One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the Smile Pirates' fight with the three priests was reaching its climax.

The Priest of the Iron Trials, Ohm, staggered as his body caved in, covered in blood. After several rounds against Gin and receiving repeated blows from the golden hammer, he finally couldn't hold back and spat out blood, mixed with fragments of his insides.

Nearby, his pet dog, Holy, lay barely clinging to life, on the brink of death.

"Cough... cough... truly, there's always someone stronger. I didn't expect you to master the Mantra (Observation Haki) so well. I have no regrets losing," Ohm muttered as he staggered forward a few steps. Sitting down beside Holy, he closed his eyes and passed out.

"Phew... Victory," Gin murmured. Though he showed no outward joy, inside he was thrilled. This was his first full-power fight since mastering Haki, and without using his Devil Fruit ability. Overall, Gin's understanding and skill with Haki had deepened.

Gin vs. Ohm - Gin wins.

"Taichi: Yin-Yang Force!"

Excited, Kumo leaped up, swinging his paws in a flurry of attacks that pushed Shura backward. Even with his Dial abilities, Shura couldn't counter in such close quarters; if an explosion went off, he wouldn't escape unscathed.

In Shura's moment of hesitation, Kumo seized the chance, forming a yin-yang symbol with his paw and striking Shura square on the forehead.

"Aaah!"

The excruciating pain hit Shura like thousands of biting ants. The scream of agony echoed through the forest until Shura fell unconscious.

Kumo vs. Shura - Kumo wins.

The last priest, witnessing his comrades' defeats, attempted to flee, only to be blocked by Gan Fall riding Pierre.

"It seems I'm not suited for direct combat," sighed Hiro, covered in dirt, save for a pair of shorts. He touched a bruise at the corner of his eye, resigning himself.

With a swift motion, Hiro pulled a bottle from his shorts and hurled it at Nirvana. Perhaps due to the tense atmosphere, Nirvana instinctively shattered the bottle with a wave of his hand.

Instantly, a green mist spread out in a ten-meter radius.

"Poison!" Nirvana muttered, clutching his mouth before collapsing.

Hiro and Gan Fall vs. Priest Nirvana - Hiro and Gan Fall win.

Not far away, the Shandians, including Wiper, witnessed the entirety of the battle.

"Who's there?" Gin squinted, peering forward, his enhanced vision from his Devil Fruit spotting the movement.

"Wiper? What are you doing here?" Gan Fall stepped forward, stopping the Shandians. In the recent fight, Gan Fall had noticed that Kumo and Gin weren't even fighting at full strength. Their clothes were spotless, yet they defeated the two priests with ease—something the Shandians had failed at countless times in their attempts to defeat Enel.

"Gan Fall! Who are these people?" Wiper asked, gripping his silver-gray bazooka tightly.

"They're pirates from the Blue Sea," Gan Fall explained, "just adventuring here with no ill intentions."

"Hmph. Sounds like an excuse. Gan Fall, they're not here to compete for the throne, are they?"

"The throne? Can you eat that? Our captain just wants to recruit crew members," Kumo retorted with a sneer. "There's nothing to fight over on this tiny Sky Island."

As Kumo and Wiper argued, a thunderous explosion erupted in the distance. The electric field was so intense it made their hair stand on end.

Meanwhile, in the fight between Enel and Natsu, they had clashed dozens of times, with each of Enel's attacks easily neutralized by Natsu. The unyielding and overpowering lightning attacks were ineffective against him, and for the first time, Enel felt despair.

"Who the hell are you?!" Enel's composure cracked. He could barely believe this guy could not only attack him physically but also disperse his lightning—a direct counter.

"I don't believe it! Six million volts: Thunder Dragon!"

Enel frantically struck the drums on his back, summoning colossal thunder dragons that surrounded Natsu, circling in the sky before descending to strike with devastating force.

Boom! The terrifying explosion shook the entire island. Skypiea was enveloped in blinding white light, and everything within a ten-mile radius turned to scorched earth, leaving no signs of life.

"Yahaha! I, the God, am victorious!" Enel laughed hysterically as the dust settled. The ground where Natsu had been standing was nothing but charred remains. He was convinced of his victory.

"Taichi: Yin-Yang Reversal!"

At that moment, a Taichi symbol appeared in the air.

"Hey, who said you won? Dream on," came Natsu's calm voice. Enel instinctively took two steps back, unknowingly sealing his own fate.

"But… but I saw you… engulfed in the lightning… how are you unharmed?!" Enel's expression twisted as he tried to comprehend, mouth agape, his arrogance shattered.

"It's a little trick I have," Natsu replied with a smirk. "Want to learn it? Join my crew."