This is the 31st chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.

'Raging Dragon' Ventus Starwind and 'Former God' Gan Fall VS. 'Ordeal of String' Shura

Skypiea

While somewhere at Skypiea, Conis is playing her harp to clear her mind after what she did since she became the victim of the White Berets and Eneru's orders. Apparently, Conis is still feeling guilty after all this, but the Straw Hats still wanted to save their remaining crew. Pagaya is also feeling guilty since he too became the victim after following orders from the White Berets and Eneru. Gan Fall was watering the pumpkins in his garden and took notice at that, which he can tell that they're hoping for the Straw Hats made it out alive. He then decided to enlighten the mood.

"I'd call this one of the finest batches in years. Wouldn't you agree, Pagaya?" Gan Fall questions, which it got Pagaya confused. "I'm referring to the pumpkins. I don't think I've ever grown them quite as sweet."

"Hmm..." Pagaya muttered quietly since he still got the Straw Hats on his mind. "Of course. I'm sorry, but my mind is wondering elsewhere. It's very kind of you to take us in, I dislike putting you in this position."

"Not at all." Gan Fall said kindly. "If they believe that your daughter let the Straw Hats escape, they'll consider you an accomplice. The only safe place for you is here. You can consider this one on the house, we're all lucky that Eneru's 'Mantra' doesn't reach this far."

Pagaya remained skeptical about it since Gan Fall took him and his daughter to safety from the White Berets after learning of what has transpired.

"How are things back on the island?" Gan Fall questions, changing the subject.

"I'm sorry?" Pagaya inquires, confused.

"The crops. Are they coming in hearty this year?" Gan Fall clarifies, turns to him while stops watering the pumpkins.

"From what I know of it, yes, quite well indeed." Pagaya told him.

"Well, that's good to hear." Gan Fall said, continuing watering the pumpkins when Pagaya noticed three cups of pumpkin juice. "I've prepared us a pumpkin juice made from the very ones that grow here in my field. Wonderful flavor, try some."

"Thank you, it looks refreshing." Pagaya said, grabs one and another cup as he extends it to his daughter. "Conis, dear, you should try this."

It got Conis to stop playing the harp, causing her to frown at that since she doesn't feel like it. Gan Fall can tell that Conis isn't in the mood.

"Young lady, I'm curious, have you ever heard tale of those from the Blue Sea World called pirates?" Gan Fall inquires, earned her attention.

"Never." Conis answered bluntly.

"They are basically just criminals who travel on the water. And though each ship may vary somewhat, these pirates are usually recognize by their flag with a skull and crossbones on it." Gan Fall explains, stops watering the pumpkins when Conis and Pagaya remembered the flag he mentioned which happens to be the Straw Hats flag. "I have my suspicions that your new friends fall in line with this kind."

"That's absurd!?" Pagaya exclaims shockingly. "You mean that these people were criminals before they set foot on our shore?!"

"They may not live by the rules of their world, but I can't necessarily call that criminal. There are those who fall out of grace with their rule of law in any society." Gan Fall explains with a chuckle while getting back on watering the pumpkins. "I don't see you two as any different from them."

Both Conis and Pagaya are confused, wondering what he means by that since this is the first time he ever mentioned about pirates.

"Who says that those who don't fit in are wrong, and others are right? Sometimes, the way of the world is backwards and blurred, and it can change in an instant." Gan Fall continued. "For example, you kill a man at war, and you're branded a hero, kill the same man in peace time, and you're prosecuted as a murderer. I myself had a pirate friend a long time ago. He came here with his band more than 20 years ago while I was still God of Skypiea. They were funny all of them, boisterous people with lots to laugh about and a general heir of freedom. I hate it to say goodbye."

Conis widen her eyes in shock, never knew that Gan Fall made friends to the pirates as he placed the watering can into the barrel full of water.

"The beauty of this land masks a truth as old as time. Skypiea is entangled an endless war." Gan Fall said, then pulls his watering can out of the barrel and continued watering the pumpkins. "We the people of the sky waged war with those we called guerillas, the Shandorians. Even now, the move against Eneru constantly, try to siege the sky. I worry for all those I could not protect."

