บท 124: Rubber Vs Lightning: Skypiea's Destruction

In the heart of Skypiea, amidst thunderclouds and ruins, an epic showdown between rubber and lightning was brewing.

Luffy, after escaping the belly of the giant python, finally made it to Enel's location with Aisa's help. The journey had been harrowing, with near-dead allies and destruction in every direction. Luffy glanced at the fallen bodies of Enel's victims. Robin, barely conscious, gestured weakly, her voice faint as she explained the dire situation. Aisa, trembling with fear but determined, used her Mantra to pinpoint Enel's exact location. "Luffy… follow me," she urged, leading him deeper into the crumbling ruins.

Meanwhile, at Angel Beach, Conis was on a mission of her own. Desperate to save her people, she shouted to the crowd, declaring she did not believe Enel to be a god. The crowd gasped, fearing divine retribution, but nothing happened. Slowly, panic gave way to realization: Enel's wrath was no judgment; it was indiscriminate destruction. As the truth dawned on them, the White Berets organized an evacuation, but Conis hurried back toward Upper Yard. She knew the Straw Hats would need help finding their way out before Enel destroyed everything.

High above, Luffy finally confronted Enel on the Ark Maxim, the sky island's floating fortress. Enel, with an expression of disdain, glared at the rubber pirate. His form crackled with raw power, arcs of lightning dancing around his body.

The battlefield was charged with an intensity that crackled through the air as Enel's figure shimmered with power. He raised his hand, summoning the heavens to his command. "El Thor!" he bellowed, his eyes flashing with the might of a god. Lightning coiled around him, and a torrent of energy gathered above, concentrating into a single, devastating bolt.

Luffy dashed forward, undeterred, his stride unbroken even as the brilliant beam bore down. Nami and Aisa screamed, shielding their eyes as El Thor struck, detonating with a cataclysmic roar that left a gaping hole in the Ark Maxim's wall.

When the smoke cleared, Luffy stood unharmed, grinning at Enel's stunned expression. "Too slow!" he taunted, flexing his fists.

Enel's disbelief morphed to fury, and he shifted his stance. "You dare mock God?" His voice thundered as he raised his hand again, this time charging with deadly intent. "Sixty Million Volt Jamboule!" He plunged forward, striking Luffy squarely in the chest. The air filled with crackling static, and smoke enveloped the scene.

But as the haze faded, there was Luffy—still standing, unharmed.

Enel's composure wavered as he reappeared in front of Luffy, summoning a surge of deadly energy. "One Hundred Million Volt Vaari!" Lightning coursed through him, extending his hand toward Luffy with a searing jolt. Yet again, Luffy stood unaffected. Nami's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "Enel's lightning doesn't work on Luffy… because he's made of rubber!"

Fed up, Luffy clenched his fists and yelled, "Enough games, Enel!" His shout echoed through the Ark, a sound that startled Nami, Aisa, and Pierre—and even Enel.

The "God" of Skypiea stared in disbelief as Luffy lunged forward. Enel sneered, his confidence renewed. "Do you think your fists can harm me?" But his arrogance was shattered when Luffy's kick landed, sending him sprawling backward. Enel, shaken, leaped up and scowled. "What… what are you?"

Luffy smirked, cracking his knuckles. "I'm Luffy. A rubberman."

Enel's eyes narrowed, clearly baffled. Rubber was unheard of in the White-White Sea; he couldn't understand it. "Paramecia-type Devil Fruit, then… intriguing," he muttered. Adapting to his newfound knowledge, Enel's golden staff morphed, elongating into a menacing spear. He lunged at Luffy, the spear piercing through Luffy's defenses with a gleam.

Luffy winced, clutching the wound, but his grin only grew wider. "Is that all?"

The fight resumed with renewed fervor, each exchanging blows, dodging, and countering, the space around them resonating with the clash of might and determination. Luffy unleashed his Gomu Gomu no Gatling, fists flying, but Enel dematerialized, slipping through the walls of gold like a specter. He reappeared, plunging the heated spear toward Luffy, who narrowly dodged but scorched his hands in the process.

