The Straw Hats and their companions were currently trying to figure out what to do to stop Enel's plan.
"How are we supposed to stop Enel when he possesses theRumble-Rumble Fruit?" Raki wondered.
"Now there's a Devil Fruit I never imagined we'd encounter. It's kinda infamous among those who know of Devil Fruits." Draco said. "Among the Logia types, it's considered invincible. Almost no other Logia element is immune to it...except for my Disaster-Disaster Fruitsince lightning is an element associated with it."
Kong chuckled. "Not to mention myCloud-Cloud Fruit."
"Luffy might be the only other fighter we have who can damage Enel normally," Sonson noted.
"Oh, right! TheGum-Gum Fruit!" Nami realized. "Rubber is great for insulating electricity!"
"I believe Ed could also make himself immune." Double-D hypothesized. "There are many types of earthen material that can insulate electricity as well.
"What is this rubber?" Gan Fall asked, the rest of the sky folk sharing his confusion.
The crew looked at the sky folk in surprise.
"You guys don't have rubber up here?" Vivi asked.
Heart chuckled. "Oh, Enel is in for a big surprise."
"Look, we don't need your help to kill Enel. You noticed earlier that my skate waver is made from Sea Prism Stone? All I need is to hit Enel with it briefly, then use the Reject Dial. It should stop his heart outright." Wyper said.
"And then he'll just restart it with his Devil Fruit," Chopper pointed out. "Don't you know the human body is powered by an electrical system? Did you think every autonomous body part functions on its own?"
Wyper was stunned when he heard this.
"Science is a cruel mistress, my friend," Double-D said sympathetically.
"It seems there are some ways in which the sky world is more advanced, but other ways in which it is far behind. Medical knowledge and certain substances are unknown up here." Robin said.
"It's not that we don't have medical knowledge, we know how to treat illnesses or injuries, for example. But it seems we're not entirely well-versed in the functions of the body." Conis said.
Wyper had never felt more frustrated.
"I have to try something! This isn't just about getting back our homeland for me, I'm also a descendant of the Great Warrior Calgara. The chief told me something important, about why we must relight the fire of Shandora. For his friend to come home."
"After 400 years, I'm sure that friend is long dead," Sanji pointed out.
"But just for the sake of argument, who was that friend?" Gin asked.
"His name was Montblanc Noland."
The Straw Hats were stunned. Carue, who was taking a drink from one of their water canteens, did a spit take.
"What a plot twist!" Calvin said.
-OP-
With no time to lose, Aisa directed the Four Great Captains as well as Kong to where Enel was, while the others hurried to help with the evacuation. Enel spotted the siblings and his old nemesis as they ran toward the Maxim. The priests were ready to fight, but Enel held them back.
"It's already clear you're no match for them. I'll deal with the Straw Hats as well as the ape. Then we'll see about convincing the others to join us."
Kong laughed. "Ookookookookoo! Nice try, Enel! But these kids aren't going to be swayed to your side so easily! They have their own dreams to accomplish!"
Enel scoffed and fired a powerful electrical shock at Luffy, who smirked as she simply stood still and took the full force of the blast, which did nothing as Enel looked stunned.
"But how...?" Shaking his head, Enel charged up his power."100,000,000 VOLT VARI!"
Everyone shielded their eyes as Luffy was engulfed by the full blast. When the light cleared, the Straw Hat girl was completely unscathed as she smirked at Enel.
"Go ahead...MAKE MY DAY!"
The reaction Enel made was one for the ages; his eyes bugged out widely, and his jaw dropped to comical proportions.
"Ukikikikikiki!" Sonson cackled, nearly falling over herself in laughter.
"Parleyleyleyleyleyley!" Ben guffawed as Draco quickly snapped a pic with a Vision Dial.
"Masasasasasasa!" The Son of Whitebeard chortled. "That's getting framed on our ships."
"Looks like you've finally met your one true match, Enel!" Kong grinned.
Enel, still shaken, tried to calm himself.
'It doesn't matter. Physical attacks don't work against…'
Luffy then drove her foot into Enel's stomach. The priests were gobsmacked as Enel coughed up blood and spit.
"SKULL CRACKER!"Ben shouted, hardening his skull with the Bone-Bone Fruit to slam into Enel's face, busting his nose and knocking out a few teeth.
"And he's down!" Sonson cheered.
Enel grunted as he got up and leaped back to clear some distance.
"I knew the ape's power over the clouds could aid him in resisting my Devil Fruit, but you, Straw Hat, are an enigma... Just what ARE you?"
Luffy grinned. "My name is Monkey D. Luffy and I'm a Rubber Girl!"
"Bet you never heard of rubber, eh?" Kong smirked. "Well, it's a shame I didn't bring any with me to our last battle!"
