Chapter 44: Chapter 41: Thunderstruck

 

Robin and Rick were at ground level. Actual ground made of soil and dirt. She was fascinated by what she was seeing. While she was searching on foot Rick was in the air surveying the city. Or he looked like it. He knew where the golden bell was and it certainly wasn’t here. No, what the ex-marine was doing was planning.

 

‘How can I get the most Karma in this situation?’

 

The final fight with Ener would start soon. If he wanted a buttload of points he would have to save the people of Angel island. That implied lots of pain and hurt for everyone to get to that point. If Ener was defeated too soon the skypieans would never be in danger to begin with and the gain in karma would be astronomically lower. Too late and the island and inhabitants would be gone. In the original story, Luffy did it before that could happen, but that was scripted. This is real life, and it may not go the same way.

 

‘It’s best to defeat him sooner than later. Either way, Ener must die.’

 

After his defeat the fake god went to the moon and stayed there but once again: this is real life. If, for whatever reason, he came back that would be disastrous. Rick decided his course of actions and landed next to Robin to report his findings, or lack thereof.

“Forget the golden bell, there isn’t even any gold. At least from what I saw from up there.” 

“I found a stele with poneglyphs on it” announced Robin.

“That’s great! What did it say?”

“ ‘Truth in the heart and the mouth sealed. We are those who record history together with the sound of the great belfry’.” 

“Record history? As in Shandora and the shandia or as in…”

“The void century. Shandora disappeared in the same time period as the void century. My guess is some poneglyph were brought here, in the city, and that an enemy attacked it for it.”

“And they were with the bell which is nowhere to be found.”

“Yes but from Norland’s journal it says ‘the belfry positioned in the center of the fours altars’. But it isn’t there, instead there is…”

“This giant bean. You think the bell is at the top of it? On a very high layer of clouds?”

“Most likely.”

 

At that moment an intense and angry primal cry was heard. They both looked towards its origin, up.

 

“That…”

“Is not good.” finished Rick.

 

They both looked at each other.

“You keep on exploring the city and I…” he started

“Go take a look at what it is.”

“With our luck today, I’d bet Luffy is in the middle of whatever it is.”

“Got any feeling about it?”

“Yeah, a really bad one.”

 

He flew fast upward and blew away the ceiling made of clouds which was on his way, getting back to where he, Robin and Raki arrived earlier. He didn’t stop and ascended until he reached the clouds layer where everyone was fighting. It was pandemonium. The giant snake they ran away from was there attacking everyone in sight. Zoro was fighting one of the priests and his pet. A giant dog standing on his hind legs doing some martial arts moves. Wyper was against the snake and Raki supported him with her rifle. Both their attacks were ineffective. 

 

“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE ?!” yelled Rick.

“Rick!” yelled back Zoro.

 

Before he could say anything more, the Vice-captain barely dodged a shot from Wyper’s bazooka.

 

“Wyper he’s with us! He’s the guy I told you about!” screamed Raki.

“Sorry! My bad!” replied the shandia warrior.

 

‘Okay, that’s new? Wyper apologising? That’s definitely new. It’s so out of his character. Okay, I have a good guess of the situation but it’s better to check with Zoro.’

 

“Zoro, what’s going on? What happened?”

“To cut the story short, after we separated I got lost. Got picked up by the south bird we came here with. Bastard tried to steal my lunch. The Giant snake chased us and the south bird dropped me here. I found Chopper unconscious and wounded by that bastard with the glasses over there. Then the guy with the bazooka showed up, followed shortly by the old knight. Then Ener showed up, made a little speech, left and the battle became a free for all after that. Then the girl arrived, said she knew you and Robin and went to talk to bazooka guy who stopped attacking me and the knight and focused on the snake.”

“Holy shit…”

“And that’s not over! Nami showed up too, with a kid to boot, on a waver. She got attacked by Ener’s guys but was saved by the old knight, just before the snake gobbled them up.”

“WHAT?!”

