allendalepharm Chapter 206 Clues Gathered, Actions Divided
Chapter 206 Clues Gathered, Actions Divided
Chapter 206 Clues Gathered, Actions Divided
The Cloud Flow Passage is not a passage in the traditional sense, but a hidden path created by the ancient inhabitants of the Sky Island using specific air currents and shell technology, concealed within the massive cloud structure of Angel Island.
The interior was dimly lit, with only a few scattered lamps emitting a soft blue light on the walls providing illumination. The air was damp and cold, carrying the scent of old dust.
The secret passages were winding and twisting, sometimes narrow enough for only one person to pass through, and sometimes wide open like an underground hall. There were many complicated intersections. If it weren't for the guidance of the wise man of the clouds, a scholar who knew the structure of the sky island like the back of his hand, the group would have been lost long ago.
The crowd ran in silence, the atmosphere heavy with tension.
Deep within the cloud-shrouded passage, time seemed to lose its meaning.
Only the sparse lights on the walls cast flickering blue light, illuminating the tired and tense faces of the crowd.
The air was damp and cold, mixed with years of dust and a faint smell of blood.
After running for an unknown amount of time, until they confirmed that it was temporarily safe, the group stopped to rest in a relatively open cloud cave with a weak airflow.
"It's safe for now." The Wise One of the Clouds carefully sensed the surrounding airflow and cloud vibrations, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"The Cloud Flow Secret Passage can interfere with perception, so even that god would have difficulty pinpointing our exact location in a short time."
Chopper immediately began to do everything he could to treat Ace and the other wounded.
Ace's chest was charred black by the lightning, but fortunately, his internal organs were not damaged. Thanks to Chopper's superb medical skills and the effect of his special ointment, his injury quickly stabilized.
Footsteps, suppressed breathing, and the faint sounds of instruments as Chopper treated Ace's wounds formed the main melody of this secluded space.
Luffy helped Ace up and carefully placed him on a relatively flat cloud rock.
Ace's charred chest wounds were shocking, but he grinned and comforted his brother instead.
"It's nothing, just a minor injury—cough cough—that guy's lightning was really powerful. If it were before Alabasta, I probably wouldn't have been able to withstand that."
"Ace—" Luffy lowered his head, his expression obscured by the shadow of his straw hat, but his clenched fist trembled slightly, betraying the turmoil in his heart.
Despite his Nika form and the desperate help of his companions, he was still forced to flee in front of Indra, who possessed Enel. This sense of powerlessness was like the cold seawater that seeped into his heart.
"That bastard—" Ace gritted his teeth, the flames in his palm flickering unwillingly before going out.
"To attach oneself to others and flaunt one's power!"
Luffy sat to the side, hugging his knees, his face hidden by his straw hat, and remained silent.
Although he barely escaped the brief confrontation with Indra, the absolute difference in strength and the fear of almost losing his brother made him truly feel the pressure.
Nika form is not omnipotent; it still struggles when facing truly high-level, rule-based power.
"Luffy," Ace said, placing his hand on Luffy's shoulder.
"This isn't your fault. We all saw it; that being—is very powerful."
"I know—" Luffy's voice was muffled, "but—I'm so unwilling! Uncle Calgara sacrificed himself, and even if he wasn't the God King himself, we still couldn't defeat him—"
"Kid." Gol D. Roger sat cross-legged a short distance away, picked up his flask, took a swig, and made a satisfying sound.
"Gurararara—already giving up? Battles on the high seas are never smooth sailing! You're scared after just one loss; you'll never become the Pirate King!"
Luffy suddenly raised his head: "I'm not scared!"
"That's good!" Roger grinned, his eyes filled with wisdom from countless experiences.
"It's good to recognize the gap, because it means you know where to focus your efforts. That Indra, he's like a malignant tumor parasitizing that Thunder Demon, using his Devil Fruit power as a coordinate and a source of power to descend."
"Although we don't know why his main body isn't making a move, the conclusion is that he's being restricted and unable to fully unleash the power of his main body; otherwise, that body would have collapsed long ago."
Karna quietly polished his sun-wheel spear and nodded upon hearing this.
"Lord Roger is right. His final, charged attack, though terrifyingly powerful, was close to the limit of that vessel. Moreover, my solar fire did indeed have a restraining effect on his thunderous power."
He looked at Luffy.
"Your power contains the concepts of liberation and freedom, which is no less advanced in terms of level. However, you have not yet fully mastered it, and it goes against the order and laws of this world, which is why you achieve less with more effort."
"Karna is right, Luffy." Zoro leaned against the wall, holding his sword, his eyes sharply open.
"Don't make that face. We all know the enemy is strong. But giving up isn't your style."
