Somewhere on the Blue Sea.
"Quit joking around, Cricket! We don't have time to chase after something that doesn't even exist!"
"Are you giving up on being a pirate just like that, Cricket?"
"Cricket! You're nothing but a liar, just like your ancestor! The City of Gold is a myth!!!"
"Captain…"
Mont Blanc Cricket had just disbanded his pirate crew in Mock Town.
As he wandered the streets, shoulders hunched and head down, the echoes of his crewmates' final accusations rang in his mind. He looked utterly dejected, his spirit crushed.
CLANG!!!
The distant tolling of a bell reverberated through the sky, cutting through his despair like a blade. His eyes widened with sudden clarity.
His ancestor hadn't lied.
The fabled City of Gold hadn't disappeared—it had been carried into the sky by the Knock-Up Stream.
Spinning on his heels, he shouted after his departing crew.
"Hey! HEY! Sky Island—the City of Gold is on Sky Island! My ancestor, Noland, wasn't lying! The City of Gold is real! Who's coming with me to see it?!"
Inside a bar in Mock Town, a massacre was unfolding.
Trebol, in the midst of his rampage, suddenly paused, glancing toward the sky.
"Zehahaha… Doffy, you really are something else."
Doflamingo couldn't care less about the excitement of the Shandians, the Skypieans, or Noland's descendants.
Standing amidst the ruins of Shandora, which had somehow withstood the test of time, his gaze lingered on an ancient carving left behind by Roger and the fool known as Oden.
He had only one question on his mind.
Not the true purpose of Poseidon.
Not the route to Laugh Tale.
No.
How did Roger resist the urge to ring this bell?!
It was so round.
So bright.
So incredibly golden.
How could he not want to take a swing at it?!
Or… did he simply not see it back then?
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
His Observation Haki picked up on an overwhelming surge of excitement—something that had been suppressed for 400 years was now awakening.
A force beyond comprehension was stirring on Sky Island, slithering through the clouds, kicking up massive plumes of dust.
A massive blue silhouette emerged in the distance.
The approaching entity was none other than the Sky Lord, Nola—a millennia-old, kilometer-long anaconda with a maw large enough to swallow dozens of people whole.
"Fuffuffuffu… Finally, you've arrived—my mobile gold reserve!"
Activating his Demon Mode, Doflamingo's entire body underwent a transformation.
His String-String Fruit's powers wove an intricate mass of artificial muscle fibers around his frame, merging with his Armament Haki to form a grotesque exoskeleton—black as night and lethal as a viper.
"Fuffuffuffu… Today, I'm tearing a Sky King apart with my bare hands."
Feeling his strength surge to nearly ten times its usual level, he twisted his neck, cracking his joints, lips curling into a savage grin.
Across from him, Nola—once eager for a fight—suddenly froze.
The beast's primal instincts screamed at it to stop.
A predator's battle instincts clashed with centuries of survival wisdom.
"Urgh…!"
Nola's throat convulsed before it regurgitated a torrent of rubble and ruined buildings.
Amidst the cascading debris was a massive hoard of gold.
Doflamingo faltered mid-attack, momentarily stunned by the sight.
He had always known that Shandora's gold lay within the great serpent's belly, but witnessing it firsthand was another matter entirely.
What the hell is this situation?!
As the rubble settled, a shimmering waterfall of pure gold poured forth from Nola's maw.
Then, the great snake lowered its head to the ground, fixing its gaze on the golden Shandorian lamp in Doflamingo's hands.
Shit… this thing's too damn self-aware. Now I feel bad about killing it.
Is this an offering? A trade?
"Nola, let's play your favorite game."
Without waiting for a response, Doflamingo hurled the golden bell high into the air.
ROOOOAR!
Nola let out a deafening roar, its massive tail whipping out to strike the falling bell.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
This force… Trebol will be pleased.
Doflamingo caught the rebounding bell and, with a flick of his wrist, sent it soaring again.
Nola, like an overgrown puppy, chased after it eagerly.
...
Meanwhile.
The Shandian remnants in the distant Cloud Village, upon hearing the repetitive chimes, went from excited… to numb.
As the sun set, casting golden hues upon the clouds, Sky Island looked like a dream.
Damn, for once, being tall has its advantages. This thing's stamina is unreal.
As Nola collapsed in exhaustion, panting heavily, Doflamingo exhaled, relieved. The beast's sheer endurance was absurd.
This game would make an excellent addition to his family's training regimen.
Nola was happy.
His subordinates would gain endurance.
The Shandians would be desensitized to bell ringing.
Everyone had a bright future ahead.
...
Two months later.
Beyond Angel Island.
"The Cloud Processing Factory is officially open!"
The newly established factory sparked excitement among both the Skypieans and the Shandians—no, they were now the Donquixote people.
...
God's Palace.
Doflamingo lounged against the ample bosom of an Angel Island woman, watching footage from a Vision Dial with satisfaction.
In just two months, the newly founded New Donquixote Kingdom had established:
The Sky Island Civil Affairs Bureau, led by former god Gan Fall and the old Shandian chief, tasked with maintaining order.
The Artificial Shellfish Cultivation Plant, dedicated to producing various Sky Island shells, with a focus on lifestyle-enhancing varieties.
The Aerial Transportation Department, responsible for restoring and expanding the deteriorated highways and canals.
Initially, no one wanted to work in the factories.
But after Diamante transported the first batch of Blue Sea goods—clothing, ships, weapons—only purchasable with Belly and not the worthless Sky Island Extol currency, people began to change their minds.
With their Blue Sea money running dry, the islanders slowly realized that factory jobs paid better and had reasonable working hours.
...
Two days later.
On the outskirts of Upper Yard, massive sea snails—capable of digesting the vine-like roots—gathered to feed.
Deep within the vines, inside a newly built laboratory, stood Vinsmoke Judge.
Though he had sworn allegiance to Doflamingo, exploiting both sides for his own benefit, he couldn't hide his awe upon reaching Sky Island and seeing the golden sea below.
His latest enhancements gleamed under the light—gold-plated armor, a high-tech crown, and a spear crackling with electricity.
Still lost in thought, Judge was snapped back to reality as Doflamingo gestured toward two restrained creatures—a standard South Bird and an oversized Sky Island variant.
"Tell me, Judge—could the high concentration of Sea Prism Stone-infused pyrobroin in the environment be the key to biological gigantification?"
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg