Chapter 16 — Master of the Sky (Nola — A Giant Snake)
Monkey D. Ash frowned, took a breath, and rolled his neck and shoulders with a crisp crack. He crouched slightly—then vanished.
Bang!
A dull explosion echoed across the deck of the Ship. In the blink of an eye, one of the Four Divine Priests—Shura—saw nothing but a Black Fist crashing toward him.
Boom!
His world went black.
Ash's armament Haki-coated fist, combined with monstrous physical strength, crushed Shura with a single blow. The sky bird he rode spiraled helplessly into the White Sea, unconscious before it hit the waves.
Ash casually clapped his hands and turned toward the old woman.
"So, care to tell me where your 'God' Enel is hiding?"
Amazon trembled as she stared at the young man with a terrifying smile.
"He… He's in the Holy Land, Upper Yard. Just keep heading forward, then turn right at the next sea path. That's where he lives."
She had seen enough. This wasn't a man—this was a devil in human skin. One punch had obliterated one of Enel's top priests. She didn't dare lie.
Ash shrugged. "See? Was that so hard? I respect the elderly—makes me sad when you force my hand."
Amazon: "..."
Under Amazon's directions, Ash and his crew set sail straight toward Enel's stronghold.
---
An hour later – Upper Yard, the Holy Land
"Whoa!! Boss, this place is HUGE!" Tuan Tuan gasped, eyes wide at the sight of a massive tree that would take a dozen people to wrap their arms around.
His excitement was contagious.
"The world outside is incredible," he muttered, determined to bring his friends Xiao Jin and Xiao Bai to see it one day.
"This tree… It's amazing!" Poker was nearly vibrating with excitement, already pulling strange instruments from his pack. "I must study it! Who knows how long this has been growing?"
Carina pointed to the distance. "Look! That bird's as big as an ostrich—it's a compass bird!"
Gin whistled. "This place is something else."
Suddenly, a loud BOOM interrupted their marveling. A blast shook the forest, trees caught fire, and thick smoke clouded the area. Screams and cannon fire echoed ahead.
"You're pathetic! You think you can challenge a god with that level of strength?" a fat man mocked loudly, dancing with glee.
The priest Ohm stood nearby, grim-faced, sword in hand. "Let's go. Report to God Enel."
They walked past the fallen warriors of the Shandian tribe, crushed by the might of the Divine Army. Their leader, Wyper, was nowhere in sight. It was likely a decoy—an eastern assault while they expected a western raid.
But it wouldn't matter.
Ohm had witnessed Enel destroy an entire sky island Birka with a single attack. These rebels had no chance.
---
"How awful…" Carina muttered as they passed the battlefield, eyes dark.
"In war, there are no guarantees," Ash said flatly. "The weak don't get to choose whether they live or die."
Poker nodded somberly. "He's right. My whole village vanished because we failed to pay tribute to the Celestial Dragons. That day, the land ran red with blood."
"Keep moving," Ash commanded, eyes hard.
---
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Upper Yard…
In a tense clearing, the aging knight Gan Fall faced off against Shandian leader Wyper. The two men argued furiously.
Bang!
"Gan Fall, don't get in my way!"
"Wyper, stop this madness! You'll all die!"
"We'd rather die taking back our land than live under a false god! Don't push me!"
"…Fine. Do what you must."
Gan Fall mounted his pink-spotted Pegasus and flew off into the skies. "This is beyond me now."
---
Back with Ash's crew…
A shadow loomed.
A giant serpent, Master of the Sky, slithered from the trees. Its eyes gleamed like lanterns, tongue flicking through the air. Its fangs gleamed.
"Snake!!" Carina yelped and ducked behind Ash.
"Woah, that thing's big!" Tuan Tuan grinned. " I wonder if it'd fit in a pot."
"Can I get a blood sample?" Poker whispered.
Ash smirked. "Take the whole thing if you want."
He stepped forward. "Everyone, back up. I'm about to put on a little show."
The serpent lunged.
BOOM! The beast's head slammed into the earth, sending trees flying and carving a trench into the ground.
Ash didn't move.
He slammed his foot down and activated his system arts.
---
𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮: Activating Combat Array...
★ Earth Rune: Quake-Forged Stone Pillars!
★ Wind Rune: Sky-Binding Gusts!
★ Thunder Rune: Judgment Bolt!
---
The ground erupted with massive stone columns, smashing into the serpent. Wind-rope bindings shot out like serpents, coiling around its massive body.
Then came the storm.
The clouds darkened, and a massive thunderbolt exploded from the heavens, slamming into the Giant Snake.
The creature writhed—then collapsed.
Ash cracked his knuckles. "All yours, Poker. Don't forget the gold inside."
"Gold?" Poker's eyes sparkled. "Say no more!!"
"Yeah, it's loaded with it."
"Sweet heavens… Let's GOOOO!" Poker snapped on his gear and dove into the beast's mouth.
Carina hesitated. She loved treasure, but that monster's corpse still radiated menace. She did not try to go in.
---
To be continued…