Pirate Zoro vs. Warrior Braham:

-x-

"Those Priests and those guerillas have powers that I can't measure up to," Zoro commented as he wandered in the direction he assumed was south. "So a close-quarters fight doesn't mean much. I guess I'll have to back off and take 'em down from a distance. If that's the case... I have a move that'll work."

"I'm right here, come and get me," Zoro taunted his opponent up near the top of the mountain.

"I hate to disappoint you," Kyouken replied, "but I'm staying up here. And I'm going to keep you down there. EXPLODING STAR!" CHOO! Kyouken fired off a shot at Zoro using Usopp's slingshot. SLISH! Zoro sliced the projectile clean in half using Wado Ichimonji. The ball flew past him, hit the ground and exploded. KA-BOOM-BOOM!

"Fine," Zoro said, "If you're not gonna come down here then I'll just have to bring you down! THIRTY-SIX CALIBER PHOENIX!"BOOOM! Zoro slashed his sword and fired a concentrated cannon blast of air at Kyouken. FWUMP! Kyouken dove to the side and the blast smashed into the mountain behind him. Rocks rained down from overhead but Usopp rolled out of the way of the falling rubble. KROOOSSHH!

"I never actually hit that guy," Zoro admitted, "but I doubt anyone up here will see it coming."

Fwap! Fwap! Fwap! Lost, both in thought and location, Zoro was seemingly oblivious to the large bird that had set its sights on him and had planned on making him its morning meal. SWOOSH! The bird dove down at Zoro with its beak and talons poised for attack.

But Zoro had known that the bird was there the whole time and now it had just volunteered itself for target practice.

Clak! With a flick of his wrist, Zoro drew his treasured sword Wado Ichimonji and slashed it in a circle. "THIRTY-SIX CALIBER PHOENIX!" BOOOM! Zoro fired a concentrated cannon blast of air at the bird and blasted it clear out of the sky. KA-BOOOOOOOM!

"Yup," Zoro stated, "After that test, I'm ready to show these sky-people my flying blade attack."

-x-

"BAAAAH!" one of Eneru's goat-like warriors bleated as he and two others chased after their latest target.

"WAAAAAAHHHH!" Chopper – their unwilling target – screamed in terror as he ran through the massive forest of trees in his Walk Point reindeer form in a desperate attempt to avoid the three angry goat-warriors that were chasing him.

"BAAAH! BAAAH! BAAAH!" the three warriors continued shout out their 'battle cry' if only to further instill fear in their already beyound terrified target.

"AAAAAAHHH!" Chopper wailed when he suddenly found his way blocked by three equally unfriendly forces.

SHOOM! The three Shandians came speeding through the trees towards Chopper.

"WARRIORS!" the lead Shandian called out when he spotted the three men chasing Chopper.

"SHANDIANS!" one of the warriors hollered to his comrades when he spotted the trio.

BOOOM! BOOOM! The Shandians opened fire on the three goat warriors who sped out of the way to avoid the attacks and readied their Ax Dials as they prepared to make their counter-attack.

"YAAAAAAHHH!" Chopper bellowed as he veered to the side and raced onward, leaving the six men to fight behind him. "WAAAA-HAAA-HAAAA!" "I WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER OFF EATEN ALIVE AT THE ALTAR!"

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

-x-

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

The sounds of gunfire echoed throughout the island of Upper Yard and even reached Y/N and Robin who had stopped their trek through the giant forest when they came across some ruins.

"Sounds like the island's having its fair share of drama," Robin remarked.

"I guess that Survival Game that Eneru mentioned yesterday has started," Y/N reasoned as he eyed the ruins they'd found. "What do you make of this?"

Robin took a moment to observe the worn stone structures that looked like they could have once been houses. But time had taken its toll on the houses and they had been worn down to the point where they were missing their roofs and some of the stones that made up their walls. Massive roots from the nearby trees had overrun what could have once been a small town.

"I believe that these were once houses," Robin eventually explained. "They were built far out from the city in the hopes of bringing longevity to the crops. But it looks like all this brush swallowed up the mortar and brick. I hope the city is still there."

"BAAAH!" one of Eneru's warriors dropped down from overhead and landed on top of one of the former houses. Krek-krek-krooosh! As he landed, the goat-like man's dial-powered ski made contact with the top of the worn down ruin and broke part of it off. "What are you Blue Sea Dwellers doing here? You should be aware that this is the path to God's Shrine, proceeding any further would be insolent! Baaah!"

"Get down from there!" Robin ordered the goat-man. "Do you even have a clue as to the archeological significance of these ruins? They're priceless!"

"Not only are you talking back," the goat-man retorted, "but you have the audacity to order me around! I'm one of God's elite warriors!"

"Oh, well that explains why he doesn't care about these ruins," Y/N realized, "He's not from here so they hold no significance to him."

"I've been ordered by God to eliminate any Shandians or Blue Sea Dwellers that I encounter!" the man called out.

"So you're here to kill us, well that makes this easier on me," Y/N remarked. "Don't worry Robin, I'll..." Y/N trailed off in the process of drawing his sword when he noticed the murderous look in the former assassin's eyes. "...let you handle this one."

"Seis Fleur!" Six arms appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the man in Robin's signature hold. "TWIST!" Instead of wrenching backwards like they usually did, the four arms growing out of the man's body twisted to the side and snapped his neck and back in an instant. KER-RACK! The man dropped from the top of the ruin and landed in a broken heap next to the stone pieces he'd broken off of the ruin. FWUMP!

"You can be really scary sometimes..." Y/N said as he stared down at the broken man.

"I have no respect for those who don't respect history," Robin replied as picked up the broken bit of stone and showed more concern for it then the man who she'd just crippled.

-x-

KA-BOOOOM! A Shandian leapt out of the way of an explosion caused by an Ax Dial and smashed the attacking goat-warrior with his spear. WHAM! The man dropped to the ground unconscious and the Shandian dropped down in front of him.

"And you call yourself a 'Divine Warrior'," the Shandian taunted his fallen adversary but then muttered to himself. "These guys are gonna be the end of us. So far, they've managed to kill a lot more of us than we have of them."

"South should be to the right..." Zoro muttered to himself as he wandered behind the tree the Shandian was standing in front of.

