This is the 26th chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.
BrianShooter672: Nope, it'll be best to let Luffy handle it because his body is made of rubber while Eneru is made of electricity. If you think about it, rubber and electricity don't mix. While it's true that Devil Fruit is useful, but you gotta remember, it always has its downside besides losing the ability to swim. So, Ventus' lance mastery, magic, aerial combat, and dragon traits is enough for him.
God's Challenge is Set in Motion!
Skypiea, Angels Beach
After Caius made a quick work out of the White Berets and McKinley warned them becoming 2nd degree criminals and judged by the Priests of the Upper Yard, the White Berets left the beach to get their wounds patched up. The Straw Hats, Pagaya, and Conis are now left alone, watching the White Berets in a far-off distance and out of sight.
"To think we would get into so much trouble and already becoming criminals." Leon muttered.
"Not even a day has passed since we've only just arrived." Caius added with a sigh.
"What's wrong with those guy?" Luffy asks in annoyance.
"Forget them! That old lady ratted us out!?" Nami told him. "She lied to us! She said it was okay for us to pass through, but when we did, they accused us of illegal entry?! That's flat-out fraud!"
"I've a feeling that old bat doesn't know how to do her job that well." Ventus points out. "And besides, we wouldn't be in this situation if we had time to know about the currency goes here."
"Exactly." Usopp agrees, crossed his arms. "But then, even if we were told we couldn't pass, we would've just forced our way through. I mean, how is that little old lady gonna stop us?"
"SHUT UP!?" Nami yelled with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
"YOU'RE ONE OF THE TWO WHO TOLD HER WE'RE STILL GOING!?" Ventus and Leon adds, also with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
"In any case, you're in a great deal of trouble." Pagaya said. "You're now 2nd degree criminals in this such, I'm afraid Conis and I are unable to assist you any longer."
"Why are you talking to us from way over there?" Nami asks when she notice Pagaya and Conis are at a distance, which Usopp and Chopper sweat drops.
"I really don't see what the big deal is. I'm surprised you're not use to this by now." Luffy said with a goofy grin, chuckled. "And I've been meaning to ask, why'd you come back Nami?"
"What?" Nami said, raising her eyebrows since she and her crew knows what Luffy is really planning.
"We were finally gonna get to set sail and head out on an amazing adventure until you-I mean, we're about to come looking for you. We were getting worried." Luffy told her, which he made an excuse with a nervous chuckle, causing Nami to sweat drop.
"I think you and I need to have a little talk." Nami said in annoyance with a tick mark on her head, decided to jab Luffy in the head with her fingers repeatedly. "Forget about your big adventure! It's never gonna happen! You haven't seen what I seen! That island is just full of type of people you want to mess with! I don't care who you think you are! Granted, we don't know what this guy is, but his powers are real! And there's no way I'm ever going be there! So, forget it! Got me?!"
After Nami took the frustrations out of Luffy and knocking him out, the rubber captain sat himself up to look at her.
"She really needs to grow a backbone." Leon muttered.
"She's not the only one." Ventus said, referring to Usopp and Chopper.
"How about you just relax here while the rest of us go." Luffy suggested as he stands up, as if it'll solve everything.
"We're wanted criminals! I'm not staying here for a minute longer, either!" Nami corrected him which Luffy launched his head, causing her to caught him.
"Are you nuts?! Get you priority straight!" Luffy retorted. "The adventure is always the most important part!"
"My priorities are life first, then money!" Nami snapped, then smacked Luffy down to the ground as its head got stuck in the clouds.
"Please tell me I'm third from that list~!" Sanji said with goo-goo eyes look, rushing into her and try to swoon her.
"Don't push me!" Nami quickly said, delivered him a punch to the chin and send him flying to the ground a few feet away.
"You raise a good point." Usopp agrees, earned their attention. "We put all of our energy into just get up here, but we never really thought about how are we gonna get back."
But as soon as Pagaya and Conis approaches them, Usopp turns to them since they have no knowledge of how to return
"Is there a safe way back to the sea world?" Usopp asked. "Can we ever go home again?"