“Yeah I know, I wouldn’t believe it either if I didn’t see it with my own eyes. Apparently the kid with Nami is acquainted with bazooka guy and the girl, that’s why he has been attacking it and her the rest of Ener’s men. As for me, I've been dealing with those two assholes.” concluded Zoro, pointing one of his swords towards the priest and the dog.

 

“Okay, which one do you want to take on?” asked Rick

“The guy, he’s pissing me off with his sword made of clouds.”

“I’m taking the doggie then.”

 

They both took a fighting stance.

 

“Oh? You’re done talking?” asked the priest.

“That was really nice of you to wait for us.” replied the ex-marine.

“You’re welcome. It doesn’t really change anything anyway, you’re all going to die here.”

 

“Don’t be so sure!” said Zoro, charging towards the priest.

Rick got close to the dog and flattened him on the ground. Being against animal abuse, he didn’t order it to knock himself out like Zoro did in the manga, instead he ordered him to never obey anyone’s order but his and to go down the giant bean then run to the forest to have a nice life. As a, perhaps too well, trained dog he did what he was told to do and was out of the battle. With this fight done the Vice-captain went to assist Raki in dealing with what was left of Ener’s guards which didn’t take too much time as in front of him they were just babies…

 

Once the guards were defeated, it only left the giant snake to deal with as Zoro joined the group after kicking the priest’s ass.

 

“How are we going to bring that thing down?” he asked

“Honestly? I don’t know.” replied Rick.

“My bazooka annoys him but his skin is too tough to do actual damage.” cut in Wyper who regrouped with them.

“And my rifle is completely useless.”

“I can always try to cut his belly open but…”

“You may hit them, since we don’t know where they are inside.” finished Rick.

 

Zoro nodded in agreement. The snake was facing them, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Rick tried to remember how Nami & co got out in the first place but couldn’t. His thoughts were interrupted when an enormous thunderbolt fell down on the layer of clouds they were standing on, completely destroying it.

 

“Shit! The ground is collapsing!” Yelled Zoro.

“Got you guys!” answered the Vice-Captain.

 

With his gravity he attracted everyone to him to protect them from flying debris created by the explosion resulting from the thunderbolt on the ruins around them. Making them float to avoid the fall, he gently descended everyone two levels below as Ener’s attack also destroyed the “ceiling” that was covering the entire city.

 

“Thank you Rick.” said Raki.

He answered her with a playful wink before looking around trying to find Robin.

“Robin!” he called out.

“I’m here!”

 

The archaeologist exited a building where apparently she took shelter, and moved towards the group.

 

“Where are we?” asked Zoro

“The gold city Shandora, the gold is gone though.” replied Robin.

 

Hearing her words Wyper and Raki took a good look around them.

“This is…” he began

“Our homeland…”

 

In front of the beauty of their ancestral home they could not help but be speechless. Their people fought for centuries to get it back, to come here once again but no one ever succeeded until today. They were moved beyond belief and silent tears of relief fell down their cheeks. Raki’s disappointment at her first sight of it earlier today was gone. The city was everything she had dreamed of for so long.

 

The giant snake, which had fallen too, raised and looked around as everyone else had done. He recognized this place. There was no way he could not even after 400 years. That was the place his friends lived, where he played with them. A time when he wasn’t alone. He started crying loudly both of joy and grief to be once again here. He didn’t do it for long as another thunderbolt, as massive as the one that destroyed the upper cloud layer, hit it right in the head.

 

“Nami! Yelled Zoro while Wyper and Raki screamed their own friend’s name

“Zoro? Robin, Rick you’re here too?” came a voice behind a destroyed wall.

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“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! How did you get out?” asked Zoro, surprised at seeing Nami out of the giant snake.

“Eh, nevermind that, I’m fine… but Luffy is…” she started.

“Inside the snake” stated Rick

“How do you know?!” asked the navigator in shock.

“Another feeling?” half jested Robin. She couldn’t believe that her Vice-captain had an intuition that good.

“No, just logic. This is the most improbable place Luffy could be so he must be there.”

“...”

