Enel's corpse lay sprawled across the cloud-covered ground.
In his wide, lifeless eyes, a faint trace of light still lingered — not fear, not pain, but pure, incomprehensible disbelief.
Until his last breath, he couldn't understand why his proud "Mantra" and "Lightning" were so fragile before this man, as if they were nothing more than a thin sheet of paper.
"..."
"The god is dead."
That thought, like a silent current, instantly surged into the minds of every single Sky Island resident present.
Whether it was the natives of Angel Island nearby or the Shandians peeking from behind distant clouds, they all froze.
They stared at Enel's gradually cooling corpse, holding their breath.
The terror who ruled the skies for six long years, wielding lightning as his scepter and Mantra as his eyes and ears, was… dead?
A small Sky Island child pointed at the lifeless body, breaking the deathly silence with his soft, innocent voice.
"Mom… God isn't moving anymore."
"Boom—!"
That sentence instantly detonated everyone's emotions.
An elderly Sky Islander's cloudy eyes flooded with tears in an instant. His knees gave out, and he pressed his palms together, kneeling toward Hawke.
"It's over… it's really… over…"
He would never forget how his wife, who once whispered just a small complaint — "God's demands are far too much" — had been struck by a divine bolt from the heavens, reduced to a charred corpse.
...
Such atrocities had been happening every single day for the past six years.
Sky Islanders lived in constant fear, not daring to even think a single disrespectful thought, like livestock waiting for the butcher's blade.
But now, the butcher was dead.
The oppressive, unending storm cloud hanging over their heads… was gone!
They wanted to laugh, to scream, to celebrate with abandon.
But…
No one dared to make a sound.
All eyes converged on Hawke.
He had crushed Enel with overwhelming force, erasing him as though he were nothing.
A god had fallen.
Would another, even more terrifying god rise to take his place?
Everyone waited, holding their breath, for Hawke to speak.
His words would decide the future of Sky Island.
"…"
Hawke could sense their emotions clearly.
Joy. Awe. And a faint, unspoken fear.
Were they afraid he would become the next Enel?
He wouldn't.
The reason he came to Sky Island was mainly for the ancient, slumbering Golden City.
With that enormous wealth, the Marines wouldn't have to rely on the World Government's funding for a long time.
As for killing Enel — that was just removing an entrenched evil along the way.
With that thought, Hawke's gaze shifted toward the system notification.
[Ding!]
[Host has killed Enel, the destroyer of his hometown Bika, gaining 50,000 Justice Points!]
[Current Justice Points: 54,091.]
Oda had given Enel a bounty exceeding 500 million Belly.
Not bad.
A pity though.
Despite wielding the Logia Rumble-Rumble Fruit — one of the Top-Tier fruits — Enel used it in the crudest way possible, venting his cruelty and arrogance rather than realizing its full potential.
For an evil perched so high above the world, how could Hawke ever tolerate it?
He was just about to speak, intending to calm the residents of Sky Island.
Suddenly— "Whoosh!"
A massive shadow swooped down from above.
A giant crimson-feathered bird landed, and standing on its back was a man wearing sunglasses, holding a long spear.
God's Priest, Shura.
Immediately after—
"Hou, houhouhou!"
A fat, round man floated in from another direction, wearing strange cloud-walking shoes.
God's Priest, Satori.
Following his laughter, dozens of winged warriors wielding spears emerged from behind the clouds, surrounding the Marines entirely.
"Blue Sea people… die!"
Another voice roared as a tall man wielding a flaming longsword approached, accompanied by his massive war hound.
God's Priest, Ohm.
Lastly, a man with a blank expression and empty eyes came tumbling headfirst from the clouds.
God's Priest, Gedatsu.
The Four Priests… had gathered.
...
They surveyed the crowd, their faces twisted with savagery and confusion.
Then their gazes fell on the lifeless body lying on the ground.
All four froze, eyes bulging, jaws hanging open, snot dripping from their noses.
"!!!"
"Enel-sama?!"
"No way! Enel-sama is invincible!"
They couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
Finally, their furious eyes locked onto Hawke.
"You!"
"Blue Sea man, what did you do to Enel-sama?!"
"..."
Hawke turned his head, glancing at Zoro and Sanji.
The two of them — one the branch's strongest swordsman, the other its top chef and hidden ace — had earned enough military merit during the Mock Town operation.
Technically speaking, directly promoting both of them to Marine Headquarters officers wouldn't be unreasonable.
However…
Looking at the two, who were still bickering in hushed tones, Hawke's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
Healthy competition… was the best catalyst for growth.
"Zoro. Sanji."
"Go stretch your muscles."
He pointed at the four Priests, who still hadn't grasped the situation.
"Four of them. Two each. Whoever finishes first gets promoted to Headquarters Lieutenant Commander."
"The slower one… only gets Headquarters Lieutenant."
"!!!"
At those words, both Zoro and Sanji whipped their heads toward Hawke, stunned.
Hawke… was promoting them?! Straight from Third-Class Soldiers to full Headquarters Officers?!
"…"
But shock turned to elation in an instant.
Then elation turned into burning fighting spirit.
Lieutenant Commander? That was obviously theirs.
Lieutenant? That was obviously the other guy's.
"Moss-head!"
Sanji leapt off Zoro's shoulders, landing with a thud.
"This time, I'm taking the win!"
Lieutenant Commander!
As long as he beat this brain-dead, directionless idiot to defeat his opponent, he'd secure that rank!
He'd be above Zoro!
Just imagining Zoro having to salute him in the future, respectfully calling him "Lieutenant Commander Sanji," sent Sanji's blood boiling with excitement.
"Heh—"
Zoro chuckled lightly, slowly drawing the Wado Ichimonji from his waist. With his thumb, he gently caressed the blade.
"Keep dreaming. That rank is mine."
"You're full of crap! This time, I'll definitely crush you!!!"
Sanji roared.
He spun on his heel, crouched low, his right leg coiled like a compressed spring.
In the very next instant—
"BOOM—!"
Sanji's figure blurred into a black streak, shooting straight toward the Four Priests!
His speed was explosive — so fast that the air around him screamed from the friction, and with a sharp "fwoosh," his pants leg ignited, red flames licking his ankle.
The fire danced like a living spirit.
"Priests, go to hell!!!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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