Conis stared blankly at Enel's lifeless body on the ground. She had never imagined Enel could be defeated, let alone die right before her eyes. It felt unreal, making her head spin.
"Conis, someone like Enel got exactly what he deserved. Don't think too much about it," Makino stepped forward to comfort her softly.
Snapping out of her daze, Conis nodded obediently, a gentle smile returning to her face. "I'm alright, Sister Makino."
"Leo!" Nami looked up, her eyes sharpening. "We have more uninvited guests."
Leo glanced up and waved a dismissive hand. "Relax. They're not enemies." The commotion from Nami's fight with Enel had drawn the attention of both the Shandians, led by "Berserker" Wiper, and the former god, Gan Fall. Both groups now watched from a distance, their expressions mirroring the shock of the other Skypieans. The image of Nami, like a war goddess, brutally beating their seemingly invincible enemy was forever burned into their minds.
"Wiper, you don't think they plan to rule Skypiea too, do you?" asked Laki, a tall woman with a black ponytail and light purple clothes standing beside Wiper.
"Probably not," Wiper shook his head, giving Laki a reassuring look. He had witnessed Leo's actions. "They helped us. They don't seem like conquerors."
"You there," Leo called out to both groups, his tone brooking no argument. "Come over. I have something to say."
Wiper and Gan Fall exchanged a glance. After a moment's hesitation, they approached Leo. Under the circumstances, they had little choice. If Enel could be obliterated so easily, their own strength was insignificant in comparison. They had no desire to provoke Leo's displeasure.
Gan Fall stepped forward, adopting a humble posture. "Thank you for removing Enel. You are a hero to Skypiea. None of us will forget your contribution." The sudden turn of events still left him feeling dazed. After years of failed rebellions against Enel's overwhelming power, this felt like a miracle.
Leo gave a slight nod, accepting the thanks gracefully, then turned his gaze to the silent Wiper. "Enel is dead. What are your plans now?"
Wiper was taken aback but quickly recovered. He shot a complicated look at Gan Fall before his expression hardened with resolve. "Apaya is our home. We will take it back."
Just as Leo expected. He sighed inwardly but understood. Centuries ago, Skypieans, having never seen land, declared the section of Jaya that had been flung into the sky a sacred land and occupied it. The Shandians, driven out, had fought a 400-year war to reclaim their home and fulfill a promise to Montblanc Noland. When Enel arrived and usurped power, the primary conflict shifted, forcing the Shandians and Gan Fall into an uneasy alliance. With Enel gone, they were back to square one.
The atmosphere grew tense with Wiper's declaration. Gan Fall also glared at Wiper, no longer afraid of the Shandian warrior now that Enel was gone.
"Enough!" Leo's cold voice cut through the tension, his powerful aura crashing down on the two men like a mountain. The pressure instantly cleared their heads. Leo looked at them, his tone leaving no room for debate. "Apaya was originally the home of the Shandians. From this moment on, no Skypiean is to set foot on Apaya with intent to claim it. Similarly, the Shandians are not to provoke the Skypieans without cause."
Wiper immediately looked at Leo with gratitude. They didn't want war; they just wanted their home back. Fighting on the Skypieans' turf put them at a disadvantage.
Gan Fall pondered for a moment before finally nodding. "You saved Skypiea. You are the benefactor of all Skypieans. I agree to your terms. Wiper, from now on, I, as the former god of Skypiea, guarantee that Apaya belongs solely to you Shandians."
Wiper let out a sigh of relief. "Gan Fall, let our past grievances be settled."
"Good." Leo nodded, satisfied. Endless fighting was pointless.
"Wiper, I'm not helping you for free. After the Golden Bell is rung, I'm taking all the gold from the City of Gold." Having mediated their dispute, Leo stated his price.
Wiper was stunned but could only nod in reluctant agreement. It wasn't that he was willing, but he truly couldn't afford to refuse. Even if he disagreed, what could he do? Leo telling him was a courtesy.
