The dense, wild greenery of the Upper Yard was beginning to thin as Robin and Nami stepped into a clearing to behold the sight of a temple-like structure, which definitely looked like something the haughty and arrogant 'kami' Enel would own.
Towering in gleaming white stone and gold accents that caught the sunlight like a mirror to the gods, was Enel's self proclaimed and self sanctioned temple. Pillars were lined at the front, each carved with swirling clouds and bolts of lightning, and the doors were twice the height of a regular man.
"Wow.." Nami muttered, unable to hide the greedy and awed sparkle in her eyes. "For a psycho dictator sky-gob wannabe, he definitely had taste."
"Indeed. Enel was arrogant." Robin's lips curled upwards in amusement as she studied the intricate patterns. "And Arrogance tends to build big. Very big."
With a soft creak, the doors gave way under Nami's push, revealing an interior that was somehow even more lavish. Marble floors stretched out in a long hallway lined with golden statues—some depicting Enel in ridiculous poses, others resembling sky people kneeling in praise. Over-the-top didn't even begin to describe it.
"Talk about a god complex," Nami muttered, as she stepped past a statue that seemed to wink in the sunlight.
Robin didn't reply immediately but her eyes fluttered shut. "Dos Fleur: Eyes," Robin softly whispered, as she felt her fruit powers bloom into eyes, looking for what they had initially come for. It only took her a moment before opening her eyes and smiling faintly at the result. "There's a food storage to the left wing." She said, already turning in that direction.
Nami hesitated, then tilted her head toward the opposite corridor. "I think I'll check if there's any more… food… down this way."
Robin didn't even blink. "Of course," She said, her voice soft, but laced with a knowing edge.
Nami flashed a grin that was way too innocent to be legal. "Y'know, gotta be thorough. We don't wanna miss anything important, right~?"
Robin sighed, but the corners of her lips tugged upward. Nami was already halfway down the other hall, practically skipping, eyes glittering with imaginary Beri.
"Search for the master bedroom." Robin called casually.
Nami's heels skidded to a stop. She whipped around with a gleam in her eye. "I knew you'd know where the good stuff is!" With that, she took a sharp turn and vanished into the golden corridor like a treasure-seeking missile.
Robin shook her head fondly, her amused smile still tugging on her lips. She followed her own path soon enough into the left wing and entered a vast room that could've easily fed an entire army. Rows of cloud vegetables, baskets of dried sky fruit, pots of rich honey, salted meats wrapped in leaves that shimmered faintly, and pristine barrels of what appeared to be clean water. There was even what she assumed to be the sky version of alcohol.
The scent hit her first—sweet, earthy, and strangely comforting. Like an old kitchen from a forgotten time.
She gently summoned her hands again, letting them bloom from various corners to inspect the stock. It was more than enough.
"Quite the hoard," she murmured. Her fingers tapped a sealed jar with a content little thunk. "Zoro, Sanji, and the others didn't even need to go hunt."
.
There were a lot of bad decisions Sanji had made in his life. Falling for any lady at first sight? Understandable. Following Luffy into the Grand Line? Insane, but he could live with that. But this?! Going hunting with a bunch of cavemen masquerading as swordsmen and warriors?
This.. this was self inflicted trauma and the worst decision Sanji had ever made till now.
'What the hell am I even doing with my life?' Sanji whispered to himself, stalking through the tangled underbrush of the Upper Yard, while ducking beneath the hanging vines and clouds of floating pollen that stuck to his jacket like glitter. His boots were muddy, his shirt was damp, and his patience had long since passed its expiration date.
He was currently crouched low behind a mossy rock, staring intently at a fluffy, chubby-looking jungle rabbit nibbling on a sky-vegetable.
'Finally.' After two hours of complete idiocy, finally, something edible. He inched forward, barely breathing, reaching out his hands slowly to grab onto the rabbit's ears—
"AaaAAAaaAaAaaAAAaaAaAaaAAAaaAaAaaaa!!"
The jungle erupted with a war cry so obnoxiously loud and absolutely feral that the rabbit went into cardiac arrest and bolted like it had seen death itself.
