Upper Yard – God's Shrine
A streak of wind sliced through the sky above the white, cloud-covered lands of Upper Yard. With effortless grace, a figure soared through the air. As he descended, the soft *puff* of impact marked his landing on a compact floating island made of white cloud—a small extension near the towering structure known as God's Shrine.
In his arms, he held a large, locked chest.
With a casual motion, the man set the chest down onto the fluffy cloud beneath his feet. The chest shifted slightly, letting out a faint groan.
The man was Monkey D. Zino.
And the chest… was Baral, a Cloud Yeti and mimic.
Before they could even get comfortable, a group of God's Shrine guards appeared from the shrine's entrance. Alarmed by the stranger's presence, they quickly leveled their weapons—long spears charged with Dial-based power—at Zino.
"Who are you?" one of the guards barked. "Identify yourself or be struck down in the name of God Enel!"
Zino didn't bother answering. He simply sighed, brushing his coat back with one hand.
"Be gone."
A small whirlwind burst out from beneath his feet—then suddenly expanded into a roaring cyclone, swirling with violent force. It rushed outward in a spiraling blast, sweeping all the guards into the air before they had time to react.
"Aaaaahhh!!" they screamed in terror.
Their feathered wings flapped furiously, but it was no use. These decorative wings were more symbolic than functional. One by one, they plummeted off the island, disappearing through the cloud floor below.
Silence followed.
The only remaining figures on the cloud island were three Skypiean servant women, dressed in long flowing robes. They stood frozen, trembling as they had witnessed Zino wipe out the shrine's guards in an instant.
Zino turned toward them casually, brushing dust off his shoulder.
"Don't mind me. Just continue with your work," he said with a calm voice that clashed with the violent wind from earlier. Then he gave them a half-smile. "By the way, do you have any food?"
The women exchanged nervous glances. One of them hesitantly stepped forward and gave a small nod. "We… we have some supplies in the kitchen."
"Great," Zino said, adjusting his gloves. "Bring me something to eat. I'll pay if I have to."
His tone was so unexpectedly polite that the servants relaxed a little. He didn't seem threatening—at least, not to them.
"We'll prepare something at once," the lead servant replied. The three women turned and hurried off toward the inner chamber of the shrine.
Zino turned away and sat down cross-legged on the cloud floor.
From beside him, the chest groaned and shifted again. Then came a muffled voice.
"Hey, did you ask for food for me too?"
Zino gave the chest a side glance. "It's all vegetables."
"Yuck! I hate vegetables!" the chest—Baral—whined. "Got any more of that juicy meat from earlier?"
Zino thought for a moment, then reached into his storage and pulled out a wrapped chunk of preserved meat.
"This is the last one."
He tossed it in the air, and Baral sprang open like a hungry dog, catching it mid-air with a loud snap. The mimic immediately began gnawing on it, mumbling contentedly.
Zino, meanwhile, closed his eyes, letting his senses stretch outward.
His Observation Haki, combined with his wind sense, pulsed through the forested land below. In mere seconds, he sensed the presence of his crew—divided into several groups across Upper Yard. Each of them had wandered into different territories… and each of them was now locked in clashes with Enel's regime or Skypiean warriors.
He didn't panic.
Instead, a smirk appeared on his face.
"They're learning through battle," he whispered to himself. "They'll grow from this."
So, instead of interfering, Zino had made a decision.
He would watch. Observe. And rest.
Here, at the heart of enemy territory, in the so-called seat of godhood, Zino had decided to slack off and drink tea—while his crew fought their way to strength.
All the while, a gluttonous chest chewed noisily beside him.
Just then, a soft gust of wind brushed past as a large flying creature descended from the clouds above, its wings beating steadily.
Atop the creature—a Pegasus-like bird—sat an older man clad in light armor and a billowing blue cape. His face was weathered but noble, and in one hand he held a silver lance, gleaming even under the diffused sunlight of Skypiea.