"Gan Fall, you know where Enel's main base is, right?"
"Of course," Gan Fall replied, a trace of hatred in his voice. It was the place of his countless defeats.
"Nami, Tashigi, go with Gan Fall. Eliminate the four Priests and bring back the ark, the Maxim, that Enel built." While Leo now had a more luxurious ship, the golden ark was still immensely valuable. Leaving it here would be a waste.
"The Maxim? What's that?" Nami asked, confused.
"It's a ship made of gold. You'll recognize it when you see it. Nami, you can power its flight with your lightning," Leo explained patiently.
"A ship made of gold?!"
The magic word triggered Nami's obsession. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Under Nami's eager (urging), the three of them swiftly flew off into the distance.
"Sir, if there's nothing else, we should..." Wiper, not wanting to linger, prepared to leave with his Shandians.
"Wait a moment." Leo stopped him. His gaze shifted to the tall, beautiful Laki standing beside Wiper. He had come to Skypiea for two women. One was the angel Conis, the other was Laki. He didn't beat around the bush. "Laki, I'm Leo, captain of the Leo Pirates. Join my crew. Come adventure with me."
Laki's eyes flickered with surprise. A great man who could obliterate Enel was inviting her to join his crew?
Wiper was also stunned by the sudden development. Looking at Laki, he suddenly understood. Was the reason Leo bothered informing him about the gold, instead of just taking it, because of Laki? Yeah, that had to be it.
"Sir, I..." Laki began to refuse, but...
"Sister Laki..." Conis emerged from the crowd and came to her side, shaking her arm. "What is it, Conis?" Laki asked fondly. They were close, like sisters. In the original story, after Enel's defeat, they even opened a cafe together named 'Pumpkin'.
Conis glanced almost imperceptibly at Leo before (acting coquettishly) with Laki. "Sister Laki, I joined the Leo Pirates too. Come join me!"
This surprised Laki. Conis had accepted Leo's invitation to become a pirate?
Laki crouched down to Conis's eye level. "Conis, tell me, why did you join the Leo Pirates?"
"Brother Leo said he'd make me really strong, as strong as Sister Nami! And he'll take me to lots of fun places!" Conis explained, happily gesturing. "Sister Laki, please come! Let's sail with Brother Leo together!" Conis's(coquettish) act was almost enough to melt everyone present. Who had ever seen an angel act cute?
"I see..." Laki fell silent, seemingly wrestling with the decision internally. After a few minutes, she turned to Wiper. Wiper instantly understood her look and gave a carefree smile. "Laki, Enel is dead. We've reclaimed our home. Everything is settled. If you want to go, then go." As childhood friends, Wiper knew Laki was tired after fighting for so many years. Now that the war was over, he wouldn't stop her from seeking a new life.
Laki's eyes reddened as she nodded at Wiper. "Wiper, I'll be back."
Getting all sentimental again, Leo thought internally, exasperated. He couldn't say it, but he'd already left a spatial coordinate. Coming back was a matter of a second.
"Captain," Laki said, turning to Leo with a bright smile, offering her hand. "I'll be in your care from now on."
Leo grinned. He liked proactive women. "Welcome aboard." Instead of shaking her hand, he spread his arms wide.
Laki: "Uh..."
"Sister Laki, this is how it's done in this pirate crew. I hugged Brother Leo too," the innocent Conis proactively explained the "rules."
Kaya, Tashigi, and the others struggled to hold back their laughter, afraid of giving the game away. They'd never heard of any other pirate crew having such a 'rule.'
Taking it as truth, Laki also enthusiastically spread her arms and gave Leo a tight hug.
Mmm.
"Congratulations, Brother Leo, on adding two new crew members!"
"Captain, you're going to be even busier now."
Vivi, Carmen, and the others sent their congratulations, though their eyes held a knowing glint.
After shooting a warning look at the girls, Leo led everyone onto the ship. "Let's go. To the City of Gold."