Sanji, himself, flinched hard, slipped on a damp root, and face-planted into the dirt with a loud grunt. He lay there for a second, chewing moss and questioning his life.
He didn't even bother to get up before muttering, "I swear to all that is holy, I am going to skin that moss-brained marimo with his own three swords."
The trees above rustled violently, and sure enough, a blur of green shot through the canopy like a drunk vine-swinger at a jungle frat party. Zoro swung from vine to vine with all the grace of an orangutan who thought screaming was a valid form of animal communication.
And just when Sanji thought it couldn't get worse—
"AaaAAAaaAaAaaAAAaaAaAaaAA!!" Another shout came, which wasn't even Zoro's.
Sanji turned, face deadpan, to see two of the Shandorian warriors—Kalgara Jr. #1 and Possibly-Related-To-Wyper #2—swinging vine-to-vine behind Zoro, yelling at the top of their lungs like jungle-dwelling lunatics. Even the last one, who had initially seemed semi-sane, was now halfway up a tree and yelling like he was being paid per decibel.
"I hate all of you," Sanji mumbled as he sat up slowly, spitting out a bit of moss and dirt. He looked at the sky, as if asking it to just end him now.
He had asked. He had asked Zoro—calmly, like a civilized adult—why the hell they were yelling like Tarzan having a midlife crisis and scaring off everything edible in a 5-mile radius, the oh-so wise swordsman with a dead serious face had the audacity, the gall, the unfiltered idiocity to say, "It attracts animals. The noise. It lures them in."
Sanji had blinked. Twice. Then twice again. He had even cleared his ears and asked Zoro to repeat what he said, just to be sure that he hadn't hallucinated that statement.
"Lures them in?!" Sanji had echoed, his voice flat and borderline homicidal—he truly was just a millimeter away at killing off the mosshead for brains swordsman. "You sound like you're trying to scare the devil himself!"
Zoro shrugged, then offhandly commented. "Different hunting cultures."
"You're literally shouting like a dying hyena!" Sanji had retorted, to no vain, unfortunately.
"We got two birds to fly by last time."
"BECAUSE THEY WERE FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES!"
But nope. No logic. No common sense. Just pure testosterone and idiocy echoing through the jungle canopy like a cursed choir, continued with Zoro and the Shandoirans yelling. And animals fleeing. The jungle gods—if there were any here—were probably packing their bags and moving out of sheer embarrassment if they hadn't already.
Sanji had even tried to ditch them after the third vine swing accompanied by the cursed howling. He had moved into the deeper woods, but it didn't matter. Because the animals had learned. At this point, even Sanji was convinced that every single living creature within a kilometer radius had decided collectively to run the moment they heard 'AaaAAAaaAaAaaAAAaaAaAaaAA'.
Sanji slumped onto a rock, with his head in his hands, staring dead into the void. "I can't do this," He said, voice broken. "My beautiful Nami-san… my elegant Robin-chwan… they'll be hungry without dinner. I won't even get to see them smile after dessert..." His lower lip trembled slightly. "I promised myself I'd cook for them forever. I promised soufflés, and grilled sky-beef, and the best damn mushroom stew the Blue Sea's ever seen. And now…" He stared up at the sky with glassy eyes. "Now I'll have to serve them a rock. With a side salad of disappointment."
A vine creaked above him.
"AaaAAAaaAaAaaAAAaaAaAaaAA—"
"SHUT THE HELL UUUUUUUPP!!!" Sanji shrieked skyward, hurling his shoe like a missile in anger.
Somewhere in the trees, a loud thunk was followed by Zoro swearing in a very colorful language.
Sanji sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I'm going to die in the jungle with morons," He said flatly. "No meat. No stew. No kisses from Nami-san. No praise from Robin-chwan."
.
The golden light of post war Skypiea filtered down through the broken cloud-trees, casting long shadows across the field where wounded lay scattered across makeshift beds and straw mats. Chopper was zipping from one patient to another, his hooves stained with salve and healing paste, while his hat constantly tilted with worry.
Luffy loitered nearby, crouched low beside an unconscious White Beret, gently pressing a cloudy, glowing palm against the man's arm, watching the bruises ease away with a soft light.
It should've been fine and peaceful. It did look peaceful.
