"Luffy, be careful!" Nami calls down to him.
"Kick his ass, captain!" I scream.
Eneru glares over at us, causing Nami to slap her hands over her mouth, but I just smirk back at him with a strong urge to flip him the bird that I have to push down. Then he lets out a chuckle. "I can hear it, the last supper of the angels! The inhabitants seem to have learned the fate of Skypiea." Another chuckle that is starting to really drive me up the wall. "I wonder how far they'll get before the ground disappears out from under them."
"And you call yourself a Kami!?" Luffy hollers.
"You'll see."
Luffy doesn't waste any more time and starts charging up the gangplank at top speed. About halfway up, he reaches out for a propellor, grabbing the main part and flinging himself to the top of it to be at the same level as the rest of us. His eyebrows are furrowed in anger as he rushes towards Eneru.
"Ah, so you're not a normal human being either, are you?" Eneru muses. "But you're just a simple Paramecia type. You're no match for me!" His arm turns into a lightning bolt that he is charging up. "You are completely powerless against me! That is why I am the Kami! El Thor!" He lets the lightning go straight for Luffy, and there really is nowhere to run.
"Luffy!" Nami screams.
Another scream fills the air, which means that Luffy didn't come to this area alone. It sounds like a small girl, which might be Aisa that Wyper was worried about when the giant snake was zapped by Eneru. If she is down there hiding, I hope that she keeps hidden away.
"Wait," I mumble.
A blinding flash hides everything before everything comes back into focus. The rock wall of the cave behind us crumbles from the impact of the lightning blast. There's no way that a normal person would have been able to survive that, but we aren't dealing with normal at the moment.
"Luffy," Nami cries, placing her hands on her face in horror.
"Oh Luff," I happily sigh as it is revealed that he is still standing on the wall with Eneru.
Luffy looks around with his lips pulled in like he was holding his breath. A breath that he lets out before looking back over at us with a slight tilt of his head. He's confused, and honestly, he probably isn't the only one.
"Looks like you were able to dodge that one!" Eneru starts twirling his golden staff as a way of charging up his lightning.
Nami gives me a small shove, getting me to look over at her. Her eyes are wide as she shakes her head. "Dodge?"
"Maybe," I look back to see Luffy not moving a muscle as a giant lightning dragon is being formed from Eneru.
"Six-million-volt Lightning Dragon!" The bolt from Eneru flies right through the spot where Luffy was just standing.
"Luffy!" Nami screams.
In the next second, it reveals that the boy is still standing there.
"I hope it isn't messing with how soft his hair is," I pout.
Eneru leaps into a flash of lightning to be on Luffy in the blink of an eye and placing his arm right at his throat. "One-hundred-million-volt Varie!"
This time there is no doubt that Luffy is hit this time, but once again, he is not affected by the lightning. There's no way that he could be, considering the fact that he's a rubber man. Even I know that lightning can't do a thing against rubber.
"STOP IT!" Luffy shoves Eneru off him.
Nami grabs my arm, shaving me as her eyes widen and mouth falls open at the scene before us.
"Way to go, Captain!" I cheer.
Eneru's eyes have gone wide and his mouth hands open in the complete shock at seeing someone not being hurt by what he believed to be the greatest power in the world. Somehow, he breaks himself out of the trance and starts to shake his head. Probably trying to calm himself down in order to fight back against someone he thought should be no trouble.
Luffy lets out a fighting cry as he rushes at Eneru. If he was anyone, had eaten any other Devil Fruit, this would not be playing out like this. However, when his foot collides with Eneru's stomach, the pathetic god is thrown across the deck like any other human would be.
"Lightning power is completely useless!" Nami gasps. "Not even Eneru could have imagined that someone in the world where his lightning would be useless."
"Luffy is Eneru's one and only natural enemy," I grin, watching as the boy hops down onto the deck and saunters up to Eneru. His clothes might be all in taters, and there's dirt and grim all over him that probably came from being inside the giant snake, and his hat might be hanging around his next by the string to reveal his complete mess of hair, but I still think he looks handsome. My heartrate still seems to pick up watching him fight. "Kick his ass."
