Chapter 284: I Am the Great God's Undercover AgentBecause Sanji learned the Air Compression Technique, Luffy and the others passed the Ordeal of Balls.Naturally, Satoru won the bet he made with Eneru. However, Eneru had previously said that a God is free and unrestrained, so what if he didn't honor the bet? What could anyone do to him? Curse him as despicable and shameless before dying? What good would that damn do?Fortunately, Eneru honored the bet, and Satorubecame a Priest. However, this identity certainly wouldn't last long.So, all that remained was the matter of the altar... the altar.Previously, Gan Fall left behind a whistle... Nami: "Why are you all protesting! Shouldn't I, a weak woman, be the one to keep the whistle?"Usopp: "Luffy!! You just think blowing the whistle is fun! It's not yours!"Luffy: "I want to call the old man right now!!"Chopper: "Please, let me have it. I am a weak little animal."Usopp immediately disagreed: "Weak my foot! I'm the weakest one!"Nami refused to be outdone: "It's me! I'm the weakest."No one had ever seen people fight so hard to be the weakest.Robin remarked, "What a peculiar way to have an internal dispute."After arguing, Nami suggested hanging the whistle fairly on the mast, and whoever ran into trouble could blow it.But Luffy, Satoru, Zoro, Sanji, and Robin were not qualified to blow it. Although Nami threatened to kick anyone who blew it to the ends of the sky, it was also an indirect way of trusting the strength of the five of them... Returning to reality from the memory.Chopper walked under the mast and found the whistle."The whistle!""Hmm... okay."Chopper immediately took it down and hung it around his neck."Forest Mask, luckily we have this whistle. If any danger occurs, we can call the Sky Knight to save us..."Chopper kindly explained this to Satoru.Satoru smiled and nodded, thinking how cute Chopper was. Should he sit on him and crush him to death?However, just as Chopper finished speaking, a gust of wind pressure arrived. Shura and his Mount Bird descended from the sky right in front of Chopper."Seriously, just two little lambs waiting to be slaughtered!"Almost instantly, while Chopper was frozen in fear, he turned and blew the whistle without hesitation."Beep beep beep!!"At the same time, Satoru put down his teacup. Since someone had arrived, it was time to get down to business.Instead of dealing with the small Chopper first, Shura had his Mount Bird keep an eye on him, while Shura himself looked at Satoru."Who are you?""The mask you're wearing doesn't look like those damned Skypieans.""You don't seem to be on this List of Criminals. Or do you think you can hide by wearing a mask?""I'm telling you, criminal or not, as long as you enter Skypiea, we Priests have the right to dispose of you."Shura threatened Satoru.Satoru's response was: "Wow, how amazing~"Satoru lowered his voice. After all, although these Priests weren't particularly clever, they should be harder to fool than Luffy and Chopper, since they had already met before.Although the words were meant as praise, they came out dripping with sarcasm.Veins immediately popped out on Shura's forehead. "Are you looking for death!?"Satoru did not answer; instead, he sighed and shook his head."Do you know something?""I shouldn't have been here.""I was supposed to follow that little girl, find the Skypiean tribe, and then tell God so he could completely destroy Skypiea. Who knew you would show up and mess up my plan.""Actually, I am the Great God's Undercover Agent."Satoru's words were pure fabrication the moment they left his mouth."Really!!!""Really!!?"Two voices, questioning and surprised, rang out simultaneously.Shura believed it, and Chopper believed it too."Of course it's... false!!""Hahaha, you idiot!""Uh, I wasn't talking about you, Chopper."Chopper nodded innocently. If it wasn't him, then it was fine.Shura was about to explode with rage, and he immediately lunged his Spear at Satoru! But it was dodged."Who exactly are you!!?""I am the Forest Mask!"Satoru landed, turning his back to Shura, showing him only half a profile.
Chapter 285: A Hand Blade Is Still a BladeFacing Satoru's mockery, Shura could no longer hold back and attacked directly, though it was only a matter of time before he did.However, having been played by two people in one day, his anger was burning high! Little did he know, it was actually the same person playing him...."Forest Mask!""What the hell is that!?"Satoru landed in a pose, informing Shura that he was Forest Mask.However, Shura had lived in this forest until now and had never heard of any so-called Forest Mask.Satoru turned around completely. "Your mother knows best what kind of thing I am; go ask her."Shura was stunned by Satoru's reply. His brain CPU ran quickly, and once he realized what it meant, he almost gritted his teeth to pieces!!"Fuza!! Use Fire!!!"Fuza was the name of his mount bird.Fuza was a bird known as a Sanzhang Bird; its feathers were purple, and its face looked like it was wearing a white mask. It could breathe fire because it was equipped with a Flame Dial in its mouth.After shouting, Shura also launched an attack on Satoru.Fuza naturally obeyed its master's command, spreading its wings to whip up a gust of wind that knocked little Chopper onto his backside.Fuza then opened its mouth, and just as the Flame Dial was about to activate, Xiaobai jumped down from the mast's lookout and slapped Fuza across the face with its tail, causing the flames to blast outside the ship.Xiaobai landed on Chopper's hat, staring at Fuza's eyes with crimson pupils. Fuza tilted its head, its left eye meeting Xiaobai's gaze, and it immediately froze, not daring to move.On Shura's side, blinded by rage, he was focused only on hitting Satoru and did not notice the strange situation with Fuza.Shura had also developed the intent to kill Satoru; the places he thrust his knight's spear, also called a lance, at were all vital points.The heart, the throat, and most abominably, aiming for the kidneys—this was even more terrifying than death.Facing Shura's fierce attacks, Satoru was always able to dodge. Although he kept retreating, he looked calm and unhurried, as if he were dancing.Elegant! Truly elegant!!Until he retreated to the edge of the ship, where Satoru had nowhere left to go. Shura laughed, "Hahahaha, let's see where you can retreat to now!!"He pulled his arm back to build momentum, and the spear tip thrust straight toward Satoru's heart.However, Satoru simply flew up to dodge. Shura's spear struck the side of the ship, blasting a large hole, which showed just how much force he had used.Why was Satoru only dodging and not attacking?Only now did Satoru realize that their crew was truly poor. The only weapon found on the entire ship was the pistol that Priest Bai Yun had seized the opportunity to place in the room when he returned to Angel Beach, which was now in the hands of Forest Mask Bai Yun.He also only now realized how good the bracelet was.(At this moment, the Satoru who was using the bracelet transformed into a short blade to cut a watermelon on the merchant ship received a magical attack from "himself.")...Satoru landed and actually stood directly on Shura's spear. Before he could speak, Shura activated the Heat Dial, and the entire spear burst into flames. At the same time, Shura swung it upward with force, forming a fan-shaped wave of fire.But Satoru had already flown back up the moment the flames appeared; the tip of Shura's swinging spear missed the soles of Satoru's feet by just a hair.Satoru flew higher and higher. In Shura's mind, that line echoed: "Have you ever seen a palm technique that descends from the sky?" Damn it, it made him angry just thinking about it.This time he had to chase after him. "Fuza!"But after calling his pet bird, it didn't respond. Only then did Shura turn to look, and he saw his pet bird in a standoff with Chopper and a snake on his hat.At this, Shura's Mantra, also known as Observation Haki, sounded an alarm. He immediately snapped back to reality and saw a green cloak lunging at him.Shura immediately raised his spear to thrust at it.The cloak was instantly burned with a large hole.However, at this moment, Satoru appeared in front of him, and with his spear raised, his chest was completely exposed."Question: What is the most primitive weapon of humanity?""It is the hands and feet!""A hand blade is still a blade!""Hagoku!!"
Chapter 286: Damned PriestWhat is humanity's most primitive weapon?It is one's hands and feet!Have you ever seen Garp use a weapon?When trained to the peak, what is moving mountains and shattering stones?Moreover, with this weapon as a prerequisite, other weapons can be extended. Satoru truly cannot think of any weapon that can be used without hands or feet. A mouth cannon?...Shura only heard a voice by his ear: "A hand blade is still a blade!"Driven by combat instinct, he immediately lowered his spear to block his chest. Then, his chest felt as if it had been rammed by a giant elephant, and his entire body flew out, unable to control himself.But it wasn't over yet.Satoru saw the Armament Haki covering the front half of his right arm; this was the maximum extent his clone could achieve.Watching Shura fly away, Satoru stepped forward. The Air Compression Technique erupted once more, instantly catching up to Shura. He didn't use Hagokuagain, but instead kicked with both feet joined together. The Air Compression Technique wasn't just for flying; looking at the large hole blasted into the deck, one could tell that the Air Compression Technique could also be a powerful air cannon!Before the first force was spent, he added another.The spear in Shura's hand finally couldn't hold on and bent nearly ninety degrees, and Shura spat out a mouthful of blood.Satoru steadied himself and was just about to look cool when Shura crashed into the mast, snapping it directly, and spat out another mouthful of blood.Together with the person and the pole, he crashed into his pet bird, Fuza.Satoru screamed in terror, "My bed!!" and immediately used the Air Compression Technique to rush over.Chopper saw the mast was broken and his heart was bleeding; his eyes were wide open....Shura, Fuza, and the mast all crashed through the side of the ship together. The mast was quite long, and just as it was about to leave the ship's perimeter entirely, Satoru grabbed the tail end with both hands.Shura and Fuza fell into the clouds with a splash.Satoru breathed a sigh of relief and pulled the mast back.At that moment, Fuza carried Shura as they broke out of the water and flew away without looking back. Satoru ignored them, not even casting a glance....All in all, Satoru and his group won the battle at the altar.Or so they thought...Looking at the three holes in the deck, the two large holes on the sides of the ship, the broken mast...Satoru fell silent, and Chopper fell silent too."...""Damned Priest!!"Satoru cursed aloud. This was all because of Shura, all of it! It was definitely not because of him!!Chopper crouched on the ground, drawing circles and weeping, "Everyone entrusted the ship to me, and as the ship's guardian, I am completely unqualified..."Tears fell one by one, and Satoru felt guilty just watching."It's okay, Chopper.""Big... Your comrades won't blame you.""Also, look on the bright side, at least the ship is... still in one piece, and we drove away a Priest!""That's quite an achievement.""There's no use being sad now.""We can't fix the mast, but we can repair those holes and such. I believe in you, Chopper."Satoru comforted him. The four words "I believe in you" were very useful indeed.Chopper looked up at Satoru."You're right, Forest Mask.""At least the Priest ran away! We won, what's done is done, and there's no use being sad now!!""Alright! I'm going to start repairing the ship!!"Getting back up, Chopper went bang, transformed into his human form, shouldered some wooden planks, and took a hammer to start repairing the holes.Satoru breathed a sigh of relief; it was good that Chopper had perked up.He looked again at the "wounds" on the ship and at the busy, hardworking Chopper.Satoru cursed again, "Damned Priest!!"Xiaobai hissed, though it was unclear if it was agreeing with Satoru or laughing.It twisted its body, intending to coil around Satoru's arm, but suddenly remembered that he was currently Forest Mask!It didn't know him.So, Xiaobai turned its head and returned to the lookout tower, even though the lookout tower was currently lying on its side on the deck.
