Chapter 111 – [111] : The True Great Treasure!

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Once Gan Fall brought the accurate news back to Skypiea, the entire place erupted in joyous celebration.

Though they had already learned of Enel’s defeat from McKinley’s letter, truly seeing their former, benevolent God return felt like awakening from a long nightmare. Many wept openly.

During Enel’s six years of violent rule, their lives weren’t even human—they were merely Enel’s playthings.

Now, with Gan Fall and the other Priests back, the Skypieans finally had a pillar of strength to lean on.

Upon learning from Gan Fall that Mr. Rowen and his crew, who had defeated Enel, were currently holding a victory feast on Upper Yard, many citizens of Skypiea felt conflicted—

On one hand, they desperately wanted to see for themselves what kind of Blue Sea man could defeat Enel—who seemed omnipotent in their eyes. They also yearned to express their profound, inexpressible gratitude to Mr. Rowen.

On the other hand, these people had endured Enel’s violent rule for six long years—they knew firsthand how terrifying Enel’s power was.

The man who defeated such a being must be even stronger!

To them, Enel’s power was godlike. Facing Mr. Rowen, who surpassed Enel, naturally instilled an instinctive fear in those who had lived under tyranny for so long.

Furthermore, they learned from Gan Fall that the Shandians—with whom they had waged war for 400 years—were also present at Mr. Rowen’s feast.

Previously on Skypiea, though many advocated for peace, a hawkish faction insisted on continuing the war with the Shandians. After 400 years, Upper Yard—the Vearth, or ‘Land’ from the Blue Sea—had become an indispensable part of God’s Country; its resources made life on Skypiea more prosperous—

But now, no one wanted to continue fighting the Shandians—after six years under Enel’s violent rule, the people of Skypiea lived in constant fear, terrified of angering Enel and being smitten by lightning.

Those six years had left them physically and mentally exhausted. Not a single person desired more war; they only yearned for a peaceful life. Thus, facing the Shandians now, they even felt some apprehension.

However, a group of citizens very proactively set out for Upper Yard—the families of the former God’s Guards who had been forced by Enel to build the Ark Maxim.

For six long years… they had yearned day and night to see their loved ones. Now, no matter the hardship, they wouldn’t give up this chance.

Soon, these citizens, following Gan Fall, arrived at Upper Yard. The moment they arrived, they were stunned.

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“DRINK! DRINK IT ALL UP!”

“Skypiean specialty—BIG STEW!”

“SHISHISHI! DELICIOUS!”

….

Numerous bonfires blazed, surrounded by Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper, performing all sorts of bizarre, hilarious dances.

Luffy, his appetite even larger now due to digesting the ‘Desire for Liberation’, had his mouth constantly stuffed with Sanji’s cooking, which, combined with his ridiculous dances, sent everyone into fits of laughter.

The Shandians performed their traditional Shandoran dances, their faces radiant with the joy of war’s end.

Even a pack of wolves had joined in, circling a bonfire, performing their own wolfish dances and howling at the sky.

On the outskirts of the bonfire circles, an immense serpent—the one they called the Master of the Sky—was actually smiling (as much as a serpent could), its massive body swaying rhythmically—as if dancing too.

Their loved ones—the former God’s Guards—though covered in bandages, also energetically joined the festivities around the bonfires, their faces beaming with happiness.

“GAN FALL! COME ON! THE PARTY’S STARTED!” Rowen called out, seeing Gan Fall return with the Skypieans, raising his cup in a toast, laughing heartily.

….

After the feast began, the pack of dancing wolves, who had encountered Luffy’s group in the original story, were drawn by the aroma of food.

Dancing wolves—a rare sight indeed!

Rowen, with a grand gesture, had Chopper, who could speak to animals, invite them to join.

The process was smooth; there was no initial standoffishness from the wolf leader like in the original story.

Through Chopper, Rowen learned this wolf leader had coincidentally been nearby when Rowen defeated Enel—witnessing his power firsthand.

The wolf leader now looked at Rowen with immense reverence, leading his pack in a unique wolf dance to express their admiration for such a powerful being…

Rowen watched the dancing wolves, laughing heartily.

And the giant serpent, the Master of the Sky, who had ancient ties to Noland and Kalgara the Great Warrior, was also drawn by the festivities—

Hearing the Golden Bell of Shandora ring, a long-held wish of the serpent’s was also fulfilled, and it cried out joyously towards the sky.

The serpent, having witnessed Rowen ring the Bell, and possessing considerable intelligence—understood Rowen had helped Noland and Kalgara fulfill their 400-year promise—and thus, willingly joined the feast.

….