Meanwhile, Enel activated Ark Maxim, his grand ship groaning as it started to lift. Nami, Aisa, and Pierre watched with terror as the ship ascended. Nami clenched her fists, her eyes on Luffy. "If he kills Enel, the ark will crash, but if he lets him go… Skypiea is doomed!"

Sensing her panic, Luffy stopped mid-fight, placing his treasured straw hat on her head. "Have faith," he said with a determined smile. "I'm going to be the Pirate King, and my crewmates need to believe in me."

Enel, intrigued, raised an eyebrow. "Pirate King?" he echoed mockingly. But Luffy's words rang in his mind, leaving him intrigued. What could a "Pirate King" possibly be? His gaze sharpened as he raised his staff again.

The battle resumed, more intense than ever. Luffy fought with fierce resolve, his body moving instinctively to avoid Enel's attacks. His feet and hands burned every time he brushed the searing-hot spear, but instead of flinching, he let his mind clear, allowing his body to follow an unpredictable rhythm.

As Enel thrust forward, Luffy entered a state that was less fight and more dance—a fluid, effortless series of dodges, twists, and turns. He became a whirlwind of movement, instinctively flowing around Enel's attacks as if carried by an unseen current. Nami watched, amazed. "It's like he's moving with the wind!"

Enel, frustrated, tried to follow with his mantra, but Luffy's body was unreadable, swaying unpredictably like a leaf in a storm. With his confidence surging, Luffy snapped out of his trance, ready to unleash his own assault. "Gomu Gomu no Sun Tako!" he shouted, his arms and legs twisting into tentacles that ricocheted off Maxim's golden walls. Enel braced himself, but Luffy's punches came from every angle, each bouncing unpredictably off the walls and striking Enel.

Panicking, Enel stumbled backward, weakened. Blood streaked his face, his once-mighty aura dimming as desperation took hold. "No… this can't… I am God!"

Luffy glared at him with unwavering determination. "You're no god. You're just another obstacle." He wound his arm back, muscles tightening, his hand glowing as he gathered his strength for the final attack.

"Gomu Gomu no Sun Rifle!" With a mighty yell, Luffy lunged, his fist spiraling forward, and smashed into Enel with a force that shook the very foundations of Ark Maxim. The impact hurled Enel across the golden walls, his once godly form now broken and defeated.

As Enel crumpled to the floor, his vision blurred, the last sight he saw was Luffy standing above him, a conqueror's gleam in his eyes. The Ark shuddered, the mighty ship beginning to plummet from the sky.

Gathering his remaining strength, Enel let out a scream of fury, channeling every last spark of his power into a final attack, his body radiating blinding light. But Luffy charged forward, determination blazing in his eyes, as he launched his finishing move: "Gomu Gomu Sun Rifle!" The golden ball crashed into Enel, sending him flying into the massive Golden Bell at the top of Shandora.

The impact resonated through Skypiea, a mighty, thunderous ring echoing across the island. On the distant shores of Jaya, Mont Blanc Cricket and his crew heard the sound, looking up in awe. The ring confirmed their long-held hopes: the City of Gold wasn't just a legend; it existed above the clouds. Cricket's eyes welled with tears, pride swelling in his chest as he understood the meaning of the giant shadow cast in the clouds—a victorious Luffy, silhouetted against the setting sun.

In Skypiea, as the dust settled and the remnants of Ark Maxim fell to pieces, the people of the island slowly gathered. The bell's ring symbolized more than just the end of Enel's tyranny; it marked the dawn of a new era. The long-standing war between the Skypieans and the Shandians was finally over, united under the sound of the Golden Bell.

Luffy, exhausted but triumphant, looked out over the island with a smile. He had kept his promise, he had shown the world the truth, and with that, he had brought peace to Skypiea.