Chapter 14: The End of Skypiea Arc

Sunlight filtered through the layered sea of clouds, casting its glow upon the grand and solemn golden tiles of the shrine.

A meeting that would rewrite the fate of Skypiea was underway—tense and dignified.

At the head of the assembly stood Guts, draped in a cloak, his posture rigid and his uniform sharp and immaculate.

With his hands clasped behind his back, an invisible aura seemed to emanate from him, as if the entire golden hall had become his courtroom.

Gan Fall stood to the side, his silver-white knight armor reflecting dazzling light, his expression solemn like an untainted spear.

Below the shrine, representatives from Skypieans elder council, the Shandian warriors and civilians from all walks of life in Skypiea had gathered.

The atmosphere was oppressive, silent and tense.

As if all it would take was a single word from the black-haired man at the head to unleash a tidal wave capable of overturning the old order.

—And then, Guts spoke.

His voice was calm, yet it struck like a hammer against a bell, reverberating through the hall.

"I propose three reforms."

Slowly, he raised his right hand, his finger pointing towards the skies.

"First, abolish the Verse Tax." (as explain before the tax is basically living tax)

"—From this day forward, no land in Skypiea shall belong to so-called 'gods,' but to all who dwell upon it."

Boom—!

The shrine erupted in uproar! Conservative nobles leaped to their feet, roaring in fury.

"Blasphemy against divine authority!"

"This is a betrayal of Skypiea's traditions!"

One elder cried out in terror.

"Without the Verse Tax, how will we sustain the supply of dial energy?! Skypiea will collapse!"

Gan Fall's expression darkened as he declared in a firm voice.

"Skypiea no longer needs to sustain false divine authority through exploitation and lies!"

With those words, his silver-white spear slammed into the center of the shrine with a resounding clang.

The final word had been spoken.

The conservatives paled, trembling uncontrollably.

Guts swept his gaze indifferently across the assembly and continued with the second point.

"Second, abolish the rule of 'gods.'"

"Skypieans and the Shandians shall establish a Joint Autonomous Council."

"Skypieans and Shandians shall govern as equals—no hierarchy, no nobility."

The Shandian representatives trembled with emotion, some with tears in their eyes.

"At last… at last, someone has heard the oath of our ancestors…"

Meanwhile, many Angel Island civilians bowed their heads deeply, relief flickering in their eyes.

Finally, Guts scanned the room once more and coldly delivered the third point.

"Third, search for the Light of Shandora."

His gaze burned like fire.

"To vindicate the Shandians."

"They are not invaders."

"They are guardians."

"Guardians of history, guardians of civilization, guardians of the last faith left behind by their ancestors."

In the dead silence that followed—

Gan Fall dropped to one knee, raising his knight's spear high above his head, his voice steady and resounding:

"I, Gan Fall—By my authority as the former god of Skypiea, acknowledge the Shandians."

"And I support all reforms proposed by Guts-sama!"

Boom—!

The hall erupted in fervor!

Shandian representatives shouted through tears, while many neutral factions from Skypiea raised their arms in response.

The old era had ended! —A new era had begun!

Puck leaned against the railing, rolling his eyes as he clapped half-heartedly and muttered.

"Tsk tsk tsk… the mess in the sky has finally come to its senses."

"But hey, that doesn't sound bad—at least we won't have to waste time fighting anymore."

Beside him—Enel with his arms crossed, curled his lips disdainfully, his earrings jingling in the wind.

"Tch, mere mortal affairs...How could they comprehend the grand vision of this god—"

Before he could finish.

Whoosh.

A cold gaze sliced through the air like a blade.

Enel's neck stiffened as he turned rigidly.

There stood Guts in the distance, one eyebrow raised, his calm yet meaningful gaze piercing through him.

A chill ran down Enel's spine, cold sweat trickling down his temple.

The next second, Enel instantly transformed into a corporate worker, bowing deeply with a stiff grin.

"As you command! The boss is infinitely wise! These mor... councils should take you as their standard! Hehehe..."

Puck clutched his stomach, nearly doubled over with laughter.

"Hahaha! How do you switch sides so fast?! Truly, the GOD of Lightning has the quickest reflexes!"

Enel gnashed his teeth, steam practically rising from his ears.

"Insolent mortal! Laugh at this god one more time, and I'll smite you with—"

Whack!

Puck casually smacked the back of his head.

"Shut up and listen to the boss."

Enel stomped in fury but didn't dare act out, only sulking as he pinched his earring, muttering under his breath.

"...One day... this god will become the Vice God!!!"

Puck, barely holding back laughter, made an exaggerated gesture.

"Sure thing, 'Vice God'."

Laughter and chatter drifted across the battleship as it slowly ascended through the gentle winds of the White Sea.

*****

Skypiea · Ruins of Upper Yard, Core Zone

The setting sun cast golden-red hues over the sea of clouds.

Deep within the crumbling ancient city, Guts led a team—comprising scholars from Skypiea, Shandian warriors, Puck, and Enel—carefully searching through the ruins.

Under Guts' guidance, as they delved deeper into the ruins, a truth buried for 400 years finally began to surface.

