"Hmph, leaving me behind again!" Tashigi pouted playfully, sticking out her tongue and blinking with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

But the thought that she had contributed by holding back their enemies, providing a different kind of support and proving her worth, filled her with a quiet joy.

Ian had lost track of how many layers of sky they had traversed, only sensing the increasing proximity to the sun.

The temperature soared, the intense sunlight making it difficult to keep his eyes open as his awareness expanded.

One thousand meters? Three thousand? Or perhaps ten thousand?

He spotted Gedatsu, one of the four priests, below them. Gedatsu presided over the Ordeal of Swamp, with a 50% survival rate, embodying the emotion of "joy" among the four priests, while Ohm and Satori represented "sadness" and "anger," respectively.

Gedatsu, with his spider-like hairstyle, was a master of the Breath Dial and Swamp Cloud. He wielded Impact Dials attached to his shoes and elbows, granting him aerial mobility, enhanced punching speed, and increased striking power.

His Swamp Cloud blanketed his domain, trapping those who wandered into it like quicksand, slowly sinking them into its depths. Escape was impossible without external assistance.

During the Skypiea arc, he had engaged Chopper in a fierce battle, ultimately falling victim to the reindeer's devastating "Kokutei Roseo" attack. He had plummeted into his own Swamp Cloud, his Impact Dials only accelerating his descent due to his inverted position.

He had eventually landed in the Blue Sea, where he encountered Goro, and together they dug hot springs and built a bathhouse, with Gedatsu assuming the role of manager.

His departure, coupled with the return of Gan Fall, the former God of Skypiea, had shifted the tide of the battle, restoring a precarious balance. Fortunately, the apparent leader of this invasion had left.

"While you may be a demon, challenging Enel, the God of Skypiea, is nothing short of suicide!"

Ian contemplated his next move, seeking to disrupt this newfound equilibrium. His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Wyper, a descendant of the Shandia warriors, his resolve mirroring Gan Fall's.

Wyper understood the consequences of failure, but he knew this was his only chance to resist Enel's tyrannical rule. They lacked the power to defeat the self-proclaimed God, but now, with Ian's unexpected arrival, a glimmer of hope had emerged.

If they succeeded, the best outcome would be Gan Fall reclaiming his rightful position as God of Skypiea. While they might not regain control of their sacred land, at least peaceful coexistence would be possible.

When Gan Fall rejoined the fray, Wyper followed without hesitation, his Reject Dial clashing against Gedatsu's Jet Punch.

Ian hadn't informed Wyper about Cricket's search for the Shandia's ancestral homeland. In the original story, after Luffy confirmed the existence of Skypiea by ringing the Golden Belfry, Cricket, alongside Masira and Shoujou, had embarked on their own journey to the sky island.

The descendants of two legendary warriors and a renowned liar, separated by four hundred years of history, had finally reunited, fulfilling their ancestors' dreams. Therefore, Ian saw no need to elaborate.

The ringing of the Golden Belfry was a testament to the Shandia's unwavering commitment to their promise. Cricket, now aware of Skypiea's existence, had a clear path forward.

Witnessing it firsthand was far more impactful than hearing it from others. It was a unique and unexpected gift.

"Waiting for me, I see? Saves me the trouble of hunting you down one by one." Upon reaching the highest layer of clouds, the blinding intensity of the sun rivaled that of Alabasta.

A massive palace stood before him, its entrance guarded by Enel's elite warriors: the fifty Divine Soldiers and their captain, Yama, who had anticipated their arrival.

"A demon! You actually made it here. Dumb luck, or meticulous planning?" Yama, the portly captain of the Divine Soldiers, scoffed, his fifty goat-like subordinates bleating in unison.

Gan Fall, the former God, and Wyper, the Shandia warrior, had successfully intercepted two of the priests, preventing them from reaching the palace. They hadn't witnessed Ian's abilities firsthand.

They had no idea what he was capable of.

"Captain Yama, crush him!" The fifty goat soldiers cheered, their voices echoing through the air.

"How tedious." Ian muttered, dismissing the insignificant underlings.

He vaguely recalled that Yama wielded a Flash Dial. Very well, he would respond in kind, using a flash of his own blade. Defeating an opponent at their own game was always more satisfying.

He unsheathed Shusui, its red, jagged hamon a chilling sight, its thick spine and heavy weight a testament to its status as both a cursed blade and a black blade.

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Whoosh! He swung the blade effortlessly, a deceptively casual motion that elicited chuckles from the Divine Soldiers. It seemed he lacked strength. However, this sword suited him perfectly.

A pale green wave of compressed energy, several meters long, erupted from the blade. This was the result of months of training, honing his ability to control the size and intensity of his sword pressure.

"Full-Power slash!" Yama exclaimed, surprised by the unexpected attack.

He clasped his hands together, pulling out a length of ribbon adorned with ten Flash Dials.

Ian's deceptive casualness had misled Yama, who had underestimated the power of the attack. Instead of dodging with the agility that belied his portly physique, he had opted for a direct confrontation.

BOOM! The outcome was inevitable. The energy wave cleaved through the ribbon and its embedded Flash Dials, severing them with ease. Ian's sword pressure was now capable of slicing through steel.

"Yama! Captain!" The soldiers cried out in horror. Their captain lay twitching on the ground, his body bisected, barely clinging together.

Had Ian exerted even a fraction more force, they would have been swept away as well. He continued walking towards the palace, ignoring their stunned gazes.

