If you're enjoying these stories, consider leaving a comment, review, or vote.
You can also visit the Pat** on at: belamy20
"Planning to attack head-on? It's useless. I can see it all."
Before Nobunaga's attack could even reach him, Ohm had already positioned his Iron Cloud blade across his chest, his expression indifferent as he awaited the strike.
However, a second later, a look of shock appeared on Ohm's face. Nobunaga had indeed attacked directly, but accompanying him was a storm of falling leaves from the massive tree that had just been toppled. Countless leaves danced in the air, slicing through the wind with sharp whoosh sounds. They were clearly as sharp as knives.
And Nobunaga's figure was completely hidden within that flurry of leaves.
Ohm's confident expression finally cracked, replaced by a flash of panic.
At the same time, Nobunaga's voice echoed from all directions within the leaf storm. "Your so-called 'Pre-Initiative' is just prediction, not future sight."
"According to the Boss, it's just the most basic level of Observation Haki."
"You listen to the opponent's 'voice' through your Mantra, and then predict the angle of attack by reading their pre-motion."
"Therefore..."
"As long as I launch an omnipresent attack that covers the entire area—one you physically cannot dodge—your secret is broken."
As soon as he finished speaking, the tips of the swirling leaves slowly turned, pointing directly at Ohm. Countless leaves, like miniature flying swords, shot toward him.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Ohm's face twisted in horror as he struggled to defend himself in the rain of leaves. He used his Iron Cloud to block, but how could a single sword parry such a dense, omni-directional assault?
His body was repeatedly cut by the flying leaves. Skin tore, blood flowed, and his face contorted in pain.
Nobunaga's voice continued. "Also..."
"If I empty my mind, clear my thoughts, and attack using only physical instinct, your Mantra won't be able to catch my 'voice', right?"
"Using the body's intuition... feeling the breath of all things."
Behind the curtain of leaves, Nobunaga slowly closed his eyes, switching to sensing his surroundings with his body. His "Mind's Eye" was open!
He gripped his sword with both hands, his expression serene. The blade moved through the air with agonizing slowness. Then, in the next instant, a massive wave of sword energy flew from the blade, slicing the air itself. Everything in its path was cut cleanly in two.
SHING!
The storm of leaves was split down the middle. And split along with them... was Ohm's body!
A clear line of blood appeared on his forehead, running vertically down. Then, his body slowly fell backward. Dead.
The Priest who called himself the God of Swords had fallen forever.
Clack.
Nobunaga sheathed his sword, looking slightly pleased. "Wasted a bit of time, but the harvest was worth it."
He had finally fully mastered the flying slash, stepping into the realm of a Great Swordsman!
"Time to move on. Hope I'm not the last one."
He followed the direction the dog, Holy, had fled, heading toward the center of the rainforest.
---
Ordeal of Swamp. This trial, with a survival rate of 50%, was governed by the Priest Gedatsu.
His fighting style involved using "Jet Dials" to accelerate his punches, creating a "Jet Punch" that would blast intruders into "Swamp Clouds." These clouds had the properties of a swamp; the more the victim struggled, the deeper they sank, until they suffocated.
However, the Swamp Forest was now almost completely evaporated.
In the center of the swamp, a massive crater had appeared. Steam rose from it, and the edges were still glowing red with heat, sizzling as they touched the air.
What happens when you combine the Bomb-Bomb Fruit with the Float-Float Fruit?
Feitan gave the answer—Planet-Buster Bomb!
A massive bomb dropped from the sky, and the violent explosion engulfed everything. The entire swamp collapsed. Swamp clouds, Jet Punches... all were utterly useless before this terrifying area of effect.
Just like Uvogin and Nobunaga, Feitan chose a wide-range attack to counter the enemy's Mantra!
The swamp was dried into hard earth, covered in the white mist rising from the explosion. Feitan, expressionless, checked his bearings and slowly walked out of the devastation.
---
Elsewhere, at the Ordeal of String. A harsh trial with a mere 3% survival rate, governed by Shura the Sky Rider. He wore an aviator cap and goggles, rode a fire-breathing bird named "Fuza", and wielded a heat-spear called a "Heat Dial".
However, at this moment, Shura was lying on the ground like a dead dog, barely breathing.
From the moment Phinks saw through the invisible String Clouds he had set up around the area, Shura never stood a chance.
The gap in their strength was too vast. Shura's attacks couldn't scratch Phinks' defense.
And Phinks, using the large-scale attack of his "Ripper Cyclotron", had blasted Shura out of the sky.
Just then, Uvogin, Nobunaga, and Feitan walked out of the dense forest behind him.
"So the back of the trials are connected? I thought some monster would pop out."
Uvogin looked at Phinks with disappointment.
"What's with that look? You seem unhappy."
Phinks looked back at the three of them, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
"Of course I'm annoyed. We all passed our trials, but I end up meeting you guys in the forest anyway. What was the point?"
"But~" Uvogin looked at the barely-breathing Shura on the ground, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You haven't finished him off yet? You're slow, Phinks~"
"Was the opponent too strong?"
"Dammit!"
"I was just enjoying the fight, that's all!"
Phinks scowled, raising his hand to finish off the enemy before him.
But in the next second, the expressions of all four men turned grave simultaneously. They looked up at the sky!
RUMBLE—BOOM!
A massively thick bolt of lightning struck down without warning, aiming directly for Shura lying on the ground.
It was like the wrath of heaven!
Under the lightning, Shura couldn't even scream. His body turned to ash in an instant, vanishing into the blinding light!
The flash illuminated the grim faces of Uvogin and the others.
"When... did he get there?!"
They hadn't sensed any danger nearby!
Uvogin's "En" was active! His range covered hundreds of meters, yet he hadn't detected a single enemy within that radius.
That meant...
This terrifying attack could only have been launched from somewhere far beyond a hundred meters.
But... was that even possible?
As the lightning faded, a terrifying crater nearly a hundred meters wide appeared before the four men. The lightning had pierced through the island's soil completely; they could even see through the hole to the Sea of Clouds below.
"Losers have no value in survival. Those not protected by God... wouldn't you agree?"
The four men stiffened and turned around in unison. Under a tree not far away, a figure had appeared out of nowhere.
He was sitting on a floating ball, resting his chin on one hand, looking at Uvogin and the others with amusement. Shirtless, pale skin, iconic long earlobes, and four drums on his back.
In an instant, they recognized him. Chrollo's target. The "perfect" ability user. The "God" of Skypiea—Enel!
Enel looked the four over, his eyes playful. He spoke indifferently. "Face the God."
"Why do you not kneel?"
The next second, four bolts of lightning crashed down, striking Uvogin, Nobunaga, Phinks, and Feitan without warning. Blood instantly trickled from the corners of their mouths as they were crushed to the ground, struggling to support themselves.
Enel watched this scene, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk. "That's better. That is the posture one should have when meeting God."
He stepped down, walking on the dirt but somehow keeping his feet pristine. He slowly walked up to the four men pinned by the lightning pressure and looked down at them.
"Mortals who came here for unknown reasons..."
"You have only two choices before you. Join me... or... die."