บท 122: "Trials of the Upper Yard: The Eve of the Golden Hunt"

In the silence of dawn, Raja leaned against the railing of the Going Merry, watching the skies shift with muted, pearlescent light. The Straw Hats were still asleep, having been scattered throughout the ship following yesterday's endless adventures. Raja had chosen to stay behind, to avoid getting tangled up in the labyrinth of gods, ordeals, and Skypiea politics. His purpose was simple: safeguard the ship, and in the meantime, work on an experiment that had been simmering in his mind for a while—an enhancement of the hyperbolic time chamber.

He closed his eyes, envisioning the structure. The chamber, an isolated dimension where time flowed differently, could give him precious hours of training or study within minutes of the outside world. There was no better time to work on it than now, while everyone else was off facing their own battles.

Suddenly, the peace was shattered by the distant sound of movement from within the clouds. Raja's eyes snapped open. Despite his decision to avoid Skypiea's gods and warriors, it seemed that the island itself had other plans. He tightened his grip on his sword and drew in a steady breath, allowing his senses to expand outward, taking in the subtle vibrations of energy all around him. These were undoubtedly unfamiliar forces—powerful, lurking, and probing.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on Upper Yard, Zoro, Robin, and Nami swung down from vines, landing silently on the lush ground of the Upper Yard. They had left Chopper behind to guard the ship, while they set off to explore and gather more information. After trekking through dense greenery for a while, they stumbled across ruins carved with ancient symbols, spiraling up the massive stone altar.

"Looks like there's a lot more here than we thought," Robin murmured, her keen eyes scanning the symbols with interest.

"Yeah," Zoro replied, gripping his swords. "But let's stay alert. I don't want any surprises jumping out at us."

Robin shot him a slight smirk. "Would that even be surprising for us?"

Meanwhile, Luffy's group had entered Upper Yard from another direction, following the "Milky Road," a seemingly endless river of clouds. They navigated carefully, but the deeper they went, the more elaborate the traps became. Soon, they reached a massive hand statue, marking the entrance to the trials ahead. The paths were labeled "Ordeal of Swamp," "Ordeal of Iron," "Ordeal of String," and "Ordeal of Balls." Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement as he pointed towards the Ordeal of Balls.

"That one sounds fun! Let's go!" Luffy declared, not waiting for anyone's input as he jumped into the path.

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Is there any way to convince him otherwise?"

Usopp sighed. "You know there isn't." They followed, bracing themselves for whatever lay ahead.

The "Ordeal of Balls" turned out to be both ridiculous and perilous. Suspended in mid-air were large floating orbs, each containing a surprise. Some unleashed snakes, others burst into explosions, while others released harmless clouds of petals. But before they could explore further, a figure emerged from the mist—a Skypiean priest named Satori, grinning wickedly as he sized up Luffy and the crew.

"Welcome to my ordeal," Satori announced, his eyes gleaming with a strange intensity. "You may try to survive…if you can."

He launched into a sudden attack, moving with uncanny speed. As the crew retaliated, they discovered that he could anticipate their every move, countering flawlessly and seeming to read their minds. This "Mantra" ability was overwhelming, forcing them into a frantic dance just to avoid his strikes. Sanji took the lead, his eyes blazing with determination.

"Enough of your mind games, priest!" he shouted, unleashing his new move, Inferno Gale Concassé. A powerful kick, swirling with flame and force, slammed into Satori, knocking him backward and leaving him stunned. With a final burst of effort, they pushed through, escaping the priest's ordeal as he lay defeated.

Back at the Going Merry, Raja felt a wave of energy surge across the altar. He glanced toward the horizon, sensing more disturbances deeper within the island. It was clear that the Straw Hats had encountered formidable opponents, and a strange unease settled in his chest. Despite his reluctance to get involved, the feeling of impending conflict was hard to ignore. But for now, his priority was safeguarding the ship and his experiment.