"When you were a God, you did all that you could to co-exist. Even the Shandorians were convinced to this." Pagaya points out. "You gave all of us hope that the several 100 year war would end. And leave us with lasting peace."

"I didn't have near enough time." Gan Fall said with a groan. "Eneru dethrone me before I could solidify the treaty. Wasted efforts, I'm sorry for failing my people."

"Stop that! You have nothing to apologize for!" Pagaya protests.

Even though, Pagaya tried to make a valid point which Gan Fall was aware, but it didn't help him because of the guilt in between the war and Eneru.

"A legend is passed down through the generations in the Skypiea about its beginnings." Gan Fall said, changing the subject. "It is said that the day the Upper Yard, the sacred ground was created. The voice of the island sung for a beautiful song that echoed through the skies. It was after that moment that the tragedy between the people of the Sky and the Shandorians began. As if on cue, and so the legend says when we next hear the singing voice of the island, this war will finally come to an end."

"The...voice?" Conis repeats surprisingly.

"That's right. And our sacred land will sing again someday." Gan Fall replied. "Someday, she must."

Both Conis and Pagaya looked at Gan Fall, confused about it when a sound of a whistle was heard and it causes Pierre to wake up from his nap with a loud squawk. It got Gan Fall's attention as he throw the watering can into the barrel, getting his lance and his helmet ready.

"Huh? Is something happening?" Pagaya questions.

"Nothing you need to worry about! I've got a job to do, you'll be safe here!" Gan Fall as he jumps onto Pierre's back, flying away and leaving Conis, Pagaya, and Su alone as they watch them flying off the distance and out of sight.

Pagaya decided to clear his mind by walking to the beat-up waver and try to fix it. Su leaps on the wooden floor as she took a whiff at the pumpkin juice, earned Conis' attention when she walk towards the fox and places her harp against the floor. Conis grabs the cup as she tries drinking the pumpkin juice, which to her surprise, the pumpkin juice tasted better than the other at Angels Beach.

"He's right!" Conis said with delight. "This pumpkin juice is fantastic!"

"Yes, he's quite good at cultivating things." Pagaya said which he's still working on the waver and not paying attention to his daughter, who places the cup next to Su as the fox tries it.


Upper Yard, Sacrificial Altar

While at the Sacrificial Altar, Chopper couldn't help but stare at the priest with feared look on his face, trembling with his whistle stuck on his teeth and whistles feebly. Ventus however, readied his lance with a scowl look on his face. The priest isn't amused because he only saw two and not the rest of the crew, who continued to journey deeper into the forest to learn more about the Upper Yard.

"So, you offer your lives to the Almighty God Eneru, and I will oblige!" A priest said as he was about to stab his lance down when Ventus blocked it and swings his lance away from him. It got the priest shocked.

"Don't think we're going down that easily, priest!" Ventus snarled, turned his eyes into a dragonic pupils. "Not without a fight!"

It got the priest annoyed at that as he then tries to stab him, which Ventus dodged it in time. The priest removed his weapon from its place, causing the flames to emerge from where it was truck.

"Fire...!" Chopper gasped.

"Why are you resisting?" The priest asked. "You can't escape the Sacrificial Altar! Try to die with some dignity!"

"Coerthan Torment" Ventus then fires the projectiles at the priest and the buzzard, who breathed out fire which cancels each others attacks.

"Sonic Thrust" Ventus then thrust his lance with sheer wind, sending the priest and the buzzard flying. "Chopper, get back on the ship. That priest isn't ordinary at all."

The priest then flies back at them with his lance ready, flying after the young Dragoon. Ventus sprouts his wings out on his back and fly towards him with his lance ready.

'He's going to-'

"Chaos Thrust" Ventus then delivers a multiple thrust at the priest, who barely blocked his attacks, but slashed.

"Boltstorm Spear" Ventus then channels his lance with lightning and thrust him, causing the priest to scream in pain.

