One Piece: Who Made him the Pirate King!

Wiper's furious roar echoed across the heavens.

The once lively banquet atmosphere vanished without a trace under this hate-filled, hostile shout.

Aisa buried herself in Laki's embrace. Being young and insignificant, she didn't know what to do and instinctively looked toward Storm.

Many other Shandians mirrored Aisa's reaction.

Aisa, Laki... even Robin turned her attention to Storm.

"What's this? What's this?"

Storm held two cleanly gnawed bones in his hands, knocking them together to produce a "clack clack" sound.

"Where are your manners! All this shouting and noise—people are trying to eat here!"

Wiper, who had been seething with indignation moments earlier, immediately lowered his head in apology upon hearing Storm's words.

"Lord Storm! We apologize for our—"

"Apologize? You damn well should, Wiper. Not just to me, but to everyone else."

Storm tossed the two large bones aside and casually picked up a fresh piece of meat.

"Everyone's enjoying the feast here. If you want to argue, take it somewhere else. Don't ruin the mood."

Huh?

The Shandian guerrilla fighters collectively gaped in disbelief.

Both the Shandian chief and Gan Fall stood frozen in place.

Storm wasn't trying to mediate their conflict—he was just...

complaining about the noise?

Even Robin found Storm's behavior somewhat inappropriate at this moment.

But a crew member must maintain solidarity with their captain.

Though privately harboring reservations, Robin wouldn't openly question the captain's words now.

"Lord Storm!"

The Shandian chief gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

"I implore you to intervene and help end the war between the Shandians and Skypieans."

"Can't do it!"

Storm refused outright.

"I'm neither Shandian nor Skypiean—just an ordinary Blue Sea dweller."

"I've no right to make Shandians forget their hatred, nor power to rid Skypieans of their greed."

"Frankly, I find Wiper's stance more to my taste..."

At this point, Storm even gave Wiper an approving thumbs-up.

"Wiper, I've always liked your style!"

"Though you're weak as hell, your thinking's more 'sane' than most people on the sea."

Whether regarding "gods" or "peace,"

Storm found himself remarkably aligned with Wiper's perspectives.

Were it not for Wiper's responsibilities as the Shandian guerrilla captain, duty-bound to protect his tribe,

Storm might have tried recruiting this "Shandian War Demon."

"Lord Storm!"

Wiper gazed at Storm with both gratitude and exhilaration.

Though commander of the Shandian guerrillas and idolized by many young Shandians as their de facto leader,

his vengeful ideology struggled to gain traction beyond the youth demographic.

The village elders, led by the Shandian chief, sought to bury past grievances and reconcile with the Skypieans.

Many senior tribesmen even considered Wiper's actions "reckless troublemaking"...

This marked the first time Wiper had received validation from someone of such stature.

His heart was brimming with joy at this moment.

In stark contrast.

The expressions of the Shandian Chief and Gan Fall were grave beyond measure.

Without a doubt.

Storm was a far more benevolent "ruler" than Enel.

Even though he refused to acknowledge himself as a "god."

In the eyes of the Shandian Chief, Gan Fall, and others.

Since Storm had slain Enel who proclaimed himself a god, he was undoubtedly an even mightier "deity."

At least to ordinary people like the Shandian Chief.

Storm was no different from a god.

Yet this being whose power far surpassed Enel's...

Had chosen to stand on the side of Wiper and the younger generation...

Was Skypiea destined for another full-scale war...?

The Shandian Chief heaved a quiet sigh.

Gan Fall clenched his teeth and stepped forward to face Wiper, locking eyes with him as he spoke solemnly.

"The land of God's Island has become an inseparable part of Skypiea!"

Wiper met Gan Fall's gaze unflinchingly, his voice resolute.

"This is our Shandians' island! Its name is Upper Yard now! Not your Skypieans' God's Island!"

Gan Fall countered, "Every Skypiean is grateful for this God's Island, for the blessings its soil has brought us all!"

