One Piece: Rayquaza of the Beasts Pirates

Chapter 148 The Battle of the Four Priests

Angel Beach.

"Get ready, let's go, Apayado!"

After temporarily placing Pagaya and his daughter on the heavily guarded Rayquaza to prevent Enel from sending men to attack, Kane and his party set off for the palace where the 'god' resided.

Riding on the flame clouds created by Hiyori, the group quickly arrived at Apayado, a sacred place considered taboo by the Sky Island people.

"Huh? There's actually real soil here!"

As soon as Yamato set foot on this land, he squatted down in surprise and grabbed a handful of brown soil.

As she walked along, all she saw were white island clouds. Suddenly, the soil that she had taken for granted seemed incredibly novel.

Reiju observed the dense primeval jungle and solid ground around her, lost in thought: "Could this land... be the part of Jaya Island that was swept into the sky by the surging ocean currents back then?"

Bingo.

Kane snapped his fingers: "Congratulations, you got it right. It's precisely because this is the only place on the entire Sky Island with real soil that it has been occupied by the so-called 'gods' throughout history as their base."

"Then what about the residents of Jaya Island who originally lived on this land?"

Reiju astutely grasped the key point.

Such a vast area was swept into the sky; it's impossible that there were no inhabitants at the time. Where did they go?

"This will lead to a sad story behind this land that has lasted for four hundred years."

Kane briefly explained, "The people who live on this land are called Shandians. Because Apayado was coveted by the Sky Island God at the time, they were ruthlessly driven out."

"However, they never gave up. In order to reclaim their homeland and ring the Golden Bell again to fulfill their promise to Noland, they waged a 400-year war against the Sky Islanders."

Does this plot seem familiar?

That's right, the Shandians are practically a carbon copy of the Native Americans.

"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Without sufficient strength, yet possessing a unique treasure, and encountering an ambitious invader, the outcome is obvious.

He doesn't believe that Oda didn't refer to the experiences of the Native Americans when he drew this story.

It was just a group of people who were suppressed by absolute power and had no way to resist, and who insisted on taking back their homeland even if it meant sacrificing the last member of their clan.

Before the group had gone far from the land of Apayado, a squad of soldiers dressed in pure white uniforms and wearing special gliding shoes quickly appeared and blocked their way.

These well-trained soldiers moved swiftly, using the advantage of their slippers to spread out like flowing water, instantly forming an encirclement around Kane and his group.

The strangely shaped weapons in their hands were all pointed at the "sinner" in the center.

"Sinners who blaspheme against God, surrender!"

The leading soldier shouted sternly.

Kane ignored their clamor, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers and landing directly on the four men behind him with distinctly different auras.

One was a bald man with an expressionless face, holding a strange weapon with only a sword hilt, and a large, fierce-looking yellow dog lying beside him.

One was a man dressed in a purple outfit with a flamboyant hairstyle resembling spider legs. He rolled his eyes, looking arrogant (in a physical sense).

One is a knight wielding a huge knight's lance, wearing a pilot's hat and goggles, and riding on a large purple bird.

The last one is a red-haired man whose physique is comparable to Ryoko's.

Kane recalled for a moment and vaguely remembered the information about the four people. It seemed that they were Ohm, Gaidaz, Shura, and Shadley.

It caused the Straw Hat Pirates quite a bit of trouble back then.

only……

"Shouldn't you four priests each be in charge of a trial to 'test' and toy with so-called sinners?"

"Trials?"

The four priests were all taken aback upon hearing this, and exchanged glances.

Yup!

Why didn't they think of such an "interesting" idea?

Simply killing criminals does seem somewhat monotonous and tedious.

The bald man, Ohm, grinned cruelly and with amusement: "Considering you provided us with such a brilliant idea, sinners... we might consider granting you a relatively 'quick' end."

"Such deep-seated arrogance," Kane chuckled.

Is it true that a leader's subordinates will reflect the leader's character?

These people not only learned the techniques of using "Mind Network" from Enel, but they also learned his arrogance perfectly.

