Carl didn't pursue Enel, simply continuing to sip his tea.
"Heh, even a 'god' can be so fragile. But now it's time to locate the Ark's inscriptions. That way, I can avoid asking and just snatch the spaceship when the moment arrives!"
Honestly, Enel is quite the nuisance, and there's no point in negotiating with a thief.
However, Enel's taste is baffling, especially the Ark's proverbs – they're quite an eyesore. Once I have the Ark, this ship won't be needed anymore, and all the gold will be stripped off anyway.
Carl ensured everything was in order and settled back down to enjoy his tea.
If Enel tries to escape, he can deal with it himself later. It's not like he can't fly, so there's no need for concern.
Carl was relaxing comfortably while everyone else was engaged in battle.
Nami was still locked in combat with Braham at this point.
Braham possessed a wealth of combat experience. Each time he attacked, he immediately used his Wind-Jet Shoes to move at top speed, giving Nami no opening whatsoever.
Fortunately, Nami had temporarily put aside her desire for gold and focused on confronting Braham.
With Nami's mind and spirit united, her Clima-Tact seemed to sense Braham's movements in the darkness. While she might not have been entirely certain at first, after a prolonged exchange, Nami realized she could predict Braham's next move!
This discovery filled Nami with elation. She knew she had successfully awakened her Observation Haki!
"Shave!" Nami vanished in a swift burst of speed.
Braham was caught off guard. By the time he regained his senses, he found himself inexplicably beside Nami, and before he could react, he was struck by her iron Clima-Tact rod. He didn't even have time to dodge.
Bang! Braham was sent crashing to the ground by the blow.
Worried that the strike wasn't forceful enough, Nami coated her Clima-Tact with Armament Haki and successfully knocked Braham unconscious.
After repeatedly poking Braham with her iron rod to be sure, she confirmed he had indeed fainted. Nami breathed a sigh of relief, a smile gracing her lips. She hadn't even fully processed that she now possessed both types of Haki.
It was astonishing, considering that some Marine Rear Admirals didn't necessarily possess two forms of Haki.
Nami carefully focused again and was pleasantly surprised to find that her Observation Haki allowed her to perceive subtle shifts in the air with greater clarity, which would be incredibly beneficial for her navigation skills.
"This Observation Haki is far more practical than Armament Haki, and I won't have to be afraid of storms at sea anymore!"
In a good mood, Nami slung her Clima-Tact over her shoulder, hummed a tune, and continued towards the giant beanstalk. She eagerly anticipated acquiring the gold and sharing her spoils.
The group led by Robin consisted of four members: a reindeer (Chopper), a white bear (Bepo), and a lion (Rob Lucci). Now, with the exception of Rob Lucci, they were all heading towards the giant beanstalk.
As for Rob Lucci, he had already pinned the massive python to the ground and delivered countless blows.
The giant python could be considered subdued, and Rob Lucci was also quite exhausted.
Rob Lucci hadn't felt fatigue since consuming his Devil Fruit. It was unusual; aside from the exhaustion he experienced while wearing a Sea-Stone collar for training, he typically didn't feel tired.
He hadn't expected to be this drained this time.
This giant python was not only enormous but also had incredibly tough skin and thick muscles, making it resistant to prolonged beatings.
It had taken Rob Lucci considerable effort to subdue the beast. Now that the giant python had declared itself his underling, the fight was naturally over.
Surveying the chaotic environment around him, Rob Lucci couldn't immediately locate his companions. The scent in the forest was also peculiar, making it difficult to track everyone by smell.
After a while, he recalled the "Douman" that everyone had been mentioning. So, he directly transformed into his Zoan form and sat atop the giant python's head, instructing it to take him to the Douman.
Meanwhile, back on the Going Merry:
They had arrived at another dense forest. The entire area was eerily silent, as if devoid of any living creatures.
At that moment, the Impact Dial in Luffy's hand was aimed forward, unleashing a powerful slash. He didn't seem to tire of playing with it. However, after this particular discharge, a strange sound echoed, as if something had been severed.
Not only Luffy heard it, but Zoro, Sanji, and Law also noticed the sound.
"Luffy, there's something here," Zoro said, his senses on high alert.
"It seems to be some kind of thread, and it spreads throughout the entire dense forest. It must be a trap," Law observed carefully.
"Thread? A thread is a thin rope, which means this might be the 'Ordeal of the String'?" Jango pondered aloud. "But it seems the priest isn't visible."
Usopp lowered the binoculars from his forehead and grinned. "Jango, don't rely solely on your eyes! If Captain Usopp's guess is correct, that priest is hiding right there!"
He pointed to a specific spot within the dense forest, his tone surprisingly confident.
Jango couldn't help baring his fangs and growling, "Don't you tell me not to judge with my own eyes! Also, you are not the captain!"
Usopp shook his head at Jango, wearing an expression that implied Jango couldn't comprehend his level of perception. "Jango, I only used the eyepiece for show. In reality, I first sensed the opponent's location with my Observation Haki, and then used the binoculars to confirm."
"Liar! When did you awaken your Observation Haki?"
Not only did Jango not believe him, but neither did the others.
Usopp was genuinely hurt. "You guys! Even though I might occasionally tell a fib, when I actually speak the truth, you don't believe me."
Everyone shook their heads in unison. "You're lying. You're untrustworthy, and it's not 'occasionally' that you lie, but constantly."
Usopp was exasperated; no one believed him.
Sanji surveyed the densely packed thin lines and commented, "This should indeed be the Ordeal of the String. Alright, who wants to take this one?"
Both Zoro and Law remained indifferent. If no one else stepped forward, they were perfectly capable of handling it themselves. It would likely be a swift resolution anyway.
"Hahahaha! I didn't expect you to discover me. You have some skill, people from the Blue Sea!"
An arrogant male voice rang out, and then a three-foot-tall bird resembling a vulture soared from the forest, a middle-aged man riding on its back.
The man was dressed like a pilot, sporting a mustache and holding a knight's lance.
"I am Shura, a priest serving the gods, and I oversee the Ordeal of the String, which has a mere 3% survival rate. If you managed to defeat Satori and Gedatsu, it proves you possess some strength. But facing me, you will never pass!"
Priest Shura finished speaking, awaiting the Straw Hats' reaction.
However, the Straw Hats' response was rather anticlimactic.
"Who's this guy?" Luffy asked, casually picking his nose.
"He said his name is Priest Shura, and he's in charge of this ordeal," Sanji replied, lighting a cigarette.
"A 3% survival rate, huh? Isn't that a bit arrogant for someone with mediocre strength?" Zoro remarked, not even bothering to look directly at Shura.
Law leaned against the mast, arms crossed, a look of boredom on his face. He had no interest in dealing with such a character – just someone with a loud mouth but little actual ability.
Usopp sighed helplessly. "Hey, hey, he's still a priest, can't we at least show a little respect?"
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