CLANG!!!!!
The Lights of Shandora were finally rung. The giant Golden Bell swayed in the air, emitting a deep, clear sound.
The call that had been awaited for over four hundred years was finally delivered to Noland by the Shandia.
Cricket held a cigarette in his mouth, the swirling smoke circling his head. He covered his eyes with one hand, not wanting anyone to see the tears streaming down.
"Noland, did you hear that, you bastard? The Shandia have fulfilled their promise to you!"
The Shandia people frantically rang the Golden Bell, letting the unrestrained sound reverberate through the heavens. Tears of excitement streamed down their tattooed faces.
A wish held for several hundred years was finally fulfilled today!
This tolling of the bell was the "Lights of Shandora," which the ancient city had once prided itself on; it was the "Island's Song," which declared the end of the war; and it was the "Solemn Vow of a Promise," which transcended four hundred years of time and space!
Watching this scene, the smile on Chronos's face grew wider and wider.
As expected, if he had to vote for the best arc in One Piece, he would still cast his vote for the Skypiea arc.
Whitebeard also smiled as he watched. There was nothing more wonderful than fulfilling a promise made to a companion.
Just as everyone was immersed in the moment of the Lights of Shandora, suddenly...
Swoosh!
A strange grinding sound came from the ground, accompanied by terrifying breathing.
The members of the Whitebeard crew all turned their heads in unison. Before their eyes was a gigantic beast.
"ROAR!"
The Lord of the Sky, Nola, let out a great roar. Its long, slender body, covered in scales and long whiskers, twisted excitedly as if dancing to the sound of the Golden Bell.
"Is it not an enemy?" Marco asked, raising his arm, which was wreathed in blue flames.
"It probably isn't," Chronos said.
"According to Noland's records, he killed the wild god of Jaya Island at the time, a giant snake. Then, the great warrior Kalgara killed that giant snake's son.
"From the looks of it, this should be that giant snake's grandson? It's possible its descendant was tamed by the Shandia back then."
The Shandia Chief looked at Chronos in surprise, then added, "That's exactly right. According to the records passed down through generations of Shandia, this giant snake's name is Nola. It was named by the great warrior Kalgara's son-in-law, Sete, to commemorate Noland.
"It grew up listening to the sound of the Golden Bell and was a giant beast the Shandia of that time were preparing to raise.
"It's just a pity that because of the Knock-Up Stream, the Shandia who came to this Skypiea were driven out, and they lost contact with Nola."
"If that's the case..." Marco was astonished. "This giant snake has lived for four hundred years!"
Looking at Cricket, Marco said, "By seniority, shouldn't you call it an ancestor?"
Cricket's body stiffened, and all the Shandia stiffened along with him.
The math wasn't wrong. If it was really raised by Kalgara and the others, then it truly would be an ancestor.
"No," the Chief waved his hand, laughing it off. "After all, that's just a legend. Even for the Lord of the Sky, it couldn't have lived from that time until now, right?"
"ROAR!"
The Lord of the Sky roared angrily, its tail slamming down heavily beside the Chief.
With a boom, the Chief was almost sent flying.
Then, pointing at the Golden Bell and then at itself, the Lord of the Sky indicated that it was, in fact, their ancestor!
The Chief was on the verge of tears. This didn't seem right, did it?
Chronos shrugged and comforted him, "Chief, look on the bright side. With an ancestor like this, you at least don't have to worry about being driven out again."
Four hundred years ago, Nola had not yet fully grown. Now, fully mature, Nola was arguably the strongest creature in this region.
The Shandia blinked, then looked at Nola with fiery gazes.
Nola proudly raised its head, its tail circling around the Shandia people.
"It seems it has accepted you," Chronos said with a smile.
Nola then emphatically nodded toward the Golden Bell.
"The price should be that you have to ring the Golden Bell for it on time."
Nola nodded its head rapidly.
The Shandia looked at each other, then cheered in joyful surprise.
