The Shandians gripped their weapons, eyeing Chrollo's group with intense suspicion. They didn't strike immediately, but the tension was palpable.
Many of the younger warriors were staring at the ground beneath Chrollo's feet, a look of raw, starving hunger in their eyes.
Chrollo caught the look, and the corner of his mouth quirked up almost imperceptibly.
Just as he predicted. These Shandians living on the White Sea were desperate for one thing above all else: the soil beneath his boots.
They called this soil "Vearth"—a gift from God.
Land mass on Skypiea was extremely limited. After being driven out of the City of Gold, the Shandians were forced to live on the clouds. But you can't grow crops on clouds. It wasn't just about the invasion of their homeland; it was about survival. Without soil, they couldn't farm. They were forced to subsist by hunting the dangerous Sky Beasts of the White Sea.
To a Shandian, possessing a piece of solid earth—a place to plant their feet and grow their food—was the ultimate dream.
That was why they launched endless, suicidal wars against Skypiea to reclaim their territory.
After a tense standoff, the front row of warriors parted. A burly man with a fierce expression, a "Burn Bazooka" strapped to his shoulder, and intricate tattoos covering half his face walked slowly toward Chrollo.
"War Demon" Wyper. Leader of the Shandian Guerrillas.
Wyper's face was grim. Then, as if making a snap decision, he raised his right hand high.
"Warriors! Charge the enemy! Reclaim the Vearth!"
Click-clack.
Weapons were cocked and aimed instantly.
"???" Nami immediately shrank behind Chrollo's back. "I thought you said they were going to be our guides to the City of Gold?!"
Chrollo shook his head, looking resigned. In the original story, Wyper had plenty of good qualities, but being reasonable wasn't one of them. The guy was a total hothead. He didn't talk, he didn't negotiate; he just shot first and asked questions never.
Well, Chrollo thought, simple works too. We just have to beat them until they listen.
"FIRE!"
Wyper roared, leveling his weapon and charging straight at Chrollo, clearly identifying him as the leader.
Boom! Boom!
Tongues of fire erupted from the Dials in the Shandians' hands, streaking toward the Troupe. Other warriors leaped high into the air, holding snail-like shells, ready to unleash stored kinetic energy in massive shockwaves.
These were Dials—weapons unique to the Sky Islands.
Up here, seashells were technology. Tone Dials for recording sound, Lamp Dials for light, Vision Dials for video.
But the Shandians favored the combat variants: Heat Dials that released streams of fire, and Impact Dials that absorbed blunt force to release it later.
However, none of it mattered.
Before a single attack could land, Phinks stepped forward with a sneer.
A massive, translucent green barrier materialized instantly, blocking every single flame and shockwave.
Wyper, caught in mid-air, looked stunned. His Impact Dial was inches from Chrollo's face. Through the barrier, he could see the faint, mocking smile on Chrollo's lips.
Then came the counter.
"BARRIER: BULL RUSH!"
A massive force erupted from the barrier, blasting everyone backward like leaves in a hurricane.
Wyper flipped in the air and landed in a crouch, his pupils dilated, his face a mixture of shock and confusion. What the hell just happened?
Chrollo found Wyper's expression amusing. He nodded at Uvogin.
Getting the green light, Uvogin cracked his knuckles, the sound like gunshots. He grinned savagely and walked forward.
"Alive," Chrollo reminded him. "Keep them alive."
---
Three minutes later.
The Shandian warriors were scattered across the ground, groaning in pain, twisted into pretzel shapes. Only Wyper was still conscious, though he was covered in bruises and struggling to stay upright.
And that was with Uvogin holding back—no Haki, no Nen abilities, just brute strength.
Chrollo walked slowly up to Wyper, looking down at him with a mix of pity and amusement. "You can really take a beating, can't you?"
As expected of the man who can tank millions of volts of electricity, Chrollo thought.
"Who... exactly... are you people?" Wyper wheezed.
"And... what is going on with this island..."
Now that he'd lost, Wyper finally remembered how to ask questions.
Chrollo smiled. "Let this be a lesson. Next time, ask questions before you start shooting."
He stepped aside, revealing Cricket standing behind him. "Take a look. Do you know who this is?"
Wyper's eyes slowly widened. He looked at the man before him—the pale skin, the ridiculous chestnut-shaped hair... and that inexplicable, overwhelming sense of familiarity.
"The Mont Blanc family?"
Cricket was staring back at Wyper with equal intensity. The Shandian heritage, the familiar tattoos, that impulsive, fiery temper—it was exactly how his ancestor's logbook described them. Cricket's eyes went wide.
"The Great Warrior of Shandia?"
"You are the descendant of Mont Blanc Noland?"
"You are the descendant of the Great Warrior Calgara?"
They spoke in unison.
Then, they both froze.
It was a reunion 400 years in the making. The promise made between two men centuries ago was finally being fulfilled by their descendants. High above the clouds, it felt as if the spirits of Noland and Calgara were watching, smiling and nodding at each other once more.
The two men embraced, weeping tears of joy.
No words were needed. Their bloodlines were proof enough.
---
A long time later, after emotions had settled.
"The City of Gold... it really exists," Cricket sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "My ancestor... he wasn't a liar!"
"Of course he wasn't!" Wyper nodded vigorously.
By now, the rest of the Shandians had come onto the island. They were holding an impromptu banquet on the soil they hadn't touched in generations, singing and dancing with Bonney, Uvogin, and the rest of the Troupe.
Cricket and Wyper clinked their mugs together, downed their drinks, and let out satisfied belches.
"How did you find your way up here?" Wyper asked, his eyes hazy with drink.
"I have Mr. Chrollo to thank for that," Cricket said, gesturing toward Chrollo, who was sitting nearby, engrossed in a book.
"He made the entire island of Jaya fly into the sky and merge it with the Sky Island. He solved the riddle that plagued me for years!"
"It turns out... the Sky Island was originally part of Jaya. The Knock Up Stream split them apart, which led to my ancestor suffering 400 years of injustice."
"It's all in the past now," Wyper said, patting him on the shoulder.
He looked over at Chrollo with awe. "To make an entire island fly... that kind of power... it's no different from a 'God'."
"Wait... God!"
Wyper suddenly realized something, his eyes snapping open. "Maybe... maybe this man can stand up to him! The God of Skypiea who holds us all in despair!"
He turned to Cricket urgently. "Cricket, what are your plans now that you're here?"
Cricket looked him in the eye, and they spoke at the exact same time:
"I plan to ring the Golden Bell and comfort the souls of our ancestors!"
"But right now," Wyper's face darkened with anger, "the City of Gold is occupied by a man who calls himself 'God' and his army of priests! We can't even get close to Upper Yard!"
"We are organizing a guerrilla strike on Upper Yard to take it back. Will you help me?"
Cricket nodded firmly. Before he could speak, Chrollo's voice cut in.
"Not just him. We will help you too."
Chrollo stood up slowly, closed his book, and walked over to the two men. He extended a hand, his expression calm and confident.
"I will go into the Sky Island with you. We will hunt down Enel, and we will help you reclaim the City of Gold."
The three men clasped hands firmly.
The corner of Chrollo's mouth lifted into a sharp smile.
Everything was proceeding exactly as planned. Wyper and the Shandians would lead them to Enel, to the gold, and to the Poneglyph.
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit. The reputation gained from "Liberating Skypiea." The massive reputation boost from solving the soil crisis. Chrollo was going to take it all.
I hope the [Thief's Point Shop] refreshes with something good tomorrow, Chrollo thought.
Because with the reputation I'm about to farm... I'll have points to burn.