Chapter 287: He'll Probably Die of AngerWith a Hand Blade Hagoku and a "Nine Heavens Thunder Double Kick," Shura was beaten and chased away by Forest Mask Bai Yun.Thus, the first sparring match between the Straw Hat Pirates and the Sky Island Priest ended, or rather, it was a complete victory for the straw hatcrew... Time flowed on.This time, because Satoru was present, Shura had already fled before Gan Fall even arrived.Therefore, when Gan Fall arrived, what he saw was a busy Chopper and Satoru, who was sitting with his legs crossed, drinking tea."Oh, Old Man, you're here. Would you like a cup of tea?"Gan Fall was utterly confused. "Could you tell me what happened here earlier?""...I see, so you are Forest Mask?"Satoru recounted the events to Gan Fall, though the version he told was that their fight was quite intense and that all the damage to the ship was caused by Shura.But in reality, Gan Fall recognized that Forest Maskwas Satoru.Setting aside the Long Hair and the clothes, no one else ever used that term "Old Man" except Satoru. He didn't know why Satoru chose this disguise—a hobby perhaps? But he did not expose him.Satoru nodded, "Yes.""To possess the power to repel a Priest, you are also counted among the ranks of the strong. That is a good thing."Gan Fall replied after taking a sip of tea."Hahaha, hardly.""Old Man, you must be the Sky Knight Choppermentioned. The reason I called you here this time is to help Chopper guard the ship; I have something I need to do."Well, after hearing it so much, Satoru started referring to himself using 'Wu' (I) as well."What? Forest Mask, you're leaving? To do what??"Chopper asked in surprise. It was very easy to surprise him."The sky is slowly darkening, but Skypiea is about to become lively.""I'm going to join the fun and, incidentally, 'buy' some weapons."Satoru looked up, but he couldn't see the sun, only light filtering through the gaps in the tree canopy."Hmm, so guarding the ship is the service this time? Very well, I accept."Gan Fall replied. Since the whistle had sounded, as a businessman, he had to abide by his rules."Good, then, we'll see you later."Satoru put down his teacup, stood up, and stepped into the air, flying away.Chopper stood by the ship, waving his hand, "See you later." He then turned to look at Gan Fall, "Sky Knight, you just drink your tea. I need to repair the ship."Looking at Chopper's innocent face, Gan Fall smiled."Alright."...The current situation of all parties.Luffy and his two companions exited the Lost Forest and headed towards the Altar.Zoro and his two companions were still exploring Skypiea.As for the Skypiean, through the exploration of Aisa, the little girl with innate Observation Haki, they learned that Gan Fall, the former God, had finally stepped onto Skypiea again. With both the former and current Gods present, if they killed them, they could reclaim the land and relight the Lamp of Shandora.Therefore, they launched a general offensive against Skypiea.Shortly after they left their village, Eneru detected their presence. The Skypiean attacks were commonplace to him; these foolish things were always harboring fantasies.Eneru then used his Mantra to issue an order to the three Priests who still had fighting strength to stop the Skypiean. Oh no, knowing his temperament, what he actually said was, "Annihilate those foolish Skypiean!"Eneru said this both through his Mantra and verbally."Skypiean?""The group wearing ox-head masks?"Satoru asked curiously, with wide, blinking eyes, indicating that he definitely didn't know who they were.Eneru glanced at Satoru, only grunting "Mm," and ultimately did not order Satoru to go and stop the Skypiean either.The other three, upon receiving the command, waited in their territories for those foolish Skypieanto arrive.Poor Shura, having just bandaged his wounds, now had to fight again. His chest was wrapped in layers upon layers of bandages.His weapon, the Hot-Shell Spear, was also broken, so he had to switch to an old one.Although he had to fight again right now, it was exactly what he wanted. If he didn't vent his immense anger, he'd probably die from it.
Chapter 288: I Thank YouThe sun's brilliance shone upon the land, and the seemingly peaceful Skypiea was instantly pierced by the shouts of the Skypieans.Spinning and landing in the air, using the momentum and the ice-bladed wavers under their feet, the Skypieans launched a full assault on Skypiea.After years of accumulated combat, even with ice-bladed wavers underfoot, they moved as if on flat ground; no, even more skillfully than if they were wearing shoes on the ground.Warrior Wapol led the charge, which was natural, as he was a descendant of the great warrior Kalgara, and he possessed the corresponding strength."Everyone listen up, the situation on Skypiea is currently turbulent, making it the perfect time to attack.""Our target remains the same: directly to the Shrine!""There's nothing to fear! The great warrior Kalgara is our protector, not some so-called god!!""Braham!" (A Skypiean whose hat covers his eyes, but who uses a Flash Gun.)"Mantis!" (A Skypiean with a mohawk who uses a Burning Sword.)"Gebo!" (A fatter Skypiean with leopard-print sleeves on both arms.)"Raki!" (The only female among the four captains, a total older sister type with a cigarette in her mouth.)"We will split up here; make sure to come back alive!""Swear to the great warrior Kalgara!! Relight the Shandora Lamp!!"Morale must be boosted before battle. With Wapol's shouts, the Skypiean warriors' morale soared, and they split into three routes, piercing into Skypiea like three long spears. The three priests naturally sensed the Skypieans' arrival. "They're here again, Skypieans!!"The word "again" is very profound.Although they split into three teams, the distance between them was not far.Braham faced Shura of the String Ordeal.Mantis, Gebo, and Raki faced Gedatsu of the Swamp Ordeal and Ohm of the Iron Ordeal.Shura still sat cross-legged, fighting from the air.He vented all his anger towards Forest Mask on these Skypieans.Flames continuously spewed from his cross-legged stance and the tip of his spear.Although Braham was curious why Shura was injured, and seemingly not lightly, this was good news for them. He drew his gun and shot at Shura.Seeing the gun, Shura was reminded of Satorupointing a gun at his head in front of Skypiea. Anger surged in his heart, and he swooped down to kill Braham.On the ground, the three Skypiean captains faced two priests, along with some Skypiean warriors.The two battlefields were very close, so the three captains moved around the two priests, as their chances of winning in a direct confrontation were small.Meanwhile, inside Skypiea, where the battle was raging, Luffy and his two companions traveled up the Cloud River on the Crow, looking completely out of place."What kind of ghostly place is this now?"Luffy complained. On both sides of the Cloud River was a vast grassland.The grassland was dotted with poles, and on top of each pole was a skull, presenting a truly terrifying scene.Sanji appeared calm, suggesting it might be the next trial ground?Usopp couldn't take it; he couldn't even handle one, and now another? What kind of trial was this?But when they reached the middle of the grassland, where the Cloud River nearly touched the ground, no one appeared."It just looks like an ordinary grassland!"Luffy said."How is that ordinary!! It's covered in poles!! And all the poles have skulls on them!!"As a Sniper, Usopp's eyes were naturally sharper, or perhaps he had a special ability to notice terrifying things."Oh, really."Luffy took a closer look, and indeed it was true. However, skulls were nothing to pirates; even their flags featured skulls.Just then, a sound broke the silence of the grassland.The Skypieans led by Wapol had also passed through the forest and arrived at this grassland.One of them leaped directly over the Crow, startling Usopp so much that his eyes nearly popped out."They're here!!"Luffy and Wapol exchanged glances.Wapol hesitated for a second, then spun in the air, aiming his Burning Cannon at them.Just as he was about to fire.Forest Mask Bai Yun also darted out of the forest.This time, Wapol didn't even hesitate, turning his cannon to aim at Satoru and firing!"I..."Satoru was about to curse, but stopped himself, and the words changed to."I thank your motherf***ing self!!!"