But Luffy's eyes—bright, sun-burned gold and red—kept flicking up, watching the Shandorians and Skypieans stare at him. They were always staring—either he was healing someone or messing up the bandages, even when he would slightly smile or just breathe—As if he was a miracle. As if he was a monster. Maybe, as if he was both.
Luffy puffed his cheeks and blew air out with a soft pfft, resting his chin on his knees. He could feel the urge of Shandorians and the Skypieans wanting to converse with him. He could feel their anger on him for not ending everything soon enough. He could feel them questioning, seeking answers, but hesitant to ask him. He could feel Chopper worrying.
Yeah, Chopper. Helping him was important but it was so boring. There were no trees to climb, no food to steal, no bugs to poke, no vines to leap to and fro. He's jealous of Zoro and the others enjoying themselves. He had wanted to go with them but he didn't go. He didn't even go with Nami and Robin to Enel's big, shiny temple-palace thingy. He'd wanted to. He wanted to poke around the place where that fake lightning jerk had been living. He wanted to mess with the statutes. See what made it so special. But.. he stayed.
Because he had to. Or maybe because he felt like he should.
Luffy's fingers curled into the grass beside him as the laughter in his chest dimmed a little. He could've ended the whole fight in a heartbeat. One second, one move, one burst of sun or storm, and Enel would've been dust.
But he didn't. He'd dragged it out. Wanting to play fair. Let his crew and everyone else struggle in a battle that had been his, even though it was way beneath him. He knew that he fought for the sake of Halad, but he also knew that the fight also belonged to the Shandorians fighting for their home and the Skypeians, who the bastard long tormented.
And because of that—
Four White Berets and four Shandorians died. Even Usopp and Joziar were hurt. They would have died if Chopper hadn't gotten there in time, if Enel's intervention had actually struck Usopp. So many if's but he shouldn't think about that.
Luffy bit his lip. The wind gently tousled his hair again—fluffy and pale like clouds—and he closed his eyes at the sensation, trying not to let it feel like comfort.
"You're makin' that face again," A voice, tired but amused, came from nearby.
Luffy blinked, glancing to the side to see Usopp, who he had thought wouldn't talk to him for a while, propped against a tree, one leg bandaged, arms crossed as he watched him.
"Huh?"
"The one where your brows get all squiggly, and your mouth goes wobbly like a kid who dropped his last rice ball."
Luffy wasn't sure what surprised him more. Whether it was Usopp talking casually to him like before or whether he pinpointed what he was feeling at the moment.
"I do not look like that." Luffy, instead, blinked and puffed out his cheeks in denial.
Usopp just grinned—friendly and without an ounce of fear. "You kinda do, bro."
The silence lingered for a second, broken only by Chopper fussing over someone in the distance. Then, Usopp continued, his voice lighter. "Y'know.. If you are really that bored and antsy, you could go get some firewood."
Luffy tilted his head. "Firewood?"
"Yeah. For cooking. Or keeping warm at night. Or whatever. It's a forest. You like forests." Usopp was hitting right at the nail.
But Luffy still hesitated. He glanced back at Chopper, who gave him a tiny wave with his salve-covered hoof. Even the wind nudged at him again, playful, tickling the back of his neck like a nudge from his brother..
"You sure?" Luffy asked, voice soft and small like a child asking for permission after doing something bad. "I don't wanna leave ya alone."
"We're fine," Usopp assured, giving him a thumbs up. "You already healed the serious injuries and Chopper's got his doctor mode on. And I'm supervising with great intensity from here." He tapped his temple.
A beat passed before Luffy grinned widely. "Okay!" He jumped to his feet with his childish bounce, which only he could pull off, and turned toward the edge of the clearing. "I'll get the best firewood ever! And maybe a cool stick!"
"Try not to bring back a tree!" Usopp yelled after him. But Luffy was already skipping away with the wind trailing after him like a loyal puppy.
Until he was stopped.
Gan Fall stood just beyond the clearing, cane in his hand, and his armor only slightly scuffed from the battle. Beside him was the commander of the White Berets, looking stern but respectful. Beside him, arms crossed, jaw clenched, was Wyper.
All three stepped forward as Luffy approached.
