Deep within the shrine, a guard knelt respectfully before a man seated upon a high throne. The guard kept his head bowed, daring not to look up at the man.
On the throne sat the God of Birka. Unlike the typical men of the Sky Islands, his features were sharply defined, as if carved from stone. He had thick eyebrows, large eyes, a high-bridged nose, and a strong, resolute face that was currently set in an unusually grim and tense expression. A chilling aura emanated from him, creating an atmosphere of silent authority.
"Report, God. Outsiders have invaded the shrine. Lord Zago has been seriously injured and is receiving treatment. Lord Roida is still fighting the enemy, but the situation is unfavorable; he's at a disadvantage. We request your intervention to eliminate the enemy," the guard reported respectfully to the man on the throne.
"Is that so? Those two useless fools, Zago and Roida, were actually pushed back all the way to the shrine's entrance? What a disgrace! Hmph! I think they can forget about being priests. Where are Guzman and Jeremiah?" The god's voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.
"Reporting, God. Lord Guzman and Lord Jeremiah went to quell the unrest in the town. We haven't received any news from them yet," the guard replied, seemingly unfazed by the god's cold tone, dutifully carrying out his duty.
"It seems the enemy is quite numerous. After all these years of peace and stability in Birka, someone dares to invade us? It's time to remind them of Birka's might. Lead the way; I will personally deal with these enemies," the god said, a rare hint of anger appearing on his face. He then rose from the throne with an air of authority.
"Yes, God," the guard replied respectfully, leading the way.
Meanwhile, Doflamingo and Enel had also entered the town from the forest. With someone guiding the way, Doflamingo's steps were noticeably lighter, spared from wandering aimlessly. However, the four winged men leading them were in far less cheerful spirits.
In the northern part of Birka, blood flowed like rivers, and bodies lay strewn across the ground. The four winged men immediately smelled the stench of blood upon entering the area, a scent they were familiar with, as they themselves were currently covered in cuts and bruises. Realizing something was terribly wrong, they disregarded their injuries and rushed further in. The usually bustling town was eerily silent; not a single person was in sight. They trembled as they walked forward until they saw the first corpse. Its death was gruesome, the body covered in wounds. The man's face was contorted in agony, his eyes wide open, silently screaming his unwillingness to die. The inhabitants of Birka, accustomed to a peaceful life, had never witnessed such a scene. They felt a strong urge to vomit, a powerful nausea forcing them to crouch and dry heave, trying to calm their disturbed minds.
After a long while, they finally managed to suppress their nausea. They struggled to their feet, but their faces were pale, and their bodies trembled, as if they had suffered a tremendous shock. Without further hesitation, they exchanged glances and quickly ran deeper towards the shrine. Only God could save them now.
In the northern part of Birka, Pica was indulging in a massacre of the residents who had dared to mock him. The residents, completely powerless, saw no escape and knelt, begging Pica for mercy. However, every member of the Family was, without exception, ruthless. How could mere pleas for mercy possibly make them relent?
The few remaining residents were herded together by Pica and his men. They crouched, heads in their hands, weeping and begging, daring not to meet Pica's bloodshot, crazed eyes, fearing they would be the next to die. Although their hearts were filled with terror, they felt even more resentment towards the law enforcement teams, the priests, and their God. Usually so high and mighty, but now, in their time of need, with someone slaughtering them, their own God was nowhere to be seen. Such was human nature, perhaps – to resent not the enemy, but their own people.
Pica had vented his frustrations for a while and was somewhat calmer. There were always observant individuals within the group, those who might lack strength but were masters of reading the atmosphere.
"Lord Pica, the Young Master's mission is paramount. Delaying it would not be wise," a subordinate reminded Pica tactfully.
"Hmph, that's enough. I've vented sufficiently. Doffy's mission is more important," Pica's shrill voice rang out again, but this time, no one dared to mock him.
At that moment, the group of four had also arrived near Pica. The sight of countless bodies along the way had been a horrifying shock. Seeing living fellow islanders here was a great relief, but their joy was short-lived, as they were quickly discovered by Pica and his men.
"There are still some stragglers! Seize them!" Pica ordered, pointing at the group of four.