"That's one of those Blue Sea People that Wyper was talking about!" the Shandian growled as he glared after Zoro, who was still both lost and lost to the world. "Better go take him out!" The Shandian tightened his grip on his spear then leapt after Zoro on his dial-powered skis. SHOOM! "RAAAAAAHH!"

Zoro was drawn from his thoughts by the shout and turned to see the Shandian charging at him.

"A guerrilla!" Zoro exclaimed, "And he looks pissed!"

"DIE!" the Shandian hollered as he swung his spear at Zoro. SWISH! Zoro reacted quickly and ducked under the Shandian's swing?"

"What's your problem?" Zoro demanded as he drew Wado Ichimonji. POW! Zoro didn't slash the Shandian with the blade of his sword, instead he used the clenched fist that was gripping the handle of his sword to punch the man in the face. The Shandian went flying and landed in an unconscious heap on the ground. THUD!

"You guys have some serious anger management issues," Zoro said as he sheathed his sword.

"Baaah! Baaah!" Zoro turned to the side and saw a goat-warrior leapt out of the brush onto a nearby root. The goat-man looked terrified... but not of Zoro. "Please! No! I surrender! I give up! I lose! You win! Just... please... don't kill me!"

BANG! A light flashed out of the brush and slammed into the pleading warrior. He was knocked off of the root and dropped to the ground and skidded passed Zoro.

SKISH! Zoro grabbed the handle of his sword again as Braham leapt out of the brush and flew up overhead propelled by his dial-powered skis. SHOOM!

"Not again!" Zoro complained as he found another Shandian swiftly approaching him, "Listen nut-case, if you're not a Priest then go find another goat to shoot! I'm in a hurry here!"

SKISH! Braham landed a few feet in front of Zoro. His only response was to point his two guns at the swordsman and open fire. BANG! BANG! Light flashed out of the barrels of the two guns, Zoro dove out of the way to avoid the bullets that came out right after. WHUMP!

SHOOM! Braham launched himself off of the ground and leapt onto the trunk of a tree then shot himself off of it and flew up into the air overhead. SHOOM! Braham spun his guns around on his fingers then opened fire on Zoro again. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Zoro raised an arm to his forehead in an attempt to shield his eyes from the blinding light that emanated from the barrels of the two guns. The swordsman quickly bounded to the side to avoid Braham's barrage of bullets. SKISH! SHISH!

"Alright, what's the deal with those glowing pistols?" Zoro muttered as he stared up into the air. In his desperation to avoid getting shot, he'd lost track of Braham. "Where'd he go? He couldn't have gotten far..."

Kresh... Grass rustled and Zoro whirled around and found Braham right behind him.

Braham used his dial-powered skis to launch himself into a handstand then swung his metal-encased feet around at Zoro's head. KLANK! KLANK! Zoro lashed out with his sword and managed to deflect Braham's first dial-powered kick. SHOOM! But the skis fired off again and Braham spun around and slammed his foot into Zoro's stomach. THWHAM!

Zoro went flying across the clearing, slammed to the ground and skidded over to a large root.

Fwip! Braham flipped himself back onto his feet so he could survey his handiwork but all he was a groaning Zoro pushing himself up off of the ground.

"You put up a good fight," Braham remarked, "I'm almost sorry I underestimated you." Braham raised his guns and prepared to fight again.

At the same time, Zoro tossed his backpack to the side and readied his sword. "Well, thanks pal," he retorted. "But I should apologize to you. I took you for a loser."

-x-

Midair Battle

-x-

KA-BOOOOM-BOOOOM-BOOOOM! KA-BOOOOM-BOOOOM-BOOOOM!

Explosions rang out through Upper Yard as the battle between Eneru's forces and the Shandians continued wage on.

SWISH! A Shandian wearing a cowboy hat swerved to the side to avoid the blast of an Ax Dial then fired his cannon at the goat-man attacking him. KA-BOOOM! The warrior was blasted back into the tree behind him and dropped to the ground.

Nearby, another Shandian and another Divine Warrior met in midair. Whak! The warrior knocked the Shandian's rifle aside and drove the Dial on his hand into the Shandian's face. BOOOM! The Shandian was nearly decapitated by the blast and dropped to the ground next to the fallen warrior.

-x-

But while loud battles continued in the huge forest all around them, Zoro and Braham were silent as the pirate and the Shandian prepared to fight again.

Zoro had drawn Yubashiri and was now wielding two swords as he kept his eyes locked on the Shandian and waited for him to make the first move.

SHOOM! Braham's skis whirred to life without him moving an inch and he was launched off of the ground and flipped up over Zoro's head.

"He never moved his feet!" Zoro exclaimed in his mind as Braham hung upside-down in midair and aimed his guns at him from behind. BANG! BANG! Braham's guns flashed as he fired at Zoro but the swordsman quickly leapt to avoid the gunfire. SKISH! SKISH!

SHOOOM! Braham landed and launched himself all the way to the other side of the clearing.

"Pagaya said there were different kinds of Dials," Zoro thought to himself as he stared at the brush that Braham had disappeared into. "I wonder if this guy has one or two stuck to his shoes. When he moves, gusts of wind shoot from his feet. What else could it be? And those guns of his flash as bright as the sun. They blind me every time he fires. Where is he now?"

SKISH! BANG! BANG! Braham popped out of the brush and fired at Zoro. SWISH! Zoro spun around and avoided the bullets then put the handle of Wado Ichimonji in his mouth as he finally drew his cursed sword Kitetsu III. Now in proper Santoryu Form, Zoro charged at Braham.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Braham fired his guns at the charging swordsman but Zoro was going fast enough that he was keeping one step ahead of Braham's bullets. Zoro reached Braham and lashed out with all three of his swords.

"He's using all three?" Braham questioned.

"TIGER HUNT!" SWA-SWISH! Zoro swung at Braham but the Shandian launched himself up into the air and avoided Zoro's attack.

Zoro spun around and stared up after Braham, "Aren't you a hot shot!" Zoro taunted around the handle of the sword he was clutching with his teeth.

Braham twirled his guns on his fingers until he reached the peak of his jump then pointed his guns downward and fired at Zoro again. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

SKISH! Zoro lunged to the side to avoid the bullets while Braham landed on part of the Milky Road that had been going through the trees up above their clearing.