"That's right." Sanji lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and the smoke swirled in the dim light.
"What we need now is planning and intelligence, not dejection."
Just then, a slightly mocking voice suddenly rang out from the corner: "Oh dear, oh dear~ It seems you've all run into quite a bit of trouble."
Everyone was startled and looked in the direction of the sound!
There, Tescatlipoca was sitting leisurely on an upside-down cloud pillar, legs crossed, toying with a few fragments of armor that shimmered with residual lightning—the very pieces that had fallen from Enel earlier.
His dazzling blond hair stood out even in the dim light, and he wore that ever-present, detached smile.
"A blond god-like uncle?!" Luffy's eyes widened.
"How did you suddenly appear again?! Weren't you supposed to be on the ship with that Crocodile guy?"
Crocodile's figure slowly emerged from the shadows, a cigar dangling from his lips, his face as somber as ever, as he glanced at Tescatlipoca.
He scoffed, "This guy said he smelled something interesting and insisted that I come with him."
He surveyed the chaotic scene around him, his gaze lingering on Luffy for a moment before he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Looks like you've angered that Heavenly Emperor, Straw Hat Boy."
Facing the wary or puzzled gazes of the crowd, Tescatlipoca chuckled softly, his laughter echoing through the dark passage.
"Don't be nervous, lovely variables. As I said, I'm just a happy observer. Besides, witnessing the order being shaken is a rare pleasure."
His gaze swept over Luffy, then landed on the scales on Waver's arm.
"Especially when the seeds of desolation and rebellion have already taken root and sprouted in the soil of order."
Weber felt a burning sensation on the scales on his arm. Frido's lingering resentment growled, a mixture of fear of Tescatlipoca and a hint of agitation at having his thoughts exposed.
Karna calmly gazed at Tescatlipoca, his golden armor silently materializing.
"Your existence remains elusive. Great Tescatlipoca."
"Likewise, Son of the Sun," Tescatlipoca replied with a smile, then changed the subject, his tone slightly suggestive.
"However, instead of trying to figure out my purpose, you should consider why, despite our best efforts and even with the drums of liberation already sounded, we still cannot shake the order of that false god?"
He flicked his finger, and a fragment of lightning drifted toward Luffy: "To bear the divinity of another world in this body is like putting a saddle on a wild horse that does not belong to it."
"Your freedom might be useful against Indra, but against the thunder of this place? Under the laws of this place's order, it's like sinking into a quagmire."
"You need a fulcrum that is more aligned with the roots of this world. Or simply take Indra's fulcrum from him."
He then looked at Weber, his gaze profound: "And a barren will, if it only knows destruction, will eventually lose its way. It needs guidance, it needs—"
A vessel large enough to contain his resentment and power, and a clear objective.
These words, which seemed both guiding and seductive, plunged everyone into deep thought.
"Guhahahaha—" Roger's loud laughter broke the silence as he patted Luffy on the shoulder.
"Kid, did you figure that out? This guy might be a bit eccentric, but his words, though rough, make sense."
"The problem isn't your power, it's how and where you're using it! You need to find a home ground where you can unleash your full potential!"
Just then, Nami and Usopp, who were on guard nearby, brought a new discovery.
"Hey everyone, we've found some Sky Island residents hiding in that side road over there!" Wusuopu pointed to a narrower side road.
The group immediately followed cautiously.
In a secluded depression with a faint breeze, they found about a dozen Sky Islanders huddled together, ragged and terrified.
When they saw Gan Fall and the Wise One of the Clouds, it was as if they had seen saviors, and they burst into tears.
"Lord Gan Fall! Mr. Wise Man!"
"Great—there's still someone resisting—"
"Angel Island—has become hell! God's chosen people are searching house to house, and anyone who doesn't kneel before Indra is being arrested!"
"Lord Enel—he seems completely controlled, his eyes are terrifyingly cold! He personally ordered the extermination of all heretics who do not believe!"
"We crawled out of a pile of corpses—"
"We also overheard that the Legion of God's target is—the last refuge of the surviving Shandians!"
"They want to completely purify that place, supposedly because the ancient artifacts guarded by the Shandians are obstructing the order of the gods!"
This news came like a thunderbolt! There are still survivors in Shandia!
But Indra wanted to eliminate the problem completely!
"What did you say?!"
Weber let out a roar like a dying beast, rushed forward, grabbed the Sky Islander who had spoken by the collar, and lifted him off the ground.
His eyes instantly became bloodshot, the serpent scales on his arms shone with a brilliant purple light, and a violent aura almost burst forth from his body!
"Shandia—where are the survivors of Shandia?!"
