If People Can Die, So Can Celestial Dragons!

As Bullet and Gan Fall waited eagerly, Xia Luo was nowhere to be seen in the sky.

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

The two exchanged a glance, unable to suppress their confusion. "Where did he go?"

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

"So this is where you two are."

His voice arrived before he did.

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

When the radiance faded, Xia Luo's body finally appeared.

"Boss Xia Luo, you..."

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

Gan Fall frowned deeply, unable to stop himself from wondering whether his eyes had deceived him.

Was that elemental transformation just now?

It seemed like it, but how could it possibly have been elemental transformation?!

Wasn't it supposed to be an Azure Dragon? Where had that enormous Azure Dragon gone?!

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

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

"Are you two doubting your eyes? There's no need to. To be honest, 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 hard to believe, but..."

Xia Luo looked at them with a smile and continued,

"Across this vast sea, there are countless unknowns. Some people are born exceptionally gifted. For example..."

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

"And I just happen to be somewhat special too, which is why I can eat two Devil Fruits."

"Bullet, aren't you exceptionally gifted as well? Your physique far surpasses that of ordinary people. You might be a monster in someone else's eyes too."

Bullet froze for a moment. "Huh, is that so? It does seem that way."

"So I'm the only ordinary person here?" Gan Fall looked like he was about to cry.

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

Gan Fall shook his head and smiled bitterly. "I was just a monkey calling himself king 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 Sky Island's god 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 distant from the people. It can easily make one lose oneself and become high and mighty."

"Besides, there's already a bunch of scum on the sea who call themselves gods. Being called gods alongside them makes me sick."

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

Maybe it was right for the Celestial Dragons to wear those bubble helmets. At least they wouldn't pollute the air!

"Boss Xia Luo, the scum you mentioned... ahem, you don't mean the Celestial Dragons, do you?" Bullet's expression was strange.

Xia Luo frowned at that and said without hesitation, "Who else could it be? And what are you coughing for? Even you're afraid of those trash Celestial Dragons?"

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

Bullet anxiously scratched his head. After struggling for quite a while, he finally found the words. "It's just that I instinctively don't want to mention them. Deep down, I seem to feel the slightest bit of awe toward them. 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've worked so hard to create has long been deeply ingrained in people's hearts."

The previous owner of this body had also carried similar "shackles of awe" toward the Celestial Dragons—or perhaps a "mental imprint"—but before the red iron fist from another world, they had shattered on the spot.

At that moment, Gan Fall could not help speaking as well. "I have heard of them 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 consequences."

Xia Luo sneered. "That's because they haven't run into someone truly ruthless. Five years ago, in the West Blue, a batch of that scum was killed. Thanks to him, the seas should be quieter for a while in the future."

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

"Huh? Celestial Dragons can die too?"

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

Xia Luo said disdainfully, "If people can die, so can Celestial Dragons! One day, if there's a chance, 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 the Marines supposed to protect the Celestial Dragons?"

"Oh, is that so? Then I'll have to 'protect' them well."

"Boss Xia Luo, you don't look like you're planning to protect them at all!"

"If I kill them before the enemy can hurt them, then no one can hurt them anymore, right?"

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

"Oh, Bullet, don't worry about such minor details. Let me ask you: if I really killed 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?"

"I would!"

Bullet's answer was concise.

"Hahahaha, good!"

Gan Fall, standing nearby, was on the verge of collapse and trembling all over. Hey, do you two hear the insane things you're saying?!

Are these things that a newcomer like me, who just joined, should be hearing? Are they going to silence me next? Help!

And so, Xia Luo and Bullet settled down on Sky Island, where they remained for two months.

Over those two months, Sky Island was thrown into turmoil. First, Gan Fall publicly announced his abdication, with Xia Luo succeeding him as the "new god."

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

Fortunately, Sky Island was not particularly large, nor was its population especially numerous. The plans proceeded very smoothly. Although some dissenting voices arose during the process, they were quickly suppressed and caused no negative impact.

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

Especially after witnessing Xia Luo decisively resolve the longstanding feud between the Skypieans and the Shandia, bringing both sides to shake hands and make peace, all opposition vanished completely.

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

At last, Sky Island's three great islands were connected as one, forming a mutually supporting formation.

Once everyone had settled down, Xia Luo announced that from then on, regardless of race, everyone could marry freely and freely choose which island to live on. He also declared that the institution of "god" would be abolished. No one was to call him god again; they could only address him as leader.

PS:

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