The Whitebeard Pirates would eventually leave. Even if they flew their flag, some reckless fools would still come, and that would mean war again.
With Nola around, the average combat power of the Shandia would increase by a notch!
The banquet quickly resumed. A bonfire was swiftly lit, and the Shandia danced around the flames. A few people even climbed onto Nola's head.
The entire Whitebeard crew joined in. Many of them went into the primeval jungle of Jaya Island and hunted a good deal of game.
Thatch led the Whitebeard Pirates' chefs, offering their culinary skills for the feast.
Whitebeard also waved his hand grandly, having Marco and the others bring over the liquor from the Moby Dick.
Smiles bloomed on everyone's faces. Some danced around the bonfire, while others watched and laughed until tears streamed down their faces.
Wine cups clinked together, the crisp sound causing the clear liquid to slosh.
Whitebeard and the Chief looked at each other and raised their cups in a toast.
After a while, the Chief said to Whitebeard, "Returning to Shandora, bringing Noland's descendant, and helping us find the Lights of Shandora. Friends from the Blue Sea, the Shandia simply don't know how to thank you."
"Gurarara, it was nothing. I just wanted to see what a completely natural Skypiea looked like," Whitebeard said with a casual laugh, clearly very satisfied with this adventure.
"The Shandia will not treat their friends poorly, so there's no need to refuse," the Chief said with a smile.
Looking at the glittering golden city all around them, the Chief said seriously, "Aside from the Lights of Shandora, you can take anything you want from Shandora."
"Pfft!"
Whitebeard spat out a mouthful of liquor, looking at the Chief in disbelief.
"Hey, that's not a funny joke."
"That might be because it's not a joke."
The Chief burst into laughter.
"Friends from the Blue Sea, gold is a useless thing to the Shandia.
"It can't be used to grow food, nor can it be used to forge weapons. It can only be used to make some nice-looking buildings or sculptures. For the land, it's completely worthless.
"So, take as much as you want. Even for the Shandia of four hundred years ago, gold was just a building material. It was just stone.
"It seems only you people from the Blue Sea think gold is valuable."
The Chief spoke earnestly. He wasn't being modest; gold was truly useless to them.
Whitebeard smacked his lips. He looked at the surrounding Shandora and was very tempted, but the Moby Dick couldn't carry it all.
Looking at Chronos, Whitebeard's meaning was clear. He wanted his 'Zhang Liang' to work his magic.
Chronos was currently pondering the absence of a Poneglyph under the Golden Bell.
Evidently, due to the change in the timeline, Joy Boy hadn't put one there.
Hearing Whitebeard's question, Chronos didn't think too much about it, as he already had an answer.
"Pops, let's lend our flag to the Shandia. As for all this gold... let's leave it here for now and just take some of the smaller pieces.
"If we dump it all into the market at once, it will definitely cause the price of gold to fluctuate.
"We're not equipped to handle that. It's best to find a few people who know what they're doing."
The Whitebeard Pirates were deeply rooted in the New World and knew many underworld kingpins. Although Whitebeard himself didn't want to deal with those people, he had to admit that their existence served a purpose.
Since they came for this gold in the first place, and their counterparts were the Shandia, a people who could hold onto a conviction for four hundred years because of a single promise, Chronos felt there was no need to be coy. They should just accept it outright.
Whitebeard thought for a moment and nodded in confirmation. The thought that so much gold was now theirs brought a hearty smile to his face that he couldn't suppress.
"My sons!"
Whitebeard roared, attracting the attention of the entire crew.
"From now on, the Shandia are our allies! We will not allow them to be harassed ever again!"
"OOOHHH!!!"
The entire Whitebeard Pirates crew roared in agreement, laughing heartily. The temperament of the Shandia people was very much to their liking.
The Chief also laughed loudly. The Shandia welcomed any worthy friends.
...
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was dawn the next day.
Cricket had already made his preparations. He would live in Shandora from now on, using his knowledge to help the Shandia live better lives.