"There is a way, but at the juncture, I'm afraid it's no longer safe." Conis explains. "Your only hope for escape is to make your way to Cloud End. From there, you can travel home."
"What's Cloud End? And how are we supposed to get there?" Usopp questions again.
"It's a region that's far to the east." Conis answered. "The only way for you get there is to travel across the White-White Sea."
"Okay! So, we sail east and we eventually get home!" Usopp said happily.
"But I don't wanna go home!" Luffy whines, stubbornly declines when Usopp and Nami turns to him.
"Your other option is stay and get sentenced to death!" Usopp told him in annoyance.
"Listen to me, I don't want you causing anymore trouble for Conis and her dad." Nami adds.
"Even if we try to run away, there's no way we would be able to get away from them nor God. Especially since we have to stick around a bit longer for the Log Pose to reset." Leon points out which causes Nami to click her tongue at the reminder.
"You're right, but at the very least, we should be away from the part of Skypiea." Nami said, but turns to Luffy, who crossed his arms with a pout. "But still, even if we leave right now, there's no guarantee we can make a clean escape. We don't have any time to lose, so just get on the ship! You'll have your big adventure, I promise, but right now, we need to get going. So, come on everybody, let's set sail!"
With that being said, the Straw Hats are making their way to the ship to find somewhere in parts of Skypiea to hide and away from danger.
"Thanks for all of your help, we really appreciate it!" Nami shouts with a thanks, waving her hand.
And just as they're about to head for the ship, Luffy remembered something.
"Ooh, hold on." Luffy said, putting his fist and hand together.
"Come on, now what?" Nami asks in annoyance, turns to him.
"Hey, old man!" Luffy called him when he turns to Pagaya which it got his attention.
"What is it, Luffy?" Pagaya asks as Luffy approaches.
"Can I ask a favor?" Luffy offered with a grin. "You mind if we take the leftovers from earlier?"
"Of course not, they're all yours." Pagaya replied as Luffy cheered.
"C'mon, Sanji, make us lunch!" Luffy said happily, turns to Sanji with a gesture.
"Glad you got priorities." Sanji states with a smirk.
"In that case, could I ask for teensy little favor too?" Usopp said with a grin of his own, then approaches to Pagaya with his hands together while Luffy happily head to the house. "You're an engineer, right? I don't suppose you can spare any parts or tools to fix our ship?"
"What's mine is yours, Usopp." Pagaya said with a shrug. "Feel free to take anything you need."
While Pagaya and Conis are escorting Sanji and Usopp to their home, Nami was very annoyed at that.
"Uh, guys! Where are you going?" Nami questions with her hands placed on her waist which it got Luffy's attention.
"Hello! They got food!" Luffy shouts, turns back to Nami. "Tell you what, you go ahead and ready the ship for departure, and we'll be back before you know it!"
That got Nami even more annoyed, yet irritated with a tick mark on her head.
"He's dead set on going to that island!" Nami said, then turns to the rest of her crew. "Doesn't he get it?!"
"Don't take it out on us, you know how he is." Zoro points out when he turns to her. "Seriously, try to relax."
"He's right, you need to get a grip." Leon agrees as he, Ventus, Robin, and Zoro head towards the ship.
Chopper was about to head for the ship when Nami called him.
"Chopper, you're still on my side, aren't you?" Nami asks sweetly which made Chopper flinch. "Aren't you?!"
"You shouldn't threat to your own crew, Nami." Caius warned her, earned her attention. "If it makes you feel better, I'll go with those three. Just to make sure they didn't cause any more trouble than we already are."
"Please, do so." Nami nods as Caius make his way to the house.
Chopper then jump up to the anchor, use his Heavy Point to jump and grabs the wooden rail, then turns himself back into a normal form with a landing. Robin walk towards the wooden railings with a rope ladder on her hands.
"I was about to drop the ladder for you, you know." Robin told him with a smile, chuckled when Robin playfully sticks his tongue.
"You know there's no persuading Luffy of anything." Zoro points out, heading down the lower deck while Nami was able to climb up the rope ladder. "He won't listen, even if we all gang up on him."
"Fine! Then I guess I'll just stay put." Nami said with a scowl.