Chapter 289: Did You Eat Garlic Before Coming Out?The first battle between the straw hat crew and the priests had ended.Now, it was time for the battle between the Skypieans and the priests.Taking advantage of Gan Fall's arrival at Skypiea, and with the "meddling" of the people from the Blue Sea, Wapol decided to launch an all-out attack on Skypiea at this time.However, Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp, who were currently "sightseeing" on the Crow in Skypiea, had no idea what was happening.They encountered the Skypieans led by Wapol in the grasslands in the center of the island. Originally, Wapol's cannon was aimed at them, but the appearance of Forest Mask Bai Yun, who dashed out from the forest, made him change his mind."I thank your Mama!"Just as he stepped out of the forest, he was greeted by a cannonball, which scared Satoru into sincerely thanking Wapol's Mama.Fortunately, he had Observation Haki. Satoru kicked the bomb away; otherwise, if he had taken the full hit, he would have been at least stunned, if not blown to bits."And who are you?"At this moment, Wapol and his comrades had reached the branches at the edge of the forest, their eyes fixed intently on the appearing Satoru.The disguise technique in the world of the Pirate King is simple: just wear a mask. Unless it's someone very close to you, everyone is face-blind. Of course, there are also some idiots who simply can't recognize you."I am Forest Mask."Satoru struck another pose, showing his profile to Wapol.Watching this scene, Sanji and Usopp thought to themselves, "Isn't that Satoru? What is he doing?"As people with brains, they reasoned that perhaps there was some profound reason for Satoru to do this, that is, acknowledging Satoru.As for Luffy."So cool!"Looking at Forest Mask Bai Yun, Luffy's eyes turned into stars with interest. The fox mask, the green cloak—which even had a perfect hole in it—and especially the name Forest Mask, were just so cool. Yes, that was what Luffy's brain was thinking.Luffy and Satoru were as familiar as could be; any more familiar and things would get weird. His recognition of Satoru was based on the bracelet and hairband, neither of which Forest Mask had. Therefore, he concluded that Forest Mask was not Satoru.The back of Sanji and Usopp's heads revealed their speechlessness, though it didn't seem unexpected; this was normal for Luffy."Right! Hahaha."Satoru shamelessly accepted Luffy's compliment about being cool."Narcissist!"Sanji and Usopp silently retorted.Luffy thought it was cool and interesting, but Wapoldidn't share that sentiment. He frowned; this was the moment for them to launch their all-out attack, and he didn't want any variables."I don't care who you are.""You, and you bunch of pirates who are wreaking havoc on the sacred land of the sky.""If you want to survive, leave this island and get back to the Blue Sea...""If you remain stubborn and harbor any crooked ideas about this island, I will eliminate you just like I eliminate Eneru!"With a cigarette in his mouth and his eyebrows slanted down, Wapol glared fiercely at Luffy and his group, and Satoru.Luffy wouldn't take this kind of attitude; did he think he was as stupid as Bellamy?"What did you say! If you're not convinced, let's fight!"Usopp immediately grabbed Luffy, "Alright, stop it, Luffy!"Sanji appeared calmer, gleaning a piece of information from Wapol's words, "So, the guerrilla warriors and God are not on the same side."As for Satoru, he was much more arrogant.His assessment of Wapol was that he was an arrogant person with a bit of strength."Did you eat garlic before coming out to fight? You've got a big mouth.""I wish you a great victory in this battle, but you have no say in where I go!""Right! Right! Forest Mask is right!""It's none of your business!"Even as Forest Mask, Luffy's agreement seemed no different than when he agreed with Satoru.Wapol's eyes were cold. After weighing the pros and cons, he decided not to deal with them."Don't let me see you again!""Leaving this island requires strength; you might not even be able to leave!""Let's go!"After saying this, Wapol turned and left, leaping across the branches.Watching their backs, Luffy had a serious expression, "Those guys... what exactly do they want to do..."After Wapol left, Satoru came over, arriving above the Crow, and spoke while hovering."As far as we know for now, they are enemies of God, and even if they aren't enemies of ours, they most likely won't be friends either."
Chapter 290: Saving Him Is the Right Thing to Do.Regarding Wapol, Satoru—oh no, I should say Forest Mask—said to Luffy:"From what we know, they are enemies of God. Even if they aren't our enemies, it's highly unlikely they'll be our friends.""I agree." Sanji nodded in agreement."What's this about friends or not? If he attacks us again, I'll just blast him away."Luffy raised his fist. Since arriving at Sky Island, they had been attacked by Wapol three times, though the middle one only involved Satoru and Nami, and this time there were only the four of them."A very wise approach," Satoru replied.Luffy smiled, revealing his white teeth. "Hehehe.""By the way, who are you, Forest Mask? That sounds really interesting."Since Luffy had asked, Satoru had to play the part."Me?""Born from the forest, living by the forest, helping every lost child within the forest—I am Forest Mask."Satoru maintained his pose: turning his back while revealing his profile."Hahaha, that's so cool!" Luffy cheered.Meanwhile, Sanji and Usopp were left speechless."Alright, just keep following this River of Clouds, and you'll reach the altar to reunite with your comrades.""I need to go buy some gear. See you later."With that, Satoru fired air blasts from his feet and chased after the direction where Wapol and the others had disappeared."He's really interesting, this Forest Mask.""He said if we follow this River of Clouds, we can reach the altar. He's such a good guy, let's go," Luffysaid.Sanji and Usopp: "Yeah, yeah, sure, sure."...The battle in the forest was extremely intense.Even though there were only three opponents, the Skypieans were unable to gain the upper hand.Ohm's pet, a large dog named Holy, was taking down Skypieans one by one with single bites. It was thick-skinned and sturdy; even Raki's bullets couldn't pierce its defense.Ohm excelled in swordsmanship; with a single slash, every Skypiean who attacked him was repelled.Gedatsu possessed 'Jet Dials' and 'Cloud Dials' capable of producing Swamp Clouds. The Jet Dials were equipped on his shoes and wrists, allowing him to move through the air and amplifying the speed and power of his punches.The Swamp Clouds were set up in the area under his jurisdiction. Those who stumbled in would be like someone stepping into a swamp in the jungle, unable to free themselves by their own strength and eventually suffocating to death.Ultimately, if they fought within each Priest's own domain, the Skypieans had even less chance of winning.Facing the Skypieans surrounding him from all sides, Gedatsu activated his Jet Dials, spinning his entire body and blasting them away.The Skypieans who leaped from branches in the air to attack Shura also fell down one by one.Braham didn't know why Shura was targeting him, but as a gunman, engaging in melee combat with Shura—who stood on his mount and wielded a spear—was clearly an act of stupidity, so he chose to run and use guerrilla tactics.Kamakiri and Genbo attacked Ohm together.Genbo fired incendiary shells to cover Kamakiri. Kamakiri, wielding guns in both hands, leaped to attack, spinning his gun in the air before thrusting it down, aiming the tip at Ohm on the ground.However, Ohm merely stepped back and dodged the strike.Ohm smiled, raised his machete, and slashed down.Just then, Forest Mask Bai Yun descended from the sky, swooping down at an angle. He thrust his spear out, the tip blocking Ohm's downward slash.Kamakiri took the opportunity to immediately roll backward and escape.Satoru performed a backflip to put some distance between himself and Ohm, landing right in front of Kamakiri.Ohm's eyes, visible through his sunglasses, scrutinized Satoru."Are you the Forest Mask that piece-of-trash Shuramentioned?"Satoru was fully armed: four pistols tucked into each side of his waist, a long spear in his hand, two machetes strapped to his back, and a pair of ice-blade-style wavers on his feet.These were just the spoils he had picked up along the way to the battlefield.Satoru still had a conscience, after all.Since others had "gifted" him so many things...…it was only right to lend a hand and save someone.So, he stepped in to save Kamakiri.
