Cover
Color Spread. Caption: ‘It’s hot in here’. Sanji prepares noodle soup for everyone at a sea food joint. While the women eat in silence, the male crew members wolf down the food. Zoro is about to ask for seconds.
Storyline
Flashback 400 Years: Grand Line: The expedition ship from the Kingdom of Lvneel is sailing through a force 10 storm. The yardarm is broken and there is some chaos. Noland calmly writes in his log. They have been traveling for two years and he has heard a beautiful ringing of bells.
Jaya, 21.5.1122 anno Maris: In the village of the Shandia the shaman lies ill in bed. Many people are dying and the harvest is gone. The villagers want to know from the shaman what they have to do against the curse. He calms them down. About the snake god they sacrifice to the gods and so on the altar blood of the most beautiful girl from the village is to be sacrificed to the snake god. This is Mouse, a young Shandia woman. Shortly after, the shaman dies, as did the village healer before him. More than 100 lives have already been taken by the curse that hangs over the village. Someone discovers a stain on Seto, a young Shandia. This one runs away and is not stopped, because once you have stains, it’s already too late.
Seto runs into the forest and tries to rub the stains away with a rock. Mouse is willing to be sacrificed if it helps the village. It is an honor to be chosen by the sun god. She tells her mother, who is crying, not to be sad, she likes doing it. In the forest, Kalgara has run into Seto with the ship’s loot. With his arm bleeding, he apologizes to Kalgara that he would have liked to become like him later. A brave warrior protecting his country. He doesn’t want to end up like that.
The expedition ship has arrived on Jaya, thanks to the navigation of Admiral Mont Blanc Noland. On the shore, some are trying out a waver. They see the great jungle and hope to find research material when some Southbirds fly by, calling out their characteristic shriek. The crew jokes to their captain that he must have mistaken birdcalls for bell sounds, as they all pause to listen to a beautiful bell sound that can be heard for miles. They walk to the edge of the forest where Seto lies exhausted. Seto sees the intruders and wants to run back to the village, but collapses in the attempt. They recognize Seto’s illness, it was tree fever. Noland, alarmed, asks if they have any conine. They have little to inoculate the crew with immediately. They explore the island and find the Shandia village where the crops are contaminated and there are only sick people. Noland wants answers from Seto about what happened.
Altar of sacrifice: Under the beating of drums, a boat with a mouse sails to the altar of sacrifice, which lies in the middle of a lake. Sun god, rain god, forest god and earth god are called upon to take the blood of the virgin and save the village. A giant boa swims to the sacrificial altar and is worshipped as a snake god by the villagers. It emerges and is about to devour Mouse when Noland jumps into the water and, arriving at the sacrificial altar, cuts off the boa’s head. The inhabitants become very angry. Blood must be offered to the god. Noland promises Mouse that she won’t have to die here.
| Manga volumes | Skypiea Arc (Manga) |
