"Oh? So impatient that you came straight to me?"
The self-proclaimed god sat lounging on a makeshift golden throne, his distinctive appearance unmistakable. Enel wore a white bandana over his bald head, four taiko drums mounted on his back, and little else besides loose-fitting hakama pants. His elongated earlobes swayed as he tilted his head to study Jerry, who had suddenly materialized before him.
They stood atop the upper ruins of Shandora, where massive vines had created a stable platform of island clouds high above the main battlefield. Ancient stone structures jutted from the cloudscape like broken teeth, testament to a civilization that had thrived here centuries ago.
"Of course I came up here," Jerry replied casually, resting his left hand in his pocket while shouldering his fishing rod with his right. His relaxed posture suggested he was out for a pleasant stroll rather than confronting a dangerous opponent. "Can't have you pulling any dirty tricks while my friends are busy downstairs."
"What? You think surviving one lightning strike gives you the right to challenge divine authority?" Enel's expression remained supremely confident, as if the very idea of opposition amused him.
He extended his Mantra to observe the battles raging below, then smiled with cruel satisfaction. "It seems my subordinates are proving... adequate."
Enel slowly spread his arms wide in a grandiose gesture. "Are you interested in joining me on my journey to the Infinite Land? There awaits an endless, boundless realm!"
"Infinite Land?" Jerry scratched his head with genuine curiosity. Since Enel seemed content to chat rather than fight immediately, he might as well satisfy his curiosity. "What exactly are we supposed to do there?"
"Because that's the promised land I seek!" Enel's excitement was palpable as he spoke of his dream. "A vast realm worthy of a god like myself! Yahaha!"
Jerry blinked thoughtfully, then asked a question that had always puzzled him. "But what does that have to do with us? And if you control this infinite land, what's your plan—become a landlord? Start farming?"
"Eh?" Enel's confident expression faltered as the unexpected question caught him completely off guard.
After several seconds of visible mental struggle, the self-proclaimed god decided to abandon this particular line of thinking entirely. "Why should I explain divine plans to you? Do you think God owes you explanations?"
"Ah yes, you're absolutely right!" Jerry nodded with exaggerated solemnity, giving an enthusiastic thumbs up. Then he continued with another question. "But if you want land so badly, have you considered the Blue Sea? Many of those islands aren't small, and there's always the Red Line continent."
Enel scoffed dismissively. "I don't know what nonsense you're babbling about! How could any island or continent compare to the vastness of the Infinite Land?"
His voice grew more passionate as he continued. "I will establish my own divine kingdom there! Only the strong deserve entry—the weak will be eliminated! It's the most basic rule, just like the survival game happening below. Only victors earn the right to enter my Kingdom of God! Yahaha!"
Whenever Enel spoke of his future divine realm, his entire demeanor transformed with manic joy.
"Oh, this Infinite Land," Jerry said, slipping into full reporter mode, "does it have any fishing spots?"
Enel's laughter cut off abruptly. "Huh? Fishing spots?"
"Well, yeah," Jerry explained as if stating the obvious. "What else would a fisherman like me do there? Dig for earthworms?"
Seeing Enel's genuinely bewildered expression, Jerry spread his hands helplessly. "Sounds like there aren't any? Then your so-called Kingdom of God doesn't sound very impressive."
"Uh..." Enel's mental processors went into overdrive as he tried to comprehend how fishing opportunities related to divine magnificence.
After several moments of intense concentration, Enel still couldn't grasp Jerry's logic. The only conclusion he could reach was that this insolent mortal was deliberately mocking his sacred vision.
Rage quickly clouded the god's features. Without warning, he thrust his finger forward and launched an attack.
"You dare mock my Kingdom of God!"
Electricity roared and crackled as Enel's arm transformed into pure lightning, shooting directly toward Jerry with lethal intent.
Jerry calmly raised his left hand, spreading his five fingers wide. A shimmering water barrier materialized instantly, completely neutralizing the electrical assault.
"We were just having a conversation," Jerry said mildly. "Why the sudden violence?"
"Silence!" Seeing his casual attack effortlessly blocked, Enel transformed into lightning and vanished. In the next instant, he materialized behind Jerry, swinging his golden staff with tremendous force.
Physical combat felt like the only way to release the frustration building in his chest.
"Huh? How can you touch me?" Enel's eyes widened in shock as Jerry not only reacted to his light-speed movement but actually blocked the staff with his fishing rod and struck back.
"Guess," Jerry grinned mysteriously.
Whether or not Enel understood Armament Haki, Jerry had no intention of providing educational lectures during combat. Explaining his abilities to enemies had never been his style.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield below, Ace had already finished with his opponent.
Gedatsu, the priest of the Swamp Trial, had proven utterly outmatched. Ace's Observation Haki, combined with his Logia abilities, gave him overwhelming advantages against most opponents outside the New World.
Additionally, Ace's masterful flame-boosted acceleration far exceeded Gedatsu's wind-jet movement techniques, providing superior speed and attack range. Even with Mantra at his disposal, the priest couldn't compete with Ace's fiery passion and skill.
Ace glanced down at the fallen priest, then sensed the intense battle occurring in the ruins above. He called out to Deuce and the others, who were still mopping up the remaining divine soldiers.
"I'm heading up! Take your time cleaning up down here!"
"What? You're moving faster than me! This is outrageous!" Cavendish shouted from within the iron cage surrounding him.
He glared at the elusive Priest Ohm, who kept dodging behind his iron cloud defenses. With a frustrated battle cry, Cavendish swung his sword with increased fury.
However, just like before, he only managed to shatter the shield formed by Ohm's Iron Cloud, ejected from the priest's dials. Ohm sneered and transformed his sword into its fluid state, lashing out like a metallic whip toward the increasingly agitated prince.
Elsewhere, the sounds of explosive combat echoed as Wyper dueled with the rotund Priest Satori. The Shandian warrior constantly sought openings for decisive strikes, while Satori cleverly used his dials to create various ball-shaped projectiles—some containing hidden weapons and mechanisms.
Both fighters studied each other intently, waiting for the perfect moment to deploy their most devastating attacks.
In the general melee against the divine soldiers, Carrot and Brook had charged forward while Kotatsu carried Carina through the air. Deuce and Skull maintained their middle position, and the entire group worked in perfect coordination against the enemy forces led by their captain.
Carrot soon found herself facing the towering Head Divine Soldier, whose massive frame and brutal strength made him a formidable opponent. Meanwhile, Deuce and his friends continued systematically defeating waves of soldiers under the command of the rotund deputy commanders.
"Enel, turns out you really are a drama queen! Hahaha!"
When Ace finally reached the upper ruins of Shandora, climbing the massive vine with flame-boosted leaps, he arrived just in time to hear Jerry's delighted laughter echoing across the ancient battleground.