One Piece Chapter 253: Vearth

A massive explosion erupts in the dense forest of Upper Yard, sending smoke billowing into the sky with a loud "DOOOM...!!" and "RUMBLE RUMBLE...". A masked Shandia warrior yells out in panic, "WAIPA!! KAMAKIRI IS HURT!!!" Wyper, clenching his teeth around a cigarette, looks back in shock and frustration. "WHAT...? BUT WE'RE SO CLOSE...!!" Behind them, the priest Ohm stands confidently with his giant dog, Holy. Ohm smirks and taunts them, "BAH...!! YOU OVERESTIMATE YOURSELF!!! SOON IT WILL BE NIGHT, AND OUR NUMBERS WILL BE FAR GREATER!!"

The large Shandia warrior Genbo fires his bazooka to cover their escape, shouting, "WE WILL RETREAT FOR NOW!! REGROUP AT THE RALLY POINT!!!" Another warrior calls out, "HELP THE WOUNDED!!" Ohm watches them flee, resting his sword on his shoulder. "HMPH... TRYING TO RUN AWAY?" Suddenly, the priest Gedatsu appears behind him, saying, "WAIT, OHM!!" Ohm glances back, asking, "WHAT NOW?" The scene shifts to a close-up of Yama, the Commander of the Divine Soldiers, who announces with a stern expression, "ENEL HAS... SUMMONED US."

At the Straw Hat camp, Luffy rests his chin on his hands, staring blankly at a pot boiling over a campfire. "THIS JOB IS SO BORING!" he complains. Nearby, Sanji is cooking while Usopp chops ingredients. Sanji tells Luffy, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP STARING AT IT. WHEN YOU SEE WATER IN THE CONTAINER, POUR THE WATER INTO THE BOTTLES." Usopp adds, "THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO DO!" Sanji emphasizes, "WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS WATER TOMORROW!" Chopper runs up carrying a basket full of items. "SANJI!! WE FOUND A LOT OF STUFF." Sanji praises him, "AH! GOOD WORK." Chopper lists their findings: "THERE ARE WALNUTS, ALOE, BANANAS, GARLIC, RATS AND FROGS." Sanji casually replies, "GREAT. THROW THEM ALL INTO THE STEW." Chopper suddenly realizes, "HOLD IT!! THERE'S SOME WEIRD ONES MIXED IN THERE." Sanji admits, "THAT'S TRUE... I WAS CARELESS. YOU DON'T LIKE GARLIC?" Nami screams in disgust, "NO, NO, NO!! NOT THAT!!!"

Robin approaches the group, holding up a glowing blue rock. "I FOUND IT BY THE SHORE, AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE USEFUL..." Sanji instantly swoons, "WOW, ROBIN, WHAT'S THAT BLUE ROCK YOU FOUND!? IS IT A GEMSTONE!!?" Nami smiles and says, "...HAHA, IT'S PRETTY, RIGHT? BUT NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS." Sanji quickly changes his tune, "OH!! IS THAT CRYSTALLIZED SALT? WHAT A GOOD FIND, ROBIN-CHAN." He adds, "OF COURSE - IN THE GAME OF SURVIVAL, SALT IS VERY IMPORTANT!!" Chopper sorts through his basket, saying, "I'LL TAKE ALOE AND SOME GARLIC. ALOE FOR BURN WOUNDS AND GARLIC FOR DISINFECTANT... THESE WILL BE HELPFUL TO THE KNIGHT OF THE SKY." Zoro, standing nearby, grunts, "UH-HUH." Chopper asks, "WHAT ABOUT THE FROGS?" Zoro replies, "DON'T NEED FROGS." Sanji angrily yells at Zoro, "HEY, ZORO!! GET OVER HERE AND HELP!!" Zoro is then shown using two of his swords like tongs to hold a glowing hot rock over the fire. He grumbles, "GRR... MY SWORDS WERE NOT MADE FOR THIS TYPE OF THING..." Sanji barks, "SHUT UP. OBEY THE CHEF OR STARVE!" Zoro drops the hot rock into the stew pot, creating a loud sizzle and a splash.

