Logia Brothers Chapter 54 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of The Logia Brothers! The showdown begins! The Straw Hats set out to find the gold! It’s a Treasure Hunt! Woo! But the Shandians and Enel’s subordinates continue to battle. To bolster the forces after losing two of the Vassals, the Divine Soldiers are sent onto the frontlines! All the while, Enel is forcing his plans along at a faster than expected pace to realize his dream.

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 54 – Treasure Hunt, Divine Soldiers

“What? Go with you?” Zoro grumbled, barely opening his eyes to look at Usopp. “How old are you?” He closed his eyes again to get back to sleep. “Just go…”

“There could be enemies out here…damn it…” Usopp complained under his breath as he navigated around the Sky Wolves that were all sleeping across the campsite. He really shouldn’t have had so many drinks; he could’ve made it through the night and not left the warm and comfy Sky Wolf he’d fallen asleep on.

The Sky Wolves and the Straw Hats had partied late into the evening before collapsing. Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp had all fallen asleep amongst the various Sky Wolves, using the warm canines as pillows. Zoro was asleep, leaning back against a tree with his three swords carefully held against his shoulder. The girls had set up a tent and bedded down inside, dragging Luffy in with them.

Luffy slept with Nami on his right, Mikita on his left, and Vivi snuggled into his chest. Robin slept in her own bed on the other side of the tent, though the offer had been made to join the others. Despite having some fun this evening at the party, Robin wasn’t the type to seek out physical comfort like that. Twenty years on the run from the World Government made one cautious and a bit paranoid sometimes.

“Aaahhh…much better.” Usopp sighed after relieving himself near the pond where the sacrificial altar stood.

Klang Klang Klang Klang

‘What’s that sound?’ Usopp blinked at hearing the dull, yet rhythmic, sound continue. He peered through the thick fog of the night towards the sacrificial altar where the Going Merry was. ‘There shouldn’t be anyone on board. But this fog is so thick I can’t see clearly.’

Usopp looked through the thick fog, and barely made out the silhouette of a person. The person appeared to be swinging a hammer, and that was causing the rhythmic ‘klang’ sound. A brief thinning of the fog as a breeze blew through the forest and Usopp got a better look at the figure…only to realize that the figure was STILL a silhouette! The figure turned their head and Usopp swore he saw white eyes and a white smile on the silhouette’s ‘face’.

“AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!” Usopp’s fear quickly went beyond what he could handle and he collapsed backwards to the forest floor. The silhouette giggled and continued to swing the hammer, knowing that Usopp would be fine.

Several minutes later and Zoro came through the trees. “Damn it, Usopp…” He’d been awoken by the scream of the gunman. “I thought you were just going to use the bathroom. Why’re you sleeping out here?” He looked at his unconscious nakama with a shake of his head. “This guy’s hopeless.” Zoro sighed as he grabbed Usopp’s arm and dragged him back to camp.

-Enel’s Temple-

“We…mmm...mmm…mhnnmm!” Gedatsu tried to speak, but bit his lip instead, muffling his words and making them unintelligible.

“Hey, Gedatsu, you know I can’t understand you if you bite your lip like that, right?” Ohm looked at the other vassal like he was stupid.

“Whaaa?!” Gedatsu gasped at the reminder, his eyes wide in surprise.

“Kami! Your vassals have arrived! Open the gates!” Ohm called out clearly and loudly.

The gates in front of the two vassals opened, both men about to head inside when a massive, rotund man walked up behind them, putting both of them on guard. Ohm drew his cloud sword while Gedatsu took up a wide stance, ready to attack or defend.

“Not again…” The mountain of a man sighed. He would best be described as an obese man with a triple chin. He had a round body shape with long wavy black hair and tanned skin. He had bags under his eyes and thick lips as well. He wore a white toga with black vertical stripes, three on each side. Over his toga he had an orange sash, connected by strings, that had red lining and dark orange vertical stripes on it. He also wore gold bracelets on both his wrists, and had wings on his back. This was Yama, the commander of the Divine Soldiers, Enel’s largest force of combatants. “What are you two doing?!” The two vassals glared at Yama as they relaxed their stances slightly. “You’re hopeless…”

“Shut it.” Ohm scoffed at the huge man. “It’s your fault for trying to approach us from behind.