Enel narrowed his eyes and prepared to read the group's movements, only for his eyes to snap open in disbelief when he got nothing but white noise.
"Your Mantra, orObservation Haki, is no good either. We know how to counter it. It's something pretty common in the region I was born in." Draco said before hunching over."HYDRA OF BRIMSTONE!"
Enel put his guard up as a hydra head of ash and brimstone erupted from Draco's back, surrounding the so-called God and making it impossible to make an accurate prediction.
"Surprise!" Sonson laughed as she zipped in and kicked Enel upside the head, making him snarl and try to strike her with bolts of electricity, but when they hit her, she just disappeared into a puff of smoke, revealing it to be just a clone.
"Nope!"
Enel stabbed at where her voice came.
"Not me!"
He swung his staff upwards.
"Nuh-huh!"
He then stabbed the ground.
"Wrong again!"
"KARI KRASH!"
At his wits' end, Enel emitted a bright flash of lightning from his body that superheated the air, making it expand at the speed of sound and create a thunderclap, dispersing the ash hydra.
"Nice move, but you're still not winning this!" Ben grinned as he jumped in."RIB SWORD!"
Forming two ribs from his body that he pulled out and formed into curved blades, Ben clashed with Enel as he formed a blade of lightning to fight back.
"You know, bones are good at insulating too, mate! Why do you think people's skeletons are still intact even when they get torched by lightning?"
"All of you have impressive control of your Devil Fruits," Enel noted. "Speaking from experience, Logias tend to be the hardest to control, befitting their immense power."
"It's why I was the best opponent you had six years ago!" Kong said as he rushed forward while boosting on clouds from his legs."CLOUD COMPRESS!"
Turning his fist into a cloud and compressing it withArmament Haki, Kong threw a punch at Enel's face, only for him to disappear in a flash of lightning, confusing the group before Luffy sensed him.
"He's moving through the gold!"
The five quickly jumped out of the way as Enel used his lightning to melt the gold from the Maxim in an effort to strike them with something other than electricity.
"You certainly have great skill. Why not join me? I could use powerful allies on my trip to the Endless Vearth."
"What's that?" Luffy asked in confusion.
"It's a verdant paradise. A grand region where vearth can be found in abundance."
"So that's why you plan to drop Skypiea?" Kong asked, "Just to ride it and explore the Blue Sea?"
Enel looked confused for a moment before furrowing his brow in annoyance.
"No, you moronic ape! The Endless Vearth is up! In the sky!" He snapped. "Tell me something. Why does this island exist? It's not a bird, yet it flies in the clouds. Does that not seem unnatural to you?"
"No more than humans gaining superpowers from fruits, or dinosaurs still existing. Or creatures that are half-man, half-sea creature." Draco retorted.
"Are you really just sinking this island because you think it's unnatural?" Luffy asked angrily. "That's stupid! No real God would think like that!"
"I'm merely doing what's natural for a God." Enel argued. "To ascend beyond the sky, to that Endless Vearth which can be seen in the night's embrace."
"The moon?" Sonson asked as she looked up at the sky. "But the moon is just a big ball of rock in outer space!"
"Not to mention every religion I've heard of makes mention of gods as being beyond reality. Ergo, they wouldn't live on the moon." Draco said.
"It's like I've always told you, Enel; you're not a God. You can bleed, you can be flustered, you eat, sleep, and have worldly desires." Kong sneered at his nemesis. "It's possible to disrupt your Mantra and negate your Devil Fruit. I'll grant you have power mimicking a god, but in the end, you're just a man...and a delusional one at that!"
Enel gritted his teeth at the words denying his godhood. It was the same as when he and Kong fought six years ago, the Ape Mink denouncing his godhood to his face with a smile on his face.
"Then let me show you how godlike I can be!" He shouted as he leapt into the main device of the Maxim and started charging up."200,000,000 VOLT VARI MAX!"
The Maxim started to rise, causing the cavern to shake as the five pirates stood their ground.
"It's going to get caught on the ceiling!" Draco realized. "And once it breaks through..."
As the Maxim started to break through the cavern ceiling, it emitted black clouds from its stack.
"This is the end of the world!" Enel declared. "I'm sure even you Blue Sea people can realize just what these black clouds are."
"As a Cloud Man myself, I sure can," Kong grunted. "Thunderclouds...so THAT'S your endgame plan."
"You bastard! You're going to channel your Devil Fruit's power through the clouds to destroy this whole area!" Luffy realized.
"Precisely. This is theDeathpiea, created with my energy." Enel said. "But first, I think I'll deal with you five!"
Rushing forward, Enel struck forward with his golden staff, only for Luffy, Draco, Ben, and Sonson to relax their bodies withKami-eand fluidly dodge his strikes, shocking both him and Kong.
"You brats knowRokushiki?!" Kong asked in surprise before grinning. "Now I know I made the right choice joining your crew!"
