Chapter 23 (Bonus)
Title: DING!
….
'What will the shandians who've been suffering for 400 years do to their enemies?!' Gan Fall thought with sweats forming in his head.
"Don't worry," Amon said from behind. "We won't do any-!!"
Before he could say anything, Gan Fall rode his Bird as it transformed into a pegasus. "Pierre! Let's go!"
Without wasting his time on Amon, Gan Fall tried to fly to that spot, however, Amon stopped him.
"Wait!" *Puff!*
Using [Geppo] along with his Shooters, Amon floated in front of them. "I need to ask you about the Golden Bell," Amon asked, floating.
In truth, Amon already knew the location of the Bell, but he was just preserving for time. According to what he had calculated, Gan Fall should only see the situation in the 'formation' after 20 minutes. If not, his plans might fail, and Gam Fall has to die.
"Golden Bell?" Gan Fall asked, confused. Soon, he frowned as his veins became visible. He doesn't know any Golden Bell, is he playing with him? "Young Warrior, currently the battle has already taken above 200 Militias life, don't you think it's enough? There is no need to kill all of them, is there?" Game Fall said. "Now get out of my way, or I shall hurt you." He said with all seriousness. However, Amon didn't move.
"I will say this again, the war is over, we don't want any bloodshed. You do not need to worry about the rest of the militia, they will be safe, now tell me about the Golden Bell?" Amon then frowned. "Don't tell me, did you hide it?" He asked as he looked at Gan Fall suspiciously.
However, Gan Fall had his people to save, as above air, he dashed towards Amon with his lance. "Forgive me young warrior, but you called this upon yourself."
"CHIHIIH!" The Pegasus roared as it reached close to Amon.
"ME NEITHER!" He shouted. "If you really plan to hide the location of us Shandorians' ethical bell, then I shall also go all out!" As if he was truly enraged, Amon shouted and also rushed towards him.
So the battle for the sky began.
….
A few minutes have passed, and on the other side, around the formation, where God's army was being held hostage, something strange was happening.
"Name?" Warashi asked towards a tied militia with a notebook and pen in his hand.
Something strange, actually very strange was happening at this place right now. No, the Shandians weren't killing, nor hurting any militias, rather, they were noting their personal information, and then strangely… they were freeing them one by one, ordering them to get out of the Upper-yard.
Obviously, without any other way, the militia told them their information, and after being freed, they ran away without looking back.
By this time the tribe's chief had also reached the Upper-yard and was standing on a side, with Shandians surrounding him. "Err… Chief, is this a good idea to let them go? We have been oppressed for 400 years by them." A random Shandian asked.
The chief sighed. "You guys have no idea. We have been striving for peace for all our life, now that there is a chance to get it, then why waste the chance?" He said. "We have already killed more than 200 of them, yet we didn't lose anyone from our side, isn't that enough?." He then continued. "Also, let's not forget it's all thanks to Amon and his strategy."
Chief then looked at everyone, as they also looked back. "Do you guys know how worried he was that you guys won't accept him doing this?" They stayed silent. "His father, meaning Viper's brother, Kobra was the first person who wanted to initiate peace between us." The chief deliberately hid the fact that the previous chief killed him. That would only complicate things.
"But he died trying to do so, but here is Amon, his son, a 10 years old child almost achieving this. Do you all want to destroy everything by killing these guys too?" The chief then took a big breath. "Hasn't enough blood been shed?!" He roared as everyone stayed silent.
"Yes," Duy replied from the side. "We don't want to see any more blood. We have had enough." As he said, slowly everyone nodded their heads.
In truth, the chief had been supporting Amon's father, Kobra's actions from the beginning. However, Kobra was the front, so nobody ever knew about the chief, or the previous chief might've even killed him, his son.
The chief then thought with a guilty heart. 'I hate to admit… But I've been manipulating Amon from a young age to make him not into a person like Viper.' He felt guilty that he had manipulated a child. 'However, that's the precise reason why he is initiating peace today. I'm happy that this war will now stop. It's for the greater good.'
Though the chief had good thoughts behind his manipulation, he still felt guilty. However… unbeknownst to him, he was the one who was being manipulated all along.