Chapter 291: The Devil of DealsAfter bidding farewell to Luffy and the others, Satoru entered the battlefield of the Priests and the Skypiean.The injured Skypiean lying on the ground were confused by Satoru's mask, but they thought Satoruwas a "White-Clad Angel," a medic on the battlefield, who had come to save them.However, Satoru knew he was "no White-Clad Angel." Although he dragged them a certain distance away from the battlefield, he also stripped them of all their equipment.Compared to the title "White-Clad Angel," Satorupreferred "The Devil of Deals"... Looking at the fully armed Satoru who had come to stir up trouble, Ohmhad only heard Shura describe him, while the Skypiean were utterly confused. Who was this person wearing a strange mask?If Satoru could hear their thoughts, he would definitely retort, "Compared to your Minotaur masks, how is my mask strange?""Are you the Forest Mask that Shura, that piece of trash, spoke of?"Facing Ohm's words.Satoru nodded, indicating strong agreement."You are correct. Both regarding my identity and Shura being trash, you are absolutely correct."As soon as he finished speaking, Satoru felt a strong gust of wind above his head.Shura, wielding his Fire Spear, suddenly leaped high and struck down toward Satoru, his gnashing teeth making it seem as if he intended to pierce the earth.The wind brought a wave of heat from the flames. Although Satoru had never learned the spear, nor had he copied anyone who used a spear, his Staff Technique was copied from Benn, the Ship Doctor of the Red Hair Pirates, since he was young. Even without much practice over the years, he could at least wield it skillfully.The gravity attack of a staff focuses on smashing, while the spear focuses on thrusting. However, Staff Technique is not without piercing attacks. Moreover, a certain servant once said, "Who says you can't pierce without a spearhead?"Besides, Satoru now had a spearhead.Shura smashed down with his spear, not yet close enough for Satoru to reach by fully raising the spear held in one hand. Yet, Satoru thrust his spear out at that moment. If he had gripped the middle of the shaft, he naturally wouldn't have reached Shura's spear, but Satoru let the spear slip out of his hand. Rather than thrusting it, he was throwing it up. Naturally, Satoru wasn't confident that the force of a single throw could block Shura's leap attack.The shaft slid along Satoru's palm, and when it reached the very end, Satoru gripped it again. Just then, the tip of Shura's descending spear met the tip of Satoru's spear. Before the two tips could react, Satoru suddenly raised his other hand, which was already covered in Armament Haki. He pushed with his palm, striking down hard onto the base of the spear shaft.The immense force traveled along the shaft to the spear tip and then to the tip of Shura's spear. The spear shaft splintered and burst open, and the iron spearhead became riddled with cracks. Naturally, the front half of Shura's long spear was also covered in cracks, and the force directly sent Shura flying backward. In mid-air, Shura opened his eyes in disbelief."Iron Fork."At this moment, Satoru was holding up his hands, the spear in them already shattered, leaving his chest wide open.Ohm's long sword, whose blade appeared to be iron, was actually cloud; it was a 'Cloud Dial' capable of spraying Iron Clouds. Equipping it to the sword made the blade light as a cloud, hard as iron, flexible, and capable of changing shape.It was somewhat like a super inferior version of Satoru's Bracelet.Ohm seized this opportunity, causing the Iron Cloud to form a fork shape and thrust toward Satoru's chest.The distance was already short, and coupled with the dishonorable sneak attack while Satoru was repelling Shura, Satoru could not evade this attack, even with his Clone's speed. If you can't avoid it, don't!The fork stabbed into Satoru's chest, yet all that was heard was the sound of steel clashing.Satoru's speed might be slow, but the speed of covering himself with Armament Haki could be controlled merely by a thought.The standard shape of a weaponized fork is high in the middle and low on the sides. If the three tines were the same length, the outer tines could have wounded Satoru, despite the Armament Hakicovering his chest. Unfortunately, the fork Ohmcreated from Iron Cloud was the standard shape.Seeing this situation, Satoru could guess that Ohm's eyes behind those Sunglasses were filled with shock, even though Satoru couldn't see them. He knew that even God Enel couldn't withstand Iron Cloud with just his bare flesh.
Chapter 292: I'll say it again, I wish you great victory in this battle.While Satoru repelled Shura, Ohm took the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. They certainly wouldn't talk about martial ethics; wasn't that unlucky fellow at the beginning jumped by four of them?However, the trident formed by Iron Cloud stabbed Satoru's chest, yet it felt like it had struck a piece of iron.Satoru merely took two steps back and showed no other reaction.Ohm's small eyes widened in great confusion. Taking Iron Cloud head-on with just his body—as far as he knew, even God Enel couldn't do that. (Enerudoes not possess Armament Haki; of course, he can elementalize, but then it wouldn't be his "body" anymore.)"You have something under your clothes!"This was the only explanation Ohm could accept.Satoru smiled. People always twist their own ignorance into something they can understand and accept, thereby deceiving themselves.Satoru was not in the mood to explain what Armament Haki was to Ohm."Guess."After speaking, Satoru raised his hand. But with just that simple movement, Ohm immediately retreated, sheathing his blade. Satoru's previous display had been shocking enough for him.Facing Satoru now, he was neither relaxed nor disdainful, unlike when he faced the Skypieanpeople.Iron Cloud transformed into a blade and stood before his chest, his eyes fixed intently on Satoru, demonstrating his complete vigilance against Satoru.Seeing the opponent act like a startled bird, Satorusmiled again. "I still prefer your old arrogant and unruly demeanor as a Priest.""Who exactly are you?!""Mmm mmm mmm mmm..."Ohm asked, and Gedatsu, not far behind Satoru, also posed a question, though he was biting his lower lip and speaking gibberish.They were both extremely wary of Satoru.A person like this suddenly appeared on Skypiea. Regardless of how strong he was, he was certainly not simple. He looked very strange; he didn't resemble a Skypiean, who generally have bronze skin and aren't very pale. This guy was very pale, much like the Angels of Angel Island, but Ohmknew Satoru definitely wasn't female, because when he stabbed him with the trident just now, his chest was flat."Guess.""Also, mmm mmm mmm..."Satoru first answered Ohm. Those two words were a universal answer that worked every time. He then turned his head toward Gedatsu, mimicking him by biting his lower lip and replying with "mmm mmm mmm."Gedatsu realized he was biting his lower lip again, and at the same time, he understood what he looked like when he usually spoke gibberish to others.After speaking, Satoru turned back, reached behind him, drew his twin blades, and stood tall, radiating immense presence.Ohm and Gedatsu exchanged glances. The next second, both figures moved, much faster than when they dealt with the Skypieans.They attacked Satoru from the front and the back.Satoru still maintained a calm and relaxed demeanor. Just then, Wapol and the troops he led finally arrived. However fast their Ice Blade wavers were, they couldn't be faster than Satoru's Air Compression Technique.As soon as Wapol arrived, regardless of whether he understood the battle situation or not, fighting a Priest required no reason.He launched a "Leo Flying Kick" at Gedatsu, who was attacking Satoru's back. Gedatsu had no choice but to turn and push out his hand to block Wapol's kick.To their right, Ohm's blade struck out, aiming directly for Satoru's face. He refused to believe Satoru had "something" on his face too.In response to Ohm's reckless strike, Satoru simply raised and crossed his twin blades, trapping Ohm's weapon.The confrontation between the four individuals on the left and right sides lasted only a few seconds.When Wapol's kick failed, he immediately raised his Burning Cannon muzzle and aimed it at Gedatsu's face. The muzzle was barely ten centimeters away, and Wapol fired the shell with a look of disdain.With a loud boom and a violent explosion, Wapolused the resulting air blast to pull away.At the same time, Satoru smiled at Ohm, stepped into the air, and spun horizontally. The trapped blades caused Ohm to stumble. Without stopping, the instant Satoru repelled Ohm, he simultaneously delivered a kick directly to the waist area of Gedatsu, who was behind Ohm.Gedatsu was sent flying backward, emerging from the black smoke, still biting his lower lip. However, that cannon shot hadn't killed him.His body stopped spinning, and Satoru fell face down, immediately thrusting his twin blades downward. The blades bent and rebounded, and using that force, Satoru sprang directly onto a tree branch.From his elevated position, he looked down at Wapol."I'll say it again, I wish you great victory in this battle."
Chapter 293: What in the world is Satoru up to?"I'll say it again, I wish you a great victory in this battle."Satoru intervened in the battle between the Skypieans and the Priests.And for him, this was a transaction.He took the Skypieans' equipment, and in return, he helped the Skypieans fight a few moves against the Priests.Once Wapol arrived, Satoru planned to retreat. Did they expect him to fight to the death for just this equipment?So he said this to Wapol from the tree branch. Was it a sincere blessing or an insinuation? Satoruindicated it was both.After speaking, he turned and left.When the deed is done, he brushes his clothes and hides his achievements... No, no, the name must remain."Remember, everyone, I am Forest Mask. See you again."After saying this, Satoru pulled out a gun, fired a shot at Shura, who was trying to ambush him, and then burst into a sprint, quickly departing.Wapol stared in the direction Satoru left, his expression unchanged, still indifferent, only the cigarette in his mouth slowly burning.Whether it was the Skypieans or the Priests, Forest Mask Bai Yun left a very deep impression on them.Turning his head, Wapol and Ohm met each other's gaze.Nothing more to say."Kill!"Wapol gave the order, leading the attack, and the second round began... Meanwhile, Zoro, Nami, and Robin, who were exploring, arrived behind the Skypiea altar during the time Satoru and the Skypieans were fighting and Luffy and his crew were rushing to the altar on the Crow.The three reached the edge of Skypiea, behind the altar. Here, they saw the other half of Cricket's house, but this half was older and covered in vines and moss. Cricket's half of the house had clearly been renovated.This also proved Satoru's statement that the Golden City was spewed into the sky by the Knock Up Stream.The Golden City is really here!!Nami was so happy she almost fainted.They had already discovered the most important thing, and with dusk approaching, the three returned to the altar.Arriving at the altar lake shore, Nami saw the Merry's mast was broken and anxiously shouted, "Chopper! Where are you?! What happened!""The Merry's mast is broken, did he modify the ship?"Zoro guessed, which was not wrong, but he was a bit too trusting of Chopper."Is your head filled with straw?! Even a fool would know we ran into enemies!"Nami was so angry her face turned into a shark's. Head filled with straw and Mosshead... she learned new ways to insult people."Could they have been harmed?"Robin's guess was even more frightening."Don't think nonsense!"Nami immediately dismissed that guess."Hey, Chopper! Are you there?! What exactly happened?"Zoro also called out, his voice indeed louder than Nami's.And just as they were worrying, Gan Fall came out of the ship's cabin with Chopper, holding a pot of pumpkin soup."Huh, old man?"Nami asked, confused."It's nothing, we're fine!"Chopper shouted back.Before Zoro and the others could reply, Luffy and his crew's voices came from the left side of the Merry."Oh! Look, it's the Merry, the altar is over there!"The voices drew everyone's attention."Ah!! Miss Nami, Miss Robin!! I've come to pick you up after passing the 'Trial of Love'!"Sanji's beauty radar made his eyes immediately fix on the two beautiful ladies, while that foolish Mosshead was automatically pixelated."You must have been scared! But Captain Usopp is back, no need to worry.""What, it took all that effort for just this little trial?"Usopp and Luffy followed Sanji's words, truly showing their distinct personalities.Nami smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, "They seem fine too, that's a relief."Just as she let out that breath, a voice rang out."Yohohoho.""Everyone's here."Mimicking the laugh of a certain skeleton who hadn't appeared yet, who else could it be?"The protagonist always appears last.""Ahhhhh!!"Forest Mask Bai Yun emerged from the forest, swung on a vine, and landed perfectly with a flip on the Merry's second-floor deck."Hello everyone, I am Forest Mask."Except for Luffy and Chopper, and a somewhat uncertain Gan Fall, everyone else watching this scene thought to themselves, what in the world is Satoru up to?
