Chapter 58: Gold
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As the air settled after the confrontation, Gan Fall approached Kai cautiously, his lance resting at his side but his tone firm. "Outlander, before anything further, I must ask—do you mean harm to the people of Skypiea?"
Kai, wiping the dust off his coat, groaned slightly. "Do I look like I have time for that? I already told you—I'm not here to pick fights unless I have to. Don't make me repeat myself."
Gan Fall studied him for a moment before nodding gravely. "Then I will tell you what you seek. The gold… much of it was used by Enel, the former 'God' of Skypiea, to construct his ark. But there is still gold left—a treasure untouched for centuries. It rests atop the Giant Jack, where the light of Shandora resides."
Kai's eyes narrowed, his interest piqued. "Sounds promising." but kai thought to himself 'i already know about the golden bell but thanks for confirming the existence of the treasure old man'.
Before Gan Fall could continue, Wyper stepped forward, his fierce gaze locked on Kai. His voice carried the weight of his people's pride. "But understand this, outsider—the Golden Bell must remain untouched. It is more than a relic. It is the heart of Shandora, the voice of our ancestors, and a symbol of our people's struggle. Lay your hands on it, and you'll have me to deal with."
Kai raised his hands mockingly, his smirk widening. "Relax, I'm not here to start another war. Gold's what I'm after, not some giant bell. Besides…" He glanced up toward the sky, his voice dropping into a mutter. "We couldn't carry that thing back anyway. It's way too big to fit on a ship."
Mikita, lounging nearby, stifled a laugh at his words, while Wyper continued to glare at him, unconvinced. Gan Fall, however, gave a nod of understanding. "Very well. If you hold to your word, you may take the gold and leave. But know this: the people of Skypiea will not forgive betrayal."
Kai shrugged, his smirk unfazed. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Let's get this over with."
Kai turned to Mikita and Luca, a sharp grin tugging at his lips. "Alright, you two, we're moving up. No time to waste."
As Luca adjusted his gear, preparing for the climb, Kai raised an eyebrow and added with a mocking lilt, "Oh, and by the way, Luca—well fought back there."
Luca froze for a moment, his jaw tightening as he caught the sarcasm dripping from Kai's tone. "Hilarious, Kai," he muttered, rolling his eyes.
Mikita snickered, floating just above the ground with her usual air of nonchalance. "Hey, at least he showed up. That's progress."
Kai smirked, turning toward the towering Giant Jack. "Let's hope he does more than show up this time. Come on, gold's waiting, and so is whatever mess we're about to walk into."
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After a brief time skip, they stood before the Golden Bell, its towering presence almost overwhelming against the backdrop of the sky. The bell gleamed with an ethereal, golden sheen, casting a warm glow that seemed to fill the space around it. It was a symbol of Shandia's history, a beacon of hope, and a relic of the past, its beauty and majesty undeniable.
Luca's eyes widened, mouth agape. "Can we take this bell?" he asked, his voice tinged with awe. "This thing has to be worth hundreds of billions of berries, Kai!"
The rest of the group—Gan Fall, Wyper, and the guards—stood nearby, their expressions a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. To them, the bell had long since lost its charm, and their eyes didn't linger on it as Kai and his crew's did.
Wyper scoffed, his voice low and threatening. "Over my dead body," he growled, glaring at Luca, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon.
Kai, standing off to the side, shot a glance at Luca, his tone firm. "Knock it off, Luca. We're not touching the bell."
But as he spoke, Kai wasn't even looking at the bell. His gaze was fixed on something else—a large, ancient stone tablet set into the ground. The Poneglyph. His heart pounded as his mind raced with thoughts of the historical implications.