Next target—the City of Gold!
The journey was smooth. On the ship's deck, the women looked out at the massive golden city ahead, all losing their composure. Even Robin, usually so unflappable, felt a huge wave of emotion upon seeing the City of Gold. The sight was a dazzling, brilliant gold that hurt the eyes.
"It truly lives up to its name," Leo remarked, gazing down at the city cast entirely from gold. Though worn by time, one could still glimpse its past glory.
Leo led the women off the deck and onto the famed golden city. Instantly, a solemn, ancient atmosphere washed over them.
"Wow... Leo, I've never seen so much gold in my life!"
"Captain, we're really rich!!"
"Captain, is this all really ours?!"
"We'll never have to worry about money again!!!"
Faced with such immense wealth, the girls were becoming lightheaded. They scattered like birds returning to the nest, all diving into the piles of gold. It was a cure for greed, instantly administered!
"Go on, take what you can carry," Leo said to the girls with a laugh.
The eager girls immediately fetched various containers from the ship and began frantically stuffing them with gold. They ignored the small pieces, going only for the big ones! Even the newly joined Conis and Laki joined in. Such benefits right after joining? They were loving it!
"Aren't you going?" Leo asked Robin, who was beside him.
Robin linked her arm with his and shook her head with a smile. Her restless heart had gradually calmed. She wasn't very interested in gold.
"Let's go take a look up there." Leo and Robin rode a cloud up the giant vine to where the Golden Bell and its two supporting golden pillars stood. Their eyes were inevitably drawn to it. The Golden Bell was simply enormous.
"Is this the legendary Golden Bell?"
"Yes," Leo nodded. Besides reclaiming their home, the Shandians' most important goal was to fulfill their promise to Noland by ringing the bell, ensuring the "light of Shandora" never went out.
Standing before this bell of such special significance, Robin was momentarily lost in thought. To most, it was just a large quantity of gold. But to the Shandians, it held irreplaceable meaning. While Robin couldn't fully grasp their conviction, her extensive historical knowledge allowed her to empathize more than most.
Pulling her thoughts back, Robin looked at Leo beside her with fervent eyes. This golden city, which others searched for in vain, she had reached with such ease. And all of it was because of Leo.
"What is it?" Leo asked, noticing her gaze meeting his.
Robin just shook her head, not saying anything, but leaned against him tighter. Leo gave her a sense of security she had never known before, a peace of mind absent throughout her twenty years on the run.
Holding Robin's hand, Leo led her to the lower left side of the bell, where a Poneglyph stood. Robin was no longer surprised by Leo's uncanny ability to find people and things. Suppressing her excitement, she cleared away the vines, fully revealing the black stone tablet.
As Robin traced the inscriptions with her fingers, she began to read the text. "The Ancient Weapon, Poseidon..." Like the Poneglyph in Alabasta, this one also contained information about an Ancient Weapon. A flicker of disappointment passed through Robin's beautiful eyes; this wasn't what she sought.
"There's more. Look over there," Leo guided, pointing nearby.
Following his gaze, Robin looked at the golden base of the bell, where another line of text was carved.
"Gol D. Roger?!" Robin read the signature aloud, shocked. It was the Pirate King himself?!
"Robin, Roger actually found all the history and took it to the final island, Laugh Tale."
"The final island..." Robin murmured, dazed.
After a moment, she looked at Leo. "Captain, your dream isn't to reach the final island, is it?" She said this not without reason. In all her time on his crew, this was the first time she'd heard him mention Laugh Tale.
"Correct." Leo put his hands behind his head and smirked. "I have no interest in becoming the Pirate King. I just want to recruit more beautiful crew members." He paused, his smirk widening into a defiant grin. "Once I recruit Imu, I'll be the King of the World. The Pirate King can go to hell."
Pfft—
Robin couldn't help but laugh.
"King of the World... that sounds quite fitting."
"If you're the King of the World, then I'll be the woman of the King of the World."
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T/N :
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