Chapter 30: God's Land

The Super Express Shrimp, carrying everyone at breakneck speed, climbed the circling sky path. Before the crew could even appreciate the beauty of the skyway, the shrimp's mission was complete.

A stone tablet inscribed with "GOD LAND SKY PLEA" stood beside the entrance to the sky path. Above it was the entrance to Skypiea. The Super Express Shrimp burst out of the sky path, separating from the ship in a seamless, practiced maneuver.

The pirate ship landed heavily on the clouds, bouncing a few times.

Before them lay Skypiea, God's Land.

"Have we finally arrived? God's Land. Truly, this is where a god should reside," Doflamingo said, gazing at the sight before him. Skypiea, bathed in sunlight, shimmered, mysterious and alluring.

"Doffy, is this Skypiea? God's Land?" Diamante asked excitedly.

"That's right, this is Skypiea. But it's not our destination," Doflamingo replied.

"Nene, Doffy, this is where a god should live," Trebol chimed in, also excited.

"Fuffuffuffu, this place is already mine. How could I let anyone else touch my things? There can only be one god, and that's me. But now's not the time to take over. We'll go in and gather some information first," Doflamingo said with a chuckle.

Shortly after, the Donquixote Pirates docked at the shore.

"Vergo, it's time for you to come out and get some air. Enjoy the beautiful scenery here; it'll be a change of pace," Doflamingo said, addressing Vergo inside the cabin. Vergo had been staying mostly hidden within the ship, minimizing his exposure. Here, there were no Navy, no paparazzi; it was time for Vergo to get some fresh air.

Vergo, as always, was silent and taciturn. The Young Master's orders were paramount to him. In his eyes, Doflamingo was the person he respected most, the king he would swear to protect with his life. After receiving the String-String Fruit, his gratitude towards the Young Master had only deepened. If there were anyone truly loyal in this crew, it would probably be Diamante and Vergo. Pica was a bit lacking, and Trebol was somewhat of a sycophant, though still loyal.

Vergo slowly walked out of the cabin and onto the deck, taking in the scene. Although he didn't speak, the subtle changes in his expression betrayed him. After all, Vergo was still just a young man, and such a beautiful scene was bound to move him.

Cricket saw Vergo for the first time, but he didn't say anything. His mind was solely focused on the Golden City; nothing else mattered.

"Brother Doffy, is the Golden City you spoke of really here?" Cricket couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

"Fuffuffuffu, be patient, Cricket. The Golden City is here, and so are the Shandians, who were friendly with your ancestors. This place is full of mysteries and the unknown. It's up to you to uncover them," Doflamingo explained patiently.

"All good things must come to an end. We'll part ways here. We have other places to go. You can search for the answers here alone for now. We'll be back."

Hearing Doflamingo's words, Cricket didn't say much. Their goals were different, after all, and Doflamingo had been more than accommodating. It would be foolish to push his luck; they were pirates, after all. It wouldn't be wise to anger them and ruin a potentially amicable parting. It was best to quit while he was ahead.

"Very well then! Brother Doffy, I hope you achieve your goals as well." Cricket bid farewell to Doflamingo and jumped down from the White Sea, heading towards Skypiea.

"Achieve my goals? Fuffuffuffu, Cricket, you will achieve yours as well," Doflamingo murmured.

He was about to order his crew to start searching for clues about Birka when he was interrupted by a commotion.

A group of Skypiean security guards, armed with various types of dials, charged towards Doflamingo. Doflamingo and his crew moved to meet them.

"So it's you guys? Daring to enter illegally!"

"Are you the pirates from the Blue Sea? A bunch of ignorant fools."

"Surrender now, Blue Sea dwellers!"

The noisy guards surrounded Doflamingo's group, giving them no chance to escape.

Seeing such a comical scene, Doflamingo really wanted to laugh, but he didn't. He had originally planned to have his crew search for clues and ask for directions to Birka. It seemed he'd been playing nice for too long; he was almost starting to become a good person.

A pirate's way should be violent! What was he doing trying to be civilized? He was almost starting to believe it himself, Doflamingo thought, feeling somewhat frustrated.

"Fuffuffuffu, since you're so eager to present yourselves, I'll just have to accept your 'gift.' Take them down, but leave them half-dead. Just don't kill them," Doflamingo said, his long-suppressed aggression suddenly erupting. The air around him chilled, a terrifying sight.

Seeing their Young Master's displeasure, his desire for bloodshed, the crew became excited. The frustration of being suppressed by the Navy would be vented on these ignorant fools.

With wild shouts, they charged at the Skypiean guards.

"To think that any random riffraff would dare to challenge the Young Master's authority," Diamante said, also displeased. He felt that the Young Master's dignity had been severely violated and intended to personally teach them a lesson, to vent the Young Master's anger. Truly, he lived up to his reputation as Doflamingo's number one lackey.

"Half-Moon Funeral!"

A powerful wave of sword energy flew towards the guards. The guards, who had never seen anything like this, were terrified and scrambled to dodge. However, some were too slow and were struck by the wave, instantly suffering severe injuries.

This, however, only fueled the Skypiean guards' fighting spirit. They had never suffered such humiliation. They took out other dial-based weapons and used them against Doflamingo's underlings. The surprisingly powerful dials helped them even the odds somewhat. Because Doflamingo's crew was unfamiliar with dial weapons, a number of them were seriously injured in their carelessness. Doflamingo didn't care. Gold needed to be refined, and these were just grunts. Why bother caring?

It was the dials themselves that caught Doflamingo's attention.

Skypiea had many unique products, especially these dials, which came in various types. There were combat types like Impact Dials, Heat Dials, and Flash Dials, and everyday types like Lamp Dials, Image Dials, and Water Dials. There were many varieties, each with its own use. High-level fighters wouldn't need these to enhance their combat abilities, but they could be used to equip cannon fodder.

Doflamingo cleared his mind. Thinking about this now was useless. The priority was to find the Rumble-Rumble Fruit and the way to Birka. As for this place, although Gan Fall ruled here, Doflamingo wasn't afraid of him. Once he'd obtained what he needed, he'd deal with that. After all, it was time for a change of gods.

Soon, the guards were captured. Their previous arrogance was gone, replaced by the dejected look of defeated roosters.

"Take us to Birka, and I'll release you," Doflamingo said emotionlessly.

"You Blue Sea people, what do you want in Birka? Our god won't let you get away with this," the guards retorted defiantly.

"What goddamn god? Our Young Master is God! Hurry up and tell us how to get to Birka!" Diamante, unable to tolerate their continued defiance, pressed them. "If you don't take us there, I won't spare your families either. We're pirates. Your god can't protect you."

"Truly my loyal lackey. Very good, without me having to say a word," Doflamingo thought approvingly.

The guards hesitated for a moment, struggling internally for a long time, before finally agreeing.

"I can take you to Birka, but you have to release my men first."

"Fuffuffuffu, truly loyal and righteous. You're a worthy captain. I admire people like you. Don't worry, let them go," Doflamingo said with a seemingly genuine, happy laugh.

And so, the guards, supporting each other, departed, heading to report to their god, vowing to avenge this humiliation.

None of this concerned Doflamingo. Under the guard captain's guidance, the Donquixote Pirates set sail once more, advancing on the White-White Sea at 10,000 meters.

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