Zoro quickly ran up the trunk of a giant tree until he was up higher than the Milky Road then he launched himself off at Braham. "RAAAH!" Zoro shouted as he prepared for an attack.

"Ha, this Blue Sea Idiot has no clue about using Dials," Braham scoffed. He pulled a white shell out of his pocket. "He doesn't even stand a chance." Click! Braham pushed down on the apex of his Dial and threw it towards Zoro. FWOOOSH! White cloud flew out from the Dial and created a white bridge that connected the Milky Road that Braham was standing on with the space that Zoro was about of fly through.

SHOOOM! "Hey! Guess what this is!" Braham called out as he sped along the bridge he'd made to meet Zoro in midair.

"OH SHIT!" Zoro cursed.

"It's called a Milky Dial!" Braham finished as he flew right up to Zoro, pointed his guns at Zoro's face and opened fire. BANG! BANG!

SWISH! Zoro snapped backwards and did a clumsy midair backflip to avoid the bullets.

"You know Aerial Combat isn't just leaping around out of desperation," Braham informed Zoro.

SPLOOOSH! An enormous eel shot up out of the Milky Road to meet Zoro and lunged at the swordsman as he was caught in free-fall.

SLA-SLISH! Zoro slashed his three swords and cleaved the eel clean in half. The two halves of the eel dropped back down onto the Milky Road. SPLA-SPLOOSH! Zoro maneuvered himself around in midair and landed on one half of the eel. TMP!

"A ton of wood and these things would make for a killer barbecue," Zoro remarked.

SHOOOM! Braham flew back up over the Milky Road on the clouds he was making with his Milky Dial and opened fire on Zoro. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

SKISH! Zoro made a desperate leap to avoid Braham's bullets but this time he wasn't so lucky.

"UUUGGHH!" Zoro grunted as he felt one of the bullets sink into his leg but he didn't let it slow him down and quickly jumped down the eel's long body and launched himself off of it onto a tree, then leapt around it so he could avoid Braham and gain some momentary coverage.

Tmp! Braham stopped his Milky Dial and landed on the Milky Road. He'd lost track of Zoro.

"Huff! Huff! Huff!" Zoro gasped as he leaned back against a tree trunk and hid from Braham. "That was stupid! What's wrong with me? This guy's already faster than me and I hang myself out like an easy target. Now I've got a bullet in my leg. Genius. There's gotta be something I can do about those flashing guns. Hold on..." He had an idea!

Braham stood on the Milky Road and waited for Zoro to reveal himself again.

"Those guns of yours are some pretty nice accessories," Zoro called out as he came around the tree he was hiding behind and stood on a branch above Braham. Zoro made a show of pulling the goggles he was wearing down over his eyes. "But too bad for you, I've got my lucky goggles! Your little blinding trick won't work on me anymore! You might as well give up!"

"Those just look like regular goggles," Braham dead-panned.

"Damn it, he found me out!" Zoro cursed internally. He decided that from now on he'd leave the bluffing to Y/N and Usopp.

"You're not a big fan of my Flash Guns, are you?" Braham asked as he crossed his two guns in front of him. "Being a swordsman you need close-quarters to fight, which I won't give you. I don't understand your reasons for being here and I don't care. But I will say that your mere presence here defines you as an enemy of the Shandians. Now I'm telling you: surrender or die – which might happen sooner you we keep standing here. Your leg isn't getting any better."

"It doesn't hurt too bad," Zoro insisted. "Barely made a dent." "Getting shot while I made smug comments about some big, dead eel just shows that I'm lacking in concentration." Zoro reached up and lifted his goggles back up onto his forehead. "Alright, looks like this is the perfect situation to use my new technique again, let's give it a try."

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Braham fired his Flash Guns at Zoro again but the swordsman quickly ran along the branch he was on to avoid them. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Braham kept firing and Zoro kept running until he reached the end of the branch and jumped off. SKISH!

TMP! Splurt! Blood squirted out of the bullet hole in Zoro's leg as he dropped over twenty feet from the tree branch and landed on the ground.

"UUGGHH!" Zoro bit back a groan and grimaced as pain shot through his leg.

Braham capitalized on Zoro hesitation and rained a barrage of bullets down on him. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

SKISH! Zoro lunged to the side and dove into the brush to avoid getting shot again.

"Think you can run away?" Braham questioned.

"I'm gonna use that old speech again," Zoro decided as he came out of the brush and called up to Braham. "Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and thought. These six roots ground us by way of good, evil and peace."

"What are you talking about?" Braham demanded.

"And of course," Zoro continued his speech as if Braham hadn't interrupted him, "Each of these can be pure or impure. These are the thirty-six earthly desires. Three times that is one hundred and eight." Zoro turned and held all three of his blades parallel with the ground. "I've got three cannons aimed right at your head. All you have are a couple of guns. In both distance and power my weapons are superior. You've done very well, but you're still gonna die."

Click! Braham pushed down on his Milky Dial and lobbed it down at Zoro. FWOOOSH! The dial produced another bridge of cloud that went from the Milky Road that Braham was standing on to the ground in front of Zoro.

SHOOOM! Braham sped down the bridge on his skis.

"What cannons?" Braham scoffed. "You're out of your mind! All I see are three swords."

"Have you ever seen a flying blade attack?" Zoro asked.

"ATTACK THIS!" Braham shouted as he aimed his Flash Guns.

"Three sword style..."

"RAAAH!" Braham roared as he fired all his remaining bullets at Zoro. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

"...ONE HUNDRED EIGHT CALIBER PHOENIX!" KA-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! Zoro slashed all three of his swords and sent three spiral air blades flying up to meet Braham. BOOOOOOOM! The three combined blades blasted Braham back up his bridge, over the Milky Road and into the leafy branches of the gigantic trees overhead. Kresh-kresh-kresh-kresh!

Braham nearly reached the top of the gargantuan tree before he fell... all the way back down. KER-RASH! Braham landed in a bloody heap on the far side of the clearing.

Zoro sheathed his swords and stood over him as the victor.

"That must've hurt," Zoro remarked as he picked his backpack up and put it back on. "Nothing personal, being natural enemies and all, but you're in the dirt because I hate being told what to do. No other reason."

With a trickle of blood going down his cheek from one of Braham's final shots, Zoro walked out of the clearing. "I'll survive. You watch."

