Once upon a time, Storm was an atheist, a staunch materialist.
Until he arrived in this vast ocean and lived upon its waters for eighteen years...
His attitude toward "gods" transformed into what his ancestors had earnestly taught—
"Respect the gods and spirits, but keep them at a distance."
However.
Storm "respected the gods and spirits."
The "gods" he respected were those elusive, intangible deities that existed beyond mortal comprehension.
As for the so-called "gods" of this sea—those with underdeveloped cerebellums and utterly undeveloped cerebrums—
Storm would beat one up every time he encountered one.
What nonsense gods.
They were nothing more than trash hiding behind the name of divinity to rule over and exploit innocent people.
The so-called World Government.
The so-called Celestial Dragons.
The so-called descendants of the creators.
They were nothing but the foulest, most repulsive garbage under the guise of the divine right of kings!
What era is this, still clinging to the divine right of kings?
Disgusting! Revolting!
Storm sneered at the whole concept of "bloodline supremacy."
And yet.
What was even more foul than the Celestial Dragons' divine-right bloodline nonsense?
The fact that even after centuries had passed,
a god could "reincarnate" and instantly create a new "god" out of thin air!
Even a lawless rogue like Storm knew what "nauseating vileness" meant!
All mortals are born equal—who dares to stand above others?!
The Sun God Nika?
Pah!
Storm greatly admired Wiper and the other Shandians' attitude toward gods, and naturally, he did not withhold his goodwill.
He generously invited these people into the so-called "God's Island"—
even though this place had once been their homeland, "Jaya."
Stepping onto the long-lost earthen ground, both Wiper and the other Shandians couldn't help but show joy on their faces.
Storm also noticed a little girl immediately squatting down, scooping up clay and trying to stuff it into her pouch.
"Aisa!"
Laki, standing nearby, quickly pulled Aisa up and whispered a warning.
"Don't do anything foolish!"
Though this unfamiliar man had shown them great generosity,
he was still the superhuman who had defeated Enel!
Clay was more precious than gold in Skypiea.
Seeing Aisa's actions, Laki stopped her at once.
The surrounding Shandian warriors also noticed the girls' movements and, as if by silent agreement, halted in their tracks.
Wiper, at the forefront, darkened his expression, about to scold Aisa.
"Your name is 'Aisa'?"
Storm looked at Aisa. Though his voice was gentle, it froze everyone present.
"How did you know I was the one who defeated Enel?"
Laki instinctively opened her mouth to explain,
but the precocious Aisa spoke first.
"I heard it! Enel's voice disappeared! Only yours was left here!"
"Now that's talent..."
Storm beckoned Aisa over. As if deliberately tempting a child, he suddenly produced a clay doll in his hand.
"Want this doll? Answer a few little questions for me, and it's yours."
The people of Skypiea had very limited forms of entertainment.
And the nomadic, wandering Shandians had even fewer.
The moment Aisa—still just a child—laid eyes on the clay doll in Storm's hand, her eyes instantly sparkled.
She ignored Raki's warning glance and trotted up to Storm.
"Ask away!"
Aisa said the words, but her eyes weren't on Storm—they were fixed on the delicate little clay figurine of the Blue-Eyed White Dragon.
Storm chuckled softly before posing his question.
"Your ability is called 'Mantra' on Skypiea, but out on the sea, it's known as [Observation Haki]."
"Mhm! Yeah! Wyper said I can use 'Mantra' too!"
"Was this an ability you've had since childhood?"
"Yep! I've been able to hear people's 'voices' ever since I was little."
"A natural-born talent, huh… Besides hearing 'voices,' do you have any other abilities?"
"Huh?"
Aisa blinked, finally tearing her gaze away from the Blue-Eyed White Dragon to look at Storm in confusion.
"What do you mean? I don't understand."
"How should I put it…?"
Storm thought for a moment before speaking slowly.
"From what I know, people with 'innate Observation Haki' are extremely, extremely, extremely rare in this world.
"Generally speaking, those with 'innate Observation Haki' can hear many different things.
"For example… the thoughts in people's hearts."
Patrick Redfield, the "Lone Crimson," was one such superhuman—a man with innate Observation Haki who had fully honed his natural gift.
Patrick Redfield's innate Observation Haki included the ability to "read minds"!
This was also why he was called the "Lone Crimson."
With the power to read thoughts and witness the world's cruelty, the Lone Crimson trusted no one.
Additionally,
Princess Otohime of Fish-Man Island also possessed innate Observation Haki.
Though Storm wasn't entirely sure what her specific ability was.
It was said she could sense—even influence—the emotions of others…
To the point where even Celestial Dragons were "brainwashed" by her…
In comparison,
Aisa's innate Observation Haki seemed to be just… ordinary Observation Haki.