Wiper's reply was adamant, "This is our Shandians' island!"

"I know the God from the Blue Sea took this island from Skypiea's god and gifted it to you Shandians."

Gan Fall glanced briefly at Storm before turning his gaze toward where Enel's temple once stood.

"But God's Island remains part of Skypiea! Our people depend on its soil to survive."

"These innocent citizens shouldn't suffer for past conflicts—"

"Innocent!?"

Wiper suddenly seized Gan Fall's collar, veins bulging on his forehead as he roared.

"You old fool! Still as naive as ever!"

"Your ancestors stole Upper Yard from ours!"

"You've enjoyed the fruits of this land since birth!"

"And now you dare claim you're 'innocent'? Don't make me laugh!"

"I meant the other Skypieans are blameless—they bear no guilt."

Gan Fall remained composed against the warrior's fury, his voice steady as still water.

"Wiper, I understand your desire for blood vengeance."

"This old man offers his failing body as atonement to all Shandians."

Wiper froze. "What?"

"Though no longer God of Skypiea, I once bore that mantle."

A faint smile touched Gan Fall's weathered face.

"You once vowed to sacrifice a hundred Skypieans to appease your ancestors' spirits."

"Such acts are beyond me—I could never commit them."

"The only offering I can make is myself, surrendered to Shandian justice."

"Be it beheading, immolation, or even the Cloud Drift punishment—I accept all."

"Only cease this warpath against my people."

"You old..."

Wiper's grip on Gan Fall's collar loosened slightly.

He didn't know how to deal with this former god of Skypiea who was willing to offer himself as a "sacrifice" to the Shandians.

In his extreme confusion, an inexplicable rage reignited in Wiper's heart.

"Old man! Who do you think you are?!"

Wiper released Gan Fall's collar, drew back his right fist, then raised it high in the air.

"Don't think this will make me trust you!"

As Wiper's words fell, his right fist swung down, landing squarely on Gan Fall's aged face.

A dull "thud" echoed through the air.

Gan Fall was sent flying several meters by Wiper's punch, coughing up blood involuntarily.

Thick blood mixed with yellowish teeth splattered onto the ground.

"Kyuu kyuu kyuu!"

Pierre, seeing his master struck, immediately flapped his wings and flew to Gan Fall's side to protect him.

"Wiper! You've gone too far!"

"Wiper! How could you treat Gan Fall like that?"

"Wiper/Captain!..."

Led by the Shandian chief, the ordinary Shandians cried out in shock.

Even the Shandian warriors behind Wiper showed expressions of discomfort upon seeing Gan Fall's condition.

The Shandians frequently battled the Skypieans to reclaim their homeland—that was one thing.

But beating Gan Fall, an old man who refused to fight back, simply to vent hatred—that was another matter entirely.

After delivering that devastating punch, Wiper froze in place.

He hadn't expected Gan Fall to truly offer no resistance, simply accepting the blow.

Gan Fall struggled to his feet, his cheek swollen grotesquely, blood dripping from his mouth—a pitiful sight.

"Wiper! Don't forget your earlier promise!"

Gan Fall shouted through his broken teeth.

"Peace! The Shandians must no longer wage war against the Skypieans!"

"Old man!"

Wiper gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and prepared to step forward again.

"Wiper!" / "Captain!" / "Kyuu kyuu kyuu!" / ...

Chaos erupted on the scene, accompanied by the shrill cries of the bird.

Amidst the noise.

Robin turned to Storm, who was still devouring his meat, and asked quietly,

"Captain?"

"Don't mind it."

Storm tore off another piece of meat, chewing casually as he replied.

"This has nothing to do with us."

Though Storm was speaking to Robin, and his voice wasn't particularly loud,

the moment he spoke, all surrounding noise instantly ceased.

The panting Wiper, the bloodied Gan Fall, the distressed Shandian chief, and the other warriors...

