"So, you're saying this island is part of Jaya that vanished four hundred years ago? This is the golden city of Shandora?!"
Having listened to Marie's explanation, Luffy suddenly exclaimed loudly.
Weber, in the middle of fighting, abruptly stopped, turning to stare at the Straw Hats.
Lackey and Aisa also looked their way, astonishment etched on their faces.
Luffy, now on his feet and beaming, declared, "So, this really is the Golden Land! Old Man Rhombus and the others searched the ocean floor for ages and couldn't find it. Turns out, the Golden Land has been floating in the sky for four hundred years!"
Weber's expression was one of disbelief and dawning realization. He swiftly recalled the Chief's words.
Then, he growled at Luffy, "Straw Hat! What are you babbling about! How do you know this? How do you know about the Golden Country?!"
Luffy, oblivious to Weber's agitation, replied, "What do you mean, 'why'? Of course, it's because we met Roland's descendants, and they were also searching for the golden city of Shandora. I thought it had sunk to the bottom of the sea, but who knew it was on Sky Island! Go! Hehehe! I absolutely have to ring the Golden Bell and tell Old Man Rhombus the good news!"
Roland?!
Golden Bell?!
It felt as if lightning had struck Weber. Tears welled up and streamed down his face uncontrollably.
He remembered the Chief's explanation of the Sandians' battle, the promise made by the great warrior Kalgara and Roland, and he broke down, sobbing openly.
Seeing such a tough man cry surprised everyone.
Weber choked back his sobs and asked, "Straw Hat boy, tell me, what's the name of this 'Rhombus' you mentioned?"
Luffy scratched his head, looking confused. "Old Man Rhombus is... Old Man Rhombus..."
"Montblanc Cricket, the half-hearted shopkeeper of Montblanc Rowe."
Robin, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air, interjected calmly, "Roland once told his king that he saw the Golden Country on Jaya, but when the king arrived, Shandora had vanished. The king, believing Roland had deceived him, ordered his execution. For four hundred years, Roland has been branded a liar, and his descendants have searched the ocean floor for traces of Shandora."
"Robin! You're here too!" Luffy and the others exclaimed in surprise.
Sanji, ever the admirer, was already eagerly preparing a bento for Robin, a clear display of his infatuation.
Luffy grinned and said, "Before I went to Sky Island, I promised Old Man Cricket that if I saw the Golden Country here, I'd ring the Golden Bell and let him know!"
Weber was now openly weeping.
For four centuries, the Shandia people had toiled to reclaim their homeland.
In the Blue Sea, Roland's descendants had also endured four hundred years of searching.
Perhaps it was destiny at play. The promise of their ancestors had been upheld by their descendants for four hundred years. Wasn't that incredibly romantic?
"Weber, our hometown, Shandora, is..." Aisa began to ask, her voice filled with emotion.
"That's right! One of our primary goals in reclaiming our homeland is to honor the agreement between the great warrior Kalgara and Roland! We will ring the Golden Bell to light the lamp of Shandora!" Weber declared, his voice firm and resolute.
Luffy watched Weber silently for a long moment, saying nothing.
However, the touching scene was abruptly shattered by an unwelcome intrusion.
Ohm swung his sword, brutally slashing Weber's shoulder. Blood spurted out immediately, and Weber collapsed to the ground in agony, unable to rise.
"Forgive the interruption, but it's time for the Iron Ordeal!" Ohm announced, as he and his large dog, Holy, charged forward.
"Weber!" Lackey and Aisa cried out in alarm, but they were trapped behind the barbed wire, helpless as Ohm moved to deliver the final blow.
Suddenly, a transparent hemisphere expanded outwards.
"ROOM! Slaughterhouse!"
With a flick of Law's fingers, Weber and Law instantly switched places.
Law drew his nodachi, Kikoku, and clashed with Ohm's Iron Mace.
Sanji immediately lashed out, "Law, that's not cool! When a lady is crying, a knight like myself should step in! Why do you have to hog all the handsome moments?!"
Law looked exasperated. "Heizu is in charge here. He's my opponent."
"I don't care! It's your fault anyway! Damn it, you stole such a perfect opportunity to show off in front of beautiful women!"
Ignoring Sanji's outburst, Law focused on his fight against Ohm.
Meanwhile, Lackey and Aisa had rushed to Weber's side.
"Weber! Are you alright, Weber?!" Lackey frantically tried to treat Weber's wound, while Aisa could only sob.
...asking for flowers...
Despite his pain, Weber struggled to reach out and grab Luffy's leg, his voice hoarse, "Straw Hat boy! I must be the one to ring the Golden Bell of Shandora! That is my promise to fulfill for my ancestor and Roland! Promise me, let me ring it first!"
Luffy shook his head firmly. "Nope! I promised Old Man Cricket, so I'm ringing it first!"
"You! I will strike it first! That is the Golden Bell of our ancestors!"
"No way! I'm ringing it myself first!"
The two were now arguing nonsensically.
Zoro, finally losing his patience, roared, "Will you two shut up! Just ring it together, for crying out loud!"
Weber and Luffy were taken aback for a moment, then they both grinned, clasping hands. "Alright! Let's ring it together!
Robin watched from the side, a silent smile on her face as she took a picture. This, too, was a form of men's camaraderie. Though she didn't fully grasp the intricacies of male bonds, it wouldn't stop this photo from finding its place in her album.
With the agreement made, the atmosphere became harmonious, so much so that Robin almost forgot she had previously defeated a Shandia warrior.
Marie poured cups of tea for both Lackey and Aisa to help calm them down.
Weber, despite his tough exterior, hadn't sustained serious injuries and quickly sat up again. Seeing that the battle within the barbed wire was progressing smoothly, he didn't intend to interfere.
Meanwhile, Robin shared her findings.
"I arrived here a little earlier and scouted around, confirming that the ruins of Shandora are not far ahead. However, many more ruins are concealed by island clouds, so I went down to explore them. It's a magnificent and beautiful civilization. One can't help but feel a sense of longing. Your ancestors were remarkable; they fought to protect the Golden Bell!"
"You mean, the ruins of Shandora are just ahead? Where's the Golden Bell?!" Weber asked, his face tense with anticipation. Luffy's expression mirrored his excitement.
Robin shook her head. "I didn't find the Golden Bell, but based on my observations, it should have been propelled upwards into the sky by this massive beanstalk. Perhaps you can find it up there."
"Above the beans?" Weber's face suddenly clouded over. "Of course! Enel must have taken the Golden Bell! The cloud above the beanstalk is his God's Shrine! I have to defeat Enel and reclaim our Shandora's light!"
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