Luffy looks at the pot in absolute shock, his jaw dropping. "EEEEEEEEEEH!!? WE EAT THE ROCK TOO!?" Sanji calmly explains, "OF COURSE NOT! THIS IS 'SCORCHED-STONE STEW'. THAT IS, WE USE THE HEAT FROM THE ROCK TO COOK THE FOOD IN THE POT." Chopper drools slightly and asks, "DOES IT TASTE GOOD?" Sanji replies, "STEW IS GREAT! ALL THE NUTRIENTS ARE RETAINED IN THE BROTH." Nami pushes her glasses up with a smile and announces, "...OKAY. FINISHED!!" A wide shot shows the crew gathered around the campfire nestled within the giant roots of the Upper Yard trees. Nami calls out, "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE! LET'S DO A MISSION-BRIEFING AND MAKE A BATTLE PLAN FOR TOMORROW!!" Luffy enthusiastically agrees, "OKAY!!"

The crew sits around eating the stew. Luffy stuffs his face, exclaiming, "THIS IS DELICIOUS~~~~!! THIS STEW." Usopp points out, "DIDN'T YOU JUST EAT AN ENTIRE ROASTED SKY SHARK!?" Luffy replies, "YEAH, BUT THAT WAS JUST A SNACK!" Nami begins the briefing. "EVERYONE HERE? OKAY, FIRSTLY, LET'S REVIEW THE CONTENTS OF NORLAND'S PICTURE BOOK. HE FIRST DISCOVERED THE GOLDEN CITY 400 YEARS AGO." Robin, enjoying her meal, adds, "SKY ISLAND'S LUNCHES ARE TASTY, TOO!" Nami continues, "THEN A FEW YEARS LATER, HE REVISITED JAYA, BUT THE GOLDEN CITY HAD ALREADY VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE. ~~~IN OTHER WORDS, THIS ISLAND WAS PART OF JAYA, AND IN THOSE FEW YEARS BETWEEN NORLAND'S VISITS, IT HAD COME UP INTO THE SKY." Chopper asks, "ON THE KNOCK-UP STREAM RIGHT?" Nami confirms, "YES, THAT'S THE BEST GUESS." Sanji adds, "SINCE MR. CRICKET SAID THAT THE LOCATION OF THE EXPLOSION VARIES EVERY TIME. WHAT WITH THE SIZE OF IT... IT'S NOT WEIRD."

Zoro speaks up, "JUST ONE THING: WE WENT TO THE FOREST IN JAYA BEFORE, AND THOSE TWO FORESTS ARE TOO DIFFERENT TO HAVE BEEN THE SAME FOREST." Robin explains, "HMM... THAT IS LIKELY DUE TO THE STRANGE SUBSTANCES INSIDE THE SEA CLOUD AND ISLAND CLOUD. THE STRANGE SUBSTANCES SEEM TO ABNORMALLY ENHANCE THE PLANTS' AND ANIMALS' GROWTH RATES. IF THAT'S SO, THIS THEORY CAN JUSTIFY THE RUINS OF CIVILIZATION THAT WERE SWALLOWED BY THE FOREST." Chopper gestures wildly, "THE SOUTH BIRD THAT SAVED US WAS THIS BIG!!!" Sanji asks Zoro, "YEAH, ABOUT THAT... WHY DID THOSE SOUTH BIRDS SAVE YOU?" Zoro replies, "I DON'T KNOW, BUT THOSE BIRDS WERE CALLING THE KNIGHT OF THE SKY 'GOD'..." Luffy's eyes bug out in shock. "GOD!?" He immediately assumes, "SO THEN, I JUST HAVE TO BEAT UP THAT OLD GUY!?" Usopp smacks Luffy on the head, yelling, "OF COURSE NOT!! YOU IDIOTIC BASTARD!!" Nearby, the giant South Bird is shown peacefully eating stew from a bowl, letting out a satisfied "PHEW..."

Sanji steers the conversation back. "ANYWAYS, LET'S THINK BACK ON THE INFORMATION ON GOLDEN CITY..." Nami says, "THAT WE READ IN NORLAND'S DIARY!" Luffy cheers, "(OOH, ME!!) HE SAW GOLD!!!" Usopp yells at him, "DUH, MORON!!!" Sanji recalls, "THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT SOME HUGE 'BELL-SHAPED GOLD'." Robin adds, "... THEN SOMETHING ABOUT THE SOUTH BIRD... THE THINGS HE WROTE BEFORE HE DIED. ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE DIARY, THERE IS SOMETHING VERY UNCLEAR-" She quotes the diary: "IT WAS, 'I SAW GOLD IN THE RIGHT EYE OF THE SKULL'." Nami excitedly pulls out some papers. "THAT'S IT!! TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!! I COMBINED THE MAP THAT ROBIN FOUND IN JAYA... WITH THE ANCIENT MAP OF SKYPIEA. WHEN I COMBINE THEM AT THE POINT OF CRICKET'S HOME..."