"Well, you're free to do whatever you want." Zoro told her, then walked to the main mast.
"I know that!" Nami snapped in annoyance, then walk next to the wooden railing and looked down at Zoro. "But if I stay here, I'll be killed!"
"Yep, quite a predicament." Zoro states, pulls out his swords, crossed his legs, and sat on a floor next to the main mast as he snores.
"JERK!?" Nami yelled with a growl, then turns to Robin. "Robin, let's go beat some sense into Luffy."
"It won't work." Robin told her with a shrug as Nami turns to Ventus.
"I'm staying out of it on this one." Ventus cuts in as she sighed.
"I guess we'd had a better chance against the White Berets." Nami said, turns to the horizon. "And you know they've already gotta be gathering reinforcements follow us."
"I highly doubt that, consider Caius did made a quick work out of them." Ventus told her, sniffs the air. "While the rest of the White Berets are busy licking their wounds, one was watching us and waiting."
"Waiting for what?" Leon inquires curiously.
"Something that's coming...and worse..." Ventus muttered with a scowl.
And the young Dragoon was right since McKinley was the only White Beret remained behind to watch the Straw Hats, hiding from the grassy fields in a far distance, and wait for something to happen.
"Well, well, guess something figured out. Eneru and his priests aren't going anywhere." McKinley said with a smirk. "Why should I bother when your true judgment awaits? Once you weigh anchor, your challenge will begin. Your ship will set its own course, to the Forbidden Sacred Grounds...the Upper Yard."
Back at the beach, Robin is pulling the rope ladder when she notices Conis is approaching.
"I...I feel like I need to tell you something." Conis said with a serious look which it got their attention, decided to hear out when Ventus carries her to the ship.
"There's a cloud current that'll take us down to the White Sea?" Nami asks surprisingly after hearing of Conis' explanation of how to get back to Blue Sea.
"Yes." Conis replied. "By entering the current, you can cross the vast expanse of the White-White Sea. Then, it will take you all the way to the Cloud End and you won't have to worry about getting lost."
"Really?" Nami said happily.
"As long as you ride the current, nobody will be able to catch you." Conis answered as Nami thought for a few seconds, snapped her fingers as she smiled again with sparkles on her eyes.
"I've got it! We won't tell Luffy, we'll just sail the Going Merry to the current!" Nami suggests.
"And what? We just hope he doesn't notice until it's too late?" Chopper inquires.
"Even so, I seriously doubt he'll give up his quest." Robin points out.
"Considering there are other ways we can come back up here that is." Leon agrees, causing Nami to glare at the three for pointing it out.
"If you like, I'd be happy to guide you the entrance of the current to make sure you set out for home safely." Conis offered.
"Great. Now we have to make sure Luffy doesn't catch on wonder what's going on." Nami said in a deadpan look. "But don't worry, we'll take care of that."
"Then ready your ship, then I'll be back with the others as soon as I can." Conis told them with a smile, but turns her expression into serious.
"You got it. We really appreciate, Conis." Nami said, causing Conis to regain her composure with a smile.
"You're welcome." Conis said.
However, Robin, Leon, and Ventus couldn't help but feel suspicious to Conis.
Meanwhile, Sanji was packing up lunch for the crew while Caius is helping him out, Usopp is picking out the tools and materials he needs, and Luffy is usually stuffing his face with food.
"Mmm, this is really good." Luffy said with his mouth full.
"Save some for the trip and for the rest of us." Sanji suggested while arranging the food in different lunch boxes.
"There's plenty here." Luffy said. "So why hold back?"
"You're the one who needs to hold back." Caius points out. "It supposed to be for all of us, not just you."
"He has a point, you know." Sanji agrees. "This does have to feed all of us."
"Conis! Refill!" Luffy called out, not listening while holding his mug.
"Why don't you get it yourself!" Sanji scolds, but turns his head in confusion. "Speaking of, where is Conis?"
"I think she went to bid farewell to the others." Pagaya informed them, approaching with a tray of mugs and a jug of tea. "Oh, I brought you some more tea."
Suu walk towards Usopp and watches him gathering the materials, but Luffy stretched his arm to grab a jug and drinks it, caused his face to glow in red with a grunt.
