Several Hours Earlier
Skypiea
"You presumptuous insects…" proclaimed the man known as Lightning-God as he stood atop the mighty airship hovering above them, "How dare you do this to a god? You invade my holy land, defile my Vearth, profane against my priests, and now you seek to desecrate my relics…"
It had been rather simple for them to reach this so-called island in the sky. Vilgax's legion of drones had managed to take out most of the resistance here and now there was just one final obstacle in their way in order to complete their current mission.
Most of the Negative 10 (With the exception of Doctor Psychobos who had stayed behind to monitor Khyber's progress) had gathered together in readiness for a continuation of their earlier battle, which Enel had abandoned in a snit half-way through. Now, though, it seemed he was ready to give it another shot. The airship's enormous motors and propellers roared and whirred as it kept the gold-coated ship afloat, solving the weight-to-propulsion problem by channeling Enel's unlimited power. Lightning shook the air as the atmosphere ripped apart from his rage. He turned a commanding finger towards the Conqueror himself.
"Are you even listening to me?!" Enel screamed.
A couple hundred feet away, Vilgax scoffed, his attention more focused on the Poneglyph embedded in the side of a tremendous golden bell.
"You think yourself a god?" said Vilgax, chuckling darkly, "I have defeated gods and obtained their power for myself, and you human are not even close to one."
Almost laughing with rage, Enel thrust out his palm, his body crackling with lightning.
"EL THOR!"
Every member of the Negative 10 shielded their eyes from the god-like lightshow as a two-hundred-million-volt hammer of lightning as wide as a house crashed out from Enel's hand. It turned the air around it into an expanding wave of energetic plasma that caused the entire area to go up in smoke. The bolt struck Tobi dead on, covering the distance between them in less than a millisecond, at which point it immediately disappeared. When the smoke cleared, it was revealed that Aggregor had absorbed all of the lightning with his spear, thanks to the upgrades provided by the science division, the Osmosian's weapon could now absorb even more energy than it ever could before.
Enel began hyperventilating again, and for a moment the villains felt sure they were about to witness a repeat of their opponent's earlier temper tantrum. Unfortunately, the man composed himself moments later.
"How did you heretics even get here in the first place?" Enel stated.
"Perhaps through nothing from this world." Eon replied. "But the Multiverse has other Earths, other dimensions that can provide us with a number of resources."
"Resources that would be foreign to somebody like you." Albedo said smugly.
"Your little kingdom may look impressive." Zs'Skayr said. "But you're just letting all of that power go to waste as you just wander about in that airship of yours."
"Rest assured, however; we have grander plans for this world." Maltruant revealed. "Hand your power over to us and we may even be generous enough to leave you a small fragment of what we hope to gain."
Enel scowled. "Masters of the multiverse, you say?" He mused as he hovered above many of them, his hands once again surging with lightning. "You dare to bargain with a god?! I will show you why such brazen words are spat upon here!"
"Underestimating us is a grave mistake." Vilgax proclaimed as the cybernetics within his arms activated to further enhance his muscles. "The last you will ever make, worm!" He was the first to leap up and attack Enel, with the rest of the Negative 10 following suit.
"Very well," he said, breathing deeply to steady himself, "I know not what tricks you are using to escape my vengeance, but it means nothing in the end when I can rip the clouds from under your feet."
Immediately, Hex and Addwaitya began preparing one of their spells, but Enel needed no such preparation.
"SANGO!"
Another titanic bolt of lightning appeared as if from nowhere, striking upwards from underneath Vilgax who had encased himself in a forcefield projected by the Shield of Seagle just in the nick of time. In a flash of light and fire it obliterated the tremendous cloud-wrapped vines that the golden belfry. The bell fell, smashing through several layers of cloud below before breaking through to the open air.
"How annoying," Vilgax muttered before contacting his servant through a comm-link, "Psyphon, dispatch a drone to retrieve that object immediately!"
