It was at that moment that Pagaya and Conis truly grasped the shift. The Straw Hat Crew had silently coalesced, their collective presence radiating an entirely different, far more menacing aura than before.
A palpable sense of danger now emanated from them.
McKinley couldn't help the involuntary constriction of his pupils, but the ingrained belief in the power of the "god" behind him quickly reignited his bravado.
"It seems you truly intend to resist! In that case, our White Beret troops will subdue you, and you shall face divine punishment!"
With a wave of McKinley's hand, his subordinates responded instantly.
The men swiftly aimed their bows and arrows at the assembled Straw Hat Crew.
"For bows and arrows, allow me to be the sniper, Captain," Usopp declared with a flourish, adjusting his already well-worn goggles.
"Count me in! How could I possibly miss out on a fight?" Jango chimed in enthusiastically, stepping forward.
Luffy simply nodded, his silence indicating his agreement.
The others also showed no signs of objection, remaining where they stood.
Against this initial wave, Usopp and Jango were more than sufficient.
"Launch! Cloud Arrow!"
McKinley barked the order, and his subordinates released their arrows. Gray clouds materialized at the tips, solidifying instead of dissipating like mere smoke.
Usopp and Jango casually stepped onto these newly formed cloud platforms.
"Huh? Clouds? Are these artificial?" Both remarked, genuinely surprised.
The White Beret soldiers, equipped with peculiar shoes that seemed to house wind dials, propelled themselves onto the cloud strips, gliding towards Usopp and Jango with their swords drawn.
Usopp began firing basic gunpowder stars with precise accuracy, one after another. Jango, meanwhile, hurled his circular saw. It spun menacingly before the advancing soldiers, returning to his hand untouched. None of the Berets were struck, yet they all collapsed unconscious before they could even utter a taunt.
Hypnosis proved remarkably effective at incapacitating the group.
In a mere instant, only McKinley remained standing in the Beret unit.
Cold sweat beaded on McKinley's forehead, yet he still blustered, "Attacking law enforcement officers is a grave second-degree crime! The high priest will punish you!"
Jango simply punched McKinley to the ground. "Then you should summon those priests over here!"
Even as he lay sprawled on the beach, McKinley continued his tirade, "You're doomed! You'll never leave Sky Island! The moment you set sail, you'll be sent to the trial grounds of the priests in Upper Yard, and they will surely punish you! Don't even think about escaping! If you try, Pagaya and Conis will undoubtedly be implicated, and they're certain to die!"
These words ignited a palpable wave of murderous intent among the Straw Hat Crew.
Even Tashigi's expression hardened.
While they largely dismissed the so-called priestly sanctions, the threat to Conis and Pagaya struck a raw nerve, fueling their collective fury.
"Then let me witness how your priests intend to sanction us!" Luffy's voice was low and dangerous. "And this so-called god of yours has truly angered me. I will personally beat him senseless!"
Luffy's solemn demeanor sent a tremor of fear through McKinley, who nearly wet himself.
Pagaya and Conis were equally stunned, never expecting such blasphemous words from Luffy. Yet, a wave of warmth washed over them, knowing Luffy spoke those words in their defense.
The kind-hearted Conis quickly urged, "I know you're good people! Please, run away quickly! We'll be alright!"
Pagaya started to object, but his inherent kindness prevailed, and he lowered his hand.
Luffy shook his head firmly. "Conis, Uncle, we're pirates, not good people! And since this involves your lives, we can't just abandon you. We pirates don't owe debts to others. This 'god' wants to punish us? Fine, we'll go find him and see what he's capable of!"
Conis and Pagaya were speechless, their shock rendering them momentarily mute.
The Straw Hat Crew couldn't help but smirk, displaying no fear whatsoever at the prospect of facing a god.
God? What kind of god would hole themselves up on a Sky Island?
They wondered how this deity would measure up against the might of the Four Emperors!
Just then, the sky above began to churn, and ominous thunderclouds gathered. A thick bolt of lightning descended rapidly, aimed directly at Conis and Pagaya.
Everyone's expression shifted instantly to alarm.
"ROOM! Slaughterhouse!" Law reacted with lightning speed, utilizing his Devil Fruit ability to instantly relocate everyone except Luffy.
Luffy stood his ground, his gaze fixed on the descending bolt of lightning. Fury erupted in his eyes, and a powerful burst of Conqueror's Haki slammed into the descending energy. With a deafening bang, the thunder pillar shattered into countless fragments.
"Enel!" Luffy roared towards the heavens, his voice laced with pure rage. "You've made me truly angry! Consider your neck washed and waiting!"
His voice seemed to pierce through the clouds, soaring straight towards the distant temple...
Inside, Enel, who was casually eating an apple, couldn't help but shiver. His brow furrowed deeply as his Observation Haki swept across Angel Beach.
It seemed a number of formidable individuals had arrived today!
Luffy ignored the utterly stunned McKinley, relieved to see his crew unharmed. But the thought of Enel's casual attempt to kill Conis and Pagaya reignited his fury.
"Everyone," Luffy said in a low, serious tone, "it seems I might not be able to uphold my agreement with Mr. Carl this time."
He continued, his voice filled with resolve, "That 'god,' Enel... unless I beat him down with my own two hands, this anger in my heart won't subside! As for the priests, I'll leave them for the rest of you to handle."
Zoro remained indifferent. "I still intend to cut down Enel. Since you're set on it, I'll take care of the priests."
"Wait a minute, moss-head!" Sanji interjected heatedly. "The priests are mine! How dare they attack Conis-chwan? This so-called god is despicable! I'll kick every last one of those priests into oblivion!"
"Love-cook, shouldn't you be arguing with Luffy about Enel?" Zoro retorted dryly.
"Stupid seaweed head! Could I ever lay a hand on Luffy?!"
"Yeah, you're too weak, you pervert. You can't beat Luffy, and you certainly can't beat me. After all, my Haki is far superior to yours!"
"You! You damn green algae head!"
The two chefs and swordsman immediately launched into another heated argument.
The others remained unconcerned. There would surely be enough fodder for everyone to fight when the time came.
Just then, the sound of flapping wings filled the air, and Pierre landed gracefully. Gan Fall, clad in his knightly attire, observed the scene silently, his expression unreadable.
"Ah! You're..." Conis and Pagaya exclaimed in shock.
"Gan Fall!" McKinley's eyes widened in disbelief.
But Luffy simply asked, "Uncle, we didn't exactly blow the whistle to call you. Why did you come?"
Gan Fall replied, "When Enel intends to take a life, this old man feels compelled to intervene. I simply didn't anticipate your strength. To halt Enel's thunderous judgment... it truly surpasses my expectations."
Luffy grinned. "Uncle, your arrival is perfectly timed. We're heading to find Enel next. Could you please take care of Uncle Geya and Conis for us?"
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