"No way? You're saying that vast land was swept up here by the Knock Up Stream four hundred years ago?"
A white cloud drifted leisurely in mid-air, slowly flying towards an island built on the clouds ahead.
Beneath the white cloud hung a simple wooden boat constructed from planks.
Ace and the Shandian warriors he had just met—Wiper and Laki—were squeezed onto this creaking wooden boat, which seemed as if it could collapse at any moment under their combined weight. They listened as the others recounted the history of the Shandian people.
He listened with great interest, feeling a strong sense of adventure.
Ace never expected that being accidentally swept up to ten thousand meters high by the Knock Up Stream could lead to such exciting and interesting events.
After listening to Laki, who was practically pressed against him, her entire voluptuous and soft body close to his, like an angel, recount their history, Ace couldn't help but feel a touch of melancholy.
"So, you Shandians are truly pitiful.
You originally thought you could fulfill your promise with Noland, the adventurer from the North Blue, and ring the Golden Bell, which symbolized friendship and gratitude. But you never expected to be carried tens of thousands of meters high by the Knock Up Stream.
Upon arrival, you were coveted for your land by the local Skypieans, and a long war between the two tribes began.
Just as the fighting had largely settled, and your strengths seemed comparable, a Rumble-Rumble Fruit user appeared.
Not only did he drive out the previous God of Sky Island, but he also expelled both the Skypieans and you Shandians from the Holy Land.
So, your two tribes fought for four hundred years, only for neither to benefit in the end, with an unknown strongman seizing the fruits of your victory."
Ace sighed, his eyes involuntarily drawn to the two astonishingly round, flattened mounds before him.
The healthy, tanned skin, Laki's beautiful face so close to his, and the faint fragrance exhaling from her nose and mouth, all made Ace's heart flutter.
He felt that if he continued like this, he would soon burst into flames.
Literally burst into flames.
Because he was a Flame-Flame Fruit user.
"Indeed. It's because of that Enel that we Shandians can't return home.
And we can't even dream of entering the Holy Land to search for the Golden Bell, which has now disappeared.
We Shandians have fought tirelessly until now for only two goals.
One is to reclaim our land, Jaya Island, and the second is to find the Golden Bell and ring it.
To fulfill the promise made four hundred years ago between the Great Warrior Kalgara and Noland, our great benefactor who saved the Shandians!"
"To fight desperately for a promise, generation after generation, for four hundred years. What unwavering determination and belief."
Ace felt genuine admiration.
Suddenly, he seemed to recall something and paused, saying:
"Speaking of which, in Mock Town, I also saw an old man with chestnut-shaped hair. He dives into the sea every day from his half-broken island, searching for gold.
I even chatted with him a bit. He said he wanted to find the Golden City."
"An old man with chestnut-shaped hair?" Wiper and the others' attention instantly focused on Ace's face.
"Yeah, he really has chestnut-shaped hair. That feature is too distinct; it's hard to forget," Ace nodded.
Wiper and the others exchanged glances, then suddenly asked excitedly, "Do you know his name?"
"I think his name was Mont Blanc Cricket," Ace mused.
"His last name?" Laki pressed urgently. In her excitement, the elasticity of her chest compressed even more fiercely, causing flames to appear at the back of Ace's head.
Sweat beaded on Ace's forehead, but he dared not wipe it.
He shook his head with difficulty. "I didn't ask for his last name. I only remember he was called Cricket, and he was a chain-smoker with a cigarette constantly in his mouth."
"Cricket, chestnut-shaped hair, searching for the Golden City." Wiper mumbled, seemingly falling into a trance.
"Why was he looking for the Golden City?" he suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, at Ace.
"Apparently, he wanted to prove to the world that the Golden City really exists, and that it wasn't just a tall tale by Noland."
"Tall tale? Why call it a tall tale? The Golden City, Shandora, always existed; it was on that land before! We originally lived there; no one knows better than us that Shandora was there!"
Wiper's voice was hoarse.
Ace scratched his head:
"Where I'm from, Noland is mostly known as 'Noland the Liar.'
Because four hundred years ago, he falsely claimed the existence of the Golden City, which enraged the king at the time, who had him executed in front of the world.
From then on, Noland the Liar's reputation spread throughout the world..."
"So, because we were carried up into the sky by the Knock Up Stream, our great benefactor Noland was executed because he couldn't prove the Golden City's existence, and his reputation was ruined, being called 'Noland the Liar' for four hundred years?!"
Wiper's voice rose by an octave. He froze as if struck by lightning.
His eyes were bloodshot, and two lines of scorching tears streamed down his cheeks. He suddenly opened his mouth and let out a wail like a wild beast's mournful cry.
"Damn it! Why is this happening?
It shouldn't be like this! Because of our unannounced departure, our benefactor was mocked and slandered by the world.
His descendants are still searching for traces of the Golden City on Jaya Island even now!