The party here had now become a joyous, raucous gathering of Rowen’s crew, Shandians, God’s Guards, dancing wolves, and the Master of the Sky—a lively feast of different peoples and different species.

Beside Rowen, Nami and Vivi watched him with smiling eyes, attentively refilling his cup and offering him food.

Even Robin sat nearby, a gentle smile on her face…

“Mr. Rowen—” Gan Fall, seeing the lively feast, also smiled from the bottom of his heart. Such a sight—hadn’t been seen in 400 years.

“MR. ROWEN?”

The Skypieans, who had rushed to reunite with their families upon seeing them, many weeping with joy, now turned their attention towards the man Gan Fall addressed.

‘The one who defeated the invincible Enel—Mr. Rowen?’

“Mr.? Just call me Rowen! Come on, join the party!” Rowen called out, laughing towards the Skypiean newcomers.

The Skypieans hesitated, looking somewhat bewildered.

This handsome young man—was Mr. Rowen?

“SHISHISHI! Rowen’s right! Let’s party! This is a pirate feast! Watch this!” Luffy activated his rubber powers, stretching his mouth and nose to absurd lengths, then stuck a giant tree branch through them!

“Gomu Gomu no… Chopstick Dance—MAX!!!”

Luffy’s appearance left everyone stunned for a moment. Then—

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“Amazing! How can he stretch his face like that?!”

“Is that a Devil Fruit power?! SUGEEEEEEEEE!”

…Laughter erupted all around!

Rowen’s crew, the Shandians, the Skypieans, even the dancing wolves and the Master of the Sky—all laughed until tears streamed down their faces at Luffy’s antics.

Encouraged by the laughter, Luffy danced even more wildly, performing his bizarre chopstick dance.

Usopp and Chopper, seeing this, though lacking rubber powers, immediately joined in—

The ‘Nostril Chopstick Trio’ clowned around exuberantly by the bonfire, bringing the atmosphere to a fever pitch.

Swept up in the joyous mood, the Skypieans quickly joined the celebration, their faces soon also lit with genuine, happy smiles.

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“Well? Wyper.” The Shandian Chieftain looked at Wyper, who sat somewhat silently, holding a cup of wine.

“See? No one wants war anymore,” the Chieftain said, looking out at the joyful bonfire feast, a heartfelt smile on his own face.

“We Shandians—are born for battle,” Wyper muttered, still struggling to reconcile his lifelong beliefs.

Clink!

Wyper looked up, startled, as Rowen approached and clinked his cup against his.

“BAKAA (Idiot)! On such a happy day, how can you wear such a gloomy face?! Drink up!” Rowen laughed, then snatched Wyper’s cup and began pouring the wine straight into Wyper’s mouth.

Not satisfied, he grabbed an entire barrel of wine and unceremoniously dumped it over Wyper’s head.

“Ha-Hahaha!” Seeing the drenched, sputtering Wyper, Aisa, who had been very afraid of him earlier, couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Wyper’s comrades, the Shandian warriors, also roared with laughter; they had never seen Wyper like this—utterly bewildered, soaked to the bone with wine.

“…” Wyper’s expression darkened.

Aisa instantly yelped, hiding behind Raki. The Shandian warriors also quieted, looking at Wyper uncertainly.

But the next moment—

“HA-HAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHA!” Wyper drained the remaining mouthful of ale in his cup (mostly what had streamed down his hair and face from Rowen’s dousing), then threw his head back and roared with laughter.

“I must look ridiculous! Hahaha!” Wyper looked at his comrades and laughed, tears of mirth streaming down his face.

As a descendant of Kalgara the Great Warrior, he had never been so humiliated, doused with wine like a common drunkard.

But seeing his comrades, seeing Aisa, laughing so genuinely—Wyper felt no shame, only an overwhelming sense of joy.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!” Seeing Wyper finally laugh, all the Shandians roared with laughter too.

“See?! A pirate feast is all about laughing! You bastard!” Rowen declared, laughing heartily at Wyper.

“Shishishi! Wyper! You try this too!” Luffy yelled, gesturing towards his nostril chopsticks.

“Idiot! As if I’d do something like that!” Wyper retorted angrily.

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“Hahaha! Wyper! You’re pretty good! How’d you get such a big branch up your nose?!”

“Hahahaha! I can’t take it anymore! Wyper, you—!”

“HAHAHAHA!”

Seeing Wyper now enthusiastically joining Luffy and Usopp in the nostril chopstick dance—the Shandians laughed until tears streamed down their faces. Some even pounded the ground in hysterics.