Chapter 294: Thanks for briefly loving me"The mast is gone..."When Usopp said this, his heart felt like it was bleeding."I'm sorry, Mr. Long Nose.""We tried our best. When the ship is the battlefield, it's impossible to guarantee it will be completely unharmed.""All in all, that damn Priest!""Right, Chopper."Satoru immediately replied, looking at Chopper with sincere eyes."Yes, Forest Mask said that it was that Priest who broke the mast."Chopper replied, not lying. It was indeed Shura who "broke" it, just a difference between active and passive."I've already repaired the other parts, but this mast..."Chopper always felt disappointed that he had failed everyone's expectations.Satoru:...I'm sorry... If there's a chance later, I'll catch Shura's big bird mount and roast it.Cross-legged: What does that have to do with me?!!Usopp didn't mind Satoru calling him Mr. Long Nose; he knew it wasn't their fault."What about you two?""Bai... Forest Mask looks fine. Chopper, you're not hurt, are you?""Huh? Mm-hmm."Chopper was stunned for a moment, then nodded. This time, with Satoru and Xiao Bai present, he wasn't injured."That damned Priest must have been tough to deal with. It's good that you two are alright.""And Chopper, you've almost finished repairing the other parts, which is amazing..."Usopp turned and walked away, saying. Although he felt bad for the Merry, he wouldn't blame Chopper and Satoru.Chopper listened silently, and Satoru patted his... antlers."Did you hear that? You're already amazing, Chopper."After speaking, Satoru also walked away.Chopper came back to his senses, his whole body ablaze with fighting spirit, and he secretly made a decision in his heart.I must become a more reliable man... "What a harmonious crew, very good, very good."Gan Fall heard Usopp's words to Satoru and Chopper, and watching Luffy gobbling down pumpkin soup, he couldn't help but wonder what magic this leader possessed to gather such comrades.In response, Satoru and the others would probably answer like this if they heard it.Satoru: "I'm his childhood friend."Zoro: "I don't know, I'll cut him down eventually."Nami: "Stupid, loves to eat, but reliable."Usopp: "As the boss, of course I have to protect my subordinates."Sanji: "What? What because of him? I joined the ship because of the beautiful Miss Nami."Chopper: "Luffy and the others need a doctor, and I will grow into a reliable doctor."Robin: "...A very interesting team.""It's already night. The ship needs repairs, so I think we should wait until tomorrow. Let's set off back to Angel Island tomorrow."Sanji also complimented Gan Fall's pumpkin soup as delicious, then suggested.It was already night. The broken ship was one thing; not having lighting tools was another."How about camping in the forest by the lake tonight? If enemies attack, it'll be easier to deal with them by the lake."Sanji's considerations were quite realistic.Luffy only heard, "Wow! That's great, camping... bonfire party!!!"He was very excited, then Luffy thought of something else and became a little downcast."It's a shame Satoru isn't here. I wonder how he's doing now, where is he?"Forest Mask: Yeah, yeah."But it's okay, I'm confident in his strength! Let's have our party!"Luffy, who could convince himself, became excited again, shouting about a bonfire party.Forest Mask Bai Yun expressed: Thanks for briefly loving me."Wait a minute! This is enemy territory, and you actually want to..."Usopp was more cautious (cowardly).But it was useless.Whoosh~ the scene changed.Everyone had already set up camp by the lake shore.
Chapter 295: Let's Go Find the Gold TogetherCamping by the lake reminded Satoru of his childhood. Sure enough, being a child was truly carefree.Everyone reported the information they knew.But there wasn't much useful information.Except for this: "Just as Satoru suspected, the Knock-Up Stream slammed the island into the sky, and this island is the Golden City that the Saruyama Alliance has been dreaming of!!"Usopp held a pointer and pointed at the three large characters on the blackboard—Golden City!As he said this, he instinctively glanced at Forest Mask Bai Yun. Satoru returned the smile, and Usoppimmediately looked away, but Luffy still didn't notice anything amiss.For example, Luffy was currently very shocked."Is that true!?"Meanwhile, Nami was speechless."Didn't I just say that!!""Hahaha, that's not important. What's important is the gold."Satoru said with a smile.Luffy's mouth also curled up into a smile."Yeah, gold! This is the adventure I've been waiting for!"Speaking of gold, Nami was the happiest."It seems the adventure through the Knock-Up Stream was worth it."Usopp was still cautious. "Hey, hey, Luffy, did you forget the guerrilla soldier's warning?"Chopper was equally "cautious." "God might get angry...""Hehehe, this sounds interesting." Robin's constant word: interesting."Alright, with treasure right in front of us, what pirate wouldn't be tempted?"Sanji replied. Indeed, with sparkling gold right there, let alone pirates, who wouldn't be tempted?And Zoro was always a battle maniac. "The enemy is very strong... it looks like we'll have to fight for survival." He said this terrifyingly, yet a smile played on his lips.Satoru gave a summary. "In any case, adventures can never be smooth sailing. As the saying goes, wealth is found in danger, and this Golden Cityholds extraordinary wealth.""Hehe, Forest Mask is right. Adventures can't be smooth sailing; that's what makes them fun! Alright... let's do this!""Let's go find the gold together!!"Luffy stood up, spread his feet, raised his hands, and shouted excitedly.Gan Fall still wore a smile and said nothing... The night was long.After the excitement, they had to wait for the night to pass before they could start their adventure, so Luffy felt the night was agonizingly long.He lay on the ground, staring at the iron pot, from which the sound of boiling water continuously emerged.But the water inside was undrinkable; the potable water was the distilled water in the small iron pot placed atop the large one."I'm bored to death!"Obviously, the job of watching for the distilled water to fill up and then pouring it out was too boring for him.Satoru slowly opened his eyes. Under the hazy light of the fire, he felt very peaceful. He had fallen asleep sitting up and was woken up by Luffy's voice.He opened his eyes and saw Luffy lying on the ground, and Gan Fall, along with his bird, was also staring at the flames.Sanji was preparing ingredients.Nami was flipping through a book.Robin was strolling by the lakeside.The sound of hammering came from the direction of the altar; Usopp must have been repairing the ship.Just then, Zoro and Chopper, who had gone out to find more food, returned."Sanji, we found lots of food.""There are walnuts, aloe, bananas, and garlic."Chopper reported obediently.Zoro's report didn't sound so "obedient.""Also rats and frogs.""Great, thanks for your hard work. Throw them all in."Sanji replied.Nami, who was flipping through a book nearby, instantly bristled. "Wait! I just heard about food I absolutely cannot accept!"Sanji smiled and rubbed his head. "Ah, sorry, don't you like garlic?""No! That's not what I meant!"Nami immediately waved her hand.Satoru walked over with a smile."I think the frogs and rats should be skipped, and add more garlic."Adding more garlic was purely Satoru's own idea."Since you're here, help prepare the food."Sanji nodded and then said.Satoru gave him a sincere look."Is it too late for me to go back now?"But it seemed it was too late.Usopp and Robin also returned to the camp at this time.Robin was holding some blue crystals in her hands."Wow! Robin, what are those blue things? Are they gems?""They're very pretty, aren't they? Unfortunately, they are not."Robin replied.Professional Sanji, however, recognized what they were."Huh, are they salt crystals? Sister Robin, you're amazing!""Mm-hmm, Sister Robin is amazing."Satoru echoed.Robin put down the crystals."I found them by the lakeside. I think this stuff will be useful.""Of course! This is something crucial for survival battles."Sanji replied, though there was a hint of flattery in his tone.