The bird, Pierre, swooped down and landed a short distance from Zino. Its hooves gently touched the white cloud surface with practiced ease.
The rider stepped down from the saddle, standing tall with quiet authority.
"I greet you, blue sea dweller," said the man calmly, though his eyes remained alert and cautious.
Zino glanced over and casually raised a hand in greeting, still seated. "Yo, old guy."
The old man gave a brief nod. "I am Gan Fall, the Knight of the Sky. You have wandered into dangerous territory, young man. This place is known as God's Shrine—Enel's sacred domain."
Zino tilted his head, mildly amused. "That so?"
Gan Fall narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on the lance. "You appear powerful, but strength alone does not grant immunity here. I came to advise you—for your own sake. Do not provoke Enel. He is not a foe to take lightly."
Zino gave a smile. "Enel, huh…"
He leaned back slightly, arms folding as he looked at Gan Fall without a hint of fear. "No need to worry about that guy. He won't be waking up anytime soon."
Gan Fall blinked. "What… do you mean?"
"He came down, hunting me," Zino said nonchalantly, as if speaking of a mild inconvenience. "Tried to strike me with lightning, you know, like a proper god. So I hit back."
Gan Fall's eyes widened. "You… fought him?"
"I smacked him out cold." Zino gestured lazily over the side of the floating island. "Now he's sleeping off the pain. Way down there."
"Down there? You mean the cloud sea?" Gan Fall asked, stunned.
Zino shook his head. "Lower. All the way down. Blue Sea. On an island below."
For a long moment, silence hung in the air, disturbed only by the soft clinking of Pierre's reins and the wind brushing against the cloud.
Gan Fall stared at the young man seated so casually before him. "You… sent Enel to the Blue Sea? Defeated him in combat… and threw him off Skypiea?"
Zino gave a one-shoulder shrug. "Well, technically gravity threw him. I just helped."
Gan Fall opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again—lost for words. The idea that someone, a mere human from the Blue Sea, could defeat Enel—the self-proclaimed god of this land—was nearly impossible to fathom.
He had fought Enel before. Lost. Watched friends and allies fall beneath the power of lightning itself. Yet this young man—barely older than a youth—had not only withstood Enel's power, but beaten him.
Finally, Gan Fall composed himself, though the awe in his expression remained.
"Who… exactly are you?"
Zino smiled calmly, looking up at the drifting clouds.
"Monkey D. Zino. Captain of the Orca Pirates."
...
Deep within the thick canopy of Upper Yard's jungle, Priest Ohm rode atop his pale-yellow divine beast, Holy*—a large, loyal dog with calm, keen eyes. Ohm's gaze was sharp, his long blade resting across his back as he moved silently between the towering trees. His mission was clear: hunt down any remaining Shandian escapees.
The forest was unusually quiet—almost too quiet.
Then, the ground trembled slightly beneath Holy's padded feet. A rustling came from the foliage ahead. Ohm narrowed his eyes, raising a hand to halt his mount. From between the trees, a figure burst into view.
It was a man, lean and muscular, swords at his side. His green hair and intense gaze marked him immediately as not of Skypiea.
"A blue sea dweller?" Ohm muttered in disbelief.
Zoro, just as startled, skidded to a stop when he spotted the mounted priest. He didn't wait for pleasantries.
"Get out of the way." he warned curtly, sweat beading on his brow.
"What?" Ohm frowned, confused by the sudden command.
But Zoro wasn't interested in explanations. He abruptly dove to the side.
A massive shadow loomed behind him.
From the dense trees behind Zoro, an enormous serpent lunged forward—its scaly, mountainous form gliding silently over the earth. The Great Sky Serpent, Nola, burst into the clearing, her gaping mouth wide enough to devour a small house.
Ohm's eyes widened. "What in—?!"
He leapt from Holy just in time.
CHOMP!
With a terrifying gulp, Nola devoured everything in her path—trees, vines, and even the faithful beast, Holy, all vanished into her maw in one horrifying instant.