"God Nika," Gan Fall began, bowing his head respectfully with the commander. "On behalf of Skypiea—thank you. You freed us from a tyrant we feared we'd never escape."
"..Same here." Wyper spoke after a beat, looking away from Luffy, but Luffy didn't miss the slight bow he did and the respect Wyper hid in his heart for him. "Thanks for freeing the Upper Yard from that bastard."
Luffy blinked, tilted his head, and offered a lopsided smile. "Mmm. S'okay. Enel was annoying."
Gan Fall chuckled softly at that. "Now that he's gone.. What should we do next?"
Luffy froze, already able to read the questions in Gan Fall before the old man asked.
"What will become of Skypiea, now that you've taken the title of kami back from him? Will you.. rule?"
Luffy could feel the tension rising. He could feel Wyper's own set of questions, him not wanting his tribe, his people, to be separated from their motherland. While Gan Fall and the commander also want a part of Upper Yard.
There was Gan Fall's hope, his uncertainty of what would happen to Skypiea. The White Beret's discipline made him hold back his questions as he stood by the former god, Gan Fall. Wyper's gritted teeth—like he hated the question but was afraid of the answer, despite the fact that Nika had personally promised to help them.
And Nika laughed. Not loud. Not wild. But soft.
"Rule Skypiea? Nahhhhh," Nika said, scratching his hair as a breeze playfully tugged at his cloudy strands. "The sun and the sky are already a lot to handle. I don't need more stuff on my plate."
The wind spun around him like a pouting kid, making Nika smirk and look up. "Don't get jealous, ya airheads," He whispered to the breeze, which swirled faster in response like it was flustered. "You already keep me busy."
Wyper snorted under his breath, barely hiding the ghost of a smile and relief in his heart. After a short silence, Gan Fall let out a relieved exhale. "Then… you'll leave the rest to us?"
"Yup!" Luffy said cheerfully. "But!—" He spun on his heel. "Don't fight over the Upper Yard, 'kay? It's big. Share it. You're all part of the sky."
Wyper stiffened again but nodded after a moment. "We'll… try."
"Oh! And! What're you doin' with that horse-dog thingy? Holy, I think?"
The commander answered this time. "The Divine Soldiers, all twenty-six of them that remained, have been banished to the desert clouds. Gedatsu, the last priest… is with them. But Holy is… complicated. We don't know if he—"
"He's stayin'!" Luffy grinned, pointing directly at the puffball of a divine guard beast that had snuck up behind them, tail wagging nervously. "From now on, he's your guard dog!"
Holy barked once, excitedly, and ran circles around them before doing a flip and crashing into a bush.
Luffy gave a thumbs up. "Perfect. Case closed!" With that, he turned, skipping off toward the treeline. The clouds above parted just enough for sunlight to catch in his white hair.
.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue over the Upper Yard as the Shandorians and Skypieans gathered together with the Straw hat pirates for a grand celebration. The long-standing war had finally ended with Enel's defeat but the air still buzzed with a mix of relief and cautiousness.
Both tribes had arrived bearing gifts of food, drinks and decorations, their combined efforts transforming the clearing into a festive haven. Native instruments, some unfamiliar to the other side, were also tuned and readied, their melodies soon to intertwine in harmony.
In the center of the clearing, a massive bonfire was being constructed. Men and women from both tribes worked side by side, stacking logs and kindling, their synchronized movements symbolizing a newfound unity. Nearby, long tables were set up, laden with an impressive array of dishes.
Sanji was helping with the dishes, gazing at the abundance of food before him. "Thanks the heavens," He murmured. "We have enough food to feed everyone."
Placing the final dish onto the long wooden table with a theatrical flourish, Sanji dusted off his hands, before turning his gaze lovingly at Nami and Robin, who were chatting a few meters away, bathed in the soft glow of the firelight.
"My beautiful queens!" Sanji swooned, clasping his hands dramatically over his heart. "Without your divine guidance, we would've starved tonight!" Then, he turned toward the crowd, his voice rising, "Let it be known! The greatest treasures we found in Enel's temple were not the golden relics but these two radiant goddesses!"