"How's about we show this so-called God what a real beast can do?!" Draco grinned as he transformed into his Hybrid Gojira Form."KAIJU KING'S ROAR!"
Enel covered his ears in pain as Draco released a loud bestial roar that disoriented him, allowing Luffy to go next along with Ben.
"RIB CAGE!"
"GUM-GUM FIREWORKS!"
Ben projected multiple giant rib bones that surrounded Enel in a prison-like formation, after which Luffy randomly struck each of them to bounce her fists every which way, flustering Enel to the point he couldn't dodge the attacks that hit him.
Kong phased through the bone cage with his cloud body before forming a large staff with Iron Clouds, Sonson leaping in to join him.
"100 DEMON THRUST!"
"EISEN STAFF!"
Enel was struck by a rapid barrage of staff thrusts from Sonson's Ruyi Jingu Bang, followed by being struck across the face hard by Kong's Iron Cloud staff.
"Damn it all... I can't let the destruction of my homeland be for nothing!" The so-called God cursed. "When I first ate theRumble-Rumble Fruit, its activation destroyed my home of Birka. I was at the epicenter of that yet survived. How does that not qualify me for godhood!?"
"It's only natural that the user of a Devil Fruit be immune to their own power. Things like Divine Judgment or whatever have nothing to do with that." Luffy retorted sharply.
"Plus, it's actually common to not have full control over your Devil Fruit when you first eat it. I remember Luffy's body was like taffy for a few weeks after she ate theGum-Gum Fruit, completely out of her control any time she tried to use it." Draco said. "And don't even get me started on me handling things with my Devil Fruits! Pops had to keep me on an island to make sure I got all three of my powers under control!"
"I had that same problem, mate. I couldn't enjoy me mum's cooking without tasting blood and bone for a good week." Ben winced.
"So wait, you really destroyed your own home with your powers?" Sonson asked.
"Not on purpose! I revere my home. It was there that I learned the legend of the Endless Vearth." Enel clarified. "The island where I grew up is said to be named for a fantastic city in that realm. When my powers went out of control and I wound up destroying Birka, I mourned, but knew it had to be a sign that I should seek the Endless Vearth for myself. So I gathered the survivors and together we set off for Upper Yard, to claim the throne of God as the first step."
Kong sighed. "I pity your circumstances, Enel...but you have caused countless people to suffer under your rule, and now you intend to wipe them all out just so you alone can find happiness? That is something that I cannot allow!"
Enel scowled. "I will not allow you blasphemous upstarts and an old monkey, to say everything I've done is meaningless!GLOAM PADDLING!"
Enel placed his hands on the gold from the ship and, using his lightning powers, heated, melted, and reshaped it to try to trap the five. Draco was locked in a gold ball, Luffy's arms trapped in another, while Ben found his neck and arms shackled by gold chains, and Sonson was crushed under a gold weight.
"You forgot me, Enel!" Kong snapped.
"That's because I want this to be a true final battle between us!" The so-called God said. "No obstructions...just one final fight as I cast true final judgment on you!"
Kong smirked. "Sorry, Enel, but pirates don't play by your rules...and you should have double-checked how you trapped those kids."
"THERMONUCLEAR PULSE!"
Unleashing the full power of his atomic energy in his Gojira Form, Draco unleashed it in a massive pulse that melted the gold around him to free himself. Sonson then lifted the gold weight with just one shoulder using her natural Zoan Devil Fruit-imbued strength, followed by Ben turning into his Full Beast Form, shapeshifting into a cloud of bats that freed themselves from the shackles.
As for Luffy, she just grinned as she stretched her arms and performed herGum-Gum Rifletechnique, but using the gold ball on her arms to her advantage.
"GUM-GUM GOLD RIFLE!"
Enel did another comical wild take, which was soon cut short by Luffy slamming her fist into his face. Draco then came over and used theAlchemy-Alchemy Fruitto transmute the gold ball on his sister's arms into butterflies, which fluttered away harmlessly.
"There is one thing I'll say: Logia type Devil Fruits? They do kinda make us avatars of gods. Most Logia users even mistake themselves as invincible gods at first, until something comes along that counters their element." Kong smirked.
Draco nodded. "I was trained from a young age to never fall into this trap. Especially because my siblings and I are seeking the One Piece. The New World is not kind to Logia users. After all, there exists a power that can easily overwhelm any Logia user."
Whether he realized it or not? Draco's words reminded Kong of the man he respected more than any other: Gol D. Roger himself.
To hear that four youth, who were not even born when Roger had gone to Laugh Tale, speak of such a dream with such determination in their voice? It filled the Ape-Mink with great joy.
As Enel tried to recover, he felt a jostling, then felt the Maxim start to descend as the dark clouds stopped being produced.
"What's going on?"