Not to be outdone, Enel dodged the incoming energy blasts from Aggregor and Malware with an instantaneous teleportation, appearing next to Vilgax with a vengeful cry, already swinging his heavy golden staff. Vilgax attempted to block it with his sword, but the attack landed flawlessly, sending Vilgax shooting sideways into a nearby bank of clouds. The bell had long since plummeted to the earth below, but Enel paid it no heed. He landed on the clouds and then turned to the gathered members of the Negative 10, laughing with a god's nobility.
"Even with your tricks, see how easily your leader was bested! The rest of you cannot possibly stand against me, but I offer you one hope. Having defeated my priests, I am willing to offer you all a position at my side on my journey to Fairy Vearth! The moon holds a treasure of incalculable value, and together we can claim it!" Enel smiled, bestowing this wonderful favor upon them with divine mercy. "You only need to kneel before me."
Eon glanced around. He seriously doubted that any of these villains were phased by this man's threats. In fact, they appeared more insulted that they were being offered something of little value such as the Earth's moon. This so-called lightning-God just didn't appear all that worrying. He possessed a marginally competent teleportation and a perfect defense that relied upon his transformation abilities, but he was over-reliant on the sheer power of his lightning techniques. Eon had seen little from this man to indicate he was a skilled fighter. Knocking down Vilgax was the first success he had had against them during these encounters, but…
No sooner had Eon thought this that Vilgax leaped up from a nearby bank of clouds and grabbed Enel by the head with his left hand and slammed him into the clouds. Enel quickly got out of the alien warlord's grip as he regained some distance while he held a hand over his face, clearly caught off gurard by this action.
"H-how? How did a mere mortal like yourself lay a hand on me? It's impossible!"
"Your Logia Devil Fruit ability that allows you to become lightning itself is indeed rather useful," Vilgax replied, "But the Shield of Seagle allows me to touch you regardless of your intangibility."
"NO!" The false deity shouted, "I will not be denied!"
Enel then flew into the air with Zs'Skayr and Addwaitya in pursuit. He blasted a powerful beam of his lightning, which Zs'Skayr intercepted with an energy beam from his chest cavity, clashing their respective powers against one another; but this also left him open for Addwaitya to fly in, grab Enel and crash him into the wall of his airship. However, he wasn't pinned for very long as a large explosion of lightning erupted around him to send Addwaitya flying as even Zs'Skayr was pushed back by the shockwave.
An enraged Enel hovered from the hole as electricity sparked across his body, ready to unleash a torrent of death and destruction on everything in his path.
Do you know who you're attacking? Do you know where we are?!" Enel exclaimed.
"Of course, we do." Zs'Skayr replied in his raspy voice. "A conceited, wretched, human who has the power to take everything, but settled for ruling over an island of primitives pretending to be a god. How pathetic." That earned a growl from Enel.
"As for where we are, an island in the sky." Addwaitya sneered. "There is so much mana here in abundance… and as it so happens, I am a master of such energy and far more experienced than you!"
An aura of purple fire surged around Addwaitya's body as he felt all his magical powers as a sorcerer grow exponentially. He shot his hands into the air as a blast of intensely compressed mana stampeded towards Enel at half the speed of sound. The clouds in its path began shredding and flying apart from the blast of magical energy, and then the attack explosively expanded, engulfing Enel in a pressure dome of energy akin to a nuke.
Enel shook his head as the attack covered him, paying no heed. Weak insects never learned the true meaning of power- it didn't matter what they did to him. He felt the heat of this strange energy on his skin, but it would do no damage before he automatically transformed into lightning.
Lightning, as any mortal should know, was invincible.
He barely registered the burning sensations worsening, looking down to see what the problem was. His eyes widened in shock as he watched his skin blister and burn before his lightning transformation finally responded. Now with numerous burns across his body.
Having felt pain for the first time in ages, Enel screamed in surprise, then covered his face. The dome of mana still surrounded him, refusing to relent, and he tried to transform into lightning to escape, only to find that his power refused him. Reflexively, he fell back on the power of Mantra, feeling the motions of the air before they happened and dodging the worst of the energy blasts.