Nami raised a brow, smirking slightly as she muttered to Robin, "Is he giving a speech again?"
Robin chuckled softly. "Let him. He's in his element."
Sanji spun on his heel and sauntered toward a nearby group, where Zoro and three Shandia sat looking entirely unenthused in front of a comically small roasted bird skewered on a stick.
"Well, well, well," Sanji drawled with an infuriating grin. "What's this? A magnificent beast caught by the mighty hunters? My, you brave ones truly risked your lives to bring back… this." He sniffled dramatically. "I feel like crying tears of joy."
Zoro shot him a look that could've turned the bonfire to ash. "Don't start."
The first Shandian grumbled, "The forest was... eerily quiet. All the animals just vanished."
"Probably sensed your energy," Sanji said sweetly. "Nothing screams 'run' like four dudes howling like dying banshees."
Zoro glared at Sanji, daring him to laugh, but Sanji smirked, lighting a cigarette. "Won't you say anything in your defense, oh mighty hunters?"
"We were not howling." Zoro grumbled, with the three Shandorians nodding along with him.
"Oh yeah?" Sanji smirked, lighting a cigarette. "Because from where I was standing, the forest echoed with, 'Dumb bird! Come out! I'm not in the mood to chase you!' And unintelligible screams."
"I stand by that," Zoro muttered under his breath, scowling at the fire.
Amidst the celebration, the Shandia chief and Gan Fall stood slightly apart, observing the festivities with an expression of contemplation. The weight of four centuries of conflict had borne heavily upon them. Even if the war with Enel was over now, the future between the two tribes was still uncertain.
Gan Fall was the first to break the silence between the two. "Even with Enel gone, the scars of our history remain. How do we guide our people toward this lasting peace?"
The Shandia chief stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Trust is not rebuilt overnight. But tonight is most definitely a start for us."
That was true. Even though they didn't know how the people would take the other tribe, it was certainly the start of a brand new relationship.
"Kami Gan Fall!" A Skypiean called out, interrupting the conversation between the two chiefs.
Gan Fall raised a hand, demanding attention. "Please, do not call me 'kami', I am no god." Gan Fall with his vice raised yet soft. He turned to face the assembled crowd, his voice carrying authority. "My friends, both Skypiean and Shandians, we stand at the dawn of a new era. The time has come to set aside our differences and forge a path of unity. I hope that together we will work toward an agreement that honors and benefits us all."
Murmurs of agreement, confusion, shock and silence rippled through the crowd.
"Furthermore, Skypiea shall no longer be ruled by a god. Instead, we shall look to Nika, the Sun and Sky God, as our guiding deity."
At this, all eyes turned towards Luffy— his divine form catching the attention of everyone present—who had been enthusiastically devouring plates and plates of food.
Noticing the sudden attention, Luffy paused, cheeks bulging and swallowed hastily. "Hey, I am not looking to lead or anything." He pouted. "I just want to get back to the sea and continue my adventure."
The Shandia chief smiled knowingly. "We understand, kami Nika. But, lord, your actions have inspired us. Hence, let us honor you as our deity and strive to uphold the peace you've helped us achieve."
Luffy huffed before a grin spread across his face. "Do whatever you want." Luffy shrugged, then added further. "The war has ended. There's no point in fighting anymore. Let's just share food and enjoy the party!"
The onlookers were stunned at the proclamation, each trying to figure out what the child god just said, believing that his words hid a metaphor, a deeper meaning to them. Some wise people even interpreted 'food' as a metaphor for the fertile land of the Upper Yard, spreading their speculations to the others.
So, if Nika believed in sharing the haul in Upper Yard, then perhaps coexistence with the other tribe was truly possible. But all that was left was to mingle with each other, know the other's taste and thoughts; to remove the differences between them and bring them closer to each other.
Everyone was hesitant at first, but the moment the warriors—Shandorians or Skypieans—came forward, talking with each other like friends in life or death, more individuals from both sides began to come forward, trying to mingle. As the night deepened, only a few pockets of resistance remained, individuals clinging to past grievances. Yet, even they seemed to waver, the infectious joy of the celebration chipping away at their animosity.
