One Piece: Ulquiorra Template

Chapter 39: Trials and Retribution

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"In the skull's right eye, you say?"

Two imposing figures stood near the remnants of Ian and Tashigi's lunch, their voices a low rumble. One was humanoid, the other a massive hound.

They had followed the trail of smoke, only to find discarded scraps. These were the priests responsible for two of the four Ordeals of God, trials with a survival rate ranging from 50% to a chilling 0%, reserved for those who had committed grave sins against Skypiea.

Illegal entry was a minor offense, but their crimes now included hunting protected animals and disrupting the environment. Three counts against them, more than enough to warrant the Ordeals of God. Moreover, their proximity to God's Shrine and the recent lack of visitors to Skypiea had left them bored and eager for action.

They had practically fought over the right to apprehend the intruders.

The skull's right eye? This referred to a passage in Montblanc Noland's logbook, describing a land of gold hidden within the right eye of a skull-shaped island.

It mentioned a massive bell made of gold. However, when half of Jaya had been propelled into the sky, Noland's claims were dismissed as lies. It wasn't until the Straw Hat Pirates, by chance, combined maps of Jaya and Skypiea, that the skull-shaped formation was revealed, solving a 400-year-old mystery.

"Vice Admiral Ian, you're amazing..." Tashigi exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.

How do you know, without even trying? Ian thought, but he refrained from voicing his skepticism. Engaging in a debate with the earnest young woman would only lead to endless back-and-forths.

"Aren't we going up there?" Tashigi asked, recalling Ian's stated purpose of visiting Skypiea: to communicate with God.

They had rung the Golden Belfry, but now they seemed to be delaying their ascent.

"Someone's coming." Ian's potent Observation Haki and soul-sensing abilities detected four approaching presences. Two were human, the other two animalistic. They weren't the four priests, only two of them.

While he couldn't discern their exact appearances, he could sense their life forms, unlike Enel's Mantra, which, despite its ability to encompass the entire island, could only detect the presence of life and the number of individuals. It was an extension of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit powers.

Shinigami and Hollows were inherently spiritual beings, their spiritual power exceeding that of ordinary humans.

At full strength, Ian's soul-sensing could cover half of a small island, differentiating between humans and animals.

A clear, visual representation of those presences, however, would require a fusion rate of 70-80% with the Ulquiorra template. Even Fujitora, with his mastery of Observation Haki, capable of seeing a glimpse into the future and ensuring victory in any gamble, couldn't achieve such a feat.

This had been demonstrated during the Dressrosa arc, where Fujitora, moved by Luffy's acts of heroism and regretting his own past actions, had chosen to blind himself, acknowledging the existence of love and compassion amidst the world's cruelty.

"Screech!" A shrill cry pierced the air.

A massive bird with purple feathers, yellow eyes, and a long beak descended from the sky, its powerful wings beating rhythmically. On its back rode Shura, the priest who governed the Ordeal of String.