“Yeah you…mmh…mmhmm!” Gedatsu tried to retort before realizing that he was biting his lip again.

“Silence, both of you!” Yama declared since the gates were fully open. “You’re in the presence of the almighty Kami!”

Both Ohm and Gedatsu raised an eyebrow at the empty throne as they walked towards it. Only seeing Enel’s servants and not the Kami himself.

“What are you talking about?” Gedatsu pointed at the empty throne. “Kami Enel is not here.”

“Gotcha!” Enel’s voice seemingly came form nowhere. A flash of electricity and Ohm took a kick to the chest. In the same instant Gedatsu was knocked across the face with a golden staff. Electricity coursed into the two vassal’s bodies as their feet left the ground and they were sent flying a few meters. “Yahahahahaha!” Enel flipped and cartwheeled back onto his wide, couch-like throne before the two vassals hit the ground hard, sparks still leaping from them both.

Every servant bowed at once to Enel. None of them daring to look at the Kami until he settled down for fear of incurring his annoyance.

“Did someone say Kami?” Enel questioned rhetorically, lounging on the throne, his left arm propped up on a large, plush cushion, his palm cradling his face, while his right leg was propped up on the far armrest. “I’m right here.” He looked the picture of lazing about, even though he’d just knocked both of his remaining vassals to the ground before they could react. “You two both need serious training. Pathetic.” He looked annoyed by his vassals. “If this is the level that you’re at, it’s no wonder that both Satori and Shura have fallen.”

“What the hell was that for?!” Gedatsu demanded as he pushed himself up from the ground.

“You summoned us here just to tell us that?” Ohm grumbled as he sat up as well.

“Yahahahaha. I was bored.” Enel admitted casually, as if he hadn’t just struck them both. “Anyway, sit down.” Both vassals did as they were told, sitting down a respectful distance from Enel’s throne. “I get the feeling that you two aren’t taking our little Blue Sea guests very seriously. They’re after the gold.”

“Gold?!” Gedatsu exclaimed in surprise. How did they find out about it?!”

“Vearth doesn’t occur naturally in the sky.” Enel mentioned the simple fact. “Upper Yard came from the Blue Sea. It’s not surprising that some Blue Sea people would know about it.” He waved off the Blue Sea people’s knowledge without a care. “Tomorrow they will no doubt begin their search. Meanwhile, the Shandians will try to take advantage of our weakened state to launch another attack.” He picked up a fruit from a nearby bowl and chomped into it without a care. “That’s why tomorrow I’m opening up all of Upper Yard to you both.” He took another bite of his fruit. “No rules. No limits. Set up your challenges wherever you see fit.”

“Why this sudden change, Kami?” Ohm asked Enel curiously.

Enel tossed the core of the fruit away. “We cannot allow anything to interfere with our plans. Maxim is almost complete, and when it is…this island won’t matter anymore.” He looked over at Yama standing off to the side with other servants. “To ensure this, I’m mobilizing the Divine Soldiers as well and letting them lose on Upper Yard to help you two deal with the Shandians and the Blue Sea people.”

“As you command, Almighty Enel.” Yama gave his best bow possible, given his body shape.

“Let us set out on a journey to the world of our dreams.” Enel grinned coldly at his subordinates.

-Going Merry ~ Next Morning-

“Look! I told you; someone was here!” Usopp declared as the crew looked at the repaired Going Merry. “I saw them! It wasn’t a dream after all!” The attachments that the Saruyama Alliance had added to help the ship fly along the Knock Up Stream were all removed. Small parts of the ship that had been damaged were patched up as well. It truly made no sense to the Straw Hats.

“He’s right…the patches are new.” Nami examined one of the new repairs.

Sanji looked over the work with a bit of a deadpan expression. “Hate to say this, but these repairs are kinda shoddy.”

“Someone’s looking out for us?” Luffy shrugged, not sensing anyone else around, and the Going Merry had at least been patched up a bit.

“I thought it was a ghost…” Usopp shivered at what he’d seen last night.

Chopper trembled at the idea as well. “A..gh-ghost?”

“But who would repair our ship in a place like this?” Zoro asked the million Beri question.

Mikita nodded in agreement with the swordsman. “Everyone in Upper Yard has been nothing but hostile.”

Vivi spoke up after having inspected all of the repairs made to the ship. “It’s strange though…all of the ‘flying ship’ parts have been removed and nothing else.”