'I can't believe I'm standing right in front of this thing,' he thought to himself. 'And the message beneath this Poneglyph... left by Roger and Oden…'
He examined the script etched into the stone, his eyes moving rapidly across the symbols. 'If I remember correctly, this mentions the location of the ancient weapon Poseidon. It's crazy that I don't even need a translator for this thing…'
Luca, noticing Kai's distraction, turned toward him. "What are you doing over there? That's just a rock! Forget the stone and carry the gold, Kai. There's plenty of it!"
Kai shook his head, breaking his focus from the Poneglyph to look at Luca, his expression serious. "Luca, you have no idea what you're looking at." His gaze flickered back to the stone tablet, the weight of its meaning sinking in deeper. "This is bigger than gold... this is history and knowledge"
Luca, with a sarcastic grin, crossed his arms and looked at Kai. "Hah, there's nothing better than money, Kai," he said, his voice dripping with irony as he glanced back at the gleaming gold surrounding them.
Kai didn't respond right away, his attention still fixated on the Poneglyph. His mind was racing, but he was well aware of Luca's attempt to lighten the mood.
Gan Fall, who had been quietly observing the exchange, raised an eyebrow and approached Kai. "Can you read this?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Kai hesitated for a moment, then shook his head slightly. "No, I don't think I can."
Gan Fall looked at him, puzzled. "You don't think you can?"
Kai smirked, his gaze still fixed on the ancient stone. "I might learn it." His tone was casual, but there was an unmistakable confidence in his voice.
Gan Fall couldn't help but mutter to himself, "What a strange man." He shook his head, half in disbelief, half in admiration for Kai's unyielding determination.
Kai's expression shifted to a more serious one as he turned toward his crew. He scanned the area quickly, his eyes sharp and calculating. "Alright, listen up," he said, his voice firm. "Gather whatever you can, and we leave immediately. No time to waste."
Luca and Mikita, snapping out of their own thoughts, nodded in agreement. The tension was palpable, but Kai's command left no room for hesitation. They knew better than to question him now.
"Move quickly," Kai added, his gaze briefly flicking back to the Poneglyph, then to the massive piles of gold. "We've got what we came for. Time to go"
Wyper, still standing nearby, shot Kai a glare, clearly unhappy with the turn of events, but he didn't say a word. He just watched as the crew started to gather their findings, while Kai took one last look at the massive bell in the distance.
As Kai surveyed the piles of gold and treasures being gathered, a grin slowly spread across his face. He couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. "This is more than enough for 'that,'" he muttered to himself, barely able to contain the thrill bubbling up inside him. "Haha, I can't wait."
Mikita, who had been helping with the gathering, raised an eyebrow at his sudden enthusiasm. "What are we gonna do with all this gold?" she asked, curious but cautious.
Kai's smirk only deepened, his golden eyes glinting with a mischievous spark. "Oh, you'll see once we leave this floating boredom," he replied, his tone laced with a hint of mystery.
Mikita exchanged a glance with Luca, both of them wondering what exactly Kai had in mind, but neither of them questioned it further.
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The journey from the Golden Bell to Angel Island had been long and exhausting. As Kai and his crew finally reached the bustling heart of Skypiea, the group was visibly weary. The treasure-laden bags weighed heavily on their shoulders, and the constant trips up and down Upper Yard had left them drained.
"I'm telling you, I can't carry another piece of gold," Luca grumbled, wiping the sweat from his brow. "We've been hauling this stuff for what feels like ages. A little rest wouldn't kill us."
Mikita shot him an exhausted glance. "I'm with Luca on this one," she added, her voice lacking its usual sharpness. "My arms are sore from all the lifting. Kai, can't we just take a break for a bit?"
Kai, however, remained oddly unfazed by the fatigue that had clearly settled over his crew. His eyes scanned the surroundings, noting how he felt… remarkably energized. "This is strange," he thought to himself, running a hand through his hair. He usually wasn't immune to exhaustion, but today was different. "I'm not even that tired… What's going on with me?"
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If you wish to read up to 5 Chapters Ahead! or simply support me just because? then check out my patréon at
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Don't forget to change "é" to "e"