The buzzard was about to breath fire when Ventus clamps its mouth with his tail.

"Nice try, birdbrain." Ventus said, swings the buzzard and the priest right into the tree, causing them to crash down to the ground.

The priest slowly stood up with a grunt as he looked at the young Dragoon with a scowl in his eyes.

'How is it possible he could predict my 'Mantra'?! Could it be he can also use 'Mantra'?' The priest mentally thought, but smirks since the fight is getting interesting. "I'll admit, I didn't think someone would be able to outmatch me. Tell me, were you using 'Mantra' to predict my movement?"

"That's for me to know and not for you to find out!" Ventus retorted. "And for what I can tell about you, your part of the ordeals I've heard about."

"It's Shura, I am the priest of the Almighty Eneru and see judgment to criminals, like you!" Shura told him, points his lance at him. "And the Ordeal you spoke is the Ordeal of String!"

Ventus didn't seem to be fazed of his words at all.

'That lance has a Dial that could heat up, like it did recently. I can tell he's no ordinary priest, he's a lancer like me.' Ventus mentally thought.

"I don't see why you care so much about your friend that's about to die or a ship that no one has going to sail on again." Shura said with a glare, riding on his buzzard. "Death will find you assuredly as if it will find your friends who left you two here alone."

"If you lay one finger on my friends, I'll kill you!?" Ventus threatens him with his dragonic tone.

"Is that so? Well, if you care about them so much, then you'll die first!" Shura said with a sneer, leaps in midair and thrust lance.

Ventus blocks that attack with his own lance, but Shura punches him in the jaw. Ventus retaliates by swiping him with a talon, making Shura grunted in pain and the young Dragoon whips him in the face with his tail. The buzzard was able to catch Shura.

"Bastard!" Shura growls.

Chopper watches the fight, which he was amazed of his brother-figure fighting against Shura. Ventus was able to gain the upper hand because of his dragonic attributes and his lance mastery which Shura is right now having a hard time. Shura looked up to the young Dragoon, seeing that he's well-trained in between aerial combat and lance mastery, but it still got him wondering if he was able to use the 'Mantra' to overcome his own.

"It's like I said, we're not going to die without a fight." Ventus said, points his lance at him. "Our crew may be gone, but they're counting on us for getting the ship fixed. And if you want the ship destroyed, you'll have to get through me."

"Hey, don't say that! I'm in charge of the ship! You were sitting around and doing nothing!" Chopper shouts. "Just get that priest to leave us and our friends alone!"

"Chopper! There are times when you give lecture!" Ventus snapped, turns to the reindeer. "And I highly doubt that he'll let us go that easily just because we're being branded as criminals! Shura and those priests along with Eneru want us dead, considering this island Nami mentioned is nothing but their hunting ground where they hunt explorers and pirates before their so-called God finishes it. They're the hunter and we're the prey, plain and simple."

Chopper widens his eyes in horror, realizing of what the Sacrificial Altar and the Upper Yard really is. The atmosphere is beginning to feel intense after learning that this island was none other than their hunting ground for the priests and Eneru to catch their prey and kill them before their 'God' ever gets a chance. Shura couldn't help but smirk, impressed of Ventus' deduction.

"Very astute. Yes, this Upper Yard and the Sacrificial Altar is our hunting ground when neither of us have anything to do besides bringing judgment to criminals such as yourselves." Shura said. "But...your friends choses the Ordeal of Spheres, and I can tell they're having a very hard time with Satori thanks to the 'Mantra'. Ohm and his mutt are doing their own thing, and Gedatsu...well, there's no telling besides since he's got nothing better to do besides making a fool of himself. But still, since neither of you want to die or want us to hurt any of your friends, you're impassioned and greedy."

"Says a bloodthirsty priest who went on ahead picking a fight like some caged animal." Ventus retorted as Shura scowled at that.

'I don't know if Ventus is doing it on purpose by provoking him just to get him under his skin or not, but if what he says is true then...we're already in deep trouble and I really don't want to die!' Chopper mentally thought in panic.