As the bonfire blazed, its flames reaching towards the heavens, casting flickering shadows across the clearing, Nika, having filled his stomach, danced with unrestrained joy. His movements were fluid and infectious, a reflection of the pure elation that filled the air and in his heart.
With a mischievous grin, he began to sing a playful tune, his voice resonating through the night and coaxing a smile and hearty laugh in everyone's heart.
"The islands in the south are warm,
And their heads get really hot,
They grow-a pineapples,
They grow-a coconuts,
And they're all idiots~!"
Laughter erupted from the gathered Shandorians, Skypieans and the Strawhats. Most of them couldn't believe a child kami to be so silly.
Though encouraged by their reaction, Nika continued further.
"The islands in the north are snowy,
And their heads get really cold,
They're very chilly-chilly,
They're very willy-nilly,
And they're all idiots!"
The infectious melody with the silly, goofy tuning drew more people into the silliest dance which Nika was performing around the bonfire. Most of the people were soon to join their hands, their steps syncing with the rhythm of the song as they followed Nika's lead. The barriers which had once divided some seemed to vanish in the warmth, while the wounds that the warriors got seemed to be closing in the communal celebration.
Surrounded by the merrymaking, groups began to form, sharing dishes and teaching each other the nuances of their musical instruments, bringing the Skypieans and the Shandorians even closer culturally.
While in a quieter corner of the clearing, Usopp had seized the opportunity to showcase one of his 'inventions'. He had wanted to join Luffy, and be a part of his infectious giddiness but Chopper had told him and Joziar to rest for tonight. But he wasn't going to let the night waste away. Hence, holding up a simple rubber band, he addressed a group of intrigued Skypieans and Shandorians alike.
"Behold!" Usopp proclaimed, stretching the rubber band between his fingers. "This, my friends, is the legendary 'Usopp Special Rubber Band Missile'. It's so powerful that ninety percent of the damage that caused the triplets to explode was because of this very weapon!"
The group gasped, their eyes widening in astonishment.
"And that's not all," Usopp continued, producing a small metal sheet from his bag. "This is a rare metal sheet that you can't find anywhere else. It's incredibly durable and has countless uses."
This is how Usopp traded most of his 'inventions' for various dials, growing his collections substantially.
"Nika! Nika! Can you play your favorite melody!"
"I wanna listen! I wanna hear it, Nika!"
"Yeah! Give it an ol' drum!"
"God of Sun and Sky, can you please play it at least once?"
"Please! Please! Please! We'd love to hear the melody again!"
The winds were chiming, pleading to Nika, to their lord, wanting to hear the melody which was considered to be a blessing to hear.
Nika chuckled, having finished his 'Baka song' to stuff his face again. "For that.. let us find the loudest instrument, shall we?" Nika grinned, clearly able to hear the happy squealing of the winds, who were soon to guide him up the beanstalk, through the clouds to a clearing where a huge golden bell stood. Forgotten and yet missed, its surface gleaming under the moonlight.
Nika ran his hands gently over the surface, a smile coming across his face at the ancient carvings etched on the bell.
"Robin would love to see this!" Nika chimed as he carefully lifted the bell, taking extra care to not damage it on the way, and made his way back to the bonfire.
The moment Nika returned, all the attention was drawn to him and the magnificent artifact he carried.
"It's the.." Wyper gasped. He might not have ever seen the legendary bell but he could clearly recognize it from the stories the chief had told him, passed down through his ancestors.
Positioning the giant belfry near the fire, Nika struck it with vigor in a slow rhythmic pattern. The deep, resonant tones echoed through the night, throughout the island, enchanting everyone present in its sweet, joyful and rambunctious melody. As the initial test notes began to fade away, Nika started playing his most favorite rhythm, slowly increasing speed.
Doom dut da da~!
The rhythm which his heart will forever follow. The rhythm which he loves the most.
Doom dut da da~!
Other musicians present soon joined in, their instruments harmonizing with Luffy's, creating the 'Drums of Liberation' by following Nika's lead. A masterpiece which would forever be etched in the very history of Skypiea, which every person—whether it be a child or an aged—would want to hear and dance to.