He quickly teleported to the ark's interior, where the priests were scrambling to check the machines inside.
"Enel, good timing! The volcano man's ash has clogged the system!" Ohm said. "The electrical currents are completely disrupted! Even the Jet Dials from our homeland are getting clogged!"
"Damn! The fight dragged on so much that I didn't think to realize what all that damage would do to the ship. We can't reach the Endless Vearth at this rate, and we won't be in a position to destroy anything."
"WE'RE NOT DONE, ENEL!" Kong roared as he crashed in, having phased himself through into the ark's interior as well, Draco transmuting a hole in the ark to join him. "It's time to end this once and for all!"
-OP-
Meanwhile, the rest of the group was organizing the evacuation. Skypieans and Shandians were both being taken to safety away from Angel Island and Upper Yard. Gan Fall raced through the streets in his Full Beast Form.
"Make sure every street and house is inspected! Only take what you can carry! Prioritize lives first, food, and Dials second! Everything else is expendable!"
The Skypieans were amazed to see their former ruler in his new form, but it didn't slow down the evacuation efforts.
Wyper was flying up Giant Jack with his skate wavers.
"Everything that woman Robin researched leads me to believe the Golden Bell of Shandora must be near the top of Giant Jack. If I can just ring it once, it should help my ancestor Calgara reunite with Noland."
He then noticed Nami, Hilda, Heart, and Robin were riding up as well, with Gottfried riding on Hilda's shoulder.
"We're broadcasting this event to the world. Noland has a descendant in the Blue Sea named Cricket. We promised him proof that the City of Gold exists, and this is gonna be our proof!" Gottfried said.
Wyper smiled and nodded. "Alright then. Let's go ring that bell! It's time to finally relight the fire of Shandora!"
The six climbed higher and higher, and soon they found what they were looking for right on the peak of Giant Jack. Smiling, Wyper leapt up and smacked the bell as hard as he could with a flying kick. The force was enough to cause the bell to ring loud and clear.
"PEOPLE OF THE WORLD! CAN YOU HEAR THIS RINGING IN YOUR EARS?! I KNOW IT MIGHT SOUND GRATING BUT IT'S IMPORTANT!" Gottfried cried out. "FOR 400 YEARS, MONTBLANC NOLAND WAS FALSELY ACCUSED AS A LIAR! BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT THE CITY OF GOLD...WAS IN THE SKY!"
-OP-
The people of Lvneel, where Noland was born, were stunned at the ringing coming through their Transponder Snails. The current king was surprised before becoming saddened.
"So I was right... My ancestor was the real fool this whole time. For 400 years, we have been encouraged to maintain the facade of Noland the Liar. No more. This proves beyond all doubt what Noland truly was."
-OP-
Somewhere, far beyond mortal travel, a king, long dead, heard the ringing of the bells.
Aruyutayan V; the man who had decried Nolan as a liar when he failed to prove the Golden Bell existed and had him executed, then made him the subject of mockery in a children's book. Hearing these bells, though? Even if it had been centuries since he died? Aruyutayan somehow knew, deep within his soul: These were the bells he had passed off as fiction.
"Rocks hated your kind the most." Grimm D, Reaper said as he suddenly appeared behind the king. "Those who only see with their minds and greeds, never their hearts. But enough about that!"
Grimm then summoned two sickles and grinned viciously.
"What's your favorite body part?"
That the king was already dead did nothing to lessen the pain or fear that was coming.
-OP-
In the Tontatta Kingdom, the dwarves were cheering as they heard the bell ringing loud and clear.
"Our hero has been vindicated! Three cheers for the Straw Hat Pirates! Three cheers for the City of Gold! And three cheers for the mighty Montblanc Noland!"
-OP-
Over in Mock Town, Bellamy could not believe what he was hearing.
"They did it... They freaking did it..."
A choked sob escaped the once proud pirate as he fell to his feet: Still mourning the destruction of his crew and the murder of his friends, hearing the broadcast shattered what little hope Bellamy had of the 'uselessness of dreams.' It all but confirmed to him what he had been reeling from for the past few days:
He was NEVER a proper pirate. He and his crew were nothing special. And dreamers were the ones who shook up and changed the world; hell, the fact they never struck first proved their strength and will.
"'Does the Sky-island exist or not?'" Bellamy's idol, Doflamingo had asked him the previous night. "'Is One Piece real or not?' The truth doesn't really matter, does it? You're supposed to play the sides against each other and take the spoils of the survivors. That what I taught you, right? You've let me down, Bellamy. Made a mockery of my Jolly Roger and I've got zero use for people who do that…"
He raised a hand and Bellamy readied for pain; either by his own body being forced to move or something striking him….only for the Warlord to put his hand back donw.
