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The skies above Skypiea were brighter than they had ever been.
The thunderclouds that once loomed over the land were gone, replaced by a vast expanse of blue. The oppressive hum of Enel's lightning had fallen silent. And yet, beneath that peace, questions lingered—questions that three girls couldn't ignore any longer.
Ethan stood at the edge of the Upper Yard, looking down over the skylands below. His coat fluttered gently in the high-altitude breeze, and he seemed lost in thought. His body bore the faint marks of battle—scorched fabric, traces of soot—but he stood tall, unshaken.
Robin, Vivi, and Kaya approached slowly.
Robin was the first to speak, her voice calm but probing. "You moved… like lightning itself."
Ethan didn't turn to face her, but he responded with a soft chuckle. "Bit ironic, isn't it? Considering who we just fought."
Vivi crossed her arms, a mix of concern and awe in her eyes. "You took Enel head-on, Ethan. No one has ever seen someone do that—not even flinch at his attacks. Not only did you keep up with him, but… it was like you knew what he was going to do."
Kaya stepped forward. "You said you didn't have a devil fruit. That you were just strong. But that… that was more than strong. You fought like a god."
Ethan sighed and turned to them at last. His expression was composed, yet there was a quiet weight behind his gaze, like he carried the burden of far more than just the battle they had survived.
"I've had some experience," he said simply.
Robin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Experience."
"That's all I'll say," Ethan replied, voice firm but not cold. "There are things in my past… I'm not ready to share."
The three girls exchanged glances. There was no hostility in Ethan's voice, but it was clear—this wasn't a matter of pride or arrogance. Whatever secrets he held, they weren't things he could simply hand over like a sword.
Robin, ever the scholar, didn't push further. "Fine. But one day, I'd like to know what kind of 'experience' lets someone deflect lightning with a blade."
Ethan smirked. "I'll tell you over a drink. Maybe two."
Kaya gave a small laugh, though there was a nervous edge to it. "So… were you holding back all this time?"
Ethan paused. He looked over the land again, his tone thoughtful. "Holding back? Not exactly. Let's just say… I pick my moments."
Before more could be said, a sudden boom echoed through the sky. A loud cheer erupted from the lower skylands—drums, horns, voices all raised in joyful unison.
"Sounds like word's spreading fast," Vivi said.
Indeed, it was.
In the streets of Angel Island, citizens gathered in droves. News had traveled faster than any waver could fly: Enel was defeated. The self-proclaimed god had been cast down by a stranger—no, a hero—who came from the Blue Sea. A man who stood up against lightning itself… and won.
There was chaos, of course. Not everyone knew how to react. Enel had ruled with fear, and many had resigned themselves to his "divine" rule. But now, that illusion was shattered. His priests were either in hiding or captured, his temple scorched, his golden ship floating lifeless above the ruins.
The people didn't mourn him.
Instead, they celebrated.
Children ran through the clouds waving flags, shouting Ethan's name. Elderly citizens cried tears of joy, remembering those they had lost under Enel's rule. Bells rang from the temple towers. Shops gave out free food. For the first time in years, the sky truly felt like a sanctuary.
"He really did it," one citizen said. "He took down a god."
"And he's not even from here!" another shouted. "Came from the Blue Sea and saved us all!"
The former supporters of Enel—those who had bowed and praised him out of fear—now found themselves uncertain. Without their "god," their place in the world was suddenly unclear. Some fled into hiding, while others sheepishly joined the celebration, unsure what else to do.
But the people didn't care. They had a new symbol now.
Not a god.
A hero.
Later that evening, Ethan and the girls sat around a fire near the edge of the cloud forest. Skypiean warriors had offered them a place of honor in their village, but Ethan had politely declined, preferring the quiet after the storm.
Robin leaned back on a mossy log, her eyes never straying far from Ethan.
"You don't talk much about yourself," she said, breaking the silence.
"I talk enough," Ethan replied.
Kaya poked at the fire with a stick. "It's just hard to believe you're the same guy who was joking around with us back at the beach a few days ago. Now you're the guy who beat a lightning god."
He looked up at the sky, expression unreadable. "I've worn many faces before."
Robin watched him carefully. "But this one feels real."
Ethan didn't respond.
Vivi smiled faintly. "Whatever your past is, Ethan… thank you. You didn't have to fight. But you did."
He gave her a sideways glance. "That's where you're wrong. I did have to."
The fire crackled, casting dancing shadows on his face.
"I've seen what happens when people like Enel go unchecked," he continued, voice low. "I couldn't watch that happen again. Not here. Not to you."
His words weren't just heroic—they were personal.
Something deeper lingered beneath them, something the girls didn't understand yet. But they didn't press him. They simply sat there, the fire warm, the air peaceful, the danger behind them… for now.
As the night deepened, the celebrations in the cities grew wilder.
A group of Skypiean youths gathered around a statue they had hastily built using scrap and stone. It didn't look much like Ethan, but it had a sword raised to the sky and a cape fluttering behind it. They lit torches around it, offering prayers—not of worship, but of gratitude.
"To the Hero of the Sky!"
"To the Thunder-Slayer!"
"May he never return to the Blue Sea!"
Of course, Ethan had no intention of staying. But for tonight, he let them believe. He didn't need their worship—only their freedom.
Back in the clearing, Kaya looked over at him. "So… will you tell us more one day?"
Ethan smiled softly. "Maybe. When the time is right."
Robin gave him a knowing look. "You don't strike me as the kind of man who gets involved without a reason."
"I don't."
"Then what's your reason now?" she asked.
He looked into the fire. "I'm chasing something. Or maybe… I'm running from something. Hard to tell these days."
Vivi leaned her head on Kaya's shoulder, watching the flames dance. "Whatever it is… we'll be with you."
He didn't answer, but the faintest smile touched his lips.
Far above them, on a broken piece of Enel's golden ark, the remnants of the priesthood gathered.
"What now?" one muttered. "Without Enel… we have nothing."
"No," another said, eyes gleaming. "We have something. That man… Ethan. He showed us something. Power beyond even godhood. Perhaps it's time… we follow a new god."
The wind howled through the shattered hull.
A storm had ended.
But another was just beginning.
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