Enel—That name was like a heavy block of Vearth pressing upon the shoulders of every Shandian warrior.
The Thunder God.
That was what the Shandians called Enel in private.
Whether he was their enemy or not, for those who had witnessed his power during the change of gods, that title was well-earned.
Even though Wyper was furious about it, demanding that no one ever address Enel as such, insisting that they should call him by name—he knew deep down that certain truths couldn't be erased by silence.
If the Shandians' fight with the elderly knight before them was akin to fish clashing for territory in the sky-sea, then Enel—who replaced Gan Fall—was the sky-sea's legendary ruler.
Rayquaza.[1]A mythical being said to rend the heavens apart. Perhaps only such an existence could be compared to Enel—the man who had destroyed an entire Sky Island.
Of course, acknowledging the enemy's strength did not mean surrender. True warriors never lost their will to fight. Their strength lay not only in their might, but in their resolve.
As a great warrior and leader burdened with four centuries of tribal enmity, Wyper would never bow to Enel.
That was why, upon realizing Enel merely set up the four "Trials," he did not interfere with the "God's Country." Under his leadership, the Shandians continued their struggle. The enemy had changed from Gan Fall to Enel—but the war endured.
Even though his strength fell short, Wyper seized every chance to turn the tide. And most crucially—he had found Enel's weakness.
A piece of Seastone!
Since the arrival of Blue Sea dwellers, the existence of Devil Fruits was no secret anymore. He had even seen some users himself,and learned of the ocean's bane—Seastone. He had made his preparations.
But now… the elder said that Enel had been defeated? His hard work, his plans, all shattered in an instant—and in exchange came an even stronger enemy?
"Fate really does enjoy toying with people," the elder thought as he looked at the despondent Wyper. He could guess his thoughts, and in truth, he shared them.
"How long will this endless blood feud last? Is it truly worth spilling every last drop of our kin's blood for the ancestors? Where does the future of the Shandians—their children—lie?"
The three men sat in silence aboard their small cloud-boat, bobbing with the waves of the white sea. Above, the stars shimmered quietly, watching the scene unfold.
At last, Gan Fall broke the silence.
"Let's cooperate," he said bluntly.
"What did you say?!" Wyper frowned immediately.
The elder held him back and looked at the aged knight—his lifelong foe.
"Why? We've always been enemies."
"I've never cared much for the title of 'God'", Gan Fall said quietly. "More than conflict, I desire peace."
His expression turned heavy. "That's why I always tried to reconcile with you."
"Hah! You dare talk about peace? You built your people's happiness on our land! You wouldn't even return our homeland, and you call that peace!?"
Wyper clenched his fists, fury flashing in his eyes. "Maybe I should just make you disappear right here!"
"Will you at least let me finish?"
"Wyper, be silent," the elder ordered sharply.
The tension lessened as the two older men continued speaking.
Gan Fall went on, "I don't wish for more innocent lives to suffer because of my mistakes. Whether it was refusing to return your land or trying to rescue the 'God's Country' after Enel took over—both were my choices. Now, I simply want the people of Angel Island and those on Upper Yard to live in peace."
Wyper stared coldly at him, thinking the old man's words reeked of hypocrisy.
The elder, after a long silence, said, "We can cooperate."
"Elder!"
"Quiet!"
"But—"
"I am the guide of wisdom, Wyper. Don't forget that."
The elder's sharp gaze silenced him. Then his tone softened into a sigh. "We have no other choice. Wyper, the one who defeated Enel now controls both our homeland and Angel Island. Gan Fall only wishes to ensure that his country won't fall into ruin under the rule—or whim—of some Blue Sea pirate.
After all, anyone who's met Blue Sea dwellers knows what the word pirate means. And we… we need to unite our strength to reclaim what's ours.
That kind of enemy is not one the Shandians can face alone. Think about it—if Enel had intervened personally during our battles with his priests,do you really believe our people would've lasted this long?"
"We've always fought—and we'll keep fighting."
"There's no one else here, Wyper."
"My answer's still the same, Elder!"
"You're just being stubborn."
"..."
Gan Fall watched their bickering silently. His mind was elsewhere—on his country. Though he was no longer "God," he still wished for his people to be safe.
But Blue Sea pirates… they all shouted about dreams and adventure,while most were nothing more than criminals in reality. That was why he had come here, despite the danger.
Thanks to the elder's mediation, Wyper didn't attack outright,but their alliance wasn't settled immediately either.
Such cooperation couldn't be built overnight.
Still, they continued to discuss the details.
"The Shandians' strength lies in battle. What can you offer?" Wyper asked.
"Mobility," Gan Fall replied calmly, "and intelligence from the people of Angel Island."
"So… the one who defeated Enel was a man wreathed in flames?"
"No, that was only one of them. The strongest among Blue Sea dwellers are usually their captains. The one who beat all of you Shandians was merely a crew member. From the information I gathered, the ones who defeated the four priests were all different Blue Sea people."
Gan Fall paused. "But the one who defeated Enel… was only one man."
That distinction, rather than comforting them, only made things worse.
It meant those Blue Sea invaders had completely overwhelmed Enel's entire divine system.
How could anyone fight such an enemy?
The elder gripped his staff tighter. Even Wyper fell silent—realizing that cooperation might, indeed, be their only option.