The Skypieans, because of their devotion towards their ruling cast and their value of Vearth, the Skypieans' ancestors entered a war with the Shandia over their homeland long ago.

What had prolonged the war for centuries wasn't racial hatred—but resources, land, and misunderstandings.

Divine authority, the Verse Tax, oppressive systems—these were merely facades to mask the real conflicts.

This revelation shook all of Skypiea!

*****

Shrine Hall · Interim Council

Gan Fall knelt on one knee before the Shandian elders, laying down his knight's lance, his voice heavy with remorse.

"For centuries, we misunderstood you."

"Today, in the name of one who once called himself 'God,' I apologize—to all Shandian warriors and descendants!"

The hall fell solemn.

The aged Shandian warriors' eyes reddened.

Puck, standing at the back of the crowd, scratched his head and muttered.

"Tch... So all this brutal fighting happened because of a mere lump of earth?... How stupid can you get?"

Enel snorted, arms crossed, "Mortals have always been fools."

A single glance from Guts silenced him, and he pretended to listen attentively.

*****

Deep within Shandora Ruins

Guts and his team pressed further into the ruins of Upper Yard.

At last, beneath the deepest fracture of the ruins, a massive golden slab slowly emerged.

The Light of Shandora—The Golden Bell

The belfry that once witnessed the oath between Noland and Kalgara, silent for four hundred years, finally saw the light of day once more.

Under the setting sun, the golden bell reflected a magnificent and sacred radiance!

Guts stood with his hands behind his back beneath the golden bell, his cape fluttering wildly in the wind.

His voice, calm yet powerful, echoed throughout the ruins.

"The four-hundred-year war happened because we all forgot—This land never belonged to one person, but to all who gaze upon the same sky."

Puck grinned and stepped aside.

He raised his fist, coated in pitch-black Armament Haki and smashed it violently towards golden bell.

BOOM—!

The stone shattered.

Then.

The golden bell trembled faintly in the wind, releasing a grand and solemn toll—

DONG—!!! DONG—!!!

The sound of the bell traversed the sea of clouds, resounding across the entire White Sea!

Whether they were residents of Angel Island or Shandian warriors, all spontaneously raised their weapons—no longer pointing them at each other, but lifting them high towards the sky.

"From this day forth—"

"We will protect our new home together!"

"Together, we shall inherit the vow of Noland and Kalgara!!"

The winds of the White Sea whipped up the banners.

Tears streamed down the faces of both peoples as they clasped each other's hands once more amid the tolling of the bell.

Blood and hatred ended here.

Peace and hope finally bloomed above the White Sea.

*****

Several days later.

Under Guts' leadership, Skypiea held its first-ever Skypiea Unity Festival in history.

Traditional musicians from Angel Island stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Shandian warriors, weaving a unique new melody with wind dials, tone dials and war drums.

Shandian maidens danced gracefully in feathered battle skirts; Angel Island youths played long horns and shell instruments, their melodies soaring.

Fire, dance, song, and laughter.

Skypiea had truly become a shared home for Shandians and Skypieans.

Puck, hugging a wine jar, laughed boisterously.

"Now this is how the world should be—! All that fighting was just pointless!"

Enel, on the other hand, turned his head away with a disdainful pout.

"Of course, this god knows mortal celebrations are utterly dull. I'm merely gracing you with my presence."

Yet when a Shandian child ran over and tugged at his hand, Enel couldn't help but let the corner of his mouth twitch upward, carefully crafting a small firework with his lightning as a gift.

Puck, watching this, doubled over with laughter.

"Vice God, huh? Expanding your business to entertaining a kid now?"

Enel's earlobes twitched violently, nearly sending him into a rage.

After the festival, night enveloped the shrine.

Guts leaned lazily against the railing atop the tower, gazing at the faintly visible colossal shadow in the distant sea of clouds, a slight smirk on his lips.

"Hey, Enel." He drawled, "That thing over there—don't tell me you've been sneaking around building it?"

Enel crossed his arms, his golden earrings swaying faintly in the moonlight, a hint of pride on his face.

"Hmph, at least you have some eyes. That is the 'Ark Maxim'—a masterpiece crafted by this god's own hands."

Guts raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So, planning to sail away in it, or use it to blast Skypiea to bits?"

A vein throbbed on Enel's forehead.

"...Cease your insolent assumptions about a god's will!"

Guts laughed heartily and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Relax, I'm not here to steal your toy."

He narrowed his eyes, his tone light but leaving no room for argument.

"But starting today, it's getting a new name."

Enel frowned, "What do you mean?"

"The 'Ark Maxim'—now serves as the mobile fortress of the 'Skypiea Federation' and the 'Marines Liaison Base.'"

Guts shrugged. "Relax, you're still the pilot. But the route follows my orders."

Enel's lips twitched, his golden eyes brimming with displeasure.

After a few seconds of silence, he turned his face away and snorted through his nose.

"...Do as you please."

Guts grinned. "That's more like it."

The night breeze swept past, stirring the sea of clouds.

The Ark Maxim was officially incorporated under Guts' command!

And with that, the Skypiea arc came to an end.

Next stop, the Grand Line, where blood and fire truly begin to blaze.