Chapter 296: The Former GodNight fell, but unfortunately, the sky was mostly obscured by the massive tree canopy; otherwise, viewing the stars from ten thousand meters in the air would surely be beautiful.To welcome the arrival of tomorrow and prepare tonight's dinner, everyone in the Straw Hat Pirateswas in action...."Give me half the aloe and garlic; I need to make medicine for disinfection and burns. We might need it tomorrow."Chopper said as he picked out the garlic and aloe.Zoro was muttering in the back, "Do we need frogs? Do we need frogs?"Satoru chuckled, feeling it was funny seeing Zorolike this, "Setting aside whether frogs can be used as medicine, do you have a grudge against frogs?""Forest Mask is right. Are you that bored, Zoro? Come over here and give me a hand."Sanji picked up where Satoru left off."What for?"Zoro turned and walked over. Although he looked reluctant—well, that's just his usual expression—he was coming over, wasn't he?"Here."Sanji and Satoru tacitly turned their heads toward the stones on the ground that were being roasted until they were glowing red."Ah."Then, the two of them tacitly shifted their gaze to the pot.The meaning was quite obvious: throw the stones into the pot."Hey! Hey! My swords aren't meant to be used like this!"Zoro complained, but his hands were already using his two swords to cross and lift the stones. What a tsundere."Shut up! If you piss off the chef, you can just wait to starve!"Sanji retorted. Although he sounded fierce, he was also guarding them on the side—guarding the stones, of course. If the stones fell, there would be no dinner!When the two of them walked over, Satoru opened the pot lid. With a "thud," the stones were tossed into the pot by Zoro.Satoru took the opportunity to close the lid. Luffyhad been watching ever since Zoro and the others started carrying the stones."Eh? Can you eat stones too? Are they tasty?"Satoru was speechless, "You're actually planning to eat the stones?"Sanji explained, "As if you could eat them! This is called 'Hot Stone Stew'.""It means using heated stones to stew the food. It's quite good, you know, it prevents the nutrients in the food from being lost."Satoru had never actually eaten this hot stone stew, neither before nor after his transmigration, but he did trust Sanji's culinary skills....After some time, the stew was ready.At the same time, the plan Nami had been mapping out was also ready."Hey! Everyone come over, let's start the strategy meeting and discuss how to proceed tomorrow.""Okay~"Sanji answered the most enthusiastically because it was Nami. Just try replacing her with Zoro and see what happens.Discussing plans was fine, eating was fine, but of course, the best way was to eat while discussing."Alright, first, just as Satoru guessed from the beginning, the reason the Golden City discovered in Noland's picture book disappeared when he returned to Jaya was because, during the time he was away, the part of Jaya containing the Golden City was blown into the sky by the Knock-Up Stream.""Which is this Skypiea we are currently standing on.""But the forest we went to on Jaya isn't the same as the forest here."Zoro asked.This required the knowledgeable Robin to explain."I think it's probably due to the different components that form the Sea Clouds and Island Clouds.""In the environment of this island, there seems to be a power that allows animals and plants to grow rapidly.""In this way, the civilization buried in the forest can be explained.""Hmm, very convincing."Satoru chimed in, and Robin returned him a smile."No wonder those South Birds surrounding the Sky Knight were so big. By the way, they also called the Sky Knight 'God'."Chopper raised his hands and opened them wide to gesture, "So big," while naively recounting what he heard the South Birds call Gan Fall.He was naive, but Luffy was shocked and looked at the silent Gan Fall."God!?!""Does that mean I have to beat you up, old man?""Of course not, you blockhead!"Usopp retorted, though immediately afterward, he, like everyone else, shifted his gaze to Gan Fall.Gan Fall didn't have much of a reaction."I am indeed a God, but that is a thing of the past.""You should focus on your plan; I will tell you my story later."
Chapter 297: The Skull's Right Eye"You all should focus on the plan first; I will tell you about my matter later."Everyone in the straw hat Crew, except for Satoru, was curious about the South Bird calling Gan Fall a god, as mentioned by Chopper. Of course, Satorupretended to be curious as well. Facing all those eyes, the old man Gan Fall maintained his composure and replied thus... Hearing him say this, Nami didn't press the issue. Gan Fall had helped them initially, saved Conis according to Luffy and the others, and now came to help Chopper, so Namididn't think Gan Fall was a bad person and continued discussing their plan."In short, everyone, think back to the information about the 'Golden City' recorded in Noland's logbook."Nami posed the question.Luffy raised his hand to answer and was surprisingly the first one with a response."He saw gold."Well, that was completely useless."Isn't that obvious?! You blockhead!"Usopp complained."Didn't the log also mention the giant golden bellmade of gold and the South Bird?"Sanji recalled. He was probably the one who remembered Noland's story most clearly, besides Nami.Robin picked up where he left off."Right, there's a confusing sentence on the last page of the log. In the writing Noland left just before his death, he wrote...""In the skull's right eye, I saw gold!""That's the line!"Robin hit the key point, and Nami immediately affirmed it."Look, I took the map Robin got on Jaya Island and made a proportional copy based on the ancient map of the Sky Sanctuary.""Then I pasted it together, aligning it with the houses on the coast..."Nami said this while spreading the two maps on the ground.As the two maps overlapped, the complete outline of Jaya Island looked like a skull!"Look! This is the complete appearance of Jaya Island four hundred years ago!"Nami's tone was very excited.Heads gathered in a circle around the map, looking at its contents."Ooh! It looks like a skull!"Luffy said in surprise."That truly has a pirate flavor—a skull's gold."Satoru exclaimed."It does!""Huh? Is Forest Mask a pirate too?"Luffy noticed a blind spot."My childhood friend is a pirate, so I know a bit."Satoru answered naturally, implying that he wasn't lying."Really? A childhood friend, that's nice."Luffy returned the smile.Luffy's simple-mindedness was something everyone was used to, so they ignored it and continued focusing on the Golden City.Usopp picked up the map that Nami had pasted together."So! The'Skull's Right Eye is at'...""This spot!"Nami confidently pointed to a location on the map."What Noland was hinting at must have been the complete form of Jaya Island, but since the current Jaya Island is only half of that, the riddle couldn't be solved.""But now, with the two maps combined, forming the shape of a skull! There can be no doubt!""A huge amount of gold must be waiting for us in this place!!"Nami confidently adjusted the glasses on her face, her eyes flashing with assurance."So that's how it is!""Makes sense...""Treasure!!"Luffy and the others responded.At this moment, Robin looked toward Satoru, who was watching quietly with a smile playing on his lips.She remembered that Satoru had said at Cricket's house that the Golden City was a village, meaning it was on the ground. So, was it possible that the skull's right eye referred to a specific location?Was it a coincidence, or... Satoru was becoming increasingly mysterious and intriguing, Robin mused in her mind.Satoru sensed her gaze and turned his head toward her.Robin said nothing, only returning a smile.What could Satoru do? Of course, he smiled back.After Luffy and the others finished their excited shouting.Nami continued pointing to the inferred location of the Golden City on the map."Tomorrow, we'll go straight to this spot, but we can't leave the ship unguarded, so we'll split into two groups."Satoru raised his hand and made a throat-cutting gesture."Separate and proceed."
Chapter 298: Bonfire Party"Separate and act."Regarding Satoru's bad joke.Everyone else was dampened by the "no rain," and only Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper played along."Hahaha, separating and acting, that's both hilarious and terrifying."Usopp laughed, pretending to be "scared.""That's right! Hahaha," came the agreement from little Chopper."You really are interesting, Forest Mask.""Huh?"Luffy reached out and patted Satoru, suddenly feeling that the texture was somewhat familiar.Satoru didn't even find himself that funny. "Is that so? Thank you for the compliment."...Dinner time was over, plan discussion time was over. Was it time to rest?How could that be!"It's late. Let's extinguish the unnecessary fires, or the enemy might find our location."Robin suggested, speaking from the perspective of safety concerns.However, she underestimated the thought processes of Luffy and the others, or rather, their optimism and energy."What nonsense... Usopp, did you hear? Robinwants us to put out the fire...""Don't blame her. You didn't tell her. Up until now, Robin has lived underground (referring to organizations like Baroque Works... or gangs). She simply doesn't know."Usopp replied with an air of seriousness."Huh? What are you guys talking about?"Luffy and the others' behavior sometimes fell into an area of knowledge Robin had never encountered.Luffy and Usopp squatted down and pounded the ground in disappointment; they were genuinely disappointed."A Bonfire Party! Anyone should know that! Idiot!""People can die, but the fire of the Bonfire Party must never go out."Only Nami, also a woman, understood Robin.Actually, Satoru didn't quite understand either. Having a lively party was fine, but insisting on having it even if it meant death seemed excessive."You guys are the idiots.""Stop fooling around! You should know how dangerous this forest is!""There are God's Guards here, and Guerrilla Soldiers. Moreover, the forest itself is dangerous enough; there might even be fierce beasts and monsters."Nami sighed and tried to persuade them.Chopper believed her. "Monsters!!"As for Luffy's attitude: "I don't know! Compared to monsters, Miss Nami, you are much scarier for rejecting the Bonfire Party!"Predictably, Luffy received a bump from Nami."Hey! Luffy, this is how you build a bonfire stand, right?"At that moment, Zoro shouted.Nami turned to look, and Zoro and Sanji had already finished setting up the bonfire stand.Nami instantly transformed into a shark face. "Why are you two acting recklessly too!!""Hahaha, maybe this is the romance of men."Satoru said with a smile, but suddenly feeling something was wrong, he corrected himself."This is the romance of men!"Changing from a question to a statement of certainty—that was important."Romance, my foot..."Nami covered her forehead, feeling like she was about to burst into tears."Miss Nami, don't worry. Fierce beasts are most afraid of fire."Sanji said confidently, holding up a torch.Then, pairs of emerald green eyes appeared from the darkness of the forest behind him."Behind you! Something is already coming from behind!!"Nami screamed in fright... Under the cover of night, the usually quiet forest of Skypiea was now bustling with activity near the altar.Firelight shone brightly. People and wolves were joyfully spinning and dancing around the bonfire—a truly magical sight. In Satoru's words, "These wolves have become spirits."Nami and Robin, who hadn't understood earlier, now had smiles plastered on their faces that they couldn't take off."Even the Cloud Wolves have been tamed. You truly are a peculiar group of people, and daring to be this brazen on Eneru's turf—it could only be you."Gan Fall exclaimed.Satoru sat next to Gan Fall, nodded, and agreed."Youth is a wonderful thing."Based on Zoro and the others' attitude toward the Forest Mask, Gan Fall had already guessed that the Forest Mask was the Long-Haired young man, Satoru, who was traveling with them. He just didn't understand why Satoru was wearing a disguise."You are hardly old yourself."Gan Fall replied.Hearing Gan Fall speak, Zoro withdrew from the dance group. He was always a highly competent comrade, and Gan Fall's identity and knowledge might be very useful for the Golden Operation tomorrow.Therefore, only Satoru, Zoro, and Robin were not participating in the Bonfire Dance.