“That’s what I noticed too.” Usopp agreed with the princess. “How did the one that fixed the ship know what the Going Merry looked like before?” He rubbed his chin in thought. “They couldn’t have known it didn’t have a crest, a tail, or the wings.”

“Hey, hey! Get to work, everyone!” Luffy was clearly done thinking about this situation. He was ready for adventure! “The Treasure Hunt team heads for the city place and the Escape team sails the Going Merry out of here!” He repeated the plan that Nami had come up with. “I’ll divide up the food for everyone!”

“Like hell you are!” Sanji kicked at Luffy over and over again as the Lightning Man dodged each attempt. “You’re the LAST person I’d trust with that, Luffy!”

“Luffy! Hurry up and help us lower the ship!” Zoro called out as they’d need everyone’s help to get the Going Merry off of the sacrificial altar.

“Oh yeah.” Luffy pounded his right fist onto his left palm. “Bring the ropes!”

“How did they know?” Usopp still pondered about the mysterious repairman. He looked at Merry’s figurehead. “I wish you could talk, Merry… You could tell me who did this.”

The plan to get the Going Merry off the sacrificial altar was fairly simple. The hidden Dial that Usopp had pilfered from Satori happened to be a Ball Dial; obviously what the late vassal had used to create his Trial. The round clouds that the Dial produced could be large or small, depending on how long the apex of the shell was pressed. Nami had quickly taken to the Dial and soon enough the Going Merry was sitting on group of the round clouds. The second part was letting the powerhouses of the crew pull the Going Merry towards the long stairs with ropes. With Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Chopper pulling, the Going Merry was guided towards the steps.

“Move!” Nami called out just as the Going Merry began to tip over the edge of the staircase. The men rushed to the sides as the weight of the ship crushed the many Ball Clouds below it and slid down the stone stairs. The Going Merry hit the sea clouds with a large splash, throwing up a huge spray into the air.

“IT WORKED!!!” The crew cheered together as the Going Merry bobbed a bit on the sea clouds.

“Hmm…I’m not so sure that slide down the stone stairs was good for the hull or the keel.” Robin mentioned after a second to think about it.

“Ah! Merry!” Usopp rushed down the stairs as fast as he could.

“We’re sorry!” Chopper followed after Usopp, tears nearly pouring from his eyes at the thought of potentially damaging the ship.

While Usopp and Chopper began to inspect the ship’s hull for any potential damage that they could find, the rest of the crew gathered on the Going Merry’s main deck to go over the map and the routes that the two teams would take.

Nami tapped their current position on the map with the tip of her pencil. “We’re here right now.” She then moved the pencil directly south on the map. “The treasure team will head due south towards the ‘right eye’ of the island.” She tapped the temple pictured on the map. “There should be a ruin of some kind there. Be on the lookout for enemies, and bring back that gold!” She had a grin on her face as she spoke of the gold.

“You make it sound so easy.” Zoro deadpanned at her.

“You want the gold more than anyone, Nami, but you’re not coming with us?” Luffy looked at his lover curiously.

Nami shook her head at him. “I have to navigate the ship, Luffy.” She tapped the map with her pencil again. “If we’re going to escape, then we have to get off this island. Which means we have to sail the ship along this route.” She traced the path from the pond they were currently in, down a river that connected to a larger one, which would lead back to the giant milky road bridge to Angel Island, and then they’d have to sail the White-White Sea all the way around Upper Yard to get to the area they’d chosen to meet at on the eastern shore. “We’ll have to sail across Upper Yard and then around it to get to our rendezvous point and escape Skypiea.” Her eyes turned into Beri Symbols and a wide smile appeared on her face. “Then we’ll be a super-rich pirate crew! We can buy anything and everything that we want!”

“All right!” Luffy cheered at the plan. This was the kind of adventure he loved!

“Well then, let’s all meet on the east shore!” Vivi smiled at her nakama beautifully.

“Vivi-chwan!” Sanji’s eyes turned to hearts as he twirled around from the sight.