Upper Yard

Meanwhile at the forest area in the Upper Yard, the Shandorian girl continued running through the forest since she's right now far off distance and out of sight of the Straw Hats. She hides behind a tree trunk to catch a breather, checking to see if she's in the clear. She then ran out of the tree trunk, but stops when she uses her own 'Mantra' and recognizes of where that belongs to.

"It's Gan Fall." She said with a serious.

And she was right, Gan Fall and Pierre were flying to the Sacrificial Altar to help Chopper and Ventus at high speed.

While at the Straw Hat's side, Leon, Zoro, Robin, and Nami walked across the large tree trunk to continue investigating the Upper Yard while the sky-sharks were swimming around the cloud river. However, both Zoro and Leon are starting to get impatience because Nami is walking slowly.

"Nami, would you pick up the pace! I'm growing gray hairs back here!" Zoro told her in front of him, while Robin and Leon were in front of them.

"Shut! Stop it, you're distracting me!?" Nami shouted. "What if I slip and fall, huh?! I'll be dead! And then how would you feel?!"

"Is there ever a time where you don't complain about some small details?!" Leon demanded in annoyance. "I swear, if I hear another complaint out of your mouth, I'll kick you off so we can have some silence for once!"

Before Nami could retort to his claim, a pair of sky-sharks suddenly jumped out of the clouds from both side, seemingly ready to eat them. Nami instantly panicked and slipped, falling into the White-White sea. Both Zoro and Leon took out their blades and each killed a sky-shark. Bot now dead sky-sharks fell back into the cloudy sea. Seeing that the danger had passed, Leon and Zoro put away their blades.

"Nami, you alright down there?" Zoro asks half-heartedly as Leon continued to walk across the tree trunk.

"Yeah...but I have no idea how..." Nami answered, saved by Robin's Devil Fruit powers.

"What do you say?" Leon asks in amused tone, watching Nami crawling back to their level.

"Sorry for being such a pain..." Nami said in a pant. "Thanks for grabbing me..."

"Now what I had in mind, but close enough." Leon said, looked back at Robin and saw her stopped, staring at something. "What's wrong?"

"No more monsters, I hope?" Zoro adds while Nami slowly slids down.

"It looks like...a well..." Robin answered.

"A well?" Nami repeated in a questioned tone as they went towards the well.


Upper Yard, Sacrificial Altar

"Let me get this straight...Your friends...This ship...And your life...You don't want to lose any of that?" Shura questions, charging at Chopper and Ventus with his lance. Ventus was able to block that with his own. "Then, why don't you try putting up a fight?!"

"Because we have our own lives on the line and the only way to survive is by beating your ass!" Ventus snapped, swings his weapon and then swings his fist while Chopper uses his Heavy Point to swing his fist at him.

Shura was able to avoid the attacks by jumping higher to the ground.

"Are you two trying to survive this...without sacrificing anything of yourselves?" Shura questions, turns to the two.

'There's more to this guy than he's showing us...He's not just a fighter, it's like he can predict my moves!' Chopper mentally thought.

"For one to live, another must die." Shura said. "That is the way of the world, this is the Sacrificial Altar. What did you think was going to happen by you two being up here?"

Both Chopper and Ventus glared at him.

"We were supposed to fix the ship and wait until our crewmates get back." Chopper said.

"We were told about the Altar and from what I can tell, everything I see is nothing more than your playground to hunt and kill people just for your sick entertainment." Ventus adds with a scowl.

"Be assured, your friends are trying their hardest to get back here, of course they're going to find it incredibly difficult." Shura explains. "On this island, there are four areas, each of which is governed by a different priest. Our first rule is that when the targets are in one area, the other priests are not supposed to interfere with them in any way. But, this Sacrificial Altar doesn't sit inside the perimeter of any of the areas. Here, we are in the free zone, which means that any one of us can attack those we find here. And proper etiquette would not have those at the altar killed until after the targets failed at a challenge and die."

