Chapter 257

Chapter 257 is titled "Dial Battle".

Cover Page
Wapol's Omnivorous Hurrah Vol. 19: "The Newly Expanded, Wapol's Toyshop!"

Short Summary
Gan Fall explains about how dials work to Sanji, Nami, and Usopp. Sanji tests an impact dial with Gan Fall's instruction. At another different place, Wiper defeats Shura with the reject dial and the Shandia split up in the forest.

Long Summary
Aboard the Going Merry, Gan Fall reveals that he introduced himself to the Straw Hats as a mercenary whey they first met because blue sea dwellers aren't knowledgable of sky combat. When the crew asks him to explain, the Knight sets up a demonstration. Sanji is given a large hammer, and he's told to try his best to break a small shell that has been placed on top of a barrel in front of him. Usopp warns Sanji to do it gently, saying that he won't forgive the cook if he damages the ship. Gan Fall tells him to do the exact opposite, which infuriates Usopp, yelling at the Knight not to say such things just because the Merry isn't his ship. With that Sanji puts his all into the strike, though to everyone's surprise, neither the barrel or shell are affected in the least. Nami is visibly intrigued by this, while Usopp admonishes Sanji for a pathetic showing of strength. The shell slowly gives off fumes however, leading Sanji to wonder if it mysteriously absorbed the impact somehow. Gan Fall then directs Sanji to hold the open side of the shell toward the barrel, and press the top. It releases a devasting force, completely obliterating the barrel and blowing Sanji back. While the crew reels from the explosion (Usopp has jumped off the deck of ship), Gan Fall explains that what they just witnessed was the power of the impact dial. It stores energy from impacts to be released later. He adds that people tend to fixate them to their palm by means of a glove or bandage. This causes Sanji and Usopp to reflect on their fight with Satori, and they are now able to make sense of his abilities. As Sanji comically hits the old man for not telling him about the impact, Gan Fall brings up that legends tell of even more powerful dials in the island's history. One of these is the reject dial, which has ten times the power of an impact dial. This power increase can cost the user his life however, so they have all but been retired. Nami expresses that dials were explained to them as everyday tools and not weapons, but Gan Fall counters that any tool which can benefit man, can also hurt him. For instance, he points out that a heat dial, which is used for cooking, can be equipped on a lance to become a fire lance (Shura's heat javelin is shown as an example). In the same vein, a flame dial can be placed in a bird's mouth to create a fire-breathing bird (Fuza is shown as an example). He concludes that because of this, blue sea dwellers with no knowledge of dials and artificial clouds whatsoever stand no chance against well-versed sky combatants. On that note, Sanji decides to ask Gan Fall about the "mantra" ability that they also encountered against Satori. Gan Fall states that since he doesn't have the ability himself it is a bit hard to explain, but it is essentially an enhanced perception. He goes on to say that everyone's body has a "voice", and one can predict a person's next move by listening to it. The range of this ability can be increased with training: the Priests are able to "hear" everything on Upper Yard, while Enel's range extends to the country in its entirety. He does not understand the logic behind how Enel is able to do this however.

At God's shrine, Enel announces that Shura has been defeated. While laughing, he adds that he underestimated his opponents. The advisors are confused by his optimism, as two Priests have fallen in two days, who have been undefeated for six years. Enel laughs this off as well, adding an insulting joke that "God" wasn't on their side. Elsewhere in Upper Yard, Yama prepares his enforcers of God's Army to deal with the Shandia assault and the Straw Hats. The enforcers all resemble goats in appearance. At the outskirts of the Shandia Village, Laki places the spilled vearth back into Aisa's bag as she recalls Wiper and Kamakiri's words from earlier that they'd take down Enel with no regard for their fallen. In the forest itself, Kamakiri scolds Wiper for his use of the Reject Dial, saying that he'll die if he uses it again. Wiper responds by firing his bazooka in Kamakiri's direction, and asks how they will ever defeat their enemy if they don't make sacrifices. In the aftermath of the blast, Wiper has gone ahead alone, as Kamakiri considers him a fool for his actions. Braham however assesses that they should indeed split up, as there are two Priests left and they don't want any further humiliation by being trapped together again. They all decide to split off, with Genbo suggesting they meet again at God's shrine.

With the Shandia now split and heading in different directions, one of them hears a goat in his vicinity. Before he can make sense of it he is ambushed, and incapacitated by an enforcer of God's Army. Another of the Shandia notices and confronts one the enforcer, asking what he did. He states that Enel has directed them to clean the mess in Upper Yard, and the axe dials they carry are not found anywhere else in Skypeia. The Shandia attempts to shoot him, but he dodges. He holds up his shield for defense, but it proves no match for the dial's power as he is sliced as well.

In another area of the forest, Luffy is casually singing and strolling along until he believes he hears a goat. He's excited that there would be a goat in the forest, and decides to keep walking. One of the God's Army enforcers then emerges from a tree behind him and attempts an ambush, but Luffy punches him so hard that he bounces off of several trees and lands on his head. Luffy is frustrated that it wasn't actually a goat, but continues to walk and sing. He stops yet again when he  notices something, but this time it is Wiper. The two exchange cold stares, and Wiper asks Luffy what he's doing here.

Chapter Notes

 * Gan Fall explains the use of dials in sky warfare.
 * Satori had impact dials under his gloves.
 * Shura had a heat dial in his javelin.
 * Fuza had a flame dial in its mouth, allowing it to breathe fire.
 * Mantra is explained.
 * Gan Fall reveals he does not have this ability.
 * The Priests' mantra covers Upper Yard, while the mantra of Enel can pick up on anything in Skypiea.
 * The impact and axe dials are introduced.
 * The reject dial is explained to be 10 times stronger than the impact dial, but was largely retired due to threat it poses to the user's life.
 * The axe dial does not originate from Skypiea.
 * God's Army is introduced, and begins its ambush on the Shandia and the Straw Hats.
 * The Shandia split up, and decide to meet at God's shrine.
 * Luffy and Wiper run into each other again.

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