While Kaido and his group were fervently hauling away the treasure of the City of Gold, a tense atmosphere filled the palace on the island of God, Upper Yard. This island, floating ten thousand meters in the air, now faced an unprecedented crisis.
Several Priests in white robes hurried anxiously through the palace corridors, their rapid footsteps echoing on the spacious marble floors. They quickly arrived at the palace center and knelt on one knee before Gan Fall, who was reviewing documents. The stained glass in the palace dome cast mottled light and shadow, adding a solemn note to the tense atmosphere.
"God! A terrible event!" the lead Priest's voice trembled, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. His white robe was already damp with sweat, clinging to his back.
Gan Fall, in his prime, set down his quill pen, his brow furrowed. His sharp eyes swept over the Priests before him as he asked in a grave voice, "Have the Shandians launched another attack?" As the ruler of Skypiea, he was long accustomed to the protracted conflict with the Shandians.
"No, not the Shandians," the Priest hastily shook his head, his hands unconsciously clenching. "It's from the Blue Sea... no, it might not be human at all! It's a giant azure dragon! It brought a large ship here directly from the Blue Sea." The Priest's voice held poorly concealed fear.
Another Priest added, "What's even more frightening is that they are currently heading towards the abandoned Golden Plaza. God, we have never seen such powerful outsiders before." His words were full of unease, his eyes constantly darting about.
Hearing this, Gan Fall abruptly stood up, his office chair scraping sharply against the floor behind him.
He walked quickly to the window, looking toward the direction of the Golden Plaza, his expression turning exceptionally grim. As the God of Skypiea, he well understood what this meant—a powerful being from the Blue Sea was likely about to shatter Skypiea's long-standing balance. Even the clouds outside the window seemed to sense this tension, beginning to churn restlessly.
"Mobilize the God's Army immediately," Gan Fall turned and commanded, his voice carrying unquestionable authority. "I will personally meet these guests from the Blue Sea." His cape flapped with the motion of his turn.
"Yes, God!" the Priests chorused in reply, then hurried off to execute the order. The palace was soon filled with the sounds of rushing footsteps and clanking metal.
Soon, Gan Fall set out, leading six Priests and three hundred elite God's Army soldiers toward Kaido's group. As they marched, Gan Fall noticed the clouds floating in the sky were heavier than usual, as if foretelling an approaching storm. The soldiers' armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight, their spears pointing uniformly toward the sky.
Meanwhile, on the Golden Plaza, Queen stood by a massive golden pillar, a cigar in his mouth, squinting his eyes as he closely watched his men's progress hauling gold. Amidst the swirling smoke, he impatiently kicked a nearby pirate with his boot, barking, "Faster! All this gold must be loaded onto the ship before dark!" His voice echoed across the empty plaza.
A few pirates redoubled their efforts upon hearing this, sweat continuously dripping down their cheeks. One muttered quietly, "This gold is really heavy..." His arms were already trembling slightly from the prolonged hauling.
Not far away, Kaido threw back his head and took a large swig of strong liquor, letting out his signature laugh. "Wororororo... Queen, no need to rush. We're going to the Four Seas anyway. We can come back to get it when we return to the New World." Liquor flowed from the corner of his mouth, dripping onto the gold-paved ground.
Queen blew out a smoke ring, turning to look at Kaido. "Boss Kaido, it's precisely because we're going to the Four Seas that I want to take more gold. Things hard to get in the New World can all be bought in the Four Seas." He suddenly squinted, his gaze sharpening as he looked into the distance. "Seems the island's natives are here," he said, his tone dripping with obvious disdain.
As Queen finished speaking, King, Bullet, Sebastian, Gavin, and the others immediately stopped what they were doing, turning their alert gazes toward the distance. The pirates who had been busily moving gold quickly put down their loads, grabbed their weapons, and formed a defensive formation around the golden pillars. The clatter of metal rose and fell, and the air grew thick with tension.
Gan Fall led his group of Priests forward in measured steps, a stern, murderous atmosphere spreading through the air. The God's Army soldiers held their spears, lined up in neat rows, their armor glinting coldly in the sun. Their footsteps were uniform, revealing strict discipline.
One of the Priests, alertly scanning the surroundings, noticed that the azure dragon which had carried the enemies up was nowhere to be seen, and his taut nerves relaxed slightly.
He stepped forward, straightening his back, and shouted sternly at Kaido's group, "Invaders from the Blue Sea! Who gave you permission to take items from Upper Yard without authorization? Every blade of grass and every tree here is the property of God! Where has that azure dragon that brought you up here hidden?" His voice echoed across the empty plaza.
Queen, cigar in mouth, casually tossed the butt onto the ground and ground it out with a gleaming leather boot. He narrowed his eyes, a contemptuous sneer on his lips. "Heh. Mere Skypiean natives dare to question us?" His gaze swept over the crowd before him. "And, God? Who are you calling 'God'?" His tone was dripping with sarcasm.
That Priest fearlessly pointed to Gan Fall beside him. "Of course, our God of Upper Yard, Lord Gan Fall," he said, his voice full of unwavering conviction.
"Muahahaha!" Queen suddenly burst into loud laughter, his obese body shaking with the effort. "God? Him? Since when does a mere native deserve to be called a God?" His laughter sounded especially grating in Skypiea's thin air, causing the surrounding pirates to roar with laughter as well.
Gan Fall stepped forward, speaking calmly. "Sir, I am indeed the God of this island. May I inquire about the purpose of your visit here?" His voice was steady and firm, displaying the bearing of a ruler.
Queen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to look at Kaido, who was drinking nearby. The liquid in Kaido's gourd sloshed slightly with his movements, gleaming like amber in the sunlight. Kaido's figure looked especially tall under the sun, the shadow he cast nearly covering the entire plaza.
"Wororororo..." Kaido's low laugh rumbled like distant thunder. He slowly stood up, his enormous frame casting a shadow that enveloped Gan Fall and his group. The innate pressure made the Skypieans unconsciously take half a step back. Every muscle of his seemed to contain explosive power, inspiring dread.
"You're the ruler of this island, correct?!" Kaido's voice vibrated through the air like rolling thunder. A dangerous light flickered in his eyes, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
Gan Fall forced himself to remain calm, looking up to meet the gaze of this colossus. "Yes, I am the God of this island! And you are?" Despite facing such an overwhelming presence, his voice remained steady.
"My name is Kaido. I am the captain of the Beasts Pirates," Kaido grinned, revealing sharp white teeth. "As for why we're here..." He surveyed this land floating among the clouds, a greedy glint flashing in his eyes. "...of course, it is to bring this island under my rule." His words were full of unshakeable, overbearing ambition.
Hearing this, Gan Fall's face changed drastically. The Priests behind him gripped their weapons tightly, and the God's Army soldiers leveled their spears in unison toward Kaido and his men.