"But, seeing what you went through? And what a similar did to Moriah?...I'm feeling generous. So, I'll give you a chance. Prove to me you're an actual pirate; not some small-town tyrant? And I'll welcome you into my crew."
With that memory and the broadcast still playing, Bellamy's mind was made up: First chance he got? He'd find a way to the Sky Islands and bring back a pillar of gold for Doflamingo, proving he was worth the Heavenly Demon's care.
'And when I next see the Straw Hats?' He also promised. 'I will only laugh WITH them.'
For some reason, that promise and this new opportunity filled the Hyena with a great sense of joy and freedom.
-OP-
"Zehahahahaha!" Teach laughed. "What did I tell you guys!? Those crazy Straw Hats Pirates really found the sky island!"
"And now I guess I know nothing. Looks like I still have a lot to learn if I want to be an effective pirate." Gasparde admitted.
"Even monkeys fall from trees..." Musshru begrudgingly admitted himself.
Muret chuckled. "Looks like the sky island exists after all. I guess Bellamy's starting to realize who the bigger man is now."
"Whoa...that is hardcore," Ashley muttered in awe.
"The Straw Hats seem quite favored by fate. The question is...who will fate favor when we inevitably clash?" Van Auger noted.
"Finally...worthy opponents..." Esdeath grinned. "Our battles will be LEGENDARY!"
"…Okay, who let Esdeath get into the wine?" Cinder groaned. "You know what it does to her!"
Andrew and Ashley whistled not at all innocently.
-OP-
Cricket was over the moon when he heard the bell.
"Haha! Looks like you win, Noland! But I've never been happier to lose! Take that, all you doubters!"
"Still, who knew Noland was mistaken about what happened to the City of Gold?" Masira said.
"It does explain why this house was cut in half when I found it," Cricket admitted. "Still, I never thought I'd be this excited to learn the real truth."
-OP-
As the Four Captains and Kong were about to resume their fight, they and Enel heard the bell. The so-called God dropped his staff in shock, tears welling up in his eyes.
"I have spent the last six years believing I had to be a God. But now... Having heard the voice of God, it makes me realize... That was never the case."
"No." Kong smirked. "No, you were not."
A shadow overtook the land, and Enel gazed up to see a gigantic, dinosaur like creature where Draco once stood. The fins on the creature's back began to glow as its jaw unhinged, building up a beam that everyone knew would spell destruction.
"Leave me." Enel ordered his priests, who began to protest. "That is my final order to you."
Kong, seeing as he didn't have much time, used his Cloud-Cloud powers to whisk the now screaming priests away, as from the monster came Draco's voice:
"ATOMIC DEATH!"
And the monster fired a beam of energy that vaporized Enel right then and there; the volume toning out the screaming priests begging for their master to evade and the cheers of the Skypedians finally freed of the delusional lighting master.
-OP-
The bell rang out like the very island was singing. As the black clouds receded, it was like God truly had arrived to stop the destruction of the sky. Wyper stood smiling at the base of the bell.
"Calgara. Noland. I hope you can reach each other in the afterlife now."
Nola heard the bell and cried in memory of his friends. In the instant the bell rang, it signaled the end of confusion, hatred, and war. The 400-year-long struggle over Upper Yard was finally over.
With the Ark Maxim destroyed and Enel dead, the members of the Divine Squadron captured by him were freed, reuniting families after six long years. The thunderclouds had destroyed both Angel Island and the Hidden Village of the Shandians, leaving only Upper Yard to live on. Thankfully, the evacuation had been successful. Gan Fall was able to return to his position as God, ruling the White-White Sea once more. Both sides worked to bring the Golden Bell back down to Shandora, where it belonged.
"Well, crew, I'd say we had an amazing adventure," Luffy said.
"Yeah, overcoming dangerous hurdles, ending a centuries-long war, and helping rewrite history! I feel one step closer to becoming a brave warrior of the sea!" Usopp said proudly.
"I take it this is gonna be a regular thing as a member of this crew, huh?" Tawna asked Mifune, who chuckled.
"I had the same thoughts, my friend."
"And we managed to grab the food supply of those priests. I say we throw a big party!" Nami excitedly said.
"WHOOOO!" Eddy grinned. "LET'S MAMBO!"
As the two people danced together, along with Nola, who was feeling the calmest he'd been in centuries, Wyper gave an interview on Gottfried's We Are broadcast to explain the story of Noland finding the City of Gold.
"He helped our ancestors learn that the Tree Fever they were suffering was no curse, but a disease caused by some of the sacred trees being infected. By the time Calgara realized he had unjustly banished his friend, he was already gone. For years afterward the bell of Shandora rang in hopes it would help Noland find his way back. But tragically, that day never came. By the time Noland returned, half of Jaya had been launched into the sky by a Knock-Up Stream. It's my hope that this story will help people understand the true nature of one they originally considered a liar. But my ancestor Calgara knew there was no man more honest than Montblanc Noland."
