"Wow——"
"Is this… the other half of Jaya Island? The Island of Gods, Apayado, carried here by the Knock Up Stream?"
Carina's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the lush greenery, towering trees, and endless white clouds. The sight was so breathtaking it felt like stepping into a dream.
"Who?"
Ren, still in his Dragon form, had just set foot on the Island of Gods with Carina.
But almost immediately, a group of fierce figures appeared—poorly dressed yet bristling with weapons, their eyes sharp and hostile.
What struck Carina was their appearance: not only did they look like indigenous warriors, but each bore a pair of small white wings on their backs.
They froze, glaring with suspicion.
Then, in the blink of an eye, their expressions shifted to shock at the sight of the massive Dragon.
"Hiss——"
"What kind of monster is this?"
One of the Shandia clan warriors gasped, pupils narrowing, mouth agape. Yet his stance remained vigilant, unwilling to lower his guard.
"It's been less than a month… and you don't recognize me?"
Ren gently set Carina down. His fiery unicorn form shrank rapidly, revealing his human self. He smiled at the two young Shandia warriors leading the group. "Kamaqili, Braham…"
"Ren?"
"Mr. Ren!!!"
The two warriors' eyes widened, surprise and joy flooding their faces. The others, though astonished, quickly mirrored their relief.
Hostility vanished in an instant, replaced by respect.
"Ren, it really is you…"
Kamakiri, tall and thin, spear in hand, his red sunglasses gleaming beneath his mohawk, spoke with disbelief. "Didn't you leave the Sky Island with the Straw Hat boy and continue your adventure?"
"After reaching the Blue Sea, some conflicts arose. I've left the Straw Hat Pirates…" Ren explained briefly, then gestured toward Carina with a smile.
"This is my new companion. I brought her here to see the island."
"Hello! My name is Carina, and I'm Ren's companion."
Carina introduced herself politely, smiling warmly.
"Hello…"
"Since you are Ren's companion, you are also a friend of the Shandia clan!"
"Miss Carina, if you need anything, just tell us…"
"Yes, thanks to Mr. Ren, after he defeated Enel, he helped us drive out the invaders from Angel Island. Because of him, our Shandia clan reclaimed our homeland!"
"But… Mr. Ren, you've left the Straw Hats?"
"Speaking honestly, the Straw Hat boy and his crew are good people… but far too naive."
"If they hadn't stopped you back then, Gan Fall and the others would have been killed by your hand, Mr. Ren!"
The Shandia warriors were unusually enthusiastic.
Centuries of suffering had taught them bitter lessons, leaving them wary of outsiders and slow to trust. Yet their gratitude toward Ren was genuine, and their respect undeniable.
They also extended warmth to Carina, seeing her as his chosen companion.
From their words, Carina pieced together fragments of history.
Ren had slain the self-proclaimed god Enel, who once ruled the Sky Island. Afterward, he expelled the original inhabitants of Angel Island, led by the former god Gan Fall, and restored the land to the Shandia clan—who had fought for generations to reclaim their homeland.
Had the Straw Hat Pirates not intervened, Gan Fall himself might have been killed.
Ren had never told her any of this.
"Strange… this guy doesn't seem like such a kind person," Carina murmured quietly, glancing at him.
Though they had only known each other for a few days, she was beginning to understand his nature.
Ren could be warm and attentive toward her, but he was ruthless when it came to battle. He was not the type to meddle in others' affairs, nor a saint who helped strangers out of kindness.
This explained his clashes with the Straw Hats—and why he eventually parted ways with them.
Carina couldn't reconcile how someone like Ren would go out of his way to help the Shandia clan reclaim their homeland.
At most, she thought, after defeating Enel he might have left Apayado's fate to unfold naturally, letting the Shandia and Angel Islanders continue their endless struggle.
Yet instead, he had decisively aided the Shandia, driving out Angel Island's forces.
It surprised her deeply.
"What about Wiper? I have something I want to ask him!" Carina said suddenly.
Ren noticed her gaze. He knew this clever, sharp-tongued girl well enough to understand her doubts.
But he offered no explanation.