Is it because we've been invincible on this tiny sky island for too long?

Since that's the case, let them experience the vastness and...cruelty of the sea.

"You guys go have some fun."

Kane looked at his companions, his tone as casual as if he were allocating tickets for an amusement park.

Mr. Kai is kind-hearted and can't stand those who are ignorant and arrogant.

"I me me!"

Yamato showed no awareness of bullying the weak and was the first to raise his hand excitedly.

The remaining three opponents naturally fall to Ace, Zoro, and Sanji.

After all, the other people on the ship weren't like Yamato; they had no need to, and were too lazy to, play the game of easily defeating weaker opponents.

Seeing that these "sinners" were being distributed so casually as if they were candy, the four priests' faces instantly turned so dark they could drip water.

This is utterly upside down!

It has always been the priests who decide the fate of sinners; when has it ever been the sinners' turn to be so presumptuous!

"I've changed my mind now."

Ohm roared in a deep voice, his killing intent almost tangible: "I will crush your bones, one by one!"

Before he finished speaking, the hilt of his bladeless sword suddenly trembled, and a white cloud blade shot out with a "whoosh"!

Here it is, the Sky Island's specialty—shells!

Sky Island is home to all sorts of amazing shells, including sound shells that can record and play sounds, light shells that can emit light, and so on.

It can be said that the lives of the residents on the Sky Island are completely inseparable from them.

There are shellfish used for daily life, and naturally there are also shellfish used for fighting.

There are many different kinds of clamshells, such as the blower clam that can spew out strong winds and the shock clam that can absorb impacts and then release them freely.

What Ohm has in his hand is an even more special type of shellfish—the cloud shell.

It can spray out clouds unique to the sky islands, which can be used for both living and fighting.

At this moment, what Yunbei spewed out was "Iron Cloud," which was as hard as steel!

"I'll keep this one!"

Zoro's eyes flashed with a sharp light, his fighting spirit surging, and he charged first toward Ohm, the one among the four priests whose temperament was closest to that of a swordsman.

However, the next second, he frowned almost imperceptibly.

He hadn't noticed it while walking, but now, as he suddenly exerted force, he immediately felt a slight pause in his breathing and a tightness in his chest.

The air here is much thinner than in Qinghai.

"Heh, just consider it weight training."

Zoro licked his dry lips, showing no sign of backing down; instead, his fighting spirit shone even brighter.

Seeing that only a green-haired boy was rushing towards him, and that the others did not try to stop him at all, Ohm's eyes were filled with a sinister and furious rage that was about to burst forth.

What kind of person do you take me for?

Do you think this is child's play?!

"Arrogant brat! Say goodbye to your friends!"

Ohm roared and swung his cloud blade.

In an instant, the iron cloud, which had been maintaining the shape of a blade, suddenly transformed as if it had come to life!

"Iron Whip!"

The solidified iron cloud stretched and extended in an instant, transforming into an incomparably sharp white whip that lashed fiercely towards Zoro with a shrill whistle that tore through the air!

The force was so powerful and the angle so tricky that even white ranchers would have to admit they were experts.

"Two Blade Style Eagle Wave!"

Zoro reacted extremely quickly, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands, and fiercely slashed out in a cross shape as the white cloud whip came hurtling towards him!

A sharp "X"-shaped shockwave tore through the air and crashed into the cloud whip!

boom!

The shockwave exploded, and the white cloud whip was violently repelled.

Ohm felt a jolt in his hand and frowned slightly.

This kid... he's got some skills.

He abandoned his slight disdain, his expression turned serious, and he immediately manipulated the iron cloud to retract and reform it into a blade shape.

At the same time, Zoro was also startled.

The feeling of that collision just now didn't feel like I was striking an empty cloud at all; it felt more like I was hitting... steel?

These strange clouds are harder than I imagined.

Quickly adjusting his mindset and stance, Zoro charged forward once again.

"Dual Sword Style: Double Slash!"

Under Zoro's control, the twin swords drew cold arcs, slashing horizontally towards Ohm.

"Hmph, a mere trick!"