Chapter 172: Chapter 171 - Skypiea 07.
[Chapter Size: 2100 Words.]
Third Person POV
Skypiea, First Half of Grandline.
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The atmosphere at the destroyed site between Luffy and the spectators was tense, uncertainty hanging in the air. The Shandies, led by Wyper, a fearless and respected warrior among his tribe, watched Luffy with evident caution beside Enel in a state they could never have imagined, knocked out and injured. Everyone, still haunted by the recent battle, waited eagerly to hear the intentions of the one who had easily defeated their self-proclaimed invincible god, as besides some dust on his clothes, Luffy showed no injuries from the fight.
Wyper stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Luffy with a bit of caution. "Who are you, why did you enter into conflict against Enel, and what do you intend to do now?" he asked, his voice laden with a mix of curiosity and challenge. The other Shandies and inhabitants of Skypiea waited in silence, attentive to the response of this man who made Enel seem quite weak.
Luffy, with a calm and confident expression, observed the group gathered before him. "My name is Monkey D. Luffy, I am a pirate from the lower sea, and from today onwards, Skypiea is my territory," declared Luffy, his voice resonating with authority.
Luffy's announcement caused an immediate buzz among the Shandies and Gan Fall narrowed his eyes at Luffy. Some looked surprised, others seemed uncertain about how to react to the bold declaration. The idea of Skypiea, going from the hands of one tyrant to another even more powerful, didn't seem to bring joy to them.
"Your territory?! What does that mean? Will you be like Enel was to us? We don't intend to give up our home, not even Enel could get rid of us!" A Shandie shouted from the crowd and others also agreed, picking up strange weapons used by the people of Skypiea.
"They don't seem to take it very well, captain..." Hugo commented the obvious.
"It's okay, just a haki to end their wills..." Luffy murmured, but before he could use it, a voice from above spoke in a firm tone.
"Calm down! Haven't you seen what he can do, besides becoming that monster in front of everyone, Enel was completely defeated by him and you think you can deal with this man from the lower sea? You will just lose your lives without knowing his real intentions with your words!" Gan Fall shouted and those most eager to fight against Luffy thought a bit and saw that it wouldn't be the smartest option without hearing the other side.
Gan Fall, who observed the crowd calming down, turned his attention to Luffy alongside his companions with Enel fallen, he knew the stories of pirates from the lower sea and was aware of a bit of what Luffy had said. "And what does that mean for Skypiea and its people? Are you going to govern our peoples like Enel?" asked Gan Fall, his voice still maintaining a bit of respect.
Luffy looked at Gan Fall and the Shandies. "It means that I won't interfere in internal affairs of the kingdom and that you will have freedom to choose who will govern you, and you will be under the protection of my flag, I will protect this place and its inhabitants. Nobody will threaten Skypiea while it is under my name," Luffy affirmed, showing a strong determination. "And Enel will no longer be a problem for you."
"But that has a cost, doesn't it?" Gan Fall spoke, expecting Luffy to state what it would cost his people.
"That's true, I bet you're just another Enel, wanting to enslave us with your tyranny!" exclaimed one of the Shandies, echoing the sentiment of many present. The fear of being subjugated by another authoritarian leader was among the crowd.
Luffy, understanding the tension and fear in their eyes, raised his hand to silence the crowd. "I am not here to enslave or oppress anyone. My interest is not in the internal power of your kingdom," he explained, his voice firm and convincing. "What I want is to establish a development agenda here. I will use a part of Skypiea to train me and my people, of course, as my territory and under my protection, there will be a tribute to my flag."
Luffy's words brought a new element to the discussion. For Gan Fall, the idea of having the protection of a group of powerful pirates like these was something many on the island had never considered, something like this could have even prevented the rise of Enel, as there was no one who could deal with him, but that could change if they had help from the blue sea.
Gan Fall, reflecting on Luffy's words, saw an opportunity for a new beginning in Skypiea. "If your intentions are true and you respect the autonomy and freedom of our people, perhaps we can find a way to peaceful coexistence and I believe others may agree with this," he said, thoughtfully.
"Are we really going to do this?"
"Are you sure he won't be like Enel?"
"He said he won't get involved with us."
"If we had this, Enel could never have risen."
"Gan Fall! How can you sell us out like this?!"
"It's true, we are Shandies, we bow to no one!"
"We won't hand Skypiea over to people from the blue sea!"
Luffy's proposal sparked discussions, some saw something positive in it, but soon those who didn't like the idea voiced their concerns, after all, they never backed down or gave up during Enel's regime, they wouldn't trust a stranger so easily. They remained skeptical and wary, unable to fully trust the words of a pirate, even after witnessing his strength and Enel's defeat.
Realizing that words wouldn't be enough to dispel their doubts and fears, Luffy decided to demonstrate his power more directly. A wave emanated from him, releasing his Conqueror's Haki. The aura emitted by Luffy was so powerful and oppressive that none of them had ever witnessed anything like it, and it began to physically affect those around him.