….
"I am sorry young warrior, I'm sorry." In the sky, Amon was fighting, or more specifically conserving time, as Gan Fall flew towards him with an Impact dial. "Impact!"
Amon evaded the attack swiftly, then he took out a [Ball Dial], producing many cloud balls that floated in the sky. This let him jump on them to get a better mobility in the sky.
Just as Amon was trying to stabilize himself, Gan Fall tried to ignore him, and instead rushed towards the 'formation, his main priority wasn't Amon after all. However, Amon stopped him once again. As he threw a [Smoke Bomb Dial] in his way.
Just now, Amon had spotted the "Shandorian Golden Belfry" a little far from here, he can't let Gan Fall go now. Before, though Amon had guessed where the bell was, he never saw it in person since for that, he needed to climb the Giant Jack. But he never had the opportunity to do so, because that would have got him caught.
There is a reason other than hindering Gan Fall in this fight, and that was to reach the Bell. He wants to defeat him by making him crash to the bell, just like Luffy did to Enel. That way, many things will be solved at once… The Perfect Plan.
….
Amon mostly was dodging his attacks, however, he was slowly, but surely pinning Gan Fall towards the bell, without the other party's awareness.
"Young Warrior! Stop this! You are strong, but I need to go down and save my people! Please!" Gan Fall even stooped so low to beg Amon, as his people's life mattered more than his self-respect as God.
"Shut up!" Amon yelled. "I'm asking you where is the bell!?" Amon, as if, not being able to take it anymore, jumped on a [Cloud Ball] then kicked hardly and rapidly towards Gan Fall.
[Tempest Kick]
He used the Rolushiki, Rankyaku. Though he can't produce a wind-blade that can slice people in half yet, he was able to perform what he expected. As a compressed wind blade got released from his legs, and it hit Gan Fall!
"ARGH!" Blood spurt from his chest, while the Pegasus lost its balance, Gan Fall flew a few hundred meters back, and he hit something hard. "GAH!"
*DIIIINGGG!*
*DIIIINGGG!*
*DIIIINGGG!*
It was the Shandorian Golden Bell!
«…*...»
Down in the Blue-Sea, on the small part of Jaya that was left behind, a muscular man with a chestnut pm his head, got up from the sea, as he started to walk towards his strange-looking house.
"Sigh…. Maybe, Noland really was a liar in the end. Sky Island…" He is Cricket, a descendant of Noland the Liar. "Maybe it's all fake." He said while stopping in his path, lowering his head.
*DIINGG*
"Huh?!"
*DIINGG*
"What's that sound?!"
*DIINGG*
"Where is that coming from?!... Don't tell me… the SKY?!?"
The sound of the Golden Bell reached the Blue-sea, as people from Jaya wondered about the source of it. Except for Cricket, who was laughing and jumping around that place. His ancestor wasn't a liar, his life is also not a lie!
«....*...»
*!Boom Boom!* Amon flew at Gan Fall's place using his shooters, and the first thing he did was to run towards the Golden Bell.
It was massive. Made of pure gold, shining under the sunlight. It had vines surrounding it, however, that only increased its beauty. Amon's eyes were shining seeing this. "Gold...en….Bell." He said, enchanted by greed.
"Cough… cough!!" Amon sprouts out of his thought, and turns his head and sees Gan Fall coughing blood. He was laying on his back and looked injured, but it wasn't that serious. "I-Is this the bell you are looking for….?" He asked barely.
"Yes… it seems you were not hiding it… Sorry." Amon said as if he was truly sorry.
Gan Fall stayed silent. "Well, it matters not anymore." Gan Fall looked at the blue sky above him. The dark clouds were slowly fading away, as a clear blue sky was showing up. 'Is this the mystical Bell Kobra told of me before?' He asked himself.
A few seconds passed, as he opened his mouth again. "By now, every militia must have been executed already…" He said in a hardly audible voice.
"Hm?" Amon looked at him, with his fake confusion. "What do you mean? Why would they be executed?" Gan Fall frowned hearing him. "Didn't I tell you that the Shandians will free all the captured militia?" He said as Gan Fall lifted his head up.