-x-

"BAAAH! BAAAH! RUUUUUN!" one of Eneru's warriors screamed as he and three others sped frantically through the tree tops. "HE'S TURNED FUZA AGAINST US!"

"CAAAWWW!" Fuza crowed and unleashed a torrent of flames after its three former allies. FWOOOOM!

SHOOM! SHOOM! SHOOM! SHOOM! The warriors leapt upward on their dial-powered skis and barely managed to avoid becoming roasted goats.

"You missed bird!" Kiko shouted from on Fuza's back. "NOW IT'S MY TURN!" Wha-whak! Kiko drove his elbows into his sides and ignited the two Flame Dials that were affixed to them. FWOOOOOSH! The flames shot through the tubes on his arms and came out in the form of four blades, three on the left arm and one on the right.

FWOOOOOOOM! Kiko snapped his arms downward and whipped the four fleeing warriors with his four blades and dove them all down into the ground. KRASH-KRASH-KRASH-KRASH!

"HOOOOOOOO!" Kiko howled. "THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE, STUPID BIRD!"

"GRAAAW!" Fuza shrieked in response.

"Don't talk back to me!" Kiko snarled as he yanked back on the feathers coming out of Fuza's neck, "I'm the one calling the shots now! KEEP GOING! TO GOD'S SHRINE!"

-x-

Gedatsu stood amidst some ruins and was holding up a Shandian by the head. Gedatsu let go and the Shandian dropped to the ground unconscious. Fwump!

"Hmph," Gedatsu grunted as he tried and failed to cross his arms.

"Where am I?" came a timid and terrified voice. Gedatsu turned in time to see Chopper wander out of the trees in his Brain Point form. "The trees are so tall I lost all sense of direction... I can't even see the sun... heeeellp... Big Brother... Luffy... Zoro... Robin... Please find me! I don't wanna be left on this stinking island just to die and turn to food for gigantic bugs!"

The crying and oblivious reindeer walked right past the Priest.

Gedatsu attempted to call out to Chopper but he was still caught up in his attempts to cross his arms and had forgotten that he couldn't call out to someone when he was chewing on his lip.

"And if I do die will there even be a doctor waiting for me?" Chopper continued to whine as tears and snot streaked down his furry face. "Wait, that doesn't matter, when you're dead you're dead and no doctor can save you. But I don't wanna die! I'm stuck in this awful place thinking about death and doctors and bugs... why can't I think of something else... well... at least I've got my stick!"

Gedatsu continued his pathetic attempts at crossing his arms and continued to chew on his lip and prevented himself from interrupting the reindeer's whiny monologue.

"Wait! Maybe I've already died and gone to heaven!" Chopper exclaimed. He opened his eye and finally took in his surroundings. Of course, by this point he was well passed Gedatsu and failed to notice him. "Hey, these look like ruins! We were supposed to meet at ruins! Teeheehee! Maybe the others are already here waiting for me! And maybe I was so fast that I beat them! I'm so impressed with my navigational skills! They led me to just the right place! This is awesome!"

Chopper still failed to realize that 'just the right place' was right passed one of God's Priests.

And Gedatsu still failed to announce his presence to the oblivious reindeer.

"TEEHEEHEE!" Chopper laughed, "I'm right! I'm the first one here!"

"A raccoon-dog?" Gedatsu tried to say out loud but messed up and just ended up thinking it.

-x-

BOOOM! Wyper fired his cannon at Luffy.

"GUUM... GUUM... BAAALLOOON!" FWOOSH! Luffy inflated himself and the cannonball sank into his stomach and was prompted launched back the way it came. BOING!

SHOOM! The cannonball whizzed right by Wyper's head and exploded on a tree behind him. KA-BOOOOOM!

"You'll never be able to hurt me with that thing!" Luffy taunted the leader of the Shandians as he shrunk back down to his normal size.

Wyper ignored Luffy's taunt and fired his cannon another two times. BOOOM! BOOOM!

"GUUUM... GUUUM... BAAAALLOOOON!" FWOOOSH! Luffy swelled up again and once again deflected Wyper's cannonballs. BOING! BOING!

The cannonballs smashed into trees and exploded. KA-BOOOOOOM-BOOOOOOOM!

-x-

Usopp and Nami stared at the front of the Going Merry in horror.

"RAAAAH!" Sanji roared and swung his leg. "YOU BASTARD!" SWISH!

BA-ZOOOOOOM! Light flashed on the front of the Going Merry. One second, Sanji in the middle of an attack, the next, he was on the ground charred and covered in burns. FWUMP!

"SANJI!" Nami and Usopp shrieked in horror.

"Sanji... get up please..." Usopp pleaded as he shook the unconscious cook.

"PIIIEE!" Pierre cried and dove back onto the main deck in terror.

"This is really bad!" Usopp exclaimed, "Sanji! I... I can't even hear his heartbeat!"

"IT CAN'T BE!" Nami shouted.

"..." Gan Fall silently glared at the figure across the front deck from him.

Eneru had found the Going Merry.

"Yahahaha!" Eneru laughed as he surveyed the two scarred Straw Hats as they tended to the scarred Straw Hat. "What a foolishly angry man. If I had come here today and brought with Me pain and destruction that would have been the first thing you felt."

"Then why are you here, Eneru?" Gan Fall growled.

"Yahahahaha!" Eneru laughed again, "I was expecting a warmer 'hello'. It has been six years now, My former god, Gan Fall. Yahahahahahaha!"

Eneru had entered the Survival Game. And his sights were currently set on the Straw Hats.

-x-

Pirate Luffy vs. Warrior Wyper:

-x-

"AAAAAAAH-HAAAAAAA-HAAAAAA!" Usopp screamed on board the Going Merry as he stared down at the charred, unmoving form of Sanji. He looked up at Eneru with tears in his eyes and yelled at him, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? YOU KILLED OUR SANJI!" Usopp shook Sanji's seemingly lifeless body. "It's no use... I wish Chopper were here he'd know what to do. Sanji! SANJI! IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY!"

"Hold on Usopp!" Nami cut in, "You're checking his right side for a heartbeat! The left side is where his heart is!"

Usopp sweat-dropped and slid his hand to the side. It took him a couple second to find the comforting beat of the cook's heart. "HE'S ALIVE! Back from the dead! I can't believe it!"

