Konoha: Uchiha's Two-Way Travel in One Piece

Chapter 58: Shandians finally getting the Golden Bell



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"Hah!"

Gan Fall exhaled deeply, finally feeling some relief. After gathering his thoughts, he continued, "About what you mentioned earlier—your intention to trade Sky Island's unique shellfish with us on a long-term basis—I can represent the Sky Islanders and agree to that."

"The specifics can be negotiated further."

"But as for the Golden City..."

He hesitated, glancing at Rossi, clearly trying to convince him of something.

However, knowing Rossi's stubborn nature, Gan Fall had no idea how to approach the topic.

At this moment, Uchiha Jiri spoke up, "Gan Fall, I've read up a little on the history between the Shandians and the Sky Islanders."

"You two have been waging war over this landmass for centuries!"

"This grudge between your peoples has lasted just as long."

"But here you are, still willing to speak on their behalf. You're a good man."

Gan Fall quickly waved off the compliment. "Not at all! You flatter me! I just hope this pointless and endless conflict between our two peoples can end soon."

"Honestly, we deserve a better future."

Jiri nodded faintly in response and then turned to the unyielding Rossi. "I also know the real reason why you Shandians want to reclaim this half of Jaya Island so badly."

"I can help you find the Golden Bell, ring it, and honor your Great Warrior of Shandora, Kalgara."

"And in the future, I'll even bring the only surviving descendant of Mont Blanc Noland—Mont Blanc Cricket—to meet you and witness the ringing of the Golden Bell together."

"What?!"

Rossi was stunned, his expression shifting to shock. "Are you serious? You know where the Golden Bell is?"

"And you know a descendant of Mont Blanc Noland?"

Jiri nodded affirmatively, then shook her head. "I do know where the Golden Bell is, and if you agree to two conditions, I can take you to it right away."

"As for Noland's descendant, I haven't met him yet."

"But I have certain foresight abilities. Seven years from now, Mont Blanc Cricket—the sole surviving descendant of Mont Blanc Noland—will arrive at the base of Sky Island, on the other half of Jaya Island that remains on the surface."

"He'll be searching for evidence of the Golden Bell and Golden City, and for the Shandians as well."

"Because he wants to prove that his ancestor, Mont Blanc Noland, wasn't a liar!"

Hearing the first part, Rossi was elated. If not for being unsure about Jiri's conditions, he would have agreed on the spot.

But the latter half made his brows furrow. "A liar? Why would Mont Blanc Noland be called a liar?"

Gan Fall, who had been listening intently, pieced together the information and ventured a guess. "Could it be because the Golden City and Golden Bell were swept into the sky by the Knock-Up Stream and disappeared?"

"Leaving the Blue Sea people to think that Noland was making it all up?"

Jiri gave Gan Fall an approving look and nodded. "Exactly! That's more or less the reason."

"He was even executed by his own king because of it."

"And Cricket wants to clear his ancestor's name."

Although Jiri herself didn't think there was much injustice to clear.

She could already imagine what would have happened if Jaya Island hadn't been swept into the sky by chance.

When Noland brought his king and fleet to Jaya Island, what kind of fate would have awaited the Shandians?

Probably a tragic one.

To seize the Shandians' gold, that greedy king wouldn't have hesitated to wipe them out entirely.

Given how much the Shandians treasured the Golden Bell, they would have fought to the death.

As an adventurer who had traveled far and wide, Noland must have understood the dangers of human greed and treachery.

He had to have known.

Yet he still revealed the Golden City's existence to his king.

It wasn't an honorable act.

In her opinion, he deserved his fate.

Gan Fall seemed to share similar thoughts at this moment.

The two exchanged glances, sensing the mutual understanding in each other's eyes.

But neither decided to voice this "truth" aloud.

There was no need.

The stubborn Shandians wouldn't believe it anyway. They'd probably see it as an insult to Noland and the great benefactor of their ancestors.

Besides, Noland had been dead for nearly 400 years. It didn't matter anymore.

Better to keep the secret and use this knowledge to secure the Shandians' cooperation.

"What?!"