Chapter 299: How Can We Not Try?The lake by the altar was bustling with activity.Luffy and his companions, along with the Cloud Wolves, danced around the bonfire. One might have thought they were performing some mysterious ritual.Meanwhile, Gan Fall, Satoru, Zoro, and Robin were discussing his story, what he knew about Eneru, and about Skypiea... "I heard everything you just said clearly.""You said this island was previously called Jaya Island, right?""Do you know why it's now called the Sky Holy Land?"Gan Fall asked."Most likely not."Satoru interjected, and Gan Fall nodded slightly, continuing, "For you, having ground beneath your feet is a very ordinary thing...""For you, having ground beneath your feet is a very ordinary thing...""Hmm? Of course, it is."Zoro replied."The green-haired gentleman is right. There's plenty of land, it's just a matter of whether it belongs to you or not."Satoru picked up where Zoro left off.Zoro shot him a glance. "Green-haired" and "Mosshead" were six of one, half a dozen of the other.Gan Fall grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground. "But in the sky, the land surface originally didn't exist.""Although island clouds can make plants grow quickly, they cannot create plants. Because green vegetation and soil did not originally exist in the sky."Saying that, Gan Fall scattered the dirt back onto the ground."We call this 'Earth,' and it is the eternal aspiration of those who live in the sky.""I remember that stone statue on Lovely Street was also called 'Earth' by you.""And the priests call themselves the 'Earth' of the areas they are responsible for.""Could it be that the stone statue was carved from rocks taken from here, and the priests calling themselves 'Earth' means they have control over that land?"Satoru stated his guess, as if everything on Skypieawas 'Earth'."Though I didn't hear it very clearly, what you said should be correct.""Earth guarantees vegetables and food.""Four hundred years ago, our ancestors could only find vegetables by waiting on the beach and searching through the wreckage of ships washed ashore by ocean currents.""Then, one day 400 years ago, the entire Sky Islandseemed to tremble.""Earth fell from the ground onto Sky Island.""It was like a gift from God.""The God of that time then led the people to occupy the Earth, driving out the Guerrilla Soldiers, the Skypieans, who originally lived there.""This land was named the'Sky Holy Land' and became the dwelling place of God."Gan Fall slowly recounted the story of Skypiea."To put it nicely, for... well, I can't think of any good words. To put it harshly, the God at that time was nothing but an invader.""But if you're backward, you get beaten. The Skypieans lost, and that's that.""An invader?""Yes, no matter the reason, no matter the need for land to survive, an invader is an invader."Satoru replied, his easygoing tone gone."Though I don't want to admit it, you're right.""In the 400 years that followed, we and the Skypieans were constantly at war.""After I became God, I also tried to talk to the Skypieans, but...""But 400 years of resentment can't be resolved just by talking."Robin sat in her usual posture, elbows on her knees, hand supporting her face.Gan Fall nodded."That's right.""But for the future of Sky Island, I still wanted to continue talking with them.""And Eneru's arrival changed everything.""He possessed incredibly powerful strength, drove me, the God, down, and took the position of God himself.""Constant surveillance kept the residents of Sky Island in a state of alarm.""If you go to search for gold, Eneru will certainly not stand idly by. You must be prepared."Gan Fall warned.Satoru glanced at Luffy, "No matter how difficult it may be, with gold and adventure ahead, how can we not try?"Gan Fall smiled upon hearing this, "Then I wish you good fortune in your endeavors."
Chapter 300: Ship SpiritTime passed.Usopp said that people might die, but the bonfire must never go out.But if the wood burns out, it will still go out.Not going out, refers to the flame that remains in people's hearts."Alright, it's late. Any later and it won't be night anymore.""Good night, everyone."Satoru looked at Luffy and the others, who were tired from dancing and had simply laid down on the ground, using the sky as a blanket and the earth as a bed. He then ended their conversation."Old man, make yourself at home. You can sleep anywhere here, except the ladies' tents."Satoru said to Gan Fall.Gan Fall indicated he understood."Using heaven and earth as bed and blanket is also a form of cultivation."After speaking, he closed his eyes right there.Zoro was the same; he could sleep very comfortably leaning against the stone wall, hugging his sword.Robin got up to go to the tent where Nami was already resting.However, she still had a question."I'm curious, what will you call me, Mr. Forest Mask?"Satoru stroked his chin, pretending to be very serious, "Hmm... how about Dark-Skinned Big Sister?"Robin's eyebrow visibly twitched. After giving Satoru a smile, she walked towards the tent.Satoru, meanwhile, was thinking about what he would call his comrades tomorrow.Mr. straw hat, Mr. Green Hair, Miss Orange Hair, Mr. Long Nose, Curly Brow Chef, Chopper, and Dark-Skinned Big Sister."Hmm... good names.""Good night, everyone. Makka Pakka."...Time continued to pass. The flames on the bonfire stand had completely died out, leaving only a few scattered sparks and drifting smoke."What do you mean, go together?! How old are you?!""If you want to go, go by yourself!"Usopp's request to go to the toilet together was mercilessly rejected.But he couldn't hold it in, and he was afraid of waking everyone up, so he had to bravely go by himself.As he passed by the lake, he heard a clanging sound coming from the going merry on the altar."Hmm? What's that sound?""There shouldn't be anyone on the ship. The fog is too thick... I can't see clearly."Usopp muttered to himself.As a layer of fog dispersed, he saw a tiny figure holding a hammer, repairing the going merry's mast! The main thing was that the figure was floating in mid-air!Usopp's mouth dropped open in fright.He was already timid, and at this moment, another surprise came.A face suddenly appeared in front of him, hanging upside down.A fox mask paired with long, flowing hair, hanging upside down, and it was a sudden face-to-face scare.Before Satoru could speak, Usopp's eyes welled up with tears, and he stiffly fell backward, white foam at the corners of his mouth."Why are you such a coward, Usopp?"Satoru said. He was hanging upside down because his feet were tied with vines. He had been sleeping on a tree branch, and he tied the vines to prevent himself from falling.Untying the vines from his ankles, Satoru flipped over and lay on the ground, then kicked Usopp in the abdomen. Alright, now Usopp was sleeping even more soundly."It must be because he's too close to the ground. How tall is Usopp anyway?"Satoru got up, making excuses for himself, and looked at the going merry. He took a step and flew over... Seeing Satoru approach, the clanging sound stopped.Satoru stood by the ship, not getting any closer, still unable to see the Ship Spirit's face in the fog.And seeing Satoru stop, the Ship Spirit also remained still.One person and one spirit stared at each other."Do you... know the Smurfs?"Satoru was the first to speak.As soon as he spoke, the Ship Spirit was baffled. What? What kind of spirit, Smurfs?The Ship Spirit shook its head in the misty silhouette.Seeing that Satoru made no move, it continued to pick up its hammer and repair the mast."Born from the ship, you live inside the ship, so can you see Miss Nami, Miss Robin, and the others when they bathe?"At Satoru's words, the Ship Spirit's figure stumbled, seemingly hitting its finger, and quickly shook its head in denial, indicating it was a proper spirit."Haha, just kidding.""My hidden comrade.""You've worked hard. Good night."After speaking, Satoru flew back to sleep.The fog flew away, and the Ship Spirit's small eyes were filled with great confusion as it curiously watched Satoru's retreating back.
