Chapters · Sky Island › Skypiea

Chapter 265: Pirate Robin vs. Heavenly Warriors Commander Yama

Arc: Skypiea · Saga: Sky Island · Released: 2003-01-13

Summary

The Upper Yard survival game tightens. Nami master-flies her waver on a salvaged Jet Dial that Conis notes “became extinct centuries ago” (pp. 2-3), returns it, and reassures the group the crew is safe; the scene turns to a sobbing Aisa, who explains she is “scared the voices will disappear” and that she was born with Mantra — she can hear “the power they say the Kami and his vassals have” (pp. 3-4). Aisa’s waver has broken down; she frets over the scattered Shandians (“Raki…”) (p. 4). Luffy, swallowed and lost in a dark cave (the giant snake’s belly), bickers with a skeleton he keeps calling “Joh” and muses about “El Dorado” and gold-rich stew (pp. 4-5). Enel’s prophecy is quantified in narration: “In three hours’ time, of the original 81… five will be left standing,” with the survival count tracked on-page — 25 survivors, one hour left (p. 6) — and a Shandian warrior on a waver guns down a striped Heavenly-Warrior/God’s-Army soldier (“Kami Enel… that’s impossible!”), dropping the tally to 24 (pp. 6-7). The bulk of the chapter is Nico Robin vs. Yama, the rotund winged Commander of the Heavenly Warriors (God’s Army), who hunts and crushes ancient ruins (“Mountain Drop!!”, “Tenfold Axe!”, “Mountain Axe!!!” with reversed Dials) (pp. 8-16). Robin counters with Treinta Fleurs, takes a heavy blow (“he’s so heavy!”), then immobilizes and breaks Yama with Cien Fleurs: Delphinium and a finishing Clutch (pp. 11-20). Throughout she delivers the arc’s thesis — “the site you destroyed was a priceless treasure… historical sites belong to no one… but we can never return to the past” — and refuses to forgive him for desecrating the ruins (pp. 10, 15). The chapter closes on Yama’s body folding under the snapping arms — “You do such horrible things.” — “DOOM!!” (pp. 19-20).

New reveals

• Robin defeats Yama, the Heavenly Warriors Commander. Yama (named in the title and on-page as commander of Enel’s God’s Army / Heavenly Warriors) is a giant, rotund, winged fighter who hunts the Upper Yard ruins; Robin downs him with Cien Fleurs: Delphinium + Clutch (pp. 8-20).
• Enel’s prophecy is quantified. Narration states the original game had 81 participants, that “five will be left standing” in three hours, and tracks the live count (25 → 24 survivors), with “only an hour remains before the time stated in Kami Enel’s prophecy.” (pp. 6-7)
• Aisa was “born with” Mantra. She says it is innate to her — “I was born with it!” — and that it lets her hear “the power they say the Kami and his vassals have… Mantra.” First on-page statement that Mantra can be a natural-born faculty, not only a “gift to the faithful.” (pp. 3-4)
• The Jet Dial is established as an ancient/extinct Dial type. Conis: “The Jet Dial became extinct centuries ago. I didn’t expect to see one loaded on your waver.” (p. 2)
• Yama’s reversed-Dial gimmick. His “Mountain Axe” turns on reversed Dials (“the Dials… are reversed!!”), redirecting force — a fresh Dial-mechanics wrinkle. (p. 13)
• Robin’s named techniques this chapter: Treinta Fleurs, Cien Fleurs: Delphinium, Clutch. (pp. 11, 16, 18-20)

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Nico Robin — on-page; defeats Yama; archaeologist defending the ruins (title fighter).
• Yama — on-page; Commander of the Heavenly Warriors / God’s Army; recurring opponent, defeated by Robin. (See note on first-named status below.)
• Nami — on-page; flies her Jet-Dial waver, returns it.
• Conis — on-page; identifies the Jet Dial as centuries-extinct.
• Aisa — on-page; reveals she was born with Mantra (recurring; first named Ch. 249).
• Gan Fall — on-page (with the Going Merry group).
• Luffy — on-page; lost in the cave/snake’s belly, talking to the skeleton “Joh”; “El Dorado” line.
• Enel — referenced (“Kami Enel’s prophecy”); not on-page.
• Wyper — likely the Shandian warrior on the waver who eliminates a God’s-Army soldier (pp. 6-7); face is goggled/obscured, identity is inference from the bazooka/waver kit and the “Kami Enel… impossible” line — not a clean on-page name.
• Raki — referenced by Aisa (“Raki…”); not on-page.
• Upper Yard, Skypiea — setting.

Notable panels

• Page 1 (title splash): Robin reclining against a temple/shrine gate in the rain, hands behind her head, with a rabbit holding a giant leaf as an umbrella beside her — a calm decorative title-page splash (no B-plot cover story this chapter; this is the chapter’s own title page). Pure mood/decorative, not foreshadowing.
• Page 6: Enel’s prophecy narration over a giant hand silhouette; the on-page survivor counter (25 survivors, one hour left) — the survival game’s ticking-clock device made explicit.
• Pages 6-7: A Shandian warrior on a waver guns down a striped God’s-Army soldier with an Impact/Reject-type “BZZT” shot; “Twenty-four remain.”
• Page 13: Yama’s reversed-Dial “Mountain Axe” — Dial mechanics turned against the target.
• Page 16: Cien Fleurs: Delphinium — a field of Robin’s arms erupts from the ground to seize Yama (big “FLIT” composition).
• Pages 19-20: Yama crushed under the snapping arm-bouquet; Robin’s line “You do such horrible things.” over a final “DOOM!!” — fight resolved.
• Page 20: SBS “Question Corner” page (Q&A on Navy HQ captains vs. Auxiliary Navy ranks; Jump Festa anecdote). External SBS canon, not story content.

Open questions raised

• Who exactly are the Heavenly Warriors / God’s Army, and how many commanders like Yama serve Enel? (Yama is named as their commander here.)
• Is the Shandian who downs the God’s-Army soldier (pp. 6-7) Wyper? (Strongly implied by kit, not cleanly named on-page.)
• Will the “five left standing” prophecy hold, and who are the five? (Enel’s stated endgame for the survival game.)
• What is the full extent of the ancient ruins Robin is defending — does Upper Yard hold the City of Gold (Shandora) and its bell? (No gold/bell shown yet.)
• Is Mantra fundamentally innate (Aisa) versus “granted to the faithful” (Enel’s framing in Ch. 246)? Which is the true mechanic?