"..."
Hawke stood facing Gan Fall and the Chief.
His gaze swept across the two elderly men who represented all the people of Skypiea, then shifted to the crowd behind them — countless faces filled with confusion, fear, and hope.
Ruling over this sky?
He had never once considered ruling Skypiea.
Gan Fall was a true leader, one who genuinely loved his people.
The Chief was also a capable and respected leader.
In the original story, the two of them governed Skypiea together, and that was already the best outcome.
His priority right now was to clean up Paradise.
Then, ensure that the Summit War one year from now would take place as planned.
Starting with Whitebeard, he would send each of the Yonko straight to hell.
Only after he gained absolute strength would he consider how to rebuild the world's order.
For now, he only needed to take away the sleeping golden city.
"..."
Hawke waved his hand lightly, signaling the two elders not to be so tense.
He jerked his chin toward a quieter spot nearby.
"Let's talk over there."
Gan Fall and the Chief exchanged a glance, suppressing their unease, then followed him.
The three of them walked to a secluded corner.
Hawke got straight to the point: "I am a Marine officer. My duty is to uphold justice and maintain order."
"I have no intention of interfering with how you govern this land and its people."
"In other words, I will grant you the right to self-governance."
"...!"
Gan Fall and the Chief froze at the same time, disbelief flashing in their eyes.
This powerful Marine Commodore… wasn't here to enslave them? He was giving the power back to them instead?
"I only have one condition."
Hawke's tone shifted.
"From today onward, the conflict between the Skypieans and the Shandians ends here."
"The hatred caused by land disputes must stop. I don't want to see any more unnecessary casualties."
A look of genuine admiration appeared on Gan Fall's aged face.
He nodded solemnly. "You have my word, Commodore. Peace has always been our greatest wish."
The Chief was silent for a moment, then spoke in a deep voice.
"The Shandians will honor your will."
"Good."
Hawke was satisfied with their response and continued,
"However, Marine protection does not come without cost. In exchange—"
"I will take all the gold from Skypiea."
At the mention of "gold," the Chief's body trembled slightly.
That was the sacred treasure guarded by generations of Shandians — the pride and glory of their ancestors.
But…
He glanced at Gan Fall, then thought of his people, who had suffered endlessly over the years.
Compared to peace, freedom, and their future… what was gold worth?
He gave a slight nod, expressing his agreement.
"Good. I'll start by transporting enough gold to fill a Marine battleship."
Hawke reached into his coat and pulled out two small Den Den Mushi, handing them over.
"These are my contact lines."
"If any new external threat arises that endangers the peace of Skypiea, reach out to me immediately."
"..."
The two elders accepted the Den Den Mushi and exchanged glances. In each other's eyes, they saw the same sense of relief.
Trading gold that no longer needed to be guarded… for long-lasting peace and the Marines' protection.
It was the best outcome they could have hoped for.
"Thank you very much, Commodore Hawke ," they said in unison.
"..."
Hawke nodded and patted their shoulders, saying nothing more.
Then, he turned around, leading his Marines toward the direction of the golden city.
...
Elsewhere.
Gan Fall and the Chief returned to the gathered crowd.
"..."
All the Skypieans and Shandians stared at them, nervous and tense.
That brief conversation would determine the fate of them all.
Gan Fall cleared his throat and announced Hawke's decision.
"Starting today, Skypiea will establish a Joint Autonomous Government, co-led by me and the Chief of the Shandians!"
"The grudges of the past end here. From this day forward, we will live together on this land and rebuild our home!"
The Chief then addressed his own people.
"Commodore Hawke will forever be our friend and protector!"
"He will not enslave us — he will protect us!"
"From today onward, there are no more gods in this sky!"
"Only freedom!"
"..."
After a brief silence came an eruption of joy.
Six years of fear.
Centuries of hatred.
All of it — shattered completely by Commodore Hawke, in the simplest, most decisive way.
The crowd cheered and embraced one another, tossing each other into the air.
Again and again, they chanted the name of the man who had granted them freedom and a new life.
"Commodore Hawke!"
"It's Commodore Hawke who brought us peace!"
"The sky… is free at last!"
Among the crowd, the owner of a shell shop was hoisted high by his son, waving his arms and laughing like a child.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning struck through his mind.
He slapped his son's shoulder, signaling to put him down.
"I just remembered!"
His eyes widened like copper bells, his breath quickening.
"Commodore Hawke… Commodore Hawke… he asked me about shell prices earlier!"
Commodore Hawke… likes Skypiea shells!!!
The thought exploded in his mind, wrapping around his heart like wild vines.
"Stop crying, everyone!"
He spun toward his wife and children, who were still wiping their tears, and barked out loudly.
"Quick! Back to the shop! Take every single shell off the shelves!"
"And the ones in storage too! Yes! Not a single one left behind!"
"I'm going to offer all of them to Commodore Hawke!"
"..."
In the midst of the cheering crowd, a familiar neighbor overheard and walked over, puzzled.
"Hey, old friend, what are you doing?"
The shopkeeper puffed out his chest.
"Commodore Hawke likes shells! He asked me the price himself!"
"I'm giving him all of mine!"
"This is our way, as Skypieans, to show our respect for a hero!"
"What? Really?!"
"Would I lie to you—"
The neighbor didn't even let him finish before sprinting home to grab his shells.
Soon, the news spread like wildfire.
"Hey! Did you hear? Commodore Hawke, the great hero of Skypiea, loves shells!"
"..."
"Heavens! Then I'll—"
Fueled by the crowd's overwhelming excitement and gratitude, the rumor evolved wildly into absurdity.
"Breaking news! Commodore Hawke doesn't just like shells!"
"He also loves Skypiea's dried cloud fish!"
"And Skypiea's whiskey!"
"I heard from my cousin's neighbor that Commodore Hawke loves all of Skypiea's specialties! He adores this sky!"
"Boom—!"
The entire population went completely mad.
"The hero saved our home! What can we do in return?"
"Give! We must give!"
A farmer who grew Skypiea pumpkins bolted toward his fields.
"Commodore Hawke's definitely never tasted Skypiea cloud pumpkins! I'm giving him my best harvest!"
"My cloud cotton cloth is soft and breathable — you can't find this in the Blue Sea!"
"Come on! Home! Get out my thirty-year-old sky vintage!"
"And me! My angel cakes are the best!"
Everyone — Skypieans and Shandians alike — surged toward their homes.
They were ready to bring out their most precious, most prized belongings… all to present them to the man who had given them freedom and peace.
Gan Fall and the Chief stood side by side, smiling as they watched the chaotic yet heartwarming scene unfold.
"Hehehe…"
"These lovely children."
"They're just expressing their gratitude, that's all."
The Chief paused, glancing at the plaza, which was already being buried under mountains of Skypiea specialties, and added,
"We're simply going along with the people's will. There's nothing wrong with that, right?"
"Of course not."
Gan Fall's smile widened.
"It's just that…"
"With how full this plaza is getting, I just hope Commodore Hawke doesn't get scared when he comes to collect the gold later."
"Hahahaha!"