"But he's still not well," Nami pointed out, "Just look at him."

"NOOOO!" Usopp shouted, "YOU CAN'T DIE AGAIN! I NEED YOU HERE!"

Gan Fall cast a quick glance at his pirate friends then turned and glared at Eneru.

"Eneru..." he growled.

"There's no reason for you to be so resentful," Eneru said. "It's spoiling our beautiful reunion, don't you think? It would serve us both well if you cheered up, just a little, eh Gan Fall? Yahahaha!"

Usopp heard Eneru laughing and wasn't going to stand for it. He shot up and shouted at the God. "HEY! YOU!" The effect was lost due to the fact that Usopp's entire body was shaking. "I don't know what you did to him! But you'd better not try anymore monkey-business! Or else my eight thousand followers will rip you to shreds!" Eneru stared silently and was unimpressed by Usopp's bravado. "I'll tell you what, I'll forgive you and call off my hordes of angry followers if you just leave... right now! How's that? Sound good? This is your final warning!"

SKISH!

"AH!" Nami yelped when Eneru leapt off of the front railing so fast that it looked like he just disappeared. Gan Fall tensed while Usopp left standing in the middle of the front deck alone.

"Huh?" Usopp gasped. "He left..."

BA-ZZOOOOOTTT! Eneru appeared in front of Usopp and jabbed him with a finger which caused electricity to course through the sniper's body and char him from within. Smoke wafted off of Usopp's body as he fell on top of Sanji's. Fwump!

"EEEEK!" Nami shrieked.

"DAMN YOU!" Gan Fall yelled.

Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt! Electricity danced around Eneru's still-extended finger as he stood over the two fallen Straw Hats.

"You will stay quiet," Eneru warned Nami. "Or join your friends. Am I being clear?"

Terrified by the brief display of power, Nami clamped her hands over her mouth so she wouldn't even make in involuntary sound. She managed to nod to show she understood.

"Very good," Eneru remarked.

"Who is this guy?" Nami thought to herself. "How did he do that?"

"What do you want, Eneru?" Gan Fall questioned. "What wicked reason could you possibly have for coming aboard."

"During the six years I've been on this island, I've kept your former subordinates very busy," Eneru informed him. "They've been slaving away for Me all these long years and hardly had a minute to rest."

"My warriors have been reduced to slaves?" Gan Fall repeated in disgust.

"They are quite extraordinary," Eneru told him, "Truly they are of great talent. But it appears as though their years of hard labor are over. You see, this island is no longer useful to Me. Consequently, I no longer require the services of your former warriors, perhaps you suspect that I have sinister motives in coming here. But I have simply come to bid you farewell. That is all. I will say this, sometimes I envy the blissful, innocent stupidity of Skypeia's people. The fools here can only see this island here as nothing more than a clump of Vearth in the sky."

"What are you talking about?" Gan Fall demanded.

"Stupid old man," Eneru replied, "All these years you never guessed the true reason why we seized this island, the reason that the Blue Sea Flies are here meddling in Sky Island's affairs, and the reason the Shandians fight so bravely to return to their sacred homeland. You see, all this is happening for one purpose and one alone, there is something here that they all seek, the great treasures of Shandora the Legendary City of Gold that prospered on the Blue Sea so many years ago. Gold is what brings us all here."

"What is 'gold'?" Gan Fall asked. "And why is it so important to them?"

"YAHAHAHAHAHA!" Eneru laughed. "Your ignorance never ceases to amaze! The only people in the world who know nothing of gold or its value, live in the midst of untold fortune. You didn't even know what the gold was, so how could you have won this game? Interestingly enough, our game of survival is in its final play. Whoever wins, gets the gold. Yahahahahaha!" Eneru walked over to the railing and climbed onto it so he was looking off the side of the ship and facing away from Gan Fall and Nami. "Can you hear it now? The sounds of our lively little competition?"

BOOOM! BOOOM! BANG! BANG! "AAAAAHH!" KA-BOOOM!

The distant sounds of explosions and combat drifted through the trees and reached the Merry.

"As a matter of fact, I'm a contestant myself," Eneru announced. "So I must be off."

"Wait Eneru!" Gan Fall called after him. "My warriors! Are you going to set them free?"

Eneru smirked. "God only knows," Eneru replied. "And He's not telling." FWASH! There was a flash of bright light and Eneru was gone in an instant.

"ENERU WAIT!" Gan Fall shouted after him. But the God was already long gone.

Nami finally took her hands off of her mouth. "He disappeared..." she whispered.

Koff! A faint cough drew her attention.

"USOPP!" Nami exclaimed. "YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!"

Nami and Gan Fall were so busy looking over Usopp and Sanji that they didn't notice the Surprise Cloud that drifted by overhead. Nor did they notice the two people that were on it until they jumped off and landed on the railing of the Going Merry. Tmp! Tmp!

"HOH-HOH-HOO!" the first man let out a laugh that was eerily similar to Satori's.

"HOH-HOH-HOO!" the second man let out the same laugh.

-x-

KA-BOOOM! Once again, Wyper fired his cannon.

"GUUUM... GUUUM... BAALLOOOON!" Luffy jumped up off of the root he was standing on and once again inflated himself. FWOOM!

BOING! And once again, Luffy's rubber body reflected Wyper's blast back the way it came.

WZZT! The cannonball whizzed right by Wyper's head as he glared at Luffy. The cannonball hit a tree behind Wyper and exploded. KA-BOOOOOM!

"I can do this all day if you want," Luffy called out to Wyper as he landed on his root. "But you can't win. Rifles and cannons won't leave a scratch on me. I've got a rubber body."

Wyper continued to stare at him. Not sure of what to make of Luffy's 'rubber' body.

"So it would seem," Wyper eventually stated. "Time for a change of tactics." Ptoi! Wyper spat out the tobacco he'd been chewing on and popped opened a compartment on the top of his bazooka. He pulled out a new silver round and loaded it into the compartment. Click! Wyper flipped the flap to the compartment closed then pumped the barrel of the bazooka once it was loaded. CHUK!

BANG! Wyper fired his bazooka but instead of an explosion being fired from the barrel a stream of gas burst out and washed passed Luffy.