“...”

“...”

 

They didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t know what scares me the most, the logic in itself of the fact that it’s the truth.” said Nami

“Can you even call that logic?” added Robin.

 

They couldn’t dwell any further on the conversation as they heard Wyper fire his Bazooka. He had caught sight of Ener and had immediately attacked him. Nami went back into hiding behind her wall taking Chopper’s unconscious body with her while Zoro, Robin and Rick to Wyper’s side.

 

“What was that for? Such bad manners! That’s no way to return the favor of bringing you back to your homeland! Just wait a bit longer, the game is almost over.” said the logia.

“What game?!” asked the shandia’s leader.

“You and the others behind you, are all contestants of my survival game. The rules are simple. Three hours after the start of the game we see how many are still alive. Of course I’m a contestant too, it would not be fair otherwise. My prediction was five. Five people will be left standing. And since we’re seven it means two of you have to go, god’s prediction can’t be wrong after all.” announced Ener.

 

Rick turned to the other fighters.

“Do any of you want to die?” he asked.

 

“““““No.”””””

 

“Nami? What about you?” the Vice-captain asked again.

“I’m not here!”

“Okay… So… Ener, right? Do you mind if I sit this one out? I’ve been awake for two days now, I desperately need some napping time.”

“Yes, I do.” answered the god.

 

“Well, I’m going to cut that fight short then.”

 

Rick took something from his backpack, something that the others couldn’t identify at first. It was only when he began to put it on his hands that they did. It was gloves that went just before half his forearms. Zoro immediately recognized them thanks to their pink color.

 

“The gloves for the dishes?!” he announced.

“Yahahahaha. Gloves for the dishes? What are you going to do with that? Wash everyone? And nice color by the way, it suits you well.” mocked the logia.

“I’m going to put my fist on your face, leave a mark and send you flying.” answered Rick.

“Yahahahaha! Go ahead, try, I won’t even move.” mocked Ener.

 

‘It’s too bad I won’t see his face for real when I hit him with it. That was the best of someone astonished and scared in the manga.’

 

“Thanks, that’s very generous of you.” smiled the Vice-captain.

“Of course! I am god after…”

 

Rick didn’t let him finish. He used his gravity to attract Ener at a scary speed and at the same time pushing himself forward. His fist connected perfectly on the logia’s left cheek, hard. Ener’s arrogance and ignorance mixed with Rick’s power and ambush was costly for the fake god. He was sent more than a hundred feet backward, going through some buildings’ walls along the way.

 

“Holy crap, you were right!” exclaimed Zoro.

“““I’m / He’s always right.””” said Rick, Robin and surprisingly Raki.

“I didn’t know you joined my fan club Raki! Welcome! Meetings are on every Wednesday night.”

 

She rolled her eyes to answer his antics.

“That was some nice punch you gave him.”said Gan Fall.

“Very satisfying to watch.” added Wyper.

“And to give too. Sadly it’s not over. He’ll be back soon, we really need Luffy on that one. Raki, Robin and Zoro have Nami lead you to him, we need him. Wyper, Gan fall and I will stall Ener as long as we can.”ordered the ex-marine.

“Why me?” asked Zoro.

“In case you’re stuck inside the snake or worse it wakes up before you take Luffy and the kid out of it. With your swords you’ll just be a big lightning rod for Ener.” explained Rick.

 

Nobody had anything to say to the plan. The rescue group departed towards the snake, leaving the shandia’s leader, the former god and the Vice-captain of the straw hats to deal with Ener.

“Wyper, do you have any other weapon beside your bazooka?” asked Rick.

“Yes, in my right palm I have a reject dial.”

“What does it do?”

“The same thing as an impact dial but the power output and recoil is ten times stronger. I can use it one more time. It’s mixed with seastone so it should be effective against Ener.”

“Good, it will be our trump card. You’ll support Gan fall and I with your bazooka, but not from too far. When the time is right, rush in close and end him. Gan Fall be careful, your armor is made of metal, try dodging instead of blocking. Don’t try to hit him with your lance; he'll shock you through it.”

