"Since they're coming, let's deal with all of them," Zesu said indifferently.
As a god, he naturally could not allow his true emotions to show.
The anger from before faded quickly, and his expression returned to calm. The High Priest, bowing below, failed to notice the change.
No matter how strong mortals were, they could never compare to a god. Gods were invincible.
"No. We can't kill them outright. That would be too easy," Zesu continued coolly. "Those who dare challenge the dignity of a god must suffer a fate worse than death."
His voice was calm, yet filled with unquestionable authority.
"Yes, God. We must not let these Blue Sea people off lightly," the High Priest replied at once, nodding repeatedly.
"They've arrived," Zesu said, lifting his head and gazing into the distance.
His Observation Haki range was decent. From far away, he had already sensed a large group of unfamiliar presences approaching.
These were the Blue Sea people who had inflicted heavy losses on Birka.
"Let's go," Zesu said as he stepped down from the high platform. "I want to see what these Blue Sea people are like."
Teach, for his part, felt a flicker of surprise.
From afar, his own Observation Haki had detected plenty as well.
This so-called god was interesting. Not only was he fairly strong, he was also a Devil Fruit user.
Judging from the aura, it was a Logia-type ability.
At the same time, Teach finally understood something. This was likely why Enel only destroyed Birka more than ten years after obtaining the Goro Goro no Mi.
Back then, Birka must have had strong figures who were stronger than Enel, or at least on par with him.
With the Goro Goro no Mi, one's combat power could skyrocket in a short time. In Skypiea, where Armament Haki did not exist, the only people capable of fighting Logia users were other Logia users.
That meant prolonged battles between Logia users were inevitable.
The God of Birka had eaten his Devil Fruit long before Enel and had already developed it deeply.
Even with the so-called strongest Devil Fruit, Enel could not surpass him before fully mastering his abilities.
In terms of basic strength, the God of Birka was clearly superior.
It was no surprise that Enel had been suppressed in the early years.
Only later did Enel gradually catch up and eventually surpass him. By then, Enel was virtually unstoppable, his speed almost impossible to deal with.
He could kite endlessly and kill the God of Birka without giving him a chance to escape.
The sky was Enel's domain.
The God of Birka would not even be able to flee.
Even so, Teach was unconcerned.
If they thought relying on a Logia ability alone was enough to defeat the Nightfall Pirates, they were deluding themselves.
After all, Teach himself possessed a Logia-type Devil Fruit as well.
Though at the moment, he did not yet know the exact nature of Zesu's ability.
From the feedback of his Observation Haki, it seemed to be gas.
"Hahaha. Interesting. A Logia user," Teach laughed softly and turned toward Redyat. "I'll leave this one to you."
"Alright," Redyat replied with a grin.
A Devil Fruit user in Skypiea was unexpected, but not shocking.
After all, the future Enel would also be a Devil Fruit user. Angel Island even had a bird that had eaten the Uma Uma no Mi, the Sky Knight's beloved steed.
Over hundreds or even thousands of years, some Devil Fruits were bound to have reached Skypiea through the Knock-Up Stream.
Just like the many Devil Fruits hidden deep beneath the sea, Skypiea held treasures waiting to be discovered.
A Logia user alone was enough to pique interest, but nothing more.
The group stepped into the city.
From afar, the magnificent palace at the center of the island was clearly visible.
The streets were spotless and completely empty.
People had either fled or hidden inside their homes.
Doors and windows were tightly shut. The Skypieans hiding inside did not even dare to breathe loudly, let alone peek outside, afraid that even the slightest movement would draw the attention of these Blue Sea people.
The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder, pounding against their hearts.
At the end of the street lay a vast plaza before the central temple, usually a sacred place of pilgrimage.
Over seven hundred Divine Guards stood there, gripping their weapons tightly as they faced the advancing group.
The temple steps were tall and imposing.
At the top, in front of the main entrance, a man in a white robe stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down at the Nightfall Pirates.
He was God.
Standing behind the Divine Guards, he gave them courage and confidence.
God was not only the ruler, but also the strongest.
If even God fell, then there was no point resisting any longer.
The Nightfall Pirates reached the edge of the plaza.
"Are you the Blue Sea people who dare to defy divine power?" Zesu asked coldly, his eyes sweeping across Teach and his crew. "What brings you here?"
Their objective was too clear.
There had been no warning, no negotiation. Something was off.
Before dealing with them, Zesu wanted to know Teach's purpose. He refused to believe they had come without reason.
His tone was condescending, filled with disdain.
Many members of the Nightfall Pirates frowned, their gazes turning sharp and mocking.
So this was a god?
Standing before the Nightfall Pirates, he still dared to act superior?
Zesu felt deeply uncomfortable under those looks.
As a god, he had only ever known worship and reverence.
This was the first time anyone had looked at him with contempt.
Anger surged within him, burning fiercely.
Though his expression remained calm, Teach and Redyat saw everything clearly. To them, Zesu looked like a clown throwing a silent tantrum.
"You don't need to know," Teach replied casually, a faint smile on his face.
He had no interest in wasting time.
At his level, things were best resolved quickly.
This so-called god was not worth his attention.
