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"By the way, this is probably the third time today," Ikki shook his head and looked helplessly at his friends.
"No, it's the first," Robin smiled, holding her sword. "To be precise, this is the first time 'today' someone has invited us to become partners... sorry, to become subordinates."
Though Enel had just demonstrated his power as a Logia fruit user, Robin wasn't scared with Ikki nearby.
"Really? It's already the second day," Ikki raised his head to look at the star-filled sky, speaking in a calm tone.
His flat response made the proud Enel immediately frown.
"Ignoring me? It seems I need to teach you the difference between a mortal and a god," Enel said. "Don't think you can disrespect my majesty just because you defeated my priest and cut through my lightning."
"Thirty Million Volts Thunder Bird!" Enel struck the drum on his right shoulder with his golden staff, using his Rumble-Rumble Fruit powers to create a thunderbird filled with terrifying lightning that rushed toward Ikki and the others.
Seeing this, Ikki made no move to counter it. There was even a hint of amusement on his face.
"Pierce, Gonryōmaru!" Nami quickly drew her sword and pointed it at the thunderbird.
Her Zanpakutō transformed into a western-style longsword as purple lightning flashed across her body.
Then something happened that surprised Enel—the thunderbird that had been charging toward Nami stopped for a moment, then turned around and flew back at Enel.
Caught off guard, Enel was struck by his own attack. Though it didn't harm him, it was enough to make him both surprised and angry.
"Woman, you controlled my lightning?" Enel stood up from his throne and walked toward Nami with a hostile expression.
His eyes fixed on Gonryōmaru, now wrapped in purple lightning. With his ability to sense electricity, he could detect the considerable thunder power contained in the Zanpakutō.
"Hehe, you were right, Ikki," Nami smiled happily. "Using Gonryōmaru, I can control this guy's lightning."
Enel didn't answer her but turned to look at Ikki instead, veins popping out on his forehead.
"Abominable woman, tainting the power of God! You must be punished!" Enel shouted. "Sixty Million Volts Thunder Dragon!"
Enel struck the drums on both sides of his body, forming a thunder dragon that rushed toward Nami.
Facing this thunder dragon, twice as powerful as the previous thunderbird, Nami fearlessly raised Gonryōmaru and pointed it at the attack, intending to control it just as she had before.
This time, the control didn't go as smoothly. Nami frowned slightly, redirecting the thunder dragon so it brushed past Ikki and the others, striking the forest behind them.
"Manipulated again?" Enel stared at Nami in disbelief.
But Nami wasn't satisfied with her control of the thunder dragon.
"I couldn't direct it back at him. Am I still too weak?" she whispered.
"Gonryōmaru is a Zanpakutō that can change the sky and guide thunder," Ikki explained. "But a Zanpakutō in Shikai state has limited powers. With your current ability, you're doing well. If you were much stronger than him, you might be able to control his body directly with your Zanpakutō."
"I see... then let me try my Bankai," Nami smirked, as if she'd found a new toy to play with, and looked at the still-dazed Enel.
"Bankai: Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū!" (Golden Lightning Palace)
With a crackle of energy, a powerful aura erupted from Nami's body. She pointed Gonryōmaru toward the sky, and the entire Sky Island was suddenly shrouded in dark clouds. Golden lightning flashed continuously within them.
"What's happening?" The Sky Island natives dropped to their knees in fear when they saw the golden thunder filling the sky. "Is God angry? Please, God, calm down and don't punish us!"
Though this golden thunder was different from the blue-white lightning Enel typically used, they still attributed it to him.
Except for a certain Shandian.
"How is it, Aisa? Can you sense anything?" On the other side of Sky Island, the Shandian warrior Wyper approached Aisa with a serious expression.
The thunder in the sky gave him an ominous feeling, so he turned to Aisa, who could use Mantra (their name for Observation Haki).
"It doesn't seem to be Enel's power," Aisa opened her eyes and looked curiously toward the sanctuary where Enel, Ikki, and the others were confronting each other.
"Not Enel? What do you mean?" Wyper asked.
"Some Blue Sea people arrived, and they're facing Enel now. That golden thunder seems to be caused by one of them—a woman with orange hair."
"Blue Sea people? And one can control thunder like Enel?" Wyper's eyes widened in disbelief. Then they lit up with hope.
"If they can create such a disturbance, those Blue Sea people might cause trouble for Enel," he realized. "If we attack now, we might be able to reclaim our homeland and rescue our captured leader."
Wyper clenched his fists and turned toward the door.
"Wyper, where are you going?" Aisa called, quickly catching up to him.
"To gather our warriors. We're going to Enel's location to take back what belongs to our ancestors," Wyper replied, his voice filled with determination.
"This is... Bankai?" Enel gaped, his eyes as wide as possible.
After a long moment, he finally found his voice and stared at the Gonryōmaru in Nami's hands.
"Woman, are you using your weapon to control the sky?" he asked.
"If I say yes, what will you do, 'God'?" Nami challenged.
"Give it to me! A mortal like you doesn't deserve such a weapon!" Enel's eyes burned with desire.
Even with his Rumble-Rumble Fruit abilities, he needed to use the Ark Maxim he had built to create thunder that could affect the entire sky. But Nami had done the same with just a small sword. How could he not covet it?
The next moment, Enel's body transformed into a flash of blue light as he rushed toward Nami. Two thunder dragons formed around him, targeting Ikki and the others standing beside her.