"We can actually defeat Eneru," Nami lets out a breath.
It doesn't take long for Eneru to stir and then jump back up onto the wall. "What is it with you!?" There's blood dripping from his nose, and some already drying around his mouth.
"I'm Luffy! I'm a pirate, and I'm a rubber man." Luffy answers like it is the most obvious thing in the world.
"Rubber?"
I blink a few times to try and wrap my head around the question he just asked. It wouldn't make sense that he's confused that Luffy is made of rubber, as he knows that Devil Fruits can give a person any range of abilities. If that isn't it, then he must be confused on what rubber is, and the only way that is possible if it doesn't exist up here in the White-White Sea. Eneru can't believe that someone is immune to his lightning because he doesn't even know of the object that can be. I'm not sure how that helps us in this moment, but it is interesting how our two worlds are different in such a small way.
"Lightning won't work against me!" Luffy breaks into a sprint right at Eneru. He gris his bicep as he sends his arm back to get ready for a punch.
"Mantra," Eneru closes his eyes, and then easily dodges the punch.
"Gum-Gum Whip!" He spins around before sending his leg flying at Eneru who zaps away to be behind him. With a grunt, he turns around, jumping up and slapping his feet together as he is aimed right at Eneru's face.
Instead of just dodging like the previous times, Eneru uses his golden staff to swipe at Luffy's legs to send him flying face first into the deck. Then he slams his staff into Luffy's back, causing the boy to bounce into the air before flipping him over to have access at his neck. He shoves the end of the staff right into Luffy's neck and holds him against the cabin wall.
"Luffy!" Nami and I blurt out.
Luffy's arms and legs hang limply as he chokes on what little air he can suck in. It isn't a way that I like seeing him, but ever since I witness him being stabbed by Crocodile, I'm not as quick to expect the absolute worst when he's down in a fight.
"Don't get so cocky, boy," Eneru snaps.
Luffy's tongue pops out, and I can tell that he's not really listening.
"Electrocution isn't the only way to use lightning. If I know that won't work, there are other ways of fighting."
Luffy growls, grabbing at the staff to try and get it off his throat.
"Attacks won't work either!" He vanishes into a lightning bolt before reappearing on the side wall.
"Damn it! He's got that power that lets him read my moves!"
"We were able to beat dumpling man, Luffy!" I shout. "There has to be a way to get around his mantra!"
"Luminous Forge!" Eneru's hands become sparking bolts as the staff starts to change into a different shape. He's using his lightning powers to be able to mold the gold into whatever weapon he desires.
"The staff is transforming into a trident!" Nami exclaims.
"Anything sharp can still hurt him, so now he needs to be more careful," I grimace. "I'm not sure that word is in his vocabulary though."
Eneru points the now sharp golden trident at Luffy. "Think of it as lightning in a form! I don't have time to play around with you!" He jabs his trident at Luffy as it sparks with lightning, but Luffy quickly and easily jumps up and onto to the giant face. This causes Eneru to burst out laughing. "Ah, so your weakness is sharp objects."
"That's right."
"Don't tell him that!" Nami snaps.
"It was only a matter of time before he figured it out," I add.
"That doesn't mean he should confirm it!"
"Gum-Gum!" Luffy pushes off the face, aiming to land right on Eneru. "Gat-"
The word isn't even halfway out of his mouth before the lightning man disappears in a flash.
"Watch out Luffy!" I shout. "He could be anywhere!"
"Luffy, behind you!" Aisa screams. Not really hiding as much as she should by screaming like that.
Eneru pops back into existence behind Luffy, which means he traveled through the gold of the face. There's no other way he could just disappear and then reappear like that. He's using the gold to his advantage to travel around.
"Damn it!" I growl.
With no time to get out of the way, Luffy can only wiggle around in the air to try and dodge the trident that Eneru now possesses. Even if I can't see his face, I know that Luffy is glaring and gritting his teeth at the man that has appeared behind him.
Eneru jabs at Luffy with his trident, and from down on the ground it looks to go straight through him. However, there's no blood, and Luffy doesn't let out any grunt of pain. The trident has missed spearing Luffy in the side by mere centimeters, and he's grabbed onto the handle part to try and use it as leverage against Eneru. Except it isn't a cool piece of gold that it must have been when it was only a staff.