Storm once again became the focal point of everyone's attention.

"Why are you all looking at me?"

Storm glanced between the two groups, waving the Sky Island meat in his hand.

"Fight if you're going to fight, kill if you're going to kill. Don't drag it out—make it quick."

To be honest, Storm rather enjoyed watching the spectacle.

With Storm's words, Wiper began advancing toward Gan Fall once more.

But this time,

aside from Pierre's persistent cries,

no one else moved to stop Wiper.

Step by step, Wiper approached Pierre.

This monstrous bird was his final line of defense in executing the former god of Skypiea.

At this critical moment, Pierre activated the power of the [Horse-Horse Fruit].

Before everyone's eyes, a bird underwent "hyper-metamorphosis" and transformed into a pegasus.

Pierre stood resolutely in front of Gan Fall.

But Gan Fall merely patted its equine leg.

"Step aside, Pierre."

The former god of Skypiea still spoke with a slight lisp, yet his tone was as unshakable as a martyr's.

"From this moment onward, I am no longer your master."

Gan Fall pushed Pierre aside and faced Wiper himself.

Wiper looked at the battered old man before him and raised his right hand once more.

But this time—

Wiper found himself utterly unable to strike.

Because it wasn't just Gan Fall.

The Shandian chief also silently stepped forward from the crowd, standing side by side with Gan Fall.

Two years ago,

the Shandian chief had already agreed to peace negotiations with Gan Fall.

Those who had experienced war understood the fragility of peace far better than those still embroiled in it.

But the interference of young warriors like Wiper had caused those peace talks to collapse.

"Wiper, Enel is dead. Peace is within our grasp."

The Shandian chief pleaded earnestly with the young warrior.

"If you kill Gan Fall, you'll only deepen the conflict between us and the Skypieans!"

"Do you truly wish to ignite a full-scale war between our people and theirs?"

There was another thought the Shandian chief left unspoken:

Do you want to watch as our people are driven from our homeland by the Skypieans yet again?

Even a warmonger as fanatical as Wiper

understood one thing with absolute clarity.

On Skypiea, the Shandians were vastly outmatched by the Skypieans.

For the past four hundred years,

the Shandians had been locked in a struggle with the Skypieans over ownership of God's Island.

Yet never once had the Shandians reclaimed their homeland.

Not four hundred years ago.

And not now, four hundred years later.

Had Storm not arrived and slain Enel,

Wiper had no idea how many more centuries the Shandians would have needed to take back their homeland from the Skypieans.

The disparity in strength between the Skypieans and the Shandians was undeniable.

If war broke out, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Wiper scanned his surroundings, unsure of whom to turn to—until his gaze finally settled on Storm.

"Tch."

Storm had, of course, noticed Wiper's look. He clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"What a shame. I was hoping for some entertainment."

"Wiper, why didn't you kill Gan Fall?"

"Lord Storm..."

Wiper seemed to have lost his usual ferocity. His voice was low.

"I... don't know..."

"What are you afraid of, Wiper?"

Storm shook his head, voicing the fear that truly haunted Wiper.

"Are you afraid of war?"

"You're worried that if you kill Gan Fall, more 'Gan Falls' will rise against you?"

"What's there to fear?"

Storm paused, then spoke with chilling indifference.

"On these seas, the only thing we never run out of is lives."

"So what if the Skypieans come? Just kill them."

"Against invaders who threaten your home—kill one, and you break even. Kill two, and you come out ahead."

"If you're worried about nurturing a tiger that will turn on you, then kill more—kill as many as come.

"Slaughter your way from Skypiea all the way to the end of the White-White Sea, dyeing its waters red with the blood of the Sky People.

"As long as you exterminate every last one of them, the Sky Islands will naturally belong to the Shandians.

"What do you think of this suggestion?"

"Lord Storm..."

Wiper stammered a few times but ultimately didn't dare speak up.

I think you might be taking things a bit too far...