"I'm getting a guest caller!" Gottfried rang. "Speak up, you're on the air!"
"Hey there, Straw Hats. It's me, Montblanc Cricket."
"Oh hey, Cricket! I trust you heard that bell ringing?"
"Me and most of Jaya. And Wyper, is it? Pleased to meet you, even if it is long-distance."
Wyper chuckled. "I'm glad to hear Noland did have descendants before he died."
"It's not like everyone turned on him in the end. His crew, his family, they all believed in him to the bitter end."Cricket said."I did read a passage in his logbook about wondering if his friend was alright. I'm glad that turned out to be the case. I'll be planning my own trip to the sky in the near future, and I hope we can meet in person when that time comes."
"I'll be looking forward to it," Wyper smiled.
-OP-
After the party was finished, the Straw Hats started trading a few things for Dials and weapons they could use on their journey, including rubber bands, iron, and the copied photos of Enel's wild takes. The latter really got the Shandians laughing, and even the most devout Skypiean couldn't help but giggle.
"These Vision Dials are certainly a useful tool," Nojiko noted to Amazon.
"You're free to take mine if you wish. Gan Fall has decreed that the toll into the White-White Sea is to be abolished, so my normal job is officially over." Amazon said. "Now I'll just be a greeter for any new Blue Sea travelers who happen to pass through."
The Going Merry, Black Pearl, and Toho were all rigged up for when the Straw Hats would leave. The wings and bizarre chicken comb for the Merry were removed, returning the figurehead to its more majestic yet playful appearance. Nola was still conked out from the party, so some of the Straw Hats decided to loot his stomach for any gold there might be.
"I feel like this is an invasion of the poor creature's privacy," Ruby said awkwardly.
Gonta nodded. "Gonta agrees. This not good for digestion."
"The beast has been through so much. Why must we burden its belly so we can indulge ourselves in currency to buy lavish monkey suits?" Rolf argued. "This will only lead to him searching for a life as an airline steward."
"Be that as it may, there's a lot of treasure in this big guy after 400 years," Kuina noted as she and Zoro hauled a giant gold cross.
"You said it."
-OP-
Taking a break from it all, Draco decided to take a nap on the Toho. But on his way to his room, he found Vivi, obsereving the party from the deck.
"…You needed a break to?" Draco asked.
"Yeah." Vivi said sheepishly. "Don't get me wrong; this whole thing has been fun! I'm not bored; Nami, Nojiko, Hilda, Rosa, Fu, Robin and all the girls are the best friends I could've asked for, but…"
"It's a bit much? And you feel like you may not have done a lot?" Draco guessed, a sad look on his face.
"…Am I that obvious."
"To someone's whose felt that way, yeah." Draco mused. "Vivi; there's no need to worry. Not EVERY adventure is going to have a moment where every crewmate shines…and all due respect? From what I heard, you had some cool moments."
Vivi blushed.
"I know. Just…This whole thing makes me feel like...I don't want to say it, but…?"
"Hey, you think Pops and the others let me go nuts when I first joined?" Draco smiled. "Nah, it took me…two months before they let me join in on a fight or island exploring. And that was with the first pretty powerful Devil Fruit I ate!"
Vivi was shocked to hear that, but then felt she shouldn't be: Whitebeard was a father much like her own; he'd never willingly endager a child…
The thought of her father downed the princess' mood.
"…You miss Alabasta." Draco guessed, getting a nod and then a hug he returned. "Hey, I get it. Even with Luffy, Sonson, Ben and all of the crew; I miss the Moby Dick all the time; Pops, ma, Marco and the other commanders…It was my home."
"Does the homesickness ever…?"
"No and you should pray it never does." Draco cut off his childhood friend. "Pops says that in hindsight? That was the first red flag for Rocks and Big Mom: Those who don't remember or care where they came from can never be trusted."
He then smiled sweetly at Vivi.
"And you came from the beautiful, sunny desert that bloomed flowers and clouds. Though, they still have yet to make anything better than you."
Draco then blushed.
"…I said that last part out loud, didn't I?"
"I'm not against it." Vivi chuckled, nuzzling her head under Draco's chin. The three Devil Fruit eater smiled as he melted into the embrace, lightly cupping Vivi's face with his palms.
The two smiled, leaned in...and kissed. After a minute, they parted.
"…Are…does this mean?" Draco sheepishly asked.
"Yes." Vivi smirked. "You're the lucky, dashing captain who stole the Princess of Alabasta..And her heart."
Draco then took Vivi into his arms and nuzzled her nose as they went to the Captain's Quarters./
In Alabasta
Cobra was enjoying retirement; it left him with more time to help his people, catch up on his reading and play with his nephew. Solomon was already proving himself a grand king and the Chimera Carpets were whipping the army into shape.