The two teams split up after that. Luffy, Zoro, Robin, and Vivi made up the Treasure Hunt team. Nami, Mikita, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper made up the Escape team. The split was determined easily enough, with Sanji, Usopp, and Mikita helping to guard the Going Merry as she sailed, Nami to navigate, and Chopper to give any medical care should they be attacked. Being that his ‘office’ was on the Going Merry, the doctor would have all of his supplies available. The Treasure Hunt team was made solely of those that could fight, whether in a group or solo, thereby increasing their chances of coming back alive even if getting the treasure proved to be difficult.

-Treasure Team-

“Oi! Where’re you going, Zoro?! That’s the opposite direction!” Luffy pointed out as the swordsman took a turn different from the others. “West is this way!” He pointed in the opposite direction that Zoro was headed. “Sheesh! You have no sense of direction at all!”

“Hey Luffy. Don’t you ever listen to what other people say?” Zoro questioned his Captain. “It’s the ‘skull’s right eye’…and right is this way!” He pointed with his right hand in the other direction. “You idiot!”

“Can you tell them both that we’re supposed to be heading south, and that it’s this way.” Robin asked Vivi, nearly deadpanning that Luffy was heading east when he said west, and that Zoro was just going by whichever direction his right arm happened to be in at the time.

“Okay.” Vivi sighed at the two arguing when they were both wrong. Sand left her body and formed two lines, blocking both Luffy and Zoro from walking. “Follow us, you two. We’re heading south, remember?” Vivi tightened the lines of sand, forcing Luffy and Zoro to walk in a straight line directly behind her so that they didn’t wander off.

“South? Why didn’t you say so sooner?” Luffy picked up a stick and began to hum while walking behind Vivi with a smile. He’d occasionally hit a hanging branch or drag the stick along a large root or rock as they passed by. Luffy’s eyes were often drawn to Vivi’s butt, framed amazingly by her shorts, as they walked along.

“I thought this island was going to be scarier.” Zoro complained as he looked around. “It’s kinda been a letdown. We didn’t get attacked by any of the vassals while we were in the forest yesterday either.”

“Yeah, we need something stronger to come at us!” Luffy laughed at Zoro’s words, fully in agreement with his friend.

“Fufufu…you’re so funny, Luffy.” Robin laughed at his words. “Are you that eager for danger?”

“Well yeah, at least something like that.” Luffy pointed ahead with his stick.

In front of the group was the head of an absolutely TITANIC snake. The fangs alone were probably almost half as long as the Going Merry. It had blue colored scales with a darker blue pattern on them and on either side of the long body was what appeared to be curtains of long, fine fur or hair. On its snout were two long whiskers, like a catfish, as well. It was a rather bizarre serpent by any measure.

“Shalala!” The great serpent hissed at them oddly.

“Run! It’s a giant snake!” Luffy’s warning wasn’t very convincing with how much he was laughing.

“EH?!” Vivi gaped at the sheer size of the serpent. They didn’t have ANYTHING like this back in Alabasta!

“Look at it’s size.” Robin marveled at the massive reptile. “This must also be due to the Skypiean climate.”

“It kinda looks like a catfish! I’ll cut it up!” Zoro drew Wado and held it at the ready.

“Shalalala!” The massive viper lunged forward, its winding body breaking through thick roots, the ground, and whatever else it touched as it moved.

Vivi dispersed into sand to escape, Luffy vanished in a spark of lightning, Zoro hopped up the nearest towering tree with a few well-placed leaps, and Robin was practically carried up the closest tree by the multiple limbs that she sprouted from her Devil Fruit. The area below was torn up as the snake’s jaws bit into one of the massive trees and injected it with a potent venom that saw the wood start to breakdown.

“Venomous?” Vivi had reformed on a branch high above the snake.

Zoro looked at the snake and then the damaged tree and ground. “Despite its size, it moves fast!”

“I believe its venom causes necrosis.” Robin remarked of the toxin as the snake freed its fangs from the nearly melting wood.

“Scary!” Luffy laughed from the branch next to Robin’s.

“I think it might be time for a strategic retreat.” Zoro commented seeing the viper flick its tongue out and then focus on them a second later.

“Agreed.” Robin felt a little sweat form on her brow. Such a titan of a creature was a bit out of the range of her powers to deal with.

“Shalalala!” The viper lunged towards Robin’s position.

“Look out, Robin!” Vivi cried out a warning.