Suddenly, many of those present, especially the weaker ones, felt the overwhelming pressure of Luffy's Haki, causing them to involuntarily kneel, even the greatest warriors were affected, dropping their weapons. The effect was immediate and impressive. All the Shandies except for a few, now kneeling, looked at Luffy with a mixture of renewed respect and fear. Gan Fall, observing the scene, felt a mix of admiration and concern. He knew that Conqueror's Haki was a characteristic of exceptional and powerful individuals from the lower sea as he saw some decades ago, when a pirate Gol D. Roger arrived on the sky island and brought all of Gan Fall's forces at that time to their knees, and Luffy's display confirmed that he also possessed this strange power.
[Author here: I don't know what really happened, but I think something similar might have occurred, since Gol D. Roger walked through Skypiea as if on vacation and I don't think the inhabitants would have taken that very well.]
After the Haki display, Luffy spoke again, this time with unquestionable authority. "I don't want to rule Skypiea with fear. I want you to see that the protection I offer is real and that together we can create a better place, you may not trust me now, but in a few years, you will see great results," he said, now with the crowd's full attention.
Seeing that no one else was speaking, even Wyper and Gan Fall silent, Luffy continued, "I will talk to all of you later, Gan Fall you better calm the people of the City of Angels and Shandies, we will have a meeting tomorrow, for now, I will sort some things out with my crew, but remember, whether you like it or not, Skypiea now belongs to my territory, to the Straw Hat Pirates," he declared, with an authority that left no room for questioning.
Luffy's final statement was direct and to the point, making it clear that, regardless of their opinions or feelings, the island was under his dominion. He no longer sought to convince or calm; instead, he asserted a reality that everyone in Skypiea would have to accept.
The inhabitants and Shandies exchanged glances among themselves, some with expressions of resignation, others still showing signs of discontent. The imposing presence of Luffy and the reality of the power he held were undeniable; the conqueror's haki was far more convincing than the logia of thunder.
"Now I'm going to see my crew, Hugo, Nami, let's go," Luffy said, grabbing the unconscious Enel and flying into the air with his huge black wings, heading towards the City of Angels where the Black Pearl was.
Upon arriving at the ship, Luffy was greeted by Chouchou who had returned to the ship to stay as a guard with a "Woof Woof!". After petting the dog, he first went to the cabin where there was a ship that he had left in miniature since they began climbing to Skypiea, he didn't put them back to normal size as soon as they arrived because with Enel's shots, they could have been eliminated.
Stepping out with the boat in hand, Luffy threw it beside the ship into the sea of clouds and immediately used the ability of the Moa Moa No Mi, which granted him the power to manipulate the size of things, to return the boat to its original size.
As the boat grew, the former slaves aboard began to emerge from the cabins, astonished by the sudden transformation. Luffy asked them to leave the ship and go to the city of angels, looking around in surprise as they still couldn't believe they were in the sky. They obeyed Luffy and stayed in a corner of the port until Gan Fall arrived in the city, who, according to Luffy, would take care of their stay here.
After dealing with the former slaves of the Goa kingdom's ship, Luffy picked up Enel again and took him to the ship's prison alone while Nami, Hugo, and Chouchou waited on the deck. Reaching the prison, Lucius encountered the former members of Baroque Works who had been previously captured in the same cells. They stared at him, surprised by the captain's arrival with a new prisoner, who was quite peculiar with drums on his back and giant ears.
Bon Clay greeted Luffy as usual, and after Luffy locked Enel in the former cell of Jimbei, he turned his attention to the other prisoners, addressing them at this moment. "The time has come to release you," he announced, immediately capturing everyone's attention.
"What?! You're going to release us?" Mr.3 looked suspiciously at Luffy.
"Mugi-channnnn!!!" Bon Clay twirled happily.
"Please, get me out of here! We've been in this place for a month!" Mikita implored.
"Well... I offer you a choice," continued Lucius, looking straight at each one of them. "You can join my official fleet that will carry my flag and be summoned when we need you. If you accept, you will start intensive training here in Skypiea to become truly strong. It will be an opportunity to start a new life, away from the mistakes of the past and under a new flag."
Silence filled the room as the prisoners processed the offer. Some prisoners exchanged glances among themselves, pondering the decision. "I accept, Mugi-channnn!!!" Bon Clay was the first to shout. Baroque Works no longer existed, why should he be loyal to them now? Besides, Bon Clay liked Luffy a lot as a friend he made in the last month.
"I want to as well! Please, get us out of here!" Mikita spoke with a glimmer of hope.
"I'm in!" Miss Merry Christmas and Mr.4 also nodded.
"Please, get me out of here! We've been in this place for a month! I'm in your fleet too, I just want to take a bath!" Mikita begged.
"I'm in too," said Galdino, still a bit hesitant, but clearly curious about what the future might hold, which would probably be better by accepting to join this pirate's organization.
Little by little, everyone accepted the offer. Their organization was no more, Crocodile had been captured and was in prison, what choice did they have?
With their decision, the former members of Baroque Works became part of the growing Straw Hat fleet, ready to embark on a new journey under Luffy's flag, and strengthening in the realms of Skypiea would be just the beginning of their journey with the iconic flag featuring the straw hat. A new era of adventures and transformations awaited each of them, now allies of one of the most promising crews of the seas.
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