"That's hot!" Luffy hisses as his hands smoke, and he quickly releases his hold.
Eneru lets out a laugh, "Electricity doesn't work, but the electrical heat stored in the trident is another story!"
There's no time to waste as the two fly through the air, so Luffy inflates his foot to become giant. "Gum-Gum Battle-axe!" His foot comes crashing down on Eneru, sending the jerk right into the golden deck.
"Dodge that, bitch," I sneer.
It takes a few seconds for the dust and smoke to settle, but when it does, Eneru bursts up out of it without his trident in his hand. "Why, you little twit!"
"Gum-Gum!" Luffy doesn't even hesitate to go into his next attack. "Gatling!" His fists are flying at such a high speed that it looks like he's grown a dozen more.
For most opponents, it would be difficult to dodge this barrage of fists, but Eneru possesses the ability to know what is coming at him before it even happens. He easily grabs Luffy's wrists to stop the punches.
"Huh?" he grits out; his jaw tightly clenched.
"Your hands haven't truly multiplied!" Eneru slams Luffy face-first into the deck.
"Luffy!" Nami blurts out.
"I thought that Mantra was annoying when Mr. Dumpling was using it, but this is another level," I cross my arms as I roll my eyes.
"A scenic tour of Skypiea," Eneru picks up his trident and begins to twirl it. Then he starts heading for his throne. "Seems like you came at a bad time for it, Blue Sea Man. I am the Kami!" He wipes the blood off his chin. "Everything bends to my will! I am creating the world as I see fit! I can't let a little runt who appeared out of somewhere in the Blue Sea ruin my plans. What do you say? Care to watch it with me? See the destruction of the whole island!" He laughs as he reaches his throne, but he doesn't take a seat. Instead, he grabs two spheres off to each side on his elegant seat.
"Oh no!" Nami exclaims.
"This isn't good!" I add.
"Maximum two-hundred-million-volt varie!" Eneru shouts as he lets loose all of his power through his hands into the spheres that must be connected to the rest of the ship's inner works.
All the propellors and oars start moving as the electricity is coursing through the gold that is the entire arc. Even with how big this thing is, it doesn't take long for us to begin liftoff from the ground, and it won't be much longer until we are out of the cave and into the open air.
"Luffy! Nami! Other pretty girl!" Aisa screams.
I look over to where Luffy is still facedown in the deck that has surprising splintered due to the force he was slammed into it. "Looks like we weren't able to stop this damn ark before it took flight, so now the plan has to change a bit."
"What plan?" Nami looks are at me with wide eyes. "There hasn't been a plan since I decided to drag you up here."
"Look...It's floating," Eneru almost sounds shocked at his own feat. "The ark that will take me to Endless Varse...Maxim!"
Luffy, with his eyebrows furrowed in anger, starts to push himself out of the hole he was slammed into. The dirt is mixing with the blood from the few scrapes that he's incurred.
The waver falls over as we start climbing even higher, and Nami has a tight grip on my hand. The cave we're in has started to crumble around us as we life higher. "No, no, no. We we're supposed to escape. Luffy was supposed to defeat Eneru."
"He still will, calm down." I grimace as I try to pull my hand out of hers.
"No, wait, we can't defeat Eneru now. If we do, then the ship will fall, and it will crush so much. But if we don't defeat him, then Skypiea is still going to be destroyed. But if we stay, we'll be taken far away and everyone else needs our help. Gah!" She lets go of my hand, collapsing onto the deck. "What do we do!?"
"Take a deep breath!" I shake out my hand that was in her grip.
"Luffy!" she cries. "We're-"
"Quit you're worrying!" Luffy snaps, fully standing up. Then he tosses his straw hat over to us, which I easily catch and place on my head. "Listen to Akari!"
"But! But!"
"You're a crewmate of the future King of the Pirates, so stop looking so pathetic!"
"I'll knock some sense into her, captain," I grin, not even flinching when a large chunk of the cave lands nearby.