The four panicked. They had just escaped one danger, only to walk straight into another. They were quickly apprehended by the subordinates and brought before Pica.
"Kneel!"
The four dared not resist and obediently followed the order, kneeling before Pica one by one.
"Do you know Enel?" Pica, finally remembering his mission, asked.
The four were filled with doubt. Wasn't Enel with them? Why were they still looking for him? Were they not on the same side?
However, while the four were confused, the other Sky Islanders were quick-witted, instantly seizing the opportunity to survive.
"Sir, sir, I know!"
"Sir, I know too!"
"I'll tell you everything, please spare my life!"
Seeing the residents' eagerness, Pica was slightly annoyed. They would seize any chance to survive. He randomly pointed at one of them.
"You, tell me quickly. My patience is limited," Pica said casually.
"Sir, I know! I will tell you everything I know," the chosen person said, overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement.
"Hurry up!"
"Well, sir, Enel is often bullied by these four. No one knows where Enel is better than them," the chosen person said, trembling as he pointed at the group of four. Sacrifice others to save yourself. Sorry, but my own life comes first. The chosen person finished speaking and avoided looking at the four, his conscience pricking him.
"Is that so?"
The four mentioned were dumbfounded. Why did all the "good" things happen to them? They had been beaten up in the forest earlier, and now they were facing the risk of being killed here. Their feelings were truly… indescribable.
"Um, um, sir, we do know where Enel is."
"But there's someone else with Enel now. He's very dangerous. We were injured by them."
"Yes, they're in the forest over there."
"Enel is also seriously injured. If you go, sirs, you'll definitely succeed."
The four quickly caught on, eagerly reporting to Pica, hoping to instigate a fight between Enel and them. No matter who died in the end, they would be happy. If they both died, they might even be considered heroes. At least, that's what the four thought.
Their intentions were not seen through by the muscle-brained Pica, who immediately prepared to lead the group of four towards the forest.
"Tap… Tap…"
The sound of approaching footsteps, growing closer, reached their ears. The newcomers were none other than Doflamingo and Enel. They showed no signs of joy or sorrow, their expressions calm, as if they were on a leisurely stroll.
"Sir, it's them! That's Enel and the person with him!"
"Sir, kill them quickly! He's the one you're looking for!"
The four, seeing a chance for revenge, shouted impatiently at Pica.
However, Pica ignored them completely and strode towards Doflamingo.
Seeing this, the four thought the big oaf was about to attack and prepared to witness a good show, a slight smile appearing on their lips.
"Doffy, I…" Pica walked up to Doflamingo, shamefaced, lowering his head and stammering. He hadn't completed his mission, and the Young Master had completed his first.
The scene the four had anticipated did not happen. It turned out they were together. Their eyes instantly filled with despair.
However, Enel couldn't help but burst into laughter upon hearing Pica's voice.
"Yahahaha! Your voice is so funny! How can it be like that?"
It was Enel's first time meeting Pica and he was unaware of Pica's sensitivities. This caused Pica's extinguished killing intent to reignite, and he instantly attacked Enel.
A powerful punch whistled through the air. Enel, somewhat prepared, raised his fist to meet it.
Unfortunately, Enel lacked the necessary strength. He used the impact to quickly retreat, negating the force, while Pica remained completely still. The difference in power was immediately apparent.
"Again! I don't believe it!" Enel was not one to give up easily. How could he lose to two people in the same day?
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of you?" Pica, equally unwilling to back down, vowed to make the one who dared to mock him pay.
Their clash resumed. While Enel's strength was indeed inferior to Pica's, his Observation Haki was far superior. He used his agility to evade Pica's fists, seizing opportunities to inflict damage, like a buzzing fly that was impossible to swat.
"You're so annoying! Die!" Pica's eyes turned red, seemingly determined to crush Enel.
"Hmph, who's afraid of you, Squeaky Voice?" Enel's taunting skills were at their peak.
"You… you big-eared bastard! Who are you calling that?" Pica retorted, not backing down.
The Sky Island residents watching this were shocked. Was this really the same Enel they knew? The cowardly, meek Enel who never fought back? When had Enel become so strong? The group of four was also shocked, taking a deep breath, feeling incredibly fortunate to be alive.
