"Enel! Bring your people and get out here!!!"
Hawke's voice echoed through the entire Sky Island.
"!!!"
In that instant, whether it was the Sky Island natives on Angel Island or the Shandians from the Cloud Hidden Village, everyone froze in place.
They immediately started rushing toward the source of the voice.
Something big was happening!
To directly call out the name of "God" on Sky Island…
That was an untouchable taboo, an act of blasphemy!
...
By the time they arrived, the central street had already been cleared out, leaving a wide-open space.
The man at the front led his subordinates, casually strolling and inspecting Angel Island.
Behind him, the Marines maintained basic vigilance while curiously glancing around at everything.
"Tap—"
Hawke stopped in front of a shop selling dials, picking up a shell and playing with it in his hand.
Good stuff...
Dials were a specialty of Sky Island.
Their primary function was to store a certain type of energy or substance and release it again later.
As long as the dial itself wasn't damaged, it could be used indefinitely—practically semi-permanent.
These could be bought in bulk to enhance the personal combat strength and offensive options of ordinary Marines at the G-3 branch.
Hawke's gaze swept over the shelves.
Depending on what they stored, there were various kinds of dials.
Flame Dials stored fire. Widely applicable—useful in battle or even for cooking.
Flash Dials stored light, releasing it in an instant.
Impact Dials absorbed shock and released it again, the most basic yet practical offensive tool.
...
Once the Marines fully secured Sky Island and eliminated the conflicts, the demand for combat dials here would drop.
When that time came, he could transport all these dial resources back to the branch.
Thinking of this, Hawke turned to the shopkeeper behind the counter and politely asked, "Boss, how much are these dials?"
"…"
The shopkeeper, a kindly-looking Sky Island native, looked at Hawke and the Marines behind him, momentarily stunned.
Who were these people?
Was that uniform the emblem of some major organization from the Blue Sea?
And why was that green-haired man carrying another blond man on his back?
But...
More importantly...
God was coming!
Realizing this, the well-meaning shopkeeper waved his hands frantically.
"Blue Sea people, take the dial in your hand! It's yours! But leave quickly!"
"God is coming!"
"…"
Hawke was about to reply.
And then—"BOOM!!!"
A blinding flash of lightning descended from the sky.
As the thunderlight faded, a figure appeared before the crowd.
Enel.
He swept his gaze around, scanning the Marines, until his eyes finally locked onto Hawke.
"So, it's you?"
"A worm from the Blue Sea…"
"How dare you call this god by name—"
Before Enel could finish his words, within his island-spanning Mantra, an incredibly fast shadow suddenly burst forth!
Danger!
An alarm rang violently in his mind. He had no time to think—his body instinctively turned to lightning to dodge.
However—
"THUD!!!"
A pitch-black fist, wreathed in a piercing shriek as it tore through the air, smashed straight into his face.
Why?!
Why had his Mantra failed to warn him in time?!
Why had his body been struck?!
"CRACK!"
The sound of teeth shattering was loud and clear.
"WHOOSH—"
Enel's body spun like a violently flung top, sent flying backward and crashing hard into the distant cloud wall, leaving a deep, man-shaped dent.
"…"
The entire street fell into dead silence.
Whether it was the trembling Sky Island natives nearby or the Shandians hiding behind distant cloudbanks, everyone stared in shock.
God...
Had just been punched away?
The one who commanded divine punishment, wielded thunder, and claimed omnipotence—Had just been sent flying like a beaten stray dog with a single punch?!
"Zzzzt—"
Sliding out of the crater, Enel staggered to the ground, sparks of chaotic lightning flickering wildly across his body.
Agonizing pain!
Unbearable agony surged from the left side of his face, the nerve signals stabbing into his brain like countless burning needles.
Clutching his now grotesquely swollen cheek, he stammered, "Y-You… you—!"
"You what?"
Hawke's cold voice sounded right next to Enel's ear.
Enel's head shot up—only to see a blur.
Where was he?!
He instantly compressed his Mantra's range to the extreme.
There!
To the left!
He was attacking from the left!
Without hesitation, Enel turned into lightning, flashing right to dodge.
This time, I'll evade—!
But the moment he moved, that dark figure appeared phantom-like right in his escape path, as if waiting for him all along.
Impossible?!
How did he know where I would dodge?!
A chilling realization crept into his chaotic mind.
This man's Mantra… was stronger than his own!
"THUD!!!"
Another iron-hard fist smashed into the opposite side of Enel's face.
Force, angle—perfectly precise.
"PUH—"
This time, blood mixed with shattered teeth burst from his mouth.
His body was hammered back to where he had started, his feet plowing two deep trenches into the cloud-covered ground.
Now, both sides of his face were swollen in perfect symmetry.
"Mmm…"
Hawke nodded in satisfaction at the sight.
Yes, that was better.
One-sided swelling looked ugly.
But symmetrical swelling… now that was pleasing to the eye.
"Zzzzt—"
"Zzzzt—"
Blinding arcs of lightning erupted wildly from Enel's body, chaotic electrical pulses forcibly jolting his muscles back into motion, forcing him upright once again.
"You… you actually…"
Enel glared at Hawke.
Pain, humiliation, and a fear he had never experienced before gnawed away at his so-called divine dignity like a swarm of ravenous insects.
He completely lost his composure.
"Divine Judgment!!!"
Enel roared in madness, raising his hands high.
In an instant, endless lightning from all directions converged.
They gathered into an enormous thunderball, vast enough to cover all of Angel Island.
"Yahahahaha—!"
"Pathetic mortals from the Blue Sea! You dare defy divine authority!"
"This god will reduce you and your people to ash!"
"I'll show you what true fear is! What divine punishment truly means!"
"Witness the wrath of God, insects!"
"Disappear—!"
"Step—"
Hawke stepped forward.
Every muscle in his body coiled like a tightly compressed spring, snapping into explosive tension.
In the next instant, he vanished, reappearing right before Enel, driving his fist forward.
It was a flawless, heaven-piercing straight punch.
Around his knuckles, Advanced Armament Haki condensed so densely it resembled a black hole, devouring all nearby light.
"SHLK—"
Time itself seemed to halt.
"…"
Enel slowly lowered his head, staring in disbelief at the gaping hole punched clean through his chest.
High above, the massive golden thunderball flickered several times… then quietly dissolved into scattered sparks, vanishing into the air.
Silence returned to the world.
Hawke slowly withdrew his fist and spoke calmly.
"Enel… you talk too much."