Outside, Vilgax's eyes glowed red as he decided to add his own attack to the ever-growing onslaught. Shooting two red beams from his eyes that now seemed to follow Enel everywhere no matter how many times he tried to dodge.
Enel's connection to the Mantra collapsed as he watched the two beams relentlessly pursue him with the first true fear he had ever felt in his life. If that attack hit him when his defenses were malfunctioning, he would most likely die. He pushed his lightning transformation harder and harder before he two beams pierced right through his chest, Enel having finally switched into his lightning form, teleporting to fall into a burning heap in an area outside the erupting nuke coughing up some blood as he did so.
With wild eyes, Enel snapped his head up to look at Vilgax who was just now reorienting to face him. A flick of his wrist verified his lightning was now working properly, and he sent another bolt of landscape-shattering energy at the creature that had attacked him.
Silently, Albedo slid into the path of the bolt, having turned into Negative Chromastone to intercept. Once again, the blast of lightning disappeared as the Crystalsapien absorbed it with ease as Enel screamed in anger.
Breathing deep, Enel connected once again to his Mantra. As long as he kept it together, he could predict every move these strange foreigners made. Even if they could somehow hurt him, it meant nothing if he dodged every strike. Feeling the future solidify in his mind, everything on the island began move according to its pattern. Smiling, he raised his hand to smite the approaching heretics.
Then, with no warning at all, his fate shattered.
Eon simply waved his hand as time stopped.
Enel felt his connection to the future freeze as everything seemed to slow to a crawl. He tried to scream but he couldn't as he was completely paralyzed unable to ready himself again, before he knew it, Hex had already launched a crimson bolt of mana from his staff with Aggregor following up with a wave of red energy from his spear, and Albedo as Negative NRG shooting a beam a radiation at the false god. The combined attacks striking him all at once creating a massive explosion, the smoke cleared to reveal a now heavily injured Enel. Desperately, he transformed into lightning and retreating from the battlefield. Unfortunately for him, his retreat was halted an instant later when Maltruant extended his arm to grab him by the back of his head and pull him in close, where he punched him in the stomach. His own enhanced strength was enough for Enel to hack up blood before he slammed him into the ground. Albedo was next, switching to Negative Swampfire as he quickly grew some plant vines and sent them Enel's way to ensnare him and lift the lightning user high into the air where Addwaitya blasted him with his dark magic, sending him crashing into the wall of the airship.
He was nearly done for, barley having the strength to stand, using the wall for support. But he gasped as Vilgax appeared on top of him, who proceeded to repeatedly beat Enel into the ground until he slammed both of his fists onto his already injured body, smashing Enel into a crater.
Vilgax then drew his sword as it became coated with flames and raised it high, Enel also raised his staff, determined to block the first strike.
The Conqueror's blade struck true without even being hindered by Enel's attempt to parry, impaling the Lightning God through the chest piercing his heart.
Enel gave one last choked scream before finally collapsing, and Vilgax removed his blade.
It was done.
Present
"Ah master, I see you've completed your mission," Psyphon said as he greeted Vilgax as well as the rest of the Negative 10.
"Indeed," Vilgax replied, "I trust that you accomplished your task as well, Psyphon?"
"Of course, master. The drone was able to take a complete scan of the tablet before losing contact. I would also like to inform you that the mercenaries we recruited have all returned from their assignments. Having procured several Devil Fruits for our own use."
"Excellent," Vilgax smirked, "This will speed up our plans greatly."
"Yes, and now, here we stand, fully united," Eon said as he and the rest of his associates within the Alliance; including Vilgax, Aggregor, Zs'Skayr, Hex, Albedo, Malware, Doctor Psychobos, Addwaitya, and Maltruant, each sat at their own respective chairs around a large table in a meeting room. "In just a short time frame, our forces have practically grown. Over one hundred individuals are within our ranks."