Rossi was clearly unaware of these details. Hearing Jiri's explanation, he was shocked. "Noland was called a liar and executed because of this? That's..."

"Our ancestors let him down. We Shandians have wronged our great benefactor!"

"I must meet Noland's descendant, apologize, and prove to him that his ancestor wasn't a liar."

With that, Rossi turned to Jiri. "Tell me—what must we do for you to take us to the Golden Bell? And what will it take for you to bring our benefactor's descendant, Cricket, to meet us in the future?"

"As long as it's not too much, I can represent the Shandians and agree to it."

Hearing this, Jiri finally felt a sense of relief.

These Shandians really were a tough crowd.

She raised two fingers and said, "Two conditions. First, aside from the Golden Bell, all the gold from the Golden City belongs to me."

"Second, starting today, the Shandians and Sky Islanders must make peace and share Upper Yard together. What do you say?"

Of course, she could've demanded to rule over them outright.

Given their situation, neither side would likely have refused.

But Jiri decided against it.

Because that would change her current cause.

And besides, did she really need to declare it outright to become their leader and earn their support?

Not at all.

As long as she restored peace between the two peoples and found the Golden Bell, she'd be their savior.

With the Shandians' gratitude and Gan Fall's character, gaining their allegiance would be easy.

In the future, even establishing a permanent Uchiha settlement here would be no trouble at all.

"Huh? That's it?"

Rossi was stunned.

These conditions seemed far too simple.

The gold from the Golden City? The Shandians didn't care about that—they only cared about the Golden Bell.

Oh, and Upper Yard itself, of course.

As for the second condition, it wasn't much of a problem either.

After 400 years of war, the Shandians were tired of fighting too.

The only reason they hadn't made peace before was that they couldn't find the Golden Bell.

And because both sides wanted sole ownership of Upper Yard.

With Jiri as a mediator, sharing it peacefully wasn't impossible.

Gan Fall was also surprised.

He hadn't expected Jiri's second condition to be this straightforward.

"This woman seemed fierce at first, but she's actually quite kind," he thought with some relief.

Then he anxiously looked at Rossi.

If this could work out, it would be perfect.

"That's it!"

Jiri smiled and nodded. "So, do you agree?"

Rossi hesitated. "I agree personally! But I'll need to get approval from our chief first."

Even though he was the battle leader, the chief was the true authority within the tribe.

"Alright! You may first seek your chief's opinion," Uchiha Jiri said. "It would be even better if you could bring him here to discuss this matter together."

Jiri's tone was calm and understanding, not giving Rossi a hard time.

"Understood! Thank you very much! I'll head back right away!" Rossi said excitedly, expressing his gratitude before preparing to leave.

However, the moment he moved, pain surged through his body. He winced, taking a sharp breath—his burns were severe. Even with his strong physique, he would need time to recover.

"Om, you'll go in my place to speak with the chief and seek his opinion," Rossi ordered one of the Shandian warriors beside him.

"Yes!"

Without hesitation, Om left to carry out the task, while Jiri retracted her Susanoo and patiently waited on the ground.

About ten minutes later, Om returned, accompanied by the Shandian chief, who arrived on a flying board.

"Chief! I—" Rossi began, struggling to stand and say something.

The chief waved his hand to stop him. "No need to explain. I've been fully briefed on the situation."

The chief then turned his gaze to Uchiha Jiri, a smile on his face. "You must be the esteemed Uchiha Jiri!"

"Indeed," Jiri replied calmly.

"I am the chief of this generation of Shandians," the chief said respectfully. "I've heard your requests and, on behalf of the Shandians, I agree to them. Furthermore, we owe you our deepest gratitude.

"If you can truly help us find the Golden Bell and, in the future, bring Noland's descendants here, we will forever owe you three great debts: one for the Golden Bell, one for reconnecting us with Noland's lineage, and one for helping us achieve peace with the Skypieans."

"He is a wise man," Jiri thought.

"Then it's settled!" Jiri said with a slight smile. "I can lead you to the Golden Bell right now.

"As for Noland's descendants, you'll have to wait seven years.