Zoro glanced back mid-run and winced. "Oops…"
He didn't stop. The swordsman bolted deeper into the jungle, disappearing into the shadows.
Ohm stood stunned, fists clenched, watching the last strands of Holy's fur vanish behind the serpent's teeth.
"You monstrous creature..." he whispered, his calm demeanor cracking. His knuckles turned white around the hilt of his blade.
"Eisen Whip—Slash!"
Ohm swung his Extendable Iron Cloud Blade, which morphed into a whip-like extension and lashed out. It struck Nola's massive side with a violent clang, sending sparks into the air—but left not even a scratch.
"What?" Ohm's voice rose. "It didn't cut…?"
Nola hissed, furious now, her serpentine eyes narrowing at this new attacker.
n an instant, she turned her full attention toward Ohm. With a violent screech, she lunged, unleashing a spray of venomous liquid from her fangs.
"Tch!" Ohm dodged with a swift roll, narrowly avoiding the acidic fluid that melted a tree behind him.
He retaliated with a flurry of slashes, steel ringing through the forest—but none of his attacks pierced the serpent's hardened scales.
The forest erupted in chaos as Nola rampaged, crushing trees and shattering the earth beneath her. Ohm retreated in wide leaps, trying to regain distance. Dust clouded the air. Birds scattered. The ground cracked under the weight of the snake's fury.
Breathing heavily, Ohm finally landed on a higher ridge, panting and glaring down at the carnage below.
"This…" he growled, "is all because of that swordsman."
His eyes locked onto the direction where Zoro had vanished.
"You brought this monster here. You will pay."
He turned and sprinted, leaping from root to root, branch to branch, chasing Zoro's trail with silent fury. Behind him, the ground quaked again—Nola was not far behind, her gigantic form plowing through the jungle like a force of nature.
...
Elsewhere in the Upper Yard, Sanji's group had found a clearing to rest. Kaya was crouched beside the injured Kala, her hands glowing with a soft blue light as she focused on healing his scorched wounds. Nearby, Raki flexed her freshly treated arm, awe in her voice.
"This is a miracle..." she murmured, watching her fingers move. "Your ability is truly amazing."
"Don't strain it," Kaya gently warned without looking up. "I just finished mending the tendons."
"R-Right… Sorry, doctor," Raki replied with a sheepish smile. "Still, I had no idea blue sea dwellers had healing powers like this."
While Kaya worked, Sanji leaned forward slightly. "Angel-san, can you introduce yourself—and maybe tell us what's going on here?"
"Angel, huh…" Raki chuckled faintly, a small smile appearing. But her expression soon darkened.
"I'm Raki, a Shandian warrior," she began. "Not long ago, my people clashed with the Shrine Fighters. We lost… badly. Many of us were wounded or scattered, so we had no choice but to retreat. While fleeing, we encountered you."
"Shrine fighters?" Usopp blinked. "Who are they?"
Raki's eyes narrowed. "They're part of Enel's regime—the enforcers of his so-called divine rule. They're the ones who stole this land from us… and now rule all of Skypiea with fear."
"Wait," Robin spoke calmly. "Enel… as in God Enel?"
"That's the one," Raki confirmed with a bitter edge in her voice. Her eyes shifted to Pagaya, who stood quietly nearby. After a pause, she asked, "You Skypieans… do you still side with Enel?"
Her tone held both accusation and pain.
The group turned to Pagaya, sensing something deeper—an unspoken conflict between the Sky Races. No one spoke. They waited.
Pagaya exhaled slowly, the weight of years behind his words.
"We don't have a choice," he said at last. "We're just ordinary people. If we dare to resist… Enel's judgment will erase us without a trace."
"Pathetic," Raki snapped, looking away with scorn.
Pagaya lowered his eyes, not arguing. Silence hung between them, heavy with the weight of history and fear. The rift between Shandian and Skypiean lingered in the air, unresolved.