of his body was going to turn up-
Usopp's stomach churned violently as the nausea hit him in full force. He felt like vomiting and the idea of not making it out of here almost made him sob but yet somewhere in that deep, horrifying abyss of terror, there was one tiny silver thread of hope.
Luffy.
As insane as Luffy's decision making was, Usopp knew Luffy wouldn't let them die like this. There was no way their captain would let his own crew get dissolved into stomach sludge. Right? Right?!
Even still, the sheer idea of it-the audacity of Luffy's insane tactics-was enough to push Usopp over the edge, yet, he was okay. He was okay, knowing that in the end of all of Luffy's insane acts and ideas, there was victory and a happy ending.
Still, Usopp let out a pitiful, exaggerated gasp, clutching his chest as he threw himself backward in a dramatic pose. "The light.. it's fading.." Usopp wheezed weakly. "Tell.. Kaya.. I died a hero.."
And then, with the elegance of a seasoned stage performer, Usopp fainted.
Chopper screamed in panic, not realizing Usopp's bluff. But even Nami was with Chopper today, making Usopp feel slightly guilty yet cunningly happy at the idea of fooling the money witch. "USOPP! USOPP! STAY WITH ME!"
"Are you hurt? Did your injuries get worse? Usopp say something-" Chopper shook him frantically, while Nami cried, both of them panicked.
Usopp, of course, didn't feel much pain. Not enough for him to faint. But that wasn't the point.
On the other hand, just a bit far away, Sanji stared blankly at the fleshy, organic walls surrounding them with his arms crossed and his cigarette smoldering between his lips as he exhaled a slow stream of smoke.
The blonde haired man was this close to kicking his way out of here.
Not that he hadn't tried already-because he certainly had. But someone (Zoro, that moss headed bastard) had stopped him and they'd ended up in an all-out brawl that lasted until Nola flailed violently, nearly tossing them into what he assumed was stomach acid.
After that, both Sanji and Zoro had called an involuntary truce and Sanji tried to distract himself.
First off, by interrogating Zoro about his earlier statement concerning Luffy but that bastard had plainly ignored him.
Then, he tried to pass the time by swooning and charming the lovely ladies trapped with them but that, too, had failed miserably.
Now, Sanji was stuck. Stuck in the literal belly of the beast, unable to fight, unable to flirt, and most importantly, bored out of his goddamn mind. His only constant company was his cigarette with whom he was doing a chain smoking session but even that was going to leave him soon as the pack had only two left.
Sanji sighed, hoping that Luffy would get them out of here soon. He was even debating whether he should at least kick something just to relieve his irritation when all of a sudden the entire stomach lurched violently. Once again. Sanji hated it. He was freaking pissed off at how randomly and constantly the damn snake was moving, not giving them much time to hold onto something to stabilise themselves. But this wasn't the time to rant.
'It's the time to be prince.' Sanji swooned, as he darted towards the ladies to protect them.
The walls were contracted, with a deep, guttural groan echoing around them. Then, without warning, everything tilted-as if the giant snake was gagging.
'...Wait.' Sanji's mind stirred, connecting the dots of what might happen next. Gagging. Bile. Acid. Pretty ladies. 'Oh, hell no.'
"Oi-OI, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON NOW-?!" Sanji shouted, running to shield the ladies, as the stomach rumbled, spasming violently. The air was shifting with the thick humidity thining as a sudden suction force pulled at them from above.
Sanji's instincts screamed at him to protect. He sprinted towards Nami, Aisa, Raki, Conis and the other girls, determined to keep them safe, only to see one of the Shandorians was suddenly sucked up into the air and out of the stomach.
Sanji's cigarette fell from his lips. "What the actual-?!"
Before Sanji could even process his question, a blinding light erupted from above, cutting through the darkness of the cavern. Sanji barely had time to process it before the entire mouth of the snake was wrenched wide open, revealing a familiar, grinning figure standing at the entrance.
It was Luffy, his dumbass captain, whose unruly white fluffy hair was glowing like the every essence of the sun and his presence radiated playful, overwhelming, untamed power.
"Oi! Time to fight! Everyone, come out~!" Luffy's cheery, borderline mischievous voice rang out loud and clear.
