[AUTHOR NOTE: I emailed patreon again on Sunday for my data after not getting any answers from them. A guy from their support team emailed me saying my patreon account is back(I shared screenshot on discord). He gave me my account back. The problem was with the woman that reviewed my account first time and also the one that reported my account(I still don't know who?). Thanks for the support guys. My friends say that people on webnovel are toxic but I have gotten much support from here and wattpad too. I gave patreon members one month gift membership because they weren't able to access it during my account ban. If I forgot someone. Message me on patreon. Have a good day guys.]
Completely crushing the ruling God and his Divine Squad with Conqueror's Haki was only the beginning.
York didn't just want a territory to extract wealth from; he needed Skypiea to serve as an unbreakable, loyal logistical base. Fear alone wouldn't achieve that.
So, York set up an open arena in the center of the cloud city.
He announced a simple rule: Anyone who disagreed with his rule could step up and challenge him.
There were no limits on weapons, equipment, or the number of attackers. He would face them all alone. If the Skypieans could defeat him, he would leave their sky forever.
The result was a one-sided slaughter—but a bloodless one.
A week passed. The Skypiean warriors tried every trick, ambush, and Dial-based weapon in their arsenal. Not a single person could last a single move. York didn't even use his Devil Fruit or Conqueror's Haki. He relied entirely on pure martial arts and the two fundamental types of Haki (Armament and Observation) to dismantle his challengers.
Because York didn't kill indiscriminately, and intentionally spared the lives of his defeated opponents in the arena, the hostility of the sky-dwellers morphed into awe. He displayed a terrifying breadth of power, matched only by a surprising magnanimity.
Recognizing the inevitable, and persuaded by their former ruler, the people of Skypiea formally submitted.
A traditional "Divine Succession" ceremony was held. Atlas D. York officially became the new God of Skypiea.
However, the political transition drew unwanted attention.
The sworn enemies of the Skypieans—the Shandians—suddenly launched a surprise attack on the Divine Shrine. The fierce warriors had no idea what kind of monster had just taken the throne. They likely assumed the transfer of power would cause instability, creating the perfect opening to reclaim their ancestral land.
The reality was far harsher.
York didn't even have to stand up. Kaido stepped forward, swinging his kanabo. With a single, devastating sweep, the vanguard of the Shandian ambush was knocked unconscious and bound.
Looking at the captured, tattooed warriors, York feigned curiosity, asking the former God about the blood feud between the two factions.
After hearing the history of the 400-year war over the "Vearth" (earth), York smiled.
"I think I know how to end this war."
He pulled out a well-worn children's book he had 'borrowed' from Ohara: Noland the Liar.
Cross-referencing the fairy tale with the accounts of the Skypieans and the Shandians, York deduced the truth. The Golden City wasn't a myth. The Golden Bell wasn't a lie. It had simply been blasted into the sky and hidden by a stroke of geographical luck.
York gathered the bound Shandians and the former God of Skypiea. He led them deep into Upper Yard—the portion of Jaya Island that had been blasted into the sky by the Knock Up Stream centuries ago.
Following the map in his head to the "Right Eye" of the skull-shaped island, they dug beneath a dense layer of island clouds and overgrown roots.
There, they found it. Shandora.
The City of Gold.
The ancient ruins had not yet been ravaged by Eneru. Every pillar, every archway, every cobblestone was covered in a thick, untouched layer of pure gold. The entire city radiated a resplendent, blinding light.
"The legendary Golden City..." Kaido muttered, his jaw dropping.
Gloriosa, Stussy, Shakky, Dragon, and the younger kids stared in absolute shock. Words failed them. Even York, who knew it was here, felt his heart pound at the sheer scale of the wealth.
Suddenly, the bound Shandians shoved past them, sprinting toward the center of the ruins.
They collapsed to their knees around a massive, empty depression in a stone base.
"The Golden Bell!" a Shandian warrior cried out in despair. "Where is the great bell?!"
Losing their minds to the emotional devastation, the Shandians turned and glared at the Skypiean officials.
"Did you hide it?! Did you steal the voice of our ancestors?!"
"Calm down," York ordered, raising a hand. His voice carried a weight that silenced the clearing.
York walked over to the massive, towering beanstalk—Giant Jack—that pierced the center of the ruins. He patted its thick green bark.
"If I'm not mistaken, the Golden Bell is tangled at the very top of this vine."
The Shandians blinked, rationality slowly returning to their eyes.
"We want to climb it!" a Shandian yelled. "We have to see it!"
"How dare you!" a member of the Divine Squad snapped, stepping forward. "The top of Giant Jack is a sacred dwelling! How can you defile it with your filthy, earth-crawling presence?!"
York's eyes narrowed. He turned to the former God of Skypiea.
"Strip that man of his rank and expel him from the Divine Squad."
The Skypiean guard paled. "God York, I—!"
"I am sparing your life this time," York interrupted, his voice dripping with icy killing intent. "If I hear you speak with such bigotry again, I will end you."
'I will be lenient, but that doesn't mean I am soft,' York thought coldly. 'Only by combining absolute grace with absolute terror can one truly forge a new nation.'
Cold sweat poured down the former God's face. He immediately bowed. "Thank you for your generosity, God-sama! It will be done!"
With the bigoted guard tossed out of the ruins, York led the group up the massive beanstalk.
Near the very top, resting on an isolated cloud island, they found it. A colossal, moss-covered bell made of solid gold.
"Wuwuwu..."
The Shandians fell to their knees, bursting into tears of joy. "The promise of our ancestors... we can finally fulfill it! The spirits of Calgara and Noland are watching!"
York let them weep. When their emotions finally stabilized, he stepped forward, his tone shifting to absolute authority.
"Listen closely. I am the ruler of Skypiea. Theoretically, everything on this island belongs to me."
"However," York continued, looking at the tear-stained warriors. "Since you Shandians are the original inhabitants of Shandora, and this bell is your sacred artifact, I grant you special permission. You may return to live in the Golden City, and you will manage this bell for me."
"From now on, you will ring the Golden Bell precisely at 8 AM, 12 PM, and 4 PM every day."
York's eyes hardened. "This will fulfill your ancestors' long-cherished wish, and it will serve as your duty to me. But make no mistake: All the gold in Shandora belongs to me. You have no right to take a single coin."
The Shandians stared at him in awe. Several of their fiercest warriors stepped forward and knelt on one knee.
"Thank you for your divine grace! We willingly obey God's command!"
The New Law of the Sky.
With the Golden Bell secured, York had the Shandians guide him to their Hidden Cloud Village.
Using the same method he applied to the Skypieans, York demonstrated his overwhelming power to the rest of the tribe. He made it clear: he wasn't allying with them because he feared their guerrilla tactics; he was helping them out of pity and respect for their history.
Under this perfect combination of grace and might, the Shandians pledged their absolute loyalty—even more fiercely than the Skypieans had.
With both factions subjugated, York initiated a sweeping reform of the military.
First, he purged anyone from the Divine Squad who held discriminatory views.
Second, he held a new martial arts tournament to select the unified guard. The only rule was no killing.
The results were brutal. The battle-hardened Shandians swept the floor with the complacent Skypieans, claiming two-thirds of the seats in the new Divine Squad.
To maintain political balance and soothe the bruised egos of the Skypieans, York expanded the military's size, readmitting enough defeated Skypieans to ensure a 50/50 split between the two races.
With his unified army established, York turned his attention to the foundation of the country. He abolished the old, draconian laws, drafted a new constitution, and began teaching the sky-dwellers modern Blue Sea agricultural techniques.
The Crimson Harvest Pirates flag had firmly planted its pole in the heavens.
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