They scrambled to clear a path, realizing their futility. A single swing had defeated their captain. Facing this demon would only result in their deaths. He was a creature from the depths of hell, a force of darkness. However, this was the domain of Enel, the God who ruled the skies. His power was beyond comprehension.

Evil could never triumph over righteous.

As he entered the grand palace, the oppressive heat and blinding sunlight subsided somewhat. Ian observed the interior, its grandeur surpassing its exterior.

Every pillar and ornament was crafted from gold. Shandora's golden city, its skull with a single golden eye, had yielded an unimaginable fortune. Enel had even used it to construct the Maxim, a massive ark intended to carry him to the moon.

Pirates who had lost limbs or eyes often replaced them with gold or jewels, enhancing their appearance and adding a touch of macabre grandeur.

Enel, the God of Skypiea, stood before him. He wore a white bandana, his earlobes adorned with long, dangling earrings. His muscular upper body was bare, his back bearing four drums emblazoned with tomoe, capable of summoning devastating lightning strikes when struck. He wielded a golden staff, his lower body clad in hakama pants, his feet bare.

As Ian approached the golden throne, Enel turned to face him, his expression languid and his eyes seemingly lifeless. It wasn't a sign of weakness but rather an indication of his overwhelming confidence, his belief in his absolute power. Despite the single rank separating him from his priests, he could effortlessly crush them, his conceit stemming from this disparity.

One god, one demon, their eyes locked in a silent confrontation, their auras clashing, a battle of wills.

Sensing a worthy opponent, Enel's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed Ian's pale green gaze, their skin sharing a similar pallor.

"You have some strength, I'll grant you that. But I am a god. Are you the savior Gan Fall brought from the Blue Sea? I've heard tales of those who call themselves Marines, protectors of justice…"

Enel's gaze lingered on Ian's black-sleeved, white coat, the symbol of justice billowing in the wind. While he had enacted strict laws to prevent outsiders from escaping, a few had managed to return to the Blue Sea.

"But I am the God of Thunder. A demon, even one with a modicum of strength, cannot defeat me."

He raised his hands above his head, his voice rising in a theatrical declaration, his megalomania surpassing even his occasional outbursts on Earth.

"Baka." Ian's deadpan expression, mirroring Ulquiorra's stoic demeanor, amplified the insult, his pale green eyes conveying utter contempt.

Enel exuded conceit and disdain, while Ian regarded him with the cold indifference of a higher being observing a delusional madman. Demons from the depths of hell might not be able to reach the heavens, but if they could approach the sun, they would surpass even the gods.

He had come to eliminate Enel. It was clear that this delusional god wouldn't listen to reason. There was no point in explaining his identity or purpose.

If he had to say anything, it would be a question that echoed the thoughts of countless One Piece fans, including himself: "Doesn't that hurt?"

Despite eight hundred years of devolution, his wings, now ornaments, were still attached to his flesh and bone.

Enel had not only ripped them off but had also replaced them with four drums. Even the extraordinary power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit shouldn't be abused in such a manner.

Of course, voicing such a question would be beneath his current persona, the embodiment of Ulquiorra's cold and aloof demeanor.

"Very well, foolish Blue Sea dweller. I hope you, a demon, can withstand the wrath of God!" Enel's face contorted in rage, his pride wounded by Ian's dismissive tone. He stood above them all, literally.

Twenty thousand meters. An irrefutable fact. He was closer to the sun than any other being. Ten thousand meters in the sky, a realm inaccessible to those without sufficient power.

"El Thor!" He slammed his golden staff against the ground, unleashing a torrent of electricity.

The golden throne, responding to his movement, transformed into a massive, serpentine dragon, its jaws agape as it lunged towards Ian.

Its fangs and wings were intricately detailed, a testament to Enel's mastery over gold manipulation. Ian drew Shusui, cleaving through the dragon with a single, effortless stroke, a shower of sparks erupting like fireflies.

"How weak." He muttered, channeling his spiritual pressure into the blade, bisecting the dragon with ease.

The two halves crashed to the ground, the impact reverberating through the palace. Enel utilized high voltage electricity to generate intense heat, melting gold and reshaping it to his will. However, his control paled in comparison to Gild Tesoro's.

Tesoro's Gold-Gold Fruit granted him absolute dominion over gold. While Shandora's gold was vast, it was merely a fraction of Jaya's riches.

Gran Tesoro, the Golden City, held 20% of the world's wealth, its golden streets spanning ten kilometers. Of course, whether one could escape with those riches was another matter entirely.

Both Enel and Tesoro possessed the ability to manipulate gold, each with their own unique transformations: the "Raigo" and the "Gold Colossus." If they were to combine their powers, they might even be able to create a One Piece version of the Susanoo clad in Kurama's chakra.

"Die! Divine Judgment!" In the next instant, guided by his Observation Haki, Mantra, and the unparalleled speed of his lightning, possibly rivaling Kizaru's Pika Pika no Mi, Enel appeared above Ian.

He unleashed a massive bolt of lightning from his wrist, a devastating attack that could also be launched horizontally.

"Hahaha! Foolish demon! This is the price you pay for disrespecting God!" Enel laughed maniacally, his laughter echoing through the palace, rivaling the infamous Uchiha quartet.

He envisioned the demise of this conceited Blue Sea dweller, consumed by his divine wrath…