Chapter 62: The Light of Shandora

"Would you consider it?"

The Great Elder and Gan Fall looked at Caelan expectantly, sincerely hoping he would agree.

They, too, wanted to end the four-hundred-year-long war but lacked someone with the authority to make the final decision.

Having Caelan become the master of Skypiea would not only express their respect and gratitude but also resolve this longstanding conflict once and for all.

"You really want me to be the master of Skypiea?"

Caelan understood their intent, they had practically laid it all out in the open.

"The war between the Shandians and the Skypieans has lasted for over four hundred years. We don't want to keep fighting," Gan Fall said first, his voice full of weariness from the endless conflict.

"But when it comes to choosing a leader, there's no one who can gain unanimous support. Only a hero like you can earn the approval of both sides."

"I hope you'll become the master of Skypiea so we can revere you every day," the Great Elder added, his tone sincerely respectful.

Nami and the others were dumbfounded. They had only been there for a day, and Caelan was already being offered the position of Skypiea's ruler?

The two were indeed sincere, but...

"Skypiea holds no allure for me. There's no need to discuss this topic any further."

Caelan's tone was calm and without hesitation.

He truly had no interest in being the king or god of Skypiea. To him, it was just a small place.

The expressions on the Great Elder and Gan Fall's faces stiffened. They wanted to speak but ultimately said nothing.

They both knew that only through strong deterrence could lasting peace be maintained.

But Caelan had no intention of staying, and they had no choice.

To think that the position so many had fought for meant nothing to Caelan…

"Of course, if you truly seek peace, I have no issue being your witness."

Caelan spoke again. After all, he had already received so much from them, it was the least he could do.

Hearing this, the two elders were overjoyed. Finally, they felt some assurance.

"We swear before the hero who defeated the 'God'—Skypiea and the Shandians will unite as one and share the holy land of Upper Yard!"

The Great Elder and Gan Fall made the vow without hesitation in front of Caelan.

At that moment, the Skypieans and Shandians present erupted into cheers. They knew that peace, lost for centuries, had finally arrived.

Everyone looked at Caelan with gratitude. He wasn't just the hero who had defeated the tyrannical god—he was also the one who brought peace to both tribes.

"Alright, now that your business is settled, it's my turn."

"I came to Skypiea for two reasons. One was gold, which I've basically collected. The other is to fulfill a promise and ring the Golden Bell."

Caelan spoke calmly as he looked at everyone.

In truth, his original goal was to battle Enel, but now that Enel had become Enelus, there was no need to dwell on that.

Golden Bell? Could it be the Shandoran Lamp?

The Great Elder was briefly stunned, suddenly recalling the oath of the great warrior Calgara. He looked at Caelan with mounting emotion.

"In the Blue Sea below, there's a man searching for the City of Gold. His name is Mont Blanc Cricket, and his ancestor was Mont Blanc Noland."

"To prove the existence of the City of Gold described by his ancestor, he's been searching for the Golden Bell."

"Before I came here, I made a promise: if the Golden Bell was on Skypiea, I would let him hear its chime."

Caelan said this with deep emotion.

When he first read that part of the story, it had moved him as well.

Keeping a promise—that's a man's romance!

"Noland's descendant is still searching? Great Warrior Kalgara, Noland is still keeping the promise!"

The Great Elder's voice trembled as he spoke.

Wyper and the Shandian warriors were stunned, tears streaming down their faces.

Four hundred years ago, the great warrior Kalgara made a promise with Noland to light the Shandoran Lamp and guide his return.

None of them expected that over these four centuries, while the Shandians had been fighting to protect it, Noland's descendants had also continued their search.

This was a promise that spanned four hundred years!

"But, didn't Enel take all the gold to build the Ark Maxim? The Golden Bell must be gone, right?"

Although Gan Fall was also touched, he couldn't help but pour cold water on the moment.

"No. If it had been melted down, I wouldn't even bring it up."

Caelan twitched the corner of his mouth. If it had been destroyed, what could he even do?

"Enel had a Mantra that allowed him to sense everything on Skypiea. If even he couldn't find it, then it must be there."

Robin looked up at the massive vine that pierced the clouds.

"Yes. The Golden Bell is at the top of that vine."

Caelan didn't keep it a secret and revealed the location directly.

If he hadn't read the manga, he would never have guessed that a bell weighing dozens of tons had been flung to the top of a thousand-meter vine.

It was outrageous. No wonder Enel hadn't found it.

"That's good, as long as it's still intact."

The Great Elder breathed a sigh of relief. At a time like this, they still had to rely on this hero.

He shot Gan Fall a fierce glare. Couldn't this old man have a little more faith?

He wasn't surprised that Caelan could find something even Enel couldn't. Caelan had defeated Enel, of course his perception would be stronger!

Yes, it made perfect sense!

"Wait for me. I'll be back soon."

Leaving those words behind, Caelan dashed toward the massive vine at the center of the island that connected the sky and earth.

In the astonished eyes of everyone present, he leapt up the thousand-meter vine in just a few jumps and vanished from sight.

"This is the Golden Bell? It's truly magnificent."

Standing atop the towering vine, Caelan couldn't help but marvel.

Though covered in weathered moss, the shimmering golden light of the bell still shone through, undiminished by time.

"Hah!"

With a light shout, Caelan grabbed the massive bell and leapt down from the thousand-meter height.

"Bang!"

With a resounding crash, smoke and dust billowed as Caelan descended from the sky, landing with the Golden Bell—and the Poneglyphs embedded in its base.

"This is the Golden Bell, also known as the legendary Light of Shandora!"

"Its sound is known as the 'Song of the Island.' It echoes across the seas like a lighthouse, guiding the way. That's why it's called the Light of Shandora!"

The Great Elder looked at the moss-covered bell, tears streaming down his face as he murmured.

The Shandians stared at the Golden Bell, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Was the bell they had fought for over four centuries finally going to ring again?

(To be continued.)

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