"So, you're the Shipwright for your vessel, aren't you?" Pagaya inquires.
"Well, not really. Actually, I'm a sniper." Usopp answered.
"Well, that sounds exciting." Pagaya said, surprised.
"Yeah, I guess so, but it means we don't have a regular Shipwright in our crew." Usopp agrees with a smile, but comes up with a lie. "Lets see, how can I put this delicately? I am cursed with supreme skill on every subject and the whole crew relies on me!"
Usopp then lets out a laugh, which Sanji and Caius overheard, knowing that he's lying.
"Yeah, it's a lot of work, but without me, the ship just wouldn't function." Usopp continued. "My official title is sharpshooter, but I'm also the co-captain. And that's why everyone calls me...Captain Usopp!"
Though, Pagaya isn't interested when he turns to Sanji, noticing of his handiwork of arranging the food and decorating.
"Oh, your color arrangement clear denounces the work of professional." Pagaya said, amazed.
"Of course, I consider the plating of food an art form." Sanji states with a smirk, finished the food arranging.
While back at the Angels Beach, Nami, Chopper, and Robin waved Conis goodbye as they watched her leaving to get to their crew which the navigator finally got the information of how to get out of Skypiea without getting caught and not telling Luffy the real reason why they're back at Blue Sea.
"Finally, a light at the end of a tunnel!" Nami proclaims with a smile on her face. "For a while there, I was really getting worried."
"I'm still a bit skeptical that the current will actually take us home." Robin told her, leaving Nami confused.
"Why is that?" Nami inquires.
"If what she says is true and this current really exists, wouldn't it stand a reason that we would hear more stories of people returning safely from Sky Island." Robin points out.
"She has a point." Ventus agrees. "We still didn't get any answers, and Conis is hiding something. We notice something was off about her when she mentioned about the current."
"But you have to remember, the very few people ever manage to find their way up there in the first place." Nami told them with a shrug. "So, of course you're not gonna hear them any stories about people coming back."
"And even if they did find the current, there's no guarantee their ship could withstand a high speed that requires." Chopper points out.
"That and no one is stupid enough to pull that off." Leon adds.
"Good point, a lot of captains don't know when to call it quits." Nami agrees. "Let's hurry and weigh anchor, get ready to set sail. Chopper, use your weight bonus and help us out with the heavy lifting."
"I keep telling you, it's called Heavy Point." Chopper points out.
"What?" Nami said, turns to him.
"You heard him." Ventus retorted while Conis stops and turns her head slightly to the crew, watching from the far distance.
"Let's just wait Zoro up." Nami suggests with a sigh, changing the subject.
"I doubt we need help from him." Leon points out as Conis walked away.
"Well anyway, we better hurry. Conis gave us this chance and we can't waste it." Nami told them.
Chopper then use his Devil Fruit to turn himself into a human form, pulling the anchor, but unknown to them, some air bubbles was coming from the White-White Sea which happens to be a giant crustacean hiding underneath waiting for the Straw Hats to weigh anchor.
While back at the house, Sanji is still arranging the food and Usopp is able to finish gathering the materials. Caius is polishing his scythe when Conis approaches inside, walking towards Sanji and it got her surprised.
"Wow, it doesn't even look like food." Conis states when Luffy offers food to Pagaya, which he politely declines. "I've never seen such a beautifully prepared lunch before."
"I made one for you as well." Sanji said with a smile, showed her a lunch box that's well arranged.
"Really? Custom-made just for me?" Conis asks with glee, blushed.
"I've prepared all the food today according to a theme I chose." Sanji told her, quickly stood up and wraps his arm around her. "I call it, 'Love is a Cruel Mistress Feast for a Fallen Angel."
"I see." Conis said awkwardly as Sanji went goo-goo eyed.
"I think it's quite an inspirational them and the arrangement is astonishing." Caius praises him.
"Why thank you, but I couldn't have done it without your help." Sanji told the Reaper.
"I don't get what all the fusses, it's just a box of lunch." Luffy said dumbfounded, eating it as Sanji, Conis, and Caius turns with a sweat drop which the cook felt insulted.
