Zino and the others stood silently as Wiper stepped forward, determination etched into his features. He clenched his fist and struck the Golden Belfry with focused intent.
Dong.
A dull, muffled sound echoed out. Barely a whisper for such a mighty bell.
Wiper grit his teeth, stepped back, and struck again.
Dong. Dong. Dong.
Still, each blow produced the same underwhelming, stifled sound. The bell—tarnished by time and left untouched for generations—refused to sing as it once had. Frustration began to show on Wiper's face. He glanced down at the impact dial hanging on his hip, considering whether to use it.
Just then, Zino's voice cut through the silence.
"Let me give you a hand."
Wiper paused and turned. Zino stepped forward, calm and collected. As he raised his arm, dark Haki slowly coated his right fist. The air around him shifted, as if it recognized the power building within him.
With a small gust of wind, he vanished.
In the blink of an eye, Zino reappeared beside the bell, standing just in front of the Shandians.
"Let's ring this properly," he said quietly.
He planted his feet firmly, took a breath, then drove his Haki-coated fist straight into the side of the Golden Belfry.
BOOOOOOOONNNNGGG!!!
The entire cloud island trembled as the powerful note exploded from the bell, its deep resonance ripping through the sky like divine thunder. The sound carried in every direction—through the clouds, across floating islands, even down the Giant Jack itself.
The shockwave stirred the skies. Flocks of sky birds scattered in every direction, startled by the sudden burst. White sea clouds rippled far and wide, disturbed by the force of the resonance.
Zino took a second breath—and struck again.
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
A second wave burst forth. The bell now sang with full clarity—a clear, deep, powerful voice that had not rung in hundreds of years. It wasn't just a sound. It was a declaration. A call that traveled across Skypiea—through every ruin, shrine, village, and battlefield.
Somewhere below, in the ruins of the God's Shrine, Gan Fall looked up, eyes wide. Pierre chirped beside him, also stirred by the ringing.
"This sound… it's coming from the top," Gan Fall murmured, almost in awe.
He stood, brushing off his coat. "Pierre, we're going up there."
The bird gave a quick call and transformed into his Pegasus form. Gan Fall climbed onto his back, and together they soared into the sky, toward the peak of the Giant Jack.
...
Below, Jaya Island.
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
The deep, majestic toll of a bell echoed from above—rolling across the sky like distant thunder. Mont Blanc Cricket had just surfaced from a dive in the ocean, water dripping from his shoulders as he stood on the shore. At that very moment, the sound reached his ears. He froze.
His eyes turned skyward.
"The bell…?" he whispered, stunned. Then a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "That sound… it's just like the one described in Noland's book."
He took a step forward, eyes never leaving the sky.
"So it's true. The truth is up there… in the sky."
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
Another toll rang out, clearer this time—like a voice cutting through centuries of silence.
Not far away, aboard a small ship, Mashira and Shoujo also paused in their salvaging work. The strange sound had pierced the air, making them glance around in confusion. Then, they too looked upward.
"That bell… I've never heard anything like it!" Mashira exclaimed.
"It's coming from the sky! Could it really be—?" Shoujo murmured.
Across Jaya Island, the mysterious bell continued to toll, reaching villages and ports alike. In a small tavern, a group of locals had been reading the infamous tale, *"Noland the Liar."* But as the bell rang out for the third time…
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
…everyone froze.
"That… That's just like in the book!" one of them stammered, eyes wide.
"No way. That sound matches the exact description—'a deep bell that echoes across sea and sky…'"
More and more people began to gather in the streets, looking up with awe and disbelief.
"This is the Golden Belfry's sound!"
"Then… was Noland really telling the truth all along?"
Gasps and murmurs spread like wildfire.
Some were moved, others were confused—but the pirates… the pirates saw only opportunity.
"If the bell is ringing… that means the City of Gold is real!"
"And it's in the sky!"
"Sky Island… it's really up there! There must be tons of gold!"
In an instant, greed overtook disbelief. Every pirate crew on the island scrambled to their ships, shouting orders and unfurling sails. Drums beat, anchors lifted, sails unfurled in chaotic excitement.
"We're heading up!"
"We're going to get that gold!"
But just as quickly as their excitement rose, reality set in.
"Wait… how are we supposed to get up there?"
"There's no path!"
The laughter and shouting slowed, then turned to grumbles and frustration. The pirates looked up in bitter longing, their ships useless against the sky above.
Back on the shore, Cricket remained silent, still standing there, looking at the sky. Unlike the others, his eyes didn't gleam with greed, but with something deeper—validation, fulfillment.
"Noland… you were never a liar," he said softly.
As the bell's toll continued to echo from the blue heavens above, the sea below fell into an uneasy hush. The truth had been heard. The legend was real.
But the sky… remained far out of reach.
...
Skypiea – Upper Yard.
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
The mighty sound of the bell echoed across the skies once more, stirring the entire island into motion. Birds soared from their nests, chirping in rhythm with the bell's deep tone. Wolves howled in harmony, and all across the forest, animals responded with excitement, as if celebrating the revival of something ancient.
Near the lower section of the Giant Jack, vines rustled and clouds shimmered—but what truly caught attention was a strange section, completely covered in hardened white wax. The wax began to tremble.
A hiss escaped.
Then, with a sudden crack, venom splashed against the wax—melting it in steaming streaks. The structure groaned under pressure, and finally—
CRACK!!
The wax burst apart.
