Not only Usopp, Pekoms, Little 3, Hina, and Jinbe joined in the vine-swinging antics.
It looked less like a test and more like a chaotic jungle gym.
Law's temples throbbed, his clenched fists gradually relaxing. Perhaps he should learn to accept the Straw Hats' penchant for the absurd, as long as he didn't succumb to it himself.
Eventually, even Zoro and Sanji joined the ranks of the Tarzan impersonators, leaving a deadpan Law to single-handedly steer the ship.
Meanwhile, the moment Shura was defeated, the other three priests and Enel all sensed it, their expressions shifting in surprise.
"Yahaha! It seems some truly powerful individuals have arrived from the Blue Sea," Enel chuckled, biting into his apple. "There are two who give me a particularly dangerous feeling, but I am Thunder! Thunder is God! They cannot defeat me! Still, things have become rather dull. Perhaps I'll play a little game with them. The Shock Dial users will likely want to join in too. Yahahaha!"
With that, Enel summoned his giant mechanical soldier, Dashan, and ordered it to stand by with fifty elite Sky Soldiers.
At his command, they would immediately descend into the Apayado Forest to initiate a battle of annihilation.
As for the remaining three priests, they remained in their respective trial domains, anticipating the Straw Hats' arrival.
They sensed Shura's defeat but merely sneered at him, dismissing the Ball Trial as weak. Their own trials, they believed, were the ultimate test, capable of stopping the Straw Hats within "ten moves."
On another part of the island, Aisa and Carl finished their conversation, bid farewell, and parted ways.
It wasn't long before Aisa stealthily returned to Cloud Shinobi Village.
Cloud Shinobi Village, aptly named, was hidden within the island's clouds, making it difficult to locate. Aisa's small stature and nimble movements further aided her inconspicuous return.
However, by chance, Aisa bumped into Wiper, who appeared unusually grim.
Wiper, a descendant of the great warrior Kalgara, was known for his fiery temper and warlike nature. Aisa often described Wiper as frightening as a ghost, and many villagers were wary of him.
But this was the first time Aisa had seen Wiper in such disarray.
"Aisa, you went to Apayado again to steal Bath, didn't you? I told you not to go there carelessly! Enel will discover you, and no one will save you when you die!" Wiper snapped, his voice laced with anger.
"Wiper, what's wrong with you?" Aisa asked, her voice unusually concerned.
"It's nothing! I just encountered a strange woman from the Blue Sea... and she slapped me!" Wiper growled, his anger resurfacing at the memory.
Earlier, he had attempted to ambush the Blue Sealanders' ship but was caught off guard by their strength, being knocked into the sea with a single blow.
Later, he had encountered the same woman again on their ship.
He had tried to eliminate her, but she had employed a series of bizarre abilities.
First, she could fly without using a Wind Dial. Then, she moved with unnatural speed and agility. Finally, she even summoned thunder and lightning.
Wiper had been caught off guard and struck by lightning, losing consciousness.
Fortunately, the woman hadn't killed him. Otherwise, the descendant of a great warrior would have met an ignominious end.
Little did Wiper know, Nami herself had grown to an unbelievable level, perhaps even surpassing the war demon Wiper in strength.
And while the Straw Hats might have assumed Wiper possessed Observation Haki, that wasn't the case.
On Sky Island, few people knew Kenbunshoku Haki; Enel and the priests were the exceptions. Wiper's previous evasiveness was due to heightened battle awareness, honed through years of fighting the priests, not true foresight.
Otherwise, Wiper wouldn't have fallen for Nami's unexpected attack.
The more Wiper pondered his defeat, the more agitated he became. He had actually lost to a Blue Sea native, and a seemingly weak one at that!
It was utterly humiliating!
At that moment, Aisa suddenly cried out in alarm.
Wiper frowned. "Aisa, what's wrong?"
Aisa clutched her head, her voice filled with urgency. "A voice has disappeared... it sounds like a priest."
"Nani! Are you sure? What the hell is going on?!" Wiper exclaimed, his agitation intensifying. If a priest had truly been defeated, it could be a golden opportunity for the Shandians to launch a counterattack!
Such an opportunity couldn't be wasted!
Aisa nodded firmly. "I'm sure. It seems the people from the Blue Sea did it. There were nine of them, and they defeated Shura. The other seven seem to be in Apayado as well."
As for Carl acting independently, Aisa remained silent.
Perhaps subconsciously, Aisa already considered Carl a friend.
Wiper frowned. "So many people from the Blue Sea? There were quite a few on that ship we saw before."
He shook his head. "Forget it. No matter how many there are, since they defeated Shura, now is the perfect time for our counterattack!
We can't miss this chance! We must rush into God's Shrine and defeat Enel!"
With that declaration, he began rallying the warriors in the village and initiating battle preparations.
Soon after, more than 20 Shandians surged towards Apayado, the horn of battle officially sounding.
Carl's keen senses picked up the unfolding events, and he shook his head with a sigh.
He had hoped for a leisurely break, but the conflict had erupted far sooner than expected, barely allowing him time for a proper stroll. Still, it was convenient in a way – the sooner it began, the sooner it would end, allowing him to collect his gold.
Although Enel had plundered a significant amount of gold, there were always leftovers.
Carl intended to pluck the goose clean, leaving nothing behind. It was a shame, however, that the Golden Bell would remain on Sky Island.
They had briefly considered taking the Golden Bell, but the sheer significance of the 690 items to the Shandians meant they would fight tooth and nail to protect it, and the Sky Islanders wouldn't stand idly by either. Slaughtering the Sky Islanders for a relatively small amount of gold was too cruel.
The Straw Hats weren't that kind of ruthless pirates!
Besides, Luffy and the others would undoubtedly object!
"Forget it. Why do I care so much?" Carl muttered to himself. "I'll just head to the Giant Jack and wait. After everyone's done fighting, I'll lead them on a treasure hunt."
With that thought, Carl took flight towards the massive beanstalk, his oversized sword resting on his shoulder.
In Apayado, the Giant Jack's presence was unmistakable. Eventually, everyone would converge there, as Enel's temple, or God's Shrine, was located atop it.
As for whether Enel would be defeated and encounter Carl first, Carl was indifferent.
If Enel wanted to walk into his clutches, Carl wouldn't mind finishing the job himself. He just needed to ask Enel where he had hidden the nearly completed ark, Maxim, and then simply take it.
Enel, that profligate fool, had actually used gold to build a ship! Such wastefulness was unacceptable.
Carl would not tolerate such extravagance. This golden ark had to be seized. The Straw Hats were perpetually broke; Enel using gold for a ship was a blatant display of disregard for their poverty. Robbing him was non-negotiable.
If Enel knew he was being targeted for such a petty reason, he would likely cough up blood on the spot.
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