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Chapter 123 Battle
The Sky Islanders' slashing and wind-breathing shells were broken and tattered, while the Shandians' stone hammers and bows and arrows, which were inlaid with various shells and relied on for survival, were scattered everywhere.
Just moments ago, they were mortal enemies who had fought for their homeland for hundreds of years. Now, they lay side by side on the same ruins, covered in wounds and in a sorry state. And the cause of all this was the same outsider.
Generations of blood feuds, clashes of beliefs, and obsessions with the land seem so insignificant and laughable in the face of overwhelming power.
"They...didn't kill us."
A young Shandian warrior spoke in a low, complex voice.
"If we had just made one more move, none of us would have survived."
"He said that the grudges are ours, and we shouldn't get in his way."
The soldiers on the sky island muttered to themselves.
"As long as we don't provoke him, he won't kill us."
Weber clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.
He had always been arrogant and never bowed to anyone, but after that attack, he clearly realized that his opponent hadn't even used their full strength.
That kind of effortless domination is more powerless than any humiliation.
"Whatever they want to do deep within the Island of Gods, do not stop them."
The Shandian elder spoke in a deep, hoarse voice, yet carrying an undeniable authority that drowned out all the whispers in the room: "Anyone who dares to provoke us again will be pushing the entire Shandian people to their doom. They are not like Roger, the peace-loving people of Qinghai, and besides, Roger back then was also..."
Upon hearing this, the Sky Island Elder was taken aback at first, then nodded gravely and echoed, "We will also issue orders to strictly prohibit anyone from approaching that area. Compared to the terror of the Qinghai people, our conflict... will be put on hold for now. Perhaps sometimes we may need to..."
One sentence silenced the entire room.
Set aside.
These two words, spoken by the leader of sworn enemies for generations, were met with no objection from a single person.
Once, they were willing to risk their lives for a single stance.
Now, having merely witnessed a battle, they tacitly suppressed their four-hundred-year-old feud for the time being. It wasn't forgiveness, nor reconciliation, but rather that, faced with a power capable of crushing everything, hatred lost its foundation.
Several people picked up the broken shellfish from the ground, gazing at the dull inner walls with a sense of loss.
Some people helped their injured companions and silently bandaged their wounds, while others gazed at the dense canopy deep within the island of gods, their eyes filled with awe and unease.
There were no cheers, no arguments, only a heavy silence.
The Sky Islanders and the Shandians, on the same ruins, each organized their equipment and helped the wounded, like two rivers about to converge but forcibly diverging, slowly withdrawing from the battlefield in this eerie peace.
Deep within the island of gods, dense canopies block out the sunlight, massive ancient trees have intertwined roots, and ancient vines hang down like curtains.
Bai Yu walked calmly ahead, using his Observation Haki to perceive all the hidden movements around him.
Even though his Sharingan wasn't activated, he could still clearly see through layers of branches and leaves and detect every abnormality.
Robin followed beside him, his gaze sweeping curiously over the massive stones and broken pillars engraved with ancient patterns around them.
"The ruins here are older than I imagined. Has no one set foot in this area for hundreds of years?"
Robin spoke softly, her tone carrying the unique interest of a scholar: "This must be the ruins of Shandora, right?"
Bai Yu paused slightly, glancing indifferently at the towering stone pillar that appeared in the distance. His tone was calm and unwavering: "It should be. We'll know once we get closer. I think I see some gold. How interesting."
As the dense ancient forest receded, the view suddenly opened up, causing the group of people to pause briefly.
Surrounded by towering ancient trees, a colossal city, slumbering deep within the forest, stretches before you. Its palaces, pillars, and walls, constructed entirely of gold and massive stones, have withstood four hundred years of wind and rain and the erosion of the Sky Island, yet still cannot conceal their former grandeur.
The gilded roof gleamed with a warm yet dazzling luster under the sunlight filtering through the canopy of trees. Golden walls, sculpted with Shandora warriors and mythical beasts, stretched out in a winding pattern. Broken golden stairs were stuck diagonally among the soil and vines. Scattered golden utensils and statues were half-buried under the decaying leaves. By simply brushing aside a layer of dead branches, one could touch the cool, heavy texture of gold.
This is Shandora, the golden city, which is revered as a forbidden land by the Sky Island people and protected by the Shandians with their lives for generations.
Kanna blinked her clear eyes and gently touched a section of the exposed golden pillar of the house with her small hand. The heavy texture she felt made her exclaim softly, "Wow... so much gold, it's almost as much as some of Father's treasures."
Matsumoto Rangiku leaned against an ancient tree, a hint of amazement in her eyes, and joked with a smile, "This is really a windfall. Just take a few pieces home, and you can spend the rest of your life soaking in fine wine."
Robin had already strode forward, crouched down, and examined the place closely. "I never imagined that this city would actually be carried to the Sky Island by the Sky Current and have been sleeping in the clouds for four hundred years. These Sky Island people... well, they don't really need gold after all."
Robin stood up and looked into the depths, but he could not see the Golden Bell.
On the streets paved with gold, the former prosperity of Shandora is within reach. Golden drinking vessels are piled up in abandoned corners, golden armor hangs halfway on broken battlements, and even the cracks in the paving stones are inlaid with tiny gold particles. The wind blows through the broken window frames, as if it can still echo the hustle and bustle of the city from countless years ago.
The roar of the great warrior Calgra and the laughter of the explorer Noland intertwined.
That promise that transcends mountains, seas, and life and death is hidden in the gold and bricks of this city, silently telling the story of a forgotten past.
Bai Yu walked slowly down the central golden road, his Sharingan subtly scanning the layout and hidden mechanisms of the entire ruins. His Observation Haki spread out, taking in the entire outline of Shandora. There were no living creatures, only traces left by time and nature.
"Bai Yu, you clearly know about the four-hundred-year-old feud between Sky Island and Shandia, you know about Shandora's past, and you know that the root of their conflict is nothing more than their blinded obsessions and their obsession with their homeland. Why did you attack both sides so severely just now?"
Robin was a little curious, since Uchiha Hakuba had just used a lot of force against the Shandians and Skypiea people.
"You could have easily stopped them, but you chose the most crushing way, shattering everyone's pride and hatred."
Matsumoto Rangiku, Unohana Retsu, and Kanna also looked at Shiraha, as they were still not very clear about the Shandians and Skypiea people.
However, Robin had already pieced everything together based on the available information, and she felt that Bai Yu should also know everything.