"How dare you trash my work?!" Sanji snarls angrily with a tick mark, white eyes, and shark-like teeth as he points at Luffy. "You better watch your mouth! A great meal starts with great presentation!?"
"Why bother? They're all comes out the same." Luffy states with a shrug as Conis giggled.
"You're stuffing your face without looking!?" Sanji retorted.
"Yeah, and?" Luffy asks, grabs the food and eats it while Usopp and Caius walk towards the balcony. "Why are you still mad? It tastes good."
"Because food should please your eyes as well as your palate!" Sanji told him.
"Well, that's just stupid, not even I can eat with my eyes." Luffy remarked which he doesn't understand.
"That's not what I meant, you infant!" Sanji snapped, but no use try to take some sense. "Ugh, just stop talking!"
However, both Usopp and Caius notice something was off at the Angels Beach which apparently, something is coming out of the White Sea. But once the anchor was pulled, they're right now waiting for Conis to inform the rest of their crew to return to the ship and sail.
"Now we just wait until Luffy and the others get back." Nami said which Leon and Ventus can feel something is wrong in the sea, but Zoro was sleeping like his usual routine. "All set?"
"All set." Chopper replied.
Then suddenly, the giant crustacean merges out of the White-White Sea, making a tremor which causes the Going Merry to tilt as Chopper lost his balance and fell to the lower deck while the rest of the crew holds on to something.
"What's going on?!" Nami shouts with panic.
"I think this must be something that punishment McKinley was talking about!" Ventus points out. "And it looks like we're gonna be in for a rough ride right about now!"
And apparently, McKinley smirked since the Going Merry is about to get caught by a giant crustacean. Zoro finally woke up from that impact which causes him to grab his katanas.
"What's going on?" Zoro questions.
"We're about to be in for a ride! And it's not the current!" Leon answered which Usopp and Caius notices that the ship is rocking sideways.
"Hey! Something's wrong with a ship!" Usopp informed them, causing Sanji and Luffy to rush toward the balcony.
"Huh?!" Sanji gasped. "What is it?!"
"He's right! The Going Merry is rocking!" Caius said.
"Really?" Luffy asks curiously. "Hope they're not having a party without us."
"Can you stop thinking like a child already?!" Caius yelled in annoyance when the Voidsent bites Luffy while running left and right and tried to get it out of his head, making him yell in pain as Sanji looks through the telescope.
"Hey look, it's Nami!" Sanji said, which it got him noticing that Nami is wearing a shirt. "Wait...why in the world is she wearing a T-shirt?"
"I'm pretty sure we have more pressing concerns right now!" Usopp shouts in annoyance, slaps Sanji for missing the point.
"Guys, look! The ship is started moving!" Luffy said as they watched the Going Merry sailing away, with a giant shadowy figure below it. "But why?! They wouldn't just leave us here! Would they?!"
"I don't think that's the case, Luffy." Caius told him, noticed something else that was off. "It's more like, they were being dragged backwards."
Usopp then use his goggles while Sanji looks through the telescope to get a close look, but noticed that the Going Merry really is sailing backwards which the Reaper is right.
"Whoa! I don't think I've seen a ship sail backwards before!" Luffy exclaimed in shock.
"But they haven't set the sails yet!" Usopp corrected, noticing the sail were furled and the shadow in the cloud below the Going Merry. "There's something underneath!"
Caius then slightly turns his head to Conis, who looked at them with a guilt look on her face.
Skypiea, White-White Sea
While back at the sea, the Going Merry is continued being dragged and it got the rest of the Straw Hats confused as to how the ship was moving. Some assumed they're already on the current while Ventus sniffs the air and got a scent that was coming underneath.
"I think we're being dragged away!" Nami states. "But by what?!"
"Yeah thanks, we barely notice!" Leon said sarcastically. "Is there something else you wanna share?!"
Chopper is holding the wooden railings in teary while Robin, Zoro, and Ventus looked down, noticing something that's dragging the ship.
"Are you sure we're not stuck in that current Conis told us about?" Zoro questions.