“What should I do if I can’t attack him then?” asked the old knight.

“Oh, you can attack alright, just aim not directly at him. Your task is to restrict his movement, not hurt him.”

“Understood.”

“Now, I hope you’re both ready for the fight of your life because he’s coming!”

 

Indeed, Ener came and he was furious. His nose was bleeding, his cheek had more than just a mark, it had an imprint of Rick’s fist. You could see the detail of every finger of his hand. The logia’s cheekbone was completely destroyed, and blood was accumulating under the skin, so much that he would have needed to cut the wound open to let it flow to be able to see with his left eye. In the end the ambush was more effective than Rick thought. Ener had now a blind spot. 

 

‘But will it help? Ener can use mantra, so in theory, it should not. But being hurt like that for the first time of this life must have been a huge hit to his ego and mental state. Would he be able to use his mantra at all the way he is? Regardless, I'm the most dangerous one to him right now. Chances are high he will focus on me and that makes Wyper’s job easier.’

 

“YOU!” screamed Ener.

“How did you do that? How did you hurt me, god?”

“That’s simple.” replied Rick.

 

He raised in the air with his gravity to look down on Ener, to be intimidating and domineering; hoping that it would further damage  his already wounded psych.

“Because unlike you... I’m not a false god.” said Rick, smirking evilly at his opponent.

 

He did a descending charge toward Ener and threw a punch. The tyrant didn’t dodge but blocked. That clued Rick in about the logia’s mantra being sealed for now. Gan Fall took this opportunity to thrust his lance which as intended didn’t hit Ener but forced him to dodge and focus on it. That allowed Rick to do a follow up and punch the tyrant again. If he had been in a right state of mind the latter would have noticed Gan Fall’s attacks were actually harmless; here to distract him when he didn’t even have to pay attention to him. He tried to put some distance with the two fighters but to no avail as Rick pulled him back with his ability or had his retreat cut off by one of Wyper’s bazooka’s shots. He tried to change tactics and attack with his staff but the old knight countered it with his lance. Had he taken a moment to think about it, he could have blasted everyone with a lightning bolt.

 

‘We got him restricted, it’s better than what I hoped for.’ thought Rick.

 

Ener had had enough. The damage Rick did was accumulating.  Somehow that calmed him down a bit. Fear override his anger and his survival instinct kicked in. He realized all the distraction the old knight and the shandia’s leader made was actually useless against him. Because Rick unexpectedly hurt him, he unconsciously believed the other two could as well. But that was not the case. This realisation prompted him to focus on Rick solely. That didn’t mean he would leave the others alone however. When Gan Fall thrusted his spear again, he grabbed it and delivered a massive electric shock, knocking his assailant out.

 

‘Shit! He came around the situation, this is not good for us.’

 

“I have to say, that was a good plan. Hitting me when no one ever did before… That was a surprise. I was so mad that I didn’t even realise that I don’t have to fight you in close combat. I didn’t even think of using mantra, or my powers. But now… now your opportunity is over. And so is your life.” he declared.

 

Wyper was the first to go. Ener sent a lightning bolt to each. Rick, who was too close, could only block it with his rubber gloves. With the ex-marine busy the logia moved fast and grabbed the shandia’s leader, who barely dodged his attack thanks to the distance, and fried him.

 

“That left only you.” said Ener with a sadistic smile.

“Or not. You needed two people out and now you got them. Now that the game is over, what do the winners get as a reward?” replied Rick.

“Yahahaha… You really have an adaptive mind. Unfortunately for you, two new contestants entered the game, so two still need to go down. “

 

‘So Luffy and the kid must have been rescued. Good. Now let’s try not to die.’

 

While Ener was doing his little speech, he was charging, way up high in the air, an attack even more powerful than the one he used on the giant snake.

“Your life will be the most satisfying one of all the ones I have ever taken.” admitted Ener

A massive thunderbolt felt down on Rick. Before he could understand anything, darkness took hold of him.

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