Sanji's eye twitched.
There were so many things-so many-he wanted to yell at that idiot right now but all of them got swallowed by the sheer absurdity of the situation.
Instead of shooting curses, Sanji inhaled sharply, shoved his hands in his pockets and muttered, "Tch. Took you long enough." Then, with a flicker of his cigarette, he leapt out to join the battle.
.
For the first time in a long, long while, Enel was confused. It wasn't a feeling he was used to. It wasn't even a feeling he liked. Being a god of Skypiea meant that he knew where which person will be, or where what will be happening. But right now, sitting lazily on his perch he couldn't even find the rest of Nika's team aside from the ones that stood in the battlefield.
It almost seemed that Nika's team was gone. But it wasn't gone entirely-it was missing. Vanished. Erased from the battlefield as if the Sun God had simply decided to let them evaporate into the thin air. All that Enel could see in the open vearth were the five chosen combatants-the massive snake, and four White Berets, the latter standing awkwardly in formation, with their hands twitching by their sides, glancing around like they had no idea what to do.
Enel narrowed his eyes. No. Something was off. Terribly off.
His Matra pulsed, seeking, stretching, brushing over every inch of the island, every breathing thing that should be here. And that was when he felt them. Inside the giant snake's stomach. For a single, suspended moment, Enel was stunned.
The overprotective kid, that insane god of the sun, Nika-this being of seemingly abnormal powers, this thing that refused to bow to heaven and him-had just.. let the snake swallow his entire team..?
'Just like that?'
Enel's lips curled into a slow, cruel smirk, realizing that he and Nika weren't so different after all. For all of Nika's ridiculous theatrics, for all his shining divinity, the Sun God did not care. Just like Enel himself.
They both saw weaklings for what they were-disposable and beings meant to be crushed under their feet.
Enel let out a low chuckle, sparks flickering between his fingertips. If the Sun God wasn't even going to bother saving his own people, then this was already over. The only ones left to fight were the snake and four incompetent fools who could barely hold their weapons right.
Enel's mind was already moving to the next step, already considering the quickest way to wipe them out. The snake might be an annoyance, but his chosen warriors-handpicked and replaced for maximum efficiency-were more than capable of crushing the enemy side.
The only question was-how long would it take for his victory to be complete? He was just about to find out-
COUGH! COUGH!
Enel's thoughts halted for a second as he caught the sight of the snake starting to cough. Not just a little. Not just a small hack or wheeze. No, the massive, coiling beast seized, its entire body convulsing, its head jerking violently. Its tongue flicked out in distress. Its entire body shook with a terrible, shuddering spasm. And then-
It choked. For two full minutes.
Enel watched, his smirk twitching as the snake gagged, its throat bulging grotesquely, its entire frame writhing like it was trying to rip itself apart from the inside, before Nika jumped in seemingly trying to console the snake only for him to wide open the snake's mouth.
The gigantic snake on its part, gagged with a sickening lurch and vomited the entire contents of his stomach, which so happened to be the entirety of Nika's team. Enel's nose scrunched in disgust at the sight.
Completely unharmed. Completely intact. Not even a single one of them even looked like they'd been in an actual battle, when Enel could have sworn that he had seen the long nosed one and one of the White Berets deeply injured. But even they were standing proudly, looking unharmed and ready for another battle.
A vein popped out of Enel's forehead in sheer anger. It was cheating but he couldn't dare to say that. Enel knew what would be the outcome now. He knew that the tables had been turned and he was going to lose once again against those fucking bastards.
The battlefield had truly changed. It had happened before the others even joined. The cage was gone, reduced to nothing alongside its creator. The rules-erased. The limits-shattered. Now, only raw strength remained.
Enel's team-the five divine soldiers-stood in a tight pentagon formation, with their bodies tense and their breaths uneven. The air around them was charged with the faint crackle of static, the oppressive force a subtle reminder of their so-called kami's wrath.
The five divine soldiers glared ahead, willing themselves to not flee, but their hands shook. Because they knew that they had already lost.