"Damn you!" Zesu roared internally.
Teach's indifference shattered his composure.
His face twisted, fury finally breaking through.
"Then let me show you the power of a god, foolish Blue Sea people!" Zesu shouted.
A biting chill spread through the air.
The temperature plummeted instantly.
The ground and nearby buildings began to freeze at a visible speed, frost racing outward under Zesu's control, surging toward the Nightfall Pirates.
He had lost his restraint.
The High Priest turned pale and immediately ordered the Divine Guards to retreat to the sides.
Their original position lay directly between God and the invaders.
He knew how terrifying this power was. The air itself could be frozen.
If they did not move in time, they would be the first to suffer.
He could endure it, but the ordinary Divine Guards could not.
He would not allow them to die.
While retreating, the High Priest stayed at the very back. He gripped a long spear embedded with a Heat Dial.
He pressed the switch and swung it forward.
A blazing flame erupted, forming a fiery barrier that blocked the advancing cold air.
It did not last long.
The flames soon faded.
But it was enough.
The Divine Guards carrying Breath Dials had already escaped the danger zone.
Zesu had not expected much from them anyway.
With so many already dead, he did not wish to increase the losses further.
This was his battle.
And it was the perfect chance to reassert divine authority.
As Teach observed the Birkan God's power, realization dawned.
This was the Steam-Steam Fruit.
A highly promising Logia ability.
What surprised Teach was that Zesu had developed not only hot steam, but cold steam as well.
His mastery of the Devil Fruit was already quite advanced.
The space itself seemed frozen, though in truth it was the moisture in the air being affected.
Facing the sudden drop in temperature and the brief surge of freezing air, the Nightfall Pirates showed no sign of panic.
Only Enel felt his heart tighten.
This was the power of a god.
Fear crept in.
Then his eyes widened.
Zesu's Devil Fruit development was terrifying.
If this man were in the Grand Line, his bounty would easily reach several hundred million.
Most pirates would find it nearly impossible to resist such power.
Black gas surged from beneath Teach's feet, spreading forward in an instant.
When it collided with the freezing air, the black gas climbed upward along the frozen layer, swallowing everything in its path.
A massive black curtain formed, completely blocking the cold.
Zesu's expression changed dramatically.
This was the first time he had seen someone wield such similar power.
He understood Devil Fruits well enough to recognize it.
This Blue Sea man also possessed a Logia ability.
And it was dangerous.
A strong sense of threat surged within him.
"What is this?" Enel whispered, eyes wide.
"Is this a battle between gods? They both wield divine power."
The crew member beside him chuckled. "It's just Devil Fruit abilities. Eat one, and you gain strange powers. But developing them takes time."
He glanced toward the black curtain. "Still, I didn't expect your god to be a Logia user. I wonder what kind."
Enel felt his heart race.
So such powers existed.
A burning desire lit in his eyes.
The crew member noticed and smiled. "What, thinking about eating one yourself?"
Before Enel could reply, he continued, "There are plenty in the vault. Different types, different abilities. You'll have your chance once you join us."
Some things were better understood later.
"Hmph!" Zesu snorted.
His attack had been blocked, and it irritated him.
Floating in the air, colorless gas flowed around his body. It resembled the Smoke-Smoke Fruit at a glance, but the difference was obvious.
"Blue Sea people, can you still resist this?" Zesu said confidently.
Even if they shared the same category of ability, he was certain his mastery was superior.
He had eaten this Devil Fruit as a child. The former God had discovered him, trained him, and prepared him as the next successor.
He was the chosen one.
With a wave of his hand, cold and heat alternated.
The icy steam instantly transformed into scorching high-temperature steam.
The power erupted violently.
Even without direct contact, the Nightfall Pirates felt the temperature rise sharply.
Compressed steam. Expanding steam. Explosive steam.
All of it surged forward in a massive wave, carrying terrifying kinetic force toward Teach.
This was Zesu's specialty.
By compressing steam, he generated explosive power. By releasing it, he gained speed, strength, and flight through propulsion.
In just two exchanges, Teach had already seen through everything.
Zesu's Steam-Steam Fruit had been developed into a complete system.
Compression, expansion, propulsion, offense.
Combined with martial arts, its power was astonishing.
The addition of cold steam only made it more dangerous.
This ability far surpassed the Smoke-Smoke Fruit and could easily rank among the top-tier Logia abilities.
The sky seemed to turn crimson.
That was superheated steam.
Anyone caught in it would suffer not only overwhelming impact, but also horrific burns.
Its lethality was terrifying.
As the crushing wave slammed toward the black curtain, Teach raised an eyebrow.
"Black Hole."
The attack was not weak.
But to him, it was nothing special.
Powerful techniques demanded powerful foundations. Without sufficient physical strength and stamina, their limits were clear.
The black curtain connected directly to Teach's dark space.
Gravity intensified, forming a dark vortex.
The high-temperature steam was swallowed whole.
Not a ripple remained.
This was absolute defense.
A natural nemesis of Devil Fruit users.
Even Aokiji's Ice Age could be resisted this way.
Without cold air to spread, the ice itself would lose its foundation.