"And peace... is within reach. All you need to do is work sincerely with the Skypieans to reach an agreement.

"I can tell Gan Fall is a reasonable man who also yearns for peace. It shouldn't be too difficult."

The chief nodded, turning to look at Gan Fall. Both men exchanged smiles, signaling a mutual understanding.

"Let's go find the Golden Bell!" Jiri said with a grin, motioning for both the Shandians and Skypieans to follow her.

They made their way to the central area of Upper Yard, stopping beneath a massive vine.

Jiri glanced upward at the towering plant. "Actually, the Golden Bell is at the very top of this vine, hidden within a cloud layer."

"What?!"

The Shandians were stunned. The chief, however, seemed to realize something. "So that's it! No wonder we couldn't find it before.

"It must've been pushed to a higher location by the vines!"

"For so long, we never thought to look higher," he added with a wry smile, and the other Shandian warriors chuckled bitterly at their own oversight.

It seemed so obvious now.

At that moment, a deafening roar shattered the air.

A colossal snake's head burst out of the clouds below, lunging at Jiri and her group.

"What a gigantic snake!" Jiri exclaimed, surprised by the creature's sheer size—it was easily over ten meters wide.

Without hesitation, she activated her Susanoo in its fourth stage and swatted the snake's head with a massive palm, sending it flying hundreds of meters away and knocking it unconscious.

She could've killed it instantly but refrained.

Kaito had advised her earlier that this snake was a descendant of the Shandians' once-revered snake god.

More importantly, the snake possessed full intelligence and could potentially be tamed as a summoning beast.

"It's the descendant of Kashigami, the Master of the Sky, Nola!"

Recognizing the snake, Rossi and the others quickly pleaded with Jiri. "Please, Lord Jiri, spare it! We know this snake well and can convince it to cooperate."

"Fine," Jiri said indifferently, gesturing for Rossi and his group to handle the snake.

Before long, Rossi and the others successfully communicated with Nola, persuading the snake to join them. Then with Nola leading the way, they began their ascent up the colossal vine.

They climbed several thousand meters until the air became thin, leaving even the Skypieans and Shandians struggling to breathe.

Finally, they reached the top, where a golden bell stood proudly atop a small cloud island.

The bell was massive but weathered, its surface covered in moss and marks of time. One of its supporting structures had collapsed, wrapped in vines.

"The Golden Bell! It's really the Golden Bell!"

The sight brought tears of joy to Rossi and the others.

"We've found it! Lord Jiri, you're amazing!"

"Ancestor Kalgara, can you see this? We've found the Golden Bell! Your wish has been fulfilled!"

Cheers erupted from the Shandians, their excitement overflowing.

"It truly is a magnificent sight," Gan Fall and the other Skypieans remarked in awe, marveling at the bell's grandeur.

With Jiri's help, the Shandians carefully transported the Golden Bell onto Nola's back.

Over the next hour, Nola carried the bell back down to the Golden City, where they placed it near its original location by the old bell tower.

Finally, Jiri got her first proper look at the Golden City.

"Wow... how much gold is this? Over ten thousand tons?" Jiri couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

The chief chuckled. "It doesn't matter how much there is. All of it is yours!"

"We don't value gold. Please, take as much as you'd like!"

To the Shandians, gold was nothing more than pretty rocks.

It didn't compare to the soil of Upper Yard or the symbolic significance of the Golden Bell.

"Haha! In that case, I won't hold back!" Jiri laughed. She had felt slightly guilty earlier, wondering if her demands were excessive.

But since the Shandians didn't care about gold, why should she hesitate?

"Need our help with anything?" the chief asked.

"No need. I can handle it myself," Jiri replied.

She activated her Susanoo again and began gathering the gold, storing it within her dimensional gate.

Soon, she contacted Kaito through the space link.

"Oh, Mom? You've already finished?"

"Yes!"

"Hold on, I'm coming over!"

Moments later, Kaito arrived via teleportation, bringing along Mikoto, and several others.

"You really couldn't wait, huh?" Jiri said, canceling her Susanoo. She tapped Kaito lightly on the head, feigning annoyance.

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