Chapter 81: God's Final Ordeal!
"A letter from the God's Army?"
Conis looked somewhat worried. The God's Army served directly under God; normally they stayed in God's Land attending to him. Whenever they were dispatched, it never boded well.
Many sky islands existed, and Blue Sea people visited from time to time. However, those who came to Godland rarely met a good end. Most Blue Sea people arriving in Godland would eventually offend God by searching for gold in his holy land and be killed.
Angel Island was quite happy to host Blue Sea people, as they could trade for many supplies. Since anyone with malicious intent would be punished by God, they didn't worry too much.
But between arrivals and departures, very few Blue Sea people who reached Godland managed to leave safely.
Conis couldn't help but look back inside; the Straw Hat crew was cheerfully eating. They didn't seem like troublemakers... there shouldn't be any problems, right?
"They are guests inside. I'll take it to them."
"Okay. Thank you for your trouble." McKinley handed over the white paper, then raised his hand to his head, extending his index and little fingers.
"Salute!"
"Navel!"
The White Berets behind him shouted in unison, making the same gesture. Then, following McKinley's lead, they dropped to the ground.
"Crawling retreat!"
Conis bid farewell to the White Beret unit, closed the door, walked back to the table, and knelt beside Reiner.
"This came from the White Beret unit. They said it's a letter from the God's Army."
Reiner accepted the letter and placed it on the table. Everyone craned their necks, gathering around.
"God's Army? What's that?" Zoro asked puzzledly.
"The God's Army... is the army that serves Lord God Enel," Conis explained, a trace of worry on her face. "There are fifty members in total, composed of one Captain, two Vice Captains, and the remaining Divine Soldiers."
"Their duty is to guard God's Land and eliminate all trespassers. Their status is second only to the four Priests."
"Priests? Seems like there are more and more titles popping up," Sanji couldn't help remarking.
"I don't know much about the Priests either... only that there are four of them, and they oversee the Ordeals of God on the island."
Conis vaguely passed over the topic. In truth, she knew a little more – rumors about the strength and fighting styles of the God's Army, the abilities of the four Priests – she wasn't entirely clear, but she had heard things.
She just couldn't say. If God heard her... she and her father could potentially invite fatal disaster.
"Well~ No need to worry about all that. We have to go through it anyway," Reiner unfolded the letter on the table. Everyone focused their gaze upon it.
It was an invitation, addressed to their pirate crew. The title on the letter read—
—[God's Final Ordeal!]
"Oh? Looks pretty interesting."
"God's Ordeal... Miss Conis just mentioned that, right?"
"Woahahaha! I smell adventure!"
The group members had varied expressions: some full of interest, others dismissive. Only Conis and her father looked pale, filled with terror.
"Why... why would God issue an Ordeal to you!?"
Conis panicked. "This isn't fun at all! God's Ordeal is terrifying!"
Conis began explaining the Ordeal to them, but Reiner couldn't help pondering.
In my memory, the crew started the Ordeal because they didn't pay the entry fee and the White Berets came looking for trouble.
But I paid this time! 800,000 Beri! Is he messing with me!?
Thinking back, the old woman guarding Heaven's Gate had contradictorily said entry was possible without paying, yet concealed the fact it would be considered illegal entry, selling them out immediately after they entered.
Plus, the White Berets, called Angel Island's most gentle punishment squad, got along fine with the islanders but went out of their way to make trouble for the Straw Hats with all sorts of bizarre charges...
Thinking about it now, paying that fee probably didn't matter either way. In the end, it all depends on Enel's mood. That capricious, brain-damaged idiot just does whatever he wants.
As Conis explained, the group gradually understood what the so-called God's Ordeal entailed.
Nami started to panic. After hearing Conis's explanation, she had a bad feeling. Her biggest fear was Luffy impulsively yelling that he wanted to participate.
Sure enough—
"Since that's the case, I've decided!"
Luffy slammed his foot onto the table, excitedly raising his fist. "Let's go participate in that Ordeal! Is there a prize for winning!?"
"Hey, Luffy! Do you even understand the situation!?"
Nami was speechless. It's been explained crystal clear! Why would this guy treat something like this as a good thing!?
"Didn't she just say this Ordeal is dangerous and people die!? Also, get your feet off the table, damn it!"
Duang!
"However, look here," Robin, having carefully read the contents of the letter, spoke calmly. "This Ordeal seems somewhat different from what Conis described."
Hearing this, the others craned their necks to look. Reiner found the contents increasingly strange as he read.
"Participating factions also include Shandians? What's that?"
"It's those strange people we encountered just after arriving. The Sky Knight old man called them guerillas."
"Location is God's Land... a multi-faction battle royale?"
"Receiving the letter constitutes default participation... refusal forbidden... otherwise God will impose sanctions?"
"Defeating one Divine Soldier earns five points, a Vice Captain fifty points, the Captain and each Priest one hundred points..."
