CHAPTER 26
"Clap!"
Shen Yuan landed smoothly before the group, carrying the unconscious Enel in one hand like a ragdoll.
Two Devil Fruits glowed faintly in his other hand—one clearly the Goro Goro no Mi, the other unfamiliar, its swirling patterns suggesting great potential.
"What's this other Devil Fruit?" Shen Yuan muttered to himself, flipping open the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia system panel with a flick of his thoughts.
The crew behind him was still scavenging through the debris—remnants of the ancient Golden Bell, shattered in the final clash.
Moments later, a large sack of glittering fragments was hauled to Shen Yuan. The scavengers were out of breath, but excited.
"Tashigi, Qiong—go assist the Sky Islanders with relocation. Everyone else, you're free to rest or explore."
Qiong and Tashigi nodded at each other and moved out, flying toward the city core atop Sky Island's waver units.
Shen Yuan cast a quick glance at Smoker, then at the distant Lord of the Sky roosting beyond the clouds.
A thought struck him:
> If I invest this gold into shipbuilding, could I forge the most advanced Awakening-Class vessel in the Blue Sea?
"Smoker, come with me. The rest of you, keep an eye on Rayleigh and protect the brat. Don't let him get injured."
"Whoosh!"
The two vanished into streaks of light, heading straight toward the roost of the Lord of the Sky.
---
Meanwhile, Kalifa was tending to Enel, who was still unconscious and covered in bruises. She cradled his hand and gently cleaned his wounds, her expression surprisingly soft—motherly, even.
---
At the same time, trouble brewed where Qiong and Tashigi had arrived.
The Shandia warriors had clashed with Sky Island's divine guards, and both sides were seconds away from all-out war.
"Did you not hear the golden bell?" shouted a Shandian. "The gods have spoken through its chime—your rule is over!"
Years of buried hatred exploded like flint hitting dry powder.
"We've endured centuries of suffering, watching our people slaughtered. Now we take it all back!"
The divine guards glared in response, bloodlust thick in the air.
But before the first blow landed—
"STOP!"
A loud, firm voice echoed across the battlefield.
"By Captain Shen Yuan's decree, the Shandians are to be restored to Sky Island! Effective immediately!"
Gasps rang out.
The one who shouted was a young man with striking blue eyes and an undeniable air of command.
"You're… from the Blue Sea? A god from Qinghai?"
"No. I represent a man far beyond your gods. Your conflict ends today. If your so-called god has a problem, he can duel me."
A beat of silence passed. Then, riding atop Pierre, Gan Fall, the former God, emerged from the crowd, spear in hand.
"Are you here to contest the throne of God?" Gan Fall asked.
"Not interested." Qiong shrugged. "We only want to fulfill our promise: if I win, Shandians return to the island. If I lose, we retreat to Qinghai."
Gan Fall sighed. Then, with solemn grace, he readied his spear.
"Very well."
"Whoosh!"
In an instant, Qiong vanished. A leg sweep shot through the air like a razor.
"Ugh?!"
Gan Fall staggered, barely keeping grip of his spear, stunned by the sheer speed.
But his veteran instincts kicked in—he pivoted just in time to block another kick from Qiong.
"You're strong…"
"You're too old." Qiong remarked, sending Gan Fall flying with a high kick that left a clean bootprint across his face.
Gan Fall fell from Pierre, groaning.
Still, he stood.
"Even so, I will fight with my life!"
But before the duel could resume—
"Enough."
Tashigi drew her sword Shigure, coating it with Armament Haki. The blade gleamed obsidian black.
"Shing—!"
She slashed toward the nearby forest. A distant cliff crumbled, a clean diagonal line splitting it from peak to base.
Gan Fall's jaw dropped. His spear clattered to the ground.
"I… I surrender."
His voice was steady, but his body trembled. A blow like that would've cleaved him in two.
"We won't stay long," Tashigi added. "Once our captain finishes, we'll leave."
"Very well. I accept your terms."
Gan Fall turned and addressed his troops.
"Inform all Sky Island soldiers to disarm. Let the Shandians return!"
His words echoed, silencing the field. The divine guards were stunned—but Gan Fall's tone left no room for debate.
"Put down your weapons!"
After a moment of hesitation, the order spread. Spears clattered to the ground.
The Shandians cautiously entered Sky Island territory, their faces cautious but glowing with hope.
---
"Bang!"
A gunshot shattered the silence.
A nervous Shandian had accidentally fired, and the divine soldier in front of him dropped, bleeding.
Time stopped. Everyone froze.
The shooter was drenched in cold sweat.
"I-It went off by accident! I swear!"
"They've attacked us!" a divine guard screamed. "Retaliate!"
"Clang!" The frontline divine soldier charged, knocking a Shandian aside. War erupted in an instant.
A war that had been buried beneath centuries of resentment exploded like wildfire.
---
From the rear, a little girl—Aisa, one of the Shandian children—screamed:
"It was an accident! I heard it with my Mantra! It wasn't intentional!"
Her Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) ability rang with certainty.
But it was too late. Rage drowned out reason.
---
Watching from a distance, Qiong and Tashigi exchanged glances.
Both looked… defeated.
"Did we fix things?" Qiong asked.
"We beat God," Tashigi replied dryly.
Gan Fall, sprawled behind them, groaned.
"Could you not keep saying that…"
"They'll never understand peace unless they experience the cost of war," Qiong muttered.
And with that, the two vanished, abandoning the battlefield to its fate.
---
"A duel, a surrender, a demand, and then they just leave?!"
Gan Fall's voice trembled in disbelief as the battlefield burned.
Not even a god could stop this war now.
---
Meanwhile, Shen Yuan and Smoker returned.
Smoker dragged a hefty sack behind him, stuffed with freshly recovered gold and system-reward materials. The glow of awakening points flickered faintly from within.
"All done?" Shen Yuan asked.
"A war started," Tashigi said sheepishly.
Shen Yuan's eyes narrowed.
"What? Who started it?"
He glanced at Qiong.
"Didn't I tell you to calm the islanders? Why are they fighting?"
Qiong shrugged, shameless. "Simple clash of Haki. Rayleigh can handle it."
"You think Conqueror's Haki is some common skill tree node you unlock on a whim?" Rayleigh snapped, appearing from the side.
"That's not how Awakening Trees work, brat!"
Shen Yuan didn't argue. He waved his hand.
"Let's go."
No need to waste more time.
Behind them, Rayleigh sighed, watching the battlefield blaze.
"For the second time, I have to clean up this brat's mess…"
Grumbling, he stepped into the chaos, sleeves rolled up, ready to sort out another warzone.