"King of the Pirates?" Eneru scoffs. He's no longer holding the spheres, meaning that he doesn't have to keep supplying the ark electricity. The trident is back in his hand, and he's looking over at Luffy with disdain. "In control of what Kingdom?"
I shake my head, already knowing that it isn't a place that Luffy is one day going to be the king of. The King of the Pirates isn't about ruling over a place. It is more of an idea. It is a feeling for the one that can travel the seas with the most freedom. All I have ever wanted in my life is to be next to Luffy when he reaches that goal. A queen in the same way that he has dreamed of being king. It is moments like this one that hit home how perfect it is that I have been link with him.
The ark bursts through the cave, shocking us all for a few seconds. No longer are we trapped and wondering if this solid gold ark can actually fly, but now we can actually see the sky above us. And we can totally fly with the electricity that courses through Eneru's veins.
"King of the majestic oceans of the world!" Luffy firmly answers.
"That's quite impressive," Eneru smirks. "Let's finish our business here in the sky!" He bursts into laughter as rocks, trees, and anything else in the path of the ark are destroy.
I place my hand on top of head to keep the straw hat secure as the wind has now kicked up do to all the propellers that are running. "I don't think we're actually moving anymore. I think we got stuck." I let out a small huff of a laugh.
"The ark's final act is primed and ready. I call it Deathpiea. It will redeem this world of despair."
Luffy's eyebrows are drawn together as his mouth is in a straight line. He's not impressed with this guy in the slightest, and I'm getting sick of Eneru with each second as well.
A loud hiss fills the air, getting the three of us to look up at the smokestack that is coming out of the center of the ship. Before it was just a part that I wasn't giving much thought about, but now that it is spewing out smoke, I am concerned about what the plan for it is.
Nami stumbles to her feet. Her eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "What is that!?"
"That is concerning," I nod.
Eneru's laugh has become even louder and more crazed since this new device has begun to work. "That's right." His smirk turns a bit eviler. "It's a lightning cloud. With my energy, Deathpiea will spew out a massive jet stream made of lightning clouds!"
"Lightning clouds?" Nami trembles.
"It is such a dark cloud," I mumble.
"Eventually, the clouds will accumulate energy, and they will envelop all of Skypiea in darkness. At my bidding, they will become dozens of lightning bolts, and annihilate the whole country!"
My nose scrunches in absolute disgust as I can't think of a single word to describe the anger that is boiling inside me.
"Like this." He raises his hand, and then a giant lightning bolt strikes some place on the island. With a simple thought, he has no doubt destroyed a large chunk of the civilization here.
"How can you just terrorize those people!" I scream. "They've done everything you've asked! You're despicable!"
"I'm just teasing the angels," he laughs.
"Just because you're the Kami doesn't give you the right to just destroy everything!" Luffy explodes.
"Yes it does," Eneru deadpans. "I can eradicate life and land completely."
"Can and should are two completely different words, asshole," I sneer.
"You're quite naïve, sweetheart," he glances over at me. "Now, I'll make you're annoying friend disappear! The preparations for the feast are underway!" He stabs at Luffy with his trident, but the boy easily dodges.
"Do not call her sweetheart!" Luffy's eyes are burning with anger even more now, and if he clenches his jaw any harder he's going to break it.
In the blink of an eye, he's sending his foot flying at Eneru's face, but the power of Mantra gives him the edge to dodge. At the same time, he sends his trident at Luffy once more, and this time Luffy uses his bare foot to push it away. I'm not sure if he reacts too quickly before is brain is able to produce a single thought, of if he just forgets certain things moments after he learns them. Regardless, the trident is still extremely hot, so a millisecond later he is pulling his scorched foot away.
"Yowch!" He blows on his foot as best he can; not that it is probably helping all that much.
Eneru chuckles, "It's a high-voltage trident!" Then he's charging at Luffy and rapidly stabbing at him.
Luffy punches the trident out of the way with his fists in a circular motion as he is forced backwards. Each grunt is clearly one of pain as the electricity coursing through the trident is heating it up past even Luffy's ability to handle pain.
"Luffy! Stop touching it!" I scream.
"Ouch!" He jumps out of the way as the trident is stabbed into the railing he's been back up to. "Hot! Hot!" He frantically blows on his swollen and red hands.