Suddenly, the former king felt something.
"…I….I have…mixed feelings." Cobra suddenly said.
"Oh!" Sinbad chuckled impishly. "Does this mean our cute little niece and Draco?"
"A father knows." Solomon cut off his best friend.
"…Does this mean I'm an uncle?!" Aladdin beamed exicteldy, his fake fight with his uncle forgotten.
"Not yet habibee." Sherazade told her son, sneaking in a hug and kiss. "But soon enough."
Aladdin pouted while Cobra went to his room, not wanting to be disturbed for a few days. A few days he spent jumping between vowing bloody revenge for his baby girl's innocence being stolen, then cheering for joy at the prospect of grandchildren…and then recalling said father of potential grandchildren was a great pirate in the making.
It was a funny few days before he calmed down.
Somewhere in the new world
"GURARARARARARA!" Whitebeard beamed. "I can feel it in my soul: Draco's becoming a man!"
The Whitebeard pirates broke into cheers, some placing bets on who the lucky lass was. At least until.;;;
"Why the hell aren't the rest of you on 'giving me grandkids' duty?!"
"Pops!" The pirates all groaned in embarrassment.
-OP-
Robin found what she was looking for on the belfry. When she translated the text, she was surprised.
"So there's another superweapon out there besides Pluton. Poseidon, is it? I hope whatever that is, it won't be a threat."
Over on Fishman Island, a certain giant mermaid princess was temporarily snapped out of her funk by a sudden sneeze.
"Looks like this wasn't what I was looking for," Robin said.
"Hey, what about this?" Calvin pointed out another set of writing, this one more recent and right on the belfry itself.
Robin gasped as she got to work translating them.
"Gol D. Roger... He must have found this belfry during his own time here. But why can he use these characters? I thought only the people of Ohara could translate them. There are two kinds of Poneglyphs. Those with information, and those that indicate the whereabouts of the former. This text reads... I made it here. I will guide this text to the ends of the earth."
She gasped in realization, confusing Calvin, Hobbes, and Marianne.
"What's so exciting?"
"Laugh Tale! The Rio Poneglyph might be on Laugh Tale!" Robin exclaimed. "When all the Poneglyphs with information scattered around the world are put together, it should create a text that will fill in the Void Century for the first time! Roger must have been doing that very thing as he traveled the Grand Line, connecting each Poneglyph he found until he could make the Rio Poneglyph."
"Whoa! Someone tell Kong this!" Calvin grinned.
-OP-
Conis met up with the crew as they finished loading their haul.
"Heso, everyone. There's something I want to ask you all."
"What's that?" Luffy asked.
"After hearing everything about the Blue Sea, I want to find a way to unite our two worlds. But I know I can't do that from here. And so... I'd like to offer my services on your crew!"
"YOU WHAT?!"most of the crew said in shock.
"Sure!" Luffy agreed with a grin.
"Of course! Of course, Luffy won't say no to a new crew member!" Ben said, throwing his hands in the air.
"Well, Conis has certainly proven she can handle it. Welcome aboard, sister!" Rosa grinned, slapping the Skypiean girl on the back.
"Though you will need some supervision for a few days. The air is thicker in the Blue Sea, and while there's no risk of oxygen poisoning, you will feel delirious for a while." Chopper warned.
"An angel is joining our crew!" Sanji called out. "I couldn't be-"
Conis cut him off with a Five Cast Iron to the head, then giggled in delight.
"Thank you so much," Noire said dryly.
"The villagers also wanted to present you with a gift in thanks for finally bringing an end to the fighting," Conis said.
The crew saw the Skypieans and Shandians bringing a wrapped column over.
"Is that a cannon?! Run for it!" Nami cried.
"HIT THE DECK!" Eddy shouted as he dove for cover.
"Guys, rhat's rot a cannon. I'm rot relling rany runpowder, rit has ro base or firing mechanism." Lassoo said. "And if they really had something like rhat rying around, don't you think they'd have rused it rin the rast 400 years?"
"Well, if it's not a cannon, then what is it?" Fuu asked.
The Shandian Chief approached. "Thanks to you, our duty has finally been fulfilled. During the moving of the bell, one of the columns of the belfry broke off. Since it's more decorative than anything, not needed for the bell to function, and since gold holds no value up here, we decided to offer it to you. As we understand it, gold has far more value in the Blue Sea."
Nami and Eddy's eyes widened as the giant golden column was unveiled.
"Great Apophis, that's a lot of gold. We could crash the next economy we encounter with this much." Vivi said.
"Yeah, no crap!" Hilda added.
There was a thunk sound as Nami and Eddy fainted in bliss.
"Why am I NOT surprised?!" Gottfried groaned.
