"g! g! g..."

  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 siletled over everyone, allowing them to savor the beauty of the moment.

  From the hidden Shandian vilge to the nearby Skypieans on Angel Isnd—even the inhabitants and pirates far below on the sea at Jaya Isnd—all instinctively turoward the sound, awe-struck.

  "Wow—"

  "It really is something spectacur!"

  "So, this is the legendary Poneglyph?"

  "That's massive... How much could it be worth in belly?"

  "Just one of these ns alone could probably buy a whole try!"

  The members of the Fallen Angel Pirates stood in front of the glittering Goldeower, 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 aor Kalgara's three-hundred-year-old wish by ringing the Golden Bell, and it was clear that the crew held no i in the isnd itself but only wahe gold. Ily, they had helped the Shandians recim their homend—a debt beyond repayment.

  "o thank us. We're only here for the gold," El replied coolly, his haing 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 pce."

  Leo was strong and had siderable potential; with some training, he could certainly bee 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. sidering the Shandians' uuation, El hadn't po pressure him into joining. To his surprise, Gerd had extehe offer herself.

  "El-sama... I am willing to join you!" Leo suddenly k before El, his expression resolute. "If you ensure my people live in pea this nd, free from the threat of endless war—so that the children of Shandora no longer live in stant fear—"

  He lowered his head to the ground. "I beg you!"

  "I offer my loyalty and my life in exge!"

  His words stirred something in everyone. Leo's desire was clear—though Shandian warriors feared h and could fay enemy, their people could no longer afford to lose lives endlessly. The Shandians were few, and their numbers tio dwindle, while the Skypieans only grew in popution. If this cycle of loss tihey risked losing their home, even if they recimed it.

  This wasn't about fear or weakness. Leo uood that the power these pirates dispyed 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 ve to the Blue Sea wasn't quite the same as sacrifig his life on the spot.

  "Have you made up your mind?"

  El raised an eyebrow, looking at him ily.

  "Though we're not heartless enough to forbid you from visiting your homend 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 Isnd. 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 oo bme but myself."

  "Kalgara’s desdant, Leo of the Shandian tribe," he tinued, 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 inteo sacrifice himself for the tribe’s peace, hoping to end the endless cycle of bloodshed so that future geions of the Shandian people could live and grow without fear.

  "I accept your allegiance," El nodded, not rejeg his vow.

  A warrior with potential and resolve joining willingly was undoubtedly an advantage, and dealing with Angel Isnd was no difficult feat for him.

  "Very well, stand up," El said with a faint smile. "You ow return and bring your people home. As for the Angel Isnd residents—leave them to us."

  He then turoward Little Oars, who had shrunk in size and was seated on Fishman Jean’s shoulder, and gave instrus, "Oars, carefully move the Goldeo Atntis. Ha with care."

  "Lillian," he added, turning to her, "use yre-Gre ability to and the Homies and have them locate and gather all the gold on this isnd."

  "Got it!" Oars leaped up, pounding his chest fidently.

  "Leave it to me!" Lillian’s eyes kled 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-onii, let's bring this one along," Linlin said, pointing at the shat the so-called "god" of Angel Isnd 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 stro, but it’ll make a good mount. It even swim in the sea!" she added with a wide grin.

  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 poi the giant shen it would truly bee the 'Master of the Sky' and could guard Atntis for us."

  "Linlin, enough of that," Gerd interjected, rolling her eyes and rubbiemples. "A Logia Devil Fruit isn't something you just throw around—it's not like we're the Wover 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 ily rare and highly sought-after.

  "We’d be better off using it to train a Giant Warrierd 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 someoh Haki, it’d just be a sitting target."

  "Ehehe…”