It was far past midnight when the drums finally vanished in the air, and the party died down with people passed down on the ground or having returned to their abode for rest. It was the moment when Robin, along with Gan Fall and the Shandia chief, finally got the chance to study the ancient relic of the past. The belfry that was seemingly lost and was mentioned in the inscriptions of the ruins.
It didn't take Robin's fingers a long time to find the tracing of the ancient inscriptions etched into its surface. A message which had been left on the belfry. A poneglyph that spoke of Poseidon and a message left by Gol D. Roger.
"I have come here and will lead this passage to the farthest ends of the world.---Pirate Gol D. Roger." Robin uttered the decoded message for the other two men to hear.
'Poseidon, huh?' Robin mused, her eyes decoding the text of the poneglyph etched in the belfry. 'Is it here?'
.
The jubilant festivities in Skypiea stretched on for three days and three nights. Throughout this time, Luffy remained in his divine form, exuding boundless energy and joy. He hadn't even taken a nap or felt sleepy, which was a source of concern for his crewmates. But seeing the little god happy and energetic as always, was also keeping the crew's worries at bay, allowing them to enjoy the festivities.
But they also missed the adventures in the blue sea.
It was on the dawn of the fourth day, when Luffy's ever-active mind turned to the treasures of the Skypiea. With a mischievous glint in his golden-red eyes, he decided it was time to gather some of the island's famed gold before their departure. With that in mind, he sneaked to the makeshift beds, where all of his friends were sprawled on.
"Oi, wake up, everyone!" Luffy's voice rang out, seemingly like an excited child, unable to hold in his energy. He even began poking at their faces, and not-so-gently tugging at their blankets.
Groans and murmurs were soon filling the deck as the crew was beginning to stir from their heavy slumber.
"Luffy, it's barely dawn," Nami mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
Undeterred, Luffy grinned. "Time to pack up! We're leaving soon."
As the crew slowly gathered their bearings, they noticed Luffy stuffing a bag with an assortment of food items. Around him lay several other bags, originally used by the Skypieans and Shandorians to transport food. One particular bag was gleaming with the unmistakable luster of gold.
Nami's eyes sparkled at the sight, recognizing the contents at first glance. Understanding Luffy's intent, she whispered urgently, "Everyone, start packing the gold. We need to gather as much as we can!"
It was after an hour, when the Strawhats had gathered all the gold within Nola and from Enel's temple, their hauls ready to leave with them.
It was still early in the morning, with the island lying in a serene slumber and its inhabitants resting after the day's celebration.
Seizing the opportunity, the crew agreed that this was the optimal moment to set sail with their newfound riches. However, the tranquility was short-lived as the Shandorians, the light sleepers attuned to the noises of their environment, sensed their movement. They were soon to awaken to the sight of the Strawhats making a hasty exit, bags laden with the gold they had wanted to offer to them.
Confusion and a hint of hurt were soon to cloud their expressions. "Wait! Why are you leaving without a word?!" Wyper called out, his voice tinged with hurt.
Usopp, ever the spokesperson in these kinds of situations, turned to address them. "We've risked our lives to come here. It wouldn't be right to leave empty-handed."
The Skypieans and Shandorians, still groggy from sleep, pleaded with them to stay a while longer, to bid proper farewells. But despite all of that, the Strawhats, who were convinced that the Skypieans and Shandorians were chasing them because they had stolen their gold, ran faster, with Luffy laughing and Robin having a faint smile on her features.
However, upon reaching the ship, they were met by Conis and Aisa, who stood waiting with somber expressions.
"You're leaving already?" Conis inquired softly, having heard it when Nika had asked his crew to gather up.
Nami nodded, her eyes trembling slightly.
"Big bro Nika," Aisa called out, tugging at Luffy's shirt. "Thank you for answering our prayers."
Luffy tilted his head in confusion at the words of the little one. "Prayers? What prayers?"
Aisa opened her mouth to explain, but before she could, Luffy gave her a gentle pat on the head and turned to stow away the food he'd gathered.
With everything in place and the goodbyes said to Aisa and Conis, the Going Merry set sail towards the end of the white sea, which almost no one from the Strawhats were prepared to face.
But not before turning around a final time and smilingly waving goodbye to everyone who had gathered at the cloud harbor.
.