What have we been doing? The glory of the Great Warrior Kalgara, we've thrown it all away!"
Wiper covered his face, hot tears constantly seeping and dripping between his fingers.
This tough man, who hadn't let out a single cry of pain even when Enel electrocuted him until his body was charred black, was now crying like a child.
He choked out, "I can't imagine what Noland-san was thinking when he was executed. What would he think of us Shandians? We didn't fulfill our promise, we... we are deserters..."
Ace said nothing, his heart also filled with emotions.
These Shandians and Noland's descendants were truly respectable men.
The white cloud balloon soon drifted down to the Sky Island below. It was pulled in by grappling hooks by some Shandians who had already noticed it, and it descended to the ground.
Clearly, few outsiders ever entered this place.
Ace's appearance made the Shandians here both curious and wary.
And the severe injuries on Wiper and the others' bodies made the entire village erupt.
Soon, a large group of Shandian warriors, armed with spears, gathered around an old man with a grizzled beard.
"Wiper, what happened to you... did you encounter Enel?"
The old Shandian chief asked, frowning.
Wiper nodded. "Yes, we went to the Holy Land to search for the Golden Bell's whereabouts and were discovered by Enel."
"Then how did you return alive? With Enel's power, if he caught up to you, even you would probably find it hard to escape."
The chief narrowed his aged eyes, scanning Wiper and the others, finally settling on Ace.
"Could it be that this young man saved you?"
"That's right! Chief, he's a Blue Sea man who was brought up by the Knock Up Stream. He possesses power as strong as Enel's.
He can transform into flames! He was the one who, in the Holy Land, unleashed a terrifying sphere of high-temperature flames with a single punch, forcing Enel to retreat and saving us!"
Laki grabbed Ace's arm and spoke rapidly.
"What? Is this guy really that strong? He actually forced Enel to retreat.
Does that mean he's stronger than Wiper?
You must be joking! Wiper is the strongest warrior in our village, the War Demon who can withstand the impact of a Reject Dial and not die!"
The Shandian warriors looked at Ace in shock, somewhat disbelieving that he could force Enel to retreat.
Just then, Wiper suddenly raised his hand, silencing the murmurs of the crowd.
"Chief, I have something to tell everyone."
Seeing all his tribesmen, including the old chief, looking at him, Wiper, with reddened eyes, recounted what Ace had told him about Noland and his descendants to the assembled tribesmen.
After Wiper's narration, the entire scene fell into a deathly silence.
Then, stifled sobs began to rise, one after another.
"Our great benefactor Noland's descendants are still waiting for our answer!
He has waited for four hundred years! I'm afraid he'll despair, afraid he'll give up, afraid he'll become like those ignorant Blue Sea people and never again believe that the Golden City and the Shandians exist in this world!"
Wiper roared hoarsely, his eyes red, swinging his fist. "So, we must respond to him as soon as possible, no, immediately! We must attack the Holy Land right now! Find and ring the Golden Bell!"
"Attack the Holy Land! Ring the Golden Bell!"
For a time, all the Shandian warriors roared hoarsely after Wiper, waving their spears, their fighting spirit boiling.
The chief slowly nodded, his voice somewhat aged:
"It is time to immediately begin the attack on the Holy Land; time waits for no one.
If Noland's descendants completely lose hope and choose to give up searching for the Golden City, then the glory of our Shandian ancestors will cease to exist.
Wiper, be prepared to risk everything, if you have made up your mind."
"Don't worry, Chief. This time, we will definitely defeat Enel and reclaim the Holy Land from him!
Because this Mr. Ace from the Blue Sea is willing to help us fight Enel.
His condition is that we help him find his scattered comrades on Sky Island."
Laki pointed at Ace and spoke to the grizzled chief.
"That's excellent, Mr. Ace, is it? On behalf of the Shandians, I thank you for your help.
Later, please describe what your companions look like. Our village has mural carvers who can help you draw their appearances.
After that, I will immediately have the non-combatant elderly, weak, women, and children of the village go out to search."
The chief stepped forward, extending his gaunt, bone-like hand, and clasped Ace's hand.
"Thank you very much, Chief."
Ace was also somewhat excited.
Deuce should have been swept up with him by the Knock Up Stream.
But Sky Island was so vast, and he had no idea how to find Deuce.
If he could enlist the help of the Shandians, it would surely be twice as effective.
The chief, holding Ace's hands, opened his aged eyes and stared intently at Ace's face for a long time without letting go, making Ace feel a little awkward.
"Chief, is there anything else?" Ace tentatively asked.
"Oh, nothing. It's just, your face, young Ace, looks a bit familiar, like I've seen it fifteen years ago."
The chief released Ace's hand and shook his head.
"Fifteen years ago?" Ace froze.
Fifteen years ago, he was still fighting tigers and crocodiles in the forest behind Foosha Village; he had never been tens of thousands of meters up in the sky.