Robin leap from the branch she’d been standing on a moment before the serpent’s jaws snapped the limb from the tree. “Cinco Fleurs!” A chain of arms sprouted from a nearby branch and Robin swung away from the snake. “Too bad.” She smiled at the immense snake before disappearing behind the next massive tree.

“Don’t let the poison touch you! You’ll die instantly!” Zoro yelled out as he leapt away from the lunging snake that bit into the tree right where he’d been just a second earlier. The wood began to nearly dissolve as the viper removed its fangs from the tree.

“Oh…” Vivi saw the snake’s eyes on her. “Bye!” The serpent struck, but only succeeded in snapping the tree branch that Vivi had disappeared from. A small cloud of thin sand swirled through the forest of towering trees away from the snake.

“Hey, snakey-snakey! This way!” Luffy waved his arms and called out loudly to the viper, a huge smile on his face. “Follow me!” He leapt from one massive branch to the next easily. “Hurry up! Your prey is getting away! Ahahahaha!” He led the titanic snake away from where the group had been ambushed, occasionally sparking brightly with lightning to keep the reptile’s attention on him.

-Going Merry-

“Wind is good! Rudder, check!” Usopp confirmed with a nod before heading to the bow of the ship next to Merry’s figurehead. “Hmm…everything is perfect. We’re cruising along fine. But it’s slow.” He noticed the speed the ship was sailing. “Hey, Navigator, do something!” He called over his shoulder to the main deck.

“No can do, Usopp, this is it.” Nami shrugged at him. “There are too many bends in the milky road, so we have to rely on the Karasumaru to push us along.” She pointed at the furled lateen sail near the back of the ship. “If we used the sails, we’d pick up too much speed and end up sailing off the edge of the milky road.”

“Do your best, Karasumaru!” Usopp yelled to the small Dial boat. He really didn’t want to sail off the edge of the milky road. “Sanji! Make sure you protect us well!”

“Shut up! Protect yourself! I’ll protect the ladies!” Sanji yelled back at Usopp.

“I hope the others are doing alright.” Mikita looked over the edge of the ship at the forest. “I’m not worried about fighting so much, but…”

“Yeah.” Nami sighed, catching on to what Mikita was worried about. “Zoro and Luffy have crap senses of direction. Hopefully, Vivi and Robin can keep them both on the right path towards the ruins.” She rubbed her temples just imagining the situation.

-Robin-

“This isn’t good.” Robin held her right elbow with her left palm and cradled her face with her right palm. “I’m back on the path, but no one is coming.” Her eyes scanned the forest for any signs of the others. “I wonder if they got lost? Maybe I should head towards the ruins and wait for them?”

-Vivi-

Vivi looked around the unfamiliar forest in confusion. “Oh…this isn’t good.” There was no way to tell which direction she needed to go to regroup with everyone. “We certainly weren’t expecting a giant snake to separate us.” The princess dispersed into a cloud of sand and shot up to one of the branches high above before reforming. “Which direction are the ruins in? If I head that way, the others should show up there too.”

-Zoro-

Among large stalks of leafy plants and tall grass that came up to his shins, Zoro looked around for his nakama. “Hmm? Where are they? I take my eyes off them for a second, and look what happens.” He sighed at his friends getting lost. Not realizing that he’d gone in the completely wrong direction in his attempt to regroup with them. “Oh well. They can manage on their own. I have the map pretty much memorized.” He nodded to himself as he decided to head for the ruins. “I go right.” He held out his right arm and then headed in that direction.

-Luffy-

“Hahaha! That was fun!” Luffy laughed after losing the massive snake in the forest. “Hmm, should I find everyone, or see if I can beat them to the ruins?” He hummed thoughtfully, knowing that with his Observation he could find his wayward nakama easily. But the thought of beating them to the ruins was tempting as a game. He had complete faith in them to make it there after all. “I’ll just wait for them at the ruins!” Luffy nodded as he made his decision. “So…due south would be…” He looked around but didn’t see anything that would give away the direction of south. “Well, it gets warmer as you go south, right? I’ll just head for whatever direction is the warmest!” With his plan made, Luffy walked off in the direction that felt ‘warmest’ to him.

-Shandian Warriors’ Camp-

“Wyper!” Raki yelled at the leader when she saw the bag of Varse on the ground, its contents spilled on the island cloud. “That was Aisa’s treasure!”