The blue sea, the Grand Line was below them, but with the pace they were descending, they were for sure going to fall to their deaths, if not for a massive octopus to expand rapidly and envelop their ship. It saved some from screaming their lungs out and allowed them to enjoy the descent to their sea.
However, amidst the chaos of their descent, Luffy, who had been perched at the front of the ship—laughing only moments before with the wind in his hair and sun in his chest—let out a sharp, strangled gasp, nearly toppling off board if not for Zoro who was there to catch him in the nick of time with eyes wide in horror.
"What the hell?!" Zoro was shouting in worry.
"Luffy?!" Chopper was running, concern leaking from his voice.
The white of Luffy's divine form began dimming like a candle melting into wax. His hair was slowly bleeding back into black, the strands losing their glow and coiling like wilted vines. His golden skin, kissed by the sunlight and sky, was turning unearthly pale—a sickening pale. His eyes, previously alight with an ethereal glow of red-gold-blue, dilated as if reality had just hit him like a truck. Then his entire body seized.
"LUFFY!" It was Zoro's voice that tore through the moment, raw and sharp, as he held the tiny teen in his arms, who dropped like a puppet with its strings sliced, clutching at his own chest and curling in on himself in pain. His entire body was trembling, teeth gritting so tightly that it could shatter bones.
Chopper was already there, with his medicines flying out of his bag, stethoscope pressed against Luffy's ribcage. "His heartbeat's erratic! He's overheating—no, wait—it's like.. It's like his body's shutting down at once!"
"Luffy!" Sanji was right behind them, panic slicing through his usual cool demeanor. "Oi! Luffy! What the hell's going on with him?!"
Robin knelt beside them, her usual calm rattled. "It's the transformation—he's reverting... but it's like his body doesn't know how to handle it."
"Is he dying?" Usopp asked, terrified, hands shaking so hard he dropped the handful of dials he had been organizing seconds before. "Please tell me he's not dying—he was fine just now! He's a freaking god! He can't die!"
Nami knelt on the other side, brushing strands of damp hair from Luffy's forehead. It was burning. His whole body was fever-hot, no that's an understatement, it's scolding maybe even burning. "He hasn't slept in days, Chopper. You said that wasn't normal, even for him."
"I thought it was okay since he was in that form—he didn't show any signs of fatigue!" Chopper's voice cracked. "But maybe his human body was just... overriding all the warning signs. This isn't just exhaustion—this is everything catching up to him at once!"
Luffy's body convulsed again. His hands clawing at anything—at Zoro, who was holding him in his grasp, keeping him steady—eyes wide and unfocused. His breathing was erratic—shallow, ragged gasps between groans of immense pain.
"I-It hurts.." Luffy whimpered, his voice barely audible as giant tears rolled down from his tightly shut eyes, shattering everyone's heart.
Zoro's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked. "You idiot.. Why didn't you say anything?!" His voice was hoarse, as if choking back tears.
But Luffy couldn't hear any of it. He couldn't hear his crew's worries, couldn't hear them trying to talk to him. No, all he could feel was the immense pain holding his heart in a death grip, squeezing and twisting it.
"Did he.. perhaps burn himself out in his godly form..?" Usopp suggested, his eyes wide in fear at Luffy's situation. "It did look like it was chewing more than just stamina.."
"No," Chopper muttered, his eyes wide as he hovered above Luffy's shaking form, trying to find ways to calm down his captain. "It's not just his powers.. It's something else. Something which I.. don't understand." Chopper answered fearfully.
And if it wasn't the worst realization, then the horror which occurred next surely was. The giant octopus above them gave a weak, pitiful croak and began to deflate like a punctured balloon, as if all of its energy had suddenly vanished.
The Going Merry lurched, threatening to topple over.
"Everyone, grab onto something!" Nami shouted as the ship dropped and the air rushed past them like a hurricane.
In the midst of this, Luffy's eyes rolled back as the Going Merry crashed in the ocean. His head hit the deck hard, and his scream of pain was lost to the rushing waters and the wind. The impact shook his world, bringing the far comforting abyss to him. With that, he had lost consciousness yet gained a small peace by no longer having to process his nerves screeching and throbbing in anguish.