Masira and Shojo also chose to stay, and the Shandia welcomed them warmly.
The Whitebeard Pirates felt it was a bit of a pity. They had wanted to recruit Cricket, but they still blessed his choice.
Although the Whitebeard Pirates couldn't take all of Shandora's gold, they still took a considerable amount.
A member of the Whitebeard Pirates, Blamenco, was a Pocket-Pocket Fruit user. He could create pocket dimensions in specific parts of his body to store items, essentially having storage space all over his body.
The Whitebeard Pirates didn't destroy some of the relatively intact golden buildings. Even if they were to be sold, selling them whole would add historical and cultural value!
They only dismantled some of the already damaged golden structures and placed them in Blamenco's pocket dimension.
Chronos also made up a random excuse to throw Marco into Nola's stomach to retrieve all the golden jewelry and other items that Nola had accidentally swallowed while eating.
Although Marco was a hundred times unwilling, upon seeing that there was real gold inside, he grabbed it more enthusiastically than anyone else.
It was just hard on Nola, having to let someone move around freely in its stomach.
Although Nola was very intelligent, for the sake of friendship with the Shandia, Chronos helped Nola become a Homie, strengthening its physique and unlocking the ability to speak. It became a Homie on the level of "Kingbaum."
It consumed more than the giant shrimp, but Chronos felt it was worth it. In any case, soul lifespan and such would definitely not be in short supply in the future.
After a temporary farewell to the Shandia, the Whitebeard Pirates headed for God's Country, which was Angel Island.
Chronos's current target was Bilka, but without a map, he could only ask Gan Fall.
Gan Fall now held the Whitebeard Pirates in high regard. The white whale had just approached when the God Squad invitingly led the Whitebeard crew members onto the island and toward Gan Fall's residence.
Gan Fall's home was very simple. Though he was called "God," his residence was basically the same as anyone else's.
One day was not enough for Gan Fall to implement reforms, but seeing his weary yet extremely excited expression, it was clear he had found a way to change God's Country.
"Young man, thank you so much for that book. I've learned a lot."
As soon as they met, Gan Fall said excitedly. He now finally knew how to create a world where people could live without a god!
"If there's anything I can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask."
Chronos didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "We came here this time not only to find the legendary City of Gold, but also for a Devil Fruit I need. It should be in a town called Bilka. Do you happen to know of it?"
"Bilka?"
Gan Fall murmured the name and nodded. That city was very famous in Skypiea.
"Of course I know it, young man. That place is famous for producing powerful sky warriors, and many interesting things are produced there, like the Waver."
Gan Fall said cheerfully, clearly having a good impression of Bilka.
Chronos wasn't surprised. According to the One Piece cover story—Enel's Great Space Adventure—a lot of information was revealed.
This included the high probability that Skypieans were descendants of moon people, that the moon people's technology was highly advanced, that the moon people came to Earth due to a lack of resources, that the lunar city on the moon shared the same name as Enel's hometown, Bilka, and what appeared to be the forms of the three Ancient Weapons.
Connecting this with the fact that Enel had the blueprints for the Ark Maxim and the legend of the "Endless Vearth."
Bilka was very likely the first Skypiea base established by the moon people after they came to Earth.
"My name is Chronos. Could I trouble you for a map to Bilka?" Chronos asked seriously.
"Of course."
Gan Fall didn't hesitate.
"To show my respect, could I trouble you to stay here for one day? I would like to express my gratitude to you."
"Well, you'll have to ask our Pops about that. He's the captain," Chronos said with a smile.
"Gurarara," Whitebeard let out a loud laugh, making his presence known.
"Do you have good liquor here?"
"The liquor of Skypiea is very sweet," Gan Fall said with a smile.
And so, another banquet was held.
Playing with the Sky Island Dial in his hand, Chronos found himself quite interested in this thing.
This specialty of Skypiea had the ability to store a certain substance and release it again. There were different Dials depending on the substance stored.