My eyes widen as I watch the railing disintegrate into ash.
"Damn! The railing turned to ashes! Argh! I've got to do something about that damn power that predicts my moves!" He grits through his teeth. "Oh!" All the anger rolls off him with whatever idea has popped into his head. "Gum-Gum Space Out!"
"Luffy! What are you doing!?" Nami cries.
I burst into laughter.
Somehow, Luffy has pushed every single thought from his mind. His eyes are lidded, his mouth open slightly, and his nostrils have become larger for some reason. A thought doesn't stay in Luffy's head for long anyways, as he's not afraid to say the first thing that pops up, but this is a mode that I have never seen from him before.
"Akari, this isn't funny!" Nami gives me a shove.
"It's hilarious!" I gasp out, trying my hardest to stop laughing but failing miserably.
Eneru stabs at him with the trident, but Luffy seems to float out of the way. "What!?" He frantically jabs at Luffy more, but the boy is like a jellyfish that keeps dodge each and every attempt to harm him.
Even if this is quite stupid, it is genius in a way that Luffy would come up with an idea where he would be able to dodge the harmful attacks from Eneru's searing trident. He's using only his instincts, which means that there isn't a thought in his head that Eneru can use to predict his movements.
Luffy jumps high into the air, flipping backwards to add a bit of style. He lands behind Eneru, snapping out of his thoughtless state. "Since I'm not thinking," he huffs as he takes deep breaths, "I also can't attack."
"Are you stupid!?" Nami screams.
"He's just Luffy!" I giggle.
"If I could just catch him, then I wouldn't have such a disadvantage," Luffy grunts. "Oh!" His face flashes with the surprise of another idea that has wiggled into his mind. "Gum-Gum Octopus." His voice warbles out as his limbs become totally limp.
"Enough with the goofy moves!" Nami scolds.
"Do whatever you have to in order to kick his ass!" I raise my hands into the air for a moment as large smile takes over my face.
Luffy quits with the octopus move, looking all over the ark's face.
"It seems that you aren't a fan of Mantra," Eneru smirks. "That's understandable. It's one of the powers that makes me invincible!"
"That looks like a good spot!" Luffy nods before bounding over to the throne. "Gum-Gum!"
"Whatever you're going to try, there's nothing going for you other than being impervious to lightning!" Eneru whips around to face Luffy.
"Is he punching and kicking the ship?" My eyebrows furrow together as my head tilts to the side.
"Why is he doing that to the ship!?" Nami groans.
Luffy is kicking and punching the wall behind the throne, and his arms and legs are going everywhere. "Octopus Fireworks!"
"Fool! You can't hit me!" Eneru starts rushing towards Luffy. "Are you trying to damage my ship! It's futile! Whatever you are doing!"
Except, it isn't. Luffy doesn't let up with punching or kicking the ship, and his limbs keep flying back behind him without rhyme or reason. Since he's not thinking about where his punches are going to land, it is impossible for Eneru to use his Mantra to dodge the attacks that are coming his way. They don't all hit, but enough are connecting with Eneru to send him flying back. He's in shock, and now he's also hurt enough to struggle to get up now that he's down. There's fresh blood dripping down his chin, and I can't tell if the feeling in my stomach is giddiness or I'm about to vomit.
Nami lets out a shocked breath.
"I won't let you get away!" Luffy bellows, turning around to attack Eneru head on now. "Gum-Gum!"
"Wait!" Eneru grunts as he forces himself to his feet.
"Bazooka!" Luffy's palms slam right into Eneru's gut.
A pained grunt leaves his mouth as more blood drips from his mouth and nose before he crumples to the ground. The amount of effort he's putting into trying to get back up means he can now predict Luffy's attacks, but he doesn't have the energy to get to his feet anymore. He's at the mercy of Luffy, and that boy doesn't have any mercy for this despicable man.
"Gum-Gum!" He starts running towards where Eneru is crumpled on the ground while also sending his arm back and twisting it as many times as possible.
Eneru's eyes widen as he realizes he is not going to be able to avoid this attack no matter how much he tries. With that settling in his mind, he lets out a loud scream before he is silenced by Luffy's fist slamming into his torso.