"I must admit Eon, I'm impressed that you were able to build such an army so quickly," Maltruant pointed out, "But aren't you the least bit concerned that meddling Time Walker Paradox has caught wind of your recent activities?"
"That fool is currently preoccupied with a crisis of his own already (1)," Eon responded, "By the time he's finished, our plans will have already progressed exponentially. And no, not simply an army. A brotherhood. A network that can operate in the shadows, and yet span the multiverse. If we join together, we can build an empire unlike any other, one so strong, that not even the likes of gods will stand against us."
To say the villains were intrigued was quite an understatement. The revelation of entirely new dimensions certainly got their attention, but this alliance certainly did sound like something that can be worth investing in.
"Of course, there's the matter of whether or not our forces can destroy Tennyson once and for all." Vilgax stated.
"I agree." Malware said. "Ben Tennyson and his friends have managed to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds before."
"However, many of our individual attacks over the years have not only tested their limits but gave them false victories." Hex replied. "They believe they have escaped potential apocalypses and have become complacent because of that."
"The arrogance of youth." Zs'Skayr smirked. "Such a manipulative factor."
"And we shall no longer remain in hiding." Eon smiled evilly before getting up as he slowly walked up to a balcony and then peered down, "Yes, I believe that all of you...will be more than enough."
Indeed, nearly every enemy from Ben's respective rogue's gallery had been recruited for one singular purpose, to finally destroy their most hated enemy. The list as follows:
First were the bounty hunters which consisted of Sixsix and his older siblings Sevenseven and Eighteight. Next was Kraab, Vulkanus with his Pickaxe Aliens, Rojo, Sunder, the former Princess Attea with an army of Incurseans loyal to her, Darkstar, The Vreedle Brothers, Carl Nesmith, Kane North, some surviving DNAliens, Dr. Animo, Dr. Viktor, Kuphulu, Crujo, Zombozo, The Circus Freaks, Inspector 13, Fistina, Liam, Bubble Helmet, Trumbipulor, Tummyhead, Gorvan, Kolar, Computron, Exo-Skull, Subdora, Thunderpig, seemingly a new Forever King and his Forever Ninja, Ssserpent, a Synthroid, a Lenopan, Fistrick, Clancy, and finally ending with Sublimino.
And lastly, they couldn't forget the army of minions the group had at their disposal. Ranging from Vilgax's drones, the R.E.D.'s. the Aggrebots, Computron's Minions, Dr. Animo's Mutants, and the Techadons.
"With our plans finally being realized, not only will our enemies fall, but we will also crush all they hold dear: their friends and families, their allies, countless worlds will fall at the combined might of the Brotherhood! All of us, and our society, will take this multiverse by force!"
AN: Done. Well, despite this chapter being shorter than usual, quite a lot happened here. Such as what happened in Skypeia during the events of the last chapter, there were many factors that led to the Negative 10's victory over Enel. With Eon telling his colleagues about Devil Fruits and their weaknesses, the fact that no one in the One Piece universe has any experience with magic and time manipulation, Vilgax's Shield of Seagle which has been shown in canon to touch Necrofriggians and Ectonurites even when intangible, so it would make sense for it to bypass a Logia user's intangibility, Aggregor's spear's ability to absorb and redirect energy, the villains possessing advanced alien technology, and the fact that these are all Ben's worst enemies as them all working together could overcome almost any threat.
I know that some people will be unhappy about this outcome, but I didn't just include all of these characters for no reason, since I have huge plans later on which will end up affecting canon in more ways than one. The villains hunting down Devil Fruit users should probably give you some idea of what's to come. I just need you all to bear with me on that.
Also, now that the villains have now expanded their ranks, it's time for a new name as they obviously have more than 10 members. I settled for the Brotherhood, I almost picked the Alliance or Society as the name, but it seemed too generic. I think it fits since the villains all have a common goal, to destroy Ben Tennyson. I hope that makes sense. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this interlude chapter and have a good one.
(1) A cookie for anyone who can figure out which fanfic I'm referencing here.