Sound Dials, Light Dials, Water Dials, Image Dials, Flavor Dials, Cloud Dials, Wind Dials, Breath Dials, Flame Dials, Heat Dials, Flash Dials, Impact Dials, Reject Dials, Axe Dials...
These various Dials made up the life of the Skypieans, providing all sorts of conveniences.
The existence of the Dials was also magical. Because only their special structure was needed, not the life of the shell itself, they could be used indefinitely as long as the shell itself was not damaged. They were basically semi-permanent.
Since he could stay on Angel Island for a day, Chronos naturally collected all the types of Dials that could be bought on the market.
He even obtained a Reject Dial, which was said to have only existed in ancient Skypiea and was now lost.
However, he didn't find it on Angel Island, but among the Shandia.
After more than four hundred years, the Shandia had long been immersed in Skypiean culture, and Dials had become a part of their daily tools.
Just as the old chief said in the story, their homeland was no longer Shandora, but Skypiea.
Chronos was very interested in this Reject Dial because its track record was truly impressive.
It was used only twice in the entire story. Once to knock down Enel's priest, Shura, and once to knock down Enel himself. If it weren't for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's 'cardiopulmonary resuscitation,' Enel would have gone into shock and died.
Not to mention the importance of a finishing blow, by stacking effects, the power of the Reject Dial was even greater than Luffy's full-power punch filled with conviction at that time.
Because after taking the Reject Dial, Enel went into a state of suspended animation from shock.
After taking a hit from Luffy, Enel was only temporarily dazed and could still fly his ship into the sky. And this was after he had already been hit by the Reject Dial and had been injured from fighting Luffy.
It should be noted that when Enel took the Reject Dial head-on, he was at his peak, completely uninjured.
Considering that the principle of the Reject Dial is to return an attack with ten times the force, as long as one can withstand the recoil, the power of this thing could be even stronger.
Chronos was already getting eager. His first top-tier Homie could be made using this Reject Dial as a raw material.
The Luffy of the Skypiea arc was not weak, having cleared the Crocodile dungeon.
Although Crocodile was in a period of spiritual decline at that time, before going to Skypiea, there was Blackbeard's praise—"I knew that Haki of his wasn't worth just thirty million."
In the lore, Haki is a latent power that everyone in the world of ONE PIECE possesses. This power is innate, similar to "presence" or "aura," existing like an instinct.
It's just that the vast majority of people are unaware of this power, leading them to be unable to use it throughout their lives.
So Luffy had probably already activated his Haki at that time, but he just couldn't use it flexibly yet, much like his Conqueror's Haki.
Incidentally, Luffy was a stat monster from the beginning. He didn't have a significant power-up until Enies Lobby, which means that when Luffy set out to sea, he was already equivalent to a great pirate with a bounty of 100 million.
The power of the Reject Dial might have already surpassed that of a great pirate with a 100 million bounty.
"Skypiea, what a magical place," Chronos sighed, while simultaneously toying with a Devil Fruit with a peculiar pattern.
"Zoan-type, Horse-Horse Fruit."
This was the ability of the future mount of Gan Fall, a Skybreeder named Pierre.
However, it seemed that Pierre had not yet been born, and Gan Fall, having obtained this Devil Fruit by chance, had chosen not to eat it.
Hearing that Chronos was looking for a Devil Fruit, Gan Fall gave him this Horse-Horse Fruit.
This fruit was also very interesting, the best choice for a mount. Even a person could turn into a horse.
Chronos accepted it with a wicked sense of humor.
In return, Chronos had Blamenco take out
several large boxes of soil that they had prepared in advance, enough for Angel Island to open up a patch of farmland.
Under the surprised and delighted gazes of Gan Fall and the surrounding God Squad, Chronos smiled and said:
"In our Blue Sea, soil is not rare. So, would you like to obtain soil that will be one hundred percent your own?"
And just like that, the Whitebeard crew spent another happy day on Angel Island.
Only the final stop remained—Bilka