"WAAH!" Luffy gagged and clamped his hands over his mouth to keep from inhaling the gas. "Koff! Koff! Groooss! What is that smell?"

"This weapon is called the Burn Bazooka," Wyper explained. "By igniting the gas released from the Breath Dial inside, a deadly blue flame is created which will incinerate anything in its path instantly. Let's see if you can bounce this back at me."

KA-FWOOOOM! A blast of brilliant blue flames shot out of the barrel of the cannon and flew along the stream of gas towards Luffy.

"YAAH!" Luffy yelped as he lunged out of the way.

The blues flames kept going and blasted straight through the large tree that Luffy had been standing on and then kept going. BOOOOOOOOM!

Fwump! Luffy's dive brought him down to the ground. He stood up and looked up at the tree he'd been standing on and saw the massive hole that had been blasted through its trunk.

"What the heck is that thing?" Luffy wondered. "It burned right through that tree!" Luffy glanced back at his opponent and saw the Wyper had vanished. "Where'd he go? He disappeared?"

SHOOOM! Wyper flew at Luffy from behind on his dial-powered skis and swung his leg around at Luffy's head. SWISH! Luffy only barely managed to duck the dial-powered kick.

SKISH! Luffy continued his backflip and launched himself up into the air then swung his fist at Wyper. "GUUM... GUUUM... PIIISTOOOOL!" WHOOOM! Luffy shot his fist out at Wyper's face but the Shandian Warrior managed to weave out of the way. WOOSH!

SKISH! Wyper launched himself away from Luffy while at the same time Luffy stretched his arm out and grabbed a tree and shot to the other side of the clearing. SHOOM! But Luffy kept going and swung around the tree trunk and launched himself back at Wyper. WHING!

"GUUUM... GUUUM... STAAMP!" Luffy shot his foot out at Wyper as he flew through the air. WHAK! Wyper raised his leg and caught Luffy's extended leg on the bottom of his ski. SHOOM! But Luffy kept flying at Wyper and lashed out with his leg. "SICKLE!" WOOSH!

Luffy flew by Wyper then touched down on the ground and skidded to a stop. Skiiissshhhh...

"GUUUM... GUUUM... GATLING!" SHOOM! Luffy shot out a barrage of fast punches which Wyper managed to avoid or deflect with the barrel of his bazooka. WOOSH! WOOSH! WHUP! WHUP!

SKISH! Wyper launched himself passed Luffy then turned and fired his Burn Bazoka at him. BANG! The face flew out of the barrel into Luffy's face and then ignited. KA-FWOOOOOM!

SHOOM! Luffy reacted instantly and shot his arm up and used an overhead branch to pull himself to safety. "That was close!" Luffy exclaimed. SHOOM! Luffy flew up over the branch he'd grabbed onto and spun around in midair so he was staring down at Wyper. "GUUUM... GUUUM... SPEEEEAAAAAR!" WHOOOM! Luffy shot both of his legs down at Wyper who quickly leapt out of the way. BOOOM! Luffy's legs slammed into the empty ground as Wyper shot off and skied up a branch. SHOOOM!

Luffy dropped downward after his latest attack then Wyper launched himself off of a giant tree and dropped down after him. Whup! Wyper grabbed Luffy in midair and flipped end-over-end then threw Luffy down on the ground below him. WHUMP! Luffy landed on his back while Wyper aimed his Burn Bazooka and fired. BANG! KA-FWOOOOOM! The blast of blue flames shot down out of the sky at Luffy but he quickly stretched his arms to the side and grabbed onto a tree. SHOOM! Luffy stretched himself out of the way as the blue flames lowed into the ground where he'd just been lying. BOOOOOOOM!

SKISH! Luffy launched himself off of the tree at Wyper. "So you like bazookas, huh?" Luffy taunted. "GET A LOAD OF THIS!"

SHOOM! Wyper launched himself at Luffy. "NOW YOU DIE!" he yelled.

"GUUUM... GUUUM... " Luffy stretched his arms out behind him.

"BUUUURN..." BANG! Wyper fired the gas from his bazooka then lowered his orange shield.

"BAAAAZOOOOKAAAAAA!" They both roared.

KA-FWOOOOOM! WHOOOOOM!

Wyper's blue flames slammed into Luffy while Luffy's fists smashed through Wyper's shield and slammed into him. Both men were blasted backwards through the huge forest.

FWUMP! Wyper hit the ground then slowly sat up and slammed his bazooka down beside him.

"Strrraaaww Haaat..." Wyper growled.

FWUMP! Luffy landed on his back then flipped himself forward so he was sitting..

"That bastard's dead!" Luffy snapped.

-x-

Ruins:

-x-

Wyper stood up and took a couple seconds to catch his breath as he stared through the trees in search of any sign of Luffy.

"WHERE ARE YOU STRAW HAT?" Wyper yelled. "I'LL FIND YOU! I KNOW YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!"

"YEAH!" Luffy shouted back as he stood up too. "AND I PLAN ON STAYING THAT WAY!"

CLICK! Wyper readied his Burn Bazooka at the sound of Luffy's shout.

Luffy started to make his way back towards Wyper but didn't notice something that was snaking through the giant trees behind him. KRESH! HIIISSSSS!

"WAAAAAAHHHH!" Luffy turned and yelped before everything went dark.

KRASH! Wyper's attention was drawn to Luffy's location when something large slammed into the ground.

"WWAAAAAHHHHH!" Luffy screamed as he fell, spinning down a long, dark tunnel. "WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE? WAAAAAAHHH!"

KREEEESSSSHH... Wyper squinted as the watched a long, massive body slither through the trees ahead of him. "What is that?" he wondered. "Where could that kid have run off to?"

KA-BOOOOM! A loud explosion broke out and reminded Wyper that the Blue Sea Dweller he'd been fighting was only a momentary distraction from the war he was leading the Shandians in against Eneru and his forces.

"Strange," Wyper muttered, "But no matter. I shouldn't be wasting my energy on him, anyhow. I have a more important battle." Wyper glanced down at the deadly Reject Dial what was strapped to the palm of his right hand underneath the white bandages that went all the way up his arm. "All of my strength needs to be saved if I'm going to win my fight with Eneru. And I'm certain, if I use the Reject Dial one more time, my body will be reduced to pile of ashes. It's the end of the line. Eneru."