Doflamingo, who had initially been in a decent mood watching their sparring, gradually grew irritated. No matter how they behaved in private, fighting like this in front of Doflamingo was a blatant disregard for his authority. It was as if they didn't respect him as their Young Master. How could Doflamingo possibly be happy? The air around him grew increasingly cold, like a volcano about to erupt.
The other subordinates, sensing the danger and seeing Doflamingo's darkening expression, wanted to warn Pica but dared not speak. In truth, it wasn't entirely Pica's fault. It was his nature; his voice was his sore spot. In the heat of the moment, he had forgotten that his Young Master was present.
"Big-eared bastard, take this!"
"Squeaky Voice, what can you do to me?"
The two, caught up in their insults, failed to notice Doflamingo's increasingly grim expression. They clashed fists once more, but this time, things did not go as they had planned.
Doflamingo finally reached his limit and acted swiftly, using a brutal move to teach them a lesson.
Armament: Hardening!"
Doflamingo roared and dashed between the two, moving as fast as a bullet. Before they could even clash, he delivered a punch to one and a kick to the other.
Enel, sensing the danger, quickly raised his arms to protect his body, blocking Doflamingo's punch. But this punch was on a completely different level from before. The terrifying impact force further aggravated Enel's already serious injuries, sending him flying far away, where he remained silent for a while.
Of course, Pica received the same treatment. Doflamingo had no intention of letting him off the hook, even using more force than he had on Enel. His Armament-clad foot struck Pica's body.
Pica also sensed the danger and mimicked Enel, quickly protecting himself. Otherwise, Doflamingo's kick would have truly crippled him. Pica was also sent flying, landing nearby and remaining prone.
One against two, and they were utterly powerless. Was he really that terrifying?
Everyone instinctively swallowed, the silence around them deafening. They dared not make a single sound, fearing they might anger this devil.
"So he's the strongest one," the four thought, suppressing their terror and feeling a sense of relief.
Everyone looked at this devil-like man with utmost respect.
"If you're not dead, get up quickly," Doflamingo said, his voice devoid of any emotion.
"Cough, cough… Doffy, you were never serious, were you?" Enel struggled to his feet, a bitter feeling in his heart. Witnessing Doflamingo's true power made him acutely aware of his own insignificance. Although he had been struck by Doflamingo, Enel felt no resentment. Instead, his admiration for Doflamingo grew even stronger.
"Doffy, I…" It was the first time Pica had seen Doflamingo so angry. It was terrifying and left a lasting impression. He knew he was in for it, and his face was filled with shame, his words faltering.
"Buzz…"
Doflamingo had no patience for comforting them. In these chaotic times, strong measures were needed. He unleashed his Conqueror's Haki. An overwhelming pressure surged towards Pica and Enel, suffocating them and sending chills down their spines.
"Doffy!" Enel cried out in alarm.
"Young Master!" Pica quickly corrected his address, showing his deference.
The onlookers, though not directly facing the powerful Conqueror's Haki, were still affected by its aura. A chilling sensation shot straight to their heads, filling them with fear.
"Is he a god? The power of a god?" The Sky Islanders, lacking worldly experience, equated extraordinary power with divinity.
"The Young Master is truly strong. Is this what it means to be powerful?" the subordinates thought, also intimidated.
"Let this be a lesson. You are all members of the Family and should treat each other accordingly. I don't object to competition, but… the King must not be insulted," Doflamingo said coldly, his voice like that of a king on his throne looking down upon the world.
"I understand my mistake, Doffy," Pica, a loyal follower of Doflamingo, dared not harbor any resentment despite the punishment, instead directing all his anger towards Enel, vowing to make him pay.
"Doffy, I'm sorry," Enel, also quick-witted, seized the opportunity to apologize. However, he was also deeply shaken by the Conqueror's Haki, which had sent him into a chilling abyss. He was extremely curious about this power, his gaze filled with longing as he looked at Doflamingo – a longing for power. Likewise, Enel also directed his resentment towards Pica.
The rivalry between the two had officially begun.
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