From within the sealed cocoon, Nola—the enormous Sky Serpent—emerged. Her massive body slithered out with renewed vigor, scales glistening, eyes blazing with life. A booming roar burst from her throat:
GOOOOOOOON!!!
She lifted her massive head to the skies, gazing at the distant sound. Despite her fearsome reputation, her eyes softened. The sound of the Golden Belfry had reached even her ancient instincts.
Another bell toll followed—
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
And Nola responded again with a bellow of her own.
GOOOOOOOON!!!
Meanwhile, in a secluded part of Upper Yard, hidden behind thick jungle foliage, was a massive cave—one capable of hiding something colossal. At the cave's mouth, a figure emerged from the trees and came to a halt, glancing up at the source of the bell's sound.
Enel.
Having returned from the Blue Sea, the self-proclaimed god now stood still, his eyes narrowed in irritation.
"Tch… That man… he really found it," he muttered, his voice low and bitter. "The Golden Belfry… so it was actually up there."
Enel, considering himself a god, wanted to possess all legendary items as trophies or to use their value, especially the gold, for his Ark Maxim. He was aware of the stories about the massive Golden Bell and its historical significance.
However, no one in Skypiea, including Enel, knew exactly where the bell rested. Everyone had tried to find it around the ruins or in the vicinity, but no one suspected that the bell was actually up near the top of the Giant Jack.)
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
Another bell toll echoed through the clouds.
Enel didn't even flinch.
His attention now shifted from the skies to the depths of the cave, and a cold, calculating grin spread across his face. "So what if he did?" he whispered. "If my lightning couldn't bring him down… then I still have something far stronger."
With that, he stepped into the shadows of the cave.
There, illuminated by beams of soft sunlight piercing through cracks in the cavern, lay a magnificent sight: a golden warship, gleaming and silent. Majestic and terrifying in its construction—it was the Ark Maxim, Enel's masterpiece.
He hovered lightly above the ground and landed silently on its deck.
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
The bell rang out once more—but Enel no longer cared. His focus was singular.
"It's time," he said.
He placed his hand on the control dial.
In response, the Ark Maxim hummed to life, it's golden hull began to glow faintly. The ship then expelled a dark cloud that floated away from the vessel. As this material accumulated, it rapidly formed the dense thunderclouds that moved outward from the cave.
"Let's see if you can still smile… when the sky itself turns against you," Enel said darkly, his eyes glinting as he watched the ever-expanding thundercloud.
...
Island Cloud – Atop the Giant Jack
BOOOOOOOONNNGGG!!!
The seventh toll of the bell rang out like thunder, vibrating through the island cloud with a deep, final echo. Zino stepped back slowly, lowering his Haki-coated fist. The sound faded, leaving behind a resonating silence.
Wiper, his warriors, and the Orcas were now all gathered near the Golden Belfry. No one spoke at first. They simply stared—at the bell, at the statues, at the half-finished cloud palace. The weight of history hung in the air.
After a pause, Wiper broke the silence.
"…Why did you ring it seven times?"
Zino shrugged slightly and smiled. "No reason in particular. Maybe for luck? I was going to ring it once, but… it didn't feel right to stop there. Seven just felt complete."
Wiper didn't press further. He simply turned back to the bell, eyes thoughtful.
Just then, the flap of wings echoed faintly. A large bird soared into view and landed gently on the edge of the island cloud—Pierre, the sky bird. Riding on his back was an old man in armor, cape fluttering behind him.
Gan Fall, the former God of Skypiea.
He stepped down and took in the surreal scene before him: cloud structures under construction, strange statues, and a mix of people—Shandian warriors, Blue Sea dwellers, even a mimic painting clouds.
And there it stood—the Golden Belfry, gleaming in the sun.
He turned toward Zino. "You're the one who rang the bell, aren't you?"
Zino nodded calmly.
Gan Fall's gaze drifted across the gathered faces, pausing when it landed on one in particular—Wiper.
"Wiper… a Shandian warrior," he said, his voice a mix of nostalgia and caution.
Wiper's expression immediately hardened. "Gan Fall. The ex-God of Skypiea."
There was no warmth in his tone.
Gan Fall turned to him fully, already sensing the tension. "Why such hostility, young man?"
"You shouldn't be here," Wiper said coldly. "You're not God anymore. And this land—this Vearth—belongs to my people. Leave, before I lose my patience."
Gan Fall narrowed his eyes. "And who are you to command me? This land belongs to all of Skypiea—not just the Shandians."
"Liar!" Wiper snapped, his hand on his weapon. "You and your kind drove us off it for generations!"
Tension sparked like flint. Behind Wiper, several Shandians stepped forward, weapons at the ready. The atmosphere thickened instantly—violence felt just one heartbeat away.
But before anyone could move, Zino stepped between them. "Alright. That's enough."
Wiper frowned. "Stay out of this."
Zino ignored him and turned to Gan Fall. "Actually… Wiper's right."
That stopped everyone cold.
Even Gan Fall's eyes widened. "What…?"
Zino continued, his tone calm but firm. "This island—the land you call Vearth—does belong to the Shandians. Historically, culturally, and rightfully."
Gasps rippled through the Shandian warriors. Even Wiper blinked, stunned.
Zino gestured behind him. "Robin."
Robin stepped forward and handed a book to Gan Fall. Its title was worn but still legible.
Noland the Liar.
Gan Fall took it hesitantly. "What is this?"
"A book from the Blue Sea," Robin explained.