Storm was once a staunch materialist.
Until he came to this world and lived here for eighteen years. Now, his attitude toward "Gods" was simple: Respect the spirits, but keep them at a distance.
But the so-called "Gods" of this sea? The Celestial Dragons? The rulers of Skypiea? They were nothing but parasites using the name of divinity to exploit the innocent.
Storm scoffed at the "Divine Right of Kings."
What era were they living in? Bloodline theory? Pah! Disgusting!
All mortals are born equal. Who dares to claim superiority? Even the so-called Sun God Nika... Bah!
Because of this, Storm greatly admired Wiper and the Shandians' attitude toward "Gods." He didn't hesitate to extend his goodwill, casually inviting them onto the Island of God—their ancestral homeland, Jaya.
As the Shandians stepped past the cloud barrier onto the solid, muddy ground, their expressions shifted from wary to ecstatic.
Storm noticed a little girl in a yellow dress immediately squat down, frantically grabbing handfuls of dirt and stuffing them into her pouch.
"Aisa!"
Laki immediately pulled the girl up, scolding her in a low voice. "Don't do anything foolish!"
Although this strange man seemed generous, he had just killed Enel! Soil was more precious than gold in the sky. Stealing it in front of the new conqueror was suicidal.
The other warriors froze, their hands hovering near their weapons. Wiper frowned, preparing to apologize or fight.
"Your name is Aisa?"
Storm looked at the little girl. His voice was gentle, but it made everyone tense.
"How did you know I defeated Enel?"
Laki instinctively tried to shield her, but the precocious Aisa spoke first.
"I heard it! Enel's voice disappeared! Only your voice is here!"
"What a talent..."
Storm crouched down, beckoning to Aisa like he was bribing a child. He held out his hand, and a small, perfectly detailed clay doll of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon formed in his palm.
"Want this doll? Answer a few questions, and it's yours."
The Sky Island inhabitants had very limited entertainment. For the nomadic Shandians, it was even worse. Aisa's eyes locked onto the toy like a hawk.
Ignoring Laki's warning grip, she ran to Storm.
"Ask away!" she said, not looking at him, but at the dragon doll.
Storm smiled. "Your ability is called 'Mantra' here, and 'Observation Haki' on the Blue Sea. Have you had it since you were born?"
"Yes! Wiper says I have Mantra!"
"An innate talent... Besides hearing voices, can you hear anything else? Like people's inner thoughts?"
Storm was curious. Innate Observation Haki was incredibly rare. Patrick Redfield (The Red) could read minds. Queen Otohime could sense and influence emotions. He wondered what Aisa's specific mutation was.
"Huh?" Aisa blinked, finally tearing her eyes away from the toy to look at Storm. "Hear thoughts? That sounds weird and creepy."
"Just normal long-range sensing, then," Storm concluded.
He smirked and handed the clay doll forward. "I shouldn't ask a kid complicated questions. Here, keep it."
"Wow!"
Aisa eagerly snatched the toy, holding it high. Her eyes sparkled. "A winged lizard!"
"...Huh? What did you say?"
Storm's smile vanished. He tapped Aisa lightly on the forehead.
"It is not a 'lizard'! It's a dragon! A Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Above them, the actual Blue-Eyes White Dragon seemed to sense its creator's annoyance.
ROAR—!
The deafening roar pierced the clouds, making the Shandian warriors flinch and reach for their weapons.
But young Aisa showed no fear. She rubbed her forehead with one hand and held the toy up to the giant dragon with the other.
"Why can the big one fly, but my little lizard can't?"
"Why do kids ask so many questions?" Storm grumbled. He tapped the clay doll in her hand.
Poof.
The dragon doll instantly transformed into a Nine-Tailed Fox.
"There. Now it's not a dragon, it's not a lizard, and it definitely can't fly!"
Aisa stared at the fox in her hands. Her bottom lip trembled. Her large eyes filled with tears.
"WAAAAAH! MY GIANT LIZARD!"
The little girl's wail echoed through the ruins.
Storm's eye twitched. 'Kids are so annoying.'
"Who's the parent here?" Storm looked at the tense warriors. "Take this crybaby away!"
"I'm not a crybaby! Waaah!" Aisa ran back to Laki, burying her face in the woman's skirt. "Laki! That big jerk took my lizard!"
Laki awkwardly patted the girl's head, her expression contorted. The other warriors looked equally strained—torn between the terror of facing the man who killed God, and the sheer absurdity of him bullying a five-year-old over a toy.
"Hey, you."
Storm pointed at the leader. "I am Vongola Storm. What is your name?"
"Wiper!" the Berserker barked.
"Very good, Wiper. Are you and your people willing to be hired?"
"...Hired?" Wiper blinked, the tension breaking. "You mean... work for you?"
"Yes. I pay you, you do the work." Storm stroked his chin. "Oh, wait. You Sky Islanders don't care much for Berries, do you? What about dirt?"
Storm smiled.
"I provide the dirt, and you work for me."
If someone said this on the Blue Sea, they would be punched in the face. But here, 10,000 meters in the sky? It was celestial music.
"Really?" Wiper, the proud, unyielding warrior, suddenly looked very attentive. "You're willing to share the 'Vearth' with us?"
"Let's put it this way," Storm stamped his foot on the solid ground of Upper Yard.
"Excluding the gold on it, and Enel's personal stash... How many years of service does this entire island buy me?"
Silence.
Not a few grams. Not a sack. Not a cartload.
An entire island?
Their ancestral homeland?!
The Shandians were stunned. Even Aisa stopped crying, peeking out from Laki's skirt to stare at the "big jerk," who suddenly looked very heroic.
Without hesitation, Wiper spoke for his entire tribe.
"Lord Vongola! The Shandians will be your most loyal warriors!"
Storm walked forward and extended his hand.
"Do we have a deal?"
Wiper looked at the outstretched hand, a bit confused by the Blue Sea custom, but he firmly grasped it.
"We have a deal."
Storm shook it twice. "From this moment on, this land is yours to live on, but you serve under my banner."
"YES, LORD VONGOLA!"
The Shandian warriors erupted in jubilation. Tears of joy flowed freely.
Four hundred years!
After four centuries of bloodshed, the Shandians had finally reclaimed their homeland.
The Golden Bell would ring once more.
"Now," Storm grinned, looking at his new army. "Let's have a grand feast!"
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