They knew that since the moment their kami Enel had seen his carefully chosen warriors crumple on the ground for the past two rounds. The moment Nika stood before him, untouched, unharmed, laughing this was all a game-the truth had settled like a weight in their chests. They hadn't wanted to fight. Not in this round. Not against Nika's team.
Since, they knew they could not win. And yet, they could not refuse to fight.
Not when Enel's gaze still burned into their backs, urging them to win no matter what the odds were before them. Not when the alternative was a slow, merciless execution at the hands of their supposed god.
It was a lose-lose situation, where there was no way to get out of it.
Their faith in Enel as their kami remained. They accepted their fate, the punishment awaiting them but so did the truth which was being presented to them. As real as they thought their own kami to be, Nika was also real. And the latter had descended in flesh and blood to fight against their kami-against his beliefs, against their reality, against everything they had built their lives upon.
One of them swallowed hard, gripping his Axe-Dial with white knuckled fingers. The others weren't far behind, clutching onto their respective weapons as if their life depended on it. Since, that was the only weapon they had. That was their only chance to make a final stand for themselves. To protect themselves from being mutilated.
The five divine soldiers of Enel's team waited with bated breaths as the other team took exactly three seconds to process the absolute absurdity of what had just happened before moving to finish what had once started.
.
Enel was pissed and mad. He had left the area of the battle the moment one of the Shandorians lunged for the weak, pathetic puppets of his, to check onto his masterpiece. Only to find it himself walking through the incomplete skeleton of his ship, the Ark Maxim. His ship, his escape, his path to the heavens, to the fairy vearth, was still unfinished. The sheer thought made his teeth grind, made the veins in his forehead throb with the sheer audacity of the situation.
It was supposed to be ready. He was supposed to be leaving by now, abandoning this island, this battle, this insanity. Instead, he was trapped. His ship was not complete, his subordinates were utterly worthless and almost dead. Moreover, he had already run out of time.
A sharp crack of his pulsating electricity burst from his fingertip, arcing across the body of his ship. Tch. He had already wasted too much effort and time dodging that thing-that beast-that thing that calls itself Nika. The fake kami, the one the winds favored, the one the very sky refused to strike down, the one for which his lightning, his very own divine powers refused to work for a moment. Enel had used every trick, every ounce of cunning, every strategy to survive till now but now he didn't have much time.
It was the time for the fourth match and Enel knew that he would lose in a direct match against Nika. He had before. He knew that he could somehow navigate his way through Nika's attack, using his childishness against him, using cheap tricks and cunningness to trick the kid but he wasn't sure if he could keep doing that for much longer.
Enel hated the thought. Hated it more than anything.
His fingers curled into fists and in a flash of crackling lighting, he vanished-leaving behind only a scorch mark as he teleported back to the battlefield.
The moment Enel's feet touched the vearth, his blood boiled. His priests, his puppets-his so-called chosen warriors-lay in heaps across the battlefield. He had known the end result of the third round yet seeing all of the worthless losers from the previous rounds gathered in one place, rage filled him. Gedatsu, Shura, Satori, Hotori, Kotori, Ohm, Holy, Yama, the Divine Soldiers, the White Berets-all of them had fallen. Some unconscious. Some barely breathing. Some outright dead. The weak ones cowered as his presence darkened the sky, their bodies trembling like insects caught in a hurricane.
Enel's mind burned white-hot in rage. They were all useless, pathetic, undeserving to breathe in the same air as he does. He had trusted them to handle this. He had trusted them to buy him enough time and fight in his name. And they had the gall-the absolute insult-to fall like flies before the enemy.
His rage cracked across the battlefield like a storm. Without thinking, without caring, without a second of hesitation, he raised his arm-and unleashed hell. A column of lightning erupted from his body, massive, blinding, all-consuming, a beam of sheer divine fury meant to incinerate every last one of them.
If they were useless, they would perish. If they were weak, they would burn. They all deserved it.
But before his attack could reach its mark-
Something had moved. It was fast and seemingly untouchable. It was a figure appearing before him, standing directly in his path of absolute destruction, and in an instant Enel's entire attack was stopped.
It wasn't redirected, not absorbed. Just stopped. Like his fury meant nothing. Like his divine retribution meant nothing.