Nami reveals the combined map, which perfectly forms the shape of a giant skull. "LOOK!! THIS IS THE JAYA... 400 YEARS AGO!!" Luffy stares in awe. "OH!!!...IT LOOKS LIKE A SKULL!!!" Nami points to a specific spot on the map. "...SO THEN, 'THE SKULL'S RIGHT EYE' IS... THIS PLACE!" Usopp is amazed. "AMAZING!!" Sanji asks, "WELL?"

Nami smiles confidently, explaining the mystery. "NORLAND MEANT THE WHOLE OF THE ISLAND'S BODY!! BUT THE ISLAND WAS SPLIT IN HALF, SO IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SOLVE THE RIDDLE." Usopp realizes, "... WHAT?...SO THAT'S IT..." Zoro grins, "I SEE...!!" Luffy throws his arms up and screams, "TREASURE!!!" Nami outlines the plan: "WE'LL JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THIS POINT TOMORROW. BUT WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE THE SHIP HERE, SO WE'LL SPLIT INTO TWO GROUPS." A close-up of Nami shows her eyes turning into Beli symbols as she declares, "THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!! THERE'S SOME HUGE AMOUNT OF GOLD WAITING FOR US HERE!!!!"

Later, the campfire is burning low. Luffy pats his stomach, satisfied. "PHEW~~~ I'M FULL~~ I'M FULL~~~ TOMORROW'S GOLD!!!" Nami looks up at the sky. "I GUESS; WE'RE ABOVE THE CLOUDS. WILL IT BE SUNNY!?" Robin suggests, "IT'S GETTING LATE. IF WE DON'T PUT OUT THE FIRE WE'RE NOT USING, WE WILL ONLY EXPOSE OUR POSITION TO THE ENEMY." She then looks confused, asking, "...WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" Luffy and Usopp are shown dancing wildly around the fire, chanting. Usopp mocks Robin's logic: "STUPID... DID YOU HEAR THAT, USOPPP? SHE WANTS TO PUT OUT THE FIRE!!!" Luffy adds, "LIGHTING A CAMPFIRE IS AN OBVIOUS THING, YEAH!!? IT'S THE WAY OF LIFE TO HAVE CAMPFIRE ON A CAMPING NIGHT, EVEN IF WE DIE TONIGHT." Nami yells at them, "YOU'RE THE ONES WHO ARE STUPID."

Nami continues to scold them, "THAT'S ENOUGH!!! YOU KNOW VERY WELL HOW DANGEROUS THIS FOREST IS, NO!? THERE ARE THOSE PRIESTS!! GUERILLAS, TOO!! PLUS, FORESTS ARE ALWAYS VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT!! THERE ARE BEASTS AND MONSTERS!!" Usopp immediately panics, shaking in fear. "MONSTERS~~ ~~!!??" Luffy flatly refuses to listen, saying "NO". Suddenly, Zoro calls out, "YO! LUFFY!!" He and Sanji appear carrying a massive pile of logs. Sanji asks, "HOW'S THIS FOR A WOODPILE?" Nami screams in disbelief, "NOT YOU, TOO!!!?" Sanji lights a torch and tries to reassure her, "DON'T WORRY, NAMI-SAN. THOSE BEASTS ARE AFRAID OF FIRE." However, right behind him in the dark forest, dozens of glowing eyes appear, accompanied by a low growl: "GGGRRRRRRRRRRR...." Nami screams in absolute terror, pointing frantically, "BEHIND YOU, BEHIND YOU!! THERE ARE SOME THINGS HERE ALREADY!!!"

A massive bonfire blazes in the center of the camp. Instead of attacking, a huge pack of giant Cloud Wolves has joined the crew in a wild, joyous dance around the fire. The air is filled with rhythmic drumming sounds, "DON DOT TO TO", and loud laughter, "GYAHAHAHAHA". Usopp dances alongside the wolves, cheering, "OOOH!!! YOU GUYS DANCE WELL, TOO~~~~!!!" The wolves howl happily, "YAH HAHA HAHAA!!!" and "WOOOOH AWOOO AWOOO~~~~~!!" Luffy joins in the howling, "OWOOO OWOOO OUWWWW WWWWW~~~~!!" Usopp declares, "DANCE! DANCE! THIS IS PRE-GOLD-HUNTING DANCING RITUAL~~~!!!" Robin watches the chaotic scene with a gentle smile, saying, "GOLD!!! THE TREASURE WILL BE OURS~~!!!"