Chopper was shocked in horror after hearing an explanation while Ventus is starting to get enraged.

"What?! Luffy and the others are dead?!" Chopper exclaims.

"Calm yourself. The fact that I'm here does not necessarily mean your friends are dead at this point." Shura told him. "It's unfortunate, but true. I stand before you now with a different purpose than sacrifice."

"And what's that?" Ventus questions, not liking where this is going.

"Wait, you mean if our friends get back here and rescue me, then we're free to go, but you won't let that happened, will you?" Chopper adds.

"Well, that depends on you and whether your crew can make your escape from the free zone fast enough." Shura said with confirm, leaving Chopper confused. "But hold that thought, the reason I'm here is because those are the judgment rules under normal conditions. However, when there's an exceptional situation, the rules are set to change a little."

"Exceptional?" Chopper repeated in a questioned tone.

"Yes, exceptional." Shura replied, the points at the vines. "Say for example, four sacrifices were to escape the Alter and swing to the main island using vines."

"Oh, that kind of situation." Chopper said with an understanding.

Ventus knew something was off about what he just said, but he and Chopper recalled Zoro, Robin, Nami, and Leon leaving via vine and right at the direction Shura pointed to.

'IT'S ALL HIS FAULT!' Chopper mentally shouted with his bulging eyes and his jaw dropped, referring to Zoro since it's his idea in the first place.

'You guys better hurry back with all the answers you're looking for on this island.' Ventus mentally thought, hoping for his crew to hurry back.


Upper Yard

Leon and Robin walked closer to the well to inspect it. As they walked, they could hear Nami and Zoro behind their backs, mostly the navigator.

"I wonder what crawled into their knapsack? Wandering off ahead like that, it's immature is what it is." Zoro muttered.

"If this is a thinly failed attempt to call me childish, at least have the courtesy to do it to my face." Nami complains in annoyance, earned his attention. "You know, when I think about it, most of the times I've ended up in this situations like this are your fault."

"You're losing it." Zoro said in annoyance with his veins popped out of his head.

"I question how Ventus and Caius managed with someone like her." Leon said in irritation.

"Why are you irritated with our navigator?" Robin asked.

"Because it's a waste of breath to always complain about what might happen, when it's not." Leon explains. "If she hasn't had a set of spine from all the adventures she had to deal with up till now, then why doesn't just give up and go back home?! It's like I said; life is tough, but you have to overcome it all in order to keep moving forward with your life!"

Robin nodded in understanding with what he said, especially since she's trying to overcome her own life.


Upper Yard, Sacrificial Altar

Chopper trembles in fear while Ventus is about had enough since he's about to let out his anger as Shura continued his explanation.

"Someone has to lose their life to bring balance back after your friends escape." Shura said. "It's atonement and sacrifice is a part of life. I want them to see it when they come back. Their good friends lying on deck, the life drained from them. Then, they will realize the severity of their mistakes. And now...I offer your life to God!"

Ventus is now starting to get really mad, since Shura made one fatal mistake. Shura then pulls out his lance and shot himself down at the two. Ventus used his 'Blood of the Dragon' to enhance himself and his eyes turned to red.

"Wheeling Thrust" Ventus then leaps in midair, twirls his body and then thrust his lance as he impales Shura right in the shoulder, making him grunt in pain with his blood seeping out of his mouth.

"To hell with sacrifice...To hell with your God...The only thing you and your cronies realize of your mistakes...is making the dragon very angry..." Ventus snarled angrily as he tosses Shura away from the Altar. "Chopper, stay on the ship! Because he's mine to kill!"

And with that, Ventus turned himself into a humanoid dragon as he then flies after Shura, who was saved by the buzzard. Shura then saw Ventus flying after him, but he also seemed to have sensed someone coming. From above, a certain Sky Knight clashed his own lance with Shura's, who blocked the attack.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Gan Fall apologized.

"It's Gan Fall the Sky Knight!" Chopper cried out.

"I wasn't expecting company!" Shura grunts, pushing Gan Fall away from him.