"Duration three days and two nights... obtaining one hundred points grants exemption from the death penalty."
"Those who perform outstandingly during battle will be granted the privilege of following God... to the Endless Earth?"
"I say... aren't the Divine Soldiers his own subordinates?" Sanji asked strangely. "Putting a price tag on his own men for others to hunt down... isn't that a bit too..."
Everyone understood Sanji's meaning; it sounded rather absurd. But considering it was Enel, Reiner actually found it quite normal.
"There's more," Robin added. "We've also been marked with points. The Divine Soldiers get points for defeating us too, same as for the Shandian guerillas."
How come Enel didn't put a score on himself? Does he think he's impossible to defeat? Reiner smirked. I came here specifically for Enel.
"I don't want to! I don't want to! Who would want to participate in this kind of Ordeal!?"
"Sounds way too scary! Oh no! I've contracted the disease where I'll die if I go to God's Land!"
"It says receiving the letter means accepting the Ordeal."
Robin glanced at Nami. "Refusal results in sanctions... these 'sanctions' sound quite unpleasant too."
"Waaah~ We're screwed~" Chopper shed disappointing tears, sprawled out on the cotton-white sofa as if having lost all will to live.
At the same time, in Hidden Cloud Village, the secret base where the Shandians lived – a place they believed even Enel couldn't hear...
"Wiper! Look at this quickly!" A beautiful woman with long, straight black hair ran frantically into the camp, holding out a white piece of paper.
"Laki? What's the matter? Why so panicked?"
A man, bare-chested, with a mohawk plus a braid and covered in tattoos, sat on a wooden chair. This was the man called the successor to the great warrior Kalgara, War Demon Wiper!
"Priest Shura came! He dropped off this letter!"
Hearing this, Wiper took the letter Laki handed him and read it carefully, his expression growing increasingly grave.
"What should we do, Wiper!? Our location has been exposed!"
Laki couldn't help panicking. "And just when we were planning to launch our general offensive! Why did this Ordeal come up now!?"
"Calm down first. Why is there a pirate crew participating too?"
Wiper frowned slightly, thinking back to the pirate ship he attacked that morning. Could it be them?
"Things have come to this; there's absolutely no way I'm giving up now."
Wiper gritted his teeth, tightened the Reject Dial strapped to his hand, shouldered his bazooka and shield, and strode outside.
"Laki! Notify everyone! Prepare for battle!"
"But Wiper! Isn't this too hasty?" Laki rushed forward, grabbing Wiper's arm.
"Right now, the four Priests and the God's Army are waiting rested! If we rashly launch a general offensive like this...!"
"Say no more, Laki!"
Wiper shook off her fair arm, his gaze resolute. "Even if we don't go, they will come! Four hundred years! We have waited far too long! Since Enel wants to fight, then let's fight!"
"Retake Shandora!!"
"Or die in Shandora!!!"
God's Land, Upper Yard. Amidst the lush primeval forest, soaring giant trees stood tall, thick green vines hanging down, gnarled tree roots intertwined on the ground.
"Captain! Is this true!?"
"Why do we have to follow the rules too!?"
"If we don't get a hundred points... does that mean we'll be..."
A group of figures in white robes, with round heads and short, pointed goat horns, looked towards the tall man before them with confusion and panic. This was the Captain of God's Army, Yama!
"Enough. Don't say anymore. This is all God's will."
Yama looked desolate. When Gan Fall ruled, such absurd things never happened.
"Shandian guerillas are five points each, officers fifty points each, War Demon Wiper one hundred points. Apart from that... here are photos taken by Amazon at Heaven's Gate."
Yama spoke, taking out several photos and distributing them. "The Straw Hat Pirates... among them, a full five people are worth one hundred points each. The remaining three are worth thirty-four points each." (Translator Note: Point value discrepancy, likely meant 30-40 each).
"Do your best, each of you."
The scene returns to Angel Island, on the beach...
"Goodbye, Conis! And Uncle Pagaya!"
"Mm. You all must be extremely careful," Conis said worriedly. These people had done nothing wrong since arriving here, yet were inexplicably drawn into this conflict.
If only Gan Fall were still in charge... Conis couldn't help thinking of the previous God.
He had dedicated his life to mediating the war between the Skypieans and Shandians, and was so close to finally ending the 400-year struggle, but then...
Some words could only remain hidden deep inside. Not just her, but actually everyone felt the same way. God Enel could hear everything on Angel Island, and could strike down divine punishment from anywhere. They lived constantly in fear, daring not to discuss anything related to God.
"They even provide transport service. Looks like they're eager to get rid of us," Reiner remarked, seeing a much larger Express Shrimp already waiting beside the Going Merry.
"Let's depart, everyone!"
The group boarded the ship, which then headed towards God's Land under the guidance of the Express Shrimp.
(End of this chapter)
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 15 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you