An arm entering her path stopped the woman from walking up to Wyper and making her displeasure known further. “Stop.” The man spoke up, looking at Laki from under the brim of his hat. He was a muscular man sporting a fur-lined, dark-green jacket, and had dark gloves on his hands. He wore a grass skirt, with a decorated, long light-red sash around his waist and a light-blue veil appearing from under the skirt and reaching down to his feet.

“Braham!” Raki shot a side glare at the other warrior.

“This may be our only chance!” Wyper spoke loudly to the warriors with him. “I’m not going to waste this opportunity! Those who are not willing to risk it all, stay behind. I bear no grudge.” He looked at Upper Yard a fair distance away.

“Come on, Wyper.” One of the warriors spoke up. “We’ve always been ready to…”

“We must be prepared to leave the fallen behind.” Wyper interrupted the man with a cold tone. This surprised the rest of the Shandians, as it was not in their ways to leave behind a fellow warrior. “Only those who’re willing to push forward at any cost…even if it means abandoning your comrades…are to come with me.” He glared at the land stolen form his ancestors. “Today, Enel’s head will roll.”

‘Berserker…’ Raki looked at Wyper’s back with pity. The man knew nothing but war and rage. He’d never been okay with the negotiations between the Chief and Gan Fall. The Chief had once called Wyper a berserker and explained the term to a younger Raki. To the young woman, it fit Wyper perfectly. ‘But none of us want you to throw your life away, Wyper.’ She thought, knowing that Wyper had brought a specific Dial with him to this battle. One that could kill its user just as easily as the one it was used against.

-Enel’s Temple-

“Have they all gone down?” Enel asked, even though he already knew the answer to his question.

One of his bearded attendants stepped forward. “Everyone is in position, Almighty.”

“In addition to the two vassal’s challenges, Commander Yama has taken the fifty Divine Soldiers with him as well. It will be an all-out war!” The second of the three bearded attendants stepped forward to report.

The third attendant stepped for to speak. “Almighty, are you sure we’re not overdoing it? Our opponents are mere Shandians and a handful of Blue Sea people.”

“Yahahahaha! The more the merrier!” Enel relaxed on his couch-like throne, hands behind his head. “Besides, you’re overlooking the hidden potential of the players in this battle for the sky!”

“Hidden potential, sir?” The third attendant questioned.

“Oh, yes! You’ll see soon enough! Yahahahaha!” Enel laughed, confident in the upcoming battle. “Peel me a banana.” He looked at one of the female servants. The woman began peeling one for him immediately. “Now then, our forces include fifty Divine Soldiers, Commander Yama, and the remaining two vassals. So that’s fifty-four, including me.” He took the peeled banana from the servant woman. “Right now, there are twenty Shandians headed here.” Enel took a bite of the banana and chewed it for a moment before continuing. “As for the Blue Sea people, there are the four that entered the forest, and another five that escaped the sacrificial altar.” He took another bite from the banana. “That makes eighty-three in this game of survival! Yahahaha! Shall we place bets on how many will be standing in three hours’ time?!”

“You always turn things into a game, Almighty.” One of the attendants commented on the unconcerned nature of Enel.

“Nothing wrong with that!” Enel grinned darkly. “Hey, you, take a guess.” He looked at one of the female servants.

“Huh? M-Me? Oh no, I don’t know anything about such things!” The woman waved off, panicked at what would happen to her if her guess offended the Kami in some way.

“Huh? What’s with you? Don’t be such a spoilsport.” Enel told the woman as he finished off the banana. “Just guess. Take a guess.” The woman shook her head and he rolled his eyes. “No? Then you!” He pointed at one of his three bearded attendants with his right foot. “Take a guess.”

“Y-yes, Almighty.” The man agreed quickly lest the Kami’s mood turn bad. He crossed his arms and thought about the ones fighting. “Well, the two vassals will most likely remain. The fifty Divine Soldiers are quite formidable as well, so they won’t go down easily. But the enemy is strong enough to go head-to-head with the vassals…” He pondered on it for a moment. “In three hours I estimate that thirty of them will fall. So, I guess that fifty-three will be left standing.”

“Hahaha! Fifty-three, eh?!” Enel laughed at the guess. “Rather naïve wouldn’t you say? You aren’t taking this battle seriously.” He pointed at the attendant with a bored look on his face.