The Sky Island inhabitant was terrified and cried out incoherently, "The last survivor must be on Angel Island too—"
"What do you mean by the last part?!"
The Sky Islanders' eyes were filled with sorrow.
"Gone—gone—we saw it with our own eyes—the lightning rained down—the entire shelter was reduced to charred remains—Lord Enel—no, that demon—he stood in the air—watching indifferently—"
Weber's body trembled violently, his hand gripping his collar loosened weakly, he staggered back a few steps, and finally collapsed to his knees with a thud.
He didn't cry, but let out suppressed sobs, his fingernails digging deep into the hard marble floor, leaving bloody scratches.
The tribe was not completely wiped out; only a last hope remained.
Frido's will roared wildly in his mind, and the urge to destroy almost overwhelmed his reason.
Luffy clenched his fist, raised his eyes under his straw hat, and instead of confusion and helplessness, they were filled with raging anger and an almost tangible killing intent.
"Enel—Indra—Unforgivable—Absolutely unforgivable!!"
"There are survivors! I must go and save them immediately!" Weber stood up abruptly, his eyes burning with rage, and the scales on his arms glowed brightly with purple light.
"Calm down, kid." Kidd crossed his arms, grinned, and revealed sharp teeth.
"The enemy is hoping you'll walk right into their trap. Charging straight in is suicide."
Shiki the Golden Lion floated in mid-air and sneered, "Hahaha! Kid, you can't hold your temper."
"However, that God-King of our opponents really annoys me. How about we split up? One team will go rescue those Shandian remnants, create chaos to draw attention, and the other team will go find that Cloud Tear thing? It sounds like a treasure."
The Wise One of Clouds immediately retorted excitedly, "No! The activation of the Heart of the Cloud Sea must be synchronized! The beacon of Shandia and the key of the Sky Island must work simultaneously to open the passage!"
"This is the conclusion we just derived!"
He turned to Gan Faure.
"Gan Faure, I don't know if you still remember me—whether you remember me or not."
"Do you still remember that legend? When the Golden Voice resonates with the Tears of the Cloud Core, the true shadow will appear in nothingness?"
Gan Fall's cloudy eyes lit up: "That's right! The tolling of the Golden Bell must be synchronized with the birth of the Tear of the Clouds! Otherwise, the reflected illusion will not appear!"
"Then let's split up and prepare, and act simultaneously!" Roger said decisively. "We need precise timing."
Robin sorted through the information: "In Shandia, Waver knows the route well and needs a strong escort to ensure he arrives on time and guards the Golden Bell until it rings."
"On the Sky Island side, to activate the Tears of the Clouds, we need to find the Cloud Shell Mother Nest or the Ark Core, or an even more powerful energy source that can resonate with the Cloud Core."
She looked at Luffy and Karna, then at Tescat Ripper and Crocodile.
"We currently have a limited pool of people who possess divine power or great energy."
Tescatlipoca chuckled softly, his figure slowly fading away: "The journey to find the Tears of the Clouds will surely be interesting. I'll be waiting for you near the Mother Nest—if you can find it."
After saying that, he disappeared as if he had blended into the shadows.
Crocodile exhaled a smoke ring and said coldly, "I have no interest in saving Skypiea. But if it can cause some trouble for the World Government and the god behind them, I don't mind stretching my muscles. I'll help you out this time, kid."
The plan to divide the forces was quickly finalized.
One team consisted of Waver, Luffy, Roger, and the entire Straw Hat Pirates crew except for Robin, as well as some Skypiea rebels who volunteered to join them.
Their mission was to break through the blockade, reach the Golden Bell Tower in Shandiya's homeland, and guard and prepare to ring the Golden Bell at the appointed time.
On the other side, Eskid's two teams, led by manager Crocodile and Tescatlipoca, were also present.
Based on the riddles of Tescatlipoca and the research of the Cloud Sage, they must find the Cloud Clam Nest or the Ark's power core and try to trigger the Cloud Tears.
Gan Fall and the Wise One of the Clouds will accompany the team, providing more specific lore guidance and technical support.
"Then, let's set the appointed time at—" Lu Jie looked at Nami and the Wise Man of the Clouds, needing to determine a precise time based on the journey and celestial phenomena.
At that moment, unnoticed by the others, a young man among the rescued sky islanders, who had been keeping his head down, had an inconspicuous ring with subtle lightning patterns on his finger that was gleaming with an almost imperceptible light.
He lowered his head, a barely perceptible, fervent smile curving his lips.
The storm, in the brief respite of the clouds and dark passageways, has already begun to brew anew.
The two teams, carrying the shared hopes and despair of Sky Island and Shandia, are about to embark on a journey fraught with thorns and thunder.