Enel's breath caught in his throat as his eyes adjusted to the shape before him. White. Luminous. Inhuman. The golden glow of his body made the battlefield look like a painting dipped in sunlight, his very presence warping the world around him. His skin, impossibly white, stretched and bent like rubber as the lightning snapped and recoiled from his flesh like a mere inconvenience.
And his eyes. They were glowing. Three rings of color spun in his irises-blue, red, gold-burning like the very sky itself.
Enel's stomach twisted. He should have flinched. Should have stepped back. Should have recognized the nightmare standing before him. But he was far beyond that. His pride, his rage, his hatred surged forward like an unstoppable tide. He refused to be made a fool of. He refused to bow. His own divinity and ego screamed in protest, and before he could stop himself, the words spilled out, sharp as daggers, coated in venom.
"YOU'RE NOTHING!" Enel bellowed, his voice shaking the vearth beneath them. "I AM A GOD REINCARNATED! I AM THE RIGHTFUL MASTER OF THE SKY! NATURE ITSELF CHOSE ME OVER YOU!"
Lightning crackled around his body, snapping at the air, writhing like a living beast. His hands flickered, raw power gathering between his fingertips, ready to erase this impudent thing from existence.
"I CAN DESTROY ANYTHING-ANYONE-IN MY PATH! I AM ABOVE ALL!" Enel screeched his lungs out, reduced to an impulse mess.
But the Sun God only smiled. But it was not the smile of a man. It was not the smile of a hero. It was not even the smile of a god.
No, it was the kind of smile that monsters wore before they tore their prey apart into smithereens. It was the smile of the god of all demons, a being brought straight from the inner level of hell.
With a flick of wrist, Nika pushed his crew back, his movements calm, almost gentle, as if he wasn't inhabiting an almost deranged smile on his face. But the team wouldn't know since all they saw was Nika's back as the winds knocked them back to a safer distance. Away from the battlefield. Away from the destruction that was going to take place.
The next came a wave of Conqueror's Haki, which surged out of Nika's body, slamming into the battlefield like an unstoppable force, forcing the weak members of only Enel's team to collapse, while the ones still clinging to consciousness screamed, their bodies seizing as the sheer will of the Sun God pushed them far off the area.
Only Enel remained standing and close.
And Luffy-Nika-laughed. The sound was low, slow, dark. It curled in the air like smoke, like a promise of carnage waiting to unfold.
"Third round's over." Nika's bare feet pressed against the floating chunk of vearth, his body poised, his laughter low, dangerous and brimming with joy. "It's time for us to fight."
Enel and Nika stood face to face, both looking divine. But there were vast differences which set them apart from the other.
Enel was cloaked in crackling wrath with his lightning dancing madly around his form, snaking across his skin in jagged, seething bursts. His entire body was vibrating with barely contained rage, his every nerve alight with the sheer indignation of being challenged. The veins in his temples were throbbing, his golden pupils wide and unhinged, and his lips curling into a snarl of sheer annoyance. He was a god and he was offended by the thing before him. How dare the thing-the smiling specter of madness-mock him?!
But Luffy-Nika-only grinned. Wide, wild and full of delight. Unlike Enel, who was burning with unstable wrath, Nika was shimmering with a natural, effortless radiance-the kind that made the sky itself bow and the wind sing in his presence. And he was laughing. He had been waiting for this. Waiting for this fight. Waiting to rip apart the fraud who dared call himself a god. To shun him down and teach him a lesson he so deserved for claiming Halad's mantle, for even believing himself to be something he never could be, for laying his claim on what is his.
The wind howled, tearing through the battlefield as if it, too, could no longer contain its excitement. The clouds above churned violently, a storm of lightning and sunlight battling for dominance, as if the sky itself knew the outcome but still longed to see it play out.
The two kami stood alone in the chaos of the world, opposites yet undeniable reflections of each other. One, consumed by rage and the madness of his own delusions. The other, laughing like a demon king ready to reclaim his throne.
Lightning cracked. Winds howled.
Thunder roared. Clouds spiraled, restless and hungry.
The heavens waited. The earth shuddered.
The final battle was about to begin.