Gan Fall landed on the back of Pierre, safe from the sky-sharks. Ventus then fly towards Shura as he readied his lance.

"Geirskogul" Ventus then fires the projectile-like dragons at Shura, who's able to dodge but barely. "You shouldn't have let your guard down!"

"Damn you..." Shura snarls as the aerial battle began.

"I know you wouldn't let me down, Sky Knight!" Chopper shouts.

"We're not dealing with an amateur here, Pierre. I wouldn't want to disappoint a worthy opponent with anything but our best!" Gan Fall said as Pierre squawks with an agreement.

"What could that decrypted old relic possibly be doing here?" Shura questions. "Do you feel like putting them in their place?"

The buzzard responds with a screech.

"Enough stalling! We don't need two Gods on this island!" Shura shouts as he and Gan Fall charged each other with their lances ready.

"On that note, I agree!" Ventus said as he and Gan Fall clashes their lance against Shuras, making him grunt and pulled back from the attack.

Both Gan Fall and Ventus then fly after Shura while Chopper cheered for the two. Gan Fall and Ventus catches up to Shura, who swings his lance and it causes them to dodge while Pierre flew to the other side. Shura notices Gan Fall isn't on the birds back, but slightly turns and saw him raising his gauntlet against him. Shura widened his eyes as Gan Fall fires his Impact Dial, sending him flying out of the buzzard with a grunt and blood seeping out of his mouth.

"Dragonfire Dive" Ventus then channels his lance with fire as he dives down after Shura and then, impales the priest right at the center of the chest where his heart is as he screams in pain as the flames began to burn him and crashed into the ground. Ventus then turns when he saw a buzzard angrily flying after the young Dragoon.

"Dragon's Wrath" Ventus then jumps high into the air, then delivers a jump attacks against the buzzard in different direction and making it screech in pain as he then finishes him off by impaling it.

With the fight finished, Ventus jumps off of the dead buzzard and lands at the Sacrificial Altar as Gan Fall flies in front of the two.

"You've done well in fighting against Shura, and yet...it's a bit overboard for killing him." Gan Fall told him.

"He couldn't help it, he just made Ventus very mad." Chopper points out. "It's just his dragon nature on being mad if anything happens or anyone mentions to our crew."

Gan Fall understands since he can fully tell of the young Dragoon's rage.

"Rest assured, this fight is now over and you're safe." Gan Fall said. "But for now, we should head to the other side for safety."

"That's fine, but you owe us an explanation when our crew gets back." Ventus told him with a serious look on his face.


Upper Yard

Meanwhile with the rest of the Straw Hats at the Ordeal of Spheres, Caius gained the upper hand when he sent Satori flying against the tree. Apparently, Satori is a bloody mess and heavily wound from the Reaper, who had the appearance of a Grim Reaper with a mask covering that resembles a skull and covering his entire face.

"You should give up...You can't outmatch me or my powers...Because you can't escape 'Death' itself." Caius warned him with a demonic tone.

"Man, he's scary...What did he even use to get him to be that?" Usopp whimpers in horror.

"I think it's called 'Enshroud'." Sanji said, who's heavily beaten by Satori and weakened. "I don't know the whole details, but as far as I know, Caius uses it to turn himself into what we saw."

Satori looked up at the Reaper surrounded in dark aura and the Grim Reaper appeared behind him. Of course, it got him terrified at that when he saw the Grim Reaper who resembled as 'Death'. He then decided to use that trick on his sleeve since there are still spheres floating around him.

"I'll admit...I didn't expect anyone who can predict my movements...I'm impressed. But I still have tricks under my sleeve." Satori groans as he stands up, then leaps in midair and lands on the top of the sphere. "We're going to finish our little fun today with a move I've receive stuff full of rewards for..."

Caius isn't amused about it while Sanji, Usopp, and Luffy looked at Satori who twirls his cane as he grabs hold of the rope.

"My Super Secret Surprise: Sphere Dragon"

And with that, Satori pulls his rope that has a dragon head as the battle continues.

That's it for the 31st chapter.