-x-

KA-BOOOOM! An explosion rang out in the midst of a bunch of ruins as the Shandian Genbo faced off against a large group of fifteen Divine Warriors... but was actually winning.

"So have you had enough yet?" Genbo taunted the fallen group of Eneru's warriors.

"Don't give up now!" one of the warriors urged the others as they forced themselves back up to their feet. "We must not let him get any further!"

"Shut up!" Genbo snapped. "I'm after Eneru's head! MAAKEEE WAAAYYY!" KA-BOOOM! Genbo fired his bazooka at the warriors and his large cannonball tore through their ranks and dropped nearly half of them. KA-BOOOOOM! Genbo fired again and blasted through the remaining warriors before it embedded in the trunk of a large tree. The large group of fifteen warriors was left lying at Genbo's feet.

"Hmph," Genbo grunted, "These weaklings aren't worth my time."

TMP! TMP! A large mountain of a man came out from behind the even larger stone ruins. Commander Yama had entered the battle.

"What exquisite ammunition you have there," Yama remarked, "Matter that dense does not usually exist here in the sky. The earth mineral called 'iron', isn't it?" Genbo tensed as the large, imposing form of Yama loomed over him. "You have managed to make quick work of my men, which is a difficult task to say the least. My guess is that you are the Shandian Warrior Genbo."

"Commander Yama," Genbo growled as he readied himself for another battle. He knew that this massive man wasn't going to go down as easily has his men had. "Good guess. NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY!" KA-BOOOOM!

The iron cannonball whizzed through the air towards Yama. SKISH! The huge man showed surprising agility when he flipped in midair and caught the cannonball between his feet. WHAP! Yama landed and placed the cannonball down on the ground, then he pulled back his leg and punted it back towards Genbo. THWHAM!

BOOOM! Genbo was caught off guard when his own cannonball slammed into his large belly and blasted him backwards into a tree. KRASH! "AUUUGGHHH!" the warrior groaned as he dropped to the ground.

"Hmph," Yama grunted.

"Uugghh... no..." Genbo moaned as he forced his wounded body up off of the ground and shakily got to his feet. "Uuugghhh... I refuse to die! Uuummmm... Not like this! Not here!"

"Ah, still alive I see," Yama noted, "You are tough. Very well, as a show of respect for your warrior spirit, I will end your suffering with my secret technique.

FWIP! FWIP! FWIP! The huge man again displayed his surprising agility as he launched himself towards Genbo with a series of flips then launched himself up into the air. SHOOM!

Yama pulled out a string of ten Ax Dials and fired them off at Genbo. "TEN AX ATTACK!"

"DAMN YOU, YAMA!" Genbo bellowed. SLISH-SLISH-SLISH-SLISH-SLISH! The concentrated impact of the ten Ax Dials riddled Genbo's broad body with bloody x-marks.

"AX MOUNTAIN!" Yama shouted as his even large body slammed into Genbo and smashed him back into the tree. WHAAAM!

SKISH! Yama leapt backwards and allowed Genbo's body to slid down from the tree where it left behind a series of deep scratches from Yama's Ax Dials that resembled a chain link fence. FWUMP! Genbo's body hit the ground and laid still.

"So very close, yet so very far away," Yama stated before he threw his arms up and cried out in victory. "YAAAAAA HAAAHAAAHAAA!"

-x-

"YAAAAAA HAAAHAAAHAAA!"

"Did you hear that?" Y/N asked as he and Robin trekked through a small patch of Sea Clouds. Robin had removed her shoes and was making notes in her journal so she could keep track of what she had managed to translate in the ruins that they had found. As a result, she was lost in her own world of archeology and history and didn't respond to Y/N's question. "The battles might be getting closer..."

"A memorial to the city itself..." Robin noted while she scanned the slanted, stone block that they were now faced with. It had faces carved into the top and symbols in between them and what looked like a large map. "Its descendants built it after the great city fell, Shandora... that was the name of this ancient place." Robin traced her fingers along one of the symbols. "402SE... this was at its peak eleven hundred years ago... but then it toppled... around eight hundred years ago."

FWAP! FWAP! Y/N tensed as nearby birds shot from their perches and flew up into the sky.

"Robin..." Y/N called out to his companion while he turned and scanned the surrounding area for any signs of what had disturbed the birds. "I don't think we're alone here..."

Robin was too caught up with her own discover to notice. "That time frame almost perfectly matches the hundred years of history that vanished from the world. Perhaps this island holds the key... the key to a long, forgotten history that was veiled from the world below."

Y/N spotted movement out of the corner of his eye and quickly turned so he was back-to-back with Robin. He frowned when a large figure made its way into the clearing.

"This is a complete map of Shandora," Robin realized as she attempted to sketch the map from the monument in her journal. "Perhaps I'll learn more about the Void Century is I go to the center of the city..."

Crunch! A large foot crushed a twig and Robin's attention was finally torn from the monument and the map she'd just drawn into her journal. Robin whipped around and found Y/N standing right in front of her while he stared down a large mountain of a man.

"Glad you could join us," Y/N remarked, "It seems that we have company."

"I know who you are," Yama announced, "You're that Blue Sea Dweller that has caught God Eneru's interest. You're the one who defeated Shura."

"Well, I'm afraid you have me at a loss," Y/N replied, "Because I don't know who you are."

"My name is Yama," Yama told him, "I'm the Commander of Eneru's Warriors. I should be thanking you. Now that you've disgraced Shura, and your crew killed Satori, Eneru will need a new Priest and I'm the prime candidate."

"Oh, you're welcome then," Y/N said.

"And what exactly do you want with us, Commander Yama?" Robin inquired.

"I don't want to talk," Yama stated. "Once I defeat you and your pretty friend, Eneru will have no choice but to make me the commander of His remaining Priests."

"I've always considered myself more roguishly handsome than pretty," Y/N remarked.

"Mr. One Eye, I believe he was referring to me," Robin corrected him.

"That's a relief," Y/N commented, "For a second I thought he was coming onto me and I have to tell you, I'm not really into overly-ambitious big fat guys."

"I'm fully aware of what kind of girl you're into, Mr. One Eye," Robin reminded him, "Although, I probably would have preferred it if he was coming onto you."

