"Clang! Clang! Clang..."
The clear chimes of the bell echoed across the sky, washing over all who heard it, as if lifting away burdens, sorrows, and worries. A calm and serene silence settled over everyone, allowing them to savor the beauty of the moment.
From the hidden Shandian village to the nearby Skypieans on Angel Island—even the inhabitants and pirates far below on the sea at Jaya Island—all instinctively turned toward the sound, awe-struck.
"Wow—"
"It really is something spectacular!"
"So, this is the legendary Poneglyph?"
"That's massive... How much could it be worth in belly?"
"Just one of these columns alone could probably buy a whole country!"
The members of the Fallen Angel Pirates stood in front of the glittering Golden Bell tower, marveling at its grandeur.
"We are deeply grateful to the Fallen Angel Pirates!" Leo and the Shandian warriors approached the group, bowing deeply to El and his crew with heartfelt gratitude. They had fulfilled their ancestor Kalgara's three-hundred-year-old wish by ringing the Golden Bell, and it was clear that the crew held no interest in the island itself but only wanted the gold. Indirectly, they had helped the Shandians reclaim their homeland—a debt beyond repayment.
"No need to thank us. We're only here for the gold," El replied coolly, his hand resting on the Poneglyph embedded in the bell tower. Turning back to Leo, he added, "We helped you simply because those others didn't know their place."
Leo was strong and had considerable potential; with some training, he could certainly become a valuable fighter. But ultimately, he wasn't on par with the true prodigies, and the Fallen Angel Pirates already had several recruits with potential equal to his. Considering the Shandians' unique situation, El hadn't planned to pressure him into joining. To his surprise, Gerd had extended the offer herself.
"El-sama... I am willing to join you!" Leo suddenly knelt before El, his expression resolute. "If you can ensure my people can live in peace on this land, free from the threat of endless war—so that the children of Shandora no longer live in constant fear—"
He lowered his head to the ground. "I beg you!"
"I offer my loyalty and my life in exchange!"
His words stirred something in everyone. Leo's desire was clear—though Shandian warriors feared no death and could face any enemy, their people could no longer afford to lose lives endlessly. The Shandians were few, and their numbers continued to dwindle, while the Skypieans only grew in population. If this cycle of loss continued, they risked losing their home, even if they reclaimed it.
This wasn't about fear or weakness. Leo understood that the power these pirates displayed could indeed break this endless struggle, preserving his people and granting them peace. If his sacrifice alone could secure his tribe's future, he was more than willing to give it. After all, joining the Fallen Angel Pirates to venture out to the Blue Sea wasn't quite the same as sacrificing his life on the spot.
"Have you made up your mind?"
El raised an eyebrow, looking at him intently.
"Though we're not heartless enough to forbid you from visiting your homeland from time to time," Moss said, following close behind El, looking directly at the Shandian warrior. "The Blue Sea is no safer than the Sky Island. It's full of brutal battles where you could lose your life at any moment."
"Just being able to return occasionally would already be more than enough," Leo replied, his face set with determination. "As for falling in battle—that's simply a warrior's fate. If I die, it's because I wasn't strong enough. I'd have no one to blame but myself."
"Kalgara's descendant, Leo of the Shandian tribe," he continued, dropping to one knee and pressing his fist over his heart as he made a solemn vow. "I swear to serve you faithfully, El-sama!"
"Leo—"
Many Shandian warriors' expressions shifted, fully aware that Leo intended to sacrifice himself for the tribe's peace, hoping to end the endless cycle of bloodshed so that future generations of the Shandian people could live and grow without fear.
"I accept your allegiance," El nodded, not rejecting his vow.
A warrior with potential and resolve joining willingly was undoubtedly an advantage, and dealing with Angel Island was no difficult feat for him.
"Very well, stand up," El said with a faint smile. "You can now return and bring your people home. As for the Angel Island residents—leave them to us."
He then turned toward Little Oars, who had shrunk in size and was seated on Fishman Jean's shoulder, and gave instructions, "Oars, carefully move the Golden Bell to Atlantis. Handle it with care."
"Lillian," he added, turning to her, "use your Glare-Glare ability to command the Homies and have them locate and gather all the gold on this island."
"Got it!" Oars leaped up, pounding his chest confidently.
"Leave it to me!" Lillian's eyes crinkled with excitement.
"Graaah—"
Just then, a massive snake, hundreds of meters long, raised its enormous head, where a noticeable bump had formed, likely from a hard hit. Standing triumphantly atop its head was Linlin, beaming with excitement.
The snake, which would normally be terrifying, now seemed utterly subdued, evidently having taken quite a beating.
"Mamamama, El-oniichan, let's bring this one along," Linlin said, pointing at the snake that the so-called "god" of Angel Island and his guards, as well as the Shandian warriors, had long been wary of—the notorious "Master of the Sky."
"It might not be the strongest, but it'll make a good mount. It can even swim in the sea!" she added with a wide grin.
Nola let out a whimper in response, as if feeling slighted. 'Weak? Don't I deserve a little respect?'
"Oh, and maybe we could feed it a Logia Smoke-Smoke Fruit..." Linlin suggested, her eyes lighting up with an idea as she pointed at the giant snake. "Then it would truly become the 'Master of the Sky' and could guard Atlantis for us."
"Linlin, enough of that," Gerd interjected, rolling her eyes and rubbing her temples. "A Logia Devil Fruit isn't something you can just throw around—it's not like we're the World Government with resources to spare!"
While the Smoke-Smoke Fruit might be one of the less powerful Logias, it was still a valuable ability for flight, and Logias were inherently rare and highly sought-after.
"We'd be better off using it to train a Giant Warrior," Gerd added. "Giving it to a mindless snake is just a waste—it's got a massive body, but all it knows is brute force. Against someone with Haki, it'd just be a sitting target."
"Ehehe…"