"W-what are you talking about?" With a strange gleam of hope in his eyes, he asked.
"Well," Amon again took out his binoculars and threw them towards him. "You can take a look yourself."
Gan Fall quickly put his eyes in them, as his eyes became wide in surprise. A pleasant surprise. "W-wat…. " The God's militia, they are getting freed one by one!
"I mean how could you have expected me to kill the militia?" Amon said. "After all, My Father, Kobra died trying to realize this dream, if I do the complete opposite, then won't his death be pointless?"
Gan Fall's expression froze again. As he abruptly moved his head towards Amon. "Y-you are Kobra's son?! Y-you are Amon?!" He asked in disbelief. "Are you really Amon? The child who I picked the name of??" He yelled as Amon just laughed.
Amon scratched his head. "Well, yes, I guess so. Never knew you named me though." He said with a chuckle. "The world is a small place after all…"
Soon, Gan Fall also started to laugh. "Hahaha! Hahahahaha!" He laughed as if he had gotten his life back, and gained something new, and deep down, he became greatly indebted and grateful to the Shandians. Though many of them died in today's battle, he couldn't complain. This is a war going on for 400 years, where most of the time, The Militia from each generation were the ones to massacre the other side. Considering this, he didn't have enough remorse to complain about something that already happened.
….
Soon, Amon ignored the Golden Bell for now, and with the injured Gan Fall and his Pegasus, he came down to where everyone else was there.
People saw him coming with Gan Fall, but they didn't give him any glance as they looked at Amon alone. Hearing the bell, and seeing Gan Fall clad in blood, the winner was clear to them.
"H-Hey Amon!" It was Isa. After hearing the Giant Bell all the tribesmen were here from the hidden cloud village, even Isa with the 6 months old Aisa came here. "T-that sound…"
Chief cut her. "Was that the ancient bell that our ancestors mentioned?!?!" He asked, excited.
"Hey tell us!"
Everyone was asking questions, but Amon just smiled looking at them. He didn't answer it directly. "Who knows, maybe it was just me making weird sounds."
"AHHH!" People exclaimed their disappointment, but they were fully aware of his cheeky behavior. In the first place, the question was just rhetorical. They were just in disbelief.
They ran towards Amon and started to happily chatter with him. How they let the militia go, how none of them died, and most importantly, how happy they were hearing the bell's sound.
Beside them, Gan Fall looked at them with wide eyes. This was… the Shandia tribe that his ancestors have been oppressing for 400 years…? Such a... happy tribe… How did they live until now?
However, nobody was there to answer him currently, as Amon just looked at him. Then looking back to the tribesmen, he said. "Guys… I have decided to let him, God Gan Fall live." He said in a serious voice. "Do any of you oppose this idea?" He asked even though he knew their answers….
The tribesmen stayed silent, as they looked at each other's faces.
400 years. They have been oppressed for 400 years by the Man and his ancestors before them. Would they let him go?...
"No," Isa said.
"Nobody opposes that idea. This has ended for real… We don't want to start it again by killing him." She said as she looked around. "The God's army has already been freed, aren't they? Then there is no need for us to do anything to him…"
"Make no mistake," Duy said looking at Gan Fall. "We don't like you at all. In truth, we hate you, and want to kill you, you bastard!" He said as his eyes became teary and his hand holding the gun shook. He wanted to blow his head right now. His wife died starving, only because the tribe didn't have food back then… If they lived in the upper yard nothing like this would have happened.
He hated the one responsible, these fake Gods. He wanted to kill him right now, and he wasn't alone, each and every one of the Shandians wanted to kill him… but. "But, you are lucky that our leader is a good boy-man, a good man," Duy said.
Gan Fall looked at Amon, as he just smiled. "Get out you old bastard, never show your face here again." He said with a sweet smile, but Gan Fall found no resentment in his words.
"..." Slightly bowing his head, Gan Fall took off his dignified robe, representing him leaving his position as God, and then he started to walk away with his Bird.
However, not so far, he stopped and looked back. Doing a 90° bow, he said, "I love pumpkin juice!"
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