Gan Fall, the Knight of the Sky, approaches the fire, looking slightly apologetic. "SORRY TO CAUSE YOU TROUBLE... I INTENDED TO BE HELPFUL, BUT..." Robin notices him and says, "YOU'RE AWAKE. ARE YOU ALLOWED TO MOVE AROUND?" Gan Fall chuckles, "...HAHA... THERE IS PROBABLY NOBODY ELSE THAT WOULD DARE TO CAUSE SO MUCH NOISE IN ENEL'S HOME... EVEN THE CLOUD WOLVES HAVE BEEN TAMED." Zoro, sitting nearby and drinking with the giant South Bird, tells him, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? YOU'VE HELPED ENOUGH. THANK YOU." Robin offers, "THERE IS SOME FOOD LEFT. WANT SOME?" Gan Fall politely declines, "THANK YOU, BUT I REALLY DON'T HAVE THE APPETITE." Luffy spots him and yells, "OOOH!? WEIRD OLD MAN!! YOU'RE AWAKE!!" Chopper and Usopp invite him to join the fun. "THANKS FOR EARLIER!! COME DANCE WITH US!!" "YEAH! COME DANCE, KNIGHT OF THE SKY!!" Sanji questions him, "AREN'T YOU A DOCTOR?" Gan Fall urgently asks Sanji, "OH!! MISTER, HOW IS KONIS!? IS SHE SAFE!?" Sanji reassures him, "SHE AND HER FATHER ARE IN MY HOME. WORRY NOT!" Gan Fall is relieved. "REALLY? GREAT! I HAD BEEN WORRYING ABOUT THEM!"

Gan Fall sits near the fire, surrounded by resting Cloud Wolves. "... I OVERHEARD YOUR CONVERSATIONS EARLIER... SO THIS ISLAND WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED JAYA." Zoro asks him, "HOWEVER... DO YOU KNOW WHY IT IS NOW CALLED THE HOLY LAND?" Gan Fall explains, "...FOR YOUR PEOPLE, HAVING GROUND LIKE THIS IS QUITE TYPICAL......HOWEVER, IN THE SKY, THIS THING WAS UNHEARD OF. ISLAND CLOUD CAN NURTURE PLANTS, BUT IT CAN'T GIVE BIRTH TO THEM. GREENERY AND SOIL ARE NOT THINGS OF THE SKY." He scoops up a handful of dirt, letting it sift through his fingers. "...WE CALL THIS... VEARTH. FOR US, IT WILL FOREVER BE ADMIRATION ITSELF."

The scene shifts to the Shandia camp, labeled "UPPER YARD, SEPARATE NORTHEAST ISLAND". Wyper is furiously yelling at the young girl, Aisa. "YOUR ATTENTION WAS WASTED ON THIS THING!! KAMAKIRI WAS HURT... BECAUSE HE WAS SAVING YOU...!!! OUR OPPONENTS ARE THE PRIESTS!! IF WE LOSE COMBAT CAPABILITY, WE WILL NEVER REACH THE SHRINE!!!" Aisa is crying, reaching for a small bag Wyper has confiscated. "I'M SORRY!! I APOLOGIZE... SO PLEASE GIVE IT BACK. THAT'S AISA'S TREASURE!!" Wyper holds it out of her reach, shouting, "I GAVE HER MY WORD THAT I WOULD GET HER VEARTH... SHUT UP!! YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO CONCENTRATE BECAUSE OF THIS!! FORGIVE ME!! DON'T THROW IT AWAY!!!" Suddenly, a hand grabs Wyper's arm. Wyper looks back in surprise. "...KAMAKIRI!"

Kamakiri, heavily bandaged and leaning on a spear, stands behind Wyper. "...I CAN STILL FIGHT. YOU WERE RIGHT. OUR CHANCE TO BREAK INTO UPPER YARD IS NOW... WITH SATORI GONE, THIS HAS BECOME A LOT EASIER. TOMORROW, WE WILL ATTACK AGAIN." The Shandia warriors are shown gathered around their own campfire, listening intently. Wyper's expression hardens with resolve. "IF WE DEFEAT ENEL, THERE WILL BE NO NEED TO WORSHIP A PURSEFUL OF VEARTH!!!...SHANDIA WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN..." A close-up of Wyper's face is shown against the backdrop of the night sky and the moon. He declares fiercely, "TO WHAT WE LOST 400 YEARS AGO... OUR HOME!!"

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