"WHY YOOUUU!?" Yama roared. "I'LL CRUSH YOU, YOU INSOLENT LITTLE PESTS!"

-x-

"HOH-HOH-HOO!" the two Satori sound-alikes crowed as they danced on the front deck of the Going Merry.

"Who are you guys?" Nami asked as she backed away from the dancing duo.

"That's a stupid question!" the one on the right exclaimed.

"We're Deputy Divine Commanders!" the two cried in unison.

"You killed our brother Satori!" the one of the left stated.

"Now you're pay!" the one on the right insisted.

"Brother?" Nami repeated, "What're you talking about? I haven't killed anybody? What do you mean? I haven't killed anybody!"

"HOH-HOH-HOO!" the two laughed.

"Hoo! You can call me Hotori!" the one on the right announced and struck a pose.

"Haa! And you can call me Kotori!" the one of the left chimed in and struck a similar pose.

"And you guys killed our beloved big brother Satori!" the two said as they posed together. "HOH-HOH-HOO!"

"Sorry to burst you bubble, but I don't know you're brother!" Nami protested.

"I believe that Satori was one of the four Priests that served under Eneru," Gan Fall clarified as he stood up beside Nami. "That Lost Forest was once their brother's domain."

"Then... that must be the Priest that Luffy and the guys took out," Nami realized.

"Yes," Gan Fall replied, "It seems they want revenge."

"Haa! See!" Hotori shrieked, "You liars knew who he was this whole time!"

"NOW YOU'RE ALL GONNA PAY!" the two shouted together.

"PIERRE!" Gan Fall called out.

"PIIEE!" Pierre cried out as he picked up Gan Fall lance and tossed it to the Sky Knight.

"We must deal with these two quickly and return to the business at hand," Gan Fall resolved. "We need to find Eneru and rescue my divine warriors before the unthinkable happens!"

Nami glanced down at the charred and motionless bodies of Usopp and Sanji and realized that it came down to her and Gan Fall to defend them. Nami quickly flipped the three blue parts of her ClimaTact off of her waist and slid them together in a staff all in one motion. Nami spun her weapon around her a couple times then stood next to Gan Fall poised for battle.

"Now stand back, young lady," Gan Fall instructed, "I may be injured, but I'd never lose to the likes of those two!"

"No," Nami refused and cast another glance down at Usopp and Sanji. "I won't stand back this time. Cause this time it's my job to protect my Nakama!"

"Very well then," Gan Fall agreed. "First we need to determine which Dials they possess."

Hotori and Kotori locked arms and danced around the deck while loudly chanting, "TIME TO AVENGE OUR BROTHER! TIME TO AVENGE OUR BROTHER! TIME TO AVENGE OUR BROTHER! HOH-HOH-HOO!"

The two Depute Commanders of Eneru's forces may have come to the Going Merry for revenge but they clearly weren't taking this battle as seriously as Nami was.

-x-

"Nnnnggghhh... nnnggghhh..." Luffy let out muffled groans as he struggled to pull his head out of the ground. POP! His head finally came out and shot up into the air which caused his neck to stretch before it slammed back down on his shoulders. WHUP!

"Hey everything stopped," Luffy noted as he sat up and glanced around him and oddly-enough found himself sitting in the middle of a bunch of broken, moss and vine-covered, stone ruins. Luffy spotted a couple pieces of gold and treasures scattered throughout the ruins. Luffy pulled something lumpy out from underneath him and goggled at the fact that it was a human skull... before it crumbled.

Luffy pushed himself back up to his feet and stared around him in wonder, "Where am I?"

-x-

"HEEEELLOOOOO!" Chopper called out as he walked through the ruins. "COME ON GUYS! ITS ME! ARE YOU THERE? JUST ANSWER ME, PLEEEAAASEEE!"

"I wonder how long it's going to take the rest of them," Chopper muttered. "This is boring."

"Where is it?" Gedatsu thought to himself as he searched for Chopper with his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Baah!" one of Eneru's warriors suddenly had a face-full of Priest as he found Gedatsu's face pressed against his. We'll call this poor soul Billy the goat warrior.

"Where did it go?" Gedatsu asked.

"Uh... Gedatsu, your eyes are rolled all the way to the back of your head," Billy helpfully informed him. "Honestly, how can you expect to see anything like that?"

"SO CARELESS!" Gedatsu exclaimed.

"Now how's your vision?" Billy asked as he held up the picture that Amazon had taken of the Straw Hats when they were at Heaven's Gate. "Can you see this?" Billy pointed to Chopper in the picture. "Here it is, that puny creature. He's one of those Blue Sea Dwellers."

"Is that right?" Gedatsu questioned. "I just thought it was a raccoon-dog."

"Raccoon-dog?" Billy repeated, "No, he's nothing like a wild animal. See, he walks upright, that is unquestionably a creature that comes from the Blue Sea."

"BIG BROTHER! WHERE'D YOU GO? I WANT TO FIND THE TREASURE TOO!" Chopper called out. "LUUUFFYYY! WHERE ARE YOU HIDING! COME ON! WAKE UP ALREADY ZORO! ROBIIIN! HURRY UP! THIS IS GETTING LAME!"

"Awww..." Chopper whined to himself, "Where is everybody? THIS IS WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MEET! GUYS! I'M LONELY AND I'M GETTING A LITTLE FREAKED OUT HERE!"

Chopper tensed and suddenly realized that he actually wasn't alone. There was someone standing right behind him. Chopper slowly turned around and found Gedatsu looming over him as he struggled to cross his arms properly.

"Where'd you go?" Gedatsu asked out loud with his eyes once again rolled back in his head.

Chopper gaped at the weird man then did what any sensible pers—animal would do in that situation. Poke him with his stick. Poke! Poke! Chopper tentatively prodded the side of the non-responsive Priest's face. Gedatsu didn't seem to notice it until it went up his nose. Slik!

"GRRR!" Gedatsu growled, which prompted Chopper to scramble away from him and 'hide' behind a ruin. "COME OUT RIGHT NOW!" Gedatsu tried to keep talking but his bit down on his lip which prevented any understandable sounds from coming out. "Mmmhhpphh! Mmpphh! But it was still enough to terrify Chopper.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH! SCARY-CREEPY NOISE-MAN!" Chopper screamed.

-x-

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!!