“What do you predict, Almighty?” The man passed the question back to Enel in hopes of keeping the Kami’s mood from worsening.

“All right, I shall answer that.” Enel hummed at the question. “In three hours’ time, of the original eighty-three, five will be left standing.” He held up his right hand with all five fingers extended.

The shock on the faces of the attendants and servants was blatant at the sheer loss of fighters in such a short time. None of them dared to question Enel’s prediction though. Those that questioned the Kami were often dealt with quickly and lethally.

-Upper Yard-

“Listen up!” Yama spoke loudly to the fifty white-robed men around him, all of them with vaguely goat-like features, including short horns on their heads and floppy ear-like headdresses. “Our enemies include twenty Shandians and nine Blue Sea people! There should be no need to trouble the vassals. Go, and raise a riot! Destroy the enemies of the Almighty Kami, Enel!”

“BAA!!!” The fifty Divine Soldiers cried out, similar to a goat’s bleating, before rushing off in all directions with the Dial skates on their feet.

-Zoro-

“Who the hell are you guys?” Zoro questioned the group of white-robed men.

“Baa! We are the Divine Soldiers that serve the Almighty Kami, Enel!” One of the men answered him.

“For your trespass and blasphemy against the Kami, you shall die here! Baa!” Another man spoke up.

“I’m trying to find my way to some ruins right now.” Zoro looked at the Divine Soldiers with narrowed eyes. “Mind showing me the way?”

“Baa! We’ll show you the way to the afterlife!” The second man launched himself at Zoro with his skates. “Die by my Axe Dial!” He held his palm up at Zoro.

“Hmm? A cut?” Zoro predicted the movement of the Divine Soldier’s attack with his Observation and the intent behind the strike. Wado was out in a flash between the goat-like man’s hand and Zoro’s body.

Ching

“Baa?!” The Divine Soldier blinked at Zoro accurately predicting his attack and blocking it.

“One of those Dials, huh?” Zoro glared at the Divine Soldier, Yubashiri quickly drawn and the man cut down before he could retreat.

“Mantra?!” The other Divine Soldiers exclaimed in shock. “How can a Blue Sea dweller have a power reserved for the faithful?!”

“It’s just Observation Haki.” Zoro told them before launching himself at the other four men and slashing at them. “Sanjūroku Pound H­ō!” The blade of Yubashiri became a blur and a powerful Flying Cut was unleashed straight at the Divine Soldier on the left.

“BAA!!!” The man cried out as blood flew through the air and he slammed into the ground. He didn’t move again.

“Bastard!” The soldier on the right tried to attack, but Wado sliced into his leg, crippling him as he collapsed screaming. He was silenced a second later as the kashira of Wado cracked him in the temple, sending him into blissful unconsciousness.

“Die!” Both of the remaining Divine Soldiers attacked at the same time, catching Zoro in a pincer movement.

“Tatsumaki!” Zoro spun into a dual long slash with each of his swords, a fierce wind kicked up from the force and precision as the two flying cuts spiraled upwards along with the gust of wind. The Divine Soldiers didn’t stand a chance as their robes were shredded and lacerations opened up all over their bodies. The two hit the ground unmoving, only for their own blood to fall down on them like rain a moment later. “Now…I gotta wake this guy up.” Zoro grimaced at the soldier that he’d only injured and knocked unconscious. “I hope he knows the way to the ruins.”

Upper Yard Survival Game: Five Down

Seventy-Eight Remain

-End Chapter-

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Enel sends out the Divine Soldiers to assist Gedatsu and Ohm in dealing with the Shandians and the Straw Hats. His Maxim is soon to be completed as well, which seems to be giving the ‘God’ quite a bit of confidence. So much so, that he’s turned this all-out battle into a game for his amusement.

Perhaps he’ll see the error of his ways soon enough? Someone might just show him…with their fist.

The Treasure Hunt team has run into Nola... That’s a big snek!

Now they’re separated and all are heading towards the ruins. Well…two of them are. The other two will end up somewhere, eventually…probably not where they were meant to be though.

Enel predicts that only five people will remain in three hours. And in only a short time, five Divine Soldiers were taken out by Zoro.

Me thinks Enel’s prediction might not be as accurate as he thinks it will be.

What’s next for our favorite pirate crew?

Keep reading to find out!

Until I get your reviews, later!