"No! I think we have a bigger issue here." Robin points out when she notices a horn in front of the ship.
Skypiea, Angels Beach
"'Kay, what is that?" Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji questions as Pagaya notice something.
"It must be..." Pagaya muttered in shock as a giant lobster revealed itself holding the ships broken wings with its claws. "It's the Legendary White-White Sea Super Express Lobster!?"
"What?!" Luffy, Caius, Usopp, and Sanji exclaims in shock.
Skypiea, White-White Sea
Zoro then decided to kill it when he pulls out his katana and stabs the wing.
"Guys, we're being hijacked!" Zoro shouts to his crew. "We'll to abandon ship! Come on, we gotta move right now while we still have time!"
"We can't leave the ship!" Chopper points out. "Without it, we won't be able to get back home!"
"Then I'll stay behind!" Zoro said. "Just go now!"
"Forget it!" Nami retorted. "You can't defend the whole ship by yourself!"
"I'll manage!" Zoro said, jumping off of the ship with the Wado in his mouth.
Soon as he lands on the top of a giant lobster, Zoro draws out two katanas and started working on cutting the lobster, or at least attempted to. But so far, he wasn't able to lay a single scratch on it because of the carapace being hard as a rock.
"Oh come on." Zoro grunts, sheathed his katanas as the sound of cracks was heard, smirked. "That's more like it."
Robin, Ventus, and Leon looked back at the sea and saw something which made them widen their eyes.
"Alright, making progress." Zoro states as he was about to do more damage when Ventus grabs hold of him and takes him back to the ship. "What are you doing?! I was about to kill it!"
"I don't think that'll get you anywhere." Robin told him seriously. "You'll never be able significantly damage that creature and we've got bigger problems now. Look!"
Zoro isn't convinced, but decides to look where Robin was facing and notice what seemed to be like sea serpents chasing at them.
"A school of vicious Sky fish are following us, ready to attack." Robin explains when Zoro scoffs with a scowl. "We can't jump ship and escape now. Even if we manage to beat the Sky fish, I'm sure that more will arrive to take their place. Our punishment has already begun and there's no way to stop it."
"Heaven's Judgment, they must be taking us to the Forbidden Island." Zoro said with an understanding. "Guess they got tired of waiting. Heaven has really got it in for us."
"Which means we're just gonna play along and see what happens next." Leon states as Nami collapses down to the floor.
"Oh no! Please, I can't go back there." Nami said with a sigh since she knows that she's returning to that island. "LUFFY! HELP US! SANJI! USOPP!"
Skypiea, Angels Beach
After watching the giant lobster drags the Going Merry and out of sight, Caius, Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji were completely shocked at what just occurred. Pagaya turns to her daughter since he knows that she was the culprit, nods to her.
"Why, Nami...why a T-shirt?" Sanji asks, earned a slap from Usopp.
"You're still thinking of that!" Usopp shouts in annoyance, quickly turns to Luffy. "This is awful, Luffy! What are we gonna do?! We have to rescue Nami and the others!?"
"Hmm...I wonder, where are they going?" Luffy asks with a ponder, raising his eyebrow.
"Where are they going?! Yes! Right!" Usopp exclaims.
"I got nothing." Luffy said hopelessly, causing them to sweat drop as Pagaya muttered something which it got their attention.
"Out with it." Caius snarls, placing his scythe next to Pagaya. "Where are they taking our crew?"
Sanji and Conis were about to stop him, but Usopp restrains them as Pagaya decided to tell them while raise his hands in surrender.
"The Super Express Lobster is a messenger of Eneru." Pagaya informed them. "It must be taking your friends as your sacrificial offering. If that's the case, they are being taken to the northeast Upper Yard, the Sacrificial Altar."
"Say what?! You don't mean Nami and Robin and the rest are gonna be sacrificed?!" Sanji exclaims in shock, but Usopp smacked him for putting the rest of the crew as 'the rest'. "To that wannabe God?! That bastard! He better not harm a single hair on my pretty Namis head!"
"You better not be lying!" Caius warns him.
"I assure you, I'm not! But listen carefully, because I have not yet told you what else what happen." Pagaya protests, waving his hands in defense.