Helping the Shandia clan had been a whim—perhaps influenced by memories from his past life. He had always despised invaders who seized another people's homeland.
Perhaps it was because Ren was a Lunarian. His homeland on the Red Earth Continent had been invaded by the World Government, and his tribe had been oppressed for centuries—driven to the brink of extinction.
In short, Ren admired the Shandia warriors. For hundreds of years they had never surrendered, still fighting tenaciously to reclaim their homeland. Their unyielding spirit resonated with him.
Thus, after slaying the self-proclaimed god Enel, Ren did not hesitate to intervene in the conflict between Skypeia and Shandia. He rejected Skypiea proposal to "share" Apayado. Instead, he confronted Gan Fall directly, slaughtered the God Guards under his command, and expelled Angel Island's forces.
Even before leaving, he ignored the protests of the Straw Hat Pirates. He declared that the Shandia warriors—though few in number and worn down by endless wars—would be protected. Their fighting spirit was undeniable, but their tribe had always been disadvantaged by scarcity. Ren's words alone were enough to terrify Angel Island.
Gan Fall, unwilling to lose Apayado, was forced to endure constant protests from his people. Yet he dared not act rashly. He had seen Ren's power with his own eyes—strength equal to Enel's, a force like a natural disaster, beyond mortal resistance.
If Gan Fall truly launched war against Shandia, Skypeia itself would be annihilated. Knowing the man's hesitant nature, Ren deliberately spared his life.
"Wiper is training the village children…"
Braham, wearing a bamboo straw hat and green coat, chuckled as he adjusted the twin pistols at his sides. "That guy is strict. The little brats are terrified of him, never daring to slack off. As the saying goes—forget how to fight, and danger will find you. Wiper's doing well."
Ren smiled faintly, his Observation Haki sweeping across the Island of Gods. "Enough standing around. Come, let's go."
"The patriarch will be overjoyed to see you again…"
"And Lucky—he talks about you every day, waiting for your return!"
The Shandia warriors laughed warmly as they led the way, their earlier hostility replaced by camaraderie.
The Shandia warriors led Ren and Carina to the heart of their tribe's residence.
"Lucky?" Carina whispered softly as she followed beside Ren, her eyes flickering with curiosity. The name sounded feminine to her.
"By the way, Ren…"
Kamaqili suddenly turned with a grin. "You came at the perfect time. We've prepared a gift for you!"
"Yes," Braham added, his usually stern face breaking into a rare smile. "We've been saving it for your return. I promise—you'll like it."
"Gift?"
Carina's jewel-like eyes lit up instantly, sparkling with the gleam of Bailey. Like Nami, she was a money addict, and the mention of treasure made her pulse quicken. Even if the gift wasn't for her, the thought of something valuable stirred her excitement.
Ren, however, only smiled faintly. He didn't take their words too seriously.
He knew the truth.
The gold the Straw Hat Pirates had carried away from Sky Island had come from the giant snake, the Lord of the Sky. Enel had spent years summoning Skypeia's craftsmen, hoarding vast amounts of gold to construct his Ark, Proverbs. But before he could finish, he was slain.
The Going Merry could only carry so much. The Ark itself, massive and unfinished, still contained an immeasurable fortune in gold.
That treasure had been left here, safeguarded by the Shandia clan as a trophy of the Straw Hats.
Ren thought to himself: if he ever needed money in the future, he could simply return here and claim it. The Shandia, who had finally reclaimed their homeland after centuries of struggle and fulfilled the last wish of their warrior Kalgara, would never object. Their gratitude ran too deep.
After all, the Ark Proverbs was precious—but to the Shandia, its value paled in comparison to the golden bell tower, their sacred symbol of faith.
That ancient bell, weathered by centuries yet still standing tall, had miraculously survived the battle against Enel. It remained intact, gleaming with history and reverence.
Ren knew, however, that no matter how grateful the Shandia were, they would never give him the bell itself, nor dismantle its massive golden pillars. And he wouldn't want them to.
It was too perfect a work of art to destroy.
Besides, it was enormous. Transporting it would be more trouble than it was worth.
Ren smirked to himself. Too much trouble indeed.