Aisa, who had been so afraid of Wyper, and Raki, who had been wary of his previous disregard for his comrades’ lives, looked at each other and also burst into laughter, tears of joy in their eyes. They had never seen Wyper like this before.

“Pretty good, Wyper!” Luffy grinned at him.

“Hmph!” Wyper snorted dismissively, but combined with his ridiculous nostril-chopstick-adorned face, it only made everyone laugh even harder.

The Skypieans watching from afar first stared incredulously, then also joined in the laughter.

Wyper, the strongest Shandian warrior, who, before Enel’s reign, had clashed most frequently with their God’s Guard, known as the ‘Berserker’ for his ferocity in battle—it was hard to believe this man, soaked in wine and performing a comical chopstick dance, was that same fearsome warrior.

Hearing the crowd’s laughter, seeing his comrades doubled over, seeing Aisa no longer afraid of him—Wyper’s face also broke into a genuine smile.

‘Doing this… Guess Rowen’s wine really did mess with my head.’

The sound of his comrades laughing like this—how long had it been since he heard it?

Or perhaps… had he ever heard it before?

After all, they had been born into a state of perpetual war.

SUCH UNRESTRAINED JOY… TRULY FELT LIKE A FIRST.

“Well done, Wyper—” Rowen said, laughing as Wyper finally stepped down from his ‘performance’.

“It was just your wine messing with my head,” Wyper grumbled, though a faint blush crept up his neck. He had acted on impulse, and now felt a bit embarrassed.

“But it feels pretty good, right?” Rowen laughed.

“Yeah,” Wyper admitted, smiling.

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“If you want to fight—there will be opportunities. You Shandians—are our natural allies,” Rowen stated, looking at Wyper with a meaningful smile.

Wyper and the Shandian elites instantly focused their attention on Rowen.

“Have you forgotten? What you guard—is the Poneglyph,” Rowen reminded them.

“Meaning… 800 years ago… their ancestors also fought against the World Government?” Robin interjected, stepping forward.

The Poneglyph at the base of the Golden Bell, and Roger’s inscription in the ancient script—Robin had naturally seen them.

Rowen had already told her this information, so while Robin and the Shandian Chieftain were still deeply moved, it wasn’t as shocking as it would have been in the original story. It merely further validated Rowen’s words.

“Exactly. We—are destined to clash with the World Government. And you,” Rowen looked towards Wyper and the others.

“Even sacrificing our lives would not be enough to repay your great kindness! Besides—IT IS OUR ANCESTORS’ WILL!” Wyper and the Shandian elites declared solemnly, performing the traditional Shandian warrior’s salute to Rowen.

It signified an oath of allegiance, to follow him even unto death.

“Hahaha! Then I’ll teach you Haki in due time,” Rowen laughed heartily, looking at Wyper and the others.

The foundation for his Grand Fleet—could begin forming now.

To take down the World Government, the more combat power on his side, the better—and the Shandians, chosen as guardians by the World Government’s Ancient enemies—their potential was worth training.

Teaching them Haki could create a formidable fighting force.

“But for today—LET’S JUST SING! DRINK! AND DANCE!” Rowen declared, gesturing towards the bonfires with a wide grin.

“OOOHHH!”

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As news spread from the returning Skypieans, more and more Skypieans flocked to Upper Yard. Eventually, everyone joined in, creating an unprecedented feast.

Rowen now danced by a bonfire with Nami and Vivi, a wide, contented smile on his face.

“Rowen, you seem very happy,” Nami and Vivi commented, noticing their beloved’s mood, their eyes filled with affection.

Nearby, Robin, though not dancing, watched Rowen’s every move, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

“Yeah,” Rowen replied, listening to the joyous laughter, watching the unprecedented feast, and smiled.

Amidst this joyous laughter, Rowen—who had personally infused the ‘Desire for Liberation’ into Luffy—could clearly sense Luffy’s assimilation of that desire accelerating.

Sun God Nika—the legendary Warrior of Liberation—was also a symbol of laughter; legend said wherever Nika went, everyone would laugh.

With this feast underway, as the sounds of joy and laughter increased, Luffy’s digestion of the ‘Desire for Liberation’ also sped up.

Especially with the joining of different peoples—Shandians, Skypieans—and different races—the dancing wolves, the Master of the Sky serpent—this assimilation rate became astonishing.

Different races, different peoples—feasting together, laughing together.

Rowen stood at the heart of this celebration, looking at Nami and Vivi, their beautiful faces illuminated by the bonfire light. Nearby, Robin slowly approached, coming to stand beside him.

Rowen smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile.

“One Piece definitely exists. Because this—this is the True Great Treasure,” Rowen declared, laughing freely.

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