"What? There's more?" Sanji questions seriously, turns to him. "Hey Caius, lets just hear him out first."
Caius knows as he lowers his scythe, letting Pagaya continue speaking.
"You see, in Heaven's Judgment, there are actually two different types of criminal punishment and I've only told you about the first." Pagaya explains. "The 2nd punishment is a challenge, your friends are currently hostages in Eneru's hands. And they are being taken to him, even as we speak!"
"Hostages?!" Usopp whimpers with a flinch.
"I'm afraid I must tell you, the criminals who are to receive the judgment...are the four of you standing before me." Pagaya told them.
"Wait, what are you trying to say?" Sanji questions.
"If only we had a map..." Pagaya said, scratching his head when Usopp remembered something as he rummages through his bag.
"I know I've got one of Skypiea with me somewhere." Usopp said, pulls out a map as he places it on a table and shows it to him.
"Well, this one is very old, but it looks likes the general shape of the island is correctly rendered." Payaga states as they look through the map, but Sanji notice something off about Conis.
"Conis, is everything alright?" Sanji questions, but Caius glares at her.
"I'm fine, it's just..."
"Don't worry!" Luffy cuts in with a goofy grin, earned her attention. "We'll figure something out, we always do!"
"How can you be sure?" Usopp questions with his arms crossed.
"He doesn't, he's just being an idiot without thinking things through." Caius told him as Pagaya points at the shape of a town.
"This is where we are now, the Sacrificial Altar where your friends are headed is located in a good distance to the northeast, here in the Upper Yard." Pagaya informed them. "And I'm afraid there's only one way to get there, you have to take the Milky Road that leaves this island and your only means of transportation will be the waver. The road will take you to a Great Forest, where the priests are waiting for your arrival."
Even though, getting there to the Upper Yard and the Sacrificial Altar with the waver will be too long and with the Priests are around, it'll be hard for them to reach their crew in time which it's something they don't have. Usopp thought of an idea.
"Well, let's see, there's gotta be a better way to get there unnoticed. If we just ride up to the front gate, we won't stand a chance." Usopp points out. "Could we sneak into the side?"
"Usopp's right, if we take the main road, they'll see us coming and set a trap." Luffy agrees.
"That may be, but even if you do find your way ashore, there's no way that you'll able to make to the altar on foot." Pagaya points out. "You see, your one map differs from the current configuration and that now the Milky Roads crisscross the entire island."
"The Cloud Canals you mentioned?" Sanji inquires.
"Correct, they're hundreds of them of all sizes running every which way." Pagaya answered. "I don't think anyone really knows where they all lead."
"I see." Luffy said, picking his nose.
"That's why your only course of action is I said, you must follow the main Milky Road to the island and from there, continue until you've reached the altar." Pagaya informed them.
"I see." Caius said. "But even if we do find another route, the canals will block us from continuing."
"That's right." Pagaya replied, but remembered something. "Oh, did I mention the man-eating fish that prowl the canal."
"Man-eating fish?!" Usopp exclaims with his face pale.
"Sounds like they've covered all their bases." Sanji said, lights his cigarette with the match. "So, you're saying if we want our friends and ship back...we have to walk right in up to their front door and march on it?"
"That pretty much sums it up." Caius said.
"This is part of the challenge you mentioned? Part of Heaven's Judgment?" Usopp asks in determination.
"Yes, in Upper Yard, there are four powerful priests of unimaginable strength who awaits you." Pagaya answered when Conis looks up after hearing the wind chime ringing.
"Sounds like a piece of cake!" Luffy declared with his eyes covered from his hair. "I mean, all we have to do to get our friends back is beat up these priests, right?"
"You make it sound easy." Usopp said in a deadpan look as Luffy looked up to them with a laugh.
"Finally, a little action!" Luffy said with a smirk.
Pagaya didn't like the idea of Luffy and the others heading to the Upper Yard after informing them about the priests and hos to get there, but with the rest of crew at the Forbidden Island and heading to the Sacrificial Atlar, time is against them and with no other options, they're gonna have to head for the gate and face one of the priests to get to their friends.
That's it for the 26th chapter.