Bandana Dee waddled up beside Conis, his spear at the ready as he gave a salute and a wave to Kirby, who waved back.
"Awww, guess we're getting BD as a bonus package." Noijiko cooed as she pinched the little critter's cheek before turning to Conis. "But Conis, are you sure you're okay with this? What about your father?"
"We actually talked about it earlier. He said he felt my destiny was to explore the Blue Sea, just like it was with Mother and Roger's crew." Conis explained. "Besides, I have Dee with me, so I won't be too lonely."
-OP-
Of course, the entire gold column couldn't possibly fit on any of the ships by itself. Instead, it was broken down so that as much as possible could be placed in the hold. The rest would be offered to Cricket when he finally arrived in Skypiea.
"Shame we had to leave so much behind," Calvin said.
"Look on the bright side, we have enough to give Merry the best overhaul possible once we reach Water 7," Kaya reassured. "Then we can carry even more of the next treasure we find."
"We're coming up to Cloud End, everyone. Hope you're ready, because it's a big drop." Conis said.
"It's too bad we have to leave the White Sea so soon, but we still need to continue our journey to find the One Piece," Luffy said.
Kong smiled. "Brings back memories, I say."
"We did get plenty from this adventure, though," Tawna said.
Nami nodded as she ran her hand across her new waver, modified for Blue Sea travel. The Merry, Pearl, and Toho started to race down the Milky Road, when suddenly everyone remembered something.
"Conis... Didn't you say... We'd be dropping?" Robin asked.
Conis gave an innocent smile as she braced herself along the railing.
"YOU WEASEL!" Eddy cried.
"You little dickens!" Ed said playfully.
The crew was stunned as the Merry, Pearl, and Tohp wound up hanging in the air for a few seconds, before plummeting in an instant. Everyone, including the Merry, felt their eyes practically fly up out of their sockets as they all did wild takes.
"I WANT MY MAMAAAAAAAAAA!" Eddy screamed.
"FASTER, PUSSYCAT, FASTER!" Ed cheered, holding his arms in the air.
"HEY, GIVE IT A BREAK, WILL YA?!" Fuu snapped.
"ROLF HAS MANY REGRETS!" Rolf cried.
"Woo hoo!" Conis called out. "I never thought I'd get to experience this!"
She pulled out a whistle and blew it. Three Octopus Balloons quickly swam over and attached to the Merry, Pearl, and Toho, providing makeshift parachutes for the three ships.
"Ugh, I think I'm gonna be sick..." Luna groaned before her cheeks bulged, holding in her vomit.
Draco chuckled. "A woman after my own heart."
Vivi pouted. "Hey..."
"Don't worry, Vivi. You're still my #1 Queen." He reassured before smirking playfully. "Of course, a person can have more than one significant other..."
Vivi blushed but rolled her eyes as she playfully slugged Draco's shoulder, making him laugh as Conis looked confused before realizing what he meant and blushing herself.
As the three ships floated down, the crew could once again hear the Golden Bell, signaling that Skypiea would welcome them back once their journey was over.
-OP-
The remains of the Ark Maxim were floating on the ocean. Thankfully, it still functioned as enough of a ship to keep the priests from drowning.
"So what do we do now?" Satori asked.
Gedatsu was silent for an extended period as Yama sighed.
"You need to learn to speak, Gedatsu."
"How careless!" Gedatsu called out. "But like I was apparently thinking instead of saying, why not explore what this Blue Sea has to offer?"
"But what can we do? Enel is lost." Ohm said.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over the priests as they turned to see a ship approaching...a ship with a familiar clown-like Jolly Roger.
"Ahoy there!"
It was the Buggy pirates; their captain motioning the priests to come aboard.
"We heard the broadcast. Sorry for your loss." Buggy explained as the priests were given some food. "Roger's death hit me hard."
"The man who raised Kong?" Satori asked.
"Indeed!" Buggy beamed, recalling some of the hijinks he, Shanks and Kong goit up to when they were kids. "But the times of mourning can come later! It's time for you to stop living like stuffy priests...and realize the true freedom of being pirates! See the world below the one you knew! Live for yourselves…And honorary members of my crew."
Enel's followers, now pirates, all cheered as one, ready to live a brand new life in a brand new world.
Knightmare Lord A/N:
This was a tight chapter! I made sure to handle most of the big stuff while still giving Mrotrax parts to work his magic! Enel is dead but what will happen to his Rumble-Rumble Fruit? Well, if you've been following us since the beginning, I think you readers may have a good idea...
But on that note, Buggy has some new members for his ever-growing crew. Next time we see them, there will be even more new additions that might surprise you!
However, the Straw Hats still have one last mini-adventure to go through next chapter before we get into the most anticipated saga, WATER 7!
Mrotax A/N:
Added some funny bits and Draco/Vivi is now canon!
Stay safe until we meet again!