Chapter 248

Conis and Pagaya take cover at Gan Fall's home, where the former God tends his pumpkin patch and talks through the recent turmoil with his guests. He describes the visitors as blue sea pirates, a breed branded as seafaring lawbreakers, though he prefers to call them folk who simply ignore rules. He recalls befriending another such crew two decades earlier and voices his unease over the long feud between Skypiea and the Shandia, admitting his peace efforts as God had nearly succeeded before Enel seized power. Recalling an old legend of a beautiful song that rang out at the island's birth and began the war, he believes that same song, heard again, will at last end it. Sensing Pierre's agitation, he dons his armor and flies off.

Aboard the Going Merry, a battered Chopper struggles to smother flames on the mainmast, pleading with his attacker to relent, and in desperation snaps the mast off and flings it into the sea. Shura keeps igniting the ship with his lance, insisting survival demands sacrifice. He explains the forest splits into four priest-held domains while the altar belongs to none; invaders who clear the trials and reach the altar earn their freedom, but because some sacrifices broke the rules by leaving it, someone must pay with their life. As Shura lunges at Chopper, Gan Fall arrives, and the two men duel through the air astride their birds. Dismissing the former God as a mere old man, Shura is caught off guard when Gan Fall lands a swift dial strike, to Chopper's amazement.

Shura assaults Chopper and the Going Merry, and Gan Fall intervenes to defend both. Silhouettes of the Shandia warriors Wyper, Kamakiri, and Braham appear. The cover continues Wapol's decline as he retreats under a bridge to gnaw on discarded toys. Featured are Chopper and a flashback Zoro, the Skypieans Gan Fall, Pagaya, Conis, Pierre, and Su, the priests Shura and Fuza, plus Wapol and Hakowan on the cover.