Island of God, Upper Yard.

Sakazuki and Cricket followed the Divine Guard along the path toward the temple.

Surrounding them were towering, sky-piercing trees.

“Unbelievable… so the Sky Island actually has land… and trees this massive too.”

Cricket followed behind Sakazuki, exclaiming in awe. The Divine Guard ahead turned back and spoke reverently:

“Sky Island didn’t have land in the past. This land is a gift from God.”

“Four hundred years ago, huh.”

Sakazuki’s voice rang out. Cricket froze in surprise and turned sharply to look at him.

The Divine Guard ahead spoke again:

“You people from the Blue Sea know about that too?”

“No, I just heard about it when we came.”

Cricket listened to their conversation, his face filled with astonishment and excitement as he looked around.

It was as if he wanted to imprint these sights permanently into his memory.

Before long, an all-white palace came into view.

Unlike the castle-style architecture of Angel Island, this grand hall had a more ancient design, appearing solemn and dignified.

A man in a long robe with a long beard appeared at the entrance.

The guard was about to speak, but the man raised a hand to stop him. The guard paused, lowered his head, and stepped back.

The white-robed man walked up to them and extended his right hand.

“Hello, powerful adventurers from the Blue Sea.”

“I am Gan Fall.”

Sakazuki looked at the frail man before him, extended his right hand, and responded in a deep voice.

“Sakazuki.”

…

Inside the hall.

Once the two were seated.

Gan Fall looked at them and began to speak:

“Adventurers from the Blue Sea, I know you must have many questions. But… may I tell you a story first?”

Sakazuki gave a slight nod, signaling for Gan Fall to continue. He more or less already guessed what this would be about.

Gan Fall looked at the map on the table and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“It was about 400 years ago.”

“The Island of God was still a very peaceful place.”

“People were simple and kind-hearted back then.”

“Sometimes they would salvage what little resources were brought up by the rising sea currents.”

“Everything that arrived from below was treasured by the Sky Islanders.”

“All the Vearth that exists on Sky Island came here by chance.”

“Something as massive as Upper Yard… it should have been impossible for it to reach the sky.”

“But miracles do happen.”

“The Sky Islanders naturally believed it was a holy gift from the heavens and were overjoyed.”

“But… the Vearth already had its original inhabitants.”

“Those people were the Shandians.”

“The god of that time and the Sky Islanders believed this was a divine blessing.”

“A sacred land where only gods could reside.”

“Greedy eyes fell upon the massive Vearth.”

“And so, the battle over the Vearth began.”

“From then on, for 400 years, the war between the Shandians and the Sky Islanders has never ceased.”

“And at some unknown point…”

“A legend began to circulate among the Sky Islanders—that on the day the holy Island of God was born long ago, its beautiful song echoed across the land.”

“The war between the Shandians and the Sky People began that very day, as if the song was the signal for war.”

‘When the island sings once more, that will be the day the war ends.’

“….”

…

Elsewhere.

Shandian tribe,

On top of a massive vine leaf, Kulon, a descendant of the great warrior Kalgara, stood looking in the direction of Upper Yard.

He was speaking to his two children standing behind him.

“Baro, Goss, do you know?”

“Our ancestors, the Shandians, originally lived in the Blue Sea.”

“They lived in the sacred city of Shandora.”

“The great warrior Kalgara always protected our homeland.”

“But, 400 years ago.”

“Because of the rising sea current, Shandora was sent up to this Sky Island.”

“And we could never return to the Blue Sea again.”

“That alone was already a painful tragedy.”

“But…”

“Those Sky Island bastards had the nerve to call it a divine blessing—a sacred land—and then they occupied it.”

“Our ancestors were driven out of their homeland.”

“Unable to return to the sacred city.”

“They weren’t even allowed to touch the soil of their own land.”

His voice, full of hatred, echoed in the sky.

“Four whole centuries!”

“We Shandians have endured nothing but humiliation.”

“That Upper Yard is ours. We must take it back.”

“Our homeland…”

“Our honor…”

“All of it…”

“Must be… reignited… the flame of Shandora!”

“Kill every damned Sky Islander…”

…

Island of God, Upper Yard.

“For what our ancestors did—seizing the Shandians’ homeland…”

“How should we apologize? I have never found the answer. All I can do is watch helplessly as time passes.”

“I’ve been so powerless.”

“If I could, I would bow my head to each and every one of them. I would apologize to every Shandian who lost their life chasing after their homeland over the past 400 years.”

“But the hatred between Sky Islanders and Shandians runs too deep. Despite all my efforts over the years, I’ve had little success. Communication is impossible.”

“That’s why I’d like to ask you, powerful adventurer…”

“Please enter the Shandians’ territory.”

“Deliver to them my wish for peaceful coexistence.”

Gan Fall stood and gave Sakazuki a deep bow.

“Please, I beg you.”

…

Side Story – Original Timeline

1100 years ago, the golden city of Shandora was still thriving.

1000 years ago, the ancient ritual of the golden city Shandora was already in practice.

800 years ago, the prosperous golden city of Shandora perished for unknown reasons. The remaining Shandians regressed into a tribal state.

They held firmly to the rule of forbidding outsiders, guarding the ruins of the golden city and the unreadable historical texts.

—

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