"Commodore Hawke, I love you!!!"
A deafening shout erupted from the crowd, loud enough to make one's eardrums ring.
Hawke instinctively turned toward the source of the voice.
Which Skypiea beauty has such great taste?
However…
The one yelling was a burly Skypiean man with a round face and a thick beard, trembling all over with excitement.
"…"
"Damn!"
Hawke fell silent instantly.
He respected everyone's preferences.
But this… was definitely not his cup of tea.
"Haaah—"
Taking a deep breath, he forcibly smoothed the twitching muscles at the corner of his mouth.
That was terrifying!
Just then, the giant battleship finally docked completely.
"Commodore Hawke!"
Gan Fall and the Shandian Chief — the two current highest leaders of Skypiea — quickly strode forward to greet him.
"What's going on here?"
Hawke pointed toward the dock, where the crowd was on the verge of boiling over.
Gan Fall explained, "After you left, we announced the news you brought — about peace and autonomy — to all the residents of Skypiea."
"E-Everyone became far too excited."
"They've voluntarily taken out the best things from their homes, wanting to offer them as gifts to you."
"…"
Hawke said nothing and led everyone down the gangway.
But the moment he set foot on Angel Island's main square, even he couldn't help but have his pupils contract slightly.
The sight before him… could no longer be described with just the word "plenty."
It was a literal mountain, formed entirely from "gifts."
Cloud pumpkins and sky tomatoes — Skypiea's specialties — were stacked together in vibrant, dazzling piles.
Countless oak barrels were neatly lined up, filled with Skypiea's unique brews. A rich, intoxicating aroma of alcohol drifted through the air, enough to make anyone dizzy with just a whiff.
Further away, there were thousands upon thousands of various kinds of "Dials."
Impact Dials, Heat Dials, Breath Dials, Flash Dials…
And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Rare cloud plants, exquisite cloud-carved crafts, and even specimens of rare sky fish…
The entire square had transformed into a colossal open-air treasure vault.
The group behind Hawke was once again left utterly shocked.
"Whoa…"
Sanji's cigarette slipped right out of his mouth and fell to the ground. Looking at the unique Skypiea ingredients, he felt his chef's soul burning fiercely.
Angel shrimp!
Cloud kelp!
Sky bream!
My god! These are all legendary ingredients!
ALL BLUE!
I'm seeing a piece of the ALL BLUE right here!
"Gulp…"
Zoro subconsciously swallowed hard. The intoxicating aroma of alcohol in the air was so rich and dense that it felt like an invisible hand tugging at his very soul.
His gaze locked firmly onto the rows of oak barrels, his eyes burning with unprecedented desire.
That scent… That has to be aged liquor!
Smoker and Hina exchanged glances, each seeing disbelief mirrored in the other's eyes.
Did the people of Skypiea… empty out their entire wealth for this?
"…"
Smoker's expression grew complicated.
This Hawke… He's not just monstrously strong, but also ridiculously good at winning hearts.
Power, wealth, generosity…
He seems to master them all.
What kind of brain does this guy even have?!
"Hawke-san…"
Hibari tugged at the hem of Hawke's coat and whispered softly,
"With all these things… we can't possibly fit them all, right?"
"Yeah, there's no way we can," Hawke nodded.
The giant battleship's holds were already stuffed full of gold — there was simply no way to take everything.
Besides, most of these were the most precious possessions of the Skypieans, accumulated over many years.
He couldn't just take it all.
However…
Hawke's gaze fell upon the massive "hill" formed entirely of Dials.
Those… he could take.
He couldn't reject their heartfelt gifts, but he also had to make choices based on necessity.
In that instant, Hawke made his decision.
He stepped forward into the center of the square, his voice amplified by manipulating the airflow so that it reached every corner.
"Everyone!"
Immediately, the noisy square fell silent.
All eyes turned toward Hawke, filled with reverence and anticipation.
"I've received your heartfelt intentions."
Hawke gave a slight bow, showing his respect to everyone.
"Thank you, truly."
"Your passion shines even brighter than the gold of Shandora."
"Uooooooohhhhhh!!!"
The moment Hawke's recognition sank in, the crowd erupted into ecstatic cheers.
"Commodore Hawke acknowledged us!"
"This is amazing! Our feelings reached him!"
Hawke raised his hand and pressed downward slightly, and the roaring cheers gradually subsided.
"However."
His tone shifted.
"Many of the things here are treasures you've inherited and accumulated over generations."
"They are priceless, far beyond any monetary value."
"I cannot take them."
A wave of unrest rippled through the crowd, and many faces showed anxiety and disappointment.
"But Commodore-sama, this is a token of our gratitude!"
"That's right! If you don't accept it, we'll feel uneasy!"
"…"
Hawke's voice rose once more, resolute and commanding.
"Your passion is something I must respond to!"
He pointed toward the towering pile of Dials.
"These Dials are excellent weapons, tools to protect your homeland, and instruments to uphold justice!"
"Therefore, on behalf of the Marines, I will accept all of the Dials!"
Hawke bowed deeply once again, then raised his head with a gentle smile.
"As for the rest of the gifts…"
"I will take some, as mementos of this journey to Skypiea."
"The rest, please take back home."
"Your happy lives are the greatest reward you can give to me — and to the Marines!"
When his words ended, the square fell into momentary silence.
Then, an earth-shattering roar of cheers exploded, even louder than before!
"Long live Commodore Hawke!"
"Long live the Marines!"
They finally understood Hawke's intent.
This Marine Commodore who brought them peace wasn't just a powerful man with overwhelming strength; he was also a compassionate leader.
He accepted weapons to enforce justice.
He left their treasures to preserve their livelihoods.
Their heartfelt gratitude was enough — they didn't need to sacrifice their future.
As long as they lived happily and peacefully, that would be the greatest form of support and repayment to Hawke and the Marines.
Realizing this, the reverence in the Skypieans' eyes became purer and even more fervent.
"…"
Hawke smiled faintly and nodded before turning to Zoro and the others.
"Go pick out a few things you like."
"Consider it an extra reward for this mission."
"Yeeeeeeahhhhhh!"
"Hawke-san, then I won't hold back!"
Sanji was the first to bolt forward, heading straight for the rare Skypiean ingredients with laser-like focus.
While picking out items, he muttered nonstop under his breath.
"The sweetness of these sky radishes… the crispness of these cloud lettuces… With ingredients like these, I can completely revamp my menu!"
"Next dish — 'Supreme Skypiea Surf & Turf Grand Feast'! Decided!"
"Hahaha—!"
Zoro, on the other hand, walked straight toward the mountain of barrels.
He crouched down, leaned close to the cracks between the staves, and inhaled deeply.
"Haaah—"
A complex aroma — fruitiness, woodiness, and decades of aging — surged into his nose all at once.
"This is it!"
A satisfied grin spread across Zoro's face.
He straightened up and, without another word, hoisted an enormous oak barrel onto his shoulder.
This would be enough for a proper drinking session.
The rest of the crew dispersed, cheering and laughing as they browsed the treasures, filling the square with a lively and joyous atmosphere.
"…"
Hawke watched with quiet satisfaction.
Loyalty and strength must be nurtured with victories — and rewards.
Just then, Hibari came skipping over like a little bird, her steps light and quick.
She ran up to Hawke, holding something up like a prized offering, her little face glowing with excitement.
"Hawke-san, look! I found this in the fruit pile!"
"This… This is…"
"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit?!"
...
This chapter was published for your Powerstones. Before resetting the Powerstones, the fanfic had 150. Thank you for that. I will probably publish another chapter for every 50 stones.