"It's you!"
Everyone looked up and saw an elderly knight clad in full metal armor, riding a pink-spotted flying horse.
"Mr. Gan Fall!" one of the Sky Islanders cried out in recognition.
"I am the Sky Knight," the old man announced with a self-deprecating chuckle.
"Hahahaha! It's you, the uncle with the Sky Horse!" Luffy laughed loudly, waving in greeting.
Gan Fall smiled at Luffy and Conis, relieved to see them unharmed after God's Judgment.
"I meant to rescue you before the strike descended. But that strange light shield appeared and blocked my way. Still, it's good you are safe."
Sanji narrowed his eyes and scanned the area.
"Just now… I thought I heard Shirogai's voice."
Usopp gasped, nodding quickly.
"I heard it too! I thought I was imagining things!"
"Oh?" Gan Fall tilted his head curiously.
"You heard that voice about 'God's Forgiveness,' didn't you?"
"Huh, you all heard it too?" Luffy grinned broadly.
"I thought it was a hallucination!"
"So the light barrier just now… was that Shirogai's doing?" Usopp cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone.
"Shirogai! Shirogai! Where are you hiding? Come out already!"
With Nami, Robin, Chopper, and Zoro taken as sacrifices, only the three of them remained to face the so-called trials. Usopp's nerves were frayed. But if Shirogai was here, then there was hope.
The enemy should be the one trembling.
Yet the air stayed silent.
"He's not here," Sanji muttered. He knew Shirogai too well. His guess was simple: it must have been Shirogai using a Devil Fruit ability to project his voice into their minds.
Gan Fall stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Young man with the long nose, who is this Shirogai you speak of?"
"Shirogai is our companion, our Vice-Captain!" Usopp declared proudly, chest puffed out.
"He's incredibly strong, he can—Mmph!"
Sanji slapped a hand over his mouth.
"Idiot. Don't go bragging about our crew's abilities to strangers!"
"Mmph… oh, right," Usopp muttered sheepishly, shooting Gan Fall a wary look.
"Strange uncle, what do you want?"
Gan Fall sighed.
"You call me strange? I am the Sky Knight… I simply wish to know if your companion is a Devil Fruit user."
Luffy laughed.
"He is! I'm one too, uncle. Why, you interested?"
"A Devil Fruit user, hm…" Gan Fall's eyes softened. He pointed to Conis, who still stood in a daze.
"I'll look after this young lady. You have more important things to do, don't you?"
"Ah! Thanks, Uncle!" Luffy replied without hesitation. The moment he saw Gan Fall, he felt the old man was trustworthy.
Conis seemed to recognize him as well and accepted his help quietly.
As Gan Fall guided her onto his flying horse, he glanced down at Luffy and asked,
"You've learned the truth of God's Country. Do you intend to act on it?"
"This country's laws have nothing to do with us," Luffy answered simply. "But our crew is still on God's Island. We'll get them back."
"…I see." Gan Fall gave a faint, lonely smile.
"Then I wish you luck in rescuing your companions."
With that, the Sky Knight rose into the air on his horse, his figure fading into the clouds.
He was not the savior of prophecy… but perhaps Shirogai was.
---
Meanwhile, on God's Island, within the shrine.
"Strange," Enel muttered. Lightning crackled from his golden staff as he stood in the courtyard, eyes fixed toward Angel Island.
"My punishment was blocked. What ability could that be?"
"Ah! Y-you, who are you?!" one of the handmaidens shrieked behind him.
Enel turned, raising a brow.
There, on the lavish couch reserved for him alone, sat a young man cross-legged, casually eating a banana.
"Yehahaha… it's you?" Enel's eyebrows arched. He recognized him—the Blue Sea blasphemer who dared attack him upon arriving in God's Country.
"God, h-he appeared on your very throne!" the handmaidens stammered, trembling in terror. They feared being struck down for witnessing such insolence.
Enel's eyes narrowed.
"It doesn't matter. He's going to die soon anyway."
But something unsettled him. This man's presence was invisible to his Mantra.
"Enel," Shirogai said smoothly, peeling his banana without care. "Surprised you can't sense me? That's called [Observation Haki Kill]. I could teach you."
Enel's lips curled into an amused grin.
"You Blue Sea men are full of strange tricks."
In a flash, Shirogai's body became light itself, slipping through the clouds and reappearing at the shrine in an instant.
Enel's lightning had never even detected him. His Mantra was useless against someone who erased himself from the future it sought to perceive.
By the time the handmaidens blinked, Shirogai was already seated on the God's Couch as though he owned it.
"The Goro Goro no Mi, Thunder Fruit," he said, eyes on Enel. "I'll be taking that."
Lightning flickered across Shirogai's fingers as his system activated.
[Host observed: User of the Thunder Fruit. Ability: body liquefaction into lightning.]
Shirogai chuckled, biting into his banana.
"Another interesting Logia. That calls for a snack."
"Y-you!" a handmaiden gasped, pointing. Only then did she notice him clearly.
Enel finally moved, striding into the room with lazy confidence. His drums gleamed with the mark of three tomoe each, sparks dancing across his body.
He smirked darkly.
"Blue Sea man, you dare sit on God's throne? Have you come to challenge this God?"
Shirogai looked up, meeting his gaze with cool disdain. Then, he laughed.
"Challenge you? Don't flatter yourself, Enel." He smirked, tossing the banana peel aside.
"You're too weak. I don't waste time bullying weaklings."
______
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