Since Jaya Island was washed up into the sky, the conflict between the Shandorians (Shandia Tribe) and the Skypieans has never ceased.
Although the Skypieans eventually expelled the natives due to their greater numbers, the Shandorians never abandoned their desire to reclaim their homeland.
Later, when Enel arrived, he took a liking to the environment and land of Jaya Island and swiftly drove out the Skypieans. Under his rule, only he and his priests were permitted to set foot on the Upper Yard. Anyone else attempting to enter would face Enel's lightning wrath.
However, once Enel lost the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, the Skypieans quickly realized his vulnerability. Seizing the opportunity, they enacted their revenge. Rather than executing Enel, they chose to exile him—a punishment reminiscent of Luffy's departure to the sea. They placed him in a wooden barrel and cast him into the sea of clouds, leaving his fate to chance.
With Enel gone, Upper Yard once again became a coveted prize. Enel's priests, lacking the strength to resist the enraged Skypieans, were swiftly defeated and cast into the sea of clouds to join their so-called god.
Despite this, the Shandorians had not vanished. Under Enel's oppressive rule, they had constantly sought ways to reclaim their land. Their obsession with Upper Yard had never wavered, and now that Enel was gone, they were no longer intimidated by the Skypieans. As a result, war between the two factions was inevitable.
The only reason a full-scale battle had not yet erupted was due to the efforts of Gan Fall, the former god of Skypiea, who worked tirelessly to mediate between both sides. However, with such high stakes, his influence alone was unlikely to prevent conflict forever.
"Ah... I didn't expect that after driving away Enel, the Skypieans and the Shandorians would be on the verge of war," Violet sighed, her brow furrowed.
Charlotte Pudding scoffed, showing little concern. As the daughter of Big Mom, her worldview was different from someone like Violet. In her mind, wars over resources and land were a natural part of life.
Kyros, on the other hand, spoke in a grave tone. "The Skypieans are clearly at fault here."
He was not being biased in favor of the people from the Blue Sea. Any person with a sense of justice could see the truth—Skypieans were the invaders, while the Shandorians were merely fighting to reclaim their homeland.
That said, Kyros understood that even if they helped the natives win their land back, they wouldn't be able to stay forever to protect them. The Skypieans would inevitably attempt to reconquer the island. Unless they completely eradicated the Skypieans, the war would persist as long as the promise of wealth remained.
Sensing the growing tension among the group, Pudding rolled her eyes and said, "What does any of this have to do with us? There's no need to trouble ourselves over it."
"Even in the Blue Sea, wars break out all the time. Are we going to intervene in every single one? Eventually, we'll exhaust ourselves."
Violet sighed. "That's true..."
Shin, however, had a different perspective. "Actually, stopping the war on Upper Yard isn't that difficult."
"Huh?!" Kyros and Violet turned to him with curiosity, while Pudding muttered under her breath about Shin's tendency to meddle in others' affairs. 'Honestly, does this have anything to do with us?'
Shin smirked at Pudding, seeing right through her thoughts. He then asked, "Pudding, do you know the most famous legend about Jaya Island?"
Pudding answered without hesitation. "Of course! The legendary City of Gold... a lie woven by that so-called great liar, Noland."
"Noland wasn't a liar," Shin countered. "Violet and the others can confirm that."
"Yes, among the Tontatta people, Noland is revered as a great hero. To this day, their heroes bear names ending in 'land' in his honor," Violet added.
"According to Dressrosa's records, Noland was undoubtedly a great explorer and hero."
Kyros interjected, "But isn't this an odd time to be discussing this? The Golden City was proven to be a myth not long ago... Wait, part of Jaya Island was launched into the sky by the Knock-Up Stream!?"
"Exactly," Shin confirmed. "Noland wasn't lying. The Golden City was real."
Pudding eyes gleamed with excitement. "Then what are we waiting for?! Captain, give the order! Let's go claim Jaya Island for ourselves!"
Shin chuckled at her enthusiasm. "That's a rather direct approach."
Violet, however, hesitated. "Isn't this too extreme? Are we really going to steal the gold from the Golden City? I thought we were supposed to be stopping the war."
Shin waved his hand dismissively. "I already have a plan to end the war. The root cause of this conflict is the fragment of Jaya Island that was launched into the sky. So, if we simply bring it back down to where it originally belonged, the war will stop."
"As for the gold... let's just consider it our reward. Besides," Shin's gaze swept over the group, "bringing such a massive amount of gold down to the Blue Sea wouldn't necessarily be a good thing for the people of Jaya Island. You all understand what I mean, don't you?"
Violet and Kyros exchanged glances, acknowledging the truth in Shin's words.
Jaya Island below was already infested with pirates. If the Shandorians suddenly came into possession of such immense wealth, it would only invite disaster.
Pudding grinned, nodding eagerly. "That makes sense! You're right, Captain! So, for the sake of the people of Jaya Island, we'd better hurry up and collect all the gold!"
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