"Hmm~"
A soft moan escaped Robin's lips as a weak electric current stimulated her, audible from beyond the door.
Hikaru smiled knowingly and gently patted Nami beside him, waking her from her peaceful slumber.
"Nami~ time to get up, or the sun will warm your backside again."
"Woo~" Nami reluctantly turned over and attempted to continue sleeping.
"Crack! Crack!"
"Ah!" Nami punched Hikaru a few times in embarrassed anger before helplessly sitting up with a yawn.
Hikaru smiled meaningfully. Nami pinched his waist in return as she helped him dress.
Sweet Nami—even her morning grumpiness was endearing.
After everyone had lunch, under Nami's guidance, Hikaru took her, Robin, and Vivi on a flying carpet to Asuka Island.
The small transportation mantras had been constructed, but they required Hikaru to inject lightning energy to power their flight. Using the floating ability wasn't as convenient as the flying carpet.
The four arrived at Asuka Island amid cheerful conversation.
The island contained only one small town. Although the residents were capable fighters, they were relatively weak and played no significant role in the grand scheme of things.
Hikaru's observation skills activated, and within moments he had mapped the approximate locations of everyone on the island.
What puzzled him was the absence of the naval base that should have been on the island.
That base was supposed to be ruled by Saga, who had trained in swordsmanship alongside Zoro at Shimotsuki Koshiro's dojo.
Considering that the movie version might not perfectly align with the main One Piece storyline, Hikaru felt relieved—it saved him unnecessary confrontation.
After pinpointing the town's direction, the flying carpet quickly soared toward it.
Within moments, Hikaru brought the three women to the town's highest point. Shrouded in mist created by Nami, they remained undetectable.
"Eh? Are they performing a sacrifice?"
Robin and Vivi looked in the direction Nami indicated and saw numerous people kneeling before a statue, murmuring something.
"It seems so..." Vivi muttered. Suddenly, an idea struck her and she said excitedly, "Hey! I have a brilliant plan!"
"Oh? Tell us about it," Robin asked curiously.
"The three gems Nami wants to find might be in their possession. Since my husband is practically a god, what if he suddenly appears while they're kneeling and demonstrates his powers? We might not need to search for the gems ourselves!"
"That's actually an excellent idea, Vivi! You're amazing!" Hikaru's arms were held by both Nami and Vivi, preventing him from moving freely. He could only lower his head and nuzzle Vivi's cheek to show his appreciation.
"In that case, we should create some dramatic effects to make the divine arrival more convincing!" Nami grinned and began organizing everyone.
"I'll generate thunderclouds and rain, while Vivi creates a sandstorm to surround them. Sister Robin... hmm, Sister Robin will... simply observe and be our strategic mastermind!"
Robin laughed softly, "Fine by me~ I'll watch your performance."
"As for Hikaru, at the perfect moment, transform into lightning, split the statue in half, and make a brilliant appearance!"
"Wait, that won't work. We shouldn't destroy the statue. It's an ancient artifact with historical significance," Robin shook her head, rejecting Nami's suggestion.
Hikaru was stunned. He had been eager to transform into lightning, demolish the statue, and materialize out of thin air. Such a display would likely convince the people of his divine nature.
But Robin's character had always detested those who willfully damaged historical relics.
"In that case, I'll simply teleport there."
With everything arranged, Nami and Vivi sprang into action...
...
Before the statue, Maya's grandmother, Iliansa, knelt on the ground, her bright pink hair swaying as she mumbled quietly.
Many townspeople behind her mirrored her actions, with Maya kneeling directly behind Iliansa.
"Gods who dwell in the Seven Stars of Asuka, please fulfill the wishes of mortals such as ourselves. Please use your divine power to shield us from all troubles and disasters..."
"Bestow upon us..."
"..."
The people prayed repeatedly, and their devotion seemed effective—the island enjoyed favorable weather, and few pirates ever discovered it.
Was this mere luck, or a blessing from the Seven Star Gods of Asuka?
Perhaps, in this extraordinary world, gods truly existed?
Just as another prayer concluded, strange phenomena began manifesting around the altar.
The peaceful blue sky suddenly transformed as dark clouds surged like spilled ink, blotting out the sun.
A powerful gust of wind arose with overwhelming force, whipping up dust from the ground and forming ochre-colored barriers that obscured sky and sun alike.
The dust and fierce winds intertwined like an enraged beast, wreaking havoc between heaven and earth, blurring once-clear vision.
"Stop praying and look around!"
An exclamation from the crowd interrupted the ceremony. Just as Iliansa prepared to scold them, her eyes widened in shock at the surrounding scene.
"What's happening here?"
"Lady Iliansa, Lady Maya, has our sacrifice angered the gods?"
The devout worshippers bowed deeply, frantically praying for divine forgiveness.
Faint thunder rumbled amidst the windswept sand, frightening young children to tears while terrifying even the adults into silence.
Then, raindrops as large as beans began falling mercilessly, mixing with sand and dust to create chaos. Even the blazing sacrificial fire was extinguished.
Their clothes fluttered wildly and their hair disheveled, yet they remained rooted in place, unable to leave. Their eyes reflected both astonishment at the sudden change and reverence for this unknown power.
"Lady Iliansa! What should we do? We're surrounded by countless sand barriers. We can't escape!"
Iliansa frowned, while Maya beside her looked concerned. As a witch supposedly blessed with divine power, she remained unnaturally still. Unfortunately, no one noticed this amid the crowd's panic.
Resolute, Iliansa shouted, "Everyone, retreat to the statue's base! Surround Maya and let her pray to the gods!"
At once, everyone quickly encircled Maya.
Seeing this, Maya swiftly arranged the three pink gems in her hand into a triangle formation around her body. She closed her eyes and whispered an incantation, praying for the divine anger to subside.
BOOM!
Deafening thunder resonated through the sky, capturing everyone's attention.
Suddenly, someone noticed something amiss! The witch had vanished!
"Maya... Where's Lady Maya?!"
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