Just as Raja resumed work on his hyperbolic time chamber, the sky above the ship darkened. The priest Shura descended, mounted on a massive bird and wielding a fiery lance. His eyes narrowed as he spotted Chopper guarding the altar.

"So, you're the little beast left behind?" Shura sneered, his voice laced with menace.

Chopper, undaunted, reached for the whistle Gan Fall had given him and blew it. A sharp sound pierced the air, and moments later, Gan Fall himself appeared, diving from the sky with his steed, Pierre. Shura wasted no time, initiating the "Ordeal of String," which conjured a web of near-invisible strings that bound Gan Fall, Pierre, and Chopper. Shura's fiery lance slashed through the air, leaving trails of flame as he advanced.

Back at the Shandia camp, the warriors braced for battle. A young girl named Aisa, gifted with Mantra like Satori, sensed the shifting tides of combat.

"Wyper," she whispered, "Satori has fallen, and Gan Fall's in danger."

Wyper, the leader of the Shandia, raised his fist. "Then this is our chance! It's time to take back what's ours. Prepare to invade Upper Yard!"

The Shandia warriors let out fierce battle cries, surging forward toward Upper Yard to reclaim their sacred land. In their path were the remaining priests, their powers heightened by Enel's orders. As they clashed, the jungle resounded with the sounds of warfare.

Meanwhile, at the altar, Gan Fall and Shura were still locked in battle. Shura's relentless attacks forced Gan Fall and Chopper to the edge of defeat, but a sudden gust of wind knocked Shura off balance. Raja had intervened, finally stepping into the fray. His eyes gleamed with cold resolve as he stood between Chopper and Shura.

"You dare interrupt the ordeal?" Shura snarled.

Raja simply leveled his sword, the pitch-black blade with golden thunder markings gleaming ominously. "I don't care for your ordeals or your gods," he replied. "But I do care for my crewmates."

With that, he launched forward, his Wand casting spell through the air in a seamless strike. Shura barely managed to dodge, but the force of Raja's Magic attack left a crackling trail of energy in its wake. Raja's strikes were relentless, and Shura found himself on the defensive, struggling against an opponent who fought with deadly precision.

Elsewhere, the Straw Hats were beginning to understand the nature of Upper Yard. As they navigated through the jungle, Zoro, Robin, and Nami pieced together the realization that Upper Yard was actually part of Jaya—the legendary city of gold. They shared this revelation with Luffy's group when they reunited at dusk, and Luffy's face lit up with excitement.

"So, we're not just on some random island. We're on a city of gold!" he exclaimed, his grin spreading ear to ear.

Nami grinned back, producing a map that combined Jaya and Skypiea to reveal a skull shape. According to Noland's logbook, the treasure was located in the "right eye" of the skull, which they deduced was somewhere deep in the heart of Upper Yard. To celebrate, Luffy built a massive bonfire, and the crew danced around it with a pack of friendly wolves that had come to join them, howling along as the "Eve of Gold Festival" took place.

As the embers of the bonfire faded into the night, Gan Fall awoke, groggy but alive, and shared more of Skypiea's tragic history with Robin. He explained how the arrival of Vearth—a revered soil from the Blue Sea—had led to a bloody struggle for control between the Skypieans and the Shandia. When Enel took power, any hope of peace vanished, leaving only suffering and warfare.

Back at the ship, a strange figure emerged from the mist, quietly tending to the Going Merry. In the dim light, Usopp caught a fleeting glimpse of a familiar silhouette. When he tried to approach, the figure vanished into the fog, leaving behind a perfectly restored ship. Usopp rubbed his eyes, unable to shake the feeling that the Merry had just been saved by a miracle.

With dawn breaking, the crew prepared for the final push into Upper Yard, each ready to face whatever ordeals or enemies lay ahead. As Nami devised a strategy for their approach, Raja took a moment to steady himself. His mind was calm, his heart resolute. The gods of Skypiea, the gold of Jaya, and the mysteries of Vearth—whatever came next, he knew he would face it head-on, alongside his friends.