"Don't mind it too much. When one gets old, memory tends to fail. Perhaps I remembered wrong, and mistook you for someone else."
The chief waved his cane, but in his mind, he saw a man with a handlebar mustache, hands on his hips, standing before a square stone monument, carving words onto it with a long sword in his hand.
A likeness. The eyes of this young man named Ace, they were so much like the eyes of that man named Roger.
While he was lost in thought, a sudden uproar arose from the crowd of Shandian warriors.
Many of the warriors, who had just been united in their animosity, now glared at Wiper in the crowd.
"Wiper! Do you know what you're saying?"
"Making us ally with our enemies? Have you forgotten how your ancestor, the Great Warrior Kalgara, died? You traitor to the Shandians!"
"My father, my elder brother! All died at the hands of the Skypieans! I would rather die than ally with those beasts!"
The old chief frowned and walked into the crowd with his cane, scanning the group.
The boisterous crowd immediately began to slowly calm down.
The chief looked at Wiper. "What's going on, Wiper?"
Wiper gripped his thick cannon barrel tightly and said in a low voice:
"Chief, I believe that with our Shandian forces alone, we are not enough to deal with Enel and his God's Guard.
Even if Brother Ace can hold off Enel, he still has the Four Priests of Ordeal and thousands of God's Guard under him.
Therefore, I suggest we seek an alliance with the Skypieans and contact Gan Fall, the former God of Sky Island, to jointly deal with Enel!"
Wiper's words immediately ignited the scene again.
The surrounding Shandian warriors glared angrily, shouting denunciations.
"Gan Fall is a false god who favors his own people! You actually want to ally with him, Wiper, I misjudged you! You are not worthy of being a descendant of the Great Warrior Kalgara!"
"Even if I fight to the death, I'm not afraid! But I will never fight alongside my enemies! Who knows if they'll suddenly stab us in the back while we're fighting?"
"Chief! Say something! This bastard Wiper dares to say such rebellious things, he..."
"Everyone, shut up! Cough, cough, cough!"
The chief let out a low growl, clutching his chest, and coughed heavily a few times.
"Chief!"
Wiper quickly stepped forward to support him.
The chief, however, pushed his hand away, looking at the furious Shandian warriors. "Wiper is right! We should indeed contact the Skypieans and work together to deal with Enel."
"Chief! Even you...!" The Shandian warriors found it difficult to accept.
To ally with an enemy with whom they had fought to the death for four hundred years, no one could easily accept it.
Among the warriors present, whose family hadn't had relatives killed by the Skypieans?
Countless people had died in the four hundred years of war between the two factions.
The grievances between them had long accumulated into an insoluble hatred.
The chief, however, ignored their grievances and continued in a deep voice:
"This battle might be the last battle for us Shandians.
Everyone knows how powerful Enel is; I don't need to say more.
If we don't achieve victory in this battle, then not only will the Shandians face extinction, but we will also completely lose the glory of our ancestors, break our trust, and fail to fulfill the promise of that year.
Enel is our common enemy and the Skypieans' common enemy. At a time like this, only by temporarily allying can we have a chance to defeat that guy.
Once Enel is defeated, and we ring the Golden Bell, informing Noland's descendants in the Blue Sea of the Golden City's existence, then we can resolve our grievances with the Skypieans.
I am old. From now on, Wiper will be the chief of the Shandians.
Warriors willing to fight, risk everything and follow Wiper.
Those unwilling, stay behind and help Brother Ace search for his companions."
After the old chief finished speaking, he gasped weakly a few times. Supported by Laki, he led Ace into the village, leaving behind a large group of silent Shandian warriors.
Suddenly, another white cloud balloon drifted in from the distant sky.
Before the balloon could even come to a stop, a man with wings on his back leaped down from it.
"Kamarie, where have you been?" Wiper asked.
"I saw Enel!" Kamarie said breathlessly and urgently.
"Enel? Where did you see him?"
Hearing the name Enel, all the Shandians looked at Kamarie.
"Over in the White Sea. He was disguised as a Blue Sea person. I don't know what kind of scheme he's planning again.
That ship was very large. If you calculate by normal travel speed, Enel and those Blue Sea people should have just arrived in the forest of the Holy Land now."
Kamarie looked at everyone.
Wiper's eyes narrowed. "Did you see any of his priests on that ship?"
"No, I didn't see a single priest," Kamarie shook his head.
"Excellent! It truly is a heaven-sent opportunity!
Enel is with Blue Sea people, and he doesn't have the Four Priests following him.
And we have Brother Ace on our side. This kind of once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity will probably only happen once.
Kamarie, immediately contact Gan Fall. We must set out at once for the Holy Land.
Before Enel and his Blue Sea guests reach the temple, intercept them and capture them all!"
Wiper said loudly, clenching his fist.
(End of Chapter)
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