"Let's wait a bit longer," Gan Fall sighed. "I'll keep gathering information. At least I already know the man's name—Ren."
"Ren?" The elder's eyes flickered. "What kind of man is he?"
Gan Fall hesitated.
"Nothing special. Just an idealist—A man with strength, arrogance, and a line he won't cross."
"Sounds ordinary enough—" Wyper suddenly froze.
Because the words hadn't come from Gan Fall.
All three men went rigid, hearts pounding violently.
"Who's there?!"
Wyper scanned the surrounding clouds—but saw nothing. Gan Fall looked up at his bird companion, but it hadn't reacted at all.
"Looking for me?"
A voice came from right beside them.
In the next instant, another figure appeared on the tiny boat—as if a clove of garlic had been shoved into an orange, utterly out of place.
A moment ago, that spot had been empty.
Lightning crackled around him, forming chains that bound and paralyzed all three.
Ren, one hand gripping the thunder chains, lifted his head. The killing aura pouring from him formed a demonic shadow behind his back.
In that instant, the great bird in the sky shrieked and fell like a broken kite.
Killing Intent—Demon Lord!
"Such fragile courage," Ren murmured coldly.
He lowered his gaze to the three trembling men at his feet. His tone was calm, almost playful."Quite the coincidence. I was just looking for key figures, and here you all are."
"Y-you… how did you find this place!?" Wyper stammered through the electric paralysis.
Ren grinned and turned his palm upward. A handful of torn paper fragments appeared in his hand.
"Vivre Cards. A Blue Sea tool that tracks a person's location. It takes some effort, but as long as I have one connected to any of you, finding this place was easy."
Two days—forty-eight hours.It wasn't long, but long enough for Ren to use the Vivre Cards to locate Cloud Hidden Village.
"Now that we've cleared that up," he said, tossing the cards away, "let's talk about the little meeting you were having."
He reached into the Four-Dimensional Chrysanthemum space and produced a freshly printed photograph.
"To avoid any wasted conversation," Ren smiled faintly, "you might want to look at this first."
The photo showed Cloud Hidden Village—its skies filled with Angels of Glory, its people bound and captured.
At the photo's edge stood Nojiko and her group, watching like silent enforcers.
The elder and Wyper's faces darkened immediately. Their muscles tensed—but they didn't move. They realized it at once: They'd come to negotiate, and their home had been taken.
"Now you understand?" Ren asked mildly. Lightning flickered again, the Thunder Spear reforming into a coiling Thunder Spirit.
The small Waver trembled beneath the electric field. But neither Wyper nor the elder dared to fight back.
The Shandians were a tribe bound by fierce unity—they would die for their kin, but never risk their tribe's annihilation.
The elder and Wyper exchanged a glance.
Gan Fall, however, wasn't one to give in easily—after all, the captured weren't his people. He still held out hope for Angel Island and his own men.
That was why, years ago, he refused to return Upper Yard to the Shandians—because it was the heart of "God's Country," the foundation of his people's happiness.
So it's down to me, then, he thought. If I dive into the White Sea, maybe I can—sorry, allies, but I have to survive.
He darted a glance around, seeking a chance to flee—but Ren's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Don't bother looking. Yours are included too."
He tossed down a second photo—this one showed a group of Divine Soldiers kneeling on the ground with their hands on their heads.
They were the same men who'd once built Enel's Ark—Gan Fall's former subordinates. His own loyal people.
Gan Fall froze, his body going stiff.
Wyper smirked bitterly. Serves you right, old man.
Like crabs in a bucket, the three of them dragged one another down,trapped in the same hopeless predicament.
But truthfully, this was only natural. Four hundred years of bloodshed didn't vanish overnight.
"Good," Ren said at last. "Now that we all understand each other, you'll come with me."
He retrieved the photos and smiled faintly.
"Don't worry. I'm a good person."
A good person?
Could a good person kidnap entire villages? Gan Fall's face twitched, his knuckles itching to strike—but he didn't dare.
If Enel had lost to this man, what could three worn-out warriors do? An old man with a cane, a knight without his steed, and a fighter without his weapon—they didn't stand a chance.
The Waver turned toward its new destination. At the Cloud Hidden coast, a silver-gray ship waited, and in the sky above—a weather vessel descended.
It was Haredas's ship, signaling that the Ark Reconstruction Project could begin.
Though the true engineering relied on Weatheria, and progress would be slow, Ren had one advantage—manpower.
The Divine Soldiers of Angel Island and the Shandians themselves.
The former were easily persuaded—with the right deal.
"So, you're saying what you want isn't the country itself," Gan Fall said later, sitting in Angel Island's largest cloud hall, "but… the profits?"
He looked calmer now—not as hostile as during their first meeting. Perhaps because his mount had been returned, or because Ren had offered a peaceful option.
A transaction.
"I have no interest in ruling or exploiting anyone," Ren said, seated comfortably on a cloud sofa. "As you can see, I'm from the Blue Sea. This sky isn't my home. But as the victor wielding absolute power, I deserve fair compensation.
That compensation," he said, his tone even, "will come from those who wish to reclaim their nation—in the form of money, labor, and resources."
(End of Chapter)
[1] the Author does really says rayquaza here