Aside from having an unusually wide range, it didn't appear to have any other special traits.
"Hear people's thoughts?"
Aisa scrunched up her little face.
"That sounds really weird…"
"Alright, that's my bad."
Storm twitched his lips and simply held out the clay figurine.
"I shouldn't have asked you such a complicated question. Here, you can have this."
"Wah!"
Aisa eagerly snatched the Blue-Eyed White Dragon figurine, holding it up high with both hands, her eyes sparkling.
"A big lizard with wings!"
"…Huh? What did you say?"
Storm's face instantly darkened. He rapped his knuckles lightly against Aisa's head.
"This isn't a 'big lizard'!
"It's a dragon! A dragon!
"The Blue-Eyed White Dragon!!"
As if sensing its creator's indignation, the Blue-Eyed White Dragon soaring in the sky let out a mighty roar.
"ROAR—"
A deafening Dragon Roar echoed across Skypiea.
The Shandian warriors looked up, their expressions tense and wary.
In contrast,
Little Aisa showed no fear at all.
The young girl clutched the clay figurine in her right hand, rubbed her head with her left, and even had the presence of mind to gaze up at the Blue-Eyed White Dragon in the sky.
"Why can it fly?"
Aisha held up the clay figurine in her hand and waved it in front of Storm's face.
"Can't it fly?"
"Why do kids ask so many questions?"
Storm extended his right hand and lightly tapped the Blue-Eyed White Dragon clay figurine with his finger.
Under the control of his will, the Blue-Eyed White Dragon figurine instantly transformed into a Nine-Tailed Fox figurine.
"Now it's not a dragon anymore! And it can't fly!"
Unexpectedly.
Aisha stared at the Nine-Tailed Fox clay figurine that had suddenly changed shape in her hands, her large eyes quickly welling up with tears.
"Waaah! My big lizard!!"
The little girl's wails were downright heart-wrenching.
This kid… so annoying…
A vein pulsed on Storm's forehead as he turned to the group of Shandian warriors.
"Who's the guardian here? Hurry up and take this crybaby away!"
"I'm not a crybaby! Waaah—"
Still sobbing, Aisha ran toward the group of Shandian warriors.
"Laki! I don't wanna talk to that meanie anymore!"
Laki, who was heartbroken seeing Aisha cry, immediately pulled the little girl into her arms.
Meanwhile, the Shandian warriors who had witnessed the entire scene all wore twisted expressions.
It was the kind of expression that struggled between laughter and restraint.
"Hey, you!"
Storm turned to the leader of the Shandian warriors.
"I am Vongola Storm. What's your name?"
"Wyper!"
"Good. Wyper, are you and your people open to employment?"
"…Em…ployment?"
"I pay, you work."
Storm rubbed his chin, feeling his offer wasn't enticing enough.
"I almost forgot—the customs of Skypiea are different from those of the sea below.
"You don't seem to care much for money, do you? What about soil?
"I pay in soil, you work."
Had these words been spoken on the sea below,
Anyone who heard them would probably want to throw mud in Storm's face…
But spoken in Skypiea, their meaning was entirely different.
To the Shandian warriors, Storm's words sounded like heavenly music.
"Really?"
The previously defiant Shandian leader instantly became docile.
"Sir! You're truly willing to share 'soil' with us?"
"Put it this way."
Storm tapped the ground beneath his feet.
"This island—excluding the gold on it and Enel's other assets—
"How long can it employ your people?"
Huh?
Not a few grams of soil? Not a few kilograms? Not a few tons?
But an entire island??
Their ancestral homeland???
Every Shandian present was stunned.
Even Aisha, who had been crying moments ago, couldn't help but turn to look at Storm.
This meanie—
No… this big brother looks so cool…
Without any discussion, Wyper, as the leader, spoke on behalf of all the Shandians.
"Sir! The Shandians will forever be your most loyal friends!"
"Then…"
Storm walked up to Wyper and extended his right hand.
"Contract sealed?"
Wyper stared at Storm's outstretched hand, momentarily unsure what to do.
But he still mimicked the gesture and lightly grasped the other's hand.
"Good."
Storm clasped Wyper's right hand and gave it a firm shake.
"From this
moment on, this island belongs to you, and you belong to my command—you shall work for me."
"Yes! Lord Vongola!"
Wyper could barely contain the excitement surging through him.
Beside him, the other Shandian warriors couldn't hold back their exhilarated cheers either.
Four hundred years!
A full four hundred years had passed!
The Shandians had finally reclaimed the land that was rightfully theirs!
The golden bell would ring once more.
From every dawn till every sunset.