novelnext Chapter 130 Outsiders
Chapter 130 Outsiders
The Dawn slowly sailed into Cloud Bay along the coast of Pika Island, its hull gently touching the simple dock built of marble and hardwood, and the buzzing of the wind-blown shells gradually subsided.
No longer beneath your feet is a soft sea of clouds, but real, rough rocks with a damp, earthy smell, mixed with dried leaves and moss, which feel solid and reassuring underfoot.
Scattered on the dock were some old shell-keeping tools, broken shells, and half-rotten wooden boxes, indicating that people used to frequent the area, but it had long been abandoned.
The forest stretched from the depths of the island all the way to the shore, its dense foliage blocking out the sun. The wind rustled through the canopy, creating a continuous whispering sound, occasionally punctuated by the strange calls of birds. The entire island was eerily quiet, with only the sounds of nature, no human voices, no smoke from cooking fires, exuding a desolate air of being forgotten by the world.
"This place... feels much quieter than Shandora."
Rangiku gripped the hilt of her sword, her eyes growing more wary: "Not a soul in sight. Could the entire island be deserted?"
Bai Yu did not answer immediately; his Observation Haki spread out into the depths of the island like invisible ripples once again.
After a moment, he spoke: "There are too few people. They should all be concentrated on the next island."
"Okay, we'll see when we get there."
Bai Yu raised his hand to recall the puppets that were guarding the perimeter, ordering them to stand guard around the dock and ships. He then led Unohana Retsu, Robin, Rangiku, and Kanna, walking slowly along the path worn into the forest toward the neighboring island.
The trees lining the path grew increasingly dense, their trunks thick and twisted, strange vines cascading from their branches, and brightly colored wildflowers with poisonous thorns blooming on the ground. They bore a striking resemblance to the plants found in some of the dangerous waters of the Grand Line, yet possessed an added element of strangeness, adapted to the high-altitude environment.
The deeper you go, the more the air is filled with the scent of grass and trees.
Kanna instinctively moved closer to Bai Yu, gently grabbing the hem of his clothes with her small hand, and whispered, "Brother Bai Yu, something feels strange here..."
Bai Yu lowered his head and gently patted the top of her head: "Strange things always happen in places where no one is in charge, don't worry."
Upon arriving at the neighboring island, Bai Yu and the others immediately discovered a cluster of buildings.
It was a complex of buildings constructed from black giant rocks, with broken stone pillars and mottled walls. In the center was a wide plaza, the ground of which was paved with huge stone slabs and engraved with ancient Sky Island script that had long since become blurred. At this moment, dozens of natives of the Sky Island of Bika were gathered in the plaza.
They resembled the Sky Islanders of Angel Island, with small white wings on their backs and simple clothing. Their eyes lacked the peace of the Angel Islanders and the fortitude of the Shandora warriors.
In the very center of the square, a boy was bound to a broken stone pillar by several rough ropes.
Although he appeared tall, he was thin, with disheveled hair, a pale complexion that was almost sickly, and his body was covered with a mix of old and new scars, whip marks, and burns. His clothes were tattered and barely covered his body.
The surrounding Bika people stood in a circle, some spitting insults, some throwing stones and dry branches, while others watched indifferently, their eyes filled with disgust and hatred, devoid of any pity.
"monster!"
"Stay away from our sacred pillar!"
"An outcast like you shouldn't even be in Bika!"
"Kill him! To save us from further trouble!"
Insults and shouts rose and fell, and stones were constantly thrown at the boy. He just gritted his teeth and remained silent. His body trembled slightly from the pain, but he never begged for mercy or resisted. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but that he simply didn't have the strength to resist. He could barely stand.
Robin frowned deeply as he watched this scene, a hint of pity and anger flashing in his eyes: "They... how could they treat a teenager like this?"
Rangiku gripped the hilt of her sword tightly: "Even if they are anomalies, they don't deserve to be treated like this, do they? These guys are worse than the thugs of Rukongai."
Bai Yu stood at the edge of the forest, quietly watching the humble, disheveled boy in the center of the square who was still stubbornly refusing to fall. His calm face showed little emotion.
You can tell from his appearance that this is Enel.
The man of the future who calls himself a god, controls the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, sweeps across Sky Island, and wants to use it to travel to the Infinite Land.
Now, he is just a young man without power or background, regarded as an outsider by his own people, suffering abuse, and struggling to survive.
To survive, he could endure insults, beatings, and all kinds of humiliation, humbling himself to the dust, not daring to show even the slightest courage to resist. It was not cowardice, but extreme forbearance and the will to survive.
With such flexibility and adaptability, it's no wonder that once he gains power, he will be so crazy, so obsessive, and so eager to stand above all things.
That's enough.
A calm yet undeniably powerful voice slowly rose, not loud, but clearly overwhelming all the insults and clamor in the square.
All the Bika people paused, turned their heads sharply, and looked in the direction from which the sound came.
Bai Yu slowly walked out of the forest, his blue-green robe fluttering slightly in the wind. He stood tall and straight, his eyes calm and undisturbed, yet he exuded a chilling sense of oppression.
Robin, Rangiku, Retsu Unohana, and Kanna followed behind him in turn. Each of them had a different temperament, but without exception, they all carried the distinct air of outsiders.
"Who are you?!" A Bika man, who appeared to be the leader, stepped forward, his expression wary and fierce: "This is Bika territory. Outsiders are not allowed to approach!"
"Outsiders are a scourge! Get out!"
"Don't even think about bringing the monster's misfortune here!"
The Bika people shouted and yelled, their eyes filled with hostility, but no one dared to rush forward first. The calm yet powerful aura emanating from Bai Yu made them instinctively feel fear.
Bai Yu ignored the shouts of the people and focused his gaze directly on Enel, who was tied to the stone pillar. He said calmly, "Release him."
"What did you say?!"
The leader glared angrily: "We are outcasts of Bika, monsters! Why should we listen to you?"
"You are not qualified to decide his life or death."
The moment Bai Yu finished speaking, an invisible Observation Haki and spiritual power spread out simultaneously, like an invisible giant wave, crashing down on all the Bika people present.
There were no earth-shattering phenomena, but all the Bika people instantly turned pale, their legs went weak, their weapons clattered to the ground, and they fell unconscious.
It was a sense of oppression that came from the depths of one's soul, as if facing a superior being, one didn't even have the courage to look up.
Rangiku's lips twitched slightly as she watched, secretly marveling at how oppressive this aura was whenever Shiraha was too lazy to fight. It was even more frightening than a direct confrontation.