If People Can Die, Celestial Dragons Are No Exception!

Just as Bullet and Gan Fall waited eagerly, Xia Luo was nowhere to be seen in the sky for a long time.

Not only was there no sign of him, even the thunderclouds overhead silently dispersed, as though everything had been an illusion.

The two exchanged a glance, unable to help feeling confused. "Where did he go?"

The next second, Xia Luo's voice suddenly rang out, carrying a hint of cheerfulness.

"So this is where you were."

His voice arrived before he did.

Amid a crackling sound, countless arcs of electricity gathered before Bullet and Gan Fall, forming a dazzling purple sphere of light.

When the light faded, Xia Luo's figure finally appeared.

"Boss Xia Luo, you..."

Bullet rubbed his eyes, his expression exaggerated as if he had seen a ghost.

Gan Fall furrowed his brow tightly, unable to stop himself from wondering whether his eyes had deceived him.

Was that elementalization just now?

It seemed to be, but how could it possibly have been elementalization?!

Shouldn't he have been an Azure Dragon? Where had that enormous Azure Dragon from earlier gone?!

"Hahaha, Fall, thanks to you, I successfully found that legendary Devil Fruit—the strongest Logia, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!"

Looking at the stunned pair, Xia Luo laughed heartily. He patted Gan Fall on the shoulder before explaining,

"Are you doubting your own eyes? There's no need. Honestly, you didn't see wrong. Just as you saw, I'm now a Logia Devil Fruit user. I've already eaten the Rumble-Rumble Fruit."

"It's normal for you to be surprised and find it unbelievable, but..."

Xia Luo looked at them with a smile and continued,

"On this vast sea, there are countless unknowns. Some people are born exceptionally gifted, such as..."

"Some are born with skin of steel, impervious to blades and bullets. Some awaken Observation Haki from birth and can read people's hearts. Some can summon Sea Kings from the moment they are born."

"And I just so happen to be rather special as well, which is why I can eat two Devil Fruits."

"Bullet, aren't you exceptionally gifted too? Your physique far surpasses that of ordinary people. In other people's eyes, you might be a monster too."

Bullet froze. "Eh? Is that so? It does seem that way."

"So I'm the only ordinary person here, huh." Gan Fall looked on the verge of tears.

"How are you ordinary? You're the god of Sky Island," Xia Luo said comfortingly.

Gan Fall shook his head and smiled bitterly. "I was merely king of the hill because there was no tiger in the mountains. Now that a 'tiger' like you has arrived, I've immediately shown my true form. You are the god of Sky Island now."

At that, Xia Luo's expression turned serious. He said in a low voice, "Fall, I don't like the title 'god.' Call me leader from now on. The title of 'god' is too aloof, too cold, too far removed from the people. It can easily make someone lose themselves and become high and mighty."

"Besides, the sea is already full of scum who call themselves gods. Being called gods alongside them is disgusting enough to make me sick!"

At the mention of the Celestial Dragons, Xia Luo's face was filled with disgust.

Perhaps the Celestial Dragons were right to wear those bubble helmets, so they would not pollute the air!

"Boss Xia Luo, the scum... cough, cough, you mean the Celestial Dragons, don't you?" Bullet's expression turned strange.

Seeing this, Xia Luo could not help frowning. He said without hesitation, "Who else could I mean? And what are you coughing for? Are even you afraid of those trashy Celestial Dragons?"

"I'm not afraid, it's just..."

Bullet anxiously scratched at his head and ears. After holding it in for a long while, he finally organized his thoughts. "It's just that I instinctively don't want to mention them. It feels like there's a tiny bit of awe for them deep inside me. It's strange. I've never even met them."

"That's perfectly normal. After all, the Celestial Dragons are World Nobles who have ruled the world for centuries. The sacred and inviolable image they have worked so hard to cultivate has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts."

The original owner had once possessed a similar "shackle of awe" toward the Celestial Dragons, or perhaps it was better described as an "ideological brand." But before the red iron fist from another world, it had been shattered on the spot.

At this point, Gan Fall could not help speaking up as well. "I have heard something of it too. They are said to be World Nobles who live atop the Red Line, the highest rulers of the world. No one may defy them, or they will suffer devastating retribution."

Xia Luo scoffed. "That's because they haven't encountered someone ruthless. Five years ago, in the West Blue, a batch of those scum was killed off. Thanks to him, the future seas will probably be peaceful for a while."

At the very least, after the God Valley Incident, the Celestial Dragons' triennial hunting competition had been suspended. The psychological trauma Rocks inflicted on them was no ordinary thing.

"Huh? Celestial Dragons can die too?"

Bullet sounded both shocked and incredulous, as though Celestial Dragons simply could not die in his mind.

Xia Luo said disdainfully, "If people can die, Celestial Dragons are no exception! When there's a chance someday, I'll take you to kill a few for fun. I guarantee it'll overturn everything you think you know about them."

Gulp!

Bullet swallowed with difficulty. "Kill... kill a few for fun? Boss Xia Luo, are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"But aren't you a Marine? Aren't Marines supposed to protect the Celestial Dragons?"

"Oh, is that so? Then I'd better 'protect' them properly."

"Boss Xia Luo, that expression of yours doesn't look like you want to protect them at all!"

"As long as I kill them before the enemy can hurt them, then no one will be able to hurt them, right?"

"That makes so much sense... my ass!"

"Oh, Bullet, don't sweat the details. Let me ask you: if I really killed the Celestial Dragons, would you join others in dealing with me?"

"Of course not."

"Then if one day I told you to kill Celestial Dragons, would you do it?"

"Kill them!"

Bullet's answer was brief and direct.

"Hahahaha, good!"

Gan Fall, standing nearby, was on the verge of collapse and trembling all over. No, could you two listen to the insane things you were saying?!

Are these really things a newcomer who just joined can hear? Are they going to silence me next? Help!

And so, Xia Luo stayed on Sky Island with Bullet for two whole months.

During those two months, Sky Island was thrown into turmoil. First, Gan Fall publicly announced his abdication, allowing Xia Luo to succeed him as the "new god."

After taking office, Xia Luo began a massive infrastructure development plan and a grand unification plan. As the leader and initiator of those plans, he was only responsible for setting the overall direction, while the rest was handed over to the administrators led by Gan Fall.

Fortunately, Sky Island was not very large, and its population was not especially numerous. Thus, the plans proceeded very smoothly. Though there were some dissenting voices during the process, they were quickly suppressed and caused no negative impact.

Moreover, after seeing the changes on the islands and the clear improvement in everyone else's lives, those opposing voices gradually changed their stance and eventually became staunch supporters.

Especially after witnessing Xia Luo swiftly resolve the longstanding feud between the Skypieans and the Shandia, leading both sides to shake hands and make peace, every voice of opposition disappeared completely.

Then Xia Luo displayed an even greater "miracle," moving Birka Island over and placing it beside Angel Island together with the holy land of Upper Yard.

At that point, Sky Island's three major islands were finally connected into one, forming a mutually supportive formation.

After everyone had settled down, Xia Luo announced that from then on, regardless of race, everyone could marry freely and choose whichever island they wished to live on. At the same time, he declared that the system of "god" would be abolished. No one was allowed to call him god anymore; they could only call him leader.

PS:

The construction of Sky Island and the conflict between the Shandia and the Skypieans will not be covered in detail for now. If anyone is interested, I can write a side story about it later.