Time slows down at Eneru is flung back once more, hitting the wall is the only thing that stops him. And this time he doesn't make any move to get back up. I doubt that he's taking this as defeat, but he knows that if he gets back up now, he's only going to be pummeled more as there's no way he can dodge attacks in his condition. The only thing that is troubling is how the ark is still rising, and I'm not sure we have the power to stop it at this point.
"Unbelievable," I breath out.
Luffy's breath is coming out in little huffs, and I want to go over and make sure that he's okay. To kiss all the scrapes and bruises that litter his face. To just be near him after so much time apart.
"He did it!" Nami blurts out. "But the ark!"
"There's probably something we can do," I look at her, pushing my wants to the side for now. "But this is bigger than any ship I've ever seen, and we have no idea what we're looking for to get this hunk of gold safely down on the ground."
"There's still the issue of that giant lightning cloud."
"You are the one who knows weather better than any of us, so you should be able to figure it out," I tease.
Luffy lets out a huff of shock.
Nami and I look over to see Eneru is actually forcing himself to his feet.
He is grunting and struggling with his breathing, but he still somehow pushes his body inch by inch to stand. "Once I get rid of you, I will rule the world. Yes, everybody will fear and worship me again!"
I take in a sharp breath, looking away as the blood dripping from his mouth is starting to freak me out.
"They will revere me! Even your precious little sweetheart will be on my side. Yes, my world..." He groans as he fully stands up. "You are no match for me. Nothing is impossible for me! For I am the omnipotent Kami!"
It is at this moment that the ark finally breaks through the rocks of the cave and now we are completely airborne. The ark can finally start heading towards its destination of Endless Varse, a place I never wanted to go in the first place.
"Behold, Rubber Man. Witness the despair of a falling island. No one can stop it now!"
"QUIT IT!" Luffy screams, rushing right at Eneru with his fist out in front of him.
"Luffy!" I scream.
Eneru turns around, shoving his hands into the gold wall to turn a section of it into molten gold that he can then bend to his will with his electricity. "Luminous..."
"What? The gold wall!"
"Forge!" With the gold under his will, he encases Luffy's arm with a giant golden ball that must be hot and heavier than anything Luffy's had to carry.
"OUCH! That's hot!" Luffy screams.
"Luffy!" Nami and I scream, but there's nothing that we can do other than that.
"Gah," Eneru falls to his knees. The power it took to do the previous attack has drained him of the little energy he had built up. Not enough that he can't laugh, though.
"What did you do!" Luffy pushes against the gold ball, doing whatever he can to try and get his arm free. "My arm is stuck! I can't get it out! What!?"
"He can't stop Luffy any other way than that," I shake my head. "He can't admit defeat, so he's putting Luffy out of commission."
"Rubber Man from the Blue Sea," Eneru huffs out. "There is no need for me to do battle with you."
"Let me go, you jackass!" Luffy exclaims, ignoring the bullshit coming from Eneru.
"I can't risk battling you and having you injure me anymore." He kicks the golden ball, sending it over the ships edge. "Let's just art ways here, why don't we. This golden ball is for your valiant effort in battle. You can keep it!"
"Whoa, whoa! Argh!" Luffy slams back against the railing. His face screwed up in pain, anger, and determination as his arm stretches to its limit.
"Luffy!" Nami and I exclaim.
"ARGH!"
"Once I've disposed of you, then everything can return to normal. It's my world!" Eneru smirks. "There is nobody left who can defeat me!"
"Nobody?" Luffy snaps. "There are tons of people who can defeat you! In the sea below, there are tons of men who are like monsters! You're just!"
"You need to learn to keep quiet!" Eneru rushes forward, swiping Luffy's feet out from under him. "You and the Sky Island can fall together!"
"You're just a!" Luffy's eyes are wide, and his jaw is clenched as he tries to get the words out, but then he is quickly falling through the clouds.
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Hope you enjoyed reading! This has been so much fun to write, and I am just excited for what is to come. I can't believe the Skypiea arc is now in the final stretch. Anyways, I would love to know what you thought! :D