Chapter 301: My Goals Are HugeAt the shrine.Enel summoned the three God Sages."We... mmmph mmmph mmmph... mmmph..."Arriving at the entrance of the shrine, Gedatsu bit his lower lip, his eyes wide with fury, making muffled sounds.If no one reminded him, he could keep making those sounds indefinitely.Ohm and Shura, who were beside him, had long gotten used to this behavior.Ohm reminded him."Of course you can't talk when you're biting your lower lip.""Ah!"Gedatsu released his lower lip, looking as if he had just realized something profound.Shura remained silent; just two days ago, he had been suppressed by two people: a Blue Sea person and some kind of Forest Mask.Just then, the shrine door clicked open, and the three of them, like birds startled by the mere twang of a bow, immediately drew their weapons and retreated.However, the one who appeared was Yama, the Divine Guard Commander, who looked as wide as a wall.Sighing, Yama spoke with the tone of someone deeply disappointed in their subordinates."Here we go again. What are you doing? You're truly useless.""Shut up!"The three shouted in unison.They weren't guarding against Yama, of course, but against Enel. Every time they came, Enel would give them a "surprise," so it was no wonder they were so cautious."That's right, truly useless."At that moment, a voice sounded that the three found somewhat familiar.Bai Yun walked out from behind Yama; Yama's massive frame was more than enough to conceal him."It's you!"The three shouted in perfect sync again, with Shura having the biggest reaction. He stepped forward, clearly about to attack.Bai Yun drew the pistol from his waist. "Don't move."Although he only had one bullet, Bai Yun's tone was so confident it sounded as if he had infinite ammunition."Why are you here?!"Ohm raised his sword, pointing the tip at Bai Yun as he questioned him."Exactly! What is your purpose here?"This time, Gedatsu didn't bite his lower lip, but his arms were crossed and stretched downwards.A Divine Attendant reminded him, "Lord Gedatsu, that will be tiring. To properly cross your arms, you should tuck your hands into the crook of your elbows."Gedatsu realized the truth once again, but this realization wouldn't last long; he would probably forget it the moment he turned around."My goals are huge—so big they'd scare you to death if I told you."Facing the three of them, Bai Yun's attitude and tone were completely nonchalant.Yama glanced at him and shouted."Enough! Are you done yet? How dare you be so insolent in the presence of God!!""Presence? Then tell us, where is God?"Shura asked. In front of them was only an empty Divine Throne; Enel wasn't on it."There's an opening!!"Suddenly, a voice came from behind them. Before Ohm and the others could react, Enel flipped over them and electrocuted them, sending them sprawling.Bai Yun immediately darted out of the way. After several continuous flips, Enel settled back onto the Divine Throne, lying on his side with his hand propping up his head."Yahahaha.""I am... God!""Aren't I right here?""Go back and train some more! Your skills are still lacking.""You wouldn't want to suffer a crushing defeat like Satori, would you?"Grabbing a piece of fruit, Enel stood up and glanced at Bai Yun again.Bai Yun pretended not to notice. Losing face in front of these three was something he couldn't afford.Enel raised an eyebrow but said nothing more."What was that for?!""You just toyed with us.""You summoned us urgently just for this?""Also, why is this Blue Sea person here?"These were the accusations from Ohm and the other two."Hahaha, I was just bored. Sit down first."Enel replied.Although he was grinning, if the three dared not to sit, he could guarantee that once he made them sit, they would never get back up.The three put away their weapons and sat down on the floor.Enel pointed at Bai Yun, explaining, and casually shot a bolt of lightning at him."He is the new God Sage replacing Satori: Bai Yun."Bai Yun dodged the lightning bolt and said to Ohm and the others."Please guide me in the future, seniors.""This..."Shura wanted to protest, but he didn't dare. He couldn't question God's decision, and neither could the other two."Hmph!"In the end, his reaction was merely a cold snort directed at Bai Yun.Gedatsu only gave Bai Yun a couple more glances.As for Ohm, even though he had only met him once, he felt that Bai Yun seemed very familiar.
Chapter 302: The Great Gold OperationAlthough Ohm and the other two were quite confused and annoyed that Satoru had become a new Priest and their new colleague, they dared not question God's choice. As Priests, they knew Eneru's strength best."Alright, there's no need for any hypocritical welcome ceremony," Eneru said."Indeed, I don't think there would be any good ceremony anyway." Although it meant canceling his own welcome ceremony, Satoru agreed; he wasn't here to join sincerely anyway.For some reason, having been God for a few years, with these people obeying his every command, Satoru's attitude actually amused Eneru."You're right," Eneru replied, then ignored Satoruand got down to business."You don't seem to be taking that group of Blue Sea people seriously.""Their goal is the gold."Clearly, either Eneru had heard the plans Luffy and his crew made by the altar lake, or perhaps, any Blue Sea person who came to Sky Island and knew of the Golden City's existence would have designs on it! That was gold!!"They should act tomorrow, and the Skypieans will launch another attack.""Therefore, tomorrow, this Skypiea will be completely opened up to you all.""In fact, the [Maxim] is almost finished, and we need to bring things to an end on this island as soon as possible.""Maxim?" Satoru repeated.Eneru looked at him. "You'll know in the end. Tomorrow, you will also go and conduct a trial.""It doesn't matter if there's no specific trial venue, and it doesn't matter how you conduct it. Don't worry about the rules; it's fine to turn everything upside down...""That sounds interesting. Is it fine even if I split the island in two?" Satoru asked."Hahahaha, if you have the ability to do that, even better!!" Eneru laughed, gripped the apple he had been tossing around, and took a bite."Don't let me down.""Only by resolving this perfectly can we set off for the world of our dreams!"Satoru stifled a laugh; those three idiots could forget about going."I told you! I told you!!""Someone was definitely here yesterday!!""Everything I saw was real, I was definitely not dreaming!!""The going merry has been repaired!!" Usoppshouted, pointing at the going merry on the altar.The going merry was covered in patches of iron plating here and there, and the mast had been reconnected by spiraling iron plating, looking as if someone had covered it in Band-Aids.Everyone returned to the ship. Although they felt it was strange, the going merry had indeed been repaired.But strangely, after the going merry was repaired, it had completely returned to its original appearance. The crest and wings from the flying mode had been dismantled."Why would the person who repaired the ship know that the Merry didn't have a tail, wings, or a crest before?""What do you think, Merry... who on earth repaired you..." Usopp murmured, looking at Merry's sheep figurehead.Satoru patted his shoulder."Regardless, it's always a good thing that the going merry is repaired. Don't think about it so much, Uso... Mr. Long Nose.""The things arranged by the orange-haired lady are more important right now."Hearing this, Usopp agreed."Indeed, no matter how I think about it now, I can't figure it out. Let's go, let's head over, Bai... Forest Mask."The two looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh. Whether it was Uso... Long Nose or Bai... Forest Mask, it was all a bit funny.Nami held the map and explained it to everyone.The plan was to split into two groups.The exploration group was responsible for going to the ancient ruins to search for gold.The retreat group would follow the River of Cloudsback to the exit of Skypiea, then circle around Skypiea from the exit to the coast north of the ancient ruins, waiting there to rendezvous with the exploration group.This was the plan, called: The Great Gold Operation!There weren't many details; just charging in blindly was the right way to go.The personnel for the exploration group were: Luffy, Zoro, Robin, and Chopper.The personnel for the retreat group were: Satoru, Sanji, Usopp, Nami, and of course, Gan Fall and Pierre."Alright!!""Let's go!!"With smiles, everyone began this Great Gold Operation!
Chapter 303: Five PeopleThe Straw Hat Pirates launched their Great Gold Operation.If they succeeded, just as Nami said, they would become the "Millionaire Pirate Crew" and could buy whatever they wanted in the future.However, how could they receive the clearance reward without defeating the final boss?Inside Skypiea at this moment, the survival game had also begun. The Straw Hat Pirates, the Skypiean, and the Shrine—the three factions were in utter chaos... Luffy's four-person exploration team had barely taken a few steps when an accident occurred.The gigantic Lord of Sky Island appeared, its fangs wide enough to swallow three going merrys.Because of its appearance, the four members (Luffyand crew) were forced to separate.Their original route was to head straight south from the Altar to find the ruins.Now, only Robin remained on the correct path.Chopper headed southeast.Luffy headed southwest.As for Zoro, true to form, he turned back, reaching the "finish line" only to find he was back at the starting point... the Shrine.Now, only Eneru and a few non-combatant God's Attendants remained."Have they gone down already?"Eneru asked.The Attendant respectfully replied, "Yes, they have all gone down.""Led by the trials of three... four Priests, plus the Divine Soldier Captain leading 50 elite Divine Soldiers... this is a full mobilization.""God, is it necessary to be so cautious?""The opponents are just the Skypiean and a few Blue Sea people...""Hahaha, festivals are only fun when they are lively."The life-or-death survival game was merely an amusing festival in Eneru's eyes."A total of eighty-three people. This is a massive melee determining who survives! Hahaha.""Three hours from now, how many people do you guess will be left."Eneru posed the question.The Attendant dared not refuse to answer, but stated this was not his area of expertise. However, since Eneru told him to rely on his gut feeling, the Attendant naturally did not dare to refuse again.He guessed that 50 people would remain three hours later.Upon hearing this, Eneru burst into laughter, spitting out the fruit pulp in his mouth."Impossible. That line of thinking is too naive. You underestimate this battle.""Three hours from now, the survival game on this island will only leave behind..."As he spoke, Eneru held out one hand, spread his five fingers, and said in a highly confident tone."Five people."..."You trash Blue Sea person, why are you following me?"Shura was sitting cross-legged on a protruding rock, looking up at Satoru standing on a tree branch, and asked."God himself said there are no restrictions on rules or venue.""You are a senior, so it's fine if I come and learn, right?"Satoru replied. Although he said that, his tone carried a hint of mockery.Shura wasn't stupid... or at least, not that stupid. He could tell. He snorted, and just as he was about to continue speaking, he noticed movement and, with unspoken agreement with Satoru, said:"They're here!"Many Skypiean emerged from the forest, charging aggressively, but then suddenly paused, stopping eerily mid-air without falling.That was thanks to the tiny Rope Clouds filling this space."How despicable and shameless, Senior Shura.""But you didn't catch the biggest one."Satoru said.Shura naturally knew this.With a whoosh, Wapol descended from the sky, bypassing the Rope Clouds."Go! Cross-legged!""Don't think you can defeat me in the air!!"Wapol fired a shot, but Shura dodged it. Shuraadvanced with his spear, flames erupting on it, and the spear tip thrust forward fiercely.However, unexpectedly, Wapol threw away his weapon and shield. The spear tip pierced Wapol's shoulder—of course, Shura had aimed for the throat, but Wapol wasn't stupid."Why did you throw away your shield and weapon?"Shura looked shocked and confused.Wapol didn't answer. He stretched out his right hand and pressed it against Shura's chest. As a Priest, he was naturally familiar with the dials in the sky, and the